Science Fiction, Fantasy and the Paranormal

1. Science Fiction, Fantasy and the Paranormal Mrs. Kinney Mystery and Suspense

2. Five Good Reasons to Study Science Fiction • 1. Historical Fiction In historical fantasies and science fiction that involves time travel or alternate dimensions, authors will many times include evidence of deep research about history.  Reading it as part of an exciting story makes for a painless way to learn about major wars or important figures.  One note of caution, though; sometimes it's tough to keep straight what's real and what's fictional!

3. 2. Scientific Fiction Much of science fiction and science fantasy includes plot devices that are based on real scientific facts and theories.  Many authors are also scientists who enjoy using their writing as a vehicle to introduce or explore theoretical work.  Many times, what is introduced as fiction in a novel will later become fact as technology catches up with the imagination.

4. 3. Social Significance This reason to read is especially true of speculative fiction which has at its heart the exploration of humanity and its reaction to the environment in which it is set.  Authors can postulate the characteristics of the world to come by creating their own variable sets.  Many times, this is used as a warning against a particular societal ill.

5. 4. Paradigm Busting Because fantasy and science fiction deals with worlds that are often beyond the laws of nature that apply to our own, people who read from these genres are allowed to see the real world from a fresh perspective.  This both heightens creativity and nurtures the mind's ability to bust through existing paradigms.  This can be quite an asset in problem solving or work that involves coming up with designs for new products or procedures.

6. 5. Writing Quality Although often considered frivolous to the outsider, those who read science fiction and fantasy know that the writing in most of these books is anything but frivolous.  The people who write in these genres are scholars, visionaries, and inventors.  They not only create the same sorts of believable characters as found in other novels, but they also give birth to entire universes, political systems, cultures, magical laws, and new life forms.  Their task is great and their talent must be equally great in order to take the reader to an entirely new part of one's mind.

7. Media Tie-Ins for Science Fiction • Novels based on popular media projects such as science fiction movies, television shows, or video games. • Characters and events may go beyond what has been presented in the original media format.  However, the property holder must approve significant diversions. • A variety of authors is often employed for the novels, presenting many variations of the same character or plot device. • Most media tie-in books are first produced as mass market paperbacks.

8. Examples (just a few) • Star Wars (Movies) • Star Trek (Television series, movies) • Roswell (Television series) • Back to the Future • Stargate, Stargate: SG1 (Movie, television series) • Planet of the Apes • Jurassic Park • X-Files (Televison series) • The Matrix • Authors: Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, etc.

9. Types of Sci-fi • Temporal/Dimensional: time travel • Hard Science: based on real scientific theories from many branches of study, such as physics, chemistry, and quantum mechanics; think robots • Space Opera: think War of the Worlds, Planet of the Apes, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. • Speculative: Focus on social issues, think Contagion

10. Elements of Fantasy (notice how it connects to Sci-fi) • Characterization • Animals act like people (animorphisism) Characters can have special powers • Setting • Place is imaginary or of another world or universe Time is anytime or no time. Time travel is possible • Plot • Varied, but usually suprising twists or developments • Theme • Good versus bad/evil Describes how science or other ideas applied to the extreme • Style and Tone • Use of magic or scientific principles not yet discovered Use of technology or mental powers that are not possible or not yet discovered.

11. The Paranormal • Ghosts, shadow figures, orbs, etc…you have heard them all. Do you watch Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures or any other show about the paranormal? What’s the attraction? Is it the unknown? The “other world”? What draws so many in?

12. Examples of Paranormal • Stephen King novels/movies • Ghost Hunters/Ghost Adventures/Paranormal State/Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files/Paranormal Witness • Paranormal Activity 1,2,3 • The Grudge (all) • The Ring (all) • The Others • The Phantom of the Opera • Mothman Prophecies

13. Famous Paranormal Activity in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee • Between the years 1818-1820, the Bell Family of Red River, Tennessee was visited by an unknown presence that haunted the family and eventually ended up causing the death of one its members. Starting with small sounds around the farm, and the sighting of a a strange BLACK WOLF with piercing yellow eyes, the sounds escalated into full brutal contact with the certain family members, causing psychological and physical torment. The attacks grew in strength, with the spirit slapping, pulling, dragging, and beating the Bell's youngest daughter. The Bells searched for rational explanations and ways to rid their house of this entity, but to no avail as the spirit began to communicate with them through sounds, and eventually multiple voices that sounded like the wind. The cause of its actions could always be felt, but no being could be seen, and no explanation found- only the promise that one day it would kill one of the family members. Fearing that the haunting was caused by a local woman -branded a witch- who had put a curse upon the family as a result of a land dispute, the Bells tried desperately to find ways to get rid of the woman's curse, yet the attacks and disturbances only escalated.

