I noticed the #scificlub hadn't been used for a long while, and one of the main complaints was that the books being posted were too long and too inacessible. Surely the solution then would be to search Project Gutenberg?
I chose this story by Phillip K. Dick as he is one of my favourite authors whom I have never read, his stories are characterised by the bending of reality and readers expectations and I felt this story was short and interesting enough that it could prompt some discussion.
I enjoyed the story, I have found that the most successful stories are ones that world-build through inferences rather than by directly telling the reader; in this instance the Martians are barely mentioned but you can infer that they may regularly trade with earth, having an Optus perhaps fill the role of a towns mayor or a priest. This already to me is a compelling world, hinting at early colonial adventures and the mistakes and rewards of such; which is a shame as I do not expect Dick to have written any more within this setting.
So what does everybody think?
It was an enjoyable read. I sort of saw the ending coming around halfway through, though, but I'm not too sure what to think of the ending. More specifically, I think the wub's statements were out of character since it would likely know what would happen once the inevitable happened. (Trying not to spoil as I'm not sure what the standard discussions are like - and this is my first post) I see the short story as a comment on humans' lack of empathy for their surroundings (and perhaps themselves). Did anyone see a different perspective? Or perhaps a more positive view on the twist in the story?
I honestly didn't see the ending coming, I expected the Wub would control the others minds and eventually make it safely to Earth, leaving it's fate thereafter unknown. So that was a pleasant surprise for me, but in hindsight it does seem rather obvious. I disagree with your last point however: the other crew members did show empathy and disgust and walked out before the killing; I would argue they only ate afterwards out of necessity under threat of starvation, but their guilt and shame over this matter were evident. The story, to me, emphasised the "Us v. Them" mentality; the thought that one could exact extraordinary cruelty on another living being in order to ensure their own protection and survival. I imagine many of those crew members could not return to eating meat after having the harrowing experience of your meal asking not to be eaten, certainly I think the reader is intended to make that connection and question the morality of their diet and life choices. Though maybe I'm reading too much into it...
Yes, I also thought about the crew members who refused to take part after being exposed to the intelligence. However, I took them as plot devices, since I think they are there to make the inhumanity of the leader (who in turn represents humanity - or perhaps plutocrats since it is a person in power) even more terrible. Now that I think about it, it makes more sense to read it as the leader being a representative for those making decisions on others' behalf. I also buy your idea of questioning diet morality, but I see it as a part of something else. The crew has the option of turning down this meal, but they don't really have the option of doing it for the rest of the journey, as they will be lacking food otherwise. That was, after all, the premise for killing the wub to begin with.
It is also implied the Wub is a creature with an appetite, and so postponing the inevitable would have just sped up the food shortage. On an semi-unrelated note: I've been reading a lot of space books lately, including Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles. I felt like this short story could well have taken place in the same universe, the way the ships were treated -- almost as classical adventure upon the seas, with burly crewmen (wearing turtlenecks, of course) loading and unloading cargo. I wonder if this is indicative of other mars stories of the time, as both were published in the 50s.