Now that you've read Dune, let's talk. The fathers and/or father figures in this books are well...how can I say this nicely....strange. We have a book that deal with multiple family relationships in a patriarchal society. Some fathers sacrifice for their families and some father figures, well, raise some interesting children. Each man's decisions becomes a major plot mover and central thematic idea within the book. What is even more interesting is the idea of familial obligations within each family and how the children react to those obligations and to their fathers. and father figures. How would you rate these families (least dysfunctional to most dysfunctional)? Are they dysfunctional at all given the setting and atmosphere of the novel? Did their political society and families create them? Explain your answers and don't forget about the Fremen.
83 Comments
Luca Tomescu
8/13/2015 09:29:11 am
1. The House Atreides is certainly the least dysfunctional, and I think this was done on purpose so that Paul and his family would seem like the most noble people in the Universe. They are the obvious good guys and give the audience someone to root for. Moving up the dysfunctionality scale is the Emperor's family, which seems rather normal at first glance. There isn't much to be said about this particular family since it isn't very prominent throughout the book, but it's a tad more dysfunctional than the Atreides because the emperor hands over his daughter, the Princess Irulan, to a life of relative solitude and loneliness with Paul for purely political reasons. Although marriage for political reasons isn't an uncommon practice among royalty, the Emperor never shows any sign of feeling any remorse over giving his daughter to Paul. Also, I don't imagine the Emperor to be a very nice guy since he associated with the Harkonnens, wanted to wipe out the Fremen, and makes his Sardaukar off of suffering criminals. The Fremen family is somewhat hard to place, but I would call it only slightly more dysfunctional than the Emperor's family. The Fremen have some weird practices like fights to the death to decide leadership, but you can't really blame them because that's part of their culture. In fact, I would say that the Fremen are among the most tight-knit groups in the Dune universe. If we're considering the Bene Gesserit a family, then they are next on the dysfunctionality scale, quite a bit above the Fremen. The Bene Gesserit don't show any compassion or love for one another. They even seem to be rather harsh on one another, especially when Jessica faces the Reverend Mother at the beginning of the novel. Finally, at the very tippy top of the scale is... The House Harkonnen! This isn't surprising at all since the entire Harkonnen family appears to revolve around violence, greed, indulgence, and revenge. The Baron Harkonnen is the obvious antagonist of the story, and his worst traits carry over to his heir, Feyd-Rautha. There is even turmoil and schemes within the family itself, making it the most dysfunctional family in the Universe.
Reply
Ahad Haidry
8/15/2015 03:40:04 am
I think first and foremost Herbert gave most of the characters weird/exotic names to allow readers to keep track of the large cast of characters in Dune. I also believe that these exotic names were used to highlight Arrakis as a fantastical world, and add to the overall setting. I think that is why Herbert used many Arabic and Hebrew words, to add to the overall desert like feeling of Arrakis. With all that being said, i did a quick search on the etymology behind a few of the names in Dune and arrived at some surprising results. Jessica is derived from the original Hebrew name Yiskah, which means "foresight" or being able to see the potential in the future. Vladimir means "Ruling Piece", which is ironic in the case of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen since he was not exactly peaceful. Also, Dune was published during the cold war, when most Americans equated evil to communism and the Soviet Union. Vladimir Lenin was one of the forefathers of the Soviet Union, and also one of the faces of communism. Paul may be an allusion to Paul the Apostle. It is said that when Paul saw the resurrected Jesus, he (Paul) was blinded for 3 days and after regaining his sight he went of to spread Christianity across the Roman Empire. This may somehow relate to Paul Atreide's special sight and his rise as the prophet to the Fremen, though i admit this is kind of a stretch. As to Herbert distinguishing the mother-son pair from the rest of the universe i think it was mostly for the readers convenience. Both Paul and Jessica are main characters in Dune, and those names might be more easy to remember for readers than, say, Liet-Kynes.
Reply
Kieran Smith
8/19/2015 01:25:32 am
The Harkonnen's were actually exceptional in their dysfunctional behaviour. Feyd-rautha spends a large portion of the novel attempting to kill his uncle so that he may gain power, and his mother and father are hardly mentioned at all which seems like a recipe for disaster.
Reply
Marwan Madi
8/20/2015 03:11:38 am
I do not believe that Herbert was trying to give all characters weird or hard to pronounce names, for what is considered a weird name for us in the U.S. may be considered common elsewhere. For example, as someone fluent in Arabic many of the Fremen names and terms seemed normal to me and not weird in any particular way (and it should be noted that although many of the Fremen words and phrases that were derived from Arabic differed either slightly or completely from their Arabic meanings, some of the Arabic- derived Fremen words had the same meanings as their Arabic counterparts). Thus by including foreign names Herbert probably sought to add a level of culture and diversity to his characters rather than to alienate the audience with names they will have difficulty pronouncing. After all, Dune takes place in planets across the universe and it would be ridiculous for all of the characters to have easy to pronounce Caucasian names such as "Paul" and Jessica," as that isn't a reality even here on Earth. It should also be noted that there are many languages spoken in the Dune universe that the reader is not directly exposed to since everything is translated into English for reader comprehension (Herbert often writes something in English and says it was spoken in a different language). Thus many of the weird sounding names could be common names in those languages and in specific areas of the Dune universe, giving the reader further insight into the different cultures present in Herbert's fictional worlds. Certain names also help to unconsciously develop a character in the reader's mind, such as the Russian name Vladimir used for the story's primary antagonist, Vladimir Harkonnen. Dune was written during the Cold War, and at the time anything Russian was associated with evil. Thus Herbert's American audience would develop an unconscious hatred towards Vladimir Harkonnen due to all of the anit-Soviet propaganda, especially if they were familiar with the atrocities of Vladimir Lenin and associated the character with the historical figure due to their shared first name. Overall it seems that Herbert was careful in picking the names for his characters and purposefully picked the names that he did, even if they may seem weird or hard to pronounce to an American audience.
Reply
Madison McClendon
8/22/2015 06:18:38 am
Continuing on in that theme, I wonder if the reason we all seem to dub the Freman less functional than the Atreides is because their culture in the book is simply more foreign to most of us, just like the names. The Freman may have odd rituals, but their tribe is also fiercely loyal to both each other and the greater good, two very noble qualities that can be easily overshadowed by misunderstanding. The Atreides, while certainly a noble clan, shared many similarities with the Freman, yet were perceived as more functional. Both Atreides and Freman raised their children to be warriors, both were staunchly unemotional, both looked out for their own, both were willing to fight for a seemingly lost cause. So then, what is it, really, that makes the Freman dysfunctional? I wonder if its nothing more than the fact that their culture mirrors Western culture less than the Atreides.
Elaine Wood
8/25/2015 07:46:40 am
The unique sounding names definitely succeeded in emphasizing the diverse cultures in the empire. I believe, however, that as the main characters Paul and his mother, Jessica, were given names that the reader could easily keep track of, and most importantly, to which they could relate. With the complexity of the plot and the many differences between life on Arrakis and life on Earth, it is important to establish some type of common ground for the readers and the main characters. This theme of developing a common ground in between the main characters and the reader is also demonstrated in Herbert's descriptions of the planet Caladan. Arrakis is desolate, hot, and has almost no water whatsoever. Caladan is described much like Earth -- water falls from the sky, they have oceans, etc. With the reader's familiarity with Paul and Jessica's home land, they are more likely to be able to place themselves in Paul and Jessica's shoes in order to understand the significance of their change in location.
