FREE ESSAY ON TICKTOCKMAN

TICKTOCKMAN

I think the ant world described in "Departmental," by Robert Frost is a fitting metaphor
for the society in the story, "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," by Harlan
Ellison. The ant society in "Departmental" is based on keeping up with the pace and
getting all of their duties done. An ant comes across another ant that has passes away
and thinks to himself that if he runs across someone that works for the higher master
he'll tell him about it. Insinuating that if he doesn't run into anyone he is not going
out of his way to let anyone know about. The ants are described as "being a curious race,
[but are not] impressed" or bothered by their dead. (715) 
The ant society is described or portrayed as one that is very "departmental." If you are
a mere worker that is what you do. It is not your job to do the work of those above you.
If there is something that needs to be done, but is beyond your level you are to keep on
with your own duties and not get of track by taking care of the matters of those above
you or below you. In addition to the characteristics of the societies in both stories
being similar they are both science fiction stories. "Departmental" is based on a society
of ants and "Repent, Harlequin!" is about a society that takes place in the future. 
"'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" illustrates a futuristic society governed by
time. In 2389, when the story takes place, man has become so obsessed with punctuality,
that if one does not posses this quality, he can be punished by death. Those who become
heroes and strive to save the world from destruction by the clock become enemies because
they are non-conformists. 
This is the case for Everett C. Marm, or better known as the Harlequin, who tries in vain
to transform the unacceptability of the regulations. There are many ways in which people
respond to society, some follow without question and others do what they feel is right,
despite the consequences. The reader sees that many in society have transformed into
followers of the status quo. 
Ellison used imagery to display the Harlequin's rebellion as well as the societies
actions and thoughts. In illustrating the robot-like lives of his society, Ellison wrote,
"He could hear the metronomic, left-right-left of the 2:47 shift, entering the Timkin
roller-bearing 
plant in their sneakers... he heard the right-left-right of the 5:00 AM formation, going
home." (396) This quote shows the punctuality of the people, as well as the organization
of the strict society they live. The shift was not 2:45, but rather exactly 2:47, not
sooner or later. In addition, the workers that were arriving took steps "left-right-left"
whereas the ones going home walked "right-left-right." This allegorizes exactly how
over-organized society was. There was so much control over the people that they no longer
did what they wanted to, or what they felt was right. They automatically did what law
said to, forgetting their own feelings and opinions on whether or not the laws were
morally correct. 
When Marshall Delahauty had received his "turn-off message," he tried to escape. As he
ran away, "his heart stopped, and the blood dried up on its way to his brain, and he was
dead that's all." (401) This shows the reader the extreme control of the Ticktockman. He
had the power to end the lives of people as he pleased. Not only that, we are shown the
insignificance of these people in society, which is seen when the author wrote, "and he
was dead that's all." (401) His death is portrayed to be insignificant. Society was so
brainwashed that they were dehumanized as well. They no longer cared or felt anything for
another human being. They death of a relative was no longer important. 
When Harlequin spilled jellybeans all over the city, the people had a small glimpse of
what the world and their lives could be. "Jelly beans! Millions and billions of purples
and yellows and greens...round and smooth and crunchy outside and soft-mealy
inside...bouncing jouncing tumbling clattering skittering fell on the heads and
shoulders...entering a universe of sanity and metronomic order with quite-mad coocoo
newsness." (397) The jellybeans brought a happiness that most had never known, and it was
a nice seven minute break for them to see what the possibilities are when not playing by
the books. 
Ellison is showing us that we refrain from conforming because without reforms, no
progress would be made in life. In order to keep track of the populace and control the
amount of life one was allowed, each person had their set own of a "time-card and
cardioplate." (399) These were futuristic inventions that signify the control that the
Ticktockman had over his people. In addition, many futuristic terms were used to 
illustrate how society functioned. From "slidewalks" to "coffee-bulbs" to "fax boxes,"
Ellison shows the manner in which society was managed. Furthermore, Ellison used diction
to show the importance of time in the Ticktockman's society. An example is when the
workers were climbing to their construction platforms "releasing their a-grav plates,
rising toward the Harlequin." ( These people were so obsessed with saving time, that they
would shorten their words. Rather than say anti-gravity, they would say "a-grav" in order
to save time. Similarly, the systematic schedules of these people are shown by the
"Thursday colors" that people wore. They were so completely reformed that they had a set
style of dress for every day of the week. This illustrates how brainwashed the society
had become. 
Harlan Ellison used characterization to portray the lives of the three different kind of
people in this society; those who serve society with bodies, their conscience, and their
intellect, in hope to help the reader better understand the idea of revolution and
serving society. The men who served "with their bodies" were the populace, represented by
pretty Alice, who "want[ed] to belong, want[ed] to conform." (395) These people live by
the rules of others, not thinking for themselves. The second kind of people was the men
who served with their consciences as the Harlequin did. This man followed what he felt
was moral, not what the Ticktockman dictated. He explained, "It's a terrible world,"
(400) showing that unlike the others, he did have an opinion on the society. The last
kind of people in the story is the men who served with their intellect, in this case the
Ticktockman. He made destructive choices in order to remain on time and keep everyone on
task, though many were not necessarily ethical. He explained to the Harlequin, "You've
used up everything you can, and more. I'm going to turn you off." (402) This showed what
a tyrant the Ticktockman was, and how he never used his sensitivity in making decisions.

