Science Fiction
Introduction
Fantasy as well as science fiction answers this question –What if? Science fiction often takes our understanding when it comes to how our universe works and even imagines technologies and ideas that people have not witnessed yet, but could still fit within our understanding. The fiction, which expands on what people know about science, is working on known principles. There are many roots of science fiction and fantasy as a genre that can be explained through the course of this study.
In this research, we also argue that there are major creators of science fiction and fantasy who contributed some of their works in this field, which helped the development of science and technology that are shown in their science fiction works. In addition, many influencing factors affected the science fiction aside from the fact that many areas of the society had a great impact on science fiction. In addition, science fiction, which normally regarded as an entertainment, brings more value than what was mentioned.
There are numerous movies that portray and use science fiction as their movie theme. One good example is the movie Deep Impact that shows how science fiction can be used to portray the advancement of science and technology, but some might regard it as one of the usual sci-fi movie that followed and enhanced previously shown movies of a similar theme. In this study, earlier works of science fiction will be identified to correlate if they have a connection or may have influenced the Deep Impact movie aside from the description of the value this movie might have when it comes to science fiction archetypes and themes representation.
In addition to our claims, science fiction and fantasy offer broader and deeper scope of their meanings that may have been present since the early 1900s and how it affects our lives in terms of science and technology development and application.
Section I
During the 1900s, people were already thinking of possibilities of travelling through air like a bird, flying in other word. There may have some people who were thinking and hoping that one day, air travel will be developed and invented. This was then a science fiction not until Ferdinand von Zeppelin invented his first rigid dirigible airship. Zeppelin was endorsed by Carl Schurz, a Union Army general, to United States President Abraham Lincoln and received a pass signed by the President himself to let him travel with northern armies. This science and technology invention happened during the Civil War era, which did not stop Zeppelin from exploring the American frontier (airships.net). In addition, Zeppelin, as a military man, viewed his airship design as a military themed invention. He was hoping that his invention will be a big contribution to the military capabilities and strengths of his country.
There are a lot of hopes, fears and concerns that influenced science fiction during the earlier times. People may have had some additional needs that can be provided by science fiction, or science and technology directly. There may have fears and concerns that affected the way they think towards science fiction, one good example is the political event that happened in 1930s such as The Great Depression that led to people to develop a dystopia or an imaginary world. In connection with this, a science fiction film Frankenstein was created on 1931. A futuristic type of film or movie is often portrayed using a dystopian setting.
It was in 1960s when feminist movement began. Progress regarding women’s rights was gaining strength in the face of reactionary and backward ideas. It was also in this period when the movie Star Trek was created, which was almost intended to collide with the feminist movement in some way or another. This science fiction movie’s attitude towards femininity was projected to be progressive from the start.
However, situation would not allow the women’s progressive status as the era is within the period of hope for gender equality as what the sci-fi movie portrays (Snyder, 1995). Additionally during this period, people were skeptical about having in contact with aliens. As for the social change, it keeps on evolving as the people change the way they think as well as adapting new technologies. These areas such as the previous social changes, political and social events and even the science and technology approach of 1960s influenced and had a great impact to science fiction during that time.
Section II
Science fiction brings interesting things to people. Many science fiction works such as movies, novels, books and even science and technology inventions provide ideas and add twists to people’s imagination. Oftentimes, we thought that science fiction is just an ordinary work that entertains our minds. It is also regarded as an act of escapism or a way for people to forget about their real life problems. However, this is not always the case. Science fiction is more than just a form of entertainment to escape from reality.
John Zaharick asserts that great writing is storytelling, which explores the condition of humans that deals with how people experience can be related to the world. Science and technology have totally changed this observation over the centuries. We understand through experimentation and observation that human memories are unreliable in which we fabricate our past events without realizing it. Behavioral studies as well as biology show us that some animals may have experiences like our own. For example, crows illustrate the skill to future imaginations for puzzle solving; chimpanzees and elephants mourn their dead. Being in human society, we have the control of complex systems and altering vast as we accidentally manipulate the ecosystems and climate. Even nuclear weapons provide us with the idea of an existential risk. We not only have the power to affect people, but all people (cobaltreview.com). Science is the method of understanding how universe works and ideally, people use that understanding to get their life better. Storytelling is one of the oldest traits of human, reaching back to tales told around fires, which is also painted onto walls of some caves. Science fiction is the work of understanding universe as well as human condition through the story framework story.