14. Waverly Hills in Louisville • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH_YRLcL1n8 • Built in 1910 as 2 story wooden hospital • Tuberculosis was so rampant in KY, they had to construct a new building in 1924 • No antibiotics at this time so many different methods were used

15. Waverly Hills Pictures

16. Waverly Hills Pics

17. Patients spent majority of time in the solarium-like porch ways because sunlight and fresh air were supposed to help • The windows were screened in and even in the winter they’d sit on the porch (that’s why heating blankets were invented) • Many experimental treatments • Pneumothorax—surgically collapsing or deflating part of the lung to heal • Thoracoplasty—opening the chest and removing 2 or 3 ribs so the lung could expand and heal • Fewer than 5% of the patients survived the pneumothorax method

18. 1943 it was estimated that over 64,000 people had died at the hospital • The hospital closed in 1961 due to an antibiotic for TB • In 1962 it reopened as Woodhaven Geriatrics Sanitarium where there are tales of patient mistreatment and unusual experiments; it was closed in 1982 due to patient abuse • Rumors of satanic rituals in hospital (after it was closed)

19. Hauntings • Small child on the third floor playing hide and seek • A little boy playing ball • An old woman running from the front door with her wrists bleeding and screaming, “Help me. Somebody save me!” • Shadow people • Cries and screams heard in the building

20. On roof, sounds of children singing “Ring Around the Rosy”—the roof was used to take the children up for sunlight • Room 502—ghost of a woman said to be a nurse who hung herself; another nurse was said to jump out of the window from this room • Body Chute/Death Tunnel—500 ft. long tunnel from the hospital to the railroad tracks—when someone died, they were sent down the tunnel to an awaiting hearse so that patients wouldn’t see the dead (to keep morale high) • Many other stories

21. Haunted Kentucky Examples • Restless Gravestone of Federal Hill Cemetery • Liberty Hall in Frankfort • Harrodsburg Spring Park • The Russellville Girl • Meshack Road in Tompkinsville, KY • Hotrod Haven • Railroad Tunnel in Jackson, KY • Sand Mt. Ghost Lights in Mt. Sterling, KY

22. Bobby Mackey’s Music World • Building use to be a slaughterhouse • According to lore, the basement became a ritual site—deep well used to hide bodies of small animals butchered during ceremonies • Pearl Bryan lived in Greencastle, IN; she became pregnant by her boyfriend who told her he’d remedy the problem with an abortion • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPq-tlKoQk4&NR=1

23. The boyfriend was a med student who decided to do the abortion himself • He used chemicals to try to induce the abortion • When that didn’t work, he used dental tools • When that didn’t work, he and his roommate murdered young Pearl • They severed her head while she was still alive • The building later became a popular bar and dance club, supposedly haunted by Pearl and others

24. Mothman • Point Pleasant,West Virginia in the mid 1960s—a strange man like creature with wings and glowing eyes was spotted by many people • Many reported seeing it and then strange things began to happen • By 1967, most sightings had ended but the story didn’t • Dec. 15, 1967—the 700 foot bridge linking Point Pleasant to Ohio collapsed killing 46 • Many believe the Mothman was behind all the strange events

25. Hoax? • Too many credible witnesses saw “something” • One explanation was it was a sandhill crane—a bird that was not native to the area • Another explanation was that most people let their imagination get carried away • We will probably never know the validity of the Mothman

26. THE INDIANAPOLIS POLTERGEIST • Poltergeist-like phenomena is believed to be caused by a person in the household who doesn’t realize they are doing it • Normally a young girl, troubled emotionally • She unconsciously manipulates physical objects by psychokinesis (PK) • Bursts of PK can come and go and most slowly fade away

27. March 1962 • Outbreak began March 11, a few minutes after 10 pm • Mrs. Beck, a divorced woman, her mother and daughter lived in the house • Things began to “fly” across the room and smash on the floor • Police were called and could find no explanation • One officer was hit by a glass that flew across the room; no one else was in the room

28. Usually, whenever police used high quality listening equipment, no activity occurred • Bizarre punctures (bite-like) began to appear on two of the women • All activity seemed to peak and then subside by March 22 • Police blamed the mother of Mrs. Beck because they caught her in a semi-unconscious state, destroying things • Mrs. Beck said her mother was a diabetic and in shock • No one knows the cause of the actions in the house—it is still unsolved today

29. Willard Library • The Grey Lady Ghost in Evansville • 24 hour “ghost-cam” • The first reported incident happened sixty years ago to a library employee who trekked through the snowy cold for his nightly duty. Since then, countless other employees and patrons have reported seeing this apparition, each giving an eerily similar description

30. Is this the Ghost?

31. Other Hauntings • The Hannah House in Indianapolis • The Haunted Farm in NW Indiana • Diana of the Dunes in Dunes State Park near Gary, IN • Highland Lawn Cemetery in Terre Haute • Central State Hospital in Indianapolis • White Lick Creek Bridge in Danville, IN

32. Web Sites to Visit • www.snopes.com • www.prairieghosts.com • http://www.indianaghosts.org/cms/news.php • www.bellwitch.org • www.underworldtales.com/waverly.htm