Science Fiction Literature

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Science Fiction Literature

• Its not just spaceships
• and little green men!

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What does Science Fiction mean?

• The term Science Fiction is sort of an
  oxymoron, a term that contradicts itself
• Science means that which is true and provable.
• Fiction means that which is fabricated or
  false.
• The truth is, both are true for Science Fiction,
  which must contain scientific principles and the
  fictional treatment of its use.

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Working Definition

• Science Fiction shows POSSIBLE futures based on
  real life science, so we might use this
  definition
• The exploration of alternate realities taken from
  present day events.

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• Reality Science Fiction
• Exaggerated
• Present Day Issue Version of that
  Issue

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History of Science Fiction

• Hints of SciFi started earlier than you think!
• In Gullivers Travels (1726), a flying island is
  used by its rulers to literally crush the
  islands foes.
• In Micromegas (1732), two giants from other
  planets (the first aliens!) visit the earth and
  mock its human occupants.
• But we dont call these works SciFi

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The First and The Best?

• Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (1818) is considered
  the first SciFi novel (though it was considered
  horror literature at the time).
• In it, a doctor creates a living man out of spare
  parts, using somewhat believable anatomy
  principles.

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And then came the masters

• Jules Verne
• Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
• Around the World in 80 Days (1873)

• H.G. Wells
• The Time Machine (1895)
• The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896)
• The Invisible Man (1897)
• War of the Worlds (1898)

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Its All in the Timing

• Youll perhaps notice that the works of these two
  authors having to do with SciFi were published
  right around the time of the Industrial
  Revolution.
• Why do you think that was?

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Sub-Genres

• As you might now be able to guess, SciFi isnt
  always about spaceships and aliens. In fact, it
  rarely is.
• Though there are about 50 sub-genres of SciFi, 10
  sub-genres are seen most often.

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Sub-Genre Hard Science Fiction

• Stories feature believable scientists or
  scientific investigations.
• The science must be VITAL to the story and
  plausible given todays science.

About the difficulties of adapting to humans To
life on foreign planets
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Soft Science Fiction

• These stories are more about the psychological
  and social sciences (anthropology, sociology,
  psychology, political science ), rather than
  about the hard sciences (for example, physics,
  astronomy, or chemistry).
• Relationships, more than science, are the focus
  of the action.

Talking animals present an allegory about class
warfare.
12
Alternate History

• These stories show history as we know it
  radically changed, such as Einstein never
  unlocking the power of atomic energy or Germany
  winning World War II.
• Society is altered because of these key changes.

What if America had been an Axis power in World
War II?
13
Cyberpunk

• These stories are set in a computer-dominated
  society, usually in the near future.
• The punk is usually a character rebelling
  against the computer domination, often working
  underground.

a washed-up computer hacker hired by a
mysterious employer to work on the ultimate
hack.
14
Utopian Fiction

• In these stories, all of societys ills have been
  solved and people live near-perfect existences.
• This is distinct from DYSTOPIAN literature in
  that the controlled society is working in a
  positive way.

A look into Americas future pollution,
homophobia, racism, and imperialism no longer
exist.
15
Dystopian Fiction

• Like UTOPIAN fiction, society is controlled and
  effort at perfection is attempted.
• HOWEVER, the result is distinctly negative, often
  in the form of lost freedoms and immoral leaders.

Pain and suffering are almost completely
absent, but so are free choice and emotional
maturity.
16
Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic

• Stories are concerned with the end of
  civilization through nuclear war, plague, or some
  other general disaster.

The 19-day release and spread of a biological
weapon leads to the struggle among a key few
survivors.
17
Steampunk

• These stories are usually set in the time of
  steam-power prominence.
• Society is changed radically by the advent of
  modern inventions.
• Like Cyberpunk, there are often rebellious
  characters.

Set in 1832, it suggests a massive change to
society brought on by a steam-powered computer.
18
Fantastic Voyage

• The hero is on a journey of discovery,
  encountering foreign creatures, strange
  inhabitants, and amazing sights.

So thats what my colon looks like!
19
Space Opera

• As opposed to Hard Science Fiction, the stories
  focus on romantic, often melodramatic, adventure.
• The setting is almost exclusively space.
• The conflicts are often between two powerful
  individuals with competing aims.

The beautiful vixen battles the evil aliens,
refusing the love of their king.
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Themes

• There are about five major themes that recur
  throughout Science Fiction novels.
• These themes tend to have little to do with space
  and are instead about how events affect the human
  experience (remember that SciFi events are
  exaggerations of modern day issues).

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Theme 1 Unexplained Phenomena

• Stories featuring UFOs, pyramid power, paranormal
  abilities, ESP, and other psychic possibilities
  are really about how humans are affected by these
  possibilities.
• How does man adapt to the unknown and/or the
  unexplainable.

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Theme 2 Self-Knowledge

• SciFi stories frequently focus less on the
  science and more on our ability to know and
  accept our humanity with all of our weakness and
  error.
• This theme is found in stories dealing with the
  challenging of gender identities or other
  preconceived notions.

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Theme 3 Individual vs. Society

• Society has guidelines for acceptable living, but
  the story poses situations where rules dont
  cover or dont apply.
• The strong individual arises to accomplish a
  daring feat that may require breaking the rules.
• From this, the hero and the reader understand the
  complexity and inadequacy of societys
  restraints.

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Theme 4 People in Time or Space

• Humans travel through space and/or through time,
  encountering the unknown.
• The theme revolves around how humans are able to
  react to unfamiliar surroundings will it be
  with fear or understanding?

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Theme 5 Humans and Technology

• Stories revolve around how humans interact with
  computers, nanotechnology, bioengineering,
  virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and
  other aspects of a technology-driven society.
• The question of what makes us human is answered
  when human is contrasted with technology.