Title: Guinea Pig A

Author: Chris Poote

Date of First Publication: 2000

Place of Publication: Hideous Progeny

Type: Short Story

Characters: No Character

Themes: ANDROID; POSTHUMAN; BYRONIC HERO; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER

Critical Summary: The story begins with the main character, Paul, reflecting on his process of creating life. He compares his accomplishment to that of Victor Frankenstein. He tells the reader about how he met the man who served as his “monster.” Paul met Alois on a bridge, where Alois plans on jumping from the bridge to commit suicide. While talking to him, Paul finds out that Alois has given up on life because he is homeless, has no family, and lost his drug dealer and lover. Paul tells Alois that he can make him forget everything about his past and convinces him to come to his laboratory. With the help of his assistant Michael, Paul successfully recreates Alois’ mind using nanotechnology. As the story progresses, Alois’ intelligence develops rapidly and deviates from Paul’s original plans. Alois unexpectedly recovers his past memories during the rebuilding process, and Paul becomes afraid of what he has created. The story ends with Paul revisiting the same bridge where he first met Alois, planning to jump to his death.

The story exhibits the theme of the Mad Scientist, as Paul creates a new form of life in reckless pursuit of science, and eventually becomes afraid of his own creation. Just like in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the reader experiences a feeling of sympathy for the creature; Alois was homeless, had no family, and even lost a loved one recently, which places even more emotional weight on the readers mind, being that Alois was once a person and recovered his memories after his recreation. Unlike Frankenstein, the creator tries to run away from his creation after the creature has surpassed its creator as a superior being. Lastly, this story touches on the subject of how the monster tries to fight back against his creator for what he has done, but how they choose to do so is different. In Frankenstein, the Creature’s revenge is had through the destruction of Victor’s loved ones; however, in “Guinea Pig A,” the Creature gets its revenge by surpassing Paul’s genius, ousting him from scientific glory, and driving him to self-inflicted destruction.

Administrative Notes: Brian Murashie; Adam Shelley (editing)