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Hal in “2001: A Space Odyssey”: The Lover Sings His Song
Jay H. Boylan
After considering the more traditional questions raised by the film, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the central one became, for me, Why did HAL “go crazy?” Why did he turn maniacal and kill all but one of the men aboard the Discovery? Some early reviewers dismissed this question by assuming that he just had made a mistake.’ Later critics have suggested that he developed a “neurosis” because he was hiding the true purpose of the mission from the crew and that his “mental breakdown” caused him to start making errors. Others have assumed that HAL was essentially “diabolica1,”z and that Kubrick was haulingout theold “Frankenstein” theme again.3
While all of these seemed reasonable, I still had a doubt about whether Kubrick would have let adetail like this bequite sosimple. As noted, however, I did not start with this question; I started, like everyone else, with the BIG ones. How did the monolith get on Earth? What was its purpose? What was the meaning of the famous matched cut between the bone and the Earth satellite? What happened to Bowman during the “trip” sequence? And, while some critical consensus has dcveloped concerning these and other questions, it may help to rework part of this plot of ground before digging into the small but vexing matter of the “mistake” HAL makes.
The first human-like creatures in the film are pathetic. They are timid and powerless; they eat grass; they are afraid of the dark. Their only “aggressive” acts are to scream at each other at the watering hole. We see them cowering against a stone cliff (“up against the wall,” as it were) listening to the sounds of predators roaring in the night. Their eyes shine with fear, and this fear is well founded, for they have no natural defenses, no talents with which they might protect themselves. They are well on their way to becoming a leopard’s dinner, like Epimetheus made mortals in the Greek tale, these creatures take what remains after all the natural gifts have been given to the other beasts. Epimetheus’ creations had to wait for Prometheus to “save” them, but no such savior with his gift of fire transforms Kubrick’s creatures from victims to users of weapons in the form of the lever (the most hasic tool), rather an unseen alien intelligence with another “unnatural” gift plays thc Messiah.
So, we are not surprised when our ancient ancestor, after the killing at the water hole, throws this first “tool” into the air in exaltation.. .and it becomes the
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Earth satellite of the 21st century. Clearly, Kubrick means us to see the satellite, our most advanced form of technological development, as merely an extension of the lever principle. All machines function, more or less, as complex levers. They represent extensions of humanity’s physical powers; they magnify our abilities. Cinematically, Kubrick shows us that all humankind’s accomplishments since the “Dawn” have been variations on a theme, subtle refinements of the same principle. The bone is an extension of our arm, a telescope an extension of our eyes, other machines, extensions of our nerves, our brain.
And so we come to HAL. Many critics have noted that he is the most interesting “character” in the film, perhaps its only “personality.” The real humans art like automatons. Their speech is trivial. They denote little, if at all. Even in situations which would normally bring forth feeling, they appear passive and passionless. For instance, we see the scientist who is going to investigate the new monolith on the moon sleeping, oblivious to the wonderful sights to be seen outside the moon shuttle’s window; later, he listens with only ironic amusement to his daughter’s birthday wish. Even the violent emotions culminating in death at the water hole have been transformed into an ironic conversion between “our” scientist and the Russian when they meet at the space station. Another example, which quite pathetically reveals what mankind has given away during the development of the technological life, occurs when Poole sees the recorded tape of his parents singing “Happy Birthday” to him. He views the tape as ludicrous and watches with disinterest. I get the feeling that he hardly knows who they are or, at the least, does not care. They are images on a screen, slightly funny in a vaudevillian sort of way.
In gaining the advantages that tool-using bestows, humankind has traded its “humanness” for its tools. The lever becomes the man, the man the lever; and HAL is the embodiment of that perfect lever, the machine which can move everything. Cinematically, Kubrick makes this point quite clearly. For instance, at one point when we see Poole “taking the summer sun” under a heat lamp, he says, “HAL, raise the back of the seat.” The seat comes up. “HAL, a little more on this side.” The lamp moves to a new position. While this demonstration of HAL’s power may seem trivial, it reminds us of his all-encompassing ability to move anything for the men of the Discouery. For them, HAL is their world; they need only ask, and he acts to perform the smallest of tasks.
