Week 7 and 8 - The Man In The High Castle

What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?

The genres known today as science fiction and speculative fiction both share similar characteristics that, at times, make it difficult to sperate when tyring to categorize a specific piece of literature or media under one banner. This post will highlight the differences between each of these as well as determine which genre ‘The Man In The High Castle’ falls under (Brown, 2001). 

The genre that is speculative fiction refers to any story in which the characters, environments and elements are created from the imangination of any given individual. The stories that fall under this genre include those that are beyond the reality of the world that we live in, in turn, leading to the inclusion of certain elements like magic and characters such as wizards (Brown, 2001). While speculative fiction is said to be centered around its artistic and philosphical features, science fiction differs and is based purely around science, futuristic environments and physiological features (Brown, 2001). Furthermore, science fiction often highlights the use of adventures in space, time travel and aliens. Overall, speculative fiction stories create situations that asks the ‘what if’ question to readers whereas science fiction seems to be increasingly fixated on the present and goes about thouroughly describing current surroundings (Brown, 2001).

 ‘The Man In The High Castle’ written by Phillip K Dick, can be defined as being both science fiction and speculative fiction as it portrays characteristics that are used to describe each of these. The novel is set in the future of a world that shares many similarities to the real world with one major twist, that twist being that World War II was won by Germany and Japan instead of America and its allies. Thus, confirming the notion that this novel falls under both genres. The science fiction aspect is highlighted by the time period in which the story takes place, in the future. While the speculative fiction aspect is addressed by the speculation created surrounding the notion of ‘what if’ Germany and Japan defeated America and the allies during World War II. 

In summation, it is clear that ‘The Man In The High Castle’ falls under both genres as Dick creates a story that allows reader to live in a ‘what if’ situation while being placed in a futuristic setting. 

References

Dick,  P.K. (2001;  1962).  The Man in the High Castle. London: Penguin.

Brown, E. (2001). Introduction.  In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.

Brown (2001).