Introduction In his fantasy work, Bicentenary Man, Isaac Asimov invites the reader to consider the philosophical ideal of what it means to be a human being. Asimov intertwines the impartiality of science and the irrationality of emotions by creating a “living” android character set in a “normal” family situation in a future where robots can be purchased as Christmas presents. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay A question is asked to make us think, but we think we have the simplest answer to “what makes us human?”. To be sure, this is not the case demonstrated in the book Bicentennial Man, written by Isaac Asimov. Most would answer that what makes us human are our emotions, our thought process, and our appearance. According to Psychology Today, “One of the key characteristics that make us human appears to be that we can think about alternative futures and make deliberate choices accordingly.” Bicentennial Man proves this wrong. Andrew, the Bicentennial Man, displays emotion, appears to be a human being with human characteristics, and has his own thought process. How is he different from a human being? Bicentennial Man is a robot in a book written by Isaac Asimov. In Bicentennial Man, the setting takes place in San Francisco between the mid-twenty-first century and the mid-twenty-third century. The structure of the book is a flashback; however, the book is set in the future. Asimov is trying to predict what might happen in the future to robots and their desire to become equal. The author is also trying to show how it feels to be left out and when you try everything you can to be a part of it and you're still not accepted, it's a crushing feeling inside. The theme shown throughout the book is to challenge the reader as to where the line of inequality is drawn and how Andrew believes. This is shown when Andrew wants to be classified as human because he is capable of doing everything a human can, but is denied. Other themes shown are the separation of mind and body, which is quite human for Andrew, and morality (Sakina). This creates ideas for the reader and understanding to think about why and whether Andrew should be considered human or not. Even the meaning of the title is closely linked to these themes. The significance of the book's title is that the android, Andrew, manages to become as close to a human as possible on the two hundredth anniversary of his construction, where the World Congress declares him Bicentennial Man. However, the fact that he was declared a Bicentennial Man does not show a positive message. The message conveyed by the reader is self-loathing and how Andrew does not feel worthy of love, even after everything he does to try to declare himself human, his desire is still not truly satisfied. Even though this is the message conveyed, the mood of the book is optimistic because Andrew has hope until the end in trying to become a human being and this shows in everything he does until he decides it's time for him to go and get started. slowly fading away. The characters who play a positive role in the book are Martin's youngest daughter, Andrew Martin, Richard Martin and Portia Charney. The characters who play a negative role are Mechanical Man and Dennis Mansky, the head of NorthAm Robotics. Lord, he plays a huge role in the book dealing with Andrew's humanity. He is the one who first guides Andrew on the path to becoming more than just a robot because Andrew had so much more going for him. Little Miss also plays a unique role in the novel because she isshe who gave Andrew her name, which adds a humanizing effect. Some literary devices used by Asimov in the book are euphemism and point of view. The point of view of the entire book does not change, it is seen through the eyes of Andrew the Android. This is to create, for the reader, an emotional attachment to Andrea. This emotional attachment is created for the purpose of the reader seeing Andrew's entire life unfold and how he has everything needed to become a human being, yet the world continues to deny him his goal. The entire book is written in euphemisms. Asimov downplayed the harsh information given to Andrew and showed how to some people it wasn't a big deal to them that Andrew couldn't be declared human because they believed he shouldn't be. To help understand the book a little more even when reading it, you need to know Isaac's Three Laws of Robotics. “First law: a robot cannot harm a human being or allow, through its inaction, a human being to be harmed. 2nd Law: A robot must obey orders given by humans except where such orders conflict with the First Law. 3rd law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law” (Sakina). The Robot is called Andrew and lives with the Martin family. Andrew was built and given some parts in which he would act. However, an accidental glitch occurred in Andrew's positronic brain pathways, so much so that he became very artistic and can learn on his own, which is very rare and has never happened before with robots. When the doctors learned of Andrew's defect, they informed the Martin family that they could get rid of Andrew and get a new robot. However, Andrew was so close to his youngest daughter, Little Miss, so the Martin family decided to support Andrew. Andrew also started creating beautiful works of art that would be worth a lot of money. The Martins began selling Andrews' artwork and giving him half the money they would make from the artwork. Andrew began saving his money until he could finally improve himself. So he buys his freedom, buys himself organic parts to replace the old parts, writes about the history of robots, tries to get legal rights for robots, becomes a robobiologist, and even starts wearing clothes. After completing all these tasks, Andrew feels that he has the right to be declared a man instead of a robot because he acts more like a man. Unfortunately it was rejected. After this request is denied, he requests that his immortal body begin to slowly dry up. Andrew had overcome so many obstacles to try to be known as a “man,” but the humans felt he had no right to do so. Humans then became another obstacle for Andrew. The Martin children did not treat Andrew as he should have been treated. An example is when they threw him out of the upstairs window for laughs. This fall hurt Andrew a lot and there was nothing he could do about all this torture other than accept it. Since he acted like a human, he understood everything that was happening to him due to his advanced human development, but he could do nothing to help himself because in their eyes he was just a robot. However a shocking turn of events occurs and it happens that on the 200th anniversary of Andrew's construction, the president of the world declares Andrew the Bicentennial Man and signs it. This had amazed the dying Andrew (Asimov). Andrew started out as a robot, with robotic characteristics, following what his coding and parts told him to do until hean unexpected turn of events occurred. Somehow an error occurred