What questions does science fiction answer? What are the three questions phrases science fiction or speculative fiction asks?

1. Science Fiction
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2. What is Science Fiction?
 Science fiction is a writing style which combines science and
fiction.
 It is only limited by what we presently know about the basic
physical laws of nature.
 It evolved as a response to fantasy.

3. Sci Fi Author’s Definitions
The author Theodore
Sturgeon said,
"'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'"

4. Sam Moskowitz, fan and biographer:
"Science fiction is a brand of fantasy identifiable by the fact that it eases 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"
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5. The first true science fiction novel was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
She wrote about scientific practices and tried to persuade the reader that her
story could actually happen.
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6.  Frankenstein was the first novel in English to deal with the
possibility that science can 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 were highlighted.

7.  The mood of the novel is a tale of terror, in plot a laboratory
experiment gone awry.
 The blend of Gothic materials and science in this novel
brought the tale of terror clearly into the stream of science
fiction and also gave it a more credible base.
 If not the first science fiction novel, Frankenstein is at
least the first novel that showed what a science fiction
novel would be (James Gunn).

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

9. What is Extrapolation?
Extrapolation is when a writer takes a known scientific fact and
imagines what might happen if certain events or
circumstances evolve.
For example:
1. Man can build space shuttles.
2. Let’s imagine, man can travel to faraway
planets.

10. Science Fiction VS. Fantasy
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.

11. Miriam Allen de Ford explains the difference between science fiction and fantasy: "'Science fiction deals
with improbable possibilities, fantasy with plausible impossibilities" (Aldiss 26).
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12. Major Themes in Science
Fiction
 Space travel to and from other planets
(ie: Star Wars, Star Trek)
 Time travel to the past and future
(ie: Back to the Future)
 Psychological/biological changes to man brought
about by scientific changes
(ie: The Incredible Hulk, Spider Man)

13.  Supernormal powers/talents
(ie: Superman, Spiderman, Batman)
 Science applied to human relations for constructive or
destructive purposes
(ie: Weird Science, Frankenstein)
 Battle with alien life forms
(ie: Signs, The Day the Earth Stood Still, District 9)
 Alternate Universe
(ie: Star Wars)

14. Plot Conventions of Science
Fiction
Examples of Story Ideas:
 The Last Man/Woman on Earth
 The Robot
 The First Landing Story
 Time Travel
 The Alternate World
 The Lost Civilization

15.  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

16. Sci Fi in the Movies
 Even before talkies, science fiction made its mark
on film:
 A Trip to the Moon (1902) by the Frenchman
Georges Melies
 Metropolis (1926) by the German Fritz Lang, the
first classic science fiction film

17. In the 1930s several great classic films were produced:
 Frankenstein (1931), with Boris Karloff, followed by endless sequels and
remakes,
 Invisible Man (1933), starring Claude Rains, from the novel by H.G.
Wells
 Things to Come (1936) from the screenplay by H.G. Wells and based
on his novel The Shape of Things to Come. This is the first great sound
picture in the field and the first film to show a utopian future that
includes the promise of space flight.
Two prominent serials of the era are Flash Gordon (1936) and Buck Rogers
(1939).

18. HE FIFTIES B
 An estimated 500 feature films and shorts that
can be classified science fiction were made
between 1948 and 1962.
 Science fiction really became a popular cinematic
genre after the atomic bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima. This event prompted a rash of after-
the-bomb and alien invasion films.
 1950sDestination Moon (1950), is a
pseudodocumentary based on Robert A. Heinlein's
juvenile novel Rocketship Galileo.
 The Thing (1951), based on John W. Campbell's
short story "Who Goes There?," features James
Arness as a fearsome, defrosted alien carrot; the
film was remade in 1982.

19. Sci Fi Movies in the ’60’s
 Also in 1960 came The Time Machine,
starring Rod Taylor, from the novel by H.
G. Wells.
 Stanley Kramer made another foray into
science fiction in 1964 with Dr.
Strangelove;
Love the Bomb. This dark comedic satire
of nuclear war features Peter Sellars.
 Fahrenheit 451 (1966) stars Oskar
Werner in François Truffaut's film of the
Ray Bradbury novel.

20. Sci Fi Movies in the 70’s
 In 1977 the debut of Star Wars sparked a
revitalization of science fiction.
 Due to the huge success of this film, the market
for and interest in science fiction as film and as
literature skyrocketed into the stratosphere
again, rejuvenating and expanding the entire field.
 Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back
(1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) comprise
the middle trilogy of a projected three-trilogy
cycle of films by George Lucas. In the 2000’s,
Lucas revisited his successful series with
2 other

21. Movies in the 80’s
 Batman (1989) is a stylish telling of the story of
the Caped Crusader (Michael Keaton);
unfortunately Jack Nicholson dominated as The
Joker.
 The sequel Batman Returns is memorable for
appearances by the Penquin (Danny DeVito) and
Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).
 Batman Forever features a new Caped Crusader
(Val Kilmer), the debut of sidekick Robin and
villains played by Tommy Lee Jones and Jim
Carrey.
 Batman and Robin (1997) stars George Clooney as
Batman, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze,
and Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy. Alicia Silverstone
debuts as Batgirl.

22.  Blade Runner (1982) is Ridley Scott's stylish film
of Philip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of
Electric Sheep? A director's cut (1992) clarified
the nature of the film's major character.
 The Road Warrior (1982) is the second and best
of the Mad Max films about a post-nuclear-
holocaust world.
 E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), another
blockbuster from Steven Spielberg, was reissued
with new footage for its 20th anniversary in
2002.
 The Terminator (1984) is a James Cameron film
featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a killing
machine of the future; the sequel Terminator 2
(1991) picks up where the first film left off. A
third film, T3: Rise of the Machines, was

23. Sci Fi Movies in the 90’s
 Total Recall (1990), another
Schwarzenegger vehicle, is loosely based
on Philip K. Dick's short story, "We Can
Remember It For You Wholesale."
 Edward Scissorhands (1993) is a
Frankenstein take-off.
 Timecop (1994) became a television series
as did Stargate (1994).
 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) was
directed by and stars Kenneth Branaugh as
Victor. Robert de Niro plays the Monster.
 Independence Day (1996), a wildly-
patriotic film, also turned out to be eerily
prophetic in the wake of 9/11.

24. Several major films came out in 1997:
 Men in Black
 Contact, based on a novel by Carl Sagan
 Starship Troopers, based on the novel by Robert A.
Heinlein.
 Face/Off, a fantasy thriller about stolen identities directed
by John Woo

25. Sci Fi Movies Today
What are some famous science fiction movies in this
decade?
 Matrix, Matrix Reloaded, Matrix Revolutions
 New Star Wars Trilogy
 Spiderman
 Men in Black 1&2
 X-Men
 Planet of the Apes
 Resident Evil
 I, Robot
 Avatar
 War of the Worlds

26. Why should we study
Science Fiction?
 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