Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Weeks 7 and 8
Science fiction - PKD
1) What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
2) According to Mountfort (2006), what role does the I Ching have as an organisational device in the structure of Man in the High Castle? How does the use of this device illuminate the character of the novel’s protagonists?
3What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of science fiction?
4) What does Dick(1995) himself theorise about the I Ching?
5) A Scanner Darkly is not really Science Fiction but a thinly disguised autobiography.
A Scanner Darkly is true Science Fiction in that it takes a trend in society, in this case surveillance, and takes it to its logical extreme.
Comment on these two different views with reference to the film and/or the novel and what you can discover about the author's life.
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Sci-Fi:
ReplyDeleteWhat is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
Speculative Fiction is fiction which encompasses other works. It is where the setting is NOT in the real world, but rather imaginary and holds imagined events. As opposed to Science Fiction which is an imagined future that has scientific and/or technological advancements.
Speculative Fiction is an expansive genre that takes and includes the elements of one or more other genres. So it is not defined by one specific genre, but rather multiple.
The difference from speculative fiction and science fiction is that science fictions fits within speculative fiction. Because of it’s imaginary elements, science fiction along with other genres such as fantasy, horror, utopia, dystopia, alternate history and apocolyptic. The common trend with all of these genres, and the reason why they all fit within the larger genre of speculative fiction is that the plot and/or settings and/or characters are not real in general, or not real in the present time.
Often the term Sci-Fi is often thought to mean science fiction, when actually meaning speculative fiction. This is how often films/shows/books get placed into the science fiction category, when realistically they are more aligned with some of the other genres that make up speculative fiction.
The Man in the High Castle can be seen to part of the “alternate history” genre, which can be described as when an author takes part of history and alters the course of the event to explore an alternate outcome which carries different implications. The Man in the High Castle fits into this particular genre as the real life event that can be identified is World War Two, and the alternate outcome to history is that the Japanese and Nazi’s go on to rule over America. As this did not actually happen, it creates an alternate ending which is not actually real, and because it is imaginary this is why it fits within the Speculative Fiction larger genre.
PART ONE
ReplyDelete1) What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
Science fiction is a genre that falls under speculative fiction, but falls into its own category. Science fiction embodies certain aspects which differ to that of speculative fiction, such as focusing primarily on the future aided by scientific and/or technological advancements. This particular genre focuses on plots of a futuristic nature, which differ completely from our own world at this current moment, it is almost impossible for events of such nature to occur. According to Philip K. Dick himself, “[In] good science fiction, the conceptual dislocation---the new idea, in other words---must be truly new and it must be intellectually stimulating to the reader” which is seen in many science fiction works such as ‘The Time Machine’; H.G. Wells, and ‘Ender’s Game’, written by Orson Scott Card. These particular science fiction novels introduce completely new worlds and societal behaviours unlike our own. These texts are set in an alternate universe, with an alternate way of living, which differs to that of speculative fiction.
Speculative fiction “is concerned with sociology, psychology, esoteric aspects of biology” which is seen in Man in the High Castle. Speculative fiction focuses more so on what could be real, rather than introducing a whole new world altogether. It is seen with Man in the High Castle that it is set in a somewhat realistic world, with humans and surroundings similar to how the world is today, the only difference is that the context is different. From reading this novel we can still grasp the setting and can imagine it as though it is happening in present-day, which highlights the speculative fiction aspect - it speculates a familiar theme of the war, but twists the outcome of it.
The Man in the High Castle is speculative fiction due to the deep psychological nature of it. Psychological depth and sophistication. Due to the categorisation of Man in the High Castle as being alternative history, it does not encompass the particular traits of science fiction, for example immense technological advancements. According to Annie Neugebauer, “Speculative fiction is fiction in which the author speculates upon the results of changing what’s real or possible” (Neugebauer, A. 2017) which is apparent in this novel. The plot is derived from the axis winning world war 2, which is the author’s speculation about what life would be like if the war had ended with the opposition in power. “The book is full of bizarre speculative fiction details. Africa has been blasted into a wasteland, the Mediterranean was drained for farmland, and Bob Hope does comedy routines about the Nazis' plans to colonize Mars.” (Robertson, A. 2015) which is what adds further to the novel being characterised as speculative fiction. These ideas are plausible, and are possible consequences that came out of the axis winning the war.
(n.d.). Retrieved October 08, 2017, from http://dc-mrg.english.ucsb.edu/WarnerTeach/E192/Intro/intro1.html
Neugebauer, A. (n.d.). What Is Speculative Fiction? Retrieved October 08, 2017, from http://annieneugebauer.com/2014/03/24/what-is-speculative-fiction/
1949 R. A. Heinlein Let. 4 Mar. in R. A. Heinlein & V. Heinlein Grumbles from Grave (1990) 49
Robertson, A. (2015, January 19). The Man in the High Castle never lets us believe its nightmare. Retrieved October 08, 2017, from https://www.theverge.com/2015/1/19/7852355/the-man-in-the-high-castle-amazon-philip-k-dick
PART TWO:
Delete3. What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of science fiction?