in his coding where he started having human-like characteristics and started behaving like a human. She showed emotion, was independent, and had a stable, high-functioning job. How was he different from a human being? The story is told from the point of view of the android robot, Andrew. This makes the reader, right from the start, take Andrew's side in his entire quest to find humanity (Schutte). This is seen as strange because most people would not side with a robot and his point of view, but from the beginning of the story, the reader is taken on a long journey into Andrew's life and his desires to become known like a human being. Since the reader is viewing everything from Andrew's perspective, they can also see into his soul. Something that has a soul cannot be denied equal rights, yet throughout the novel society continues to do so. Because Andrew has been introduced to a soul, readers feel they can sympathize with him. Furthermore, at the end of the book, Andrew dies a “natural” death even though he is not considered human. How could a robot suffer a natural death and not be considered a human? Robots don't die a natural death, they either get shut down or break down. Yet after all this, Andrew is still considered just a Bicentennial man. Asimov shares some of his insecurities in this novel when he wrote an unintentional insult about Andrew while waiting to know whether he would be declared human or not. Did Asimov write this novel and make himself the main character, known as Andrew because that's where he hides all his insecurities? He masked his emotions as a future robot. Perhaps Asimov wrote this novel because he feels unwanted and is showing this through Andrew and the actions of his writing. The text of the novel is also a philosophical text. A philosophical text is one in which the main character has faced many setbacks throughout the novel. Andrew faced many obstacles throughout the entire novel with only one thing on his mind, being declared human. He feels that he should have equal opportunity with humans because he can do everything they can do, as shown throughout the novel. This may concern Asimov again because Asimov could have been at a point in his life where he was facing many setbacks and had to keep moving forward. I believe Asimov wrote everything based on himself and how he felt during this period of his life. I believe that the moment Andrew became known as Bicentennial Man was the moment Asimov wrote and finished the book, Bicentennial Man. The main feeling Asimov had that drove him to write this book was that he didn't feel human. . It had all added up in his life to make him think, what truly makes someone considered human? All this is shown through the android Andrew as he searches for what could make him human and throughout the novel he does so, facing many obstacles each time. Maybe Asimov also doesn't feel human but doesn't know how to express it or show what makes one be considered or declared human. Even though Andrew meets the requirements to declare himself a human being, he is still an outsider. He is an outsider in his own community and will not be allowed to enter a community better suited to him. This is another example of how Asimov can relate all this to himself, feeling left out, just like an outsider who doesn't know where to go. The destination he wants to reach does not accept him and he feels lost, not knowing where to go or what to do. I think Asimov felt that way and that's why he iswriting this book to help him through his stuck period of not feeling human and experiencing it through Andrew. Asimov is also trying to highlight people's fears by not allowing Andrew to be declared a human being. Many people fear that robots could take over the Earth and human life. Many films, shows and songs have been written about something like this. Human beings want to be known as superior and better; once something tries to hinder them, they will do everything in their power to try to fight it. This leads back to Andrew wanting to become a human. Andrew's intentions to become human are not intended in a negative way. He wants to become a human because he worked hard to achieve everything he achieved and has all the same characteristics as the humans in the book, the only difference is that he was built in a factory. Asimov is showing that people fear that if Andrew is declared human, other robots that may contain a flaw in the future, may want the same. If all robots came to the conclusion that they wanted to be declared human, they would contain more advanced abilities and technologies than humans. Then they will become superior to humans and humans will not want to lose control over everything; they will have to become slaves of the robots. Asimov showed early in the book how humans get robots to entertain and care for their children, do chores for them, and in Andrew's case, sold the artwork he had painted and they kept most of the money for themselves. Asimov is trying to tap into people's fears but he doesn't say it directly in the book. By tapping into people's fears, he would get an emotional reaction from the reader that would make him read his book with more emotions. From the beginning of the book, Asimov tries to make readers emotionally attached to Andrew. That's why Asimov writes the book from Andrew's point of view, to create an emotional bond with Andrew. Asimov does this to show Andrew's soul. A soul can show who someone or something really is. A soul gives an idea of ​​that person or robot. Once you know a person's soul, that's when you determine whether it contains good or bad intentions. From the beginning of the book, Asimov shows that Andrew has good intentions. He does everything that is asked of him and even suffers abuse from the children of the Martin family, but he still continues to have good intentions throughout the book no matter what comes his way. Asimov also wrote this book at Christmas time; Andrew was a Christmas present for the Martin children. Christmas is known for the birth of Jesus Christ. Asimov wrote this book at Christmas time because it is referred to as the birth of Andrew. Andrew's birth is significant because it shows how he helped many people in his life and how he grew significantly. What many might argue about Andrew is that he was built in a lab and somehow a mistake occurred that forced him to start acting more like a human. But human beings are also “built” in a certain sense, but not in a laboratory. Humans grow in their mother's womb and are “built” from the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of each of their parents. Andrew also displayed human-like emotions and "grew up" to be very independent, just as children do when they grow into adults. He found a job and became very successful just like humans do. This still raises questions about what makes us truly human. Andrew had all the “typical” human characteristics, but they wouldn't consider him a man because a robot had been built for him. A shared quote.