This post discusses the qualities, impact, and importance of science fiction in the 21st century classroom. First, I provide four types of science fiction that can most easily adapt to lesson planning. Then, I give some background on science fiction in order to elucidate further what can be taught with these four types of science fiction. After that, I give qualities of each type of science fiction in order to teach and to have students analyze literature. And finally, I give some examples of employing technology integration that can easily extend learning for science fiction studies.
Discovering science fiction, types and qualities
Once written, a literary work becomes an artifact. Because the genre of science fiction has become popular and somewhat loosely defined in relatively recent times (as compared to epics, lyrical poetry, law, etc.), scholars are just now looking at science fiction works from the past with literary analysis, that is, within its historical context and as a piece of literature (Gill, 2013). Scholars have found it difficult to separate science fiction into its varying types since it is so expansive in and out of topic, time, and space (Gill, 2013). Gill (2013) suggests three types of classification: grouping by similarities; groups that have overlapping qualities; and choosing prototypes or exemplars to anchor a type within which all fall within a certain continuum of science fiction qualities. For the purposes of teaching secondary education, I have created four types of science fiction works:
• Mythological
• Philosophical
• Political
• Explorational (new word)
Science fiction pieces have overlapping features that can place them in more than one type; they also have similarities with exemplar works that locate them within each type. I have chosen these four types because they also connect to the way humans have communicated in the past, linking present students with the human heritage of literature. All cultures have mythologies that have similar, universal archetypes, making this an important type that cross-connects cultures. Another more universal type would be the philosophical type of science fiction, as writers have written, using philosophies both past and present. Then, there is the political type of science fiction which engages rhetoric in order to persuade audiences; this type is less universal and more regional, so the symbols used are easily misinterpreted or misrepresented. And finally, there is the explorational (new word for its transformative influence) type of science fiction. This type, perhaps more than the other three, gathers the available information on science and technology and integrates it into an imagined time and space, advancing scientific inquiry and/or technological creation. It can be either universal or regional based on the acceptance of advancement by a culture. As said before, a science fiction work can contain elements of all types, like orbiting different planets for a time, but each one generally gravitates to one or another, as its home world.
Here are a few of the definitions of science fiction from literary analysts and science fiction writers that I have used to formulate these types:
It is, after all, the fiction of ideas, the fiction where philosophy can be tinkered with, torn apart, and put back together again, it is the fiction of sociology and psychology and history compounded and squared by time. It is the fiction where you may set up and knock down your own political and religious and moral states. It can be a high form of Swiss watch-making. It can be poetry. It has resulted in some of the greatest writing in our past, from Plato and Lucian to Sir Thomas More and Francois Rabelais and on down through Jonathan Swift and Johannes Kepler to Poe and Edward Bellamy and George Orwell. . . .(Bradbury, 1953).
The “branch of literature which is concerned with the impact of scientific advances on human beings” (Asimov, 1953).
The “interaction between cognition and estrangement” (Suvin, 1972).
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 of time or space, or under new variants of scientific law (Harmon and Holman, 2006).
In other words, science fiction is not easily defined, first, because it encapsulates and extrapolates on a variety of topics, but also because it is a relatively new form of human expression that is read, heard, accepted, or viewed by a large population of people; you could say that it continues to evolve (Hall, 1999). Indeed, science fiction has probably been one of the most influential genres in modern times even though, or perhaps because, it has a comparatively short history compared to other types of storytelling.
A short history of science fiction
Most of the following examples of science fiction were re-created to be represented on film and/or television.
Books
Sir Thomas More’s Utopia (1516)
Cyrano de Bergerac’s The Other World: Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon (1657)
Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726)
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818): science pushes story to imagine further
Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
H.G. Wells’ Time Machine (1895)
Paul Scheerbart’s Lesabendio: An Asteroid Novel (1910)
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932)
George Orwell’s 1984 (1949)
Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, Galactic Empire, and Robot series; he started writing short stories in 1937; his novels began appearing in 1942; he also wrote science non-fiction books
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953)
Le Planete des singes (Planet of the Apes) by Pierre Boulle (1963)
Magazines and pulp fiction
Verne published his first story, “Five Weeks in a Balloon,” in 1863. Unfortunately, since English translators heavily edited Verne and categorized his works under children’s literature, it took some time before he was regarded for his literary talent in the English-speaking world. Thus, some 19th century magazines published some science fiction stories—most science fiction novelists usually wrote for magazines first—however, pulp fiction would be the primary source of science fiction publication.
