Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

These are the themes which popped into my brain when reading the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. I'm not going to summarise the plot in this review so some of the references and characters I mention below won't make a great deal of sense unless you're familiar with the story and the main characters (note: don't think you can watch Bladerunner instead of reading the book as the story isn't exactly like the movie).

In general the story concerns two contrasting character types: androids and humans both of whom want to live and would kill to do so. At its most fundamental level the book asks what is life and what is reality, without giving any clear answers. The themes I identified are as follows:

Hopes and Dreams
As the title of the book suggests, do androids dream and if they do then what do they dream about? Dreams are not only the sort which occur when you fall asleep but also encompass the big dreams that we as humans have concerning our lives. If they do “dream” then what, apart from their physical forms, separates them from humanity? Indeed, Roy Baty (Rick's literary double) appears to have just as many dreams as Rick; he wants an improved life and he wants to have some spiritual fulfilment too. But Rick executes him and is then conflicted over what value should be placed on life: Rick kills to make a living whereas Baty kills to try to stay alive, which is more moral?

As the narrative progresses Rick Deckard discovers that his initial feelings and perceptions about androids become challenged and blurred. Are they actually alive? Can empathy exist in all “living” things as they try to realise their dreams and survive. The use of a false religion, Mercerism (see below) is used to bind these questions together and explore whether individualism is worse than a sense of collective humanity (again see below).

Empathy

...ultimately, the empathic gift blurred the boundaries between hunter and victim, between the successful and the defeated.

Religion

Decay

The Collective

Humanity