Essay Questions

Explore the idea of conflict as brought out in Asimov’s I, Robot.

I, Robot is a work that involves Asimov’s rewriting of the traditional views on robots as monsters adding intelligence into the mix. In this work, the writer presents the interactions between robots who have intelligence that is rather extraordinary and exceptional and their makers, the human counterparts. The general interactions between the robots and the humans are governed by only three rules, that is, a robot should not in any way harm a human being or be engaged in an act that would result in harm to a human being, a robot must at all times obey human rules and instructions so long as they do not result in a violation of the first rule and lastly, a robot must do everything to protect itself so long as it does not result in a violation of the first and second laws. A conflict results when a robot is modified in such a way that it has no regard for the stipulated laws guiding the interactions between humans and robots. This robot has to be captured but because it is a highly intelligent creation wreaks havoc for its captors. However, it is captured. In what can be argued as the climax of the story, robots are shown to be the leaders of the world economy. Throughout the work, conflicts highlight, for the most part, the relationship between humans and robots.

Why does Susan Calvin decide to narrate this story?

As presented in the work, Susan Calvin has been working in the robotics field for about fifty years. More specifically, she has been working as the leader in the area, the United States Robots and Mechanical Men. As she is about to retire following a long career life, Susan narrates this story perhaps as a way of presenting how her working life had been and particularly to present the transition of the relationship between human beings and robots. At first, robots and human beings have a pretty bad relationship as humans are presented to despise them. However, as the robots begin saving the day, they become increasingly appreciated. Later, with the creation of a mind-reading robot, people begin despising them. As the story climaxes, robots are the world economic leaders. In a way, the story is a way through which Susan Calvin can document her experiences with robots as a way of transmitting and storing for future generations.

How do robots save the day in I, Robot?

Gloria’s mother is not a great fan of robots. When she devises a plan to have the robot withdrawn, Gloria does not feel great about it. However, to help her understand the differences between humans and robots she is taken to see the robot working. When she endangers herself, a robot comes to her aid. Additionally, when Donovan and Powell become stranded on an alien planet, a robot, Speedy, manages to help them out. Robots are also presented as human aids as they take on activities on their behalf. It can thus be argued that indeed the robots save the day in this work, at least for some part, as highlighted by some of the activities that they take on to save humans.