The Shrinking Man
Encyclopedia
The Shrinking Man is a novel by Richard Matheson
published in 1956. It was adapted into a motion picture called The Incredible Shrinking Man
in 1957 by Universal Pictures
. A remake has been proposed which has been pushed back several times from 2001 to the current day; at one point it was to have starred Eddie Murphy. The novel was retitled The Incredible Shrinking Man in later editions.
The abnormal deceleration of his body initially brings teases and taunting from local youths, then causes friction in his marriage and family life because he loses the respect his family has for him because of his diminishing physical stature. Ultimately, as the shrinking continues, it begins to threaten Carey's life as well; at seven inches tall, he has a battle with the family cat that drives him outdoors, where he is attacked by a swallow in his garden; the conflict drives him through a window into the cellar of his house. Although he survives on the cheese left over in a mousetrap for a while, his size is eventually reduced to less than half an inch, at which point he is forced to engage in a victorious battle with a black widow spider that towers over him.
As Carey continues shrinking, he realizes that his original fear that he would shrink into non-existence is incorrect; that he will continue to shrink, but will not disappear as he originally feared, and utters his famous closing line: "If nature existed on endless levels, so also might intelligence."
, leaving Jane Wyman
's apartment in a huff, accidentally put on Aldo Ray
's hat, which sank down around his ears. Something in me asked, `What would happen if a man put on a hat which he knew was his and the same thing happened?' Thus the notion came."
Carey's notion of masculinity is based on his notion of mans superiority over women, and he fears losing his privileges along with his height. He sees himself becoming something other, a child or feminine, such as in the scene with the child molester in the car, or beaten-up by the local roughs. He compensates by lusting after the baby sitter, but this backfires when is caught and he is shamed, leading to a deeper blow to his ego. He fears becoming an object of desire by others, such as in his fears of becoming a media spectacle. "He fears losing his superiority and significance as a man, and becoming subordinate to others power and authority." The novel turns on his ability to overcome these fears, characterized by attempting to find food, kill the spider and escape the basement, and in the process achieve a new normality beyond his former straight-jacketed white middle class suburban role as family man.
Richard Matheson
Richard Burton Matheson is an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is perhaps best known as the author of What Dreams May Come, Bid Time Return, A Stir of Echoes, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and I Am Legend, all of which have been...
published in 1956. It was adapted into a motion picture called The Incredible Shrinking Man
The Incredible Shrinking Man
The Incredible Shrinking Man is a 1957 science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold and adapted for the screen by Richard Matheson from his novel The Shrinking Man ....
in 1957 by Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. A remake has been proposed which has been pushed back several times from 2001 to the current day; at one point it was to have starred Eddie Murphy. The novel was retitled The Incredible Shrinking Man in later editions.
Plot summary
While on holiday, the protagonist (Scott Carey) is exposed to a cloud of radioactive spray shortly after he accidentally ingests insecticide, the radioactivity acts as a catalyst for the bug spray, causing his body to shrink at a rate of approximately 1/7 of an inch per day. A few weeks later, Carey can no longer deny the truth: not only is he losing weight, he is also shorter than he was and deduces, to his dismay, that his body will continue to shrink.The abnormal deceleration of his body initially brings teases and taunting from local youths, then causes friction in his marriage and family life because he loses the respect his family has for him because of his diminishing physical stature. Ultimately, as the shrinking continues, it begins to threaten Carey's life as well; at seven inches tall, he has a battle with the family cat that drives him outdoors, where he is attacked by a swallow in his garden; the conflict drives him through a window into the cellar of his house. Although he survives on the cheese left over in a mousetrap for a while, his size is eventually reduced to less than half an inch, at which point he is forced to engage in a victorious battle with a black widow spider that towers over him.
As Carey continues shrinking, he realizes that his original fear that he would shrink into non-existence is incorrect; that he will continue to shrink, but will not disappear as he originally feared, and utters his famous closing line: "If nature existed on endless levels, so also might intelligence."
Inspiration
Author Richard Matheson says he was initially inspired to write the story from a scene in the comedy film Let's Do It Again. "I had gotten the idea several years earlier while attending a movie in a Redondo Beach theater. In this particular scene, Ray MillandRay Milland
Ray Milland was a Welsh actor and director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985, and he is best remembered for his Academy Award–winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend , a sophisticated leading man opposite a corrupt John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind , the murder-plotting...
, leaving Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
's apartment in a huff, accidentally put on Aldo Ray
Aldo Ray
Aldo Ray was an American actor.-Life and career:Ray was born in Pen Argyl, PA, to an Italian family of five brothers and one sister. His brother Mario lettered in football at USC in the years 1952-54...
's hat, which sank down around his ears. Something in me asked, `What would happen if a man put on a hat which he knew was his and the same thing happened?' Thus the notion came."
Analysis
The novel raises questions of what it means to be a man in 1950's white middle class suburban America, and the fears associated with not acting like a man, as imagined through the fantastical idea of slowly shrinking in height. As Scott Carey shrinks, he experiences estrangement with his own body, and in his relationships with people around him. As he shrinks in size he loses confidence in his masculinity and becomes intimidated by his wife, child and even pet cat. His place as head of the house ebbs away until he is banished to the basement, unable to go to work. Normal objects appear alien and threatening, such as the oil burner that causes him pain from the sound, or the spider which chases him. As Jancovich says:Carey's notion of masculinity is based on his notion of mans superiority over women, and he fears losing his privileges along with his height. He sees himself becoming something other, a child or feminine, such as in the scene with the child molester in the car, or beaten-up by the local roughs. He compensates by lusting after the baby sitter, but this backfires when is caught and he is shamed, leading to a deeper blow to his ego. He fears becoming an object of desire by others, such as in his fears of becoming a media spectacle. "He fears losing his superiority and significance as a man, and becoming subordinate to others power and authority." The novel turns on his ability to overcome these fears, characterized by attempting to find food, kill the spider and escape the basement, and in the process achieve a new normality beyond his former straight-jacketed white middle class suburban role as family man.