Neuromancer: Humans and Technology

Thesis:Technology-designed and used by humans? or Humans-cultured and manipulated by technology.

"'Shit. I don't need that. I need a gun. Like I maybe want to shoot somebody, understand?'"(14)

Case's desperation for a gun, demonstrates people's need of technology used for protection.

"Seven days and he'd jack in. If he closed his eyes now, he'd see the matrix"(37)

Case is anxious, and is already thinking about re-entering the matrix after not being able to for some time. Thus, illustrates people's addiction to technology.

"Program a map to display...outlines of hundred-year-old industrial parks ringing the old core of Atlanta..."(43)

Case even sees the outside world in a technological way.

"'Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination... like city lights, receding...'"(51)

The matrix described as a "consensual hallucination", again demonstrates machines controlling the minds of humans as humans seek escape from reality.

"It was disturbing to think of the Flatline as a construct, a hardwired ROM cassette
replicating a dead man's skills,obsessions, knee jerk responses"(76-77)

Technology can imitate human behavior?

" 'Wintermute, Case. It's time we talk.'...Each ran in turn, but only once, as he passed"(98)


"'Soon come, the Final Days ...'Call 'em Winter Mute..."

Show that communication between humans and technology can be reversed, where the AI can contact humans.

" 'I am the one who arranges things for Armitage...'"(120)

Wintermute controls Armitage?

"Nothing in the room looked as though it had been machine-made...handwoven fabric"(127)

Case feels awkward without technology.

"He extracted a rectangular object and passed it to Case...'but it's a weapon. It's a virus'"(130)

Humans are still in charge because they can implement viruses?

Neuromancer 001

Similar to many authors, William Gibson in the Neuromancer has an introduction phase where he introduces the reader to the lifestyle of the character’s of which the plot is revolved upon. Gibson’s descriptions however, are unique in that he uses an intensive vocabulary to describe objects which are in the setting rather than the setting as a whole or associate characters with objects than describe the person as a whole. “The sleeves of the blue zipsuit, had been ripped out at the shoulders” (page 9) as he describes Linda Lee. Gibson’s description does not necessarily depict the person through physical features, but rather through items that they hold or use. Thus allows, a shroud of mystery to cover these characters as well as rid them of the color of their skin.
With the addition of the 3rd person- subjective view of the narrator, these detailed images reveal more of the characteristics of the character. “Shin’s pistol was a fifty-year old Vietnamese imitation of a South American copy of a Walther PPK, double-action on the first shot, with a very rough pull. It was chambered for a .22 long rifle, and Case would have preferred lead azide explosives to the simple Chinese hollowpoints Shin had sold him” ( page 19). Often in the novel, the narrator would tell the reader about what thoughts a character may have on the subject matter without the character actually speaking. This gives the reader greater insight in areas where the object may not shed light. The gun here does not really suit Case’s likings. With long descriptions and short one-line dialogues, Gibson thus establishes an abstract setting alongside a physical setting.