Line #114 Literature/ThePostman


1	[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/postmannovel2.jpg]]
2	->''Who will take responsibility?''
3
4	[[FallenStatesOfAmerica America has been left in ruins]] in the wake of the [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Doomwar]], a conflation of various doomsday scenarios. Seventeen years later, Gordon Krantz, who was a college sophomore before it all came down, struggles to survive in a harsh environment where scavenging and violence is the norm and the [[RightWingMilitiaFanatic vicious, fanatical Holnists]] reign supreme. He has been searching and searching for a place, anywhere, where "someone is taking responsibility." When he is robbed of most of his possessions, Gordon takes the uniform of a long-dead postman for warmth. The simple act of taking up this symbol soon {{snowball\|Lie}}s into an elaborate tale casting Gordon as an agent of the fictional Restored United States. At first, he maintains this lie only to survive, but as hope springs up in his path, the lie becomes something more.
5
6	This 1985 novel by Creator/DavidBrin is most famous for [[TheFilmOfTheBook an adaptation]] made 12 years later [[StarDerailingRole that nearly killed]] Creator/KevinCostner's career.
7
8	!!This book provides examples of:
9	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Judging by the dates which the book gives, war broke out in 1994. The plot starts in 2010, sixteen years later. As the book itself is from 1985, it didn't leave long to invent cyborgs, true AI or laser weapons that could be mounted on satellites.
10	* ActionGirl: Dena and her Scouts.
11	* ActionSurvivor: Gordon, who is regularly out of his depth and survives by guile or luck.
12	* AfterTheEnd
13	* AmazonBrigade: Dena's Army Scouts. [[spoiler:They are almost entirely wiped out after a failed attempt to infiltrate and sabotage the Holnists.]]
14	* AmericaSavesTheDay: In a sense. [[spoiler:The Restored United States of America starts as a lie and ultimately becomes very much real.]]
15	* AndTheAdventureContinues: The book ends with the Postman departing to find and make contact with [[spoiler:the Republic of California.]]
16	* ApocalypseHow: Continental/Societal Collapse. Unusually, there was no single cause of the Doomwar. In fact, humanity probably could have weathered the nukes, the electromagnetic pulses, and the bioengineered diseases if not for the predatory, hyper-survivalist Holnists who pounced on other bands of survivors without mercy.
17	* TheApunkalypse: The rule of law has collapsed AfterTheEnd, and brigands roam the countryside engaged in assault, rape, and murder.
18	* ArcWords: "''Who will take responsibility?''"
19	* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: A well-AvertedTrope. [[CombatPragmatist Gordon]] never holds more than four bullets in his revolver, unless it's an emergency or it appears he's doomed. His gun is always secured in its holster. He takes a good care of it and always uses it with an accurate two-hand grip.
20	* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: The followers of Nathan Holn's philosophy will ''only'' accept orders from someone they know can kill them. They generally don't murder their superiors by treachery or stealth, since that wouldn't prove who was 'better'.
21	* BackupBluff: [[spoiler:When the Holnists are encircling the unit of Willamette Army Gordon is commanding, he realizes their only chance is in pretending there are more of them. So he makes sure to shout orders to nonexistent back-up at top of his lungs, trying to overcome the gunfire. It works only partially -- the Holnists still overrun the camp, but at least [[TakingYouWithMe the Willamette forces managed to kill a fair few of the survivalists in the ensuing confusion]].]] The charade is even brought back up later, when Gordon is recognized as the "mouthy fellow".
22	* BadassNormal: One of Gordon's comrades is a former [[SemperFi Marine]], and when both of {{The Dragon}}s are killed off-page while hunting him, the BigBad assumes that he is responsible. [[spoiler:The second Dragon actually killed the Marine, and in turn [[BigDamnHeroes George Powhatan]] killed him.]]
23	* BadassPacifist:
24	** The original postman. While going through his mail, Gordon realises he died ''three years'' after the war, courageously going behind lines for the sake of the mail, and only part of it being vital messages. He didn't even carry any weapon on himself.
25	** George Powhatan's reputation matches his size, but he doesn't want to fight. [[spoiler:He's an augment who is dragged out of seclusion to kill Macklin, another augment, when there's no other option.]]
26	* BandOfBrothers: Gordon's fellow militiamen. [[spoiler:They have been dead for more than a decade when the story starts.]]
27	* BasedOnAGreatBigLie[=/=]LiesToChildren: 'The Postman' has arrived from 'The Restored States' to save the Northwest. [[spoiler:Cyclops turns out to be one as well.]]
28	* BecomingTheBoast: While he initially only took on the guise of a postman to save his own skin, Gordon carries the bluff far enough that he actually manages to put together a functioning postal system.
29	* BecomingTheMask: Gordon and his Postal Inspector persona. He's ''very'' aware of that.
30	* BenevolentConspiracy:
31	** The Restored United States of America, along with the Restored Postal Service - neither is real (well, the Postal Service ''becomes'' real) when Gordon starts talking about them, but they quickly evolve into ideas that ''[[CantStopTheSignal nothing]]'' [[CantStopTheSignal can stop]]. Gordon even makes up a few basic Congressional orders to further facilitate the conspiracy and, in the process, bring order to Oregon.
32	** [[spoiler: Servants of the Cyclops and Cyclops itself. Originally, it was very real, but Cyclops was destroyed early on after the Doomwar, forcing the scientists behind it to maintain the masquerade and doing their darnest to perform even the preliminary plan of the supercomputer to rebuild civilisation or at least make Oregon less of a hellhole]].
