Course Description:  ENG-A315 

 “Science Fiction”

Instructor:  Dr. Hal Bush  

Office:   Humanities 231;  phone 977-3616                    

Office Hours:  TR 1:00-3:30; or by appointment

e-mail:  <bushhk@slu.edu>

 

Course Objectives:      This course will consider the forms, features, and rhetorical purposes of science fiction, broadly defined.  While the novels to be studied will come in chronological order, this will not be an attempt to designate the greatest achievements of science fiction, nor to establish the “greatest works”; nor is it an attempt to cover all or even most of the themes or types of work encompassed by the term.  Rather, this course is meant to introduce students to some of the varieties of fictional writing about science and technology, and how they have affected the ways humans have imagined themselves to be affected by scientific innovation and “progress.”   More specifically, we will discuss how changes in the “hard” sciences have transformed the realities of culture and society, and thus been reflected in the insights of the “soft” sciences (such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, etc.).  Along the way, we will consistently notice the successes and failures that various observers have had in actually predicting the shape of the future.

               The student MUST attend regularly, read the books, hand in work on time, participate vigorously in discussions, and generally be expected to practice aspects of a college lifestyle which lead to academic and career success.

 

 Grading--REQUIREMENTS:

frequent pop quizzes on the readings                                                              20%

Paper #1:   4-5 page essay  (DUE March 6)                                                   20%

Paper #2:   5-6 page essay  (DUE April 17)                                                   20%

comprehensive final exam                                                                              20%

class participation & engagement                                                                   20%

                         

Guidelines:

- Misspelled words and poor grammar will count against you to the extent that the mistakes get in the way of communication. Student writing, thus, must be on a college level.

- Major Papers and Reports must be either typed or word processed. The instructor will not accept hand-written assignments (except take-home quizzes).

- Unexcused absence (cutting) is missing class without either a written excuse or pre-arranged agreement with the instructor.  If a student expects to miss a class, she should contact the instructor beforehand to determine if it is excusable (E-mail is the best way to do this).  Missing a pop quiz due to unexcused absence can never be made up. Continual Absence (8 or more unexcused absences) will result in failure in the course.

- Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of others’ materials.  Evidence of plagiarism will result in an F on a paper and/or a report to the dean of your college.

 

 

 

REQUIRED TEXTS

H. G. Wells,  The Time Machine

Aldous Huxley,  Brave New World.

Ray Bradbury,   Fahrenheit 451.

Frederik Pohl,   Gateway

Kurt Vonnegut,   Slaughterhouse Five.

Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Margaret Atwood,   The Handmaid’s Tale.

Orson Scott Card,   Ender’s Game.

Octavia Butler,   Dawn.

 

                      

Week 1---        1/14                intro & info

 

                        1/16     Defining and discussing the notions of  “Modernism” and “Science”

 

Week 2---        1/21     The Time Machine  pp. 3-47.

 

                        1/23     The Time Machine  pp. 48-end.

 

Week 3---        1/28     Brave New World  pp. 3-106.

 

                        1/30     Brave New World  pp. 107-145.

 

Week 4---        2/4       Brave New World  pp. 146-end.

 

                        2/6       Fahrenheit 451 Part 1.

 

Week 5---        2/11     Fahrenheit 451 Parts 2 and 3.

           

                        2/13     Gateway pp. 1-47.

 

Week 6---        2/18     Gateway pp. 48-233.

 

                        2/20     Gateway pp. 234-end.

 

Week 7---        2/25     NO CLASS—Reading Day.

 

                        2/27     2001: A Space Odyssey pp. 1-31 (Part 1).

 

Week 8---        3/4       2001: A Space Odyssey pp. 35-end. 

 

                        3/6       Essay #1 DUE.  Mystery Topic. . . . . .

 

Week 9---        3/10 -- 3/14     * * * * * Spring Break ! ! !* * * * *

 

Week 10---      3/18     Slaughterhouse Five pp. 1--86.

 

                        3/20     Slaughterhouse Five pp. 87-135.

 

Week 11---      3/25     Slaughterhouse Five pp. 136-end.

 

                        3/27     The Handmaid’s Tale Parts 1-4.

 

Week 12---      4/1       The Handmaid’s Tale Parts 5-11.

 

                        4/3       The Handmaid’s Tale to the end (including “Historical Notes” section).

 

Week 13---      4/8       Ender’s Game pp. 1-119.       

 

                        4/10     Ender’s Game pp. 120-172.

 

Week 14---      4/15     Ender’s Game pp. 173-end.

 

                        4/17     PAPER #2 DUE ! ! !  Mystery Topic. . . . . .

 

Week 15---      4/22     Dawn pp. 3--111.

 

                        4/24     Dawn pp. 115-162.

 

Week 16---      4/29     Dawn pp. 163-end.

 

                        5/1       Contemporary Film Day

 

Week 17---      5/6       FINAL EXAM:  Tuesday, May 6, 8:00—9:50 am.