Science Fiction: Sub-genre of Fantasy

1. Science Fiction: Sub-genre of Fantasy • Science Fiction is a sub-genre of Fantasy, so let’s begin by defining the genre: • A work of fantasy is one in which at least one element of the story does not conform to natural laws. • When discussing fantasy, we distinguish between the primary world and the secondary world. The primary world refers to the world we live in, where natural laws are observed. The secondary world refers to another place, where one or more of the natural laws have been suspended.

2. Science Fiction: Primary v. Secondary World • In some works of fantasy, characters only know a primary world, but it is a world in which something happens that does not conform to natural laws. For instance, the Harry Potter series takes place in the primary world, as witches and wizards live alongside Muggles in modern day Britain. Sometimes they are able to shroud their actions from Muggles by hiding Hogwarts in a mist or placing the Ministry of Magic underground in London – however, there is not a separate magic world.

3. Science Fiction: Primary v. Secondary World • In other works of fantasy, characters begin in the primary world, but find some way to enter the secondary world. In the C.S. Lewis Narnia series, for instance, the characters find a portal to a secondary world through a disused wardrobe. • Finally, there are fantasy texts in which the characters live in a secondary world throughout the novel. A good example of this sort of text would be Lois Lowry’s The Giver, which takes place in an entirely fictional society.

4. Types of Fantasy • Most scholars agree that there are four subgenres of Fantasy: • animal fantasy • time fantasy • high fantasy • science-fiction fantasy

5. Animal Fantasy • Judith Hillman notes: Animal fantasies derive from one of the oldest forms of literature – the beast fable. “Fables, folktales, and other forms of traditional literature showed human affinity to animals in the many depictions of anthropomorphism.” In modern fantasy, “the best examples of children’s literature show a careful blend of human characteristics with animal qualities.”

6. Time Fantasy • Judith Hillman’s definition: “The notion that time runs in several directions has long fascinated authors, scientists, and philosophers. Is time cyclical or is it linear? Do other worlds exist in different time schemes? In time fantasies, authors construct parallel worlds that touch our primary world in places, allowing time travel back and forth. Another world running simultaneously to our presents all sorts of possibilities in literary invention. In addition, there are historical time fantasies in which a character from the present can go back in time, or a character from long ago can come to the present.”

7. High Fantasy, Part I • High Fantasy: High fantasy evolved from an earlier form of literature, the medieval romance of the 11th and 12th centuries. In this form, the exploits of hero figures such as King Arthur and his knights were featured, and the plots centered on a quest that would prove the worthiness – or lack thereof – of the central characters. In recent years, a number of novels have been set during this time period, but the medieval world has gone from being a primary world setting to a secondary world setting – its emphasis on the exploits of heroic, its focus on the code of chivalry, and its setting all mark its difference from the modern world.

8. High Fantasy, Part 2 • In High Fantasy, the battle between good and evil is fought on a physical level, but also on a philosophical one – as Hillman notes, “the main character is often a common person who is called on to perform beyond his or her capabilities, but somehow summons the strength to do it.”

9. Science Fiction Fantasy • In s-ff, the secondary world is typically set in the future or in an unspecified “now.” • The best science fiction balances technological concerns, a solid storyline, and a compelling vision of the future. If it is successful, it leads us to rethink our current society, its values, and its very construction. • A Wrinkle in Time concerns both time fantasy and science fiction fantasy.