I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
"I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" is a collection of seven stories by Harlan Ellison, originally published between 1958 and 1967, blending elements of science fiction and fantasy. The narratives are interconnected through Ellison's introspective introductions and a common theme of confronting profound emotions, fears, and desires. The titular story features Ted, one of five survivors trapped underground by a malevolent, sentient computer named AM, which tortures them psychologically and physically for over a century. The collection delves into the darker aspects of human experience, exploring themes such as sacrifice, despair, and the struggle for identity amid monstrous circumstances. Other stories include "Big Sam Was My Friend," which explores friendship and sacrifice in a circus setting, and "Lonelyache," where a man's existential crisis leads to a tragic resolution. Characters throughout the collection face their inner demons and moral failures, often resulting in profound consequences. The stories are notable for their emotional depth and allegorical elements, inviting readers to reflect on the human condition. This volume is significant in the realm of speculative fiction, addressing complex psychological themes within imaginative scenarios.
On this Page
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
First published: 1967
Type of work: Stories
Type of plot: Fantasy—inner space
Time of work: Various times between the 1960s and centuries into the future
Locale: Various locations in the United States and outer space
The Plot
The seven stories in I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, originally published in science-fiction and mens magazines between 1958 and 1967, include both science fiction and fantasy. They are united by Harlan Ellisons introductions for each of the stories, in which he discusses their personal significance to him, as well as by their focus on powerful emotions. In each story, people are confronted with their deepest fears or desires.
“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” is narrated by Ted, one of five people trapped below the surface of the earth in a sentient computer called AM. The computer has taken over the world and killed everyone except these five people. Programmed to wage war, the nearly omnipotent AM has kept these five alive and tortured them for 109 years. Ted relates their brutal sufferings, revealing in the process his extreme paranoia. He is capable of love for Ellen, the only woman in the group, and of self-sacrifice. When the group arrives at an ice cavern in search of food, he seizes a moment of confusion to initiate a mercy killing of the others. In rage, the computer reduces Ted to a hideous blob, able to be tortured for eternity and to think but not to act. In his reflections, Ted hopes he did the right thing.
The narrator of “Big Sam Was My Friend” is also tested but falls short. A member of an intergalactic circus, Johnny Lee befriends a teleporter named Sam, who believes that heaven is in space and is looking for a dead girl he loved on Earth. When the circus performs on Giuliu II, its employees are invited to a royal ceremony, which to their surprise involves a virgin sacrifice. Sam mistakenly thinks the girl to be sacrificed is his lost love and rescues her, offending their host. He agrees to take the girls place. The narrator bitterly notes how neither he nor anyone else tried to prevent Johnny Lees sacrifice.
In “World of the Myth,” three explorers crash on an alien world and encounter antlike beings that project the characters inner thoughts. Although the protagonist feels weak throughout the story, his rival cannot face his true self and commits suicide.
The fantasy stories also deal with characters facing their true selves. In “Lonelyache,” a philanderer recently separated from his wife watches a threatening black beast take shape and grow in his living room as he engages in meaningless one-night stands. He finally commits suicide in a combination of courage and despair. In “Delusion for a Dragon Slayer,” the protagonist, shortly before being crushed by a wrecking ball, gets the opportunity to earn the heaven of his dreams. Transformed from a mild-mannered man into a Teutonic demigod, he sails through a phantasmagoric landscape and learns from a wizard that he must defeat a demon and win the love of a fair maiden. In his overconfidence, he wrecks his ship, killing his crew; and in his cowardice he allows the demon to take the maiden and then slays it from behind. Having fallen short, he loses his chance at heaven.
Other stories in the volume are allegorical. “Eyes of Dust” is set on a planet where everything is beautiful except a couple who defy the law to produce a hideous son with the soul of a prophet. The authorities kill the couple and destroy the son, but in doing so they mar the beauty of their world. Set in Las Vegas, “Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes” involves a man, down on his luck, who plays a slot machine possessed by a woman. Manipulating his need for love, she manages to free her own soul while trapping his in the machine.