Tyler Anderson

Communication Studies Capstone

Dr. Bednar

2/9/2021

Context/Description

My research object is how constitutive rhetoric works within alliances in Frank Herbert’s

1965 novel Dune, specifically the alliance between Paul Atredies and the indigenous Fremen.

The narrative provides a fictional venue for communication scholars to see the constitutive rhetoric of this alliance play out in a scenario of power imbalance. Alliances, in and outside of

Dune, use constitutive rhetoric to call into being the unified whole of two separate groups. But in situations of power imbalance, such as that between colonizer and colonized, this alliance can be a pretense for domination, benefiting one group and subjugating the other. This is accomplished in Dune when Paul places himself as the more powerful of the two in the alliance over the

Fremen. The narrative of Paul Atreides and the Fremen shows us the coalition and inevitable subjugation that is the signature of alliance in an imbalanced relationship of power. He uses constitutive rhetoric to form an alliance with the Fremen, but places himself higher on the hierarchical imperial ladder than them within the alliance and uses the group for his own aims. In this paper I will outline the history of Dune and its adaptations and introduce the work of other scholars on themes within Dune and science fiction narratives in general. Ultimately I will codify this information into some initial conclusions after reviewing this material and show how it pertains to my claim.

In the book, the protagonist Paul Atreides makes an alliance with the indigenous peoples of Arrakis, the planet-colony he inherits by his ducal rights before being violently expelled by the Harkonnens, another powerful family in the intergalactic colonial system who assassinate his father and take control of the planet. Driven into the desert he encounters these indigenous peoples, called the Fremen, and becomes a kind of spiritual leader for them, as they believe that he is their messiah. Though Paul himself is a victim of the colonial system, as the family that has usurped him conspired with the Emperor to strip the Atreides of their holdings, Paul Atreides still represents colonial power as the rightful heir to the planet with powerful connections that ultimately aid him in usurping the Emperor and taking his place as the ultimate symbol of that power. He accomplishes this by forging an alliance with the Fremen that ultimately subsumes them under his self-serving goals, using constitutive rhetoric to create an audience of shared identity that devalues the Fremen. Paul also controls the planet that serves as the only source of the most valuable resource in the universe, the “spice melange”, which facilitates space travel and serves as a metaphysical allegory for oil. The Fremen have no use for this resource, valuing scarce water as the most precious resource, but Paul recognizes it’s value and uses it as a bargaining chip as he wages intergalactic war in much the same way as he uses the Fremen as agents of his own agenda. In the use of their alliance for conquest and the exploitation of Fremen resources in the aim of further domination, Paul Atreides manipulates the terms of the original alliance and exemplifies the subjugation aspect of alliance between a colonizer and the colonized.

Dune is lauded by many as “the most important [science fiction] novel” and paved the way for “essentially every epic-scale SF and fantasy series to follow” (SFF180). It is one of the most widely translated science fiction books and has sold nearly 20 million copies, as well as being the “first [science fiction] novel ever to hit #1 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list” (Dunenovels.com, SFF180). It was not only awarded a Hugo after it was published in 1965 but also honored with the first ever Nebula, now a hallmark of science fiction awards

(Hugo.com). Dune was Frank Herbert’s opus, and he was still producing content set in the universe of Dune until his death in 1986 (Dunenovels.com). He was influenced by the pulp authors of his time as well as the foundational authors of science and speculative fiction such as

H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Jules Verne (Dunenovels.com). But Herbert would surpass even their legacy with his impact on the genre, without which we wouldn’t have major franchises like George Lucas’ Star Wars- whose early drafts described a “desert planet, an evil emperor, and a boy with a galactic destiny” and “included warring noble houses and a princess guarding a shipment of something called ‘aura spice’” (Guardian). Herbert and colleagues thought that the overlap was so obvious that they formed “a joke organization called the ‘We’re

Too Big to Sue George Lucas Society” (Guardian).

