Is he human? - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

imported_admin · 24th January 2007, 06:35 PM

This area is for all you out there who is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Robert is human. But be wary, you have an uphill battle ahead of you. There is much evidence to suggest that he is not.

Ponygirl · 26th January 2007, 10:10 AM

He's definitely not human. He's got wires and metal inside him. How can that be human? But who cares anyway he's got feelings and emotions just like any of us and should be treated with respect and humanity. :P

M1rage · 26th February 2007, 03:58 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Totally agree with that. Would be pretty cool to be like him i think :P To the natural eye, human...but contains super healing powers

Anyway just a thought.

cillitbang12 · 26th February 2007, 04:17 PM

Is being human just about having flesh? What, then, about people with amputated limbs? I think that while Robert may have less human in him than the rest of us, he is definitely humane.

Library Lou · 1st March 2007, 02:34 PM

Robert has always believed himself to be human, he grew up thinking and feeling the same way as everyone else. His inability to cry could just be a reaction to the childhood trauma of being abandoned.

BUT.. its the wires and metal and wizzy things that worry me. Thats just not normal is it, unless he had some sort of transplant when he was little...mm maybe reaching a bit there!

He may not be human in the physical sense, but I agree with other posts that he has human qualities. He does feel something for Eddi, but there is point when he deliberately leaves DNA evidence of hers for the police to find. He actually stops to think about that sort of thing, surely any human in his situation would be having a major panic by now.

I think I am going to have to read it again and think about it a bit more..
:wink:

Kevin Brooks · 2nd March 2007, 10:26 AM

It's unlikely, I know, but if it was possible to have a transplant of every single part of you - heart, face, brain, organs, everything - would you still be the same person? Would you still be you?
Like I said, just a thought.
Kevin

aemilie · 2nd March 2007, 07:28 PM

good points, but does it really matter?
the book may be pivoted on what he has inside him,
but is it really about him being/not being human?

cillitbang12 · 2nd March 2007, 07:40 PM

I struggle to think of what else it was about.

P.S

Quote:

being/not being human?

Ha, ha ha, just fun.[/quote]

aemilie · 3rd March 2007, 01:19 PM

oh, but i think it's just a big metaphor about what teenagers are/become.
they're children, then they hit puberty,
then they have to adapt to the fact that they aren't what they were, and then they sometimes run from what is happening to them,
either literally or inside their heads.
thanks Kevin!

cillitbang12 · 3rd March 2007, 04:50 PM

yeah, that's true.
Check out my post on Kevin's blog as to that idea.
But, that's kind of what the underlying meaning is, but the search for identity DOES bring into question- am I human?
I think it's something all of us think about at some time or another, but then again most of us don't have machines in our stomachs :lol:

imported_Rebecca · 6th March 2007, 11:01 AM

All the comments are really interesting, I hope they are encouraging all users to think about Being in a slightly different way. In any case they are definitely making me think a little harder!

To sum up: so far nobody in this forum is fully convinced that Robert is human. Yet.

In response to Kevin's question, I think if all my organs came from donors, I probably wouldn't have the same personality.

However, I'm not sure why I think this, after all how much can an eyeball or kidney contribute to your character or sense of self??

As many of us have already said, Robert definitely has human qualities, although we know his body belongs to something else.

Does this mean Robert has a human soul? (If such a thing exists?)
:?

cillitbang12 · 6th March 2007, 07:50 PM

oh, jeeze.
Souls? Now it's getting heavy.

Depends on your school of thought, i think. Some people say that everyone has a soul; others suggest that the soul must be earnt.
And, then again, as you said, Rebecca, there may be no soul at all.

I think, if a soul had to be earnt, Robert earnt it.

aemilie · 11th March 2007, 12:31 PM

souls now?!!
it depends on your life philosophy...
do animals have souls?
and why do we have to read souls into a teen story?

cillitbang12 · 11th March 2007, 05:45 PM

do animals have souls?
Possibly, suppose-like you said, depends on your philosophy.

and aemilie, we HAVE to read into this- it's what the forum's for!
PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY DREAMS FROM ME! I NEED TO ANALYSE THIS BOOK, IT'S THE ONLY SOCIAL LIFE I HAVE!

*ahem*
Well not exactly, but the book invites itself to analysis, to be fair, and i reject the categorisation of teen books as not being able to have souls and other such things in it.

Although most of them don't have souls and the like in them, some people that what Mr. Brooks has attempted here is admirable- he's not talking down to us like others.

Your opinion, oh boards (and aemilie, of course)?

imported_Rebecca · 13th March 2007, 01:50 PM

Ok - perhaps I should clarify my trains of thought.
We are discussing whether Robert is in fact a human.

Many have said he is, despite the fact that he is biologically different to other people. If forum members are convinced that Robert is human then why? What is the defining 'thing' that makes Robert human? If it is not his body then could it be his mind or soul?

Again let me know your thoughts. If discussion takes us into unfamiliar territory then that can only be good, and is a testament to the novel itself.

