Science Fiction Genre Research Assignment

1.    Origins

Trace the development of the sci-fi genre. Explain where the genre came from. What did it grow from? Consider the role of other genres which had a direct or indirect influence on the development of sci-fi? Examples to consider include: westerns, horror, the heroes’ journey, other? (100words)

The origin of Science fiction has not been proven but it has been a source of active debate. There have been many theories regarding the origins of Sci Fi, ranging from middle age times to the age of the Scientific Revolution, most notably with the astronomical discoveries of Galileo and Newton. Science Fiction is derived from many mythical understandings - epically fantasy genres (e.g tales, myths, legends ect) and is heavily influenced by astronomy. It was not only until the 20th century that Sci Fi really started to pick up with our increased knowledge of deep space.

2.    

    Categories (500 words)

Science fiction can be broken up into a number of sub-categories. Identify and explain the various sub-categories and the features which make each distinguishable. Give examples of texts you are familiar with which may represent these sub-categories.

The Three biggest science fiction sub categories are;

Hard Science Fiction: This particular science fiction category pays significant attention to scientific detail and accuracy, instead of placing priorities on story telling. It was first introduced in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell, Jr.'s Islands of Space in Astounding Science Fiction. The heart of the "hard SF" designation is the relationship of the science content and attitude to the rest of the narrative, and (for some readers, at least) the "hardness" or rigor of the science itself.One requirement for hard SF is to create an intentional a story that should try to be accurate, logical, credible and rigorous in its use of current scientific and technical knowledge.

Soft Science Fiction:
 focus on human characters and their relations and feelings, while de-emphasizing the details of technological hardware and physical laws

Social Science Fiction
concerned less with technology and space opera and more with sociological speculation about human society

3.  

           Conventions (200 words)

Explain in detail the conventions of the science fiction genre. The conventions should also include those frequently borrowed from other genres ie the heroic journey, horror, etc.

Depending on what type of science fiction genre is used, the conventions of the novel can be entirely different. But usually, novels will incoperate technology, space, alien civilizations, the future and even space battles.