But the repercussions of Dune would extend beyond the mere borrowing of themes and tropes. “Dune landed right at the time that science fiction and the world at large were on the cusp of radical change”, one reviewer writes, where “among the issues engaging public consciousness were environmentalism and the wisdom, or lack thereof, of exploiting Earth’s natural resources with no thought to long term consequences. When these concerns peaked for the first time in the early ’70s with the first major ‘energy crisis,’ Frank Herbert, whose story here is fundamentally all about such short-sighted exploitation, found himself something of a guru among the young, politically motivated, and eco-aware” (SFF180). Past engaging with the fledgling environmental movement, Herbert subverts traditional elements of storytelling as well. Paul Atredies is a protagonist who has everything torn away from him, and in his connection with the indigenous

Fremen he opens his eyes to a way of life that is radically different from the one he knew. But though Paul fills the role of the “Chosen One/White Savior archetype”, Herbert chooses not to paint him as a hero as the trope is traditionally treated, but instead chooses to “bury him”, exposing over time the inherent flaws and biases that absolute corrupting power brings about

(SFF180).

In the novel, Paul serves as a messiah figure for the indigenous Fremen of the planet

Arrakis. Herbert borrows heavily from Islamic culture to weave the Fremen religious beliefs into the narrative. Paul is called “Mahdi” by the Fremen, the “name of the Islamic savior”, and the name that he is allowed to choose among the Fremen is “Muad’Dib” (SFF180). The Fremen are protecting a resource that they do not have a use for, but that is coveted by every other spacefaring power as the resource (the spice) is a kind of psychedelic substance that can be used to facilitate space travel. This too is an allegory for the oil reserves in the Middle East (SFF180).

Contemporary critique of Dune remarks on it’s continuing relevance through time, with the subsequent oil crisis and conflict in the Middle East. “Books read differently as the world reforms itself around them,” writes Hari Kunzru (Guardian). “Paul Atreides is a young white man who fulfils a persistent colonial fantasy, that of becoming a God-king to a tribal people.

Herbert’s portrayal of the Fremen… owes much to TE Lawrence’s enthusiastic portrayals of the

Bedouin of Arabia.” He goes on to describe the cultural artifacts lifted from one group and transposed onto the Fremen, including much of their language. But there are differences between

Dune’s handling of this white savior trope and other contemporary examples. According to him,

“what makes Dune more palatable... is the sincerity of Herbert’s identification with the Fremen.

Paul does not transform them in his image, but participates in their culture and is himself transformed into the prophet Muad’Dib. As Paul’s destiny becomes clear to him, he begins to have visions ‘of fanatic legions following the green and black banner of the Atreides, pillaging and burning across the universe in the name of their prophet Muad’Dib’ (Guardian).” Paul eventually instigates this destiny, which leads to the killing of “untold billions” (Guardian). “In

2015”, he remarks, “the story of a white prophet leading a blue-eyed brown-skinned horde of jihadis against a ruler called Shaddam produces a weird funhouse mirror effect, as if someone has jumbled up recent history and stuck the pieces back together in a different order (Guardian).”

As well as the many Dune sequels, written both by Frank Herbert himself and his son

Brian Herbert, there have been several attempts at making a film version of Dune. Most of these have been catastrophic failures, with only one film actually being released. Several directors, including Alexander Jodorowsky, tried to develop a version that distilled the novel into a cohesive movie, but all failed until David Lynch inherited the project (Guardian). This film was a “box office and critical flop”, though it eventually attained “cult status” among hardcore science fiction fans (CNET.com). Lynch disavows this film, and had his name removed from the credits of some versions (CNET.com). A Dune film has been in production with Denis

Villeneuve as director, originally set to come out in 2020, but issues related to COVID-19 have pushed back the release date (CNET.com, Dunenovels.com). “Actually,” some claim, in reference to Herbert’s relationship with George Lucas, “the great Dune film did get made. Its name is Star Wars (Guardian).”