A Princess of Mars (1917): Edgar Rice Burroughs
Amazing Stories (1926): Experimenter Publishing
Astounding Stories, Astounding Science Fiction (1930)
New Worlds (1936)
Galaxy Science Fiction (1950): World Editions, Italian
Film–where science fiction advancement meets technological advancement
Georges Melies: A Trip to the Moon (1902)
Irving Block and Allen Adler’s Forbidden Planet (1956), the soundtrack employs electronic music for the first time
Stanley Kubrick’s and Arthur C. Clarke’s A Space Odyssey, 2001 (1968)
Peter Benchley’s Jaws, directed by Spielberg (1975): filmmakers begins to integrate more special effects technology; Jaws makes 260 million, which is double that of any movie before; in other words, science fiction suddenly begins to draw larger audiences
George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977); creates new film technology in order to present his story with special effects; here story pushes technology to advance; Star Wars hits 775 million dollars
Steven Lisberger’s Tron (1982); new computer programs needed to be created in order to tell a story about computer programs
See also CGI (computer-generated imagery) Historical Timeline at http://design.osu.edu/carlson/history/timeline.html
Graphic novels (comic books)
Buck Rogers (1929): Phillip Francis Nowlan
Superman (1938, uses Christology): Created by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Batman (1939): Created by Bill Finger, Paul Dini, Bob Kane, Bruce Timm
Thor (1962, uses Norse mythology): Created by Larry Lieber, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Spider-Man (1962): Created by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
The Hulk (1962): Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Iron Man (1963): Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Don Heck
TV Shows
The Twilight Zone (1959): Created by Rod Serling
Doctor Who (1963): Created by Sydney Newman, C.E. Webber, Donald Wilson
Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek (1964)
Glen A. Larson’s Battlestar Galactica (1978, re-imagined 2003)
The X-Files (1993): Created by Chris Carter
Lost (2004): Created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof
Smallville (2001)
Under the Dome (2013): Created by Stephen King, Brian K. Vaughan
Gaming
Many video games have started franchises that also create books, music, film, and YouTube videos. I think it would be interesting to have students create a storyboard that does not involve first-person shooting since most of the main characters, not all, are in the first-person shooting position. I would also like to see if/how young women would contribute to the science fiction genre since there are clearly more male creators than female.
Astro Race (1973)
Atari’s Space Invaders, at the arcade (1978), released for home use (1980)
Atari’s Asteroids (1979)
Interplay Production’s Wasteland (1988), remade into Fallout series
Atari’s Alien vs. Predator (1994), based on films
Interplay Entertainment’s Fallout series (1997): Written by Scott Campbell, Brian Freyermuth, and Mark O’Green
Bungie’s Halo (2001): Written by Joseph Staten
Bioware’s Mass Effect series (2007): Written by Drew Karpshyn, Lukas Krotjanson, Christ L’Etoile, Mike Laidlow, Mac Walters, Patrick Weekes
Valve Corporation’s Portal series (2007): Written by Erik Wolpaw, Chet Falisek
Cryptic Studio’s Star Trek Online, STO (2010): Written by Marianne Krawczyk, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
Keen Software House’s Space Engineers (2013)
BioShock Infinite (2013): Written by Ken Levine, Drew Holmes, Joe Fielder, John Dombrow
Saints Row IV (2013): Written by Steve Jaros, Jason L. Blair, Jeff Bielanski
Watch Dogs (2014): Written by Kevin Shortt
For game ratings see http://www.esrb.org/index-js.jsp
Music
Composers write music for science fiction video games, movies, music videos, and songs. In the early 20th century, composers began experimenting with sounds in order to create a “new” sound. Stravinsky and Holst are just two of those who were successful with changing music, giving composers musical ideas that could be adapted to science fiction soundtracks. The Forbidden Planet (1956), as said above, was the first to use an electronically compiled musical composition, but composers would contribute different ideas, sometimes using electronic music, sometimes not.
