ENGLISH 4354.001
SCIENCE FICTION
Summer 2006
Dr. David Mead, Instructor
Course
Prerequisites: completion of all Academic Core English requirements.
The aim of this course is to
develop a
clear understanding of the nature and purposes of Science-Fiction.
We will be concerned not only with some major themes of (mainly)
American
science fiction but also with its qualities as fiction, and we will try
to
develop a sound definition of the genre and a set of critical
principles for
evaluating its literary worth. Incidentally, you'll
get some practice in writing critically.
Course
Requirements. The
class grade will be based on 1) consistent,
on-time attendance and active class participation (10% - based on my
subjective
judgement) and 2) two examinations (one of which will be an essay style
take-home test and one an in-class final exam 45% each). Late work is
unacceptable unless you have made arrangements
with me
in advance.
Textbooks:Ursula
K. Leguin, The Left Hand of Darkness, William Gibson,
Neuromancer, Frank Herbert, Dune, James Gunn, The Road to Science Fiction #3, and
David Hartwell
and Milton Wolf, Visions of Wonder.
To learn more about the background and history of science fiction, I suggest you look in our library's catalog under the subject heading SCIENCE FICTION. See also http://www.sfhub.ac.uk and http://lib-edit.tamu.edu/cushing/sffrd/
We will view several films,
including 2001,
A Space Odyssey; Bladerunner;
and some
version of Dune. These films are available in the
Office Hours: My office is FC
288. I will
be in or near my office after class, MTWH 10-11:45. Please come by if
you have
a problem or just want to chat about SF; make an appointment if you can't come during regularly scheduled hours. My
Office phone
is 825-2360 (campus extension 2360).
Student Expectations: Turn your cell phone, etc. to silent. See your
academic advisor to develop a degree
plan if you have not done so.
I look forward to an interesting
if hasty
semester with you.
Course
Plan
July 3
Course
Introduction. View
the film Destination Moon. Assignment: In Gunn, Road to Science Fiction, read Reason, Fondly Fahrenheit, I Have No
Mouth…’ and in Visions of Wonder,
Jamboree.
4 No Class
Meeting. Independence
Day
5 Discuss Destination
Moon,and assigned stories. Read The
Ship Who Sang, The Girl Who Was
Plugged In,
and Masks.
6 Discuss The
Ship Who Sang, The Girl Who Was
Plugged In, and Masks. Read Burning
Chrome and Neuromancer by William Gibson.
10 View Ridley Scott’s film Bladerunner.
11 Finish and discuss film Bladerunner.
Finish
reading Neuromancer.
12 Discuss Burning Chrome and Neuromancer.
13 Discuss Neuromancer. Take-Home Examination #1 distributed.
17 Examination essays due. View
Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Read Clarke’s
The Sentinal. Read Le Guin, The
Left Hand of Darkness.
18 View and discuss 2001 and The Sentinal. Read When
It Changed, Getting Real,
Boobs.
19 Discuss:
When It Changed, Getting Real, Boobs.
Finish LeGuin’s The Left Hand of
Darkness.
20 Discuss LeGuin, The Left Hand of
Darkness. Read Harrison Bergeron,
Ender=s Game, and Mr. Boy.
24 Discuss:
Harrison Bergeron, Ender's Game, and Mr. Boy. Read
Frank Herbert, Dune.
25 View Dune
26 View Dune
27 Discuss Herbert’s novel, Dune. Read Thunder and Roses, Coming
Attraction, and
31 View A Boy
and His Dog.
Aug 01 Discuss film, Thunder
and Roses, Coming
Attraction, and
02 TBA
03 TBA
04 In-class
final examination.