ShipwreckMazuma

...and cannot find it. 8(

It’s easy for me to fall asleep whether day or night, but the schedule really messes with my concept of passing time! Instead of actual seperate days during the week, it seems like just one long, weird day. Oh well, it won’t be for long.

This is a very small paper I wrote on science fiction in my basic comp class last year. After writing the paper, I reread the assignment and realized that a bibliography of sources had to be attached, so that part is kind of a throw-on.

Validating Science Fiction

Since its inception, science fiction has generally received short-shrift from most literary critics and enthusiasts. Now, by inception, I refer to what is more commonly understood as its beginnings in the late 19th century and early 20th as the term science fiction was coined by Hugo Gernsback, originally as “scientification”. These works that are generally considered science fiction’s seminal solidification as a genre include the writings of Edgar Rice Burroughs, H.G. Welles, Jules Verne, and many others such as the pulp science fiction magazine contributors Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft. These critics both professional and amateur – like you and I – typically have slid science fiction as a whole into the realm of contemptible trash, and is seen as a retreat into pure, base escapism with no value. However, if we view science fiction over a broader sweep of time, we see that it is indeed a continuation of some of the most fundamental traditions of every culture on the planet. It takes on the evolved mantle of folklore that was laid aside when we started to understand the workings of the world in more minute detail. No longer were needed tales to illustrate lessons about things that science could now explain. New frontiers were being sought out, and with the gradual lessening of these frontiers on Earth (or its surface at least!) mankind needed to reach further. Eventually, to illustrate and give voice to our continued sense of curiosity and wonder, science fiction was born. It deserves to be recognized as an authentic expression of humanity’s constant search for understanding and place in this world of ours, as well as a goad for our yearning to explore new worlds, and boldly go.

I think it can be assumed that the works of Leonardo DaVinci, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Johann von Goethe, Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, and Franz Schubert share the distinction of  being legitimately respected artists in their field. Of course, as you can probably guess, these creators are also joined by the common thread that we today call science fiction. Each were visionaries in their own ways. Many are the number of others in our history that may seem disparate at first glance, but in reality can be joined by this thread - be they believers in a future utopia, orchestral composers, folklorists, inventors, or what have you. The ideas filling Leonardo’s head in the 16th century – helicopters, hydraulic pumps, mortar shells, and steam cannons – easily fall into the mold of what is considered sci-fi today. Goethe, and many other poets before and since, sought not only to entertain but make sense through their entertainment of things beyond the understanding of society in his day. In the poem “Der Erlkonig”, written in 1782, Goethe touches on the ideas of death and the supernatural that were so prevalent in that age. Even now in our more enlightened era the poem is chilling:

O who rides by night thro’ the woodland so wild?
It is the fond father embracing his child;
And close the boy nestles within his loved arm,
To hold himself fast, and to keep himself warm.

“O father, see yonder! see yonder!” he says;
“My boy, upon what dost thou fearfully gaze?”
“O, ‘tis the Erl-King with his crown and his shroud.”
“No, my son, it is but a dark wreath of the cloud.”

The Erl-King Speaks
“O come and go with me, thou loveliest child;
By many a gay sport shall thy time be beguiled;
My mother keeps for thee many a fair toy,
And many a fine flower shall she pluck for my boy.”

“O father, my father, and did you not hear
The Erl-King whisper so low in my ear?”
“Be still, my heart’s darling—my child, be at ease;
It was but the wild blast as it sung thro’ the trees.”

Erl-King
“O wilt thou go with me, thou loveliest boy?
My daughter shall tend thee with care and with joy;
She shall bear thee so lightly thro’ wet and thro’ wild,
And press thee, and kiss thee, and sing to my child.”
The Erl-King’s pale daughter glide past thro’ the rain?”
“Oh yes, my loved treasure, I knew it full soon;
It was the grey willow that danced to the moon.”