Philip K. Dick “used SF to explore his obsession with metaphysics, the nature of perceived reality, good and evil, and the abuse of power” (Brown, 2001) in his novel ‘The Man in the High Castle. These ideas are seen through the setting, characters and plot of the novel - with the interactions and attitudes between both powers, the potential for evil to takeover, and the manipulation of certain characters. Another theme that Dick has followed is “the terror of implicit evil, the claustrophobic sense of being imprisoned in a world seemingly without hope”. The wrong people have won, and the world is turned upside down, which is a concept that Dick wants the reader to consider when reading this novel.
The I ching is also a central theme in the novel, as it is an ancient Chinese book of divination and suggests that the world in the novel may be an illusion of a more perfect world. The I Ching is used in many different ways, more so as a guide ultimately for Frank Frink to find out the truth through turning points.
The idea of alternative realities and those worlds within is a generic feature of Science Fiction, which Dick has followed in this novel. He has taken a world familiar to what he knows and has twisted it in such a way that it has formed an alternative take on it, providing the reader with questions of ‘what if?’. Many science fiction texts have this effect on the reader, including Dick’s own Man in the High Castle.
Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.
Question 3
ReplyDeleteThe Man in the High Castle boasts an alternative-reality tale in which the Axis powers have succeeded over the Allies during World War II. In this thrilling novel, various characters of a variety of social classes describe the oppressive reign of the German Reich now that the US is occupied by the victors of WWII. In The Man in the High Castle, a book titled The Grasshopper Lies Heavy becomes a controversial bestseller, describing what would have happened if the Allies had won WWII (actual reality). This science fiction novel creates an interesting and detailed answer to the question What If the US lost WWII? and through this Philip K. Dick has revolutionized science fiction forever (Brown, 2001).
Eric Brown, an impressive and accredited science fiction writer, writes about the profundity of Dick’s writings by analyzing a few central themes surrounding the novel. Brown comments on the book’s themes of alternate reality, universalism, and conflicting philosophies (Brown, 2001).
Brown begins by describing the alternate reality of the world. Brown skin is now prized (Man in the High Castle, pg. 18) and American possessions have become collector antiques. The world is extremely different to what it is today, with fascism ruling over democracy. This theme of peering into another version of Earth’s reality stands at the heart of the novel. Dick continues to challenge his readers’ perceptions of reality by describing, towards the end of the book, Juliana’s ultimate revelation: that The Grasshopper Lies Heavy is in fact describing the real reality (The Man in the High Castle, pg. 272). The Man in the High Castle continues to question our knowledge of the world and shatters the idea that everything is “certain”.
Another important theme discussed by Brown is the power of the I Ching, which serves as the philosophical “guide” throughout the book. Many characters, like Childan, Fink and Tagomi, all use the I Ching to try to understand the world around them. This theme of universality and interconnectedness plays a large role in the book. It shows how fragile reality is and how one decision can have a large impact on the rest of the world (i.e. victors of WWII) (Brown, 2001).
While The Man in the High Castle is a very non-traditional science fiction novel, it still boasts some similarities to the overarching genre. The book, like so many science fiction stories before it, gives readers a glimpse into another world, a world that is both different and similar to today’s society. It focuses on ideas and themes (like universality and interconnectedness) of today and transports them into another reality, making it both familiar and strange. While it does not focus on traditional aliens and futuristic robots, The Man in the High Castle definitely challenges readers’ perceptions of the world around them and makes audiences truly think about what if? scenarios, an important feature in any science fiction novel.
REVISED VERSION
DeleteQuestion 3
The Man in the High Castle boasts an alternative-reality tale in which the Axis powers have succeeded over the Allies during World War II. In this thrilling novel, various characters of a variety of social classes describe the oppressive reign of the German Reich now that the US is occupied by the victors of WWII. In The Man in the High Castle, a book titled The Grasshopper Lies Heavy becomes a controversial bestseller, describing what would have happened if the Allies had won WWII (actual reality). This science fiction novel creates an interesting and detailed answer to the question What If the US lost WWII? and through this Philip K. Dick has revolutionized science fiction forever (Brown, 2001).
Eric Brown, an impressive and accredited science fiction writer, writes about the profundity of Dick’s writings by analyzing a few central themes surrounding the novel. Brown comments on the book’s themes of alternate reality, universalism, and conflicting philosophies (Brown, 2001).
