Essays on Science Fiction

The distinction between the theories of idealism and realism relies on the idea of human nature: when stripped of the fundamental constraints set by society, how are humans predisposed to act? An idealist would contend that human beings are inclined to behave in a more…

The Billionaire Raj is an informative and intriguing book in which James Crabtree makes an analogy comparing India with the United States gilded age in the late 19th century. This analogy implies that other countries have been through similar periods, many including in Asia over…

Kathy tells her story with great emotional restraint and honesty. When she is not totally confident about the accuracy of her memory, she states clearly that ‘I might have some of it wrong’, ‘I don’t remember exactly’. Phrases such as ‘the way I remember it’,…

The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton, is a scientific thriller about a team of scientists trying to help with the sudden outbreak of a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism found in a little town called Piedmont, Arizona. It all starts when two men working for the government…

The Growth From Innocence To Experience Throughout The Marrow Thieves Set in a dystopian future, where fighting and running is the key to life, The Marrow Thieves showcases the many challenges that the world’s future might have. “Like caterpillars to butterflies these characters have gone…

“Kindred” is a science fiction novel in which Octavia Butler, the author, showcases a non-traditional perspective of the antebellum South during the 1800s as well as the general culture of the west after the civil rights movement. Dana, Butler’s protagonist, experiences both the freedom of…

Science fiction appeal lies in the immersion of the reader (L. Boily, glossary), and believability of these settings portrayed by the author, and without certain concepts and devices this would not be possible. A look at how world building and the four core concept of…

Introduction “Homelanding” by Margaret Atwood is a science fiction story. The elements of science fiction are revealed when we read the story and find that someone is narrating a life experience on earth to someone from another planet, probably to an alien. Since there is…

Exploration of Ideas in Science Fiction Science speculates human nature and the future of our race. But, it often gets criticized for creating a land of fantasy and make belief. The meaning in science fiction stories goes beyond aliens and space travel. It speculates what…

The Blank Entry: Finding a Definition for Science Fiction Science fiction is a mammoth of a genre. Arguably the largest and most diverse category of literature and film, science fiction is incredibly versatile and therefore nearly impossible to label with a single definition. Part of…