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LITR 4368 Literature of the Future 
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Sample answers
for Essay 1:
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Sage Butler
Human Response to Harming our Planet: Fight or Flight?
In literature of the future, we have
many ways we can compare the potential paths our society can go down: will it be
apocalyptic or evolutionary? High or low tech? The way that I find most
fascinating is examining the similarities and differences between ecotopias and
alien contact narratives, as these two genres depict the approaches we may take
as our climate faces the impact of the way we treat it—do we nurture our Earth
and make it livable for all, or do we leave it behind for the unknown, and
explore the new beings and planets that are out in space?
An ecotopia is “a place or state which
is utopian from an ecological perspective,” according to Dr. White’s course
page. These stories typically depict an ideal vision of the future, with humans
engaged in a harmonious relationship with the environment—they nourish the Earth
with sustainable practices, maintaining a manageable population and creating
responsible communities. This is evident in “House of Bones,” by Robert
Silverberg, as the quaint village is characterized by delighting in the work to
be done, utilizing all materials (such as building houses with mammoth bones),
and having an intimate, accepting society. Ernest Callenbach’s “Chocco” is an
excellent example of a futuristic society that shares these values: they have
made technology that uses the power of the sun to meet their needs, and ensure
that all members have a voice. Ecotopias are often appealing to those who have a
desire to sustain our earth, though to many, they can be intimidating, as it
requires you to find ways to improve your practices, which many find
uncomfortable to face.
Alien contact narratives have two main
categories: invasion or space exploration. As I am exploring how humans respond
to harm on our planet in literature, I will focus on exploring the latter of the
two. Space exploration narratives often are characterized by the sublime,
according to Dr. White’s course page, and they often describe a future in which
humans leave our planet on a spacecraft, either permanently or in search for a
new planet to inhabit. Often this
is in response to dangers or damage present on our planet, as in “Newton’s
Sleep,” written by Ursula K. Le Guin. In the story, a virus has spread across
Earth that makes it uninhabitable, and a select small percentage of humans are
chosen to live on a spacecraft. There are many tales such as this that are used
as tools for escapism, as humans are choosing to leave our planet instead of
fixing the issues that are present. In “Hinterlands,” by William Gibson, humans
repeatedly go to explore the singularity “The Highway,” despite the dire effects
it has on everyone who is sent there. The humans on Earth only knew that
everyone who has seen it come back catatonic or dead, but still continued
sending people. These stories tend to appeal to those who are interested in the
unknown, and would often prefer to explore what is new than face the issues we
already have.
These two narrative styles help us
compare the responses that humans choose when confronted with significant
problems, especially ones that are caused by our lifestyle. As these issues
become more prevalent, we will likely be able to see this in action, as the
“fight or flight” response only increases as a danger becomes more prevalent.
Looking ahead, we can expect that some of our population will address the
climate issues we are facing by healing the Earth and living simply and
sustainably, while others will be looking ahead to exploring how we can survive
elsewhere.
Personally, I would prefer living in an
ecotopia—living in a close-knit community that follows responsible practices
that nourish the earth sounds ideal to me. This is also much more achievable, as
we know about the changes we could make to prevent, and even reverse, damage
done to our world. As alien contact is far less attainable, and we are less
likely to be able to survive in another setting. We were made for and by the
earth, and it is our responsibility to return it to a healthier state.
References
Robinson, Kim Stanley. Future Primitive: the New
Ecotopias. TOR, 1997.
White, Craig. “Utopia, Dystopia, & Ecotopia.” Literature
of the Future, University of Houston-Clear Lake,
coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/terms/U/utopia.htm.
White, Craig. “Alien Contact.” Literature of the Future,
University of Houston-Clear Lake,
coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/terms/A/AlienContact.htm.
