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action with Cooper. As a concluding nicety in Asimov's toying with the nature of reality and an action carefully prepared by Twissell's previous theorizing, the kettle disappears at the end even before Harlan is aware he has reached a decision: the kettle knows before he does. |
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These are only two examples among many that might be cited in support of Asimov's understanding of the complexities with which he was dealing and the thoroughness with which he dealt with them. The End of Eternity lacks the inspired madness of Dick's explorations of reality, but Dick's purpose was to raise doubts about reality. Asimov's was to understand it and to work his way through the difficulties to a reasonable basis for action. |
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The flashback technique, appropriate as it is, probably was the result of Campbell's early advice to Asimov, given while Asimov was working on his second published robot story, "Reason": |
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Asimov, when you have trouble with the beginning of a story, that is because you are starting in the wrong place, and almost certainly too soon. Pick out a later point in the story and begin again. |
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In his autobiography Asimov wrote, "Ever since then, I have always started my stories as late in the game as I thought I could manage." That, no doubt, is the case with The End of Eternity and explains why Harlan is left standing at the gateway of Time for five chapters and why readers must pick their ways gingerly through a minefield of past tenses. |
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In The End of Eternity Asimov tackles sex for the first time (the titillation of the moment in The Naked Sun in which Gladia removes her glove and touches Baley on the cheek still lies a year ahead). Doubleday raised a brief question about it Asimov, like Verne before him, was known for the purity of his writing but Asimov's wife read through the chapter, looked up, and asked, "Where was it?" For Asimov it was a breakthrough. Not so his characterization. The minor characters have some vitality Finge, Twissell, even Cooper but Harlan is so subordinated to his role that Nos's love for him seems incredible. Harlan is stiff, cold, unyielding, and unlikable, and Nos gets no chance to exist as an individual until the final chapter. The novel is dominated by its theme. |
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The theme of The End of Eternity is as significant as anything Asimov ever touched. Since it was virtually Asimov's last extended thought about science fiction until unusual circumstances produced The Gods Themselves and the later bestsellers, the 1955 novel may define the values |
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