Ubik

Ella Runciter plays an important role in Joe Chip’s survival, though she works in the background for most of the novel. What are three ways Ella aids Joe?

Dick subtly critiques the “ease” of machines throughout the novel. What are some examples of this “ease,” and how does such ease work against characters in the novel?

Reality is unstable at best in the novel. Give three examples of reality being less than trustworthy for characters in the novel. 

What are the reasons for Runciter’s hasty excursion to Luna? Was he right to not follow protocol?

Why do you think Joe hands the policeman’s citation to Pat at the hotel, knowing that it accuses her of lying to them? What might this suggest about their respective characters?

Does Pat ultimately betray Joe and the rest of the group? Why or why not?

How is Runciter able to communicate messages to Joe and the others while in half-life? Why is it important that he communicates in this manner?

At the end of the novel, Ubik is brought to Joe because he consciously tried to will the antique bottle to become a modern aerosol can. How does Joe’s conscious effort manage to summon an Ubik employee? What might this suggest about his power, in relation to Jory’s, in half-life?