What in the heck is Vestigial Surreality?

 Vestigial Surreality is a serialized book series by Douglas Christian Larsen that explores the idea of a simulated or false reality. The narrative is heavily influenced by philosophical concepts such as Plato's Allegory of the Cave and science fiction like The Matrix, with the story centering on characters who discover that their world is not what it seems. 

 

Key concepts and plot

·         The initial discovery: The series begins when two strangers, Jack and Wolf, meet by chance in a park and discover a series of strange and improbable coincidences in their lives.

·         Questioning reality: This chance meeting leads them down a bizarre path where they begin to question the fundamental nature of their reality, the world, and even the universe. The story poses philosophical questions about whether life is real or a "puppet show".

·         The Simulation Hypothesis: The narrative explicitly invokes the "Simulation Hypothesis," the theory that we could all be living inside a computer simulation. As they investigate, the characters find that experiments to prove this hypothesis have been deliberately obscured.

·         Interconnected stories: The larger story is told through numerous "episodes" and connected to other works by Larsen, including the follow-up series Rood Der. The character arcs and reality-bending themes continue across his different novels.

·         Literary parallels: The story uses literary allusions to create its surreal atmosphere. For example, the reference to "tripping the light fantastic with Mr. Dodgson" in one episode explicitly connects the narrative to the works of Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. 

The title

The title Vestigial Surreality itself reflects the themes of the book:

·         Vestigial: A biological term referring to remnants of body parts or attributes that no longer serve their original purpose. This suggests that the reality the characters inhabit is a remnant, an incomplete or faulty version of a truer one.

·         Surreality: The quality of being bizarre, dreamlike, or fantastic, which accurately describes the series' tone and plot. 

 

There are strong parallels between Douglas Christian Larsen's Vestigial Surreality and the film The Matrix. Both stories explore the philosophical concept of a simulated or false reality by having the protagonists question the nature of their world. The direct reference to Lewis Carroll and the "rabbit hole" in both works reinforces this comparison. 

Here are the specific parallels:

Philosophical foundations

·         The Simulation Hypothesis: The central premise of both stories is the idea that the characters may be living in a computer simulation. In The Matrix, it is explicitly a "neural interactive simulation" created by machines. In Vestigial Surreality, the characters grapple with the possibility of living in a computer simulation.

·         Plato's Allegory of the Cave: The theme of escaping a manufactured reality is a clear reference to Plato's allegory, where prisoners mistake shadows on a wall for reality.

o    The Matrix: Morpheus explains to Neo that he is a prisoner who has lived his life inside a simulation, echoing the predicament of the prisoners in the cave.

o    Vestigial Surreality: The book's description overtly cites the allegory as a precursor to the themes of the series. 

Character development

·         The initial awakening: Both stories feature a protagonist who has an underlying feeling that something is wrong with their world. In The Matrix, Neo is a hacker who feels trapped. In Vestigial Surreality, Jack and Wolf feel "something not quite right with the world, something different".

·         The reluctant hero: Both Neo and Jack are drawn into a world-changing journey they didn't ask for. They are average people before strange events force them to confront a new reality.

·         Guidance from others: The protagonists are not alone. In The Matrix, Neo has Morpheus and the Oracle to guide him. In Vestigial Surreality, Jack has Wolf and other companions like Six, Lewis, and Seven to help him on his bizarre path. 

Narrative elements

·         Altering reality: In both narratives, the protagonists' understanding of reality fundamentally changes. In The Matrix, Neo can eventually manipulate the simulation's code. In Vestigial Surreality, the characters come to believe that "the nature of reality is influenced by the mind".

·         Symbolic imagery: The phrase "tripping the light fantastic with Mr. Dodgson" in Vestigial Surreality is a literary nod to Lewis Carroll, which is a direct parallel to Morpheus's quote to Neo: "I imagine you must feel a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole". Both phrases invoke the fantastical, nonsensical, and illogical nature of the reality the characters discover. 

In the book series Vestigial Surreality by Douglas Christian Larsen, Jack is one of the main characters who embarks on a journey to question the nature of reality. Jack is one of two strangers who meet and discover a strange connection between themselves and the world. 