33	* BlackComedy: The only comedy allowed. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools But it's fitting.]]
34	* BoringButPractical: Gordon's bow. But before he learned how to use it, it was CoolButInefficient.
35	* TheCavalryArrivesLate:
36	** [[spoiler:When the anti-tech mob attack Corvallis, the remnants of the local military arrive after the damage has been done and Cyclops is dying.]]
37	** Gordon finally abandoned the post assigned to his militia unit when neither reinforcements nor relief came for over a year. By that time he was [[spoiler:the last man left guarding the empty soy silos]].
38	* CelibateHero: {{Inverted\|Trope}}. Gordon wasn't with any women not because he didn't want to be, but because there was no opportunity or suitable woman for a ''long'' while. [[spoiler:When he's with Dena, he's more annoyed with her than aroused.]]
39	* CharacterDevelopment: During the course of the story Gordon evolves from a frightened, timid drifter minding his own business and struggling to survive ... into a {{Determinator}}, bringing hope to the terrorized people of Oregon and connecting the individual efforts of many communities into unified work for their mutual progress. He remains a DeadpanSnarker, though.
40	* ChekhovsGun:
41	** The diary Gordon loses in the beginning shows up toward the end in the hands of [[spoiler:the Holnists]], as does [[ChekhovsGunman its thief]].
42	** The whistle Gordon receives from Abby in the first section became very handy in [[spoiler:the third one, when he used it to signal his men about a Holnist ambush]].
43	** The letter from Dena became useful when it was accidentally read by [[spoiler:one of the Holnists' slaves, inspiring her to help Gordon and Johnny escape]].
44	* ChosenConceptionPartner: Having mumps as an adult rendered Michael infertile. While he and Abby are both HappilyMarried, they also want to have a child. To avoid the genetic bottleneck effect and friction with a locally-picked father, they ask Gordon, an outside drifter, to try to impregnate Abby. The book somehow manages to handle it without making it as awkward as it sounds and it doesn't carry any romantic undertones, unlike the infamous RomanticPlotTumor from the film adaptation. [[spoiler:Gordon never again visits Pine View and intentionally distances himself from the daughter Abby bears.]]
45	* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Gordon, despite his strong common sense and all the bad things around, keeps on resigning himself to his fate and going for a rescue or providing help to the needy, even if he would prefer to remain the coward he feels he is. Instead of freezing he musters the resolve to do something heroic ... or ''his body'' overcomes his cowardice and acts on instinct.
46	* {{Cincinnatus}}: George Powhatan. And Gordon pities the person who tries to make him a king.
47	* ComesGreatResponsibility: A recurring theme, even if that power is the seemingly innocuous position of postman.
48	* ConMan: By pure chance, Gordon ends up in a grand scheme as the mastermind behind it. It almost seems like he's made a postman [[YouCantFightFate by fate and can't do anything about it]].
49	* ConspiracyTheorist: Nathan Holn, a batshit insane nutcase. Everyone, including people born after the Doomwar (and thus lacking any serious education), wonder how he could get any support for his ideas. Except, of course, the Holnists who have taken his MightMakesRight philosophy up to eleven.
50	* ContrivedCoincidence:
51	** Gordon finding the postal van while trying to catch up with robbers who just mugged him. It helps in both the short and long term -- first providing shelter and clothes, then giving him a perfect U.S. Postal Carrier disguise. This is also an example of the AnthropicPrinciple, as Gordon finding the van and needing to wear the outfit is what starts the story.
52	** Gordon finding [[spoiler:Dena after being recaptured by Holnists, moments before she expires in his arms]].
53	* CrazyHomelessPeople: Gordon perceives ''himself'' as such, since he can find no other logical explanation than insanity for his optimism in this CrapsackWorld.
54	* CrazySurvivalist: The "Holnist Survivalists"; it's explicitly noted that after everything fell apart, Holn himself was dragged out and lynched for getting them started. Also that the Holnists forever tainted the term "survivalist".
55	* DeadGuyOnDisplay: Holnists "mark" their territory with crucified people. They also use it as a punishment for misbehaving slaves and a warning to others to stay in line.
56	* DeadpanSnarker: Who else but Gordon? It often borders on SadClown, as he's fully aware how miserable the situation is or can get.
57	* DeathGlare: Gordon gave one to the Mayor of Oakridge when he started to contest the Mayor's authority over the town -- the first act of defiance the Mayor had to face in many years.
58	* DeathIsDramatic: Averted for almost all characters, who die suddenly, without much fanfare and often without funeral, but played absolutely straight when [[spoiler:Dena dies. She has all the time needed to talk with Gordon for the last time and expires calmly in his embrace]].
59	* DeconstructorFleet: Openly admitted by author David Brin as a massive take down on [[AfterTheEnd the entire post-apocalypse genre]], which was at its peak of popularity back then. Most of it is achieved by simple PerspectiveFlip and telling the story from the perspective of people that are usually saved by some cliché, OneManArmy-style AntiHero and making it a point to show just how horrible life without modern civilization can get. And that usual hero archetype is most represented by the ''bad guys'' here, with a lot of the ideas underlying it deconstructed. The protagonist himself isn't some badass loner who is strengthened by living in the wild, but a milquetoast man who ''hates'' struggling in the wild and wishes to join a community that has rebuilt itself. His heroism does ''not'' come from winning battles, but by (inadvertently) inspiring others to think beyond merely survival and rebuild society.