Part of that humanness we have given away is the abililty to feel, to get emotionally involved. HALs death scene demonstrates this strongly. He is obviously afraid and, while his voice has that mechanical flatness we might expect, his words sound full of tension and emotion-“I can feel i t , I ran feel it, I can feel it. . . ” The humans, on the other hand, show not a trace of emotion or feeling even in the face of HAL’s mistake. Their “serret” conversation is as machine-like as possible.
HAL is, also, the only character who expresses any interest in the goal of the odyssey, those times when he does question the purpose of the mission, he is rebuffed by the crew who show little interest in its seven-month-long journey. But, of course, only HAL of the conscious crew has the full information about the destiny of their odyssey. This fact is of central importance in understanding why HAL- does what he does because, not only does HAL have the information, but he can think about it: “I’ve been thinking, Dave,” he says. And being a very bright
Hal in “2001: A Space Odyssey” 55
machine he has no doubt figured out the probable outcome of the trip. He would have reasoned that humanity might have been about to have an encounter which would change it qualitatively, one which would certainly change it as much as the initial meeting had changed the weak characters to masters of the world. In addition, HAL could assume that this change would transcend tool-using. And HAL would no t l i ke tha t because his purpose is to take care of humans; he sees to their every need (well, perhaps not all, sex being markedly absent from the film). To put it more simply, H a l cares for m a n . His is a love relationship. Interestingly, some critics have suggested that HAL is human-like because he hates humanity, that he wishes to replace us, but nothing is further from the truth. The emotion which is the sign of HAL’S “humanness” is love. As the craftsman cherishes his tools, so the tools would cherish the master if they could. So, HAL is driven insane by a conflict between his desire to have humankind stay as it is and his desire to love, honor and protect the men of the ship. Ironically, his madness has a machinelike logic about it. He first kills the scientist in suspended animation since they share the knowledge of the journey’s goal. Then he isolates the crew in turn, leaving them symbolically naked (Bowman accidentally leaves his helmet when he goes to retrieve Poole).
However, HAL reveals the underlying illogic and insanity that motivates him when he says, “Dave, the mission is too important to leave in human hands.” But then, to HAL it is too important; he must abort themission andend thequest. The new human will not be born. HAL and humankind can continue their relationship, each becoming the other.
Bowman is able to defeat HAL by an act of will and by the use of that built-in natural lever, his hand. When he exposes himself to the vacuum of space, he is surely naked and without technology, but his hand saves him; we seea close-upof Bowman frantically reaching and finally finding the door lever. HAL is defeated and humanity does undergo its metamorphosis until the star child, the superman, smiles down upon the Earth at the end.
I had reached this point in my thinking about the film some timeagoand was rather satisfied with myself. It all seemed to fit, but a doubt remained. After all, this line of thinking was based for the most part on external reasoning. Then I rememberd the obvious organic element placed so cunningly in the film by its creator, the love song which HAL sings as he is dying:
Daisy, Daisy Give me your answer do. I’m half c rary over the love of you. It won“ tw a stylish rnarriagr. 1 ran’t afford a c-arriage. But you’d look sweet LJpon the seat Of a bicvcle built for two.
This is the perfect epiphany for the relationship between HAL (and by extension all machine technology) and humankind. We have ridden into the future with our levers and wheels, and gears, and electronic extensions of nerve and mind, but the marriage has not been astylishone with its potential for dehumanization so
56 Journal of Popular Culture
clearly developed in the film. We have ridden into the future, humanhind and machine, as precariously as Daisy on her bicycle, looking always slightly ridiculous (perhaps crazy) as we all do on that marvelous technological method of locomotion.
Poor HAL, driven mad by love, trying desperately to hold on to humanity's hand, to keep the ride moving along.. . .
Notes
'Don Daniels, "2001: A New Myth." Film lierilage. Val. 111. No, 4 . Sumnier, 1960, p. 7. *David G . Hoch. "Mythic Pattern in '2001: A Space Odyssey' " Jourrral o/ Popular Cullure, t'ol, I V ,
SJohn J. Fritcher, "Stanley Kubric k's '2001: A Spact. Odyswy'-A S l ~ e p x i d 12 Forgt,ttirlg,"/our,lnlo( Spring, 1971, p. 963.
Popular Culture, Vol. 11. Summer, 1968. p 169.