Book Review: "The Soft Machine" by William S Burroughs

You're probably wondering why I'm reading another William S Burroughs novel if I complain about his writing style so much. Well, there is method to the madness and the answer is simple because I recently read Rub Out the Words and ultimately thought I would give him another chance. Again and again, I keep giving this guy second chances but yes, here we are again with another Burroughs. This is a book aptly named The Soft Machine and showcases something called the 'cut-up method' (which is detailed in the book of letters Rub Out the Words). Let's try to get this done and see what I thought of it.

Let's open with the title and what relevance it has upon the understanding of the entire text. The "soft machine" in the novel serves as a metaphor for the human body and mind, viewed as programmable and manipulatable like a machine. In the text, human beings are subjected to various forms of external control, whether biological (through disease, aging, and death), political (through societal laws and institutions), or psychological (through addiction and language).

The title reflects how easily humanity is influenced by these forces, becoming soft, malleable, and vulnerable to manipulation. The body and mind are seen as mechanisms that can be rewired or corrupted by external influences, much like how society is controlled by powerful institutions. Honestly, this is quite clever no matter how corny you think it is.

Agent K9, also referred to as Inspector Lee, is a time-traveling protagonist who operates outside of conventional time and space. His mission is to disrupt the plans of the Nova Mob by altering history and freeing humanity from their manipulation. Burroughs portrays time not as a fixed progression but as something fluid, where events can be rewritten and re-experienced. K9's ability to navigate time is central to his rebellion against control, as he moves between ancient civilisations, modern cities, and post-apocalyptic futures.

His goal is to unchain humanity from predetermined destinies set by controlling entities, including governments, corporations, and inter-dimensional forces like the Nova Mob. Yes, the plot is convoluted and most of it sounds a little silly, but I would respond by trying to get yourself into the writing style. Though its difficult and some of the phrases sound almost as though the don't make sense - it is worth a go. You can learn a lot about the cut-up method which is actually very strange to read at times.

Then we have the stuff that reflects Burroughs' own life because let's face it, it is everywhere in his books. Addiction, especially to heroin, reflects his struggles with substance abuse and becomes a central theme throughout the novel. However, addiction is not limited to drugs; Burroughs uses it as a metaphor for all forms of human control. Humans, in his view, are addicted to patterns (patterns of behaviour, thought, and consumption) that keep them in a state of submission.

Drug addiction becomes an extended metaphor for societal dependence on media, language, and consumerism. In The Soft Machine, addiction is portrayed not just as a physical or psychological dependency but as a tool used by those in power to maintain control over individuals, keeping them trapped in self-destructive loops. This is a really weird way of looking at it and again, it takes some effort to understand where he's coming from, but it is an argument you can get on board with when you start digging deep. I quite enjoyed this aspect of the text.

The primary conflict in The Soft Machine is the protagonist’s mission to liberate humanity from the control mechanisms exerted by the Nova Mob. This rebellion is not just physical but psychological and linguistic. The protagonist’s journey through time and space represents the ongoing fight against those who seek to control humanity’s desires, thoughts, and behaviors. Burroughs portrays all forms of control whether through addiction, government, or language, as inherently oppressive. There is no doubt in my mind that this book is some kind of manifesto for liberation.

I've had some pretty strong opinions about Burroughs in the past in that I didn't enjoy reading him. But recently after reading Rub Out the Words, I have wanted to know more and more where he is coming from and so, here we are - and this time I actually half enjoy it.