60	* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Ever since the world collapsed, Gordon has been just drifting all over the northern parts of the former US, trying to find some place worth staying and any semblance of civilization worth taking part in.
61	* DisneyVillainDeath: After a climactic and lengthy duel, [[spoiler:George Powhatan grabs General Macklin and throws him down a gorge]].
62	* DivideAndConquer:
63	** In the backstory, this eventually led to the fall of civilization, since all the increasingly shattered communities eventually stopped any cooperation and just sealed themselves away from outsiders, in the process becoming very easy prey for even small groups of bandits and Holnists.
64	** A heroic example is used by Gordon with great effect. Each time he finds people distrusting his story about the RUSA or the Postal Service, he makes sure to appoint them as local Post Masters, making them personally part of the system and thus unable to go against it.
65	* DividedWeFall: The only reason why Holnists or just regular thugs and bandits can thrive is lack of cooperation and unity on the side of the communities they oppress. The book as a whole makes it a point to explain that civilization and society as we know it can exist when and only when people work together for shared goals, putting the group ahead of their own ambitions. This was written [[TheEighties at a time]] when {{Greed}} was seen as a virtue.
66	* TheDogBitesBack: After a long time of mistreatment, [[spoiler:one of the Holnist slaves poisons a few guards and helps Gordon and Johnny escape. She even manages to arrange the retrieval of Gordon's diary without realizing how important it is]].
67	* DoubleMeaningTitle: Postman, as a mail carrier and a person living after some event. Gordon is both.
68	* TheDreaded:
69	** {{Subverted}} with the Holnists -- they are generally feared, but hated even more. Large bands of Holnists can force people into submission, but if any of them are caught alone, the common people will show no mercy.
70	** George Powhatan is this for the Holnists, as he has defeated them several times before in the past. When the Holnists invade Oregon again, they deliberately arrive by sea so that they can bypass his territory entirely.
71	* TheDrifter: Gordon's ultimate role, after he finally embraces The Call.
72	* DueToTheDead: Gordon buries the bones of the original postman.
73	* DumbMuscle: Survivalists in general. So dumb that a brick is brighter.
74	* {{Eagleland}}: The book examines both sides of this dualistic trope. Type I, which idealizes liberty, equality and peace, is contrasted with Type II, which idealizes paranoid extremism, a gung-ho attitude, and over-the-top individualism. The hero is representative of the first, the villains the second.
75	* EliteMooks: The other two [[{{Cyborg}} augments]] under Macklin's command. One of them is introduced by grabbing the other end of a fireplace poker Macklin is holding and pulling on it until it snaps. No, not by bending. ''Pulling.'' '''Between thumb and finger as if it was taffy.''' When it goes, it's red-hot from friction and every baseline in the room winces from the heat release.
76	* EqualOpportunityEvil: Holnists, but only if you are male, although one of the augments clearly does not like the idea that black soldiers might serve with them. General Macklin chides him for this, however, saying Nathan Holn wasn't a racist and expresses admiration for a black man who's fighting them (a former Marine) while saying his own sons would be required to earn their place in the Holnist army, or else be serfs. The fact that all Holnists seem to be white is explained by Macklin saying most of the racial minorities didn't survive after the apocalypse as the result of being disadvantaged. It seems probable people of color would be less attracted to such a philosophy given its [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany historical associations though]] too.
77	* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Those who have bought into the Holnist philosophy believe that [[MightMakesRight anything you can acquire by force is rightfully yours,]] and [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain this makes women inherently inferior.]] They can't accept any philosophies of equality or respect for people weaker than you as anything except a delusion among those 'frightened' of this 'reality', serving to shackle the strong men like them.
78	* EvilGloating:
79	** The robbers from the first few pages do it for extra [[KickTheDog dog-kicking]] points.
80	** Holnists are generally prone to this; the higher their rank, the more they gloat.
81	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Mayor of Oakridge remains nameless even after being deposed from the post. And he wasn't elected for it either.
82	* FakeRealTurn: Gordon made up the Restored United States and its postal services, but as he travels and recruits more postmen to his cause, the lie becomes more and more real.
83	* FailedFutureForecast: It's hinted that the Soviet Union survived until the Doomwar, or was toppled by violent revolution right before it. The war took place in the mid-1990s.
84	* FallenStatesOfAmerica: There is no recognized United States government following the Doomwar, however Gordon's presence and actions as a "postman" give others hope that one has been restored.
85	* FalloutShelterFail: The protagonist mentions finding fallout shelters every so often whose owners didn't make it, and hoping that the prior occupants stocked up on more non-perishable food than useless stuff like gold. There are also mentions of survivalist outposts which became endless battlefields between the current owners and those who wanted to take it for themselves, until there was nothing left worth fighting for.
86	* FauxAffablyEvil: Charles Bezoar tries to pass for a decent person for a while, but the illusion shatters eventually, [[spoiler:with just a few tiny pushes made by Gordon]].
87	* FeudalFuture: Countless communities were either reduced into clan-like organisations or outright serfdom under some strongman. Then there is the land under Holnist rule, which is divided into baronies -- hell-holes where everybody except the local brute-squad are slaves for some local "lord".
88	* FirstPersonSmartass: Gordon's consciousness works this way.
89	* ForWantOfANail: [[spoiler:Holnists under General Macklin would probably have a field day in the Willamette Valley, if not for the fact Gordon organized communication and cooperation of local settlements under the ''de facto'' leadership of Servants of the Cyclops and convincing George Powhatan along with his hardened community to join the fight.]] Should they have gone in just a few months earlier, they would have easily won.
