How is science fiction different from
fantasy, according to Le Guin?
Normally, we know that science fiction and
fantasy are not actually happened in real life which could be defined as fiction.
According to Le Guin, “fantasy is far more direct in its fictionality than
either realism or science fiction. Its contract with the reader is a different
one.”
Fantasy has
no restriction that the story may have more broad imagination or represent. It
creates unpredictable things. They can make a fantasy story fake and
unbelievable as much as they want, and people would still enjoy it because it
is a fantasy
Science fiction is more likely to describe or imagine the future based on the real
world and there has to be explanations why all the incidents take place and
how, explained in a science related way to make it seems real even though it is
not. “Most science fiction pretends that the future is the present or the past,
and then tells us what happened in it.” Le Guin said. Making unknown future connects
with the characteristics of current people or society. In science fiction,
making unknown future, mostly it has relationship between present and future
which makes a condition of explanation why the future has been created.
However, fantasy does not necessitate explaining the reason of creating new
world because fantasy itself has to be unrealistic, unexplainable and
unbelievable stories that is Fantasy.
Reference
Le Guinn, U. (2005). Plausibility revisited
what happened and what didn't. Retrieved from http://www.ursulakleguin.com/PlausibilityRevisited.html
Hi Sodam. This is also too short (225 words). I appreciate that it was posted at the same time as your first post - so you didn't get a chance to read my first response.
ReplyDeleteThis is shaping up to be an ok answer. But I would like you to add a little more to this answer - please just add another 75-words (approx) as a comment. Perhaps you might like to discuss some examples from Earthsea of the less 'believable' elements of the constructed world. And also some examples of Science Fiction 'explaining the future, often in some plausible scientific way'.
Thank you for your comment and, I must add, Science fiction is defined by Webster's dictionary is "fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals or having a scientific factor as an essential orienting component", meaning that science fiction usually relies on scientific foundation for the elements of the narrative. Most science fiction seems to be either set in a future that is made up but at the same time it seems possible and the natural and human laws still exist, things are always explained.
ReplyDeleteGood. Thanks.
ReplyDelete