Andrea Rosales
8/26/2015 12:38:08 pm
I agree with Madison in that the Fremen seem strange to us because we are less familiar with their customs. It's the Harkonnen that we are sadly but realistically more familiar with in modern society. Of course not to the full extent but some prominent nasty qualities for sure. Unlike the Fremen, the Harkonnens do not posses any sense of loyalty or kindness and I believe they are the most dysfunctional.
Jesse Chao
8/27/2015 10:37:34 am
Andrea points out something rather interesting about the Harkonnen that I'd like to add on. The Harkonnens have no loyalty to anyone, even their own kin, such as when Feyd tried to kill the Baron. It's odd how even among the Noble Houses, there is unity if they are collectively threatened by the evidence of the Emperor helping to kill a noble, like sending the Sardaukar, yet the Harkonnens still fight against each other even when under scrutiny of the Count Fenring and dealing with insurgent Freman. It poses the question of why does the author choose to place this family in this light? The story may have easily continued if these details weren't shared and there were no treachery between the Harkonnens, and for some reason, multiple families with likely varying agendas and interests have a sense of loyalty to the cause of self preservation where as Feyd doesn't understand that his uncle is the one who fixes all his mistakes and that he depends on him.
Shravya Arra
8/27/2015 11:39:23 am
I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT WAY ANDREA. That's crazy that we identify with the Harkonnens more than we do with the Fremen since the Fremen weren't portrayed in as bad of a light as the Harkonnens were. However, humans aren't perfect and they are malicious as well. I think they relate really well to how humans were in history, specifically in the dark ages. Humans were more barbarian and savage-like. Much like the Harkonnens, humans were driven by violence in that time period.
Karthik Reddy
8/21/2015 05:33:09 am
I think, to a certain extent, that the names of the characters mostly followed their origins, with Fremen on dune having Middle Eastern or Muslim names for characters and objects on the planet, Harkonnaen's with darker names, etc. The exceptions were Paul and Jessica. I thought of Pual and Jessica more as names rather than characters in the beginning of the novel, which was obviously intentional. The introduction of unfamiliar names emphasized the character and their personalities in even the most minor character, like Shadout Mapes who was only present for a small portion of the book. The names that we consider outlandish were a large part that contributed to the eclectic nature of the book.
Reply
Aiyana McRae
8/27/2015 11:12:59 am
I do agree with most posts regarding the diversity in the names, and I am openly receiving everyone's analyses on this matter. However, I personally feel that it may even be more simple than the author trying make clear who the protagonists are by giving them the least complex names. From the posts that I have read, I understand that some feel that Herbert's intent was for us to be able to remember the names of Paul and Jessica and keep up with them more easily. He may have just given them those names so we would feel the comfort of familiarity. It is no secret that Americans feel better around other Americans than they do around "foreigners" because generally we are closed minded and shallow (sad to say). That being said, Jessica and Paul are common names in the US, so with names like Vladimir, we as American readers are more on the side of the familiar than the unfamiliar. Then again, I may be wrong because this novel was not written only for Americans.
Marwan Madi
8/21/2015 02:21:09 pm
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of dysfunctional is "deviating from the norms of social behavior in a way regarded as bad." Therefore, it seems to me that the least dysfunctional father-son relationship in Dune was the short-lived relationship between Paul and his son Leto. Their relationship was the only one that was accepted by the entire society as normal and not in any way bad (in this case the Fremen society). Even the relationship between the Duke Leto and his son Paul was not fully accepted by the surrounding society - specifically the Bene Gesserit who believed that Paul should have been born a girl and that the Lady Jessica was told to have a girl but betrayed orders. Other than that, Leto (the father) and Paul's relationship comes in a close second for least dysfunctional. In the Dune universe it was normal for a leader to have kids with a concubine and not marry them, only marrying someone who would bring about some sort of benefit to the people they ruled. Although this practice may seem strange to us, it was the norm in those societies and therefore the relationship between father and son in these situations is by definition not dysfunctional. This leaves the "father-son" relationship between Vladimir Harkonen and his nephews Rabban and Feyd-Rautha. This relationship is more dysfunctional than the previous two due to the fact that Vladimir seemed to view Rabban as disposable in order to accomplish his own selfish goals (he abandoned him on purpose) and that Feyd-Rautha was willing to kill his own uncle in order to gain power. Overall though the relationships in Dune are not necessarily dysfunctional since in the realm of Dune all of the characters' actions were considered normal. Vladimir even expected Feyd-Rautha to attempt to kill him. But if one was to rank the father-son relationships in Dune from least to most dysfunctional then the order would be Paul and his son Leto, Duke Leto and his son Paul, and lastly Vladimir Harkonnen and his nephews.
Reply
Fariha Ahmed
8/21/2015 09:39:23 pm
In response to your question, I think Paul And Jessica were given such "average Joe" type names as a reverse strategy to get us to remember them more. Also, to make their nobility and humbleness stand out apart from the others. I called this a reverse strategy because usually one would think that in a crowd of average names, two exotic ones would stand out the most. But in this case, Herbert made a cast of exotic names, so the only two, simple names are the ones that catch our eye.
Reply
Chi Phu
8/25/2015 02:38:22 pm
I agree with Fariha here. Paul and Jessica are the main characters in this book, thus Herbert purposely named the characters so common that all the readers can remember. Just because Jessica and Paul are the most familiar name son the book next to the other unfamiliar names such as Gurney ane Raban Herbert purposely done that so the main characters can stand out more and therefore we can relate to the main characters more due to the common names
Suhrin Whang
8/22/2015 04:01:24 pm
To answer your question, I believe it has to do with a sense of familiarity and intimacy for the readers. Obviously compared to names such as Thufir Hawat, Gurney Hallek or Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Paul and Jessica is where it hits home for us, evoking familiarity for readers. With a sense of familiarity to this mother-son duo, Hebert purposely endeavors to place the two protagonists more closely to our hearts, making readers think that these characters are the ones we should be rooting for. As for the distinction, in How to Read Novels Like a Professor, it mentioned how Dickens named his characters with unique names so they are memorable for the readers. After all, how could you forget names unique as such as Stilgar or say Princess Irulan? All in all, I believe Herbert utilized this method to make the extraordinary names easier to recall and more simplistic and common names like Paul and Jessica more relatable to the readers.
Reply
Abigail Cloudy
8/23/2015 09:50:35 am
The name Paul is distinctly different from the name Stilgar and Chani. Paul the name stands out just like how Paul stands out as a person to the Fremen as a foreigner who knows the weirding way. Then as Paul gets accepted into Fremen society as a leader, his name changes to fit into Fremen culture better. The name Paul Maud'Dib connects Paul's past with his present and his training to become the future duke with his experience living in the desert with the Fremen. These two sides of Paul, his duke side and his Fremen side are what make Paul such a successful leader.
Jonathan Wang
8/24/2015 07:31:54 am
The extension of Paul's name Muad'Dib is said in the book to be a desert mouse adapted into the desert's harsh environment by conserving water and traveling by night. By choosing a humble mouse that is yet effective reflects Paul's characterization within the novel's course. The added name is simply an extension as Paul noted, "I am Atreides. It is not right that I give up entirely the name my father gave me". Paul recognizes the fact that he does indeed have a past off of the planet Arrakis and knows that he can not simply ignore it's relevance. By being officially called Paul-Muad'Dib, he combines his history under the Atreides with that of his experiences on Arrakis to produce a respectable name of a ruler that defines himself.
Brittany Xiao
8/25/2015 01:43:00 pm
I think the renaming of Paul represents his rebirth, for in addition to a new name, Paul moved homes and lost his father. The fact that he chose his own name, Muad'Dib, represents his becoming more independent and powerful, which is especially important considering his loss of a father figure. The name Usul symbolizes his assimilating to Fremen culture. Finally, like Jonathan said, by conjoining Paul and Muad'Dib, Paul shows his enduring love and respect for his parents, particularly his father, but also being open to a new start. Thus, it is not a complete rebirth.
Sakshi Shah
8/23/2015 01:33:52 pm
I would think that Frank Herbert made this distinction on purpose because Jessica and Paul are the main protagonists of the story. So in order to make the pair stand out from rest of the characters and show the readers just how important they are in the story the names of these characters are easiest to pronounce. Let's be honest we would probably dread reading this book if the names of the main characters, who are repeated billions of times, were hard to pronounce. Also when Paul had a chance to pick his own name, he chose Maud’ Dib, “the one who points the way” because it fits perfectly with his character (324). I strongly think that the author chose the names of the characters based on their personalities.
Reply
Hoorain
8/24/2015 07:58:36 am
I agree with Sakshi, but adding on, I think that Frank Herbert gave his main characters, Paul and Jessica such regular names because I think he was trying to prove a point. I feel like Herbert wanted to show his readers that his protagonists didn't really need fancy, hard to pronounce names because, in a way he wanted his readers to be able to relate to his characters. Giving them unique names wouldn't change the fact that they are our heroes, bur it definitely would give the impression to Herbert' readers that, his characters were already superior to begin with. Although we know that Paul had been in training, we also, as readers felt that he was going through struggles, just like us. It/s what made me interested to see how is fate played out.
Kynnedi Sonnier
8/26/2015 10:53:22 am
While I agree that this is the case, I'd like to elaborate on it further. I think its more than just about giving them names that are easy to pronounce but showing that they truly do not fit in with society, a society that clearly has influences from the Arabic language. Paul repeatedly regards himself with almost bewilderment as to how this became his life; he remembers the cool nights on Caladan, at odds with the hostile Arrakis. Paul has a greater purpose in life, a gift that goes beyond human and Bene Gesserit ability and this makes him an outcast, alone with his own thoughts. In a similar way, Jessica is regarded with disapproval by Reverend Mother Helen, who was outraged by Jessica's disobedience and was fearful for Paul's future. Just like we'll always know Hester Prynne for the "sin" she was persecuted for, Jessica, in the Bene Gesserit society will be known as the mother of the Kwisatz Haderach. Its more than just the readers remembering them because even with names similar to the other characters, they are distinguishable from others by their past actions and abilities.
Jasmine Banks
8/26/2015 02:04:42 pm
I agree with Sakshi, the Author does choose names based on the characters personality. Several characters had harsh sounding names because they were harsh people, like the Baron Harkonnen, it doesn't smoothly roll off the tongue. Also unlike in our reality, we have a name given to us at birth, therefore we don't choose names to suit us, however in Dune he has the power to do that, he has the power to give a name, after the character has been developed, and that is one thing people wish they could do. they could have a name that reflects them and not their parents decisions.
Jenny Lang
8/27/2015 11:59:59 am
Sakshi, you brought up a really good point about how the names do stand out from all the other harder pronounce names. I also think that the intention of choosing such a generic name such as Paul, ties in with the fact that he adds on the Maud'Dib name later on in the book when he has finally discovered his terrible purpose. The addition of the more eccentric name, Maud'Dib, show the transition of Paul's character from just a young boy being thrown into the harsh world of Arrakis and having to discover himself as " the one who points the way" among all the conflict. It also indicates his transition into the desert Freman society and goes in hand with his leader capabilities to be able to be accepted into such an exclusive society marveled at by the outside world because of their ability to survive in the desert.
Nithin Kakulavaram
8/27/2015 12:29:15 pm
Let me start out by saying great post Luca. Now, regarding your question, my response may be a little far-fetched, but I will say it anyways just to get my opinion out there, even though I may look senseless. As we see from reading the novel Dune, Paul Atreides is the main character, or protagonist, that gains the title as the Kwisatz Haderach, in other words, the potential savior of the universe. Although I am not a Christian, I believe that the name “Paul” has some religious zeal to it associated with Jesus (if I am correct Paul is the disciple of Jesus), and by being the savior of the universe Paul emulates what Jesus is to Christians. Thus, giving the main character an “easy to pronounce” name, because these “easy to pronounce” names are popular among the Christian faith. As far as the name “Jessica” is concerned, in the novel Dune, Jessica is a Bene Gesserit whom eventually becomes the reverend mother of the Fremen, serving as a matriarchal figure to them. Although there are other reverend mothers in the novel with more complicated names, the reason that Jessica’s name is “easy to pronounce” is because she is the birth mother of Paul, whom is related is some way or another to the Christian faith, as the savior. I know this may be a lot to take in at once, but this is just my crazy idea on why these names are “easy to pronounce” compared to other names in the novel.
Reply
A major part of the dysfunction seen within the families of Dune, comes from the people themselves and an inability to love one another, and rather than dividing, an overpowering sense of duty unites families, for the good of the people.
Reply
In response to Luca's question, Duncan also is a name that is not as extravagant as others like "Feyd-Rautha". This is a ridiculous stretch but it is possible that the similarity of their names ties back to the event in which Duncan sacrifices himself so that Jessica and Paul may escape from the Fremen hideout. In Duncan's sacrifice he recognizes his duty and what he had promised to do should it be called of him, in the same way that Paul must marry Princess Irulan,not Chani, for the sake of his people, because it is his duty.In the same way that Jessica attacks Stilgar upon their first meeting in the hopes that her son might live because it is her duty as a mother and as a Bene Gesserit, to bring about the "Kwisatz Haderach".
Reply
Aiyana McRae
8/27/2015 11:14:49 am
I do not think this is a stretch. Good observation!
Reply
Cody Nkrumah
8/19/2015 12:59:53 pm
I Honestly feel that under these circumstances, they are acting completely normal. Think about it if you were in their shoes. If you were in a different planet longing for what the other planet wants; wouldn't you act as if they're acting. Yes, the manipulation and betrayal get a little extraneous, but sometimes you have to stoop to the enemy's level to have them realize how far you're willing to go.
Reply
Hannah White
8/23/2015 03:28:40 am
I agree to a certain level with you. They are granted some strange behaviors considering their circumstances of their new planet and new experiences. But given this, they give up some of their morals to get the things they need. So I do not think they are nessisarily dis functional, but they are not acting normal either.
Reply
Janie Hu
8/20/2015 03:34:12 am
1) Every family in Dune has a bit of dysfunctional aspect to them, but it is evident that the Atreides House is the most normal and continues to degrade with Fremen and Harkonnen, respectively. The Atreides family seems noble and normal when it comes to relations because Duke Leto treats Paul as his son and Jessica as his lawful wife. However, one prominent flaw is Jessica’s subordinate title of a concubine. Duke Leto indeed has true affection for Jessica, but cannot officially call her his wife because of potential political benefits. On Arrakis, Fremen are best described as a compact clan defending themselves from the crude elements. They need each other for survival and rely on the most puissant and able-bodied man to guide their factions. This explains their ritual of dueling to the death because it demonstrates how competent each person is; strongest survives. These brutal battles portray the power struggle and life’s importance among Fremen society, and explain their violent and barbaric behavior towards one another. They all depend on survival. Last, but not least the Harkonnen epitomize the impaired bunch because within their House there are betrayals, corruption, and devious plans. The Baron executes a majority of these vengeful schemes against his own family members in order to maintain and excise his authority.