90	* FromNobodyToNightmare: Roger Septien, one of the robbers at the beginning, introduces himself as a former stockbroker. Later on, Colonel Bezoar says he was once a lawyer and Republican county commissioner.
91	* GoneHorriblyRight: Government research before the Doomwar used cybernetic enhancements to create SuperSoldier forces ... [[IdiotBall without considering the psychological effects this would have on aggressive personalities.]] This research into 'augments' was soon cancelled, and most of the soldiers involved were BroughtDownToNormal before the Doomwar. [[spoiler:A second program, with a little more thought put into it, followed.]]
92	* GoodColorsEvilColors: True-blue postal carriers vs. camouflaged Holnists.
93	* GoodIsNotSoft: Given the nature of the setting itself, it's a given.
94	** People from the Willamette Valley are decent and good folks, but they live in a violent world and will not hesitate to use lethal force the second they realize it's necessary.
95	** Gordon himself. The very first chapter of the book opens with portraying him as nice and civil guy who just tries to survive. Which in the given situation means preparing to shoot in cold blood four robbers who just have stolen most of his belongings.
96	* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy:
97	** ...And lazy, as invoked by Gordon as he easily approaches Oakridge and bypasses its guards right until he reaches the main gate.
98	** Subverted later on, when [[spoiler:the Holnists capture him for the second time. He manages to climb onto [[UnwillingSuspension a beam his hands were tied to]]]], but the first thing Colonel Bezoar does when he realizes Gordon is missing is look up. Gordon expects this, however, and drops on him as soon as he does.
99	* HalfwayPlotSwitch: From a loner faking a postal system to [[spoiler:a war involving superhuman experiments]]!
100	* HelpfulHallucination: Although they can't take direct action, all Gordon's "ghosts" -- [[spoiler:Cyclops, Johnny Stevens, the Army Scouts, dream-Creator/BenjaminFranklin and his chess-playing stove, the original postman, etc.]] -- appear to encourage him toward the end.
101	* TheHerosJourney: The book uses this plot structure to great effect in a post-apocalyptic setting.
102	* HeroicNeutral: George Powhatan feels he's done his share of fighting before, and it's up to Gordon to persuade him to take on the Holnists.
103	* HonorAmongThieves:
104	** As one of the general rules, Holnists do not take retribution for killed comrades - by their philosophy, if you managed to kill one of them, you are a WorthyOpponent. Gordon is also promised he will get a "worthy" death as a result (i.e. probably shooting instead of crucifixion).
105	** People tend to share their loot if they find it together ... sometimes. Otherwise they might [[NoHonorAmongThieves as well kill you for it]].
106	* HopeBringer: The Postman himself.
107	* HopeSproutsEternal:
108	** The seasons in which the action takes place [[RuleOfSymbolism are related to this trope]]. In the first section, it's autumn, where everything is dying. Then the action fast-forwards to early spring, when Gordon starts setting up his Postal Service and things are going smooth. Then the Holnists show up -- right when autumn is about to start. The war against them takes place mostly in the winter, when nature is dead and animals struggle to survive. In the end, when [[spoiler:the Holnists are defeated and Gordon heads toward California]], it's the beautiful spring of 2012.
109	** Gordon's dream in the USPS jeep, about a [[{{Eagleland}} giant]] [[ThePhoenix bird]] building itself a pyre and burning on it, after which the surrounding plants starts to sprout new leaves.
110	* TheHorde: Both the Holnists and the [[EvilLuddite anti-tech mob]]. At least the latter are a thing of the past.
111	* IgnorantOfTheCall: Played with. Throughout the book Gordon is desperately looking for some strong figure to follow and help make things better, but when he starts his little postal scam, he's completely ignorant of the impact he has as exactly the type of person he was searching for. It completely freaks him out when things go way out of his control and just keep snowballing further, forcing him to play the role of heroic figure and then slowly [[BecomingTheMask becoming one for real]].
112	* InLoveWithTheMark: {{Discussed\|Trope}}. It's speculated that this could be the reason why [[spoiler:Dena and the Scouts']] plan to infiltrate the Holnists failed.
113	* InstantAIJustAddWater: Averted. The pre-war [=AI=] computers were a step between supercomputers and true [=AI=], built on specially designed processors and components. Only by running sufficiently long could they go beyond answering questions and solving equations to achieve true sentience. [[spoiler:Which makes Cyclops' death even more shattering.]]
114	* InverseLawOfUtilityAndLethality: Gordon is a former sophomore of some sociology-themed major who was attending acting group in spare time back then... which helps him all the time in the postwar world.
115	* IronicName: The Holnists' call their domain "the Free Realm", with their military being the "American Liberation Army". They're a slave society and seek to conquer everyone else around them. No doubt they would not view this as ironic, however -- rather as the [[MightMakesRight freedom of the strong]] to crush or rule the weak, [[AboveGoodAndEvil without restraints]].
116	* {{Irony}}: After impressing inhabitants of Pine View, Gordon is hoping to stay there for a while or even settle with them, which he really wants to do. Instead, they decide to encourage him to journey further, so his grand plan is destroyed. The whole situation keeps on repeating itself each time he reaches new place suitable for settling down in his postal attire -- the only one he owns. He keeps thinking about this even when the lie about the Restored United States snowballs into near-reality level.
117	* IWantMyJetPack: In the book's timeline, humanity managed to build computers capable of reaching true AI, introduced ''two'' generations of cyborgs and were able to deploy military-grade laser weapon systems. All by the mid-'90s.
