Meaning in Star Trek

by Karin Blair

Book Overview

FROM BACK COVER: "Why did Star Trek spawn an entier subculture of 'trekkies' with their own conventions, publications and lifestyle? Why now, years after the series was produced, do the reruns... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446920959
• ISBN13: 9780446920957
• Release Date: January 1979
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

An early Jungian analysis of Classic Trek

This book, first published in 1977, was the first (as far as I know) serious attempt to analyze the psychology of Star Trek. Karin Blair, herself a Jungian, takes up the question of how characters in The Original Series (TOS) represent various Jungian archetypes in the human psyche. Using specific episodes as examples, she explores authority, masculinity and femininity, inner dualities, outer opposites of good and evil, mind versus emotion, etc. Leonard Nimoy said of this book that it is "thorough, intelligent, and meaningful" (cover blurb.) According to Gene Roddenberry's biography ("Star Trek Creator"), the Great Bird was very impressed with it also -- which is what led me to track down a copy for myself. Especially interesting to me was Karin's analysis of the Kirk-Spock-McCoy triad as representing past (McCoy), present (Kirk), and future (Spock.) Although my own analysis differs considerably from hers (mine is based more on kabbalah than Jung), her thesis is carefully thought out and well-presented. For many early Trek fans, Karin's POV became the lens through which they viewed the triad relationships, and it remains so for many Classic Trekkers today. Non-Jungians and modern feminists may balk at some of Karin's comments about the symbolism of women in classic Trek, especially the "Monstrous Mother" and "Disposeable Female" chapters. But before you throw the book across the room, keep in mind that these are basic themes that occur in many classic mythologies around the world. Star Trek, in turn, drew inspiration from these mythologies for many of its TOS episodes. At the very least, Karin's analysis helps explain where some of these early Trek themes came from, and why they have such wide popularity. (The section on the sex appeal of Spock among women will raise a few eyebrows!) Dated or not, this book was a groundbreaking work in its time, and should be in the library of every serious Star Trek fan.