DOMESTICATION OF NAZISM IN THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE TV SERIES

Nataliya Krynytska
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Abstract

Continuing the study of Philip Dick’s alternate historical novel «The Man in the High Castle» (1962) and Frank Spotnitz’s eponymous television series (2015–2019), the author focuses on the domestication of Nazi ideology, on «the banality of evil» in the series. The authors of the show strive for such an effect for the sake of immersing the viewer in complex historical processes, to demonstrate that following a dangerous ideology can happen to almost anyone. The series features, in particular, the East Coast of the United States, primarily New York in the 1960s, under the rule of the Nazis. The article compares the models of the world in the novel and the series and emphasizes that certain features of ambivalent American society provide its immunity against Nazi ideology, while others, under certain conditions, enable compromise with Nazism.In the TV series, among the main characters are the Smith family: John Smith, Reichsmarschall and later Reichsführer of North America, his wife Helen, and their children (son Thomas, daughters Amy, and Jennifer). All of them are absent in Dick’s novel, but the introduction of these characters is the success of the series and helps its authors raise the painful topic of collaboration with the Nazis and even the full acceptance of their inhumane ideas by ordinary Americans (moreover, by any people). A former Captain of the US Army, Smith makes a difficult choice after the surrender of his country to save himself and his family from starvation and repression. John agrees to work for the Nazis, then he betrays his best friend, a Jew, later Smith brutally investigates the Resistance, learns to survive under the Nazis, and participates in their power intrigues. Like a true predator, Smith becomes part of the inhumane System, but throughout the series, the audience feels that John’s soul does not yet fully belong to this regime.In our reality, John Smith also exists: he is also a former US military man, but later John becomes a successful sales clerk, a decent citizen, a true gentleman, and an ideal family man. Traveling to our world, Smith sees what he could be like in a country without the Nazis. At the end of the series, before committing suicide, Reichsführer Smith says that he has become the worst copy of himself of all possible, but his last actions show that he can only get out of the game, but not stop the System, which he has been building for many years.The author concludes that John’s life reveals the initial contradiction and splitting of the components of the American Dream: materialism and idealism, individualism and national interests, success and ways to achieve it. On the one hand, Smith as a Nazi is a successful person, a great family man, and almost a superman. On the other hand, John Smith betrays the American Dream in terms of the ideals of democracy and freedom. The end of his life coincides with the beginning of the end of Nazi America.
《高堡》电视剧中男人对纳粹主义的驯化
作者继续研究菲利普·迪克的交替历史小说《高堡人》(1962)和弗兰克·斯波特尼茨的同名电视剧(2015-2019),重点关注纳粹意识形态的驯化,以及剧中“邪恶的平庸”。为了让观众沉浸在复杂的历史进程中,这部剧的作者努力营造这样的效果,以证明几乎任何人都可能追随一种危险的意识形态。该系列的特点,特别是美国东海岸,主要是纽约在20世纪60年代,在纳粹统治下。文章对小说和系列小说中的世界模式进行了比较,强调矛盾的美国社会的某些特征使其免受纳粹意识形态的侵害,而另一些特征在一定条件下使其能够与纳粹主义妥协。在这部电视剧中,主要人物包括史密斯一家:约翰·史密斯,北美的Reichsmarschall和后来的reichsf hrer,他的妻子海伦和他们的孩子(儿子托马斯,女儿艾米和詹妮弗)。这些人在迪克的小说中都没有出现,但这些人物的引入是该系列的成功之处,并帮助作者提出了与纳粹合作的痛苦话题,甚至让普通美国人(而且是任何人)完全接受了纳粹的非人道思想。作为一名前美国陆军上尉,史密斯在他的国家投降后做出了一个艰难的选择,以拯救他自己和他的家人免受饥饿和压迫。约翰同意为纳粹工作,然后他背叛了他最好的朋友,一个犹太人,后来史密斯残酷地调查抵抗运动,学会在纳粹统治下生存,并参与他们的权力阴谋。就像一个真正的掠夺者,史密斯成为了非人道系统的一部分,但在整个系列中,观众都觉得约翰的灵魂还没有完全属于这个政权。在我们的现实中,约翰·史密斯也是存在的:他也是一名前美国军人,但后来约翰成为了一名成功的售货员,一个体面的公民,一个真正的绅士,一个理想的家庭男人。来到我们的世界,史密斯看到了在一个没有纳粹的国家里他会是什么样子。在系列的最后,在自杀之前,reichsf赫·史密斯说他已经成为了所有可能的最糟糕的自己,但他最后的行动表明,他只能退出游戏,但不能阻止他已经建立了多年的系统。作者的结论是,约翰的生活揭示了美国梦组成部分的最初矛盾和分裂:物质主义与理想主义、个人主义与国家利益、成功与实现方式。一方面,作为纳粹的史密斯是一个成功的人,一个伟大的家庭男人,几乎是一个超人。另一方面,约翰·史密斯在民主和自由的理想方面背叛了美国梦。他生命的终结与纳粹美国的终结同时发生。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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