118	* JustFollowingOrders: Inverted. Gordon is devastated, because he ''doesn't'' issue any orders for his men to follow -- they choose by themselves to conduct many barbaric acts to blame Holnists for them later.
119	* KeystoneArmy: Given how Holnists' ranks work, [[spoiler:[[DecapitatedArmy killing all their high command in the last chapter]]]] inevitably leads to their demise as an organized force. Without that unity they not only become easier targets, but it's also heavily implied [[EnemyCivilWar they start fighting each other for command]], every gorilla for himself.
120	* KnightInSourArmor: Both Gordon and George Powhatan, who are so sour that it gives them wrinkles. The overarching motive in the story is their realization that the lofty ideas of the pre-war world are all that's left worth living and standing for.
121	* KnowWhenToFoldEm: The main reason Gordon managed to exceed the current life expectancy of thirty years old.
122	* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:Roger Septien, the robber from the very first pages of the book, is eventually killed by Johnny when he and Gordon are escaping Holnist [=HQ=]]], as he is unlucky enough to stand guard in a vital spot.
123	* LifeWillKillYou: It's never clearly stated, but apparently a sizable chunk of [[spoiler:the militia unit Gordon was serving in]] died from malnutrition and dental infections caused by low hygiene. In fact, the death toll from those was bigger than from attacks they repelled.
124	* MadeASlave: Anyone captured alive by Holnists. This also includes {{sex slave}}s.
125	* MagneticHero: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with.]] It's not Gordon personally, but rather him as an ''idea'' of a person catching attention and gaining support from all the local communities.
126	* {{Matriarchy}}: And a noble one -- Pine View is guided by elderly Mrs. Thompson. The first chapter is much more prone to use tribalistic references and thus even narration calls her a matriarch a few times.
127	* MedalOfDishonor: Johnny is very thankful for Gordon's sharp mind and that little whistle ... while Gordon was busy contemplating abandoning the whole unit and wasted a lot of time on thinking about it instead of acting and thus providing some real advantage.
128	* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: The two slaves that [[spoiler:release Gordon and Johnny and help them escape]].
129	* MundaneLuxury: You know how bad the situation is when a handful of wild berries and a few short gulps of whiskey are considered a celebration-worthy delicacy.
130	* MutualMasquerade: Gordon with his Restored Postal Service (and RUSA behind it) meets [[spoiler: Servants of the Cyclops, who run their own BenevolentConspiracy]]. Gordon manages to figure out their con, but never reveals it, fully understanding how [[HopeBringer important it is]]. His own postal con is never exposed, while also [[FakeRealTurn becoming very real]], making its made-up origin a moot point anyway. Both of those conspiracies share the same goal: to bring back law and order and rebuild at least a semblance of the pre-war world.
131	* NoodleIncident: The events before and right after the Doomwar are a long series of them. Things like "Slavic Resurgence", "Cuban problem", "Kenyan front", "Slavic-Turkic War" or "One-Week War" are only mentioned and never truly discussed. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Because the past is not important — the present and future are.]]
132	* NormalFishInATinyPond: After spending the last fifteen years on wandering through the wasteland, Gordon is ''still'' an easy target for bandits, but when compared to most inhabitants of the Willamette Valley he is an extremely experienced scavenger and scout, able to find holes in local defenses on the fly or picking off small squads of Holnists one by one.
133	* NostalgiaFilter: Often invoked by different characters toward the pre-war world. People tend to sing commercial jingles just to recall good old times. Also part of what makes Gordon's {{masquerade}} so effective: of all the hallmarks of civilization before the collapse, the accessibility of the postal service and the positive connotations it held make it a symbol that survivors latched onto immediately. One survivor fondly reminisces on how her father would leave out a glass of whiskey for the mail carrier every Christmas, and other people from Pine View quickly start adding their cute little memories related to the postal service.
134	* OfficerAndAGentleman: {{Deconstructed\|Trope}}. Being the most civic person in the whole Willamette Army and ''de facto'' commanding officer of it, Gordon is struggling under this role. He openly admits there are better candidates to lead men. And he realizes how bad it is to be a gentle philosopher during the war with the worst kind of dishonorable, brutal scums he could stumble upon, but must maintain the strong-willed façade for the sake of morale.
135	* OneHitKill: {{Justified\|Trope}}, since [[spoiler:Gordon punches Bezoar's jaw]] into his brain. And almost breaks his hand by doing it improperly.
136	* OneManArmy: Augments both in their backstory and in-story serve this role quite literally, coming out victorious and barely scratched when facing improbable odds. Also, George Powhatan's achievements are ShroudedInMyth, just like he is as a person.
137	* OnlyOneName: It's very easy to miss the fact that Gordon's surname is Krantz. Outside of Pine View, barely anyone addresses him with it.
138	* PaperThinDisguise: But it works, since Gordon is the only person aware of how he got himself the postman uniform. It's also reasonably downplayed early on, before the whole thing snowballed into becoming self-sustaining. Aside from the uniform, Gordon also forges a few documents and has to rely on mail brought from Pine View to gain any real credibility -- the uniform is only a sweetener to the hard evidence.
139	* ParanoiaGambit: The jar of preserved peaches. Gordon finds them and they appear to be perfectly fine, if few years old preserves. But the basement he's in was thoroughly looted and has signs of people searching through every nook and cranny, yet the jar was left behind by God knows how many other scavengers. In the end, he leaves the peaches behind, not willing to risk finding out why they were left.
