I thought some of you might enjoy the background material that I gave my science fiction class in the high school today. I liked preparing this presentation (as I like teaching this class) because it gave me an opportunity to reflect on some basic thoughts on the genre. I tell the kids that these ideas are subject to argument. My hope is that they give the class some fundamentals to base other discussions on. They are springboard thoughts. I expect some kids will disagree with them, but it starts us all talking at the same place. It provides a structure.

Basic concepts about SF:

- One of the joys of SF is that it is a literature of ideas. Fans of SF often like it for the cool concepts: the "what if," the speculation and the possibilities.

- SF is a literature that allows us to explore questions about ourselves, our place in the universe and our relationship to change.

- Many SF stories are, in a way, about the time that produced them, either literally or metaphorically.

- SF, like all literature, always addresses in some way the important questions: who are we? where are we going? and how should we behave?

What different kinds of SF stories explore:

- Alien contact/invasion: Through aliens we can see ourselves in a new light. Aliens may take on human qualities so we can see them in isolation, or they may look at us.

- Time travel/alternative history: "What ifs" of human behavior. Stories that explore guilt, memory, lost opportunities. Stories that stress the importance of small moments.

- Robots & AI: Stories that explore what it means to be human or the nature of self-awareness.

- Dystopias: Stories that serve as cautionary tales, social commentary or satire.

- Space travel: Sense of wonder stories (the universe is larger & more wonderful/terrible than we imagine).

- Technological/social change: Where are we/might we be going stories. "What if" explorations.

I feel very lucky that as a part of the curriculum in this high school we have Science Fiction. I think I reach a whole group of readers (I would have been one of them when I was in high school) who would find little or nothing of value to read in their course of study. Through SF I hopefully can teach the value of literature in general, and, with luck, draw non-readers into
reading. For SF fans, which we have a few, I hope to connect them to the larger world of all literature. For the academic, non-SF reader, I hope I can show them the value of this kind of story.

Hopefully they all come out better informed, with more appreciation, and with stronger reading and analytic skills.

In a way, every day I run a little SF convention for high school kids. Can't beat that and still get paid for it <G>.

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from Terry, Keeper of Light Bulb Alley:
I spell-checked this before posting it, to avoid outraged cries from my fellow writers, but you should know that you don't have to have perfect spelling/grammar/punctuation to join the fray at the Rumor Mill.
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