Igor Stravinsky: Firebird Suite (1911)
Gustav Holst: The Planets (1913)
Jerry Goldsmith: The Twilight Zone (1950’s), Planet of the Apes (1968), Star Trek films
John Williams: Lost in Space (TV show, 1965-68)), Jaws (1975), Star Wars films (1975+), Superman (1979), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1989),
James Horner: Star Trek films, Cocoon (1985), Aliens (1986), The Rocketeer (1991), Bicentennial Man (1999), Avatar (2009), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Alan Silvestri: The Abyss (1989), Contact (1997), The Avengers (2012), also “Live to Rise” by Soundgarden (2012)
Rush: “2112” (1976)
Styx: “Mr. Roboto” (1983)
Huey Lewis and the News: “Back in Time” (1985)
Michael Jackson with Janet Jackson: “Scream” music video (1995)
Beastie Boys: “Intergalactic” (1998)
The Smashing Pumpkins: “Tonight, Tonight” music video (1996), “Rocket” music video (1993)
Muse: Black Holes and Revelations, album (2006)
Thomas Newman: WALL-E (2008)
Patrick Doyle: Thor (2011), also “Walk” by Foo Fighters (2011)
Daft Punk: Tron (2010)
See also http://sciencefiction.com/2013/12/25/science-fiction-inspired-music-videos/
The rest is history….OR what will you come up with next?
by Boris Vellejo
For more science fiction art, see http://webringjustice.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/boris-vallejo-space-art/
As you can see, story can inspire people to advance science and technology just as science can inspire people to advance storytelling. The relationship between the two—human language/literature and science–is inseparable because they inform each other like a team that cooperates in order to build a rocket in order to discover and understand knowledge in even the most distant places. Science fiction, in effect, encapsulates all of the liberal arts (trivium and quadrivium), all that can be discussed in human terms, in one elegant story.
As a reminder, here are the three components of language that are always in play when communicating:
Logic: the thing as it is known; thinking
Grammar: the thing as it is symbolized; creating and connecting
Rhetoric: the thing as it is conveyed/communicated; communicating (presented through which mode and how)
Here are the four disciplines of the quadrivium:
Theory of number
The application of number (includes music)
Theory of space, matter
The application of space, matter
The discipline that exists both in and outside of all other disciplines is theology since it concerns the spiritual but must needs use language, the symbols of language and the conveyance of such, and the senses in order to speak about the spiritual. The closest genre to the theological is the mythological since it touches upon universal themes and human concerns. In point of fact, it might be important to remember that myth tries to talk about that which language can barely grasp; for instance, the concept hope or the feeling of anger can be represented by symbols but the symbol only refers to hope or anger. However, since science fiction, as said above, uses elements of mythology, it also tends to sometimes touch upon theological inquiry. Science fiction seems, then, to venture in and out of the continuum of literature.
The continuum of literature
The greatest stories have “best sentence and moost solas”
–Chaucer’s “General Prologue” from the Canterbury Tales
In reading literature artifacts, minus science fiction, the continuum of works ranges from educative to entertaining (Horace, Epistolas Ad Pisones De Ars Poetica, BCE). For instance, science journals and news reports would be on the side of educative because they are simply informational. On the other side of the continuum would be those works that are for entertainment only, like a cartoon. In theory, the closer to the middle of that continuum a work is, the bigger the audience a writer has. However, science fiction, which may contain both educative and entertaining elements also contains elements of speculation (Gill, 2013). It tries to formulate a creative hypothesis about what would happen if “blank” variables were in place, like an imaginary experiment. This can somewhat like prophecy, which has, of course, been a longstanding human tradition, and indeed, some science fiction writers have been noted for doing just that–predicting what would happen if people continue doing this or predicting what could be made if science and technology continue to advance in a certain way. For instance, Jules Verne has been credited for inspiring the creation of submarine and helicopter technology and for influencing geological surveying while H.G. Wells is credited for predicting certain human events based on the direction of politics in his time.
Literary analysis of science fiction literature
For literary analysis in science fiction, since it contains educative elements, first, one would need to know to which scientific facts and theories that the writer alludes, particularly for the political and explorational types of science fiction literature. Students could also investigate the intent of the author, the historical context of the writer, the known scientific facts and technology today, and the meaning of the symbols he used to convey his ideas, according to his culture since varying cultures portray science fiction differently; one could then compare yesterday’s use of symbols to our present understanding of these symbols (Partsch, 2002; Suvin, 1983). It would also be interesting to know how the audience in the time the author lived perceived his work (the interpretation) and if any creation he imagined or speculation he made came to fruition.
At some point, the types of science fiction overlap because all science fiction engages speculation, partially because imagination does just that. There is also an element or are elements of truth in each type because humans have no basis for understanding one another if some sort of truth were not attached to each word, phrase, and sentence that is used.
