Plugged In Is Whacked Out!!

Ok—once you get past the fact that the author is referring to us as a “Zombie” and “dead dad,” which is more than a little weird, this story is actually really intriguing!
The basic concept of the story, that one’s brain can “control” the lifeless body of another person, really reiterates what may be possible in the future.

Beyond the sci-fi aspect, though, this story really emphasized the torment and ultimate destruction that “desire,” or “Eros,” can bring into one’s life. P. Burke, a lonely and desperate girl, lives a life full of physical and material desires. She idolizes people who are both beautiful and happy, and even sees them as her “gods.” When given the opportunity, she abandons her life in order to fulfill those desires and become someone who is desired herself. Just as Socrates described “Eros” in terms of desire, P. Burke loves what is beautiful and desires a life of happiness because that is what she lacks.

The body she takes over, Delphi, is a sort of “god” in her own right. She is the epitome of beauty, and the “poster child” for all that is desired within her society. She is literally a walking “ad” campaign for happiness, except for the fact that she doesn’t even really exist (much like the life of perfect happiness which P. Burke desires). Delphi is an outlet for P. Burke to achieve what she desires, and the cost of losing her own life seems unimportant to her…until her ultimate desire of love and “Eros” is fulfilled by Paul.

Just as in any great story, the downfall of P. Burke, aka Delphi, is the desire for love. Once Paul comes into the picture Delphi can’t get him out of her head! (Boy it must be really crowded up there!!) Anyways, P. Burke is happy sharing a life with Delphi up until that point, and then the physical distance between the love that she feels for Paul in her brain, and the love that she cannot feel for him with Delphi’s body, becomes too much. Although P. Burke knows that she will jeopardize her life as Delphi by continuing to see Paul, she cannot bring herself to separate Delphi from him. Ultimately, she sacrifices herself for her love of him, and once again the result of desire and “Eros” is that the lover dies for the beloved.

Bummer!