Engl 356-- Science Fiction
E.K. Sparks
MWF 9:05
D214 & 409

SF: Syllabus for Spring, 2001

Monday Jumps:
W Jan 17: Campbell  | M Jan 22: HG Wells  | M Jan 29: Utopias and Dystopias | M Feb 5: Space Opera | M Feb 12: Future History |  M Feb 19: Aliens | M Feb 26: Time Travel | M, March 5: PK Dick | M, March 12: New Wave | M, March 26: Le Guin | M, April 2: Women in SF | M, April 9: Cyberpunk | M, April 16: Red Mars | M, April 23: Presentations

means class meets in Computer Lab: 409 Daniel | SFE =Science Fiction Encyclopedia, 2nd ed. |

means class handout  | means handout is in Xerox book | means handout is on the web

means read this novel

1. W, Jan 10: General Intro ->Policy Statement, Syllabus

2. F, Jan 12: Technical Intro->: (Class meets in Dan 409 -- Multi- Media Lab) Class web site; discuss projects etc.


3. M, Jan 15: MLK Day-- No class (Pick up first installment of Anthology at Campus Copy)

4. W, Jan 17: Thematic Intro--> Read all Critical Background Material in Xerox Book

Reading Guide for Myth Materials
Campbell, Excerpt from Hero with a Thousand Faces
Campbell Charts http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/sfmats.html#backmats
Frye, "Modes" and "Romance"; Character Functions
Pearson & Pope, "Female Hero"  Dorothy vs Luke 5. F Jan 19: Definitions -> Class meets in Dan 409 for in-class on-line chat Read SFE, entry on Definitions of SF
Read Web site on defintions <http://www.panix.com/~gokce/sf_defn.html>
6. M Jan 22: H.G. Wells-> SFE on Wells
Check out info on web and in Xerox book,
including study guide questions.
Read first half of the Time Machine. 7. W Jan 24: H.G. Wells-> Finish Time Machine
Gliederung of Time Machine
Campbell Chart of Time Machine
Study Guide questions on Tme Machine 8. F Jan 26: Basic HTML-->Crunching Code: basic commands: colors etc HTML-- Basic Concepts
Minimum Requirements for an HTML Document
  • HTML Materials (Templates and Tools
  • Top Ten Reasons Why your web page isn't working

    • Some How To's for Web Pages

    9. M Jan 29: Early Origins: Utopias -> SFE entries on utopias and dystopias, Bellamy, and William Morris
    Materials in Xerox Book and on-line about Utopias and Dystopias Herland Chaps 1-3     10. W Jan 31:Charlotte Perkins Gilman Herland Herland Study Guide
    Gliederung for Herland
    Campbell Chart on Herland
    New Links on Gilman     11. F Feb 2: HTML Workshop-> Using simple web editors such as Composer
    Begin talking to each other about group projects.

    12. M Feb 5: Early Origins: Space Opera -> SFE Entry on Space Opera, Gernback, E. Doc Smith
    Hugo Gernsback, "New York A.D. 2660
    E. Doc Smith Handout
    A Rather Idiosyncratic List of Space Operas
    Chonological Chart of the History of SF
    Space Opera Links     13. W Feb 7: Hard SF: The Golden Age SFE on Golden Age, Campbell, Hard SF
    Campbell, "Who Goes There?"
    Heinlein, "The Roads Must Roll,"
    Tom Godwin, "The Cold Equations"
    Explanation of Hard SF from Ultimate SF Site
    Long but very interesting Intro to an anthology of Hard SF
    Chart Comparing Cosmology, Epistemology, Psychology, and Axiology of Various Kinds of SF
    My Links on Golden Age SF, Campbell, Stapeldon. Heinlein, Asimov     14. F Feb 9:   Student Portfolio Pages
    Requirements for Portfolio Pages     SF Portfolio Pages must be posted by 5:00 PM. E-Mail URL to list.

    15. M Feb 12: Hard SF: Future History ->

    SFE on Stapeldon, Asimov, Galactic Empires, History in SF
    Clarke on Stapeldon
    Future History Charts
    Asimov, excerpt from Foundation,
    Mark Space Entry on Stapeldon
    Stages in the Future History of the Universe
    My Old Links on Asimov and Heinlein     16. W Feb 14: Hard SF: Heinlein, Starship Troopers SFE and Web on Henlein
    Reading/ Study Guide on Starship Troopers
    Student Bibliography on Henlein (includes all short stories)
    Gliederung/ Plot Summary of Starship Troopers     17. F Feb 16: Intro to Graphics-> Photoshop I: file size & format ; filters
    Groups must be formed; discuss questions on proposals

    18. M Feb 19: Hard SF: Aliens ->

    SFE on aliens
    Selective, Chronological, Thematic Reading List on Aliens
    Weinbaum,"Martian Odyssey" (1934)
    Frederic Brown "Arena" (Source for Star Trek Episode) (1944)
    A.C. Clarke, SFE & WEB,     19. W Feb 21: Cozy Catastrophes and Nuclear Dooms: SFE on Holocausts and After
    Cosy Cat Biblio http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/sfclass/Cosycat.htm
    H.G. Wells, "The Star" (1897)
    Theodore Sturgeon, "Thunder and Roses"(1947)
    Arthur C. Clarke, AThe Nine Billion Names of God@ (1953)
    Robert Silverberg, AWhen We Went to See the End of the World     20. F Feb 23: Lab Work Day
    Groups work on proposals (Due Monday, Feb 26)