Reply
Daniel Cheung
8/20/2015 12:37:48 pm
First off, all of these families are at least somewhat dysfunctional. However, it is debatable whether the corruption of their family structures was created by family members, or by outside circumstances.
Reply
Emily Frazee
8/20/2015 01:58:59 pm
Along the lines of what Cody N. is saying, I believe there's a possibility that the evolution of humankind has changed relationships between people and how they interact. By the year 10191, it only makes sense that man's motivation for behaviors has largely been altered due to political and social situations. Certain situations that we, as poeople, in the year 2015, may not understand. Perhaps, some fathers in this era find that one method of parenting is more effective than another, or that the investment in relationships all together is a waste of time. The only way for them to come to their own personal consensus is to look in the past and see what they believe works, and what does not. Therefor, the years in between now and then truley create a time of opportunity for change and very-likely, a different approach to father-and-son encounters. Because Dune is set in a time so different from our own, there's no way of knowing what's conventional of a parental relationship. The threats and needs in the setting and atmosphere of the novel allow room for actions that may not be familiar with people from our time, this does not mean that these certain actions or relationships are dysfunctional.
Reply
Cody Nkrumah
8/24/2015 08:58:08 am
I agree with you completely. Whoever said time heals all wounds, THEY LIED. Mankind is evolving in ways we never thought could be possible, and through this, it has become socially acceptable for people to lash out for reason.In a situation that you were implying regarding a father-and-son,most are different and would stick to what they know while others would try something new hoping that the same outcome will come through, when it doesnt. So in regards in Dune, we cant really pinpoint a general idea of what a normal parental relationship is. The time frame that this story maps out is completly different from our own, that we honestly dont have the right claaisfy a relationship as dysfunctional
Reply
Karthik Reddy
8/21/2015 04:41:39 am
On our planet, there is much diversity everywhere we go. In one city there may be more diversity than can be documented, and then you look at the world and there is much much more than that. Now look at the Dune universe with it's many different planets and solar systems. There are obviously going to be many different ways in which families are structured on the many different terrains with many different backgrounds. The Fremen community is the most unified because they fight under a cause, to bring prosperity to Arrakis. Their structure may seem outlandish to us, but so would that of an isolated South American tribe, but hey, it works for them. Freeman are completely loyal to their community and to their cause. The House Atreides most resembles a structure closest to our's. Obviously Herbert did this to strengthen our bond with the Atreides (what a tragic moment their fall was). The Atreides' values attracted honorable men of integrity and loyalty, who even left the beautiful Caladan to fight alongside the Duke in Arrakis. The House Harkonnen was a house of deception within itself, proving that when power is your number one value, it is also your downfall. Much of House Corrino wasn't revealed, but from what we read, we know that the emperor is mostly detached from a family setting and more into a political setting. You can't really say any house was dysfunctional because they all had their own purposes in the universe and each was structured to work in it's own way. Each structure was forged by the predecessors of the houses, mostly beginning in the great conflict between the great houses. What each house did, in their own societies, was acceptable.
Reply
Suhrin Whang
8/21/2015 01:57:10 pm
In my opinion, the House Atreides is the least dysfunctional since, besides the fact that Lady Jessica is a concubine of the duke, other relations seem quite common. Imperial House Corrino exists as equally as dysfunctional as the House Atreides since the house has been preparing Princess Irulan as a Bene Gesserit to be a suited wife to join two houses as well. Given the time and atmosphere of Dunes, utilizing marriage to unite two Houses could be viewed as reasonable. Considering that the clash of Houses creates conflict for their people, it is the duty of the rulers to resolve these issues by sacrificing even the title of husband and wife. After all, as rulers they should forfeit their own selfish needs for the well-being of many. We can witness that political society is what creates the need to marry to different Houses.
Reply
Phillip Valdecanas
8/25/2015 11:49:18 am
Regarding the nature vs. nurture controversy, I think Dune effectively represents how nurture pays a more dominant role in the formation of a dysfunctional family dynamic. For example, Paul is born to Jessica and Leto. He is trained from a very early age lessons from the ways of the Bene Gesserit. His logical thinking skills and supernatural abilities are groomed and augmented. He is trained in advanced fighting skills and he develops the potential to become a mentat. The Atreides family moves to Caladan to the planet Arrakis, and this action causes great strife and hardships for the Atreides family. They have to deal with uprooted relationships and assimilation to new lifestyles on Arrakis. This causes dysfunction because the Duke is always preoccupied with diplomatic and warfare ordeals. On the other hand, Jessica deals with the new castle and continues to worry about the well being of Paul and remains wary of the predictions of the Reverend Mother. Although the nature part of the controversy can easily claim that Paul was predestined from birth to encounter hardships and the chosen one, this point can easily be discredited. It is said that the Atreides could have easily chosen another alternative instread of accepting the planet Atreides. The family could have chosen to go renegade and lived a life disconnected from diplomatic ties to the emperor and the other houses of the universe.
Reply
Farah Hashmi
8/27/2015 12:07:33 pm
In terms of the nature vs nurture debate, i believe that an individual's environment and upbringing ultimately shape his/her character. Nature- while able to provide someone with a substantial background and a specific culture or hierarchy- ultimately lacks much influence on human behavior and aspects of a dysfunctional family. A person raised under the certain circumstances in their households will essentially come to reflect the very values they were taught. This was the case with both Paul and Feyd-Rautha; although both shared the Harknonnen bloodline and, basically, grew in prestigious ideals, the two diverged into two completely distinct paths. The Atriedes house was a far less dysfunctional setting for Paul to develop in- he had powerful, influential parents, ones that devoted themselves to duty above all else; Paul, who was taught the values of knowledge, loyalty, and leadership eventually became a capable and significant identity on Arrakis; Feyd-Rautha, on the other hand, was conditioned from a young age to think sadistically and deceptively in the classic Harkonnen way, proving to eventually reflect the very image of his uncle (and, similarly, meeting a violent end).
Reply
Ada Chau
8/27/2015 12:20:09 pm
To answer your question, I personally think that both have an equally significant effect on the functionality of a family. People tend to adapt to their environment, so having a healthy, safe environment would be ideal for any parents to raise their kids. Actually teaching your kids directly also affects how they will turn out, as kids typically learn and act most like the people they are always surrounded with. If a child is in a bad environment or learns all the wrong things (ie being rude is okay, steal if you don't have something, etc.), then it will affect the relationships of the family. In Dune, Paul grew in a what can be described as a lush oasis of a planet, and his parents were both highly respected people. Most can say that is a great childhood. However, in the Fremen's case, life not not necessarily easy, and they were taught that water was the most valuable thing ever, not family, so their relationships center around water rather than family. That would definitely hinder the forming of relationships and make a family seem more dysfunctional. Comparing the Atreides family to the Fremen families in this way, you can easily see how nature and nurture have a dramatic affect on the functionality of a family.
