Welcome to Science Fiction. This genre of literature is primarily for fun mind fun ! Essentially, the reader plays a thinking game, a game called What if? The answers to that question -- which make take the form of novels, stories, scientific speculation, movies, TV shows, games, or websites carry the reader into possibilities or impossible worlds, of when, where, what, how, who, and, of course, the most essential world of all, the world of why.
All of these worlds can be reached without leaving the room. Thats a nice sort of trip to take: you can turn back any time you want, or go on far beyond where your guide (the author or actor) intended to take you. Why stop at Orwells Big Brother? Why not go on to Big Sisterhood, a revolt of the Proles, or something else unforeseen and unimagined, that would bring down Big Brothers awful dictatorship? You can go anywhere, and do anything. By the end of this course, you will choose your paths and goals with an increased facility.
As you learn (or further develop) an appreciation for the byways of the mind and future, through studying and devouring of science fiction, the literary values of the material will be discussed. I hope to aid you in realizing that just because you enjoyed the book doesnt mean that it was well written and the reverse as well. That is, to help you to develop your own definition of good book in the field of Science Fiction.
It is my hope that you fine people can be induced to yield excellent level work. The work will be designed to augment rather than to interfere with the pleasures of imaginative reading. The make-up will be reading, writing about reading, two exercises, lots of discussion, and T he P roject .
1)
2) Writing about reading. This is totally optional. If you have an opinion about a book that is perhaps a bit involved (either book or opinion), please feel free to write it down. It will be discussed and perhaps copied for the rest of the class. If you wish, the style of your opinion can be discussed as well.
3) Discussion. In order to contribute to the discussion, three major areas of a book need to be examined: a) what is happening in the book; b) the writers ideas, opinions, points, or whatever; and c) your reactions to those ideas, etc. To break these down even further, in looking at the story, check the technique in communicating ideas, developing the characters, maintaining the pace, and overall telling of the story. To top off your analysis, decide where you might have taken the theme; how you would have handled the idea This aids in the understanding of a story as a whole, rather than just the little pieces the average reader perceives.
4) Exercises. There will be three written exercises. The first of these is a time capsule. It is to be representative of 2004; other than that, any limitations you place on that are your own. The second exercise will be assigned during one of classes 5-7. The last of the exercises is a set of 128 questions designed to stimulate the imagination. Specifics will be discussed when it is handed out.
5)
T
he
P
roject
.
On the last day of the course,
T
he
P
roject
will be
due.
T
he
P
roject
is the
vaguest thing in the course, because I leave it totally up to you.
In the past, I have seen short stories,
plays, models of futuristic cities, and artwork, as well as more conventional
critical analysis-type papers.
All are
welcome, along with anything else you devise.
All I ask is that
your
T
he
P
roject
be your
response to the ideas and/or topics of the course.
In science fiction, that could mean almost
anything.
After you have read this, I imagine that questions about
T
he
P
roject
will come
rapidly in this direction.
So, I think I
will spend no more time on it here.
6) The course. Enjoy it. This is your first and last assignment.