“I have found that an action story with two or three levels
of intellectual content below the surface enables me to say what I want to
say. I have also found that humor—and
black humor—can carry ideas that can be expressed in no other way.”
--Harry Harrison
In Harry Harrison’s final novel, The Stainless Steel Rat
Returns, Slippery Jim DiGriz’s space journey is prompted by his cousin’s
arrival on Moolaplenty. Although the planet’s
rich inhabitants could benefit from easier access to food, they would rather import
food than share their world with farmers and livestock. Jim visits the planet Floradora, which
initially seems a likely place to resettle his cousin’s community and their porcuswine. Unfortunately, although the
two resident societies trade together, neither will engage in dialogue with the
other, nor do they want to share their planet with a third. So Jim and company spend the second half of the
novel on a planet called the United States of England, where radiation leakage
on the ship that transported the planet’s original inhabitants has resulted in
two races: one with pink (or a tanned, light brown) skin, the other with green.
It’s been a decade since I’ve read Harrison, and the
narrative in The Stainless Steel Rat Returns seems looser and less nuanced than
earlier efforts. This novel was
published in 2010, and the last novel he published was eight years previously,
the same year his wife died. While he
suffered through grief, illness, and normal bodily decline due to age, this gap
suggests that writing the book took more effort than usual. As he was in his eighties at this point, and
had nothing more to prove, I can only presume that he battled on with the novel
because he felt he had something important and relevant to say to the world.
Indeed, a quick summary of the plot suggests that Harrison
saw much in the world that troubled him.
It seems odd that, living in an enlightened country such as England,
where Church and Society preach the virtues of tolerance, that Harrison would
skewer contemporary society for class, religious, and racial prejudice. Yet hatred and prejudice can use tolerance as
a shield. Tolerance can be used to
dismiss those whose appearance, beliefs, and practices annoy, irritate, and
outrage. Tolerance is not the same thing
as acceptance. It is not equal to
embracing and engaging, nor should it be confused with love.
Perhaps it’s instructive that the larger, more established
Christian denominations in America, the ones that are currently preaching the
virtue of tolerance, are reeling from ongoing schism. Nor can anyone in science fiction and fantasy
circles ignore the fact that two of our greatest gatherings, Worldcon and
Dragoncon, are currently held on the same weekend each year. Instead of uniting our community, fans are
forced to choose one event over the other. Writers
and other professionals must also support one over the other, based upon how
they can best serve the majority of their fans.
And of course, while both groups tolerate each other, and even find ways
to link the two events, everyone argues over the issues involved in being
forced to choose one event over the other, and look for people to blame.
I take no sides on either of the two schisms mentioned. (Thus it can fairly be said that I am
tolerating both, and currently doing nothing to
help close either divide). But I am glad
for Harrison’s reminder that, while tolerance makes coexistence possible, it
can never unite. And I smile at
Harrison’s explanation of the biological mechanisms that gave the Greenies their
skin color, diminished intellect, and violent natures. I won’t tell you what it is, but I will hint
that it mirrors an incident in the past of one beloved character in the Marvel
Comics universe. (And yes, he was in the
recent “Avengers” movie).
I don’t know about you, but I think the guy still had it,
right up to the end. Thank you, Harry
Harrison, for working so hard to craft your final message to us.
Dragon Dave
Related Dragon Cache entries
Related Internet Links
Writer George R. R. Martin’s Opinion on Worldcon vs
Dragoncon
Artist John Picacio attempts to bridge the gap
Filk Musician Tom Smith makes his choice
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