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: