Jerry Was a Man
Encyclopedia
Jerry Was a Man is a short story
by Robert A. Heinlein
. It is about an attempt by a genetically modified chimpanzee
to achieve human rights
. The main theme of the story is civil liberties
, in this case extended towards a group of genetically enhanced chimpanzees to allow them equal rights
under the law.
The story is collected in the book Assignment in Eternity
.
, on U.S. network ABC
during the summer of 2007, and on other networks in the same approximate period.
The TV version has the "anthropoid workers" as manufactured devices, produced by some combination of biological growth and engineering, matured with some innate (genetically determined) abilities and trained further to perform their alloted tasks. When the "Joe" (as the anthropoids were nicknamed) wore out or its job was over (the Joe of interest to the film version was a minesweeper who would appear to have survived the sweeping of the mines), then they would be recycled as meat products (such as dogfood).
The original work by Heinlein depicted Jerry as an aging domestic worker rather than soldier. In it, Jerry (the "Joe") demonstrates his humanity to the court by rendering the song "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)
" in front of the jury. In the TV version, Jerry's level of self-awareness is minimal at best, but his lawyer demonstrates his humanity through three traits: first, his fondness for singing "Jingle Bells"; second, his willingness to tell a lie in order to obtain a cigarette; third (and most significant) his sense of self-preservation, which his lawyer demonstrates by showing footage of Jerry shoving a fellow Joe minesweeper into the path of a mine.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
. It is about an attempt by a genetically modified chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
to achieve human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. The main theme of the story is civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
, in this case extended towards a group of genetically enhanced chimpanzees to allow them equal rights
Social equality
Social equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect. At the very least, social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and the...
under the law.
The story is collected in the book Assignment in Eternity
Assignment in Eternity
Assignment in Eternity, is a collection of four mixed science fiction and fantasy novellas by Robert A. Heinlein, first published in hardcover by Fantasy Press in 1953, with some of the stories somewhat revised from their original magazine publications, as follows:* Gulf .* Lost Legacy...
.
TV version
Jerry Was a Man was adapted for television and aired as part of the anthology series Masters of Science FictionMasters of Science Fiction
Masters of Science Fiction is an American television anthology series by the same creators as Masters of Horror. The show debuted on ABC on August 4, 2007 at 10PM for a run of four episodes...
, on U.S. network ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
during the summer of 2007, and on other networks in the same approximate period.
The TV version has the "anthropoid workers" as manufactured devices, produced by some combination of biological growth and engineering, matured with some innate (genetically determined) abilities and trained further to perform their alloted tasks. When the "Joe" (as the anthropoids were nicknamed) wore out or its job was over (the Joe of interest to the film version was a minesweeper who would appear to have survived the sweeping of the mines), then they would be recycled as meat products (such as dogfood).
The original work by Heinlein depicted Jerry as an aging domestic worker rather than soldier. In it, Jerry (the "Joe") demonstrates his humanity to the court by rendering the song "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)
Old Folks at Home
"Old Folks at Home" is a minstrel song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. It was intended to be performed by the New York blackface troupe Christy's Minstrels. E. P. Christy, the troupe's leader, appears on early printings of the sheet music as the song's creator...
" in front of the jury. In the TV version, Jerry's level of self-awareness is minimal at best, but his lawyer demonstrates his humanity through three traits: first, his fondness for singing "Jingle Bells"; second, his willingness to tell a lie in order to obtain a cigarette; third (and most significant) his sense of self-preservation, which his lawyer demonstrates by showing footage of Jerry shoving a fellow Joe minesweeper into the path of a mine.