New Class: Science Fiction and Cultural Critique

[BentonGrey]

Howdy folks, I am proposing a special topics composition II class for next year, and I thought I'd run my ideas past y'all and see what you think.  It's centered around science fiction novels and movies, specifically those that are a source of cultural critique.  I'm still fleshing out ideas, so I'd love to get some feedback about my texts and my concept.

For years I've talked to my students about how speculative fiction has provided a great perspective on our culture and the influence of technology on the modern world, so I've decided to create a class that studies the questions I always try to get my students thinking about, but does so through sci-fi literature.  Given the ever increasing pace of technological advancement and our growing reliance on personal electronics, along with the effects, both positive and negative, of such trends on our culture, this seems like a good way to get my students questioning their world a bit and thinking about the types of things they take for granted.  There are a few major themes I want to hit.

• The increased isolation of modern life and means to address it
• How technology is changing the way we think/work/live
• The major challenges the future holds (environmental, societal, logistical)

The end goal is to get these kids thinking about their world, examining their assumptions, and grappling with the problems of our culture, because, of course, good speculative fiction is always about today as much as it is about tomorrow.

The class itself will center around a number of novels and a few movies.  We'll read and discuss these, as well as various articles about the modern society and history.  The assignments will build towards a major research paper which will provide most of the points for the class.  I'm thinking that the paper will be an attempt by the students to address a problem revealed in our studies that caught their interest.  For example, they might write a paper arguing for the use of a particular alternative fuel or suggesting a way to address the coming water shortages.  Essentially, they'll take something they found compelling, learn more about it through their early papers, and then write a thorough treatment of it in their final paper.

I'm still trying to decide which and how many books to include, but here is what I'm thinking at the moment.  I'm leaning towards a total of six or seven books/movies.  If you know of a particular edition of these books that you think is the best, please let me know.

Likely:

• Foundation by Isaac Asimov (perhaps the entire trilogy or just the first two)
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bardbury
• Starship Troopers OR The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
• The Space Merchants by Frederick Pohl

Possible:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
• First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells
• Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams OR Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by same

Movies (I'll probably include at least one):

• Equilibrium
• Wall-E
• Blade Runner
• Metropolis

So, what do y'all think?  I imagine that, if you're familiar with the texts on the various lists, (and I imagine most of you are, given the company we keep here.  ) you'll probably see what I was going for with the different choices.  Which do you think I should choose and why?  Any ideas I should consider?  I want to offer a range of stories that treat a range of issues and themes.  I definitely want variety, and I want both heavy and light.  I can't wait to hear what y'all have to say!

[Lionheart]

As a former composition I/II and later Technical Writing (Sr./Grad) instructor, I've always loved special topic classes, especially with a sci-fi or fantasy focus. I think you have a great list to work from there. I'm partial to Starship Troopers myself. As a grad student, many moons ago, I did a special readings class on Heinlein, and my Master's Thesis was about literary influences on Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

If you are interested in adding short stories to the mix, I know of one (inspired by Fahrenheit 451) called "The Antiquarian" by B. David Spicer that fits the concept well. It's a humorous story that nevertheless strikes a chord with its social commentary.

One reviewer described it this way:

"Set in a near-future where the population is constantly saturated with audio/video stimulus, Spicer introduces the Luddite contrast of books on paper and the quest for the impossible treasure of silence. It's a wonderful blend of Bradbury and Vonnegut, and deserves to be submitted for award consideration."

Disclosure: "The Antiquarian" was published in The RudderHaven Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology II, of which I am the managing editor, one of the authors, and the publisher.

[HarryTrotter]

Dune,maybe?

[daglob]

Dune,maybe?

The book, not the movie, I hope.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

There's a short story called "A Logic Named Joe" that may interest you.  Not only does it basically predict home computers and the internet decades before either would come to be, it also examines the potential dangers of easy and universal information and the control and regulation of same.  It probably does not come to the same conclusions as you might assume.

[thalaw2]

There's a short story called "A Logic Named Joe" that may interest you.  Not only does it basically predict home computers and the internet decades before either would come to be, it also examines the potential dangers of easy and universal information and the control and regulation of same.  It probably does not come to the same conclusions as you might assume.

That's a great story and you can have them listen to the Old Time Radio X Minus One/Dimension X version on Youtube.  You could probably get lot of great stuff from X Minus One.

I recommend reading "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Foster.  It's a short story written in 1909 that predicts the future.  I don't know how far you want to go back in Sci-Fi, but Mary Shelly's Frankenstein is often called the first sci-fi novel...then there's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but maybe the kids have seen enough of those. 

