TP - American Science Fiction

1. American
Science
Fiction

2. Science Fiction: your experience
• What sci-fi stories have you read?
• What sci-fi movies do you remember?
Science fiction museum. Imagen de pelican en Flickr. Licencia Creative Commons by-sa.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pelican/235451063/

3. What is Science Fiction?
Fictional narratives
that deal with the
impact produced by
scientific &
technological
advances upon
human beings and
society.
1954…Erik Lassig. Imagen de James Vaughan en Flickr. Licencia Creative Commons by-sa.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_one/4213473056/

4. Types of Science Fiction:
HARD SCIENCE
FICTION: a
particular emphasis
on scientific
accuracy and
technological
hardware detail
Flirty Girl SBA Space Body Armor: Hands. Imagen de Edward Liu en Flickr. Licencia Creative Commons by-nc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edwick/8