Man in the highc castle amazon8/17/2023 ![]() ![]() The East is ruled by the Nazis and in an attempt to keep these powers from eating each other, the middle of the US is neutral. The Japanese rule that which is West of Rockies. In the series, the Axis powers have split the US into three zones. Like I said…this is a complex narrative and, to give Dick credit, it was written in the early 1960s. It tries, I think, to highlight its evil and does not let white America off the hook. THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE does not justify white supremacy. The audience sees the “graded” evil of racism. The series touches on Civil Rights era injustices while highlighting the Nazi take on black skin, which is horrifying and includes the sterilization of young black women. Those characters are drawn in a way that is multi-faceted and dignifying. To counter that narrative that “good ‘ol America just needs to be reclaimed”, the Black Communist Rebellion becomes an important power in the final season. How would those scenes be written today? I wonder… I would hesitate to make a moral statement about those who have defaced monuments in our cities in these last months, but I did find it fascinating to see this portrayal, non political, I assume because the screenplay was written long before our recent protests. One character spells out the reason, “Once we wipe out their narrative, it will help them accept our narrative, the Nazi narrative.” The Nazis empower the young people in the US to riot and do violence to any who try to protect the monuments. In THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, those taking down the monuments are Nazis, determined to wipe out American history and recreate their own version of history that will be imposed on Americans. Before Covid19 and George Floyd protests…in this series (in the book, I assume as well) memorials, monuments and statues are blown up, taken down, destroyed. Dick is playing with alternative histories in this story and Spotnitz (credit for the screenplay/creator goes alone to Frank Spotnitz on the show’s Wikipedia page) was able to put forward a world that in many respects, felt as real as the news I see on my screen on any given day. In that sense, I found the series remarkably relevant. Unlikely allies come together to defeat evil. It will require dedication, resilience and the broader community…something I feel to be true throughout history. The moral framework was being laid, the true heroes were being defined, but by season 3, defeating evil in our midst becomes the clear goal. Seasons 3 and 4 put forward the more complex moral and philosophical questions around Nazism, occupation and the kind of determination that it takes to defeat evil. I appreciated and enjoyed all four seasons of THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, but my favorite seasons were 3 and 4. ![]() THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE gives the audience an intimate view into the characters of the day, many of whom are real historical people, but if not real, the fictional characters help the audience understand the zeitgeist of the time. World War II was a fascinating and dark time in world history with reverberations reaching into our current era, more than we might think. Finally, if you find history a bore, consider jump-starting your learning via consuming smart fiction, like THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE.Pushing characters to their limits and not turning away from human dilemmas like: How far would you go to protect your family? Would you kill a person in cold blood if you know they will be responsible for death and mayhem in the future?.A satisfying enough ending (will say no more lest I spoil).Also, a powerful female hero in Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) A brilliant portrayal of John Smith, an American/Nazi leader, by Rufus Sewell. Superb storytelling…I was surprised at how well the writer(s) kept me engaged, including the pacing over 4 seasons.First, the short review: 5 Reasons I Recommend THE MAN IN HIGH CASTLE In Dick’s novel, the Axis powers win World War II. Dick wrote THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE after being inspired by the novel Bring the Jubilee, by Ward Moore, whose novel is an alternative history of the US where the Confederate States win the Civil War. This story is less science fiction in the traditional sense and more alternative history. Dick’s daughter was involved in the production of the tv version, overseeing her father’s vision. Dick’s novel of the same name (which I have not yet read, but will soon because I enjoyed the series so much). THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE is not a new story, but it was imagined anew by creator Frank Spotnitz for our era. I give this story a PG 13 rating, so be warned, parents. Also…I know I’m a little late to the game, but it’s hard to keep up, especially if you’re trying to read and watch scifi! There’s a lot of good content out there in the multiverse. I recently finished viewing all 4 seasons of THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE and loved it.
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