Reply
Fariha Ahmed
8/21/2015 09:52:50 pm
1) From least to greatest in ranks of dysfunctionality are Atreides, Fremen, then Harkonnen. I believe this to be so as follows:
Reply
Chelci Harris
8/22/2015 03:27:07 am
I definitely feel as though the surroundings in which you're brought up is what composes 99% of who you are. I think it's even exemplified in the book if you really think about it. Paul has Harkonnen blood running through his veins. If the ruthlessness and schemining nature of Feyd-Rautha, the nephew of the Baron was solely because he was born with it in his blood, what could stop the case from being the same with Paul, the Baron's grandson? Or even Jessica, his daughter? It's all the product of how they were raised and taught.
Reply
Elaine Messiha
8/23/2015 11:03:14 am
I completely agree. Our surroundings mold us into the person we become. All the people and customs we've grown up around and the way they influenced our lives have a huge impact on what we do and think. In Dune, they've grown up in completely different times, Families are spread across galaxies and Paul's upbringing has a lot to do with how far his parents kept him from his grandfather, the Baron. And same goes for Feyd-Rautha, his ruthlessness and scheming nature by be partly blood but mostly because it was the environment he grew up around, while Paul, same blood, portrays separate characteristics because of the different surroundings they grew up in. Our environment can make or break up and so can the people you surround yourself. This is the essential explanation behind why people portray the characteristics we see them for.
Aiyana McRae
8/27/2015 10:57:20 am
I agree with Chelci. The functionality of these families is a product of the environments in which they were raised. Paul was brought up far from the Harkonnens in hope that he would not have to interact with them and adapt their ways. His parents made sure to teach him to be the opposite of the greedy & manipulative distant family. Harkonnens were bred differently and competition is all they know. They compete with each other for power and authority, which is the opposite of Paul and his family that are peacefully united.
Thomas Ledford
8/27/2015 08:03:11 am
Honestly, I believe that when people are born that they are born with certain characteristics about themselves that they have naturally, however, there are also some characteristics that a person develops from their parents and from the people around them. While, Feyd-Rabban would have been in a different environment and been around different people he would have had some of the same characteristics of being manipulative in order to achieve complete power over everyone around him. While, Paul was manipulative, he did what he did in order to have the best future for the Fremen and for the universe as a whole (he shows this by sacrificing his own son). Also, there is something about the way Paul acts that shows how he has something that makes him uniquely brave and strong and smart and hard-working. Another thing to understand is that people make their own choices about how they handle their lives and what they believe is right and wrong. Therefore, these two characters, even if they switched families, would act in certain way no matter who the people where around them.
Reply
Aiyana McRae
8/27/2015 11:01:44 am
I partially agree with what Thomas said about the inevitability of the nature of humans being displayed despite who we are around. However, I feel that if someone is taught from birth not to behave a certain way, it may take a short while to get rid of that trait, but he/she will not just continue to rebel against their environment and what is acceptable to do in it. Yes Paul may have some true Harkonnen traits hidden away somewhere, but he has been nurtured to mask them, so I think they would only be present if he were rebelling.
Nimesh Patel
8/27/2015 10:34:19 am
I think the answer to this question is very simple. People are largely affected by the people in their surroundings. There is a reason most people seem to have similar values or personalities as their parents, and that is because they were raised in that household and they learned to imitate what they saw. From a young age, children are quick to absorb anything they hear or see, and they would be quick to follow. For this reason, if the Baron was in the position of Paul and Paul in the position of the Baron, I believe they would have different personalities simply due to the house that they have been born into.
Reply
Chelci Harris
8/22/2015 03:18:06 am
I think it's safe to say that the most dysfunctional family in the book are the Harkonnens. If we can really even call them a family. Vladimir, Rabban, and Feyd-Rautha are simply monstrosities at best. More or less a group of killers whose relation by blood is the one thing that keeps them from killing each other, which is not even always the case (hint hint when Feyd-Rautha attempted to kill Baron with the poison in the slave boy's thigh). There is no love or morality to their ways, only pride and greed which feeds the constant power struggle between them, mainly The Baron and Feyd. The sum of these ultimately create the fall of the Harkonnen blood--besides the hint of such that exists in Paul, Jessica, and Alia.
Reply
Madison McClendon
8/22/2015 06:10:13 am
I believe the rather undisputed order of functionality of Dune's families is Atreides, Freman, Emperor's and then Harkonen. My assessment, however, is of course influenced by my personal opinions of what constitutes functionality, and those opinions have been largely influenced by the age in which I have been raised. That having been said, the age and society of Dune, is also a definite influence in the lives and families of its characters. This created culture, imagined by Herbert, was- though certainly a testament to the authors acumen- an accumulation of several human cultures, not an entirely new one. The tribal nature of the Freman, a slightly altered representation of many tribal cultures found amongst the desert peoples of Africa and the Middle East, albeit from many centuries ago. The cruel and seemingly inhuman Harkonnen behavior was nothing we wouldn't expect to see in an episode of Game of Thrones, based on a mix of ancient Roman and Early medieval cultures. The Atreides, clearly the most likable bunch of the book, were oddly aloof and intellectual, giving off the idea that submitting yourself to emotion was a weakness, ideas vaguely reminiscent of Eastern ideas of complete control, and of the superiority of wisdom/intellect and honor over fleeting emotions. The reality is, the construction of these family units don't shock, impress and disgust us, not because they are inconceivable and alien, but because they are entirely relatable. They are not ridiculous fantasies, they are all reconstructions and recombinations of earthly realities Herbert would have been well aware of. To answer the question, these families were indeed products of their culture, which was a product of ours. The individuals of the novel, however, were more reflections of their families, be it the Atreides, the Bene Gesserit, the Harkonnens, or the Freman. There were of course other influencing factors, but te importance of familial inherittance was a clear theme throughout the novel.
Reply
Brittany Xiao
8/25/2015 01:56:44 pm
I think the Fremen culture had major impact on the Atreides family. I have never seen main characters go through such a huge transformation, and their assimilation to a new culture was unexpected and pleasantly surprising. By adapting to the Fremen ways, the Atreides family learned valuable skills such as how to ride a sandworm, values such as the importance of water, and more. Since they did not have to live with the Fremen forever, they could borrow practices and ideas from the Fremen culture. The beauty of experiencing multiple cultures is having the ability to experience the best of both worlds (lol). Also, Paul gained a lot of power through the Fremen's worshipping of him and even found love!
Reply
Thomas Ledford
8/27/2015 08:29:41 am
I believe that the experience that Paul and Jessica had in the deep-desert of Arrakis changed them forever. After the horrible takeover of their home, they were forced out of their homes and into the most treacherous conditions a person could ever image. In this place they run into the locals and were they got completely immersed into the Fremen culture. They learned their ways and even, in the case of Jessica, became part of their culture by becoming a part of their religion. In the later part of the novel Jessica actually became a Reverend Mother and become a big part of the Fremen society. Another important connection to the Fremen was the big part that Paul/Muad’Dib played in showing the Fremen how great and strong they really were. Therefore, I believe that when you are completely thrown into the society and culture of a race that you will adopt a lot of parts of that culture into their own.