    21. M Feb 26: Softening SF--Time Travel->

    SFE on Time Travel, Time Paradoxes and Alternate Worlds
    S. James Jakaiel and Rosandra E. Levinthal, AThe Laws of Time Travel
    Ray Bradbury, AThe Sound of Thunder@
    Alfred Bester, AThe Men Who Murdered Mohammed@
    Robert Heinlein, AAll You Zombies@
    Time Travel and Alternate Worlds Biblio     22. W Feb 28: Softening SF--Psionics-> SFE: Pseudo-Science, Psi Powers, Psionics, Psychology, ESP
    1954 Jerome Bixby, "It's a Good Life"
    1969  Anne McCaffrey, "Apple"
    23. F Mar 2:  Lab Work Day -- Proposals due Friday, March 9
    24. MMar 5: Philip K. Dick
    SFE on Philip K. Dick
    Web on P.K. Dick
    "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" (source for Total Recall)
    Excerpt from Speech on "Android and Machine"
    Start Reading Blade Runner
    Tuesday, March 6 -- 7:30 PM -- Free Showing of Blade Runner
    25. W Mar 7: Blade Runner
    Finish Reading Blade Runner
    Andrew Trapp's Gliederung of Do Androids Dream
    Study Guide from  from Paul Brians on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
    26. F Mar 9: Blade Runner-> Discuss Film vs. Book Version
    My Study Questions Comparing the Film vs. the Book
    Film Class Web Site on Blade Runner 
    27. M Mar 12: New Wave SF-> Definition, Ellison
    SFE on New Wave, Harlan Ellison
    Article on New Wave SF for DLB by E.K. Sparks in xerox book
    Harlan Ellison, Intro to Dangerous Visions, "Thirty-Two Soothsayers"
    Kate Wilhelm, "Baby, You Were Great!"  in xerox book
    Harlan Ellison, "Repent Harliquin Said the Tick Tock Man"  in xerox book
    Student Site on Ellison
    28. W Mar 14: New Wave SF-> Delany and Zelazny
    SFE on Samuel Delany and Roger Zelazny
    Samuel Delany"Aye and Gomorrah," "The Star Pit"
      My Delany Biblio
    Good Intro to Delany Site
    Interview with Delany
    Roger Zelazny, "The Engine at Heartspring's Center"
    Roger Zelazny, " The Man Who Loved the Faoli"
    Good Site on Zelazny
      Zelazny Biblio Another Biblio
    Lord of Light

    29. F Mar 16: Site and Page Design Basics

    Visual Edit Sheet http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/dial/lap101/vizedit.html
    SPRING BREAK -- March 19-23

    30. M Mar 26: Ursula Le Guin, -> Left Hand of Darkness

    SFE & Web on LeGuin
    Reading and Discussion Questions on Left Hand of Darkness
    Le Guin's Future History -- An Internal Chronology of Her Science Fiction Works
    Read First 6 Chapters of Left Hand of Darkness
    31. W Mar 28: Left Hand of Darkness cont.

    32. F Mar 30: Lab Work Day or Le Guin


     
    33. M Apr 2: Women in SF-> Historically
    SFE: Women as Portrayed in SF, Women SF Writers; Joanna Russ
    Gender in/and SF http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/sfmats.html#sffem
    Joanna Russ, "Amor Vincet"
    Judith Merrill, "That Only a Mother"
    John Varley, Options
    34. W Apr 4: Women in SF: Tiptree ->
    SFE: James Tiptree
    Web Site on Tiptree
    Tiptree, "Mama Come Home"
    Tiptree, "The Screwfly Solution"
    Tiptree, "Houston, Houston, Do You Read?"
    35. F Apr 6: Lab Work Day

    36. M Apr 9: Cyber-Punk:-> SFE: Entry on Cyber-Punk
    Web Materials on Cyber-Punk http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/sfmats.html#cyberpnk
    McCaffrey, "The Desert of the Real," Notes on CP from Mississippi Review
    Gibson, "Johnny Mneumonic"
    Candas Jane Dorsey, (Learning About) Machine Sex     37. W Apr 11: The New Hard SF : Kim Stanley Robinson-> SFE: Entry on Kim Stanley Robinson
    Web Sites on Robinson
    Begin Red Mars     38. F Apr 13: Last Lab Work Day
    39. M Apr 16: Kim Stanley Robinson->      Red Mars II-- Read through Part 5 to p. 350 40. W Apr 18: Review for Final (bring xerox book to class) 41. F Apr 20: Last Lab Work Day

    42. M Apr 23:  Wrap Red Mars ( have novel finished)
    43. W Apr 25: ***Site Presentations I***
    44. F Apr 27:   ***Site Presentations II***
    List of Journal Entries for Spring 2001
    Core List for Spring 2001