Size doesn’t matter.
Standing at just over 10 pages, Harlan Ellison’s “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” has stayed at the forefront of my mind, reminding me exactly how powerful literature can be.
Is it the most beautiful story ever written? No. Most of the prose is terse and rough, using repetition and tone to convey its message. However, the question and ending of the short story are beyond poignant.
The story follows the last five people on Earth who are trapped by a murderous sentient supercomputer that has taken over the world. Light stuff. Yet, Harlan Ellison’s purpose is for readers to understand something about the human condition.
If you don’t want spoilers, stop reading this article and go read the story — you can find it for free online. There are no excuses. But be warned, the review ahead will reveal some key plot points.
The two most interesting parts of this story are the rationale of the computer (named “AM”) and the ending. AM has been given all the knowledge of the world throughout all time, and he is trapped with it. He cannot do anything about his limitless knowledge but sit there and be. It would be as if you were born and given all the memories you would ever have in your life but were put in a white room for eternity.
Is this justification? Not in the slightest. But it is also a reflection of how humans think, feel and act. That sense of belonging and living out our lives is what gives us purpose. We don’t want to live vicariously through other people, nor do we want to live a life and have no one to share it with because we have no sense of belonging. AM is similar to humans in that way. His thoughts just turn him to murder rather than conviction.
The other part that I find vastly important is the ending. Ted, one of the final survivors of the human race, determines there is no way for him and his fellow captives to win or escape. So, Ted decides to kill the other four humans. This, of course, makes AM even more vindictive than before.
AM turns Ted into a slug so he can never escape, move quickly or see clearly ever again. Unfortunately for Ted, he can still think with perfect clarity. This punishment is the perfect mirror to the situation AM himself found himself in; he is eternally tormented, completely alone, unable to do anything. But unlike AM, Ted has the knowledge that the others are safe, and that is enough.
This knowledge of the human condition is what makes this story so powerful. Even if it’s smaller than average.
