I, Robot Literary Elements

Science Fiction

Dr. Calvin's workplace: U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. (takes place 1998 to 2064) - Written in 1950

First-person point of view

Dr. Susan Calvin narrates, telling the numerous stories of the robot adventures she encounters, to a journalist.

Informative and scholarly tone, especially when Dr. Calvin is conducting research on overcoming Herbie's mind-reading abilities that harm humans. The mood is often one of conflicting ideas and seriousness. Asimov also implements a critical tone that targets the over-reliance on technology.

The protagonist is Dr. Susan Calvin who reveals an intelligent persona to the reader in terms of the field of robotics and is a highly intelligent robo-psychologist. The antagonist is considered the robots that rebel and natural forces.

The robots are unpredictable and begin to defy the Three Laws of Robotics, or the opposite, to substitute for another harmful action. The major conflict is in regards to the boundaries and limitations of the three laws, and the possibilities of destruction that could happen if that were to be implemented. Infers a conflict about if humans and robots can live together safely. Dr. Calvin is a robo-psychologist who uses a plethora of various methods to logically solve present problems in which her mathematician and scientist peers were unable to accomplish.

The climax occurs in "Little Lost Robot" and it is a scenario in which deals with robotic and technological rebellion against their human creators. Dr. Calvin already suspects the robot Nestors' capability to harm humans. The Nestor-10 states that he wants to harm Dr. Calvin, yet he is unable to do so. This is significant because it indicates robots are safe around humans.

The robot named "The Brain" creates and places humans in inexplicable danger-- all as a joke. The true meaning behind this is uncertain. It is revealed that The Brain did not genuinely cause danger, but merely wanted attention, as deduced by Dr. Calvin. This leads to questions about intentions and mindsets of the robots.

Contrary to inherent perception, the various robots mentioned are not designed to mimic the appearance of a typical vacuum cleaner or technological animal. Instead, this is a foreshadowing to the event in which the robots replicate men (behavior and other characteristics).

The most common allusions in the text are references to the possible interactions of humans and seemingly perfect robots, the limitations of intelligent resources, and the importance of scientific communication to ensure the ultimate safety and utmost value of individuals seeking to provide advancements for other humans.
Another allusion is to the philosophical quote, "I think, therefore I am." -Descartes, French philosopher

The physical sound of a robot losing its life, in this case being outwitted by Dr. Calvin’s logical superiority and common sense, was simply high-pitched with “a less electronic” tone. This is mentioned multiple times throughout the second and third stories. Asimov effectively implements imagery when talking about the physical characteristics of each robot.

The human-robot relationship is a paradox in itself. As a result, it is evident that the robots portrayed are merely metaphors for humans; unambiguously, metaphors for human evolution and understanding. It also is a paradox in a sense that it provides hope for human control, as well as time for humans to continue enhancing the existing technological elements. A "robot" defies the first law of robotics.

With robots clearly having potential to play major roles in the future, it is essential for the present-day society to be aware of the balance between benefits and consequences of these sophisticated advancements. The different robots, especially Herbie, are parallel to each other, representing the interactions of humans with one another as well as that of with technology.

An individual can be portrayed as a hero through outside acknowledgment of notable achievements. In the beginning pages of Asimov’s novel, Dr. Susan Calvin, who is considered a hero due to her groundbreaking contributions in the fields of science and robotics. There is a strong connection to Greek mythology and analogies to a highly-technological society. There are several biblical references as well, which reflects Asimov's personal early life that may have influenced this subject brought into his writing.

In the fifth and final story, Herbie the robot personifies love to Dr. Calvin by describing it with human traits, "love went for a swim in the murky waters of the distrusting lake." It is unclear whether Asimov is intending to personify robots as well, depending on how the reader perceives the existence and roles of robots in society.