Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Role of Textuality in the Genres’ Struggles and Triumphs
Yeah,Whatever!
Textual DifficultiesConnected with Fantasy
and Science Fiction“Why are we always on the
Defensive?”
Premise # 1Premise # 1In spite of contemporary theory, for this
lecture we will assume that there are absolute truths.
Premise # 2Premise # 2It is possible to express absolute truth in texts
although humanity is probably too flawed to do so.
Premise # 3Premise # 3
For the purposes of this lecture it will be assumed that there are such things as privileged texts.
RamificationRamification
• People are correct to say that there are some texts which should not be bothered with in serious academic studies.
• This has little to do with one’s likes and dislikes.
• The choices should be made on standards of value which are without prejudice
Science Fiction isScience Fiction is.. . .. . .a type of literature that stresses the future
and makes new inventions seem plausible--in some ways a literature of translation.
• Dick Allen from Science Fiction: The Future
.
Fantasy isFantasy is.. . .. . .a type of literature which assumesassumes a
universe which has order and a set of discoverable natural laws, even though they are different from our own. Such laws are not treated directly but are implicitly.
– David Allen from Science Fiction: An Introduction
Science Fiction isScience Fiction is.. . ..a branch of fantasy identifiable by the fact
that it causes the. “willing suspension of disbelief” on the part of its readers by utilizing an atmosphere of scientific credibility for its imaginative speculations in physical science, space, time, social science and philosophy.
Sam Moskowitz, critic and writer
from Science Fiction: The Future
Textual DifficultiesConnected with Fantasy and
Science Fiction
• The “repertoire” of many readers.– Bad Science Fiction – The Fans
• The “gaps” within the primary texts.
When Examining any work of Science Fiction and Fantasy I
find my students come filled with unacknowledged texts:
• Poorly done science fiction films
• Socially disabled fans
Badly Done SF
“Get a life People! Get a Life!
It was a TV show. You got that?
A TV Show!
You! The one with ears! Have you even kissed a girl yet?
Move out of your Parents’ basements and GET A LIFE!”
Socially Inept Fans
•William Shatner expressing his true feelings or. . .
•The Evil Capt.. Kirk from the ST Episode “Turnabout Intruder”
Gaps within the Text
Fantasy &Fantasy &
Science FictionScience Fiction
Science // FictionScience // Fiction
• Science--”Now what I want is Facts”
Gradgrind from Dickens’ Hard Times
• Fiction--”The good ended happily and the bad ended unhappily--that’s why its called `fiction.’”
What are these two doing together?
The gaps in text
And you must be--” She raised her eyes from his professional symbols,”[phoenix & salamander--the fireman.” Her voice trailed off.
How oddly you say that.”
I’d--I’d have known it with my eyes shut, she said, slowly.
What--the smell of kerosene? My wife always complains.”
A Willing Suspension of Disbelief
Coleridge
There is a particular kind of story which has a value in itself--
a value independent of its embodiment in any literary work.
C.S. LewisAn Experiment in Criticism
The Archetype:
