The World of Science Fiction

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The World of Science Fiction

• Most science fiction comments on present-day
  society through the writers fictional conception
  of a future society.

• Science fiction is prose writing that presents
  the possibilities of the future, using known
  scientific data and theories as well as the
  creative imagination.

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Science Fiction is a kind of time machine that
transports readers to the future.
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SCIENCE FICTION
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THE FUTURE
All science fiction stories look into the future.
Even a story about traveling to the past will be
set in a future when time machines exist. During
periods of great change, people want to know
about the future. Partly this is a matter of
curiosity, but also its because people want to
be able to prepare for whats ahead. Sometimes
writers predict a scary or unhappy future as a
warning. One example most of you are familiar
with is Jurassic Park, which warns of the dangers
of uncontrolled genetic experimentation.
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CHARACTERS

• Characters are as important to science fiction as
  to any other kind of writing. Although science
  fiction stories often feature ordinary human
  beings in the central roles, exotic characters
  such as robots, extraterrestrials, and genetic
  mutants may also be encountered. Some of the
  most memorable characters of all time--for
  example, E.T. and Godzilla--came to life in
  science fiction stories. Briefly, lets look at
  some character types.

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Character Types
Nearly all fictional literature , regardless of
the genre will feature characters. These are a
few character types found in most literature.
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SELF-REFLECTION
Although often filled with strange characters and
bizarre happenings, science fiction stories
usually shed a light on ordinary human nature.
Enduring examples of science fiction help us to
better understand the psychological processes
involved as intelligent beings face change,
challenges, moral decisions, and even tragedy.
So, for example, in the original Star Wars movie,
Luke Skywalker discovers that self-reliance, and
not high tech gadgetry, is the key to winning the
war against the most powerful forces of evil.
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Lets take a quick look at several pieces of
science fiction literature including some pieces
that you will be examining carefully throughout
this unit , to familiarize ourselves with the
concepts of science fiction genre.
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In 1865 French author Jules Verne (1828-1905)
published the first space novel, From the Earth
to the Moon. In this story, two Americans and a
Frenchman fly to the Moon in a huge bullet shot
from a cannon. After the novel was published,
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935), a Russion
research scientist in aeronautics and
astronautics and a pioneer in rocket and space
research, designed the first modern rockets of
the type that would eventually be used by
astronauts. Tsiolkovsky wrote that he became
interested in space travel after reading Vernes
science fiction novel.
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HG WELLS TIME MACHINE
novel The Time Machine in 1895. Wells suggested
that in addition to the three dimensions of
length, height, and width, there is a fourth
dimension of duration, or time. Wells speculated
that if a machine could be invented to move along
the fourth dimension, time travel would be
possible. Science fiction writers since Wells
time have continued to use time travel as a basis
for their adventures.
Time travel has been a popular idea in science
fiction ever since the British author H.G. Wells
wrote the short
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Science fiction can pose not only a possible
future, but also a possible past, based both on
known scientific data and the imaginings of the
writer. Science fiction often comments on the
authors contemporary society through the
historical, technological, and societal details
which the author presents.
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BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON
This is in your text and we will read . this for
class
A futuristic science fiction story, By the Waters
of Babylon, follows a young man named John as he
journeys to the ruins of a once great city, our
present-day New York City. The author of this
story, Stephen Vincent Benet chooses to tell his
story in fable using a journey motif. Benets
story is also apocalyptic, meaning it depicts a
society that had already destructed.
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Well have a copy of this story to read.
Nearly all science fiction stories leave the
reader with a ponderous question. The biggie
in this story isIf you receive an organ donation
will your new organ have the persona of the
donor? Scary stuff.
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Ray Bradburys A Sound of Thunder
This is a story that was written in 1946 but
takes place in the year 2005--which is not all
that far away!!
Bradburys story pursues a idea similar to the
Back to the Future movies. If one thing, no
matter how small, about the past were changed,
how might that change affect the future?
It involves the idea of time travel, and ,of
course, a change which does indeed affect the
main characters world when he returns to his
present day surroundings.
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SCIENCE FICTION

• SOOOOO, you say, what is the point of reading
  science fiction stories. Well, people are always
  interested in knowing whats going to happen
  tomorrow, either so they can be prepared for it
  or so they can try to keep it from happening.
  Reading science fiction stories is a way for you
  to immediately visit the future or visit parallel
  universes if thats your preference.

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Lets Get Started!
In addition, there are lots of really important
concepts of literature to be learned, and just to
make sure we satisfy all the Washington County
Board of Education requirementswe are going to
delve into the world of science fiction and, by
gosh, WE ARE GOING TO ENJOY IT!!! SOOOOO. . . .
Sit back and relax while I familiarize the class
with the expectations for this course of study!