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Jerry Was a Man, by Robert Heinlein

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:29 pm
by Omphalos
Sorry, no photo yet for this one. I can't seem to find a cover .jpg of the October, 1947 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories.

Just as well. I have two links for this story. Here is a link to a literary review, and Here is a link to a legal review, which is appropriate as this story is essentially a court room drama.

Jerry Was a Man (alternatively Jerry Is a Man), is a 1947 short story by Robert Heinlein. It is a courtroom drama about slavery, mistreatment and prejudice, and what it means to be a "man," though what Heinlein really meant by that term was "non-animal." It is a pretty well thought out story, but it is not really long enough to draw any heavy conclusions from. Take a look here to see the latest Law and Science Fiction Blawg entry on this story. In this article I shall discuss its literary merits only.