Project Gutenberg 2009-10-21 Public domain in the USA. 165 Savage, Arthur Dekker Orban, Paul 1896 1974 DP Produced from If Worlds of Science Fiction September 1954. Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "DP" by Arthur Dekker Savage is a science fiction narrative likely written in the mid-20th century. The story explores themes of societal conformity and existential ennui within a futuristic world where government ensures maximum comfort for its citizens, but at the cost of meaningful existence. The central focus of the book is the protagonist's disillusionment with a life devoid of purpose, prompting his desire for a "Departure Permit," symbolizing a quest for escape from a stagnant society. The plot centers around Allen Kinderwood, a young man trapped in a monotonous, pleasure-driven world. As he contemplates his upcoming appointment for a Departure Permit, he encounters Nedda Marsh, a woman under "protection," which complicates his desire for connection amid societal rules surrounding dating and relationships. Amidst their flirtation and a violent encounter with Nedda's protector, Allen grapples with the implications of his choices and the oppressive nature of their environment. The climax reveals a poignant tension between the comforts provided by the government and the pervasive feeling of emptiness that plagues its citizens, culminating in a decision that questions the value of his existence in such a controlled and superfluous society. Ultimately, Allen's struggle reflects a broader commentary on human purpose and the search for meaning in a world engineered for ease yet barren of genuine fulfillment. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 74.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories PS Text Science Fiction Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy Category: Novels 58681 2025-08-12T11:26:37.350277 text/html 34978 2024-10-24T20:28:36 text/html 271526 2025-08-12T11:26:41.196258 application/epub+zip 269881 2025-08-12T11:26:38.926258 application/epub+zip 76436 2025-08-12T11:26:37.848276 application/epub+zip 388904 2025-08-12T11:26:42.887289 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 381057 2025-08-12T11:26:40.501240 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 102596 2022-09-14T05:35:50.709438 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 51328 2025-08-12T11:26:37.009266 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 31614 2024-10-24T20:28:36 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 51340 2021-01-05T18:41:26 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19694 2025-08-12T11:26:43.026229 application/rdf+xml 8271 2025-08-12T11:26:38.329244 image/jpeg 2185 2025-08-12T11:26:38.087256 image/jpeg 217207 2021-01-05T18:41:26 application/octet-stream application/zip 20704 2021-01-05T18:41:26 application/octet-stream application/zip 269254 2025-08-12T11:26:37.365275 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog