Science Fiction Eng7

Prerequisites

• - {'type': 'grade_level', 'allowed_grades': [12]}

Course Description

• In this course, you will be exposed primarily to works which deal with the scientific and technological ingenuity of man (the science fiction genre) and to works which deal with magic and the supernatural (the fantasy genre). It is worth noting that these two genres often overlap, and are frequently subsumed under the umbrella term “speculative fiction” (or “SF”), which also includes superhero fiction, horror, utopian/dystopian fiction, and so on. (So we are likely to read some of that stuff too.) We will spend the first part of the semester exploring the history of these genres, looking at classic, canonical examples and trying to develop a working vocabulary: what makes a story an example of science fiction or fantasy? What are the key features of these sorts of texts? How have the genres evolved (or stagnated)? We will then move on to look at more diverse, contemporary examples, focusing especially on works that in some way challenge or play with the conventions we saw in the classic texts. In addition to reading and analyzing traditional texts (short stories and novels), we will also examine the range of other media in which science fiction and fantasy stories have been told, from film and television to comic books and video games. The semester will culminate in a creative project, where you will create your own work of science fiction or fantasy in a medium of your choice.