Brown begins by describing the alternate reality of the world. Brown skin is now prized (Man in the High Castle, pg. 18) and American possessions have become collector antiques. The world is extremely different to what it is today, with fascism ruling over democracy. This theme of peering into another version of Earth’s reality stands at the heart of the novel. Dick continues to challenge his readers’ perceptions of reality by describing, towards the end of the book, Juliana’s ultimate revelation: that The Grasshopper Lies Heavy is in fact describing the real reality (The Man in the High Castle, pg. 272). The Man in the High Castle continues to question our knowledge of the world and shatters the idea that everything is “certain”.
Another important theme discussed by Brown is the power of the I Ching, which serves as the philosophical “guide” throughout the book. Many characters, like Childan, Fink and Tagomi, all use the I Ching to try to understand the world around them. This theme of universality and interconnectedness plays a large role in the book. It shows how fragile reality is and how one decision can have a large impact on the rest of the world (i.e. victors of WWII) (Brown, 2001).
While The Man in the High Castle is a very non-traditional science fiction novel, it still boasts some similarities to the overarching genre. The book, like so many science fiction stories before it, gives readers a glimpse into another world, a world that is both different and similar to today’s society. It focuses on ideas and themes (like universality and interconnectedness) of today and transports them into another reality, making it both familiar and strange. While it does not focus on traditional aliens and futuristic robots, The Man in the High Castle definitely challenges readers’ perceptions of the world around them and makes audiences truly think about what if? scenarios, an important feature in any science fiction novel.
References refer to the actual book and secondary sources from AUT Online, particularly from Brown, 2001
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ReplyDeleteQuestion 1:
ReplyDeleteScience fiction is known as an imagined future with technological advances and major social or environmental changes. Time and space travelling and life on other planets are often included in this genre. Whereas Speculative fiction often includes supernatural futuristic or other imagined elements for the settings throughout movies and books.
These two can often be confused because they are so similar but the difference is within the fact that speculative fiction just focuses on the setting and nothing more. Whereas Science fiction can include a much bigger range of topics and not just ones surrounded the setting of the movie or book. Classing which genre Man in the High Castle is has been up for discussion since it first came out. Man in the High Castle has many different plots, but no one plot dominates the entire movie which is what makes it so hard to decide on what genre it should be. In a discussion on Shmoop, they state that because the book begins with a classic, “what if?” it is a tell tale sign that the book is Science fiction, they go on to note that there are two non-realist elements, one of Tagomi “slipping into a different timeline and the I Ching telling everyone about the other realties out there, this leads me to believe that because these are made up worlds the book would seem very science fictional.
Reference:
https://www.shmoop.com/man-in-the-high-castle/genre.html
What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
ReplyDeletePhillip K Dick was an author of many books over the course of his career which spanned more than forty years and even surpassed his death in 1982. Throughout this time, he was considered a science fiction author with great influence, specifically upon the popular Blade Runner and Total Recall films. Though regarded as a prominent figure within the sci-fi community, his classic novel Man In The High Castle is somewhat arguable in terms of genre. Man In The High Castle sets forth an alternative result to the second World War wherein Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany have succeeded in conquering the United States and inflicting their totalitarian rule. As a consequence of the book's content, I believe the novel itself is more reminiscent of the speculative fiction genre and diverges from Dick's sci-fi inclinations.
In fiction writing, sci-fi is defined by Le Guinn (2009) as fiction in which things happen that are not possible today. When stating this, she was referring to the dispute surrounding Margaret Atwood's novels and genre - Atwood (2011) herself believes them to be sociological realism while Le Guinn just restated Atwood's belief by asserting what Atwood's novels weren't: science fiction. This is because her belief stems from the singular idea that sci-fi is a genre which consists of impossible events and the components of Atwood's novels are both reality-based and within reach. This concept, when transferred to Dick's Man In The High Castle, plainly sets it apart from Dick's science fiction novels in that it's events were entirely feasible and not at all impossible.
However, just setting it apart from one genre doesn't make it another by default. The main grounds for insisting the novel is speculative fiction resides in yet another Le Guinn-Atwood interaction in which Atwood (2011) expresses her impression of speculative fiction is around plots that could actually happen and Le Guinn (2010) agrees. Again, when their notion is applied to Man In The High Castle, it is overt that it belongs to the genre the woman spoke of: speculative fiction. The largest difference between the two lies in what is possible and what is not, and the events Phillip K Dick explored were of a definitively more possible nature.
References:
Mancuso, C. (2016, August 10). Speculative or science fiction? As Margaret Atwood shows, there isn't much distinction. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://theguardian.com
Critchley, S. (2012, May 20). Philip K. Dick, Sci-Fi Philosopher, Part 1. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://nytimes.com
Thomas, P.L. (2013, July 12). Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction: Challenging Genres. Boston, United States of America: Sense Publishers.
Atwood, M. (2011, October 15). Margaret Atwood: the road to Ustopia. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://theguardian.com