The Dictator — A Reader’s Guide

The Modal Man as Assassin

The narrative dwells on Ellaby's averageness with clinical precision. His physical strength is compared to percentiles of men and women; his IQ is "less than four hundredths off the mode." The yearbook prediction "MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED" is ironic, as success in this society means neither excelling nor failing. Ellaby is "by nature a first class citizen"—a phrase that equates citizenship with mediocrity. Yet this very mediocrity makes him the perfect weapon: unsuspected, average, he plans to "write his name in flaming letters across the pages of history." The contrast between his modal exterior and his revolutionary intent is the story's central paradox.

Conspiracy and Doubt

The conspiracy is revealed through dialogue with Dorcas Sinclair and Mulden. Dorcas is skeptical of Ellaby's sudden clearance as the Dictator's confidential assistant, calling it "peculiar" that he "happened to meet these people." Mulden, however, embraces the coincidence, seeing it as evidence of allies inside the government. Ellaby himself remains passive, thinking "It was all beyond him" and that he "almost had in mind to rebel." His loyalty is uncertain; he follows orders from both sides without conviction. The blaster is slipped into his tunic, and he sleeps "surprisingly well." The reader is left to question whether Ellaby is a pawn or a free agent.

Mulden's Vision of Unconformity

Mulden delivers a passionate speech against the system, arguing that "the common man, the mass, the mob" should not force the uncommon man to be common, but rather the reverse: "Common folk should be given the opportunity to become as uncommon as possible." He calls the current order "warped" and predicts that without the Dictator, the system will collapse "in weeks." Yet his rhetoric is undercut by the story's setting: the Capitol's "splendid, unimaginative geometric precision" and the guard who looks "twenty-over-mode" suggest a world where even rebellion is framed in modal terms. Mulden's vision may be as rigid as the conformity he opposes.

The excerpts end with Ellaby entering the capitol building, blaster hidden, unsure whether he is part of a larger plot or merely a tool. The story's title, The Dictator, points to a figure who is never directly encountered in these passages—only described as a symbol. Readers should attend to how the narrative withholds the Dictator's perspective and whether Ellaby's passivity is a strength or a flaw. The tension between statistical averages and individual action remains unresolved.

Reading about Ellaby’s quiet unraveling made me think of the old copy of Mars is My Destination — Context and Discussion I found in my father’s garage. Both books share that strange, hollow feeling of walking toward something you’re meant to believe in, only to notice the floor giving way beneath your own footsteps. I remember closing each one and just sitting with the silence for a while.