Science Fiction Final Essay

Genre refers to a category of texts which often share similar ideologies and follow a set of
conventions which shape reader expectations. While traditionally viewed as static, with texts
expected to conform unequivocally to a genre, generic forms have evolved and are now considered
to be dynamic and fluid, continually being reinvented, as they are influenced by earlier texts and
reshaped by context. The film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), directed by Stanley Kubrick, the short
story The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas (1973) by Ursula LeGuin, the novel Neuromancer
(1984) by William Gibson and James Camerons film Avatar (2009) are exemplary of this concept as
they move away from B-grade science fiction texts, while still exploring technological, moral and
philosophical possibilities and the impact of scientific advance upon human beings, as articulated
by Asimov.
Reflecting the notion that genre is a collective system of representations and beliefs (Amossy), a
significant issue explored in 2001 is the role of technology in the world, which represents an
important preoccupation of science fiction. 2001 distinctly parallels the evolution of technology and
its potential to cause destruction and catalyse the evolution of humankind, seen in the famous jumpcut scene when a bone, the first weapon, is transformed into a futuristic space satellite, a symbol of
technological sophistication, as is the computer HAL. He also represents the danger presented by
creating intelligent beings, and thereby usurping the role of God, although, ironically, he is initially
the only being who is portrayed as having any emotion on the Discovery space station, as humans
seem detached and uncommunicative, seen in the computers words, I can feel it... Im afraid, that
contrasts the banal discussions of the crew and exemplifies the perception that technology causes a
loss in human communication.
Despite these resemblances, genre can also function as a barometer of the social and cultural
concerns of audiences (Lichter), reflected in Kubricks emphasis on space exploration against the
backdrop of the Russo-American space race. Also implicit in 2001, is the influence of Cold War
paranoia, which gripped much of the western world in the 1950s and 60s, evident in the scene
where HAL lip-reads the astronauts, paralleling fears of espionage and surveillance leading to a loss
of privacy. The significance of rapidly expanding scientific knowledge is also reflected in the
scientific accuracy of the film, with 2001 being the first film to correctly depict space as being silent,
breaking the traditional convention of verisimilitude, thereby establishing the value of the genre in
terms of intellect and directly influencing later texts, reflecting the notion of genre as a mutable
intertext (Britten).
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, by Ursula LeGuin, explores value systems which define
the human race but moves away from utilising technology and instead, as Ketterer says,
extrapolating on what we know, comes up with a startling rationale that puts humanity in a radically
new perspective." This use of philosophically oriented soft science fiction is evident in LeGuins
allegorical tale which utilises new wave tropes of examining inner spaces, as it employs extensive
imagery to convey the boundless and generous contentment of the citizens Omelas. This is
juxtaposed to the description of the child as so thin there are no calves to its legs to suggest that

utopian society is shaped by negative treatment of one individual, demonstrating the value of
science fiction as a means of exploring moral boundaries.

