Very Short Intro

]Connect to the book "Science Fiction -- A Very Short Introduction" and then pick a chapter to read that relates to your book club selection. The table of contents is on page 10 in the PDF. People in your group must pick different chapters to read -- if you are going to overlap, it should only be because you are certain no other chapters relate, so get approval from me first. Somebody in your group can also read Chapter 6 (which covers many genres of SF). https://docs.google.com/a/scienceleadership.org/file/d/0B8Cvq7ioloJpc0ZtbGNLYkVSMFU/edit (Links to an external site.Links to an external site. Links to an external site. As you read, answer the following questions: 1. Which chapter are you reading? Number and title. I am reading Chapter 4 titled Utopias and Dystopias. This chapter begins on page 73. 2. In your own words, what is the FIRST paragraph of your chapter trying to say? In the first chapter, the author is attempting to explain Darko Suvin's perspective upon science fiction and utopias. He goes on to speak about what is typically in a utopia that an author creates, such as a formal system, dramatic strategies conflicting, and so on. 3. Vocabulary - Note TEN vocabulary words from the chapter that you didn't know (or half-know). Look up the definition and type it next to the word. Enumerated- Mention Riguor- Being thorough Satirical- Containing/Using satire Interplay- When two or more things have an affect on eachother Estrangement- No longer being on friendly terms with someone/group of people Surge- A sudden powerful movement Androcentric- Focused/centered on men Oligarchy- Small group of people having control over a country/empire/etc Millenarian- Believing in christian millenarianism Smogs- Fog or haze 4. What's one "historical" text that the chapter referred to? What's the basic story of this text? In the text, it refers to historical utopias in the 20th century. It says that the utopias were intended to be dystopias. Interpreting that Utopias were seen as bad. The text then goes into George Schuyler, an African American man who discovered a way to alter skin pigment. This alter could make it so people of dark skin could lighten their complexion. 5. What does that older text show us about the genre? (How did it add to or expand the ideas of science fiction?) It expanded the idea of science fiction in the fact that people believe it is possible to just change something when it is not perfect to them. They do not realize that everything has flaws and does not always need to be changed. This is why Utopias were more so looked down upon since they were altered environments. 6. After the opening portion, your chapter has several sub-sections that are labeled with their own title. Pick ONE and describe what lessons that section shared, and how it relates to your book club choice. The wellsian utopia was striking to be similar. This is because it is all about modern and advanced futuristic ideas. I got this interpretation when I read, ´´...Desire for emancipation a universal factor in literary utopias...´´. This shared how utopias are more so futuristic ideas.

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