The Harlequin is compared to other revolutionaries showing his impact upon society, "He
was considered a Bolivar; a Napoleon; a Robin Hood; a Dick Bong (Ace of Aces); a Jesus; a
Jomo Kenyatta." (396) Just like the Harlequin, none of these revolutionaries came from
the ruling class, yet all made an impact. Also, they were thought of abnormal and strange
because of their con-conformist ideas. The "order" of society did not appeal 
to the Harlequin. The Harlequin was a non-conformist, who spent an alarming "sixty-three
years, five months, three weeks, two days, twelve hours, forty-one minutes, fifty-nine
seconds, point oh three six one microseconds" of his life arriving late, and causing
tardiness among others. (402) This "criminal" was merely trying to enjoy his life and
descry others to follow his lead. 
Those who served society with their bodies included the ferrets, the loggers, the commex,
the mineez as well as pretty Alice. The society in 2389 was so infatuated with the
concept of order, that every day would entice a different color of clothing. These
contrary colors allowed the citizens to shop once day per week, which in turn created
more order. For had someone decided to shop a different day than assigned, time would be
lost and the "master schedule" would become delayed. The phrase "Ostrich-walking" depicts
the workers as emotionless and isolated in would which they do not understand. And, what
is not understood must be destroyed according to their ruler, the Ticktockman. Since
nobody understands the Harlequin, he must be destroyed. Ellison characterizes the
Ticktockman as a tyrant, who has no feeling or emotion. The Ticktockman is very
respectful of his government. Ellison relates his characters to those of Thoreau's
excerpt. In the excerpt, "The mass of men serve the state... as machines, with their
bodies." (395) It is interesting how Ellison uses his creativity to relate his fictitious
characters to those of real life, where as Thoreau views the men merely as machines
rather than people. Ellison's descriptions of society and the people who inhabit it help
the reader understand that rebellions can be honorable if their cause is moral, as in
this short story. Ellison makes the point that in life people view those who think
differently as evil. The Harlequin was a "dangerous criminal" because he was not like the
rest of them. By using these rhetorical devices, Ellison get his point across to the
reader that anyone can make a difference in society so long as the person does not
conform. With these three tools, the struggle between punctual society and the
non-conformists is brought to life. Ellison wanted to make it clear that with out reform
society and life will remain stale and stagnant. I think he uses the future as a basis
for his story to convey that if we do not make changes today things will only continue to
get worse.