One of the most difficult tasks conceivable is attempting to put together a piece of equipment without the instruction manual. Although you may be able to place a few components in the right arrangement, ultimately, you need the directions to fully understand where each piece goes and in what order, to successfully put it together. This is quite similar to reading literature from previous generations without historical context. Many of our literary works have stemmed from the cultural and social aspects of their surroundings. Each war that takes place, leader that holds office and social or political change that occurs greatly affects the writings of its time. Ashley Kirk explains it best, “The author writes only what he or she has learnt from that particular time in history, and the messages their work conveys are inextricably linked to the society in which it is written (Kirk).” During the Cold War era of the late 1940’s to early 1950’s, violence and fear surrounded everyday American life and significantly impacted its own time period. Philip K. Dick’s The Gun is greatly influenced by the Cold War’s communist fear and potential nuclear violence, negatively portraying its potential effects through a barren wasteland in the future.
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Pre-existing tensions had endured between allies, the United States and the Soviet Union for years prior to the Cold War. The States had been concerned for some time about the potential political agenda of the communist country and its leader, Joseph Stalin’s, oppressive style of rule. The USSR also had its reasons for hatred, as the United States never legitimately recognized Russia as an international power, and caused the death of many Russian citizens due to their late entry into the Second World War. Following the end of World War II, these tensions began to surface. As the USSR began spreading its communist reach over Eastern Europe, the United States grew fearful of a Russian world takeover. The communist driven nation also showed a growing interest in nuclear weapons and atomic bombs to help aide in their world take over, which also frightened the States. Both nations began growing their technological weapons fleets, increasing their military, and influencing other countries, in an attempt to combat one another, creating the Cold War. (History.com)
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