Reply
Maher Rahman
8/22/2015 01:15:41 pm
First, I'd say House Atreides is the least dysfunctional, followed by the Harkonnens (People will disagree with me on this) followed lastly by the Fremen. House Atreides for obvious reasons, though not completely angelic, are the least dysfunctional to portray the protagonist Paul in a good light, and allow the reader to mourn the death of Duke leto far more. If for example, Paul was the son of the Baron, and we instead witnessed the Baron's death, it would be far less tragic, as it was hard to sympathize with the Baron who simply was power hungry and not particularly good. Next, the Harkonnens, though having obvious issues, are not the most dysfunctional for the reason that they are like medieval families, wedding for power, and simply trying to vie for control. Given the setting of the novel, the Harkonnens aren't actually dysfunctional, they simply are what works best to garner as much power as possible. The political society made the Harkonnens who they are, when the territory is so vastly spread out, the only way to hold control over large areas is to have your children spread and conquer farther regions. Lastly... The fremen, who are the most dysfunctional. My reasoning behind this is quite simple... a system where a wife and children must either serve or be with the man who kills their husband/father is completely dysfunctional to me. When Paul had to duel Jamis, and then take his wife and children. It simply irked me at how wrong that felt. but that's probably just me
Reply
Maher Rahman
8/22/2015 01:50:06 pm
Now that I've answered the question... I want to go and open a discussion for another...
Reply
Arianna Carr
8/22/2015 11:51:12 pm
The relationship between a father and child is something unparalleled by any other relationship. Although the father is no longer biologically needed like a mother after conception, the natural yearning for a father figure and his approval and protection never fails to exist. This patriarchal schema is thoroughly explored in Dune. Most of the behavior and lifestyles of the characters are the consequence of the ways of their father or patriarchal familial standards. The expectation of one to act a certain way purely based off of the actions and deeds of those before you in your bloodline is unfair and at times unreasonable, but depending on the tone of the expectation, those on the receiving end will either be enhanced or become dysfunctional. The levels of “functionality” vary amongst the different family groups in Dune.
Reply
Arianna Carr
8/22/2015 11:53:20 pm
QUESTION: After exploring the power of the patriarchal ties in this novel, what do you think of the matriarchal roles also played in the story? Jessica and Paul's relationship? The society of the Bene-Gesserit women? How do women function in this novel that is so heavily infested with the strength of men?
Reply
Maher Rahman
8/23/2015 01:01:47 pm
Women play more of a mystical role. As we saw with the old women in each family having some form of magical powers, and eventually Stilgar recommends Jessica to become the next Reverand Mother, a person who has immense magical presense. The strength of Women are not cared for, as in the novel, breeding the Bene Gesserit is more important. However, their strength lies in the mystical powers the Bene Gesserit have. Jessica and Paul share a very close relationship as mother and son. During the desert journey, when Jessica falls on a sandslide. Paul comes to her rescue, and also saves her pack, which took alot of effort, and is a risky move considering energy is vital while traversing a desert. This shows how close they were.
Reply
Chidera Azubike
8/27/2015 11:27:46 am
in this novel, I believe that the role of women is more religious in nature, and its noticeable that there is less focus on the motherly parts most commonly associated females. Jessica herself while still retaining the training she had from youth, was one of the few (main) females in this novel able to maintain a motherly role with her offspring, Paul, caring for him and protecting him when need be. i believe that the women function in this society mostly, by blocking off their emotions and playing everything at an angle that would benefit them or their cause.
Reply
Stephanie You
8/23/2015 06:18:58 am
If we establish a "normal" family in Dune's setting to be what a normal family is on Earth, as many have already stated, all of the families in Dune are dysfunctional, the Atreides family being the least dysfunctional. The non-dysfunctional families that we, the readers, are accustomed to openly display love and respect. While the Atreides raise their son to become a proficient duke with questionable means that would not be accepted as normal in our world (teaching him mind games and training him to become a Mentat), they all care for each other. Duke Leto completely trusts Jessica, even when his right-hand man, Thufir Hawat, questions her loyalty. When Duke Leto dies, Jessica mourns over him and spills her tears, which are considered precious body water in the dry climate of Arrakis. Paul, although he seems mentally unable to grieve over his father's death, regrets his calculated outlook and wonders why he cannot grieve as Jessica does. I believe that this illustrates his way of coping with the dire situation, rather than lack of love. Fremen also seem to care for one another, if in a slightly dysfunctional manner. When Paul defeats Jamis, a Fremen, in mortal combat, Jamis’s children and “wife” do not seem to mind much that they now belong to Paul. Fremen care for the overall community, and since the environment is so harsh, caring for the individual is almost masochistic. Above all, the Harkonnen family is the most dysfunctional. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen raises his nephew, Feyd-Rautha, to be a callous, cold-blooded heir. Feyd-Rautha kills for sport and tries to murder his uncle in order to take his position as leader, yet the Baron does not retaliate but strikes a deal in which he will step down without a fight if Feyd-Rautha would stop trying to kill him. Nothing in their actions screams “I love you and respect you.”
Reply
Elaine Messiha
8/23/2015 10:48:30 am
The noble houses of Dune are dysfunctional precisely because they resemble so many of history's noble families: propagated through inbreeding, filled with members of uncertain parentage, and driven by political marriages so that you can't help but go to war with your cousin. That many of the series' characters were convinced as part of the Bene Gesserit's breeding program helps to further entangle the families. And the spice agony, which causes a person to take on the memories (and sometimes personalities) of all their ancestors, allows a person to experience the full spectrum of familial dysfunction without ever leaving their own head. Honestly, if you were to look into any family, you would notice some dysfunctional behavior between one another. I know that I sometimes find my family to still be dysfunctional and delusional, and I've lived with them my whole life. Imagine the houses in Dune, not only are they entangled but with the time difference and technological advances, they seem pretty normal to me. Normal as in dysfunctional. They've encountered so many obstacles that it would seem odd for them to not be a little crazy.
Reply
Arun Sabapathy
8/23/2015 02:43:46 pm
1. I think the element of perceived purity is what distinguishes a family as dysfunctional or the latter. However, the Atriedes family certainly does seem the least dysfunctional of all the families we see (Harkonnen, Freman, Bene Gesserit). Yet, with the implementation of the element of purity, I would still not characterize the Atreides family as 100% noble for two reasons: one being the collapse of many family relations with the rise of tragedy and the other for losing its true identity when the elite migrated to Arrakis. Things to consider in the functionality of a family include interpersonal relationships, and the absence of this in the Harkonnen and Bene Gesserit families is largely due to the massive reliance on social hierarchy, where diplomacy takes the back seat. You may be wondering why I mention the Bene Gesserit being a dysfunctional family and the reasoning is that as the novel goes on, much of the power that they have is overshadowed by the immense power that Paul contains. This in turn provides means of comparison, detrimental to the ability to interact without bias due to a power struggle. A lot of this novel is reflected in a power struggle whether internally for Paul or externally for the Harkonnen, but to answer the question (from most to least dysfunctional among the 4) Harkonnen, Bene Gesserit, Freman and Atriedes.
Reply
Vivan Kothari
8/24/2015 09:14:37 am
1) All the families in Dune are at least a little dysfunctional in some way, shape, or form. To rank from least dysfunctional to most, the Fremen would definitely be at the bottom, being the least dysfunctional. Their frenzy way of dealing with picking a new leader, audacity in fighting enemies and foes, and strict way of raising fellow Fremen makes their families seem mostly functional. Almost no inter-family conflict can be noticed within the Fremen as well, further making them less dysfunctional than the other families. Second place is well deserving to the Atreides family. The Atreides are close knit and believe in each other, making choices that benefit the larger crowd rather than themselves. Duke Leto loves his son and concubine (closer to a wife though) and tends to makes decisions that keep them stable. Thufir Hawat, Duncan Idaho, and Halleck are all extremely loyal to their masters, and are considered family as it is. Even when Hawat goes over to the Harkonnens' side, he still plots to disintegrate them! Third place goes to the Emperor's family, since they do in fact have a few family issues. For one, the Emperor, without second thought, gave up his daughter to Paul without even considering what his daughter thought of Paul. He also thought about killing the Fremen, which isn't what most "fair" leaders aim to do to gain what they desire. Lastly, comes the big, bad Harkonnen family. The Baron himself is a ruthless ruler and his nephew isn't any better, who tried to assassinate his own uncle. The family itself has internal turmoil almost every step of the novel, and they only think about their own well-being, acting with no sympathy, much rudeness, and no mercy.