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The resulting ethical dilemma, the choice between idealism and pragmatism, faced by Omelas
residents is presented in an ambiguous way by LeGuin, reflecting the nature of science fiction as a
discourse on a spiritual state of balance and the resolution of tensions (Malmgrem ), also seen in
2001, through the Star Child. This is seen in the use of a sympathetic narrator who describes the
child as the source of all compassion as its existence and their knowledge of its existence enable
them to perceive the terrible justice of reality and to accept it which reflects the rationalisation of
corporate exploitation of third world countries, a key concern of the 1970s. However, those who walk
away from Omelas towards the mountains... into the darkness, are also, in a sense, as morally
iniquitous as those who are reconciled to the childs existence, as not only do they walk away
without endeavouring to change the system, the act of leaving itself constitutes an attempt to
assuage their guilt. Through portraying both alternatives as intrinsically flawed, LeGuin thus makes a
powerful statement about the influence of personal change as the key factor in the development of a
better world and reflecting the importance of science fiction as a critique of human values.
Reflecting the notion that genre is a system of categorisation, science fiction texts follow a set of
conventions, often utilising defamiliarisation to contemplate possibilities in human experience. This
is seen in Gibsons creation of cyberspace, a consensual hallucination which unfolds a new social
and psychological dimension where one can function beyond ego, beyond personality and beyond
awareness. Gibsons exploration of America in the 1980s, reflects concerns of the ramifications of
these advancements in artificial intelligence and the fragmentation of the American identity in the
context of rapid globalisation. The resulting punk phenomenon heralded the advent of the
cyberpunk sub-genre, reflecting the notion of genre as a barometer of social and cultural concerns
of audiences (Lichter). The concept of fluid identity is represented in Neuromancer through the
simstim, a device that enables Case to experience Mollys senses, which leads to the devaluation
of the body as meat to be transcended, reaffirming Ruckers notion that cyberpunk is valued for its
articulation of new thought forms emerging from the computer revolution.
The concern of cyber punk with the way in which technology shapes consciousness and behaviour
(Sponsler), rather than the traditional focus of technology itself, is represented in Neuromancer,
revealing the dynamic nature of genre. It embodies the transgression of boundaries between human
and machine, in a genre valued for its focus on evolution, also seen in 2001. Ironically, while the
human characters define themselves only within the framework of technology, seen when Molly
says Anybody any good at what they do, thats what they are right? You gotta jack, I gotta tussle,
the artificial intelligences Wintermute and Neuromancer transcend their limitations, indicating
mechanical evolution and the subversion of human supremacy, a convention of science fiction.
Gibsons description of Wintermute as having the compulsion to free itself, to unite with
Neuromancer, imbues artificial intelligence with a sense of autonomy and agency, which are lacking
in the humans who are, ironically, unable to truly overcome their wiring.
However, while these texts largely subvert the science fiction genre, Avatar indicates a return to
traditional narratives from early 1940s pulp science fiction, demonstrating the value of science
fiction as a marketing category. Like Herberts Dune, a central concern of the film is the impact of
corporate greed on the natural environment, which is explored through the creation of an alternate
universe, demonstrating Suvins view that an imaginative framework alternative to the author's
empirical environment" is a necessary pre-requisite of science fiction. Camerons portrayal of the

Pandoran biosphere as the lifeblood of Navi spirituality, seen in the nerve tassels which enable
them to engage with the environment, is comparable to Gibsons image of cyberspace as Cases

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addiction, demonstrating the shifting values of science fiction, despite family resemblances (Neale)
of texts from the same genre. It is the destruction of this spiritual connection which is the primary
objective of the military-backed corporate company that wishes to obtain rare minerals, seen when
Colonel Quaritch explains, When we destroy their deity, we will blast a crater in their racial memory
so deep, that they won't come back, the metaphor clearly indicating the emphasis of science fiction
on spirituality.
By positioning viewers to question the interests of the authority, Avatar also reflects countercultural
elements, extrapolating on public censure of the ongoing U.S occupation of Iraq which is seen when
Sully describes the military campaign tactics as shock and awe, a term used to describe the War
on Terror. By using this as an allegory for the dispossession of indigenous cultures, Avatar
demonstrates the notion of genre as historically relative, and therefore historically specific (Neale).
Ironically, Cameron also demonstrates neo-colonial attitudes through his perpetration of the White
Messiah fable and the romanticised orientalism , seen in the portrayal of the Navi as noble
savages, reflecting the melding of the science fiction and western genres. It is, however, the
technical virtuosity of Avatar, achieved through the use of three-dimensional technology, which
distinguishes it from texts such as Insert Text Here and offsets the typical science fiction fantasy
narrative, demonstrating the way in which the genre is valued in terms of visual scope.
As seen in the three texts, while the science fiction genre maintains its relevance through the use of
recognisable tropes, by exploring possibilities in human experience in new cultural and physical
settings, it also remains dynamic reflecting the changing nature of genre over time due to differing
contextual concerns.

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