Cyberpunk course

The genre of Cyberpunk got the second part of its name for a good reason. The protagonists of Cyberpunk stories are worthy of the title. These characters have little respect for the rules and don’t always have very heroic motivations. Like anti-heroes from other stories they my not be out to save the world or serve the good of the people. Often they are just out for them selves. Just as frequently they are being manipulated and don’t really have a choice in their actions. These characters have a very good understanding of the system that they live in. They know what corners they can cut and what corners they can’t. Although they can manipulate the system to extent, they rarely believe they can take it down. They feel that they trapped just like everyone else, even if they have a bit more maneuvering room than the “sheep.” If the main character does eventually take down the system they rarely think they can at the beginning of the story. In this story I will analyze the classic Cyberpunk characters Neo (from the Matrix) and Case (from the Sprawl Trilogy).

At the beginning of the Matrix Neo is a jaded computer hacker with an “It’s only illegal if you get caught” mentality. We can see this in his encounter with Troy, his main concern is not breaking the law but in making sure that if Troy get caught it doesn’t trace back to him. Neo definitely feels trapped by the system, even before he finds out what the Matrix is, as evidenced by the scene with Neo’s boss at the cubical office. Even after he is extracted by the Matrix he feels trapped, not truly believing he is the One until the end of the film. Even though out the rest of the trilogy he feels helpless, not really understanding what he is supposed to be doing. Furthermore, he doesn’t really have a choice in his actions. This is expressed by his conversation with the Oracle in which he says he doesn’t like the idea of fate because he doesn’t like the idea of not being in control of his life. Yet he is fated to be the One.

Case is not exactly what you would call a wholesome individual. In fact his character is similar to that of a minor villein in other stories. He is a drug addict and dealer in illegal substances and goods. He admits to addicting a young woman to drugs and killing two people in his dealing in the black market. In the beginning he just wants to find someway to access cyberspace again. Later he just wants to prevent the toxin sacks in his veins from dissolving. His motivations are almost completely self serving. It is pretty obvious from the beginning of the story that Case doesn’t really like himself.

In my humble opinion, the character portraits that Cyberpunk paints are absolutely engrossing. They aren’t some white knight that rides to the rescue of some damsel in distress. They are gritty character with lots of street sense and questionable motivations. Perhaps the reason people like these characters is some desire to experience the life of someone in the underworld. Perhaps we identify with the feeling of helplessness that many of these characters feel. Whatever the reason, its characters are one of Cyberpunks strongest attractions.