"O father, my father, and saw you not plain

Erl-King
“O come and go with me, no longer delay,
Or else, silly child, I will drag thee away.”
“O father! O father! now, now, keep your hold,
The Erl-King has seized me—his grasp is so cold!”
He reaches his dwelling in doubt and in dread,
But, clasp’d to his bosom, the infant was dead.
Transliterated by Sir Walter Scott (1731 – 1832)

Later, in 1815, Schubert would compose an opera wherein the poem is adapted. This happens time and again with various composers, and other writers from other nations, such as Zhukovsky’s “Lesnoi Tsar” written in the mid 1800’s. The point is that the tale survives for the same reasons now as it did then. Our drive to understand the things that are beyond our understanding; and if that understanding is too far out of our grasp intellectually we poke at it and toy with it through spirituality, art, composition, poetry, and prose. The idea of utopia - the earliest ideas of which being written in a book of the same name by Sir Thomas More in 1516 – illustrates an ideal community, world culture, or government. This is an idea that has been dreamed of for centuries whether you look at the Torah, Mahabharata, the Bible, Tolstoy, or H.G. Welles as a perfect place on Earth. Revelations and predictions often associated with what we would throw into the pool of science fiction (were some of them not considered sacred cultural and fundamental beliefs) abound in these works. The word utopia has often used to speak of impossible ideals that are unrealistic in concept, especially lately in the past century – this has given rise to what is known as dystopia. Much darker predictions of a future we would consider in most ways ugly and unlivable. Harry Harrison, in his novel “Make Room! Make Room!” describes a New York with a population of 35 million people. Fuel prices are to the point where only the ridiculously rich drive personal vehicles; the streets are packed with unmoving, rusting, cars and trucks sitting unused other than to house the vast amount of homeless due to there being nowhere near the amount of employment available to the overflowing population. This is to say nothing of the disenfranchisement of the human race in general as all of the natural resources are either used up, or well beyond the means of  anybody but those much higher on the social ladder, and don’t even ask what you have to do to get your hands on a pound of real meat or what the enormous welfare system has had to resort to in order to feed the population.

All of these things culminated from the tradition of folklore in its task of gathering and passing on information from one generation to the next. Invention, speculation of the afterlife and spirituality, utopia and dystopia – are the result of humans asking “What if?” and writing about their ideas in order to understand these things. Often these take the form of entertainment at face value, and the inherent speculation of unreality no doubt is what gives rise to sliding science fiction into the slot of pure escapism. But we are doing things that cannot be denied. We are walking around in a space station in our planet’s orbit. We are talking over continents through little flat pieces of plastic. We have access to more information than any of us could individually process in a lifetime over the World Wide Web. We are aware of, and trying to work together as a world to combat the problem of global warming which very few of us even now want to recognize the full extent of, not to mention the coming repercussions. We have a space shuttle named “Enterprise”. Science fiction has a loyal following of millions of fans all around the world who respect its legitimacy alongside the free thinkers and philosophers of yesterday as well as the literary and social sciences of today. The tradition of science fiction needs to be recognized as a powerful tool for understanding and change, and is owed a debt of thanks.

Bibliography

Der Erlkonig. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 15 Sep. 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Erlk%C3%B6nig
Article is in reference to the poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe that was originally written as a portion of an opera in 1782. The article gives a detailed timeline of composers who have used and modified it for their own uses. There is a section devoted to giving the possible origin of the legend, as well as some probable origins to it’s current translation as Erlkonig. The article displays the poem in its original german alongside the literal English translation.

Gregg, Peter. “England Looks to the Future: The Cultural Forum Model and Doctor
Who.” The Journal of Popular Culture. 37.4 (2004): 648-661.

Hammel, Bill. “Erlkoenig Und Freunde.” Essays. Ed. Bill Hammel. 20 July 2008.
Homepage. 15 Sept. 2008 http://graham.main.nc.us/~bhammel/erlkng.html
In his essay, Bill Hammell seeks to dissect the poem Der Erlkonig by Johann von Goethe. After a quick introduction, the author begins to take the poem apart in minute detail. He does this in three different translations of the poem: German, English as translated by Sir Walter Scott (1731-1832), and Danish in its assumed original context given by Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803). Also listed are one example and 2 links to alternative versions of the poem.

Harrison, Harry. Make Way! Make Way!. New York: Tom Doherty Associates,
LLC, 1966.
Science fiction novel touted as “The Classic Novel of an Overpopulated Future” (from cover) The novel recounts a fictitious future set in New York. The majority of humanity is essentially homeless and living on the barest essentials. There is a deep note of class division running throughout the book. A good example of dystopia, and a classic work of fiction.

