The Turning Wheel
Encyclopedia
The Turning Wheel is an 8,400 word science fiction
novelette
by Philip K. Dick
. The Scott Meredith Literary Agency received the submission on July 8, 1952 and it was published in Science Fiction Stories No. 2, 1954.
This was the second of two digest size
issues published by Columbia Publishing under this title to test the market for magazines in digest size
. Confusingly, both Science Fiction Stories No. 2, 1954 and Science Fiction Quarterly
, August 1954 were copyrighted by the publisher as "Science fiction quarterly, Aug. 1954" under Registration Number B00000473931.
Copyright
protection for Science Fiction Stories, No 2, 1954 (as Science fiction quarterly, Aug.
1954) and its contents was created under Registration Number B00000473931. "The Turning Wheel" is in the public domain
in the United States
because it was published in the United States between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1963 but copyright was not renewed with the US Copyright Office within a year period beginning on December 31 of the 27th year of the copyright and running through December 31 of the following year. When renewal registration was not made within the statutory time limit copyright expired at the end of its first term and protection was lost permanently. After the author's death, "The Turning Wheel" was incorrectly included in renewal Registration Number RE0000190631 (1983-11-22) War veteran, and other contributions by Philip K. Dick, as "(In Science fiction stories, May 1955) The Turning wheel. Pub. 1955-03-14; B00000531302"
The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future where global civilization is governed by a hierarchical, religious society
centered around belief in karmic based reincarnation
metaphorically viewed as moving forward or backward on a turning wheel.
The society presented is class driven, apparently with Caucasians ("Caucs") at the bottom, and Asians and Native Americans at the top. Above all is the god/messiah, the Bard "Elron Hu" (that is to say, "Elron Hu, Bard"), whose spiritual plan involves one becoming "clear" - an obvious jab at L. Ron Hubbard
's Dianetics
, the self help book that had been released a few years before.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novelette
Novelette
A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
by Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
. The Scott Meredith Literary Agency received the submission on July 8, 1952 and it was published in Science Fiction Stories No. 2, 1954.
This was the second of two digest size
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...
issues published by Columbia Publishing under this title to test the market for magazines in digest size
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...
. Confusingly, both Science Fiction Stories No. 2, 1954 and Science Fiction Quarterly
Science Fiction Quarterly
Science Fiction Quarterly was an United States based pulp science fiction magazine that was originally published from 1940 to 1943 and then again from 1951 to 1958. While the magazine did not last long, it helped early science fiction writers reach early audiences in the genre. The magazine also...
, August 1954 were copyrighted by the publisher as "Science fiction quarterly, Aug. 1954" under Registration Number B00000473931.
Copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
protection for Science Fiction Stories, No 2, 1954 (as Science fiction quarterly, Aug.
1954) and its contents was created under Registration Number B00000473931. "The Turning Wheel" is in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
because it was published in the United States between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1963 but copyright was not renewed with the US Copyright Office within a year period beginning on December 31 of the 27th year of the copyright and running through December 31 of the following year. When renewal registration was not made within the statutory time limit copyright expired at the end of its first term and protection was lost permanently. After the author's death, "The Turning Wheel" was incorrectly included in renewal Registration Number RE0000190631 (1983-11-22) War veteran, and other contributions by Philip K. Dick, as "(In Science fiction stories, May 1955) The Turning wheel. Pub. 1955-03-14; B00000531302"
Plot
If, after a great struggle, the East were to prevail over the world, what sort of civilization would be imposed by the victors? Would it be an oriental version of the societies we know -- or might the great old culture be superimposed upon what was left of western technology? -- Introduction from Science Fiction Stories No. 2, 1954, p. 69The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future where global civilization is governed by a hierarchical, religious society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
centered around belief in karmic based reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
metaphorically viewed as moving forward or backward on a turning wheel.
The society presented is class driven, apparently with Caucasians ("Caucs") at the bottom, and Asians and Native Americans at the top. Above all is the god/messiah, the Bard "Elron Hu" (that is to say, "Elron Hu, Bard"), whose spiritual plan involves one becoming "clear" - an obvious jab at L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
's Dianetics
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health is a book by L. Ron Hubbard which sets out self-improvement techniques he developed, called Dianetics. The book is also one of the canonical texts of Scientology. It is colloquially referred to as Book One...
, the self help book that had been released a few years before.