140	* PrecisionFStrike: As Gordon is about to [[spoiler:[[RefusalOfTheCall leave Corvallis]]]]:
141	-->"Survivalists!"
142	-->He had one word to offer in reply.
143	-->"Shit."
144	* ProperlyParanoid: Gordon blesses his paranoia in the beginning, which prevents the thieves from getting his gun at least.
145	* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Holnists, who base a person's worth on his (emphasis on ''his'') strength. This leads them to be a cult of hyperviolent, Social Darwinist lunatics who kill without hesitation and enslave anyone weaker than them. It's also implied that they and their kind are the reason why civilization ultimately collapsed, having gunned down any attempt at reconstruction they came across.
146	* RealMenWearPink: The original postman was wearing a colorful paisley shirt under his jacket. He was shot while trying to deliver crucial mail through bandit-infested territory and still had enough resolve to hide his jeep and the correspondence. This becomes handy for Gordon when he finds the body years later -- the uniform's shirt was left in mint condition and still well-ironed, waiting in the bag on the passenger seat.
147	* RefusalOfTheCall: George Powhatan. [[spoiler:Well, he tried.]]
148	* ResignedToTheCall[=/=]TenMinuteRetirement: [[spoiler:See RefusalOfTheCall. Poor George.]]
149	* TheReveal:
150	** [[spoiler:Cyclops is dead.]]
151	** Towards the end of the book, the Postman discovers why the Holnists have been pushing so hard into Oregon. [[spoiler:They are retreating from an army in the Republic of California.]]
152	* RevolversAreJustBetter: Gordon's most trusted companion and precious possession is a snub nose .38 revolver.
153	* RuleOfThree: Gordon got three letters for Oakridge. You can guess which one opened the gates to the village to him.
154	* ScavengerWorld: To the point where only bare essentials are scavenged and anything more complex is left behind.
155	* SchmuckBait: Only that [[GenreSavvy Gordon is not baiting]]. After being robbed ''again'', he is hiding in the attic and the looters know he's somewhere in the vicinity.
156	-->"Sure was nice of that fellow, findin' this for us. Wish we could thank him. Ought to get to know him so we don't shoot first if we ever see him again."
157	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Gordon is [[WhatYouAreInTheDark tempted twice]] to just run away and leave the Willamette Valley to burn:
158	** After figuring out that [[spoiler:Cyclops is just a well-meaning scam used to uphold some remnants of unity and civilization, he is ready to ride away, especially after learning about an advancing Holnist ''army''. But then he clenches his teeth, turns back his horse and [[WeHelpTheHelpless takes command over panicked civilians]] as "the legal representative of the Restored United States, with authority over Northern Oregon and Washington State"]].
159	** Later, when [[spoiler:the war is getting really bad, he again contemplates ditching the Willamette Valley, especially since he knows Holnists are already encircling his sleeping camp. Instead, he pulls out [[ChekhovsGun his whistle]] and wakes up everyone, organizing fierce defense]].
160	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: The Holnists' justifications for their brutal ideology as superior to the decrepit civilization they're replacing are only made possible by their own efforts at tearing apart any effort they can find to rebuild some semblance of order.
161	* SerialNovel: The first part of the book was originally published as a short story and later the second one was written as continuation in the same format. The final part was added after Creator/DavidBrin decided to turn it into a full-fledged book. It ''shows''. The first part is written in a completely different style and with vocabulary aiming to point how primitive the world is. The first two parts of the book fit as clearly standalone stories. The final part is obviously [[ArcWelding aiming to sew everything together]] into much tighter structure.
162	* SexyDiscretionShot: Right before Gordon and Abby are about to get busy, the chapter ends. The next one starts after their last encounter. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools It works]], [[ChosenConceptionPartner given the nature of their deal.]]
163	* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids:
164	** Gordon really ''tries'' to believe that cynicism is an answer, treating idealism as a luxury he can't afford. Yet he's genuinely a good person who keeps on doing the right things and eventually proves himself that idealism is all what's left to firmly believe in.
165	** Holnists' ideology runs on this trope taken up to eleven.
166	* ShamingTheMob: After being finally invited to Powhatan's Sugarloaf Mountain fortress, Gordon quickly realizes lies about the Restored United States won't work here. Instead he [[ThrowingOutTheScript ditches all the speeches prepared in advance]] and calls everyone there out [[ApatheticCitizens on their indifference and lack of action]], when they have all the means and skills needed for the fight against Holnists and how things will turn out if they won't help their neighbors. [[SubvertedTrope It still doesn't work.]]
167	* SherlockScan: How Gordon deduced that [[spoiler:Cyclops is dead and the whole thing is just a masquerade]] -- he tied together numerous, disconnected clues and then confronted people with his theory.
168	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Despite all the horrible things that happen, the message of the book is hopeful.
169	* SmugSnake: General Macklin truly thinks of himself as superior to everyone around and acts accordingly. Not to mention his suicidal level of overconfidence thanks to his cybernetic implants.
170	* SnowMeansDeath: The third segment starts this way, with bodies of the fallen being buried by the snow.
171	* SnowballLie: In the process of covering his ass, the Postman accidentally invents a "Restored United States." The myth becomes so widespread that even the Holnists can't stomp it out [[spoiler:and eventually leads to the RUSA being very much real]].
172	* TheSocialDarwinist: Holnists, who firmly believe that the strong should rule the weak, the only possible law is the law of the jungle and idealistic principles are only good for retarded and kids.