Because mythological and philosophical science fiction are more concerned with abstract ideas, which are still educative, and less with science fact, per se, then a student should be encouraged to think critically and to identify certain philosophies. Most science fiction literature, not all, contains elements of entertainment; thus, students should be able to delineate the rhetorical devices from the facts and ideas. Discovering the rhetorical devices is perhaps most important in political science fiction, in which the creators are trying to persuade their audiences to think a certain way about their topic.
Discovering the four types of science fiction (Qualities and Examples)
Mythological (entertaining and educative): “[T]he myth tends to know what is unknowable;” natural and supernatural; working out the characters and character relationships is the most important part of the story; integrates science/technology as a tool for the characters
Examples: Avengers, Superman, Frankenstein, Star Wars, Aliens, E.T.
Philosophical (educative, speculative, ethical, learning/knowing, state of being, existence, essence, etc.): working out philosophies is the most important part of the story; integrates science into the realm of philosophy
Examples: Star Trek series, Utopia, Gattaca, Gravity, Signs, Tron, Matrix
Political (entertaining and speculative): call to action or pushing an agenda or convincing the audience of an argument is the most important part of the story; a warning; often dystopic or apocalyptic; hyperbolic; integrates and sometimes resists or rejects science and technology
Examples: Soylent Green, The Village, 1984, The Hunger Games, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Battlestar Galatica (remake), Elysium, The Time Machine
Explorational (educative and speculative): Proven scientific facts and theories with fictional science and fiction added; explores the possibilities of advancement; the science is an important part of the story; integrates science/technology into the future
Examples: Europa Report, Jules Verne’s works, 2001 Space Odyssey, Moon, Total Recall, The Magic School Bus
Students can be challenged to figure out how some of these works fit under multiple types. For instance, Star Wars, as I have placed it, is mythological, since there are elements of the supernatural, character development is important, and technology is just a tool. However, it could be argued, that Star Wars is also political science fiction since the story talks about imperialism and revolution. As said before, the types overlap. Having students analyze and defend which type characterizes a work they read could make for a great paper.
Background necessary for each type
Mythological: knowledge of symbol (that which speaks to something that cannot really be said); figurative language; archetypes (heroes and villains); character development; narrative; good versus evil; supernatural powers; other mythologies in history; epic or episodic (saga); how to use quotes in literary analysis
grammar (symbols, literary terms)
logic (connection)
rhetoric (how characters are conveyed)
Philosophical: knowledge of the philosophy that is being shaped or understood and its possible original thinker; how the philosophy is being explained; if the rhetorician is explaining it without bias or unnecessary variables; what can be learned about this philosophy; virtues; how does that help us?; censorship vs. voyeurism; find the ideas that are being presented in the imaginary forum; elements of scholasticism, existentialism, realism, and/ or idealism in story; search for Truth, Beauty, state of being, human existence, humanity; paraphrasing skills
grammar (philosophical terms and meanings)
logic (deductive, inductive, categories)
Political: rhetoric (persuasion, argument, evidence; logos, pathos, ethos, kairos); other political perspectives; worldview theories—binary oppositions (all or nothing extremes), synthesis; the danger of moralizing hypotheses; level of exaggeration; fear as a persuader (of technology, of humans, of large populations, of otherness, of the future); manipulative artwork theory (propaganda)—dark or daunting sounds, quick shots, sights and shadows, emotional (fear usually), tempo changes based on what they want you to think about certain things; testing past political perspectives in science fiction; grammar (worldviews–dualist, hierarchical, isolationist, global, Catholic)
logic (limitations or erroneous conclusions, syllogisms, of certain worldviews?)
rhetoric (how the worldview is integrated and conveyed through sights, sounds, and emotions)
Explorational: knowledge of the scientific facts and/or theory; how this topic is being researched today; what we’ve learned since the work was written; observation log; summary skills; research skills
grammar (science vocabulary)
logic (order, analysis, and reasoning)
Writing and presentation that complements each type (text patterns)
Mythological: narrative; play; video; comic/graphic novel
Philosophical: dialogue that finds clarity, looks for gaps, ambiguities, and inconsistencies; daily log (journal for reflection); dialogue/discussion in groups
Political: argument; debate; speech writing
Explorational: scientific method; informational; researched essay with thesis, evidence and support, and conclusion; explanation of findings; reflection logs
Using the scientific method to analyze science fiction literature
The scientific method helps in understanding science fiction and also engages Bloom’s taxonomy.
Inquiry: Find a topic to observe and consider (or write about) that deals with science and/or technology in some way within the context of a story; some stories create a tension between humans and science/technology; others use science/technology with indifference or casually; some show positive ways that science and technology can be a part of human life; others show a pessimistic view of technology and science in the future of humanity.