Dune has been analyzed on an academic level from countless perspectives and disciplines. One such study by historian Lorenzo DiTommaso examines the themes of “history and historical effect” within the novel (DiTommaso 311). His claim is that the plot of Dune represents Frank Herbert’s belief that history is a “linear and progressive process”, the effects of which are not “predictable” but “understandable” (DiTommaso 311). He also makes the claim that according to Herbert “humans are inherently inequal” in an imperial system, evidenced by the “diminished value” hierarchical structures impose on individuals (DiTommaso 311). He argues that “socio-political rank” plays a major role in the outcome of strategy employed by the characters and that Paul, in his revolt against the empire that puts himself on the throne, shows he “worked within the historical techno-military system” that he was fighting against

(DiTommaso 314). “Paul does not escape from the system when he becomes the prophet,”

DiTommaso says in reference to Paul’s eventual mastery of the ability to use the spice to its fullest extent (DiTommaso 316). He underlines the “similarity between the ways in which Leto,

(later, Paul) and the Imperium operate”, saying that Paul and his enemies even use the same method of military conquest, with Paul exploiting the Fremen to fill his ranks (DiTommaso 321).

DiTommaso concludes that Paul is “essentially bound to the strictures of the Imperium in thought and deed” (DiTommaso 321).

This article is particularly damning in driving home the point that Paul Atreides uses the rhetorical and militaristic techniques of the colonizing power that he is fighting, and ultimately represents a colonizing power himself operating within the imperial system. This supports my claim that Paul Atreides is using the power imbalance inherent in alliance between colonizer and colonized to compel the Fremen to fight with him and placing himself higher on the hierarchical ladder within that alliance. Within the imperial system, colonizers operate with an advantage in power that Paul and his antagonists both use to fight against each other, regardless of Paul’s prophet-like relationship with the indigenous group. When he is using constitutive rhetoric to create an alliance between himself and the indigenous group, he is employing the power he has as a colonizing force and placing himself above the Fremen.

Another article that dissects relevant themes within Dune is Ronny Parkerson’s

“Semantics, General Semantics, and Ecology in Frank Herbert’s Dune” (Parkerson 317).

Parkerson claims that “Dune explores the wielding of political, economic, and military power… and their common thread: the power of language” (Parkerson 319). He describes this power in

Paul’s interactions with the Fremen and his ascension into leadership within the tribe. There is an emphasis in these passages on the power of “voice”, especially in the initial confrontation between the Fremen and Paul, where his mother, using her training in the arcane arts of manipulation through dialogue, thinks that she could “control [them] with a word” (Parkerson

324). These passages also explore the “connotative power” of the words exchanged between the two groups, and the nuances of meaning in their negotiation (Parkerson 324). Paul achieves

“linguistic power”, both literally through a voice-based form of control and figuratively through the power he represents, over the Fremen and other adversaries (Parkerson 325). These and other examples reinforce that in Dune, readers see “the power of language in action” (Parkerson 326).

This article takes a different tactic to examine the same theme within Dune that I am focussing on in my work- that of the importance of dialogue and what it represents. Parkerson speaks of how the words that are being said represent more than just surface level dialogue but are actually very nuanced examples of the politics of power. Paul Atredies has an advantage in this over the Fremen, as he has had training in using communication to accomplish certain things. Though this study does not exactly describe constitutive rhetoric, it definitely falls into an adjacent field of research. This reinforces my work on the constitutive rhetoric within the novel being a tool Paul uses to subjugate the Fremen.

Expanding the scope of my research past Dune itself, other work on populations within science fiction will help me dissect the research object and understand the genre. Hannah