Reply
Matthew Nevle
8/25/2015 08:14:30 am
1. The least Dysfunctional family would be the Fremen, acting almost like a native tribe they have rituals and customs they all follow, but have no inner conflict. Next would be the Atreides family. Leto sincerely loves his son Paul and his wife(concubine) Jessica, but you can see the beginnings of the family's fallout in chapter one. The Reverend Mother warns Paul that his father is doomed no matter what. Last comes the Harkonnen family. If you could rate these three familys at a functionality level from 1-10, the Fremen would be a 10, the Atriedes a 8 and the Harkonnen a 3. The Baron is completely out of his mind caring little for his own family killing whoever he pleases. As people within his family are continuously plotting against each other, little functionality can be found.
Reply
Maher Rahman
8/27/2015 07:13:48 am
Hey Matthew, I do understand your points, however, I do not agree with them, and here's why.
Reply
Jonathan Wang
8/25/2015 09:29:26 am
1. From my perspective, the most obvious least dysfunctional family would be that of House Artreides. This comes to no surprise as Paul, the primary protagonist is found to be the messiah figure among the Fremen and the “good guy” of the book. While the Duke Leto of Atreides had conceived a child with Jessica, a Bene gesserit who was stated as a concubine, this action which would today seem outrageous is completely normal within the context of the political environment. Marriage between Dune’s houses is seen more as a political connection than a social connection as when a royalty within a House marries one from another, an alliance is formed. While Leto had genuine love for Jessica, his political responsibility prohibited him to become wed to his concubine. While politics may have influenced the Duke’s decisions, he still remains functional as he supports his family and subjects with utmost care and compassion. Even when Paul becomes the Muad'Dib among the Fremen and overthrew the Emperor’s throne by marrying the daughter Princess Irulan, Jessica makes it loud and clear that while this marriage is to occur, it is only by name and name alone. Paul’s connection with his true wife Chani remains as a behind the doors truth within the political society.
Reply
Brittany Xiao
8/25/2015 12:34:38 pm
How would you rate these families (least dysfunctional to most dysfunctional)?
Reply
Brittany Xiao
8/25/2015 12:35:17 pm
Omit the first line!
Reply
Ada Chau
8/25/2015 04:42:20 pm
1. The Atreides family is definitely the least dysfunctional. All family members are there for each other and are mindful of their needs. There are little to no conflicts within the family (no scandals, no cheating, no manipulative schemes, etc. etc.) Duke Leto was very protective of Paul and Jessica and did whatever he could to protect his family. Paul looked up to Duke Leto, who was a role model as a father and a leader. Jessica and Duke Leto had such a healthy relationship. They never doubted each other and they loved each other very, very much, all the way to the end.
Reply
Chi Phu
8/26/2015 07:54:40 am
To the order from the least dysfunctional to the most dysfunctional families, The Atreides must be the least dysfunctional one of them all. All of the family members are loving, intelligent and most important of all, the are caring. An example for the caring of the Atreides house is when Duke Leto risked his life to save the miners from the attack of the sandworms in the mine field. The next dysfunctional family is the Fremen, they are just like any other normal families except they need to fight till death to prove their worth. After the battle, the wife and the children have to follow the killer of his father. Last but not least the most dysfunctional families of all is the Harkonnen family. They are clearly the villain of the story starting from the beginning of the story, they are greedy, self-centered and does not care for anything except to get to their goals. The question of does the behavior comes from the environment or they are born with it, comes down to the debate Nature vs Nurture. I believe that it's the environment that sets the families apart. The Atreides grew up in a lush planet where they don't have to fight to get anything unlike the Fremen, they have to fight against the sandworms and farm the explosive Melange plant. As for the Harkonnens, they are just as evil as you can think of. The only thing they care for is the gold and glory, they can do anything to get it, even if that means murdering the entire opponent house.
Reply
Hussain Azeem
8/26/2015 08:59:19 am
From least dysfunctional to most dysfunctional families i would first go with the Aterides because of how this family did not want to over another family or start a over, they were all caring people who wanted to help the people or Arrakis. An example sou;d be when Duke Leto told Kniles about his plans to save there people and truly help them get better. The next family is just like the Atreides but they have a habit or fighting the people to the death to prove their worth. The last and but most dysfunctional family from the start of the novel are the Harkonnen. From the start of the novel they planned to kill the duke and made a plan to take over Arrakis.They then kidnap and kill dr Yeuh's wife and also get Dr Yeuh to kill the Duke. They all have a lust for power and money and they do what ever it takes to get it. The next question about if you are born with the behaviors you have or if the envirnmoent around you affects your behavior, in my honest opinion i believe that the environment around you truly shapes who you are. I mean yes you can have birth disorders and stuff but overall the people you hangout with the people you grow up with will have the bigger impact on you. The Atreides few up on a planet with everything on it and thats probably one of the reason that they are not the most dysfunctional family and the Harkonnes are on a planet that is barren and all they have are drugs they use to sell to get money so it makes sense that they crave for more and are very hostile since they grew up in a desert.
Reply
Kynnedi Sonnier
8/26/2015 11:10:15 am
Could the Atreides be the most dysfunctional? Yes the Harkonnens are evil and the Baron is a pedophile and all that jazz, but the Atreides House was just as polluted with betrayal and deception. Hell, Paul's very existence is based off of the disobedience of Jessica, and all that he becomes is a result of Jessica's influence. I understand why the Harkonnens are the easiest and most reasonable House to point as dysfunctional, I'd have to say the conflicts in their family were easy to anticipate. However, in the Atreides House the deception was heartbreaking; when Leto distances himself from Jessica because he was influenced by Dr. Yueh, the true betrayer, it tears Jessica apart. And she has no idea why this is happening when the Duke has proven that loves her. There is distrust created between these two as Duke Leto is further driven down by the demands of ducal responsibility. His true intentions aren't revealed until Leto is well dead, that the investigation was fruitless. Leto is a puppet to Yueh because he trusts him, and that is the hardest thing to accept as a reader, watching a noble man be torn apart by his friend who used him for personal gain. AND at the same time, Jessica was keeping things from the Duke, even though she thought it was for his own protection, it could've given him a clue to Yueh's conspiracy against him. Its a brief example but I think it exemplifies in part they dysfunctionality of this family as their deception has layers: on the other hand we could all predict that one day Feyd would make an attempt on the Baron's life. The lines the Harkonnens are willing to cross is made quite clear. For me, a dysfunctional family is known for its inability to communicate, lack of honesty and manipulation and unfortunately the Atreides embody these characteristics. This theme of internal turmoil is not uncommon for a family that is supposed to appear healthy and functional on the outside.
