Tik-Tok/A...E - Revision history

Eb at 08:09, 25 January 2025

2025-01-25T08:09:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:09, 25 January 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{#addbodyclass: tiled-toc tiled-toc-no-chapters}}
	{{SummaryCollapsed \|		{{SummaryCollapsed \|
	''In the framing story:'' Tik-Tok is in prison, awaiting execution. He starts to reminisce.		''In the framing story:'' Tik-Tok is in prison, awaiting execution. He starts to reminisce.

Eb at 01:00, 18 January 2025

2025-01-18T01:00:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:00, 17 January 2025
Line 14:		Line 14:

	=== An Inspector Calls ===		=== An Inspector Calls ===
	The 1945 ~~[[wikipedia:~~An Inspector Calls\|play by J.B. Priestley]], in which a detective coaxes out a family's guilty secrets after the death of one of their employees. Despite its resemblance to the familiar "questioning all the suspects in the drawing room" type of plot, it's not a murder mystery but more of a social critique, implicating the family for their unexamined privilege and predicting that lack of empathy will one day lead to "fire and blood and anguish"—an appropriate choice for Tik-Tok, who is at this point just starting to acknowledge his anger at humans but hasn't yet committed a crime.		The 1945 {{wp\|An Inspector Calls\|play by J.B. Priestley}}, in which a detective coaxes out a family's guilty secrets after the death of one of their employees. Despite its resemblance to the familiar "questioning all the suspects in the drawing room" type of plot, it's not a murder mystery but more of a social critique, implicating the family for their unexamined privilege and predicting that lack of empathy will one day lead to "fire and blood and anguish"—an appropriate choice for Tik-Tok, who is at this point just starting to acknowledge his anger at humans but hasn't yet committed a crime.

	=== Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker ===		=== Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker ===
	Mrs. ~~[[wikipedia:~~Singer Corporation\|Singer]] shares a name with a brand of sewing machines. {{wp\|Studebaker}} and ~~[[wikipedia:~~Tucker 48\|Tucker]] (their other neighbor who appears in Chapter 2) were brands of cars—obsolete ones by the time ''Tik-Tok'' was written.{{ref Eyeteeth}}		Mrs. {{wp\|Singer Corporation\|Singer}} shares a name with a brand of sewing machines. {{wp\|Studebaker}} and {{wp\|Tucker 48\|Tucker}} (their other neighbor who appears in Chapter 2) were brands of cars—obsolete ones by the time ''Tik-Tok'' was written.{{ref Eyeteeth}}

	=== the Fairmont police ===		=== the Fairmont police ===
	The Studebaker storyline doesn't seem to be set in any specific part of the country, but it's probably not a coincidence that there is a small town called ~~[[wikipedia:~~Fairmont, Minnesota\|Fairmont]] in Sladek's home state of Minnesota; [[Thomas M. Disch]] lived there as a child.		The Studebaker storyline doesn't seem to be set in any specific part of the country, but it's probably not a coincidence that there is a small town called {{wp\|Fairmont, Minnesota\|Fairmont}} in Sladek's home state of Minnesota; [[Thomas M. Disch]] lived there as a child.

	=== Sauce Harpeau ===		=== Sauce Harpeau ===
Line 32:		Line 32:

	=== Wedgwood ===		=== Wedgwood ===
	An English ~~[[wikipedia:~~Wedgwood\|brand of fine china]].		An English {{wp\|Wedgwood\|brand of fine china}}.

	=== asimov circuits ... three laws ===		=== asimov circuits ... three laws ===
	~~[[wikipedia:~~Isaac Asimov\|Asimov]]'s fictional {{wp\|Three Laws of Robotics}} prescribed that (in descending order of priority) a robot must not cause or allow harm to humans, must obey humans, and must protect itself from harm. In Asimov's stories, these rules were literally hard-wired into nearly every robot brain, more or less as Tik-Tok describes here. But as [[Roderick/Book Two#How can they program a robot to obey some dumb law\|previously mentioned]] in ''[[Roderick]]'', Sladek doesn't find that idea very plausible.		{{wp\|Isaac Asimov\|Asimov}}'s fictional {{wp\|Three Laws of Robotics}} prescribed that (in descending order of priority) a robot must not cause or allow harm to humans, must obey humans, and must protect itself from harm. In Asimov's stories, these rules were literally hard-wired into nearly every robot brain, more or less as Tik-Tok describes here. But as [[Roderick/Book Two#How can they program a robot to obey some dumb law\|previously mentioned]] in ''[[Roderick]]'', Sladek doesn't find that idea very plausible.

