The Eyes Have It

Explore the nature of perception within this story. How does it challenge the concept of objective reality, and how does it undermine or uphold its own conception of the same?

Discuss the portrayal of the dismissive government in this story. How does this portrayal fit into the motif of dystopian societies in many of Philip K. Dick's other works? What are the perceived consequences of this inaction?

Discuss the role of technology and its impact on humanity in Philip K. Dick's writing. Examine how he portrays the ethical, social, and philosophical implications of advanced technology and how this shapes the characters and societies in his works.

Examine how the narrator/the reader’s identity changes throughout the story. Focus on his roles as a reader of books, as a narrator, and as a father.

Describe the narrator’s relationship to his family. How is this revealed throughout the story? What changes occur in this dynamic?

Discuss the role of paranoia and conspiracy theories in “The Eyes Have It.” How does Dick explore the psychological and societal impacts of paranoia, and how does he present the notion of reality as a constantly shifting and uncertain construct?

Discuss the role of kitsch in this story. How does the presence of mundane objects and the extraordinary significance given to these objects alter the narrator’s understanding of his situation?

Examine the “excerpts” the narrator/the reader analyzes and the interpretation he gives. What are the ethical, moral, and existential implications of such interpretations?