Check out Deiros' post in 'Is Robert something else?'. S/he has suggested that what we see inside Robert is a parasite, so now we have another theory up for discussion. Great!

24th January 2007, 06:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
imported_admin Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 6	Is he human? This area is for all you out there who is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Robert is human. But be wary, you have an uphill battle ahead of you. There is much evidence to suggest that he is not.

26th January 2007, 10:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ponygirl Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1	Humanity He's definitely not human. He's got wires and metal inside him. How can that be human? But who cares anyway he's got feelings and emotions just like any of us and should be treated with respect and humanity. :P

2nd March 2007, 10:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kevin Brooks Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17	just a thought It's unlikely, I know, but if it was possible to have a transplant of every single part of you - heart, face, brain, organs, everything - would you still be the same person? Would you still be you? Like I said, just a thought. Kevin

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

26th February 2007, 03:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
M1rage Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 6	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Totally agree with that. Would be pretty cool to be like him i think :P To the natural eye, human...but contains super healing powers Anyway just a thought.

26th February 2007, 04:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
cillitbang12 Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 38	Is being human just about having flesh? What, then, about people with amputated limbs? I think that while Robert may have less human in him than the rest of us, he is definitely humane.

1st March 2007, 02:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
Library Lou Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 4	Robert has always believed himself to be human, he grew up thinking and feeling the same way as everyone else. His inability to cry could just be a reaction to the childhood trauma of being abandoned. BUT.. its the wires and metal and wizzy things that worry me. Thats just not normal is it, unless he had some sort of transplant when he was little...mm maybe reaching a bit there! He may not be human in the physical sense, but I agree with other posts that he has human qualities. He does feel something for Eddi, but there is point when he deliberately leaves DNA evidence of hers for the police to find. He actually stops to think about that sort of thing, surely any human in his situation would be having a major panic by now. I think I am going to have to read it again and think about it a bit more.. :wink:

2nd March 2007, 07:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
aemilie Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 30	good points, but does it really matter? the book may be pivoted on what he has inside him, but is it really about him being/not being human?

3rd March 2007, 01:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
aemilie Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 30	oh, but i think it's just a big metaphor about what teenagers are/become. they're children, then they hit puberty, then they have to adapt to the fact that they aren't what they were, and then they sometimes run from what is happening to them, either literally or inside their heads. thanks Kevin!

3rd March 2007, 04:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
cillitbang12 Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 38	yeah, that's true. Check out my post on Kevin's blog as to that idea. But, that's kind of what the underlying meaning is, but the search for identity DOES bring into question- am I human? I think it's something all of us think about at some time or another, but then again most of us don't have machines in our stomachs :lol:

6th March 2007, 11:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
imported_Rebecca Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 9	All the comments are really interesting, I hope they are encouraging all users to think about Being in a slightly different way. In any case they are definitely making me think a little harder! To sum up: so far nobody in this forum is fully convinced that Robert is human. Yet. In response to Kevin's question, I think if all my organs came from donors, I probably wouldn't have the same personality. However, I'm not sure why I think this, after all how much can an eyeball or kidney contribute to your character or sense of self?? As many of us have already said, Robert definitely has human qualities, although we know his body belongs to something else. Does this mean Robert has a human soul? (If such a thing exists?) :?

6th March 2007, 07:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
cillitbang12 Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 38	oh, jeeze. Souls? Now it's getting heavy. Depends on your school of thought, i think. Some people say that everyone has a soul; others suggest that the soul must be earnt. And, then again, as you said, Rebecca, there may be no soul at all. I think, if a soul had to be earnt, Robert earnt it.

11th March 2007, 12:31 PM	#13 (permalink)
aemilie Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 30	souls now?!! it depends on your life philosophy... do animals have souls? and why do we have to read souls into a teen story?

11th March 2007, 05:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
cillitbang12 Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 38	do animals have souls? Possibly, suppose-like you said, depends on your philosophy. and aemilie, we HAVE to read into this- it's what the forum's for! PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY DREAMS FROM ME! I NEED TO ANALYSE THIS BOOK, IT'S THE ONLY SOCIAL LIFE I HAVE! ahem Well not exactly, but the book invites itself to analysis, to be fair, and i reject the categorisation of teen books as not being able to have souls and other such things in it. Although most of them don't have souls and the like in them, some people that what Mr. Brooks has attempted here is admirable- he's not talking down to us like others. Your opinion, oh boards (and aemilie, of course)?

13th March 2007, 01:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
imported_Rebecca Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 9	Ok - perhaps I should clarify my trains of thought. We are discussing whether Robert is in fact a human. Many have said he is, despite the fact that he is biologically different to other people. If forum members are convinced that Robert is human then why? What is the defining 'thing' that makes Robert human? If it is not his body then could it be his mind or soul? Again let me know your thoughts. If discussion takes us into unfamiliar territory then that can only be good, and is a testament to the novel itself. Check out Deiros' post in 'Is Robert something else?'. S/he has suggested that what we see inside Robert is a parasite, so now we have another theory up for discussion. Great!