1. THE BOOK AS AN OBJECT
1.1. Cover description
1.1.1. -Well shaped male statues on squared pedestals -Reflective floor, -Metal spheres and blue sky on the background.
1.1.1.1. Statues on pedestals = the perfection of robots and their important beyond human nature Floor and background = futuristic world, full with metal and perfect geometric figures
1.2. OUTLOOK
1.2.1. Paperback book
1.2.2. Cover: -Black background -Top center --> publisher name = Oxford Bookworms Library -Under publisher name --> book title and subtitle = I, Robot/ short stories -Middle center --> author’s name = Isaac Asimov -Bottom center --> cover illustration
1.2.3. Spine: -Black background -Spine’s top -->Old book number + Title and subtitle -Spine’s bottom --> Author’s name + New book number
1.2.4. Back cover: -Black background -Top right --> part of the cover image -Top left --> Book title and Subtitle -Middle center --> Blurb -Bottom center and bottom left --> Publisher description, logo and website -Bottom right --> Bar code
1.3. Date of publication: 1950
2. THE AUTHOR
2.1. BIOGRAPHY
2.1.1. Born on: January 2, 1920
2.1.2. Death on April 6, 1992
2.1.3. -American author -One of the biggest science fiction writers in the history of literature.
2.1.4. Remembered for: -Wrote some of the most iconic science fiction books -Create enduring science fiction concepts: the three laws of robotics, the positronic brain, even the word "robotic" itself.
2.1.5. Predilection topics: -hard science fiction --> scientifically accurate -Social science fiction --> focus on speculation about human society in the future
2.2. OTHER IMPORTANT BOOKS
2.2.1. Foundation Series
2.2.2. Galactic Empire Series
2.2.3. Robot Series
3. THE CONTENTS
3.1. Genre: Science Fiction
3.2. Plot
3.2.1. -Year 2064 -The Journalist--> interviewing Dr. Susan Calvin, -Susan = robot psychologist of US Robots= most important robot manufacturer
3.2.2. -Susan --> six short stories about robots -Anecdotes = not only lived by her but by her colleagues -Various characters and topics: rogue robots, paradoxes in the three laws of robotic, technical failures, mysteries within US Robots itself...
3.2.3. -Susan's last story --> one of the greatest misteries involving robot = a human-like was governor -Journalist's new perception about = cornerstone of society, part of human progress, leaders
3.2.4. -The Journalist --> has enough information -Susan --> has seen the birth and growth of robots --> she will see no more -Robots = increasingly advanced and hope for the safety of humanity -The Journalist --> witness the progress of humanity and its robots
3.2.5. -Susan finally dies at the age of 82
3.3. Characters
3.3.1. MAIN CHARACTERS
3.3.1.1. The Journalist: -32 years, -Has seen robots his all life ("you don't remember a world without robots" P.4) -Works for an important newspaper ("My newspaper reaches the all solar system" P.3) -A tool used to narrate the stories
3.3.1.2. Dr. Susan Calvin: -82 years, -Robot psychologist at US Robots (“the first robot psychologist" P.3) , she was -Slim and short person ("She was small and thin” P.3) -Not a sympathetic person (“Susan was a cold girl, plain and colorless, who disliked the world around her.” P.3) -Saw the robots evolution since the first ones (“I saw it from the beginning, when the poor robot couldn’t speak, to now…” P.85)
3.3.2. SECONDARY CHARACTERS
3.3.2.1. Mike Donovan: -US Robots engineer for difficult cases, -Fiery and impulsive (“I’m the one giving orders around here. Understand? Now get out! P.26) -Red haired ( "Donovan rubbed his red hair"P.8)
3.3.2.2. Greg Powell: -US Robots engineer for difficult cases -Calm and thoughtful (“We must argue with him” P.27) -He has a moustache (“Powell stared and pull his moustache" P.10)
3.3.2.3. Alfred Lanning: -Managing director at US Robots -Very old man (“Lanning is nearly seventy” P.50) -Good at math (“I’ll work on the problem mathematically” P.47)
3.3.2.4. Robots: -Different kinds and functions -Extremely advanced -Unique personalities -Programming flaws, ethical dilemmas, tendency to act outside the rules -Necessary for the security and progress of humanity
3.4. Time and Setting (source:www.shmoop.com/i-robot)
3.4.1. Time: -The Future (from Asimov’s perspective in 1950) -1998 to 2064
3.4.2. Setting: -Earth (US Robots Company and unnamed cities) -Mercury -Space (Solar Station and Research Station) -Asteroid mining station
4. MEANING
4.1. Author's style
4.1.1. Point of view: -First person (the Journalist, for the interview) --> “I looked at my notes…” P.3 -Third person (for the short sotries) --> “Mike Donovan […] rushed down the stairs towards Greg Powell” P.7
4.1.2. Focalization: -INTERNAL FOCALIZATION (for the interview) --> The Journalist = focalizer (“I don’t think…” P.3, “I stared at Dr. Calvin with horror” P.85) -MULTIPLE FOCALIZATION (for the short stories) --> Multiple human characters point of view (“Powell felt a sudden attack of fear” P.19/ “…Susan Calvin still stared at Herbie […] and out of all her stormy thoughts came only one bitter word…”) P.57/ “Perhaps Byerly was not quite so confident that evening…”P.77)
4.1.3. Tone (mostly depending on the characters)
4.1.3.1. Serious: -Susan's reflections -moral dilemmas about robots and technology -->(“… a robot could never be cruel, stupid or unjust. It would be the perfect answer to the problems of government.” P.84)
4.1.3.2. Comic: -Funny situations and confusion -Robot’s malfunctioning -Human's struggle to fix difficult situations -->(“…’we must get rid of him somehow,’ Donovan whispered. ´Burn out his electric circuits or-‘
4.1.4. Type of language: -Formal (mostly) --> “I would like to start work. Where must I go?” P.28 -Casual/Informal (some conversations) --> “All right, you piece of metal…” P.23