How
is science fiction different from fantasy, according to Le Guinn?
Le
Guinn (2005) distinguishes the difference of science fiction and fantasy
through their elements of realism. Science fiction is almost reality with
unreal and made up twists to create a story. In science fiction with the centre
of a real life event or person almost anything can happen. Thus, it takes
historic or present events and inserts fictional characters doing fictional
things, or having fictional abilities. It is the recreation of past events or
present time by the author playing out in an imaginary way in turn creating a
new world that is a twist of real life events. This could be based on existing
trends and mannerisms, however is done in a way that the author has created in
a new and imaginary world, time, or space. However it is carefully created to ensure that
it does not contradict itself with reality (Le Guinn, 2005).
Fantasy
however is more closely related to mythical creatures and places. It relies
little on reality and is actually based more on fictional events than science
fiction. Fantasy differs from science fiction as it moves away from factual
events, whereas science fiction cannot distract too far from the real world. Thus,
the creation of fantasy stories has much more freedom of imagination than
science fiction, and allows authors to explore their mind on a more imaginary
basis. Fantasy deliberately violates reality and creates outside stories that
are often as far from realism as possible. To ensure readers do not get too indulged
in fantasy worlds, the stories have small relations back to real life. This is
usually achieved through their characters which are not always human, yet
obtain human characteristics (Le Guinn, 2005).
Therefore, according to Le Guinn (2005), science fiction is
the mythology of real life. It is based on plausibility through observations of
accurate takes on the world however diverts from it. Fantasy however is about
authors exploring their imagination in a way that moves away from reality
almost completely.
Reference
Le Guin, Ursula K. (2005) Plausibility
Revisited What Happened and What Didn't. Retrieved from http://www.ursulakleguin.com/PlausibilityRevisited.html
Hi Eden,
ReplyDeleteThis is a really fabulous review on Earthsea, I can tell that you have read the book and really thrived to explain the different between the both. Well done :-)
Hey Eden,
ReplyDeleteThat final paragraph in which Le Guin defines the difference between Science Fiction and Fantasy is really interesting. The way I see it, Science Fiction is based on the possibility that events could actually happen whereas Fantasy exists in the author's imagination and is transferred to the reader/viewer through the strength of the text. If the author writes well the reader is caught up in the experience and can enjoy the fantasy knowing it is based on nothing more than the author's vision. Do you agree?
Thanks Eden, I think you have largely understood the secondary reading although you have had some trouble clearly expressing that. Le Guin suggests that maintaining a cohesive 'unreality' in fantasy allows the reader to fully commit to the world and therefore engage with the larger themes. Ok.
ReplyDeleteyes Max I do agree to an extent. However I understand that viewers are able to enjoy and engage within the fantasies based on the authors vision, while applying their own vision to the fantasy. When reading novels the reader takes the fantasy into their own imagination and therefore may see it differently to how the author did.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Brendan, I will take note.