Lange, Gerald. Personal Interview. 14 Sep. 2008.
Interviewee has long been a student or scholar of H.G. Wells’ works, though not a serious fan of science fiction per se. Interview was primarily based on Lange’s understanding of Wells’ theories pertaining specifically to utopian states. He noted that Wells believed that the greatest flaw in a utopia would be its static nature of perfection. “As cliche as the concept has become over the last century, Wells felt that any utopia should be held as a goal to be sought rather than attained.” (direct quote from G. Lange)

Levitsky, Alexander, ed. Worlds Apart: An Anthology of Russian Fantasy and Science 
   Fiction. New York, Woodstock, London:Overlook Duckworth, 2007.
   Exhaustive research done in sussing out arguably the most important works of Russian science fiction and its origins. Commentary by Levitsky begins the tome along with a list of abbreviations, transliterations and translations. The anthology moves through history starting with folklore, running through utopian and dystopian works and ending in the modern era of mechanization and space travel. Levitsky insists that this book serves well for anybody interested in the history of Russia or literature along with the targeted science fiction aficionado.

Parrett, Aaron. “Review-Essays: Alternative Worlds of the Nineteenth Century”. Science
Fiction Studies. 30 (2003): 500-503
Parrett reviews the release of three books published by Bison in the genre of science fiction. The first of these is Edgar Rice Burrough’s “Pellucidar” (1915). The author mentions that though it is technically a sequel to “At the Earth’s Core” (1914), the book stands alone story-wise. His review of this book touches heavily on Burrough’s ideas of “the White Man’s Burden” (quotes not mine) and colonialism in the late 18th to early 20th century. the second book reviewed is C.J. Sutcliffe’s “The Lost Continent: The Story of Atlantis” (1899). Author likens this book to Burroughs ”...thinly disguised valorisation of British imperialism.” (p501) Lastly, H.G. Wells’ “The War in the Air” is discussed. The primary gist of the authors take on this title is that of its seeming precognition of current 21st century technology and world events. This includes a scene that is apparently uncomfortably close to that of the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers.

Robinson, Frank M. Science Fiction of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History. New
York: Barnes & Noble,1999.
This over-sized book is a collection of science fiction literature and artwork – primarily cover art – that has appeared throughout the 20th century. As to be expected, the beginning of the book displays mostly mostly the pulp magazines that were popular in that day. There is some commentary on the effects that world issues were having on science fiction, mainly the two world wars and the cold war. After an illustrated study of science fiction movie placards, the book concludes with a question as to where science fiction can go now and remain fresh, if anywhere.

Star Trek Convention. Advertisement. Creation Entertainment. 2007 Brochure.
Postcard/brochure advertisement for a Star Trek convention.
Displays picture of “Kirk & Spock” (quotes not mine), and offers dates and location of convention. Specifically May 4-6th, 2007 at the Marriott Minneapolis City Center. Advertises appearances of W. Shatner, L. Nimoy, E. Phillips, R. Picardo, M. Alaimo, ans J. DeLancie. this card serves as a memento for something I was not able to attend. However, my 10 year old daughter did attend this convention. After telling about how over-the-top excellently she was treated, I was amazed at the diversity and strength of the following garnered by a series that hasn’t seen any new episodes since 2001.

Wells, H.G. “A Modern Utopia”.The Project Gutenberg. Prd. Andrew Sly. Dec 10 2002.
EBook #6424 15 Sep. 2008 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/mdntp10h.htm
This is an ebook version of H.G. Wells’ book of the same title published in 1905. This book is a mixture of fiction and philosophical discourse. Wells bases the foundation of utopia in this book as an understanding of strong compromise between the inhabitants of the utopian society. The book touches on the subjects of economy, societal culture and gender roles.

Wilson, Mark B. “Interview: Ursula K. Le Guin Straddles Genres and Masters Them
All”. Science Fiction Weekly.2006 SciFi.com. 12 Sep. 2008
http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue189/interview.html
Ursula LeGuin is considered a master of the science fiction field. The interview reiterates this as well as telling how she has brought a human element to the genre that is difficult to pin down. LeGuin talks of her beginnings as a writer in the 70’s, and how it was starting to change from an all-male dominated field to being much more open and inclusive.