V4 - Literature lesson 8: Fantasy & Science Fiction

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Literature lesson 8: 

Fantasy & Science-Fiction

Two genres with close ties

• They offer an escape from our own reality into distant futures and alternate worlds.
• The literary tools of previous literary movements come together.
• Still function to reflect on our own lives and societies.
• Often contain ordinary heroes doing extraordinary things.
• Both rose to prominence during the 20th century and remain popular genres to this day.
• More than just literature: films, series, games - they are popular culture.

Fantasy

• Genre that concentrates on imaginary elements, aka the fantastic —essentially, anything that an author can imagine outside of reality. 
• The magical or supernatural elements serve as the foundation of the plot, setting, characterization, or storyline in general. 
• The key asset is that it allows authors to do things outside the confines of the common world, removing the limitations of reality.
• Fantasy stories confront real world problems and offer solutions through magic or another element of fantasy. 

Name some works that fall into the
Fantasy category.

01:22

So what is the main difference between Fantasy and Science-Fiction?

01:52

What was the base for Tolkien's & White's stories?

02:44

Why is Tolkien important to the Fantasy genre?

03:18

Can you name a work of
Portal Fantasy?

03:35

Can you name a work of
Urban Fantasy?

05:32

What is your favourite
fantasy story?

Science Fiction

• Genre of fiction literature whose content is imaginative, but based in science. 
• Often a big part of or combined with Dystopian fiction, and many books that are considered Science Fiction also fall into the genre of Dystopian literature.
• Relies heavily on scientific facts, theories, and principles as support for its settings, characters, themes, and plot-lines, which is what makes it different from fantasy. 
• Usually possible according to science—or at least plausible.
• Its popularity came with the rise of technology over the past 150 years, with developments such as electricity, space exploration, medical advances, industrial growth, and so on. 
• As science and technology progress, so does the genre of science fiction.
  

Name some works that fall into the
Science Fiction category.

Assignment

This assignment is in line with what you can expect on the listening exam. Watch the video on the history of Science Fiction and take notes as you watch.

Then move onto the questions and answer them.

Along with the 8 questions, answer the following at the end:

What themes do you wish were more explored in Science Fiction or Fantasy? Explain in 150-200 words why you think those themes are important. Give examples if you have them.

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Questions on the video

1. What inspires Science Fiction, according to the introduction?
2. What makes Frankenstein the 'first' science fiction novel?
3. Name some differences between the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
4. Can you give a definition of 'low-art' and why early 20th century Science fiction stories fall into that category?
5. What is Cyperpunk?
6. So, which popular story do you think Michael Crichton created?
7. Why is Octavia E. Butler important to the genre?
8. What is the opposition in science fiction spoken off at the end?

Final assignment (p 34)

• Do some digging and look into the literary movement or genre of your choice and pick a novel, short story or poem not mentioned in the Reader or Lesson Ups.
  
• Explain in 200-250 words why this particular work not only belongs in this chapter, but why you believe it is literature. 
• Name some of the particulars of the literary movement/genre and provide examples from the work you’ve chosen. It can of course be a work you are already familiar with.
  
• Hand it in online (Magister - Opdrachten) for review and make sure you list your name and word count. You will have until the end of the spring holiday to hand it in.

Make sure you hand in all the lesson assignments as well for that bonus on your test