A Scanner Darkly

Mirrors—and the reality they reflect or distort—are an important symbolic element in the narrative and a clue into the characters’ fractured perception of the world. The scramble suits conceal the wearer’s identity by reflecting rapid-fire projections of hundreds of images within mere seconds. The mirrors are used to obstruct reality rather than reflect it honestly. As the psych team evaluates Arctor’s cognitive state, they compare his brain hemispheres to mirrors, reflecting reality back to his consciousness in reverse. They note that a photograph and a mirror image of the same object often appear different. The title of the novel itself is a riff on the phrase, through a glass (mirror) darkly. Dick’s dystopian world is in many ways a distorted reflection of our own, a world seen through the eyes of damaged brains and wounded souls.

The scramble suits worn by Arctor and his fellow agents are a creative narrative invention, but they serve another purpose beyond hiding identities: They symbolize the prioritization of secrecy within the narcotics agency. Lack of transparency is a charge often leveled against law enforcement, and Dick finds a clever technological analog to symbolize this idea. Those who hold secrets hold power, and an agent whose identity is hidden holds a distinct advantage.