“Bicentennial Man,” directed by Chris Columbus, addresses many thematic elements such as the meaning and origins of humanity by placing the focus of the story on a life-sized android man whose purpose is to serve human beings. In this world, the robot's owner, Sir Richard Martin, realized that there was something about the robot that was different and that the flaw in its programming gave it the ability to process and interpret complex human emotions. In this, the story reflects on the nature of consciousness and what the concept of humanity actually means when considering its complexities. Andrew, the robot, lives for another 200 years and it is during this time that he begins to interpret and understand the complexities associated with being human. He cultivates relationships with humans and displays a broad and powerful semblance of emotional awareness and empathy. These experiences present the viewer with a plethora of analyzes of what constitutes being human and conscious. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To understand the effectiveness of story development, it is crucial to know and understand Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. They include the first law, which states that a robot cannot harm a human being or, through any inertia or miscalculation, allow a human being to be harmed. The second law states that they must obey orders given to them by humans, except when any order directly conflicts with the demands of the first law. Finally, the third law states that a robot must constantly protect its livelihood and existence as long as it does not conflict with the first two laws. Andrew eventually becomes part of the Martin family and earns his place among them over the course of several years. He develops a strong and deep attachment to "Little Miss" and grows closer to her as he develops his own interpretation of her emotional involvement. He begins to find it difficult to follow the second law when "Sir tells him he must leave the world." family at once. This is where the functions of his program begin to take shape as a compelling level of empathy. (Roberts, 34) This becomes difficult for Andrew because he has developed a curious and intimate relationship with family members and has subsequently become attached. It is after being banished from his family that he begins to develop a deep sense of loss and loses faith in his identity, coming to the realization that he is not actually human. (Cooper, 224) However, he begins to understand the level of his own consciousness and the depth of his ability to empathize with these individuals, and in this regard, he is pursuing a process of becoming more like humans in this world. This becomes his main goal, to continually progress to become more like a human so as to gain the status of a human. Columbus confronts the nature of existence by choosing to address the symbolic attempts he makes to acquire more human-like characteristics, when such a present and developed identity already exists. Andrew learns to appreciate and feel absolute wonder at things like freedom, family, friendship, creativity, and death. (Cooper, 226) His journey is symbolically represented when he sets out to find other robots similar to him. This in itself encompasses much of the human journey that we all experience; it is a sequence of events that we use to hopefully gain insight into our world and the nature of our place within it. In essence, essentially all of humanity isstuck in a current commitment to one's own person and how they relate to those around them. It is an essential part of life that defines how humans exist and who they exist with. Along the way, Andrew discovers a robot that looks a lot like a woman and can even dance like a human. He is fascinated by her presence and wishes to understand more about her and how their beings and perceptions are related to each other. He says, “I can't believe I finally found you. When did you realize that you were unique?" (Cooper, 222) She informs him that she knew it all along but as he continues to talk to her, he realizes that she is simply programmed to have a sense of personality and that she is not actually capable of independent thought or to understand things. symbolically, embodies a complex realization that the director and the writer of the initial story on which the film is based, Isaac Asimov, attempted to insert into the narrative of humanity it is presented not only as an extension of personality, but as a reflection of consciousness and the ability to contemplate the value and meaning of life. At one point, this robot even goes so far as to state that “I think personality is much more entertaining intelligence.” (Cooper, 224) This includes an expansive point that the filmmakers make in examining humanity and this point is reiterated in many different parts of the story's narrative. Overall, there are many moments where Andrew is seemingly more capable of empathy and a deeper level of consciousness than even some of his human counterparts. As it grows to undergo more surgeries and attempts to convert more and more to become human-like, it runs into problems orchestrated by a council of humans that determines whether an entity is a person or not, known as the Legislature world. Andrew is forced to deal with significant levels of legal and political drama to attempt to have his humanity officially recognized and, on many occasions, this is stopped. Many of his opponents considered him to be a human being basing their arguments on the idea that, even though the prosthetics he eventually gets make him look like a human being in many ways, they are still not enough to consider him a human being. They claim that it must perform human functions and this is where the crucial moment of the scene comes into play. Andrew seeks out a robotic surgeon who will have to perform an operation that will ultimately kill him: alter the brain he has so that it will eventually decay. He determines that the operation will allow him to live to be 200 years old. It is this act that motivates the World Legislature to declare him a human being, signing a law on his two hundredth birthday and finally declaring him a man. (Roberts, 36) In his final moments, as he attempts to reflect on what had defined him as a human being, his consciousness fades and the only thing he can think of is Little Miss. The main purpose of the article “The Mechanics of the Bicentennial Man” by Dave Neil is to interpret the key elements of the film and to understand how the screenwriters and director came to interpret the meaning of existence and the reflection on the humanity that Isaac Asimov intended. The key question the author asks is whether or not humans can define themselves by their physical attributes or is there some deeper correlative point we share that extends beyond our mere human appearance? (Neill, 11) The most important information in this article lies in the examination of Andrew's character and the comparisons the author makes to other characters, such as the human legislators who refuse to admit his humanity or the female dancing robot who he initially.