K-PAX
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K-PAX is the name of the first novel in the K-PAX trilogy by Gene Brewer and a film based on the series:
- K-PAX (1995)
- K-PAX (2001)— film
- K-PAX II: On a Beam of Light (2001)
- K-PAX III: Worlds of Prot (2002)
- K-PAX IV: A New Visitor From The Constellation Lyra (2007)
The books deal with the experiences on Earth of a man named "prot" (rhymes with "goat", and is not capitalised). prot claims to be from a far away planet called K-PAX, where sex is considered unpleasant, raw veganism or fruitarianism is preferred, eating meat is never considered, and there are no laws, governments, or schools (see anarchism).
The 2001 film K-PAX was directed by Iain Softley and is based on the first book in this trilogy. Kevin Spacey portrays prot, and Jeff Bridges plays the psychiatrist. There are some very significant differences between the film and the book, however, not merely in detail but also in terms of prot's overall "message".
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[edit] K-PAX
A white male is picked up by the New York Police after being found bending over the victim of a mugging at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan. Having responded to the police questions with somewhat strange answers, he is transfered to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation. Although not physically ill, he is found to harbour a strange delusion: that he is from a planet called K-PAX in the constellation of Lyra. The patient, who calls himself "prot," is eventually transfered to the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute (MPI), where he becomes the patient of Dr. Gene Brewer.
Dr. Brewer, with the help of a journalist Giselle, discovers that prot may simply be an alter ego (the result of Multiple Personality Disorder) of Robert Porter, whose life has been devastated by the murder of his wife and child and his subsequent killing of the perpetrator.
When prot returns to his own planet, Robert Porter is left in a catatonic state. However, Bess (another patient prot had promised to take with him) disappears along with a box of souvenirs prot has been collecting.
prot promises to return in "about five of your years".
[edit] K-PAXians
K-PAXians are a fictional species from Gene Brewer's novels K-PAX, K-PAX II, K-PAX III and K-PAX IV.
The K-PAXians are the most advanced species on the planet K-PAX. All knowledge of K-PAX and its attendant species came from the individual known as prot (rhymes with goat, K-PAXians only capitalize the names of planets and stars and other celestial bodies). Prot was interviewed extensively by psychologist Gene Brewer who was of the opinion that prot was simply an "alter"; a second personality of the human Robert Porter.
[edit] Physiology
On Earth, Prot appeared to be a Caucasian human male who constantly wore sunglasses. When questioned as to why K-PAXians appeared to be human, Prot responded, "Why is a soap bubble round?", meaning K-PAXians appear human on Earth because the human form is the most efficient form to assume on planet Earth. This implies that on K-PAX they may appear differently. They wear sunglasses due to the brighter environment of Earth. K-PAX, which orbits twin suns K-MON and K-RIL, experiences no night but rather eternal dusk. As a result of this, Prot (and presumably other K-PAXians) are capable of detecting wavelengths beyond those detectable by humans, namely UV light. This adds credence to Prot's claim that he is not in fact human. As such, each K-PAXian may sire one or two children during their lifetime and the crime of rape is presumably non-existent. Prot also displayed an immense empathy for other beings, especially species other than humans. Prot had an immense intellect and had specialised knowledge of astronomy, mathematics and the physical sciences. It is not certain if this is biologically ingrained or a result of K-PAXian society.
[edit] Society
In K-PAXian society where sex is considered unpleasant, raw veganism or fruitarianism is preferred, eating meat is never considered and there are no laws, governments, or schools (in other words - anarchy). Some readers view this as a more advanced society, or utopia, with individuals living in peace and harmony with each other without the need for law. K-PAXians have no fixed abode and instead live a sort of nomadic life drifting between certain settlements where food, bedding etc. are stored. The work of cleaning, infrastructure maintenance, harvesting food, etc. is all performed by K-PAXians when it needs to be done; K-PAXians do not have a set occupation. Children may or may not know their parents but this is unimportant as they are raised by their society as a whole. K-PAXians do not develop strong interpersonal bonds but rather consider all beings with compassion. Despite a lack of major cities K-PAX does feature a number of large library type structures for the dissemination of knowledge and K-PAXians are far more technologically advanced than humans. K-PAXian society seems very similar to that described by Sir Thomas More in his novel Utopia.
[edit] Technology
Despite living a fairly agrarian lifestyle K-PAXians are highly technologically advanced. Most notable is their ability to travel faster than the speed of light both around a planet and between planets.
