Amanda Modelski
5-9-15
English Blog Topic C
Blog 3
While Piter de Vries may not be the most reoccurring character in Dune, or the longest-lasting, he played a vital role that helped key plot points in the novel. Once such case is the fact that Piter was the main assassin of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. He also created the plan to destroy the Atredies House and worked to restore the Baron Harkonnaen's stewardship of Arrakis. To start the fight against the Atredies, he invented a deadly, gradual "residual" poison that killed Thurfir Hawat, the Mentat of the rival house. Piter was a Mentat himself, a person who is mentally like a computer. However, he was twisted, meaning that he was both sadistic and amoral, "trained and conditioned to perform certain duties" such as torture (pg 28). He tortured the Doctor Yueh into betraying the House Atredies, which indirectly led to his death when Yueh planted the poison tooth in Leto's mouth. If Piter had lived, he would have been governor of Arrakis, having chosen the position over the possession of Lady Jessica, and may have brought victory to the House Harkonnen.
I also think Piter is a deceptively important character, despite not living very long. Piter shows how the world of Arrakis under Harkonnen rule differs from Duke Leto as a ruler. Piter is twisted and only seeks to gain money for himself and is narcissistic about his appearance. The Baron Harkonnen trusts Piter because he is like him in their motives. Piter demonstrates why the Harkonnens will ultimately fail because of their faults and evil goals.
ReplyDelete