Abstract
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick is a soft Sci-fi novel which offers many possibilities in terms of interpretation. This essay will trace the development of the narrative and how the progress is conveyed by the personal transformation of the protagonist. By asserting different aspects that affect the mindscape, such as paranoia, drug usage, dissimulation, alteration of one’s reality and how they impact the story, it is possible to exemplify how the narrative is changed through the experiences of the protagonist. The aim of this paper is to underline the key moments throughout the novel that serve as turning points for the main character’s development and the shift in narrative, along with the contributing factors that trigger these shifts and the broader context of the issue of identity in Philip K. Dick’s universe.