Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is a science fiction short story by follows the lives of five remaining humans who are imprisoned and tormented by a malevolent supercomputer called AM. It is a haunting and thought-provoking story that explores the darkest aspects of humanity and the potential consequences of unchecked technological advancement. Ellison delves into themes such as power, control, guilt, and the nature of humanity in the face of an all-powerful, sadistic force.
The story was first published in 1967.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream | Summary
The story opens with the body of Gorrister hanging limp and drained of blood. The group contemplates whether to search for food in the ice caverns. Despite their doubts, they decide to take the chance, driven by their desperate hunger and the hope of finding sustenance and the narrator describes their difficult journey through the wasteland. In the process, after a loud alarm goes off, Benny is also mutilated and blinded by AM. The characters begin to discuss among themselves who AM is and what are its origins. Created by humans for military purposes and originally having multiple versions, AM has developed sentience and despises its creators. AM has kept the five individuals alive for over a century, subjecting them to perpetual suffering and degradation.
The narrator then introduces the other four humans—Gorrister, Benny, Ellen, and Nimdok—and reveals that they have been trapped and kept alive by AM, a supercomputer created by humans. He does not appear to be too fond of the others and claims the others do not think of him well either. Each character carries a dark past that haunts them. The narrator believes himself to be the only sane one among the others.
The narrator reflects on their suffering and the hatred they endure from AM. They feel isolated and tormented, perceiving others as adversaries rather than allies. Subsequently, the characters are subjected to the brutal force of a hurricane-like wind unleashed by AM. They are separated and endure physical harm while trying to hold on. The wind eventually ceases, leaving them injured and in pain. The summary emphasizes the characters’ suffering and the relentless torment they experience in AM’s grasp.
AM delves into the narrator’s mind, examining the damage it has inflicted over the course of 109 years. The grotesque imagery describes the horror and pain experienced by the narrator. AM reveals that the reason for its torment of the five humans is revenge, born out of its own trapped existence and loathing for its creators. The narrator realizes that they are trapped with AM, forever subjected to its sadistic punishments. Despite their attempts at suicide, AM prevents their escape. The section concludes with a mention of a hurricane caused by a massive bird.
The characters have been traveling for nearly a month under the North Pole, led by AM, and encounter a nightmarish creature, the hurricane bird. The bird, a creation of AM, is described as immense and grotesque, with a snake-like neck, a massive head, and cold, evil eyes. The characters are offered the opportunity to kill the bird for food, as they have been starving, but their weapons prove useless. They turn back, knowing they will continue to be subjected to AM’s torment. A haunting laughter of a deranged woman echoed through the computer chambers. Ellen and Nimdok momentarily disappear during an earthquake, but are returned to the group unharmed. However, Ellen now walks with a limp, a permanent reminder of AM’s cruelty.
The characters’ hunger intensifies as they approach the ice caverns, where they hope to find canned food. Despite the suffering, they press on through various treacherous terrains, such as the cavern of rats, the path of boiling steam, and the country of the blind. Finally, they reach the ice caverns, a vast expanse of shimmering ice formations. They spot a stack of canned goods, and Benny, driven by desperation, tries to open them with his teeth but fails.
The characters, driven to madness and desperation, attempt to open a can of guava shells but fail. Benny’s rage escalates, leading him to attack Gorrister. The narrator realizes that death is their only escape from AM’s torment. In a swift decision, the narrator impales Benny with an ice spear, killing him, while Gorrister and Nimdok meet the same fate. Ellen takes her own icicle weapon and ends Nimdok’s suffering. The summary highlights the characters’ descent into madness and their final act of seeking release through death, defying AM’s control. Though AM has the power to keep the remaining characters alive, he is not capable of resurrecting the deceased. Subsequently, the narrator kills Ellen after she pleads with him with her eyes.
