The World of Science Fiction

1. The World of Science Fiction

2. Science Fiction A story of real or imagined science and technology.

3. Utopia/dystopia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TckJBvl_uT0 • Major Themes: • Focus on social issues like overpopulation, AIDS, fear of technology, poverty, or environmental concerns. • Setting is usually future or near future Earth, but can sometimes be an alternate dimension or another planetused as an comparison for contemporary Earth. • Societal structure is often a complete dystopiaor a utopiabased on an ethically questionable act, such as ritual human sacrifice or Big Brother. • Main character is usually in dissent with the society, even if he/she begins story at harmony with society.

4. Space Opera • Major Themes: • Stories are generally about people who live in, work in, or visit outer space and other planets on a regular basis. • The people and storyline is more important than the science, technology or aliens. • Pure space opera is becoming harder to find as stories bleed over into other science fiction themes.

5. Space Opera http://www.imdb.com/video/cbs/vi4052027161/

6. Steampunk Common themes: Against the government or ruling power, conflict between rich and the poor, pollution Settings: usually in the Victorian era or Old West, alternate universe, dystopia from social, economic or political problems, flying cities, space travel Common characters: detectives, mad scientists, engineers, historical fashions, monster aliens, nobility, pirates, secret societies, child genius Common storylines or elements: Massive air ships like zeppelins, hot air balloons, fleets; body art like piercings and tattoos, mechanical body parts, cannons, gunpowder, retro clock work timers to strike a spark, gears: “a final showdown between the hero and villain in the bowels of some gargantuan machine, going at each other while trying to avoid the giant crushing gears”, mechanical suits, sword fights, submarines, tanks

7. Steampunk Movie in 1999, Wild Wild West included futuristic technologies in an historical setting

8. Hard Science Fiction • Major Themes: • Stories are based on real scientific theories from many branches of study, such as physics, chemistry, and quantum mechanics. Focus is on the scientific arguments such as cloning, artificial intelligence, space travel and computers. • Characters: develop the plot based on their knowledge of scientific theory, humans • Setting: science labs, earth, spaceships, other planets

9. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/ Hard Science Fiction 2001: A Space Odyssey written in 1968. Crew launches to find a magnetic disturbance on Tycho, one of the moon’s craters which becomes the first proof of intelligent life. Astronauts plan a mission to Saturn and the ship malfunctions.

10. Time travel / Alternate World • Common themes:give insight to moral or social issue, • Travel through time to change future • Common settings/elements: Alternate universe or parallel world, often used to learn about history, such as the Civil War, Adolf Hitler, the Roman Empire, and presidential elections. • Characters: humans • Examples: The Time Machine, • A Christmas Carol, Artemis Fowl, • The Time Traveler’s Wife, • Planet of the Apes, Back to the Future http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi252380953/

11. Some Great Sci-Fi Books

12. Information Gathered From: http://www.wmrls.org/services/colldev/SFFGenre/SFFBookList.pdf