Reply
Ragini Kondetimmanahalli
8/27/2015 09:47:21 am
I'll have to disagree. While Jessica's disobedience may have weakened her relationship with the Bene Gesserit, Jessica opted for a son because Leto wanted an heir which indicates that their relationship is strong. Even when Hawat becomes suspicious of Jessica, Duke Leto knows the truth. He knows that this is a ploy of the Harkonnens and secretly knows that Jessica is innocent. Even if Jessica is not aware of this, the Atreides family is still one based on trust. So I think they are the least dysfunctional.
Reply
Victor Guo
8/26/2015 01:33:38 pm
There are 3 main families in Dune; Atreides, Harkonnen, and the Freemen for extra comparison. The most dysfunctional are the Harkonnen due to the inner political strifes and the power hungry head of the house. The most stable are the Atreides who embody loyalty and noble spirit and have little inner strife and were happy as they could be. The Freemen are in between they are united in wanting to change the planet but they still have internal strife in all forms. The Freemen have conflict with other groups and they also have internal conflict as they fight each over for possession and to prove themselves.
Reply
Ragini Kondetimmanahalli
8/27/2015 09:36:37 am
Considering the setting of the novel, all the houses are justified in their actions. Analyzing them as families however, I personally believe the least dysfunctional family is the Atreides, which is the obvious answer since they are portrayed as the noble family. The relationship between Paul, Lady Jessica, and Duke Leto in the beginning of the novel is based upon love and respect for another. The Emperor's family is next. Although the novel focuses more on the Emperor himself rather than his family, we know that the Emperor focuses his time on solely on the politics of the universe. He even gives up his daughter to wed Paul in the end of the book to strengthen relations between the two families. But I personally don't see this as abnormal. We can compare this marriage to that of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, which was done purely for economic purposes. The Fremen are next. They are a society based upon fighting and war. No society which ridden by constant fighting can be functional. And this is why the Harkonnens are the most dynfunctional. Unlike the fremen, who communicate well with each other, the Harkonnens have tension even among themselves. The Baron's greedy character manifests itself in Feyd when he becomes the Baron.
Reply
Aiyana McRae
8/27/2015 10:48:04 am
Fremens are not any more dysfunctional to me than any other group/family in this novel. Initially, I thought they were dysfunctional until I realized their level of loyalty to each other. The Harkonnens are unkind to everyone, including their family members. Baron plotted against his own nephew in hopes of starving him to death by depriving him of resources. This is a prime example of the lack the loyalty the Fremens possess, ultimately making the Harkonnens the more dysfunctional of the two.
Reply
Jullianne Lee
8/27/2015 10:57:05 am
I think that the house of Atreides is definitely the least dysfunctional. Paul and his family, regardless of how wealthy or poor, seem very regal throughout the entire book. There is definitely love present within their family and how much power they have is not at the top of their priority list. I think the Harkonnen family would be the most dysfunctional as there is no trust whatsoever between the Baron and his Nephew. The Fremen are not really dysfunctional, in my opinion, as they all follow the same rules and live in harmony. I think the Harkonnen family was definitely created by the their political society as they are driven by power.
Reply
Jenny Lang
8/27/2015 11:50:20 am
Every single family on Earth is dysfunctional to some degree. It’s impossible for a family to not be flawed because the concept of perfection doesn’t exist. The families in Dune are no exception. The least dysfunctional family would be the Atreides. Just like in the chapter of improbabilities in HTRNLP, readers can usually find a way to relate to the characters despite the bizarre settings, extremely eccentric customs and ways of life that are portrayed within the story. It’s obvious that Duke Leto’s relationship with Paul shows the most resemblance to a typical father- son relationship in our modern society. The fact that Duke Leto immensely cares for his son’s safety and is infuriated by the attempts on his life indicates his fatherly instincts and love for his only child. One should hope that their father would be extremely fearful if anyone were to launch murder attempts at them but that is not the case in the House of Harkonnen, which is why they would be the most dysfunctional family in Dune. While the Baron is not Feyd-Rautha and Rabban’s father, he does fit into the place as the “father-figure” for them. It’s obvious that the Baron’s intentions are driven by greed and evil so that leaves no room for him to truly care for his nephews. Even though Feyd- Rautha is the Baron’s favorite (since he’s chosen as his heir), the Baron still chooses to torment him by demanding that he murder the innocent woman in the room. Rabban’s nickname, “Beast”, just goes to show how much he really loves him!! The Baron’s agenda is to gain more power and by using Rabban to create disorder on the planet and making everyone hate him inorder to make Feyd- Rautha seem like a hero is just purely cruel. The Harkonnens definitely top the list for the most dysfunctional because they are constantly trying to sabotage and use each other for selfish desires. The Freeman stand the middle ground for dysfunction because while they do have the interesting tradition of battle and handing off wives to the victors, there is still expression of love for family members. Take Chani for example, when she discovered that her father, Kynnes, had died she mourned his death along with the rest of the Freman.
Reply
Alex Wong
8/27/2015 12:07:39 pm
The Atreides house is the least dysfunctional because of how relatable they are to us. Because they are the most similar to what families are like today (ignoring the fact that they are noble), we accept who they are. This gives us a reason to like them and cheer for their success as the novel progresses because the other families are more distant from what we experience as normal. Even though the way Paul talks to his mom, dad, and others may be different because of his upbringing as nobility, we still understand the Atreides the most compared to the other houses and families. In the middle would be the Fremen. Even though they are completely different from what we would identify as normal, we must consider that Fremen live in a completely different environment than we do and thus will evolve different traditions and ways of living. The way the Fremen live seems suitable to the harsh environments of the desert, and because of this, they are normal in terms of their own standards in their given conditions. Even though the Fremen have ways that may be offputting to us, it would be perfectly understandable in their own culture. The Harkonnens would be the most dysfunctional. Throughout the novel, all Harkonnens act in their own self interest to fulfill their greedy desires. Feyd-Rautha goes through the novel trying to kill his uncle while Rabban takes temporary control over Arrakis and rules with a suppressive hand. Even within the family, members are plotting how to use and take advantage of each other. While political schemes may be part of a noble house, it is unusual (to say the least) for it to grow to this extent. The Harkonnens disrupt our traditional view of a loving and supportive family which is why they appear to be the most dysfunctional.
Reply
Sabrina Shaikh
8/27/2015 12:43:35 pm
As Jenny said, all families stand to be dysfunctional to a certain degree. However, I believe the Atreides to be the least disfunctional of all. From the beginning, Paul holds a special relationship with his father. He praises him in the presence of his mother and everyone around him. Although he does not realize what his father has in store for him, he accepts his fate as it comes to live up to his father's wishes. Both son and father respected each other and their roles in hierarchy. Not only that, but both Jessica and the Duke thought for the benefit of Paul (with the exception of almost forcing such a powerful role upon him, but that was only because they believed their son to be so capable). The Atreides family definitely share closeness.
Reply
8/16/2022 12:15:00 am
Thank you for sharing informative content. It means a lot to me hope you do more articles to post.
Reply
12/20/2022 09:08:23 pm
İnstagram takipçi satın almak istiyorsan tıkla.
Reply
1/8/2023 01:45:28 am
100 tl deneme bonusu veren siteleri öğrenmek istiyorsan tıkla.
Reply
6/30/2023 09:49:18 am
En iyi bayburt ilan sitesi burada. https://bayburt.escorthun.com/
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Blog Rules1. Keep it relevant; try not to go off-topic. Archives
August 2015
Categories |