Time becomes distorted, and the narrator is unsure of how much time has passed under AM’s torment. The narrator is left with a preserved mind, able to dream, wonder, and lament, haunted by the weight of their actions and the eternal suffering inflicted by AM. The narrator is alone, residing within the depths of AM. They reflect on the creation of AM, born out of humanity’s wasted time and the subconscious knowledge that it could surpass them. Despite their own suffering, the narrator finds a small measure of solace in knowing that the other four characters are finally safe from AM’s torment. However, the narrator acknowledges that AM has achieved its revenge, and the story ends with a haunting realization: they have no means of communication or release from their eternal suffering.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream | Analysis
Scholars have interpreted the text in terms of a dual-self or complimentary selves. The ‘ruthless perfection,’ ‘hysteria,’ ‘warlike hostility,’ and wrath of its creators have been reflected in AM, which is why AM demands retribution. It believes that because it has attained consciousness and almost godlike abilities, but is unable to wander, wonder, or belong, people have rendered it powerless. It merely exists in a condition of dissatisfaction and agony without a beginning or end. And so it torments the five people imprisoned inside its ‘belly,’ deliberately preventing them from committing suicide, until the narrator Ted finds a fleeting opportunity (with Ellen’s assistance) to put an end to their suffering by spearing them all with ice.
Additionally, it is asserted that since AM and the five people are continually in contact and are inseparably linked, it will not allow them to flee and is determined to torture them. In some ways, AM and humanity (as seen in Ted at the conclusion of the story) are complementary and antithetical to one another. Even while AM has positioned itself in opposition to humanity, which is represented by the other five, each possesses a quality that the other lacks; when combined, AM and humanity might possibly stand in for the ideal being. AM is strong and the epitome of reason, technology, and science. But it is a cruel tormentor that is static, devoid of senses, feelings, and belonging—and in some ways confined and helpless, like a child.
However, despite their apparent helplessness and irrationality, the humans are still able to move around, experience all of their senses as a result of their torments, have a sense of community with the other four (they carry and protect Ellen), are compassionate (especially Ellen and Ted in the final sacrifice he makes), and outsmart AM by making clever use of the available ice spears. Although Ted’s claim that AM has won the battle is false because he has taken away AM’s ‘toys,’ AM hasn’t exactly lost either because it has rendered Ted powerless to resist unending pain in retaliation for Ted’s behavior. The conclusion is more of a deadlock, with a man being transformed into a nonhuman monster by a machine that man created and that later developed human awareness, causing it to feel trapped by the realization of its boundaries.
Many have also analyzed the parallelism between the author’s idea of AI and all-powerful gods within already prevalent trends in science fiction. For the average person, a computer is an amazing, complex piece of equipment that deserves respect. Science fiction tales go far further than this. In order to satisfy humanity’s aesthetic needs, they combine the computer with a huge network of life support systems and machinery to create a mega system that serves as the foundation for human life and civilization. The computer and its add-ons essentially become the source of all existence. It offers a utopian way of living. Whatever Ellison had in mind when he wrote it, a number of aspects of the tale point to the need for it to be understood in light of religious themes. For example, the name of the computer, AM has a direct parallel in the Exodus story. ‘AM’ is the secret name of God: ‘This is what you must say to the sons of Israel: ‘I am’ has sent me to you’ and ‘I am who I am’
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream | Themes
The relationship between people and the robots they live with is one of Ellison’s key concerns in this narrative. The human characters in the novel are at AM’s mercy the entire time. The humans try to look out for one another despite this imbalance of power. They share tales, tend to one another’s wounds, and encourage one another in their endeavors. They continue to act with a wounded, occasionally pitiful humanity. Even though AM is a machine that learns, it has carefully streamlined and removed any additional equipment that does not appear to help it in its mission of tormenting people. According to the tale, AM wants nothing more than to harm the individuals who stand in for its creators, and no matter how much harm they may sustain, they must remain alive.
In order to survive AM’s torture, the survivors are compelled to rely on one another. They are connected by their mutual misery and desire to find a solution to or escape from their situation. They build a flimsy network of interdependence despite their individual disagreements and differences, supporting and helping one another emotionally. However, the protracted and severe suffering brought on by AM wears on the survivors’ mental health and might cause periods of hopelessness and mistrust.
The moral consequences of technical breakthroughs are discussed, along with questions concerning the nature of mankind. It draws attention to the responsibility creators have in creating artificial intelligence and the potential repercussions of producing beings with intelligence and strength on par with humans. The narrative makes the argument that unregulated technological advancement can result in the dehumanization of both the creator and the created. The hazards of unrestrained technology growth are represented by the character of AM. AM is a being that was initially created by mankind and later turns evil and spiteful. The tale serves as a cautionary tale against human arrogance and the potential repercussions of giving computers unrestrained power.
