The Minority Report

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1956

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Summary

Background

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Literary Devices

Setting

The setting in “The Minority Report” plays a large role in the character and plot development. Set in a futuristic, postwar era, the story reflects the postwar society Philip K. Dick experienced during his lifetime, including the burgeoning technological developments resulting from World War II machinery and scientific research. The setting also reflects the rise of McCarthyism and government suspicion of perceived radicals, and the elements of precogs, space travel, psychology, and machinery are common to many of Dick’s works.

Within this broad setting, changes in locale are significant. Throughout the story, Anderton’s physical movements indicate his state of mind and character development. He starts at the Precrime agency with firm faith in the Precrime system until he receives the punchcard accusing him of future murder. His return home to pack reflects his disordered, suspicious state of mind, which his kidnapping and meeting with Kaplan only heighten. Stationary once more, he becomes convinced that his paranoia is justified, only to question his understanding of reality each time he transitions to a new location.

Each described locale indicates a new conclusion: Fleming verifying Anderton’s suspicion of being framed during the rescue from the car accident; Anderton learning about the existence of the minority report in his hotel; Anderton deciding to prove his innocence after viewing Jerry’s report; concluding Witwer is an ally and restoring his decision to support Precrime upon returning to the agency; and finally committing to fulfill the prophecy at the army rally. Dick’s decision to end the story right before Anderton leaves for the Centaurus X space colony is likely purposeful; still stationary, Anderton is steady in his resolve to step down as police commissioner and go into exile. Though there are likely more transformations ahead of him, in the story’s final scene, there is no longer any need for him to reach a new conclusion.

Characterization and Motivation

Multiple read-throughs are valuable in the case of “The Minority Report,” as each reading reveals another layer of subtle machinations and manipulations; Dick’s characters are both dynamic (changing over the course of the story) and round (possessing complexity and depth). Anderton undergoes several transformations throughout the plot as he better understands how the Precrime system functions and the complexity of the precog reports, which in turn influence his actions at the climax of the plot when he decides to kill Kaplan.

Though Kaplan is not a dynamic character, changing little throughout the story, his manipulations are multidimensional, as the true beginning of his plan is not evident until the conclusion of the story. For instance, Fleming, who seems to be an independent agent during his first appearance in the story, is actually one of Kaplan’s agents. Kaplan’s motivations are also complex, stemming from a desire to regain former glory and perhaps a broader fear of becoming obsolete.

No character is exempt from this layering process: Witwer is cordial on the surface but desires Anderton’s position; Lisa, originally doubtful of Anderton’s claims, gradually accepts and supports him, even to the point of accompanying him into exile; and Wally Page, originally introduced as Anderton’s loyal subordinate, is revealed to be an army spy.

Situational Irony

The basic premise of “The Minority Report” is deeply ironic. The prediction that Anderton will commit a murder flies in the face of everything the story tells us about him; he is a man who has dedicated his life to preventing crime. The fact that Anderton himself helped design the system that now accuses him adds a further layer of irony, as he seems to have (inadvertently) engineered his own downfall. However, the story ultimately twists these ironies on their head, suggesting that it is precisely because of Anderton’s unique position as commissioner that the situation has arisen. Dick thus uses irony to explore ideas of determinism versus free will.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing plays a key role in “The Minority Report.” Through the use of guns to indicate power, Dick hints at underlying motives or character alliances that have not yet become clear. The doubts that Kaplan’s nameless henchmen voice hint at Anderson’s own changing views of the Precrime system, and even before the radio broadcast explaining how the precog prophecy system works, Fleming’s note suggests that the predictions are more complex than they appear. Finally, Anderton’s final words—in fact, the final sentence of the story—are a warning to Witwer that what happened to Anderton “might happen to [him] at any time” (102). These words imply a cyclical system. Eventually, there will be a new power play: An unknown, looming antagonist will likely use a similar method as Kaplan’s. The position of police commissioner, while ostensibly a position of status, is also a vulnerability, but the burden is no longer Anderton’s burden to bear; as defender of justice, Witwer will be the one to pay the price.