Here are the key details about Jack's role:

·         Encounters strange coincidences: Jack and his counterpart, Wolf, begin to experience highly improbable events that occur with alarming regularity, which leads them to question their very reality.

·         Investigates reality: The story follows Jack as he and Wolf investigate these strange occurrences, leading them down a bizarre path that makes them question if they are living in a computer simulation, similar to the philosophical concepts of Plato's Cave and The Matrix.

·         Goes on a perilous quest: In Episode 18, titled "Dragon Warriors," Jack, along with Wolf and Six, faces a showdown and ventures into a dark and dangerous unknown.

·         Focuses on the mind: One of the books in the series suggests that the nature of reality is influenced by the mind and that an unseen power may be meddling in people's lives. Jack's journey, therefore, is not just a physical quest but also a mental one, as he explores a deeper, more surreal reality. 

In the context of Douglas Christian Larsen's Vestigial Surreality, the phrase "tripping the light fantastic with Mr. Dodgson" is a literary allusion that carries several layers of meaning. 

Here is a breakdown of what the phrase signifies:

·         "Tripping the light fantastic": This idiom refers to dancing nimbly or lightly. However, within a story centered on the nature of reality, "tripping" also implies a hallucinatory or mind-altering experience. The phrase suggests that the characters are engaging in a surreal, dream-like state of consciousness, with the light perhaps referring to the fabricated or simulated nature of their reality.

·         "Mr. Dodgson": This is a direct reference to Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll. Carroll was the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a novel famous for its whimsical, nonsensical, and reality-bending themes. By associating themselves with "Mr. Dodgson," the characters are explicitly linking their experiences to Alice's journey down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland. 

Symbolic interpretation within the series
The phrase implies that the characters—Seven and Charlotte, along with Jack and Wolf—are not simply dancing or having a fanciful adventure. Instead, they are actively engaging with the bizarre and illogical aspects of their world, much like Alice does in Wonderland. It suggests:

·         A departure from reality: The characters have embraced the strange, surreal occurrences rather than resisting them.

·         Embracing absurdity: They are "playing" within the rules of their broken reality, following the nonsensical logic of their situation.

·         A "curiouser and curiouser" state: Just as Alice's world becomes stranger and more fantastical, so too does the world of Vestigial Surreality for the protagonists who are "tripping" through it with "Mr. Dodgson" as their guide. 

The main characters from Vestigial Surreality, Jack and Wolf, also appear in the serial novel Rood Der. 

·         Same author: Both series are written by Douglas Christian Larsen, who is known for his interconnected, reality-bending stories.

·         Interconnected storyline: Rood Der is described as the follow-up or companion to Vestigial Surreality. The narratives explore similar themes, with the characters crossing over from one "reality" to another.

·         New challenges: In Rood Der, Jack and his group are presented with a new, crucial choice: whether to leave their existing reality for another. This suggests that the quest they began in Vestigial Surreality continues and evolves, with the stakes becoming even higher. 

As mentioned previously, Jack and Wolf, the protagonists of Vestigial Surreality, are also main characters in Rood Der. In Rood Der, they continue their reality-bending adventures and face the decision of whether to leave their current world for another. 

However, there is no readily available information about the other main or new characters specifically in Rood Der. This is likely because both Vestigial Surreality and Rood Der are part of Douglas Christian Larsen's larger, interconnected narrative, which often features a returning cast of characters or introduces new ones as needed.

Based on what is known about the series, other main characters in Rood Der would include those from Vestigial Surreality, such as:

·         Lewis, the friend who reunites with Jack and Wolf after a catastrophic event.

·         Seven, who joins Jack, Wolf, and Charlotte to trip "the light fantastic" with Mr. Dodgson.

·         Charlotte, who is also involved in the "Mr. Dodgson" experience.

·         Six, another character who joins Jack and Wolf on their perilous quest. 

The focus of the interconnected series is the journey of this group as they confront the surreal elements of their reality, and this cast of characters continues to explore those themes in Rood Der.