Introduction to Science Fiction

 A genre of fiction in which the stories often tell about the science and technology of the future.  It evolved as a response to fantasy.

Theodore Sturgeon, author: "A good science-fiction story is a story about human beings, with a human problem, and a human solution, which would not have happened at all without its science content."

Robert A. Heinlein, author: Science fiction is "realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method"

The Age of Wells and Burroughs ( ) Herbert George Wells – The Time Machine Edgar Rice Burroughs – A Princess of Mars

The first true science fiction novel was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  In mood the novel is a tale of terror, in plot a laboratory experiment gone awry.

 Frankenstein was the first novel in English to deal with the possibility that science will create a monster that can destroy science, and possibly mankind.  Mary Shelley did not wish the story to be considered "supernatural." She made the main character a scientist and his scientific efforts a focal point of the reader's attention.

 Remember: Writers take scientific possibilities and develop them step- by-step from known data to form a story.

 Extrapolation is when a writer takes a known scientific fact and imagines what might happen if certain events or circumstances evolve. ie: Man can build space shuttles. Man can travel to faraway planets.

In Science Fiction, there needs to be some possibility that the events could possibly happen. In Fantasy, the author can use far- fetched assumptions. ie; unicorns, three-legged creatures etc.

 A Handbook to Literature defines science fiction as: "A form of fantasy in which scientific facts, assumptions, or hypotheses form the basis, by logical extrapolation, of adventures in the future, on other planets, in other dimensions in time, or under new variants of scientific law" (Holman).

The same Handbook defines fantasy as "a work which takes place in a nonexistent and unreal world, such as fairyland, or concerns incredible and unreal characters... or employs physical and scientific principles not yet discovered or contrary to present experience as in science fiction and utopian fiction" (Holman).

 Space travel to and from other planets or Alternate Universe  Time travel to the past and future

 Supernormal powers/talents

 Psychological/biological changes to man brought about by scientific changes

 Science applied to human relations for constructive or destructive purposes

 Battle with alien life forms

Examples of Story Ideas:  The Last Man/Woman on Earth  The Robot  The First Landing Story  Time Travel  The Alternate World  The Lost Civilization

 The Alien Encounter  The Colonization of a New Planet  The End of the World  The Long Spaceship Voyage  The Computer  From the point of view of an alien

What are some famous science fiction movies in this decade?

 Entertaining  Makes the audience wonder “What If?”  Encourages creativity in writing and role- playing  Introduces students to a new literary genre  Teaches lessons about the value and dangers of advanced technology  Enhances imagination