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(2015
midterm assignment) Model Student Midterm answers 2015 (Index) Essay 1: Compare, contrast, and evaluate Narratives of the Future |
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Sarah
Hurt
The Three Narratives
Narratives “describe or model individual or national origins, struggles, and
goals” (Future Narratives, Course site) and have been used by humans to describe
and explain their world for all of human history. Similarly science fiction can
“help people make sense of the world” (Narrative, course site) they live in,
which is changing constantly. This constant change can make the already complex
ideas of identity and our future even more daunting, and while science fiction
does not always make these ideas any simpler (often it just complicates them
even more), because it is a type of narrative that focuses so heavily on ideas,
it can cause one to question their beliefs regarding identity and the possible
future in a new way. Science fiction, due to its focus on time and space, can
have complicated uses of time, but the three most common timelines are
Creation/Apocalypse, Evolution, and Alternative.
The three primary narratives of science fiction have some distinct
symbols associated with them. Creation/apocalypse is the narrative model used
within the Bible. This particular model is best expressed as a straight line
(point A to point B) with a distinct beginning and ending that is linear.
Evolution is an upward spiral and is often expressed as cyclical and an
alternative narrative can be compared to a branching tree or fork in the road.
When looking at the symbols or imagery associated with these three
narratives it is not hard to imagine that they might not go well together. This
mainly comes into play with the creation/apocalypse and evolution narratives.
When reading an apocalyptic narrative such as the Bible, there is one large
event that changes everything. With a large scale apocalypse, humanity is no
longer a possibility as there is no life left on the planet. With evolution,
changes are much slower and are not always as easy to point out as progress
moves forward while life is continuing to distract us. Apocalyptic narratives
can be tied to the idea that everything (life, humanity) is over period, while
evolution tends to focus more on changes that are occurring, that while life
might become almost unrecognizable it is in fact still life. Alternative
narratives further complicate both apocalyptic and evolutionary narratives
because instead of only one possible future coming to fruition, all
possibilities are not only possible, they do in fact occur.
While the three narrative time lines can seem at first glance to
different to work together, the majority of the works we have read contradict
that notion. Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” is the perfect example of
how closely tied apocalyptic and evolution narratives can truly be. Lauren and
her family along with her cul-de-sac community experience a personal apocalypse
when their community is burned down. Her entire life, everything she has ever
known is destroyed and she and her new family must evolve to fit into their new
life on the road. An apocalyptic narrative focuses on a huge change that
destroys all concept of what you thought you knew to be true, and an evolution
narrative focuses on ongoing changes and adaptations. As both of these types of
narratives focus on change, the ending of one way of life, they can work
simultaneously together to create something like “Parable of the Sower”. For
Lauren God is change, which is why it is only fitting that apocalyptic and
evolutionary changes are the narrative style used within her story.
As with all types of narrative styles, the three primary narratives used
within science fiction has both appealing and unappealing elements to readers of
literature and cultural sensibilities. When it comes to the creation/apocalypse
narrative it can be “both dreadful and hopeful, beautiful and terrible”
(Millennialism, course site). Within cultures that have creation/apocalypse
narratives very ingrained into their idea of life (Evangelicals for example),
the idea is not radical and widely accepted making creation/apocalyptic
narratives culturally acceptable to the majority of the population. Another
literary appeal for creation/apocalypse narratives is the often dramatic
elements connected with such narratives such as ideas regarding good and evil
and large scale catastrophes. Some of the biggest detractions from the
creation/apocalypse narrative include its over use both culturally and in
literature. This type of narrative can also be seen as unappealing due to
perceived close ties to Biblical ideas that may be upsetting to some readers and
cultures that have harsh feelings towards Christianity.
Evolution narratives can be appealing in that “stories of survival and
dominance conform to romance narrative” (Future Narrative, Course Site).
Narratives that use evolutionary concepts can appeal to those who are more
scientifically minded and because they do not have a definite ending the way
that creation/apocalypse narratives are most known for, they can be expanded.
Evolutionary narratives can also make you think and are often more complicated
which can be both appealing and unappealing depending on the reader and their
skills and mindset. The biggest detraction from the evolution narrative however
is cultural. While more people believe in evolution than ever, evolution is
still a concept that is polarizing within our culture and some would find the
topic offensive. The other big problem with evolution narratives arises within
“The Time Traveler”, as less human interactions and large jumps in time can
quickly become confusing or difficult to understand and might be less
interesting for some.
What makes alternative narratives so appealing to some is the exact
reason that it is unappealing to others. Concepts such as multiple time lines
and quantum physics can be intimidating and confusing even for those who
regularly read alternative narratives. This is due to the ever expanding number
of possibilities associated with the science. While the overwhelming number of
possibilities can be appealing and seem exciting for some readers, the concept
is so complex that it can become unappealing to those that are unused to the
concept. The increasing complexity can also lead extremely confusing plots that
even dedicated readers of alternative narratives can become uninterested in
trying to keep up. “Mozart in Mirrorshades” would be very complicated if the
main character went to all of the worlds that he mentioned (at least 5) within
less than 20 pages of the narrative. Keeping up with the different worlds and
keeping them separated is something that one has to do with Alternative
narratives which can be enjoyable and a challenge when written well, and an
absolute mess when written poorly or becomes overly complicated.
The three narratives can have connections to decline and progress. With
creation/apocalypse the world is declining but can lead to both fear (for those
who believe they are damned) and joy (for those who believe they are saved).
Progress (especially in regards to technology) is generally associated with
evolution and the evolution narrative can reflect that, however it can also be
associated with decline (in regards to humanity) such as in “Stone Lives”.
Within “Stone Lives” technology has progressed, but the survival-of-the-richest
has led to a decline in human treatment. Alternative narratives can go either
way, decline as in “The Sound of Thunder” clip we watched in class or progress
in regards to science advancement.
The
three narratives are both closely tied together and held apart by a combination
of science and cultural acceptance, and as the majority of what we have read
this semester shows, the definition of these narratives will only become harder
to keep separate as the lines are blurred in regards to how similar they are.
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