Science Fiction is a literary genre of many associations, and very few of these are positive. Often thought of in the same vein as comic books and computer programming, it is dismissed by the pretension and petulance of the literary world and placed amongst the refuse of nerdy interest. However as literature often tries to distance itself from the term sci-fi, contemporary cinema has found comfort in the epic scale and ambitious premise that dominate the science fiction pictures of modern day. So, is it that one medium is better suited than the other to this genre? Or is it a basic misunderstanding of what Science Fiction actually is?
Amongst the shelves of common book stores are partitions separating general fiction from those genres perhaps less deserving of merit, amongst these titles are brackets such as fantasy, horror, autobiography and contentiously, Science fiction. There are reasons that this genre is considered of a lesser and detached significance than that of generalised fiction, however these reasons are not necessarily based upon content but more so upon perception. Furthermore I would argue that not only is science fiction on level terms with general fiction, but that sci-fi has a place that fits perfectly in a contemporary society such as our own. In a culture such as ours that is increasingly dominated by the tyrants of advertising and the moguls of the film industry we are force fed images of 'reality' and what we should come to expect of it. In this ever more post modern world we have come to believe that these artificial realities are in fact more real than our own actual ones. And these pictures of reality presented to us in science fiction, whilst not being wholly representative in the spirit of realism, are in fact a picture of the real human condition in an alternate setting, that forces us to admit what makes us human after all.
It is the face of science fiction that encompasses its understanding in popular culture, it is the robot, the alien and the monster that materialises on our television screens. But it is the fascist, the utopian dream, the oppressive government, inequality and morality that are amongst the pages. Whilst Hollywood understands Sci-fi as an opportunity to plague our screens with mutants and aliens, literature is primarily concerned with crafting a social commentary, a historical document and presenting an opportunity to delve into the human consciousness in wholly unrealistic but revealing circumstances. The problem is the extremely narrow perception of the genre and so the exclusion of its key components, what is needed is a re branding of sci-fi as literature and a realisation of its relevance in today's society.
In order to better understand Science Fiction and its implications on our society here are a limited five of many great titles.
George Orwell, 1984
Published in 1948, 1984 is a dystopian vision of the future telling a damning tale of an oppressive government and a loss of 'the self'. The work that created the concepts of 'Big Brother' and 'Room 101' as well as having a profound effect on revealing how we as a society are numbed to the actions of oppression.John Wyndam, The Midwich Cuckoos
A haunting take on alien invasion and a great representation of a very 'British' reaction to a crisis. Also the author of Day of the Triffids, Chocky and The Chrysalids.Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Apparently written as a critique of what Bradbury saw as issues in the American society of the era, Fahrenheit 451 is the story of a dystopia that denies critical thought and so the freedom of the individual mind. A telling vision of an alternate world in which books are not only banned but burned.Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Often compared with Orwells' 1984, Huxley's vision of a supposed utopia in which sadness, sickness and partnership is replaced by sexual/narcotic dependence and obedience. Huxley presents a grim reality as a product of advancements in reproductive technology.
H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds
Published in 1898 and often seen as a comment on British Imperialism and Victorian prejudices, one of the earliest known texts that presents a conflict between alien and man. A landmark Sci-Fi narrative that has been adapted many times for film, television and radio.
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