If you're a fan of MMA then watching the drama of the rise and fall of Jon Jones might be a good tie into the short story "Roller Ball Murder" by William Harrison. 

1984 seems to be a must.

Anyway, yet again another BG course I wish I could sit-in on.

[daglob]

Your inbox is full.

Did you get the spreadsheet I sent you? In amongst the SF, mystery, and western pulps are some non-fiction, such as William Atheling's (aka Jame Blish) "The Issue at Hand" and "More Issues at Hand".

Oops! I forgot: all Rapidshare links are not working, since RS is gone.

[BentonGrey]

Guys, thanks for the feedback and ideas; it was all quite helpful!  I submitted my proposal recently, and my final list was Fahrenheit, Starship, The Space Merchants, Out of the Silent Planet, and Foundation.  I'll probably incorporate some OTR and short stories as well.

As a former composition I/II and later Technical Writing (Sr./Grad) instructor, I've always loved special topic classes, especially with a sci-fi or fantasy focus. I think you have a great list to work from there. I'm partial to Starship Troopers myself. As a grad student, many moons ago, I did a special readings class on Heinlein, and my Master's Thesis was about literary influences on Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

If you are interested in adding short stories to the mix, I know of one (inspired by Fahrenheit 451) called "The Antiquarian" by B. David Spicer that fits the concept well. It's a humorous story that nevertheless strikes a chord with its social commentary.

One reviewer described it this way:

"Set in a near-future where the population is constantly saturated with audio/video stimulus, Spicer introduces the Luddite contrast of books on paper and the quest for the impossible treasure of silence. It's a wonderful blend of Bradbury and Vonnegut, and deserves to be submitted for award consideration."

Disclosure: "The Antiquarian" was published in The RudderHaven Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology II, of which I am the managing editor, one of the authors, and the publisher.

Thanks man, I'll check it out!

Dune,maybe?

The book, not the movie, I hope.

Actually, I've always thought that the movie (the original, of course) was much better than the book.

There's a short story called "A Logic Named Joe" that may interest you.  Not only does it basically predict home computers and the internet decades before either would come to be, it also examines the potential dangers of easy and universal information and the control and regulation of same.  It probably does not come to the same conclusions as you might assume.

That's a great story and you can have them listen to the Old Time Radio X Minus One/Dimension X version on Youtube.  You could probably get lot of great stuff from X Minus One.

I recommend reading "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Foster.  It's a short story written in 1909 that predicts the future.  I don't know how far you want to go back in Sci-Fi, but Mary Shelly's Frankenstein is often called the first sci-fi novel...then there's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but maybe the kids have seen enough of those. 

If you're a fan of MMA then watching the drama of the rise and fall of Jon Jones might be a good tie into the short story "Roller Ball Murder" by William Harrison. 

1984 seems to be a must.

Anyway, yet again another BG course I wish I could sit-in on.

Thanks Thalaw, that's high praise! 

Yeah, I LOVE classic OTR, and I've listened to a bunch of X Minus One.  I'm fairly certain I've actually listened to "A Logic Named Joe." 

I haven't read "The Machine Stops," but I'll have to check that out.

Daglob, I did, thanks for the resource, man!

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I forgot about this thread.  I meant to mention the short story "Cold Equations."(done several times as both radio dramas and live action)  It's an unusual suspense story in that the outcome is inevitable and known almost form the beginning, but that makes it no less gripping.  The story has a courier dispatched from a star ship in a small shuttle to bring vital medicine to small dying colony.  He discovers a stowaway onboard, but the ship only has the exact amount of fuel to get him and his cargo there and land safely.  There is no margin for error and no way to land with the extra mass.  The only way to do so is to kill an innocent girl and flush her out of the airlock.  This is a horrible and reprehensible thing to do, but science and logic demand it.  As the title says, the math is cold and cares nothing for people or morality.

Might be worth checking out.

[SickAlice]

If " examining their assumptions " is a goal All Summer In A Day by Ray Bradbury. Short of course but perhaps that assists in scheduling course work and easily found for free online. I sharply remember that story helped shape me into a better person, more a helper than taker as well set me on a path to become a better listener. Any fiction that makes people change in real life, changes the world is more than fiction to me and perhaps needs a more appropriate designation. As well the film Enemy Mine if it wasn't mentioned especially considering how much it focuses on diversity and unity.

[HarryTrotter]

Probably late,and Im not sure how much it fits but Brothers of the Snake by Dan Abnett?Or the Gaunts Ghost series.Probably best military SF around.