Research the Topic: science fact, science predictions, science exaggeration, technology references, rhetorical devices
Formulate a Hypothesis: Speculate or hypothesize a main idea or thesis.
Test the Hypothesis: Transform understanding. Find the variables and distinguish from the theme. Or, create the variables and conditions and tell a new story within the your chosen variables and conditions. Note: some authors, particularly when writing political science fiction, purposefully add a bias, which is what the scientific method tries to avoid in order to be objective; thus some science fiction can be more subjective than others.
Analyze: Make connections and develop theories based on evidence both fictional and non-fictional.
Interpretation and Conclusion: Explain why the theory, bias, or philosophy might or might not work under the conditions provided by the setting, the characters, the interactions of the characters, and the interaction of the characters with science and technology. Or, explain the interaction of science and technology with the narrative, or the telling of the story.
Communicate: Does the story ask the audience to make conclusions based on the evidence provided? Is it either for or against some or part of human advancement in science and technology or humans in general? What is the story saying to you as a reader/viewer? What would you share about this story? Can you create your own?
Retest/reflect: Create a story, using different variables, and see if the same thing happens. Or, tell how you are able to find persuasive arguments in some science fiction literature.
Alternate literatures that integrate technology
Science fiction tends to easily employ multi-literacies because technology and science integration is a natural part of science fiction.
Film: While a picture tells a thousand words and books are limited in words by the energy of the writer and by linear expression, film exponentially speaks to the audience in multiple ways–by engaging visuals, sounds, tones, overlapping, action, tempo, dialogue, body language, etc.; film is relatively close to oral tradition and plays but the director tries to direct what the audience will see and hear; however, different people can come up with multiple interpretations, dependent on what each person decides to focus upon; film is also highly collaborative and engages multiple types of talents, technologies, and time; in popular films, the number of people involved can fill a small town.
Ebook: a tool for individual work
Youtube videos: presentation, rhetorical choices, multiple interpretations, individual/collaborative
Blogging: reflection, discussion, dialogue, learn how to ask question that clarify or expand, pairs/collaboration
Skyping: discussion, dialogue with body language and tone, pairs
Music: sounds, entertaining and educative, cultural
Animation: color, symbol, surrealism, focused dialogue and text, individual/collaborative
Any of these could be used for presentations during teaching, discussion, or student projects. In that way, students will learn to use technology in a healthy way and will be simultaneously learning how to understand the rhetoric employed by each of these technologies.
Conclusion
Science fiction can give students connection to a variety of topics that are relevant to the 21st century: space exploration, earth sciences, globalization. Not only that, science fiction can link students to other types of literature and contexts: the Bible and its varying genres, Greek plays and mythology, Norse mythology, Aristotle, Plato, Aquinas, explorers journals, Stein, De Beauvoir, American politics, major historical events, and new technologies. It lends to multi-literacies, then, perhaps more than any other genre and would probably be one of the most logical, flexible, and necessary additions to the 21st century secondary language arts and literature classroom.
Please note: In bibliographic terms, librarians tend to refer to the mythology of science fiction as science fantasy, but that term seems inadequate for the purposes of teaching. Mythological is used in the literary sense, not the religious sense; however, in Catholic classrooms, the discussion on mythological concepts could easily connect to theological discussions.
References and notes:
Harmon and Holman use the quote, “something at once familiar and strange” under the heading of myth and describe myth as “narrative embodiments of a people’s perception of the deepest truths” (p. 338).
Propaganda Novel: A novel dealing with a special social, political, economic, or moral issue or problem and possibly advocating a doctrinaire solution. If the propagandistic purpose dominates the work so as to dwarf or eclipse all other elements, such as plot and character, then the novel belongs in the realm of the didactic… (p. 417)
Harmon and Holman also suggest that the “problem novel” or the novel that has “a story with a purpose rather than for a purpose” is also a propaganda novel since the writer is trying to cause an action, give evidence to support a theory, based on the “thesis” of his or her story’s argument (p. 414).
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Theology of the Body reference notes, p. 91
Most Popular Sci-Fi Video Games. http://www.imdb.com/search/title?genres=sci_fi&sort=moviemeter,asc&title_type=game
The Atari Times. Retrieved from http://www.ataritimes.com/index.php?ArticleIDX=272
AMC All-Time Box Office Hits. http://www.filmsite.org/boxoffice2.html
CLA Portfolio 