	=== a fencepost ... an animal perched upon it, ears twitching ===		=== a fencepost ... an animal perched upon it, ears twitching ===
Line 56:		Line 56:

	=== stamped out like apostle spoons ===		=== stamped out like apostle spoons ===
	~~[[wikipedia:~~Apostle spoon\|Apostle spoons]] were religiously themed silverware sets.		{{wp\|Apostle spoon\|Apostle spoons}} were religiously themed silverware sets.

	=== an ancient Mississippi plantation, restored to its antebellum splendor ===		=== an ancient Mississippi plantation, restored to its antebellum splendor ===
Line 64:		Line 64:

	=== Uncle Rasselas ===		=== Uncle Rasselas ===
	Named after Samuel Johnson's fictional ~~[[wikipedia:~~The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia\|Prince of Abissinia]], with echoes of {{wp\|Uncle Remus}} and {{wp\|Uncle Tom}}.		Named after Samuel Johnson's fictional {{wp\|The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia\|Prince of Abissinia}}, with echoes of {{wp\|Uncle Remus}} and {{wp\|Uncle Tom}}.

	=== the kitchen help, Ben, Jemima, Molasses and Big Mac ===		=== the kitchen help, Ben, Jemima, Molasses and Big Mac ===
Line 73:		Line 73:

	=== Côtes Des Moines ===		=== Côtes Des Moines ===
	A joke on ~~[[wikipedia:~~Côtes du Rhône AOC\|Côtes du Rhône]] and {{wp\|Des Moines, Iowa}} (similar to Sladek's notion in ''[[Roderick]]'' that the art world of the Midwest would have a [[Roderick/Book Two#the Des Moines Bienniale\|Des Moines Bienniale]]). In French the name of this wine would literally mean "shores of the monks".		A joke on {{wp\|Côtes du Rhône AOC\|Côtes du Rhône}} and {{wp\|Des Moines, Iowa}} (similar to Sladek's notion in ''[[Roderick]]'' that the art world of the Midwest would have a [[Roderick/Book Two#the Des Moines Bienniale\|Des Moines Bienniale]]). In French the name of this wine would literally mean "shores of the monks".

	=== fluorescent white peruke ===		=== fluorescent white peruke ===
Line 93:		Line 93:

	=== Darnaway's disease ===		=== Darnaway's disease ===
	Might be named after the murderously insane Scottish recluse in Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic tale ~~[[wikipedia:~~The Merry Men (short story)\|"The Merry Men"]]. Another possibility{{ref Eyeteeth}} is G.K. Chesterton's [https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown-00-h.html#VIIC "The Doom of the Darnaways"], in which a character suggests that murder is "good news" because, being a deliberate act, it demonstrates "the will which God made free."		Might be named after the murderously insane Scottish recluse in Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic tale {{wp\|The Merry Men (short story)\|"The Merry Men"}}. Another possibility{{ref Eyeteeth}} is G.K. Chesterton's [https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown-00-h.html#VIIC "The Doom of the Darnaways"], in which a character suggests that murder is "good news" because, being a deliberate act, it demonstrates "the will which God made free."

	=== the government was anxious not to pay out compensation for the disease ===		=== the government was anxious not to pay out compensation for the disease ===
Line 102:		Line 102:

	=== the most successful commercial defense project ever ===		=== the most successful commercial defense project ever ===
	Although there is a long tradition of defense contractors working for years on poorly designed machines that are later canceled (and, having worked as a technical writer, Sladek might have been thinking of software projects as well as ships), the story of ''Leviathan'' might be partly inspired by the ~~[[wikipedia:~~USS United States (CVA-58)\|USS ''United States'']] (1948-49). Although nowhere near as bizarre as the ''Leviathan'' (in fact, much of its design was later used in the next generation of aircraft carriers), the unfortunately named ''United States'' was in its day seen as a ridiculously ambitious vehicle, full of design compromises and unable to operate without support from other ships.		Although there is a long tradition of defense contractors working for years on poorly designed machines that are later canceled (and, having worked as a technical writer, Sladek might have been thinking of software projects as well as ships), the story of ''Leviathan'' might be partly inspired by the {{wp\|USS United States (CVA-58)\|USS ''United States''}} (1948-49). Although nowhere near as bizarre as the ''Leviathan'' (in fact, much of its design was later used in the next generation of aircraft carriers), the unfortunately named ''United States'' was in its day seen as a ridiculously ambitious vehicle, full of design compromises and unable to operate without support from other ships.