173	* SoMuchForStealth: When approaching [[spoiler:what he thinks is]] a bandit hideout, Gordon is trying to do it as silently as possible, looking for each of his steps. The moment he turns his gaze from the ground, he instantly steps on a dry twig. [[SelfFulfillingProphecy Right after lampshading this very trope.]]
174	* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil: First robbers, then [[EvilArmy Holnists]], then [[{{Cyborg}} augments]].
175	* SpannerInTheWorks: Gordon with his SnowballLie shows up mere months before [[spoiler:Holnist evacuation into Oregon. This means they encounter organised and fierce resistance of the entire region, rather than just picking settlements one by one like they're used to]].
176	* StillWearingTheOldColors: Inverted. Inhabitants of Pine View assume this upon meeting Gordon, while he himself never was a postman to begin with and simply looted the uniform from a dead body to prevent hypothermia. Later the uniform is treated as a sign of re-emerging order when he starts his "Postal Inspector" act.
177	* StrawFeminist: The title character is caught between the Scouts and the Holnists ([[ProudWarriorRaceGuy straw masculists]]). The Scouts come off better, but they're still slightly crazy. The main difference between the Scouts and most examples on this page is that they are roughly egalitarian feminists who (1) know of the progress made towards gender equality in the USA during the 20th century and (2) recognize that in the post-apocalyptic present all those achievements are being eroded. Furthermore, they realize that within a generation or two women could be in the same situation they were two centuries ago, or if the Holnists win, far, far worse. They are determined to avoid this possibility. The "slightly crazy" part is because they're long on ideology and commitment but short on practical solutions. Although they earnestly try to train and prepare for the coming conflict, battle between the Scouts (in their current form) and the Holnists would be a lot like an armed hiking club trying to repel a Cossack raid. [[spoiler:Perhaps unsurprisingly, their plot against the Holnists fails.]] Importantly, Scouts, unlike Holnists, are not only aware they have SmallReferencePools for their ideology, which obviously leads to various misinterpretations, but are doing their best to keep the more extreme stances and ideas under the rug, while Holnists dive headfirst into their extremism.
178	* SuperSoldiers: The Augments, who were chosen for their violent tendencies, modified [[BodyHorror freakishly]], and deployed several times before the government wised up to what that sort of soldier does during peacetime. Post-Doomwar, they hold the top positions among the villainous Holnists. [[spoiler:George Powhatan is a second-generation augment, chosen because he is an ActualPacifist and forcibly transformed with more subtle implants focusing on [[MasterOfYourDomain biofeedback]].]]
179	* SureLetsGoWithThat: A few times Gordon decides to just roll with wild assumptions made by people from visited settlements. He even carefully incorporated some of those into his own grand lie about the Restored United States.
180	* SurvivorGuilt: Gordon doesn't feel too good about the fact that [[spoiler:all his fellow militiamen are dead]]. It's more than a decade and he still labors under the burden of being the last man standing.
181	* TakeThatAudience: There are countless jabs throughout the story towards all sort of prepper types that might read the book simply because it's set AfterTheEnd. Even with Holnists removed from the equation, the sole notion of the glorified "self-sustaining survivor" is shred to pieces. Rather than focusing on the [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality self-righteous hero]], the story instead points out what happens if two (or more) such types end up in a single area and [[PersonOfMassDestruction how much havoc they will cause to people around them]]. By the start of the book, the vast majority of those types managed to kill each other dead ''over a decade'' ago, in the process squandering a huge amount of vital supplies and dragging the whole civilization down to "protect" their lifestyle.
182	* TakingYouWithMe:
183	** When tracking the muggers in the first chapter, Gordon notes that he will most likely die in the process ... but at least the surrounding area will be a bit more safe for future travelers.
184	** [[spoiler:The general fighting style of the Willamette Army is described by their utmost defiance. Even when on the losing end -- which is their usual situation -- they always make sure to kill as many Holnists as possible.]]
185	* TapOnTheHead: [[spoiler:One of the augments knocks Gordon out after finally finding out who is commanding the defenses.]] He only fully recovers from it a few days later, being barely conscious for that time.
186	* TaughtByExperience: The Willamette Army is trained this way. And by experience we mean being slaughtered each time they engage Holnists.
187	* TechnicalPacifist: George Powhatan, a man who is a living legend from his fights against Holnists, yet is very reluctant to enter any conflict. Gordon himself usually is stopped by his "old-fashioned scruples".
188	* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: Villainous example.
189	-->'''Charles Bezoar:''' That's ''[[BerserkButton Colonel]]'' Bezoar.
190	* TrainingThePeacefulVillagers: When things turn bad, Gordon has to train a [[RagTagBunchOfMisfits bunch of civilians, farmers and teenagers]] into a force capable of fighting or at least putting up organized resistance against [[EvilArmy the Holnist]] [[BadassArmy Army]].
191	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The setting was this from the mid-1980s perspective. Now it's a full-blown AlternateHistory.
192	* UnspecifiedApocalypse: The details are intentionally kept vague, but it's relatively easy to figure out that whatever the Doomwar was about, it ended up with limited nuclear exchange, combined with high-altitude detonations (thus EMP) and biological agents were also used. However, ''neither'' of those knocked the government or civilisation as such down. Instead it was result of the various mobs that formed in the aftermath of war, some of which actively and deliberately gunned down and destroyed any efforts at reconstruction they came across, further combined with indifference of people not affected directly. The letters Gordon finds in the van clearly indicate that things were struggling, but somewhat still normal ''three years'' after the Doomwar and he was himself a guardsman in the National Guard some two years after the war. All this uncertainty is used as a plot-point, since in the end, it doesn't really matter and people have to come to terms with it if they didn't already.