Gunderman’s examination of the protagonist/antagonist binary on the show Star Trek explores similar themes to my project. She argues that in making a clear protagonist and antagonist early on, science fiction narratives often “position the viewer on a particular side of the story, rendering it difficult to fully consider the Other’s actions and motivations (Gunderman 51).” She takes an antagonist of the series and attempts to “de-villainize” them, with the aim of examining real world reconciliation. She claims that portrayals of contemporary conflicts often fall into a protagonist/antagonist binary as well due to media bias towards one’s own country. She goes on to claim that “science fiction’s representations of aliens”, or in the case of Dune, indigenous humans, “provides commentary on geopolitical notions of borders: aliens force us to consider the critical fact that the story of the alien is always the story of borders (Gunderman 54).” Building on this, she confronts the idea of the enemy in these narratives, saying that “many narratives and systems of power that define the identity of the Other”, whereas she defines a “multifaceted, dynamic Other through a process blurring the Protagonist/Antagonist Binary through a process of de-villainizing (Gunderman 56).” She ends her article with an appeal to “empathize with the actions of an individual or group considered to be a “real-life antagonist,” whose identity is often shaped by international geopolitics (Gunderman 59).”

This research is not relevant only from the perspective of another scholar’s analysis of a science fiction narrative, but also ties into my research on the Fremen. She makes an appeal to consider both perspectives of a fictional conflict, which can help us to better understand real world conflicts, which is helpful not only because I am comparing a fictional scenario to situations in real life but also because understanding how constitutive rhetoric is negatively affecting the Fremen is an issue of perspective. Though not villains themselves they become the arm of Paul Atreides who uses them to fight an intergalactic war with many casualties. They become “shaped by international geopolitics”, much like the antagonists in Gunderman’s study

(Gunderman 59). My initial conclusions based on investigation of my research object are promising towards my aim. The general discourse surrounding Dune seems to be targeted at a similar critique as my project, specifically in examining the portrayal of the relationships between organizations of power in the novel. Herbert’s story of the protagonist that the reader is not necessarily intended to agree with as the ramifications of the violence he began are made clearer positions itself for deeper analysis. The connections I have made about the research object at this stage are that my thesis of Paul’s using constitutive rhetoric as a form of subjugation through alliance are supported by the sources referencing his similarities to the antagonists of the book and his rhetorical and colonial power. There are other authors that confront the kind of white savior trope, and the idea that Paul represents colonial power within the novel. The research seems to support my point that Paul is using constitutive rhetoric to create the idea of a unified whole, constituting the Fremen as sharing his goals and motivations, but also placing himself as their leader and the chief decision making force. I also garner from this information that I need to focus on the postcolonial aspect of the project and find a way to weave that into my thesis more directly.

Bibliography

“The Official Dune Website.” Dune Novels, dunenovels.com/.

Burton, Bonnie. “Dune Remake Will Be Available on HBO Max as Well as in Theaters:

Everything We Know about Denis Villeneuve's Sci-Fi Epic.” CNET, CNET, 4 Dec. 2020, www.cnet.com/how-to/dune-movie-remake-trailer-cast-and-more-for-denis-villeneuves-sci-fi- epic/.

Gunderman, Hannah C. “Blurring the Protagonist/Antagonist Binary through a Geopolitics of

Peace: Star Trek’s Cardassians, Antagonists of the Alpha Quadrant.” Geographical Bulletin, vol.

58, no. 1, May 2017, pp. 51–62.

Herbert, Frank. DUNE. ACE Books, 2020.

Kunzru, Hari. “Dune, 50 Years on: How a Science Fiction Novel Changed the World.” The

Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 3 July 2015, www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/03/dune-50-years-on-science-fiction-novel-world.

Lorenzo DiTommaso. “History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert's ‘Dune.’” Science Fiction

Studies, vol. 19, no. 3, 1992, pp. 311–325. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4240179. Accessed 8

Feb. 2021.

Parkerson, Ronny W. “SEMANTICS, GENERAL SEMANTICS, AND ECOLOGY IN FRANK

HERBERT'S DUNE.” ETC: A Review of General Semantics, vol. 55, no. 3, 1998, pp. 317–328.

“1966 Hugo Awards.” The Hugo Awards, 27 Dec. 2019, www.thehugoawards.org/hugo- history/1966-hugo-awards/. Wagner, Thomas. “Dune / Frank Herbert .” SFF180, sff180.com/reviews/h/herbert_frank/dune.html.