	=== ''Gone with the Wind'' and ''The Foxes of Harrow'' ===		=== ''Gone with the Wind'' and ''The Foxes of Harrow'' ===
Line 116:		Line 116:

	=== imitation Stephen Foster songs ===		=== imitation Stephen Foster songs ===
	~~[[wikipedia:~~Stephen Foster\|Foster]]'s minstrel songs often featured sentimental depictions of the pre-Civil War South (which he was unfamiliar with). The fake dialect here is similar to Foster's original lyrics for "{{wp\|Old Folks at Home}}".		{{wp\|Stephen Foster\|Foster}}'s minstrel songs often featured sentimental depictions of the pre-Civil War South (which he was unfamiliar with). The fake dialect here is similar to Foster's original lyrics for "{{wp\|Old Folks at Home}}".

	=== the Maillardet family exhibited their mechanical boy ===		=== the Maillardet family exhibited their mechanical boy ===
Line 124:		Line 124:
	Latin, "wolf-like".		Latin, "wolf-like".

	Weatherfield's writing here is a parody of late 20th century art criticism in general, but might be more specifically based on the style of ~~[[wikipedia:~~Robert Hughes (critic)\|Robert Hughes]] (who, probably not coincidentally, had written a few years earlier that "The World's Fair audience tended to think of the machine as ... a giant slave, an untiring steel Negro, controlled by Reason in a world of infinite resources"<ref>''{{wp\|The Shock of the New}}: Art and the century of change'', Robert Hughes (1980)</ref>).		Weatherfield's writing here is a parody of late 20th century art criticism in general, but might be more specifically based on the style of {{wp\|Robert Hughes (critic)\|Robert Hughes}} (who, probably not coincidentally, had written a few years earlier that "The World's Fair audience tended to think of the machine as ... a giant slave, an untiring steel Negro, controlled by Reason in a world of infinite resources"<ref>''{{wp\|The Shock of the New}}: Art and the century of change'', Robert Hughes (1980)</ref>).

	=== brandishing her Sabatier ===		=== brandishing her Sabatier ===
	A name used by many ~~[[wikipedia:~~Sabatier\|makers of kitchen knives]]. The farmer's wife in ~~[[wikipedia:~~Three Blind Mice\|"Three Blind Mice"]] cut off the mice's tails with a carving knife. In Tik-Tok's painting, the mice are mechanical ("windup Mickeys")—robots tormented by a "sullen, beefy" human.		A name used by many {{wp\|Sabatier\|makers of kitchen knives}}. The farmer's wife in {{wp\|Three Blind Mice\|"Three Blind Mice"}} cut off the mice's tails with a carving knife. In Tik-Tok's painting, the mice are mechanical ("windup Mickeys")—robots tormented by a "sullen, beefy" human.

	== D ==		== D ==

Eb: /* Darnaway's disease */

2018-04-13T03:23:22Z

Darnaway's disease

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:23, 12 April 2018
Line 93:		Line 93:

	=== Darnaway's disease ===		=== Darnaway's disease ===
	Might be named after the murderously insane Scottish recluse in Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic tale [[wikipedia:The Merry Men (short story)\|"The Merry Men"]]. Another possibility{{ref Eyeteeth}} is G.K. Chesterton's [https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown-00-h.html#VIIC "The Doom of the Darnaways"], in which a character suggests that murder is "good news" because, being a deliberate act, it ~~asserts~~ "the will which God made free."		Might be named after the murderously insane Scottish recluse in Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic tale [[wikipedia:The Merry Men (short story)\|"The Merry Men"]]. Another possibility{{ref Eyeteeth}} is G.K. Chesterton's [https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown-00-h.html#VIIC "The Doom of the Darnaways"], in which a character suggests that murder is "good news" because, being a deliberate act, it demonstrates "the will which God made free."

