No supply, all demands.

With a whopping 83 appearances within Lucifer’s Hammer, Id say the word, demanded, deserves a little notice. While the verb is used fairly regularly in this novel, that is to say, it preforms the same function as the word, said, (e.g. Tim said, he said, one said), it is interesting to notice the increase in frequency of its usage after the Hammerfall. Only 11 of the 83 appearances of, demanded, occur before the comet strikes, a measly 12% of all Lucifers Hammer many demands. The increase in demand seems extremely reasonable when one considers how the dwindling supply of [survival] goods is negatively affecting the population; moreover, demands seem to be more concentrated in either hectic or desperate times.

While The Anvil has only 11 appearances–generally demands about the status (if the comet will hit, and where if it does) and preparation (staffing of flight crew, female free fall [nice alliteration, no?] urination) of society for the Hammerfall–The Hammer boasts a generous 21 occurrences, many of them simply frenzied questions (What the hell is it, Johnny? [pg. 191 ], What the fuck was that? [pg. 196], Pay with what? [pg. 297]) that constitute demands only in that the questioners are unsettled and agitated enough to, demand, rather than, ask. The heightened presence of demands in Part II is also marked by the speaker generally requesting urgent information (a smart decision, no doubt, when the apocalypse is presently beating down your door), and often information regarding the condition of the physical world (Anyone [going] into the valley? [pg. 240], How many of you are there? [pg. 203]), as well as the status (mental/skill) of the surviving inhabits (How can Baker be so calm? [pg. 216], How good a driver are you [pg. 238]). The impact of the comet has upset a flow of information within civilization, restricting its supply and therefore increasing survivors demands for any and all information to go around.

On the same vein, it would make sense that demands seem to relax in The Quick and the Dead (12 appearances) as a result of survivors possessing enough information (read: supply) to make moves forward. While the comet eliminated all flow of information for a time, Part III sees the valleys survivors pulling all information together, building a stronghold, sending teams to collect (the last) supplies (on Earth), and therefore regulating their demands accordingly. In fact, only 25% of Part IIIs demands are made by major characters, the other 75% belonging to minor characters like the ranger and Jack Miller who are obviously going to be more inclined to make demands, possessing less information than those like our dear old Senator Jellison or George Christopher or Harvey Randall. Additionally, we begin to see characters demanding less directly answerable questions and explore the realm of more philosophical queries (Whats going on out there? [pg. 329], What do you mean by that? [pg. 330], You ready to see your kids starve? [pg. 351], Why the hell should you hold my gun? [pg. 397]).

After Doomsday again amps up the presence of demands, having 35 occurrences. (Note: Having neglected the reading for next Tuesday as of yet, my conjectures here are just that.) Characters again seem to fall back in the habit of hastily asking questions of those around them, desperately attempting to stockpile information from all available subjects like where theyve been and who theyve seen/know, as well as incorporating curse words into the diction. This leads me to believe that like Part II, Part IV chronicles a time of great deficiency (supply/information) in the Post-Hammerfall civilization. While Part III was soon enough after the disaster to restore order with the distraction of rebuilding civilization, I have a feeling Part IVs overwhelming demands result from this restored civilizations imminent demise at a further lack of supplies.

Overall, I feel, demand/ed acts as a good indicator for the level of desperation (see: lack of supply) being experienced by civilization in Lucifer’s Hammer. Sure, sure, demand/ed, generally implies that one is making an insistent, peremptory request, but the demand seen here is so much more explanatory of the communitys status than characters individual, or personal, situations.

[Oh, and one last, possibly superfluous point, but the first and last instance of, demanded, within Lucifer’s Hammer are made by the same man: Senator Arthur Clay Jellison. This fact is interesting in that it may stand in direct opposition to most of what I have previously stated. If demands are being made by those with the least information, in order to compensate for, and even relieve, a lack of supply, do Jellisons consistent demands throughout the novel suggest that he is, in fact, one with the least supply (read: information)? How, then, does he become such a competent leader, being so uninformed? Perhaps this is actually what makes Jellison a good leader? In it that he has the capacity to filter and organize information and then distribute tasks amongst followers, despite not actually discovering any of this information himself. In Jellisons case, does making demands actually work out for him, in that he can increase his supply, while others are seen making fruitless demands?]