Lourenco 1 Nelson Lourenco English CP IV Period 3

Dune: The Struggle for Mental and Physical Survival

Dune, the land of sand, also called Arrakis is known for its harsh desert environment consisting of scorching temperatures, super-fast windstorms and gigantic sandworms. The planet of Arrakis itself fits the image of the Terrible Mother, not only in that it denies its children the moisture that they need to survive, by also in that it actively tries to destroy them (Susan McLean 96). Despite its dangerous characteristics, Dune carries a precious spice that makes up for all its uncertainties. The spice known as Melange preserves youth and causes strange side effects such as awareness in some individuals. The spice and only the spice is what lures trespassers to enter such a volatile place as Dune. Trespassers on Dune include the peoples from different Houses (galactic empires), once on the planet a House is to quickly mobilize and harvest as much spice as possible to sell and profit from. Its not that simple though, since there are numerous Houses with their eyes on the spice. The novel is about a planet whose dueling inhabitants are tested to defy a higher authority through the pressures of the environment and their personal goals. I chose this thesis, because it relates to the novel most significant events, in general my thesis encapsulates the principals and concepts presented with the battling between Houses and its subjects.

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The novel begins with the departure of the Atreides House from their home planet of Caladan to the little known desert planet of Dune. They are to replace a territorial fief on Dune that is being held by the evil House Harkonnen. The reader is immediately introduced to Paul, the main character and hero of the novel. Paul is the son of Duke Leto of the Atreides, he is eager to learn about the mysterious planet and its people. His mother Jessica, who is a Bene Gesserit, a woman who is trained in mind control, closely guards him throughout the novel. As the novel progresses, the Harkonnens who are supposed to peacefully handing over the fief to the Atreides have plans to keep through insidious ways. They get in contact with Dr. Yueh, a doctor from House Atreides, they tell him that if he turns off the shield that protects the Atreides base and tranquilizes the Duke then he will be given back his wife, who is said to be a prostitute for the Harkonnen soldiers. One night while the Duke was walking about his base, he shoots him with a tranquilizer dart and deactivates the shield, thus allowing the enemy Harkonnen to enter And totally annihilate the unknowing Atreides forces. Paul, Jessica and the Duke were caught and bound. Paul and Jessica were sent out on an aircraft where they were going to be disposed of in the open desert to the mercy of sand worms and bone-etching wind. When the aircraft touched down, Jessica used her sexuality to cause the two Harkonnen soldiers to fight (compete) amongst each other to have Jessica all to himself, one of the soldiers was killed in the fight. She refuses to use her sexual power to manipulate the duke, but she does not hesitate to use it to foil would-be rapists (Susan McLean 94). The remaining soldier unbound her; she then secretly unbound Paul whom then killed the

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last soldier. Soon after Paul and Jessica escape to the open desert only surviving on a kit that an Imperial scientist left behind in the aircraft, they eventually find refuge with the native Fremen people. Paul is regarded as a messiah among the Fremen, who believe that he will free them from their hardships under Imperial rule and fulfill their dream of turning Dune into a water world. Paul undertakes a desperate journey for survival, descending into the underworld figuratively (he is considered dead by both his enemies and his friends throughout much of the novel) and literally (as MuadDib he dwells in the subterranean caves-sietches-of the Fremen) (Michael Collings 91). In order for him to become a Fremen he had to challenge opposing Fremen tribe leaders. Pauls intense and unself-conscious tribute to his opponent cemented the relationship between himself and the Fremen, allowing him to mold tem into the most devastating troops in the Empire (Michael Collings 92). With the help of the Fremen, some explosives and a windstorm, Paul was able to demolish the Harkonnen base. At the end, he kills the Barons son in a final one on one showdown, and rules all of Dune with the Fremen at his side. Dr. Yueh is a Suk doctor from House Atreides who is perceived to be a trustworthy person since he has been through conditioning that prohibits him from being a traitor. He risked his life and position in House Atreides to possibly get his wife back. Possibly, because he knew that the Harkonnens might not keep their end of the deal, so what he did was insert a poisonous-gas tooth into the Dukes mouth. When the Duke was presented to the Harkonnen Baron, he crushed the poisonous tooth, which killed a few

