Humanity and culture

One of the novel’s central questions is the distinction between humans and non-humans. Vic is the only human character in the novel, but the boundaries between him and other beings are blurred through his intimate relationships with robots and especially through the use of his own blood to symbolically adopt Gio and Hap. At the same time, the distinction between Vic and other sentient creatures is upheld and intensified through his blood and sweat, which the group disguises as fluid leakages to avoid suspicion.

Human culture is represented throughout the novel in the form of parody or as ancient relics. Gio preserves cultural artifacts like films and music for his family to enjoy. The Coachman preserves human artifacts to put on display in a museum. The new, active cultural production by machines seems to parody human culture. This is most evident in Heaven...