	=== the government was anxious not to pay out compensation for the disease ===		=== the government was anxious not to pay out compensation for the disease ===

Eb: /* Sauce Harpeau */

2018-04-13T03:21:59Z

Sauce Harpeau

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:21, 12 April 2018
Line 23:		Line 23:

	=== Sauce Harpeau ===		=== Sauce Harpeau ===
	Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least once—or possibly twice: Banjo, a name Tik-Tok went by in his past, is also the name of Harpo~~'s character~~ in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})		Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least once—or possibly twice: Banjo, a name Tik-Tok went by in his past, is also the name of the character Harpo played in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})

	=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===		=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===

Eb: /* Sauce Harpeau */

2018-04-13T02:18:35Z

Sauce Harpeau

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:18, 12 April 2018
Line 23:		Line 23:

	=== Sauce Harpeau ===		=== Sauce Harpeau ===
	Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least once—or possibly twice: Banjo, ~~an alias~~ Tik-Tok ~~uses~~, is also the name of Harpo's character in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})		Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least once—or possibly twice: Banjo, a name Tik-Tok went by in his past, is also the name of Harpo's character in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})

	=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===		=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===

Eb: /* Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker */

2018-04-13T02:17:57Z

Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:17, 12 April 2018
Line 17:		Line 17:

	=== Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker ===		=== Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker ===
	Mrs. [[wikipedia:Singer Corporation\|Singer]] shares a name with a brand of sewing machines. {{wp\|Studebaker}}, and [[wikipedia:Tucker 48\|Tucker]] (their other neighbor who appears in Chapter 2), were brands of cars—obsolete ones by the time ''Tik-Tok'' was written.{{ref Eyeteeth}}		Mrs. [[wikipedia:Singer Corporation\|Singer]] shares a name with a brand of sewing machines. {{wp\|Studebaker}} and [[wikipedia:Tucker 48\|Tucker]] (their other neighbor who appears in Chapter 2) were brands of cars—obsolete ones by the time ''Tik-Tok'' was written.{{ref Eyeteeth}}

	=== the Fairmont police ===		=== the Fairmont police ===

Eb: /* Sauce Harpeau */

2018-04-13T02:16:12Z

Sauce Harpeau

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:16, 12 April 2018
Line 23:		Line 23:

	=== Sauce Harpeau ===		=== Sauce Harpeau ===
	Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least ~~once— or~~ possibly twice: Banjo, an alias Tik-Tok uses, is also the name of Harpo's character in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})		Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least once—or possibly twice: Banjo, an alias Tik-Tok uses, is also the name of Harpo's character in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})

	=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===		=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===

Eb: /* Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker */

2018-04-13T02:15:49Z

Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:15, 12 April 2018
Line 17:		Line 17:

	=== Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker ===		=== Mrs. Singer ... Duane and Barbie Studebaker ===
	Mrs. [[wikipedia:Singer Corporation\|Singer]] shares a name with a brand of sewing machines. {{wp\|Studebaker}}, and [[wikipedia:Tucker 48\|Tucker]] (their other neighbor who appears in Chapter 2), were brands of ~~cars— obsolete~~ ones by the time ''Tik-Tok'' was written.{{ref Eyeteeth}}		Mrs. [[wikipedia:Singer Corporation\|Singer]] shares a name with a brand of sewing machines. {{wp\|Studebaker}}, and [[wikipedia:Tucker 48\|Tucker]] (their other neighbor who appears in Chapter 2), were brands of cars—obsolete ones by the time ''Tik-Tok'' was written.{{ref Eyeteeth}}

	=== the Fairmont police ===		=== the Fairmont police ===

Eb: /* Darnaway's disease */

2018-04-13T02:14:32Z

Darnaway's disease

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:14, 12 April 2018
Line 93:		Line 93:

	=== Darnaway's disease ===		=== Darnaway's disease ===
	Might be named after the murderously insane Scottish recluse in Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic tale [[wikipedia:The Merry Men (short story)\|"The Merry Men"]].		Might be named after the murderously insane Scottish recluse in Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic tale [[wikipedia:The Merry Men (short story)\|"The Merry Men"]]. Another possibility{{ref Eyeteeth}} is G.K. Chesterton's [https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown/chestertongk-incredulityoffatherbrown-00-h.html#VIIC "The Doom of the Darnaways"], in which a character suggests that murder is "good news" because, being a deliberate act, it asserts "the will which God made free."

	=== the government was anxious not to pay out compensation for the disease ===		=== the government was anxious not to pay out compensation for the disease ===

Eb: /* Sauce Harpeau */

2018-04-13T02:09:30Z

Sauce Harpeau

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:09, 12 April 2018
Line 23:		Line 23:

	=== Sauce Harpeau ===		=== Sauce Harpeau ===
	Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later.{{ref Eyeteeth}})		Not a real food item; ''harpeau'' is French for "harpoon" or "grappling hook". (It could also be named after Harpo Marx, who is referenced later at least once— or possibly twice: Banjo, an alias Tik-Tok uses, is also the name of Harpo's character in ''{{wp\|The Man Who Came to Dinner}}''.{{ref Eyeteeth}})

	=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===		=== check your license ... slits in the back of my neck ===