These revelations must make us think in a different way about what being human means than was thought just a few centuries ago. Storytelling realm, which uses these insights, is another definition of science fiction. While some stories forecasting the future has been started by going back centuries, it is in the past one hundred years, which manifested the idea of a science fiction, and it is a history loaded in the human exploration (cobaltreview.com).
In addition, some authors thought that science fiction gives a distinctive perspective for studying the human condition. A speculative character of science fiction enables authors to investigate a selection of psychological and social reactions to strange and deep stimuli.
This is an exceptional snitch that only fantasy matches closer. Numerous genres investigate the human condition as well as reactions to known stimuli, and do that fine. But with science and technology gaining new capabilities to our world, it is imperative that people explore and study how humanity will take advantage and react to these new capabilities.
So as for the broader and deeper characteristic of science fiction, it proved many aspects that it can portray and even help science and technology to discover more about the human condition. Moreover, it has been shown that science fiction is not just merely a work of art such as literature, movie, painting or scientific inventions.
Section III
There are many Hollywood science fiction movies that demonstrated almost similar genres such as robotic theme, aliens and even end of the world. One of the most famous movies portraying such is Deep Impact. As many of us watched this movie, it conveys scientists trying to save the earth from a giant comet that course to collide to earth. Focusing upon the astronauts would have saved the audience from illogical scenes that involve the suburban, middle-class characters. Since it is primarily a catastrophe film, Deep Impact also follows various Hollywood clichés that was shown in other movies having the same genre. It has pregnant women and parents who sacrifice their lives to save their children as well as dreadful characters who eventually turn over new leaves so as to become hero character. So even though it follows some Hollywood genre, it still portrays some more than the usual clichés as it has a different twist in its story.
A movie such as Deep Impact may have a value in terms of the representation of recurring science fiction themes and archetypes. As it follows similar theme, future movies may use this movie as an inspiration to create a much better movie of the similar theme. Future science fiction movie may develop new ideas in producing movies inspired from Deep Impact that will have more modern type of story in which can be related to present technologies. This movie, as well as other movies of the same genre, can also be considered many of the roots of science fiction movies and can be a contrasting and comparing basis to critique future similar movies.
Earlier works of science fiction such as the possibility of tracing a comet’s course may have had an influence on this movie. Additionally, the ability of human minds to find ways on how to travel to outer space may also have been influence on this movie.
Conclusion
For over a hundred years, people were skeptical about their questions regarding many possibilities that involve innovations through science. As they had much simpler lifestyle than many of us have presently, some of them may have not realized that what they thought can be possibilities of today. During their period, people who possess an incredible imagination about science fiction did not stop until they proved that what they thought can be done that a science fiction can be a real life part of science and technology and in fact, history. They made a remarkable works that became useful to us presently, which have been developed as time goes by. Some of us may have not realized, but these science fiction and fantasy works should be appreciated by most of us as they made big contribution in our modern society.
Moreover, science fiction must also be regarded as a broader way to discover many things within our planet and the universe that can level-up our lifestyle. So, science fiction must be regarded more than just an entertainment and a way to escape from our real life problems, but it must be viewed as another medium to explore our own lives as well as ourselves as a human beings.
References
Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin — Inventor of the Zeppelin. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://www.airships.net/count-ferdinand-von-zeppelin
Science fiction and dystopia: what's the connection? (2012, August 30). Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://theconversation.com/science-fiction-and-dystopia-whats-the-connection-8586
Snyder, J. W. (1995). Star Trek: A Phenomenon of and Social Statement on the 1960s. Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://www.ibiblio.org/jwsnyder/wisdom/trek.html
Zaharick, J. (2012, November 21). Science Fiction and the Human Condition | Cobalt Review. Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://www.cobaltreview.com/blog/2012/11/21/science-fiction-and-the-human-condition/
