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After reading the first part of Automaton Biographies, Rachel, the poetic structure struck me as unbalanced, like a musical piece that starts on the off beat. The first-person (first-robot, shall I say) perspective through Rachel, a robot inspired by Blade Runner, was portrayed perfectly through short, choppy sentences and interesting word choice. I noticed that many of the nouns were used as verbs, and vice versa. I am still not sure what this represents and how it relates to robots and humanity, but I thought that it was strangely intriguing. 

Rachel's relationship with Deckard is confusing in the beginning, but increasingly deep and twisted as I read on. I felt a sort of robotic affection as she struggles to feel something for Deckard, but can only create and analyze memories.

Reading Automaton Biographies so far has rendered me both emotional and a little spooked out.

--- Judy Wang

Kira Donnell
9/22/2013 01:21:13 pm

Bravo to you, Judy, for being able to be reflective about a poem that is hard to "get," and somewhat unsettling! While Lai's manipulation of language and meter are a little jarring, I think that it works well, as you say, to highlight Rachel's struggling with her feelings for Deckard. I actually think her sort of "short-circuit" language sounds a bit like some of the robot love poems you all wrote in class!

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