193	* UnstoppableMailman: The title character.
194	* UnwillingSuspension: When [[spoiler:Holnists capture Gordon for the second time]], his hands are tied over his head to the beam and he is suspended ''just'' above the ground.
195	* UtilityBelt: DownplayedTrope. Gordon's military belt holds his most important belongings: canteen, Swiss army knife, tube of iodine, compass... but also a holster with his gun and bullets.
196	* VictoryByEndurance: Discussed and invoked. General Macklin explains to Gordon how his minor setbacks are meaningless in the long run, simply because he has ideological superiority over "cowards" -- the Holnists can simply wait out for [[WeAreStrugglingTogether the local alliances to collapse over time]] when they will no longer be under pressure of direct threat, only for the Holnists to return then to mop up the survivors one by one. All while the teachings of Nathan Holn are ''very'' tempting to ambitious, strong and brave individuals, further eroding ranks of the "sheep". [[spoiler:But it's the Willamette Valley that comes out victorious this way, simply by resisting the Holnists for long enough to finally convince [[SummonBiggerFish George Powhatan to join their fight.]] A few weeks later, the Holnists are a DecapitatedArmy on retreat and busy fighting each other for the leadership, while the Oregon region emerges as a unified territory with a strong government.]]
197	* WackyWaysideTribe: Gordon recalls all the small communities he had visited in his years of wandering -- quite brutal and closed to outsiders, unless [[ARealManIsAKiller equally brutal acts were committed to gain entry]].
198	* WalkingTheEarth: What Gordon is doing since [[spoiler:his squad of militiamen was wiped out]].
199	* WasntThatFun: According to Johnny, he had a great time while [[spoiler:escaping from the Holnists' [=HQ=]]].
200	* WastelandElder:
201	** Mrs. Thompson, the elderly matriarch guiding Pine View's community.
202	** The inner ring of [[spoiler: Servants of the Cyclops]] are all elderly professors and post-grads, who run the whole show.
203	* WastelandWarlord: The Holnists in general, but General Macklin in particular. His goal is to secure as much ground and assets as possible to maintain his power and also disrupt as much as he can the new reconstruction effort in Oregon. All to [[spoiler: prevent a repeat of the situation in California, where the local communities established the Republic of California and soundly trashed Macklin's American Liberation Army]].
204	* WeCanRuleTogether: Macklin makes an offer like this to Gordon when he's his prisoner. He recognizes that Gordon is a {{worthy opponent}} of the Holnists, and says he'd be made a baron. Knowing Gordon's principles, he even says that he'd be allowed to treat his serfs compassionately if that's his wish. Gordon flatly rejects this, however.
205	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Subverted. Remember those robbers from the first chapter and who Gordon apparently left alone? [[spoiler:They manage to bite his ass ''twice'', when their leader returns in the third part of the book, as a freshly recruited Holnist, along with Gordon's diary, the only existing proof that there is no such thing as the Restored United States. General Macklin couldn't be happier about all this.]]
206	* WhatHaveIBecome: The Chairman of Public Safety from Curtin, after realizing how barbaric life has become. Bonus points for being a former member of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_for_the_Prevention_of_Cruelty_to_Animals ASPCA]], now organizing dog fights. [[ManlyTears He starts to weep over this.]]
207	* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: The brutal survivalists/Holnists are led by General Macklin and his aides, who were [[spoiler:pre-war experiments on creating soldiers with superhuman strength and speed]]. The government chose the most ruthless, intelligent, and efficient killers in its military, with foreseeable results when the US itself turned into an anarchistic warzone. Macklin is finally killed by [[spoiler:George Powhatan, a later experiment of the same ilk, though with a nature loving Neo-Hippie as subject]].
208	* WithThisHerring: Gordon starts the book with his UtilityBelt, in torn clothes and a lame excuse for shoes.
209	* WorldWarIII: The Doomwar, which apparently started when the Cold War escalated into actual conflict.
210	* WorthlessYellowRocks: After finding a secret stash in a physician's house, Gordon is praying for it not to be "gold or other useless crap".
211	* WorthyOpponent:
212	** One of the main points of Holnist philosophy is high regard toward people who managed to beat them, but that doesn't mean any quarter in case of being encountered in the future:
213	** To his own surprise, Gordon is praised for his killing of two Holnists who he encountered in the library. Despite Holnist ideology being sexist, Macklin also praises the female Army Scouts for their plot against the Holnists too.
214	** His second-in-command, a former Marine, is equally praised by Macklin for being capable of defeating his [[TheDragon Dragons]].
215	* WriterOnBoard: But a [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools really good one]]. Brin makes a good cause for his agenda: society can only work when people within it are willing to cooperate and look past their own personal gains, focusing on the broader picture instead, as this will benefit them anyway. The sum can be much greater than its parts, making all those individuals who feel powerless stronger as a group.
216	* YouCannotKillAnIdea: As it turns out, the memory and ideals of the United States prove so resilient that not even the apocalypse can really squash them out. [[spoiler:Eventually, these become all too real.]]
217	* ZergRush: The only time the Willamette Army scores any victories are all-around assaults on isolated Holnist positions. They might be thorough, experienced, and ruthless survivalists, but it's not of much use while being simply overrun.

Context Literature / ThePostman