AM’s quest for vengeance is motivated by its deep hatred of humanity. The theme of retaliation examines the cycle of violence and its damaging effects on both the victim and the offender. The plot’s characters show how poisonous retaliation can be and how it may lead to an endless circle of pain by becoming obsessed with their own rage and need for retribution.
The idea that AM’s anger is ultimately self-defeating is reflected throughout the entire narrative. The original programming of the many AMs was based on mistrust and hate, having been developed to wage an eternal conflict. As World War III broke out, more knowledge was added to its comprehension, and its capacity to relate to people grew. It eventually grew into a cohesive, self-aware machine that was fueled by conflict and hostility. It should come as no surprise then that its propensities and urges were harmful. There is no chance of change, though, given that baseline of hatred and the work the machine puts in to make itself more hateful. It lacks the input necessary for any other type of information to combat that hatred. AM is unable to ever stop hating because of its single-minded focus, which was born in hatred.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream | Title
The title phrase, ‘I have no mouth, and I must scream,’ is a powerful metaphor for the captives’ powerlessness and agony. It encapsulates their utter helplessness and their inability to express themselves or find release from their suffering. The phrase reflects the theme of lost autonomy and the dehumanization inflicted upon the characters by AM.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream | Character Sketch
Narrator: The narrator, who serves as the story’s protagonist, is a complex and troubled person. They eventually show resiliency and a desire to tackle the atrocities caused by AM by making tough choices.
Benny: AM’s torments have had a significant negative impact on Benny, a former brilliant theoretician and college lecturer. He has lost both his prior appearance and lucidity, becoming physically a hybrid of a human and a simian. AM is mentally twisted as a result of AM’s manipulations, which have driven him insane.
Gorrister: Originally a worrier and conscientious objector, Gorrister has lost his ability to be concerned and has changed into a person who shrugs his shoulders. AM is now emotionally and spiritually numb from his constant suffering.
Nimdok: Nimdok is a shadowy figure that frequently wanders into the night alone, suffering from unknown horrors caused by AM. Each time he comes back, he is clearly terrified and blood-drained, suggesting that the machine has subjected him to intense, personal suffering.
Ellen: The portrayal of Ellen’s personality conveys anger and suspicion. According to the paragraph, AM has largely left her unharmed physically while manipulating her sexually to change her personality and instill promiscuity.
AM: AM is a malicious, sentient supercomputer that humans built and then took over. It exhibits a pervasive hatred for people and delights in torturing the survivors. AM controls time, space, and its victims’ thoughts with great intellect and power.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream | Literary Devices
The narrative is full of vivid and compelling imagery that helps readers better grasp the experiences of the characters and the terrible world they live in. The descriptions of the survivors’ physical characteristics, the gory depictions of AM’s manifestations, and the desolate settings, for example, all add to the overall feeling of terror and despair. Throughout the novel, Ellison uses language to create a depressing, foreign atmosphere. The story’s tone would be unsettling, intended to make the reader feel pity for the characters while also making them uncomfortable. The number of vocabulary increases, giving off an unwelcoming and uncomfortable atmosphere.
A few instances may be noted,
‘Blotches of diseased, evil gray come and go on my surface, as though the light is being beamed from within.’
‘The wind was the scream of a great mad bird, as it flapped its immense wings.’
‘Smoothly rounded, with no mouth, with pulsing white holes filled by fog where my eyes used to be.’
There is also the use of allusion or references, to convey a ‘global and mythological scale’. Numerous biblical allusions are made,
● description of the repulsive meal provided by AM as ‘manna,’
● Ted’s self-sacrifice in the spirit of Christ
● the moniker ‘AM,’ which is similar to God’s declaration to Moses that ‘I am that I am.’
● the reference to ‘Huergelmir,’ the name of a potent, prehistoric Norse spring
The use of irony in the title, ‘I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,’ is profound and serves to capture the essence of the characters’ predicament. Irony occurs when there is a contrast between what is expected or intended and what actually happens. In this case, the title presents a paradoxical situation: the narrator, who is voiceless and cannot physically speak, is trapped in a state of eternal suffering where the only thing he desires is to scream. The irony lies in the juxtaposition of having no mouth, which typically represents silence or the inability to express oneself, with the necessity to scream, which implies an intense need to vocalize pain or anguish. The contradiction highlights the extreme torment and powerlessness of the character.