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advisors and almost killed the Baron himself. Tragically, Dr. Yueh was executed, as well as his wife. Jessica is also a vital character to the novel, she is Duke Letos Bene Gesserit concubine, and this allows the Duke to remain free for state marriages with other women in order to gain a political advantage. As a Bene Gesserit she is to accept the traditional role of women as property despite their grand breeding plan, she must remain as a hidden kind of influence which must benefit her superiors. Although like Dr. Yueh she shows defiance by her bearing the son Leto desires when the breeding plan calls for her to bear a daughter, the choice in this future being hers through Bene Gesserit techniques (Jack Hand 98). She also commits a second defiance by the training of Paul in the various mental techniques of the order, such as voice command (Jack Hand 98). The setting on Dune resembles the Sahara desert, except that it has hotter temperatures and fast wind velocities. Unlike the Sahara desert, Dune is the home of the giant sandworm, which can reach sever hundred yards in length and width. The air on Dune consists of only 23 percent of oxygen, so there are very few animals that live on Dune. Some of these are hawks, bats and of course the sandworms. A theme that ties closely with the setting is that the people of Dune either recognize their dependencies or takes them for granted. The animals, as well as the humans that occupy Dune must be uniquely adapted to this sort of environment. Humans that live on Dune face the burden of creating sophisticated equipment to withstand the heat and wind. Humans on Earth lose about one gallon of water (sweat) each day, but on

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Dune a human on the open desert would lose about four times that amount simply because of the temperatures which range from 200 to 400 degrees Celsius. The most vital piece of survival equipment is the Stillsuit, which is worn to recycle body moisture, whether that be sweat, urine, excrement, or even the moisture that is contained in the carbon dioxide humans breath out. All this recycled moisture is collected on the suit itself into catch pockets, which can later be used to drink from. Stillsuits are black, leather like skin-tight outfits that include a mouthpiece. Similar equipment used on Dune, include door seals that trap in moisture and special tents that collect moisture in the air, which like a Stillsuit can be sipped from later through a catchpocket. The nave traveler to Dune must have knowledge of these things before taking a step off their spacecraft. One of the first things Paul noticed once he landed on Dune were the water beggars. When the Atreides held a banquet, guests would enter the lobby and dip their hands in water, which would fall down floor. Fremen would stand outside and pay for this water that was mopped up from the ground previously. Paul noticed this and was disturbed; he also noticed how the Harkonnens had planted Date Palm trees in front of the Atreides base (planted when the Harkonnens owned that base). The Date Palms need a great amount of water to produce fruit, yet there was people who needed that water and that was what disgusted Paul. On the other extreme are the Fremen, who show the most water discipline in the novel. When Paul defeated a Fremen man who challenged him, his body was drained for its moisture before it was buried.

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The novel is told through an omniscient point of view. The read has total knowledge of whats going on in the novel, whether that be dialogue, action or thought. I enjoyed this point of view, because it brings out a more in-depth story. The reader feels more involved with this type of view. It helps the reader make subjective criticisms on different characters, since he or she is not looking through the eyes of any particular character. What makes Dune such an interesting book, is the suspense in finding out which character will snap next. All the characters are under pressure by not only their commanders, but also the environment in which they are constantly reminded of. Will Paul endure the desert? Will Dr. Yueh go through with the lowering of the shields? I enjoyed reading Dune, because of its intricacy and hidden schemes. With most of the decision-making characters, it seemed as if there were always backup plans just incase something failed, like one of the Dukes advisors said plans within plans. Dune is the human version of Darwins theory of survival of the fittest, stay alive and prosper regardless of who you trample over or die trying.