Puppet Government

"Puppet Government" by George Revelle is a science fiction tale from the 1950s that looks at what happens when being yourself clashes with what the government wants you to be. The story revolves around Brandon, a brilliant puppeteer, who keeps getting job offers from the government that would force him to stop doing what he loves. Brandon finds himself caught between doing what he wants and what society expects of him within a confusing government system. As government officials keep trying to get him to take important positions in order to put "good men" in place, Brandon struggles with his love for making puppets and his worry about getting stuck in a job that would crush his creativity. Even though he's drawn to the idea of having a significant part in the government, he comes to understand that nothing can replace the happiness he gets from his puppetry. He stays strong in protecting his freedom and refusing to be controlled by the government, showing the fight between being yourself and becoming a cog in the machine. In the end, the story emphasizes how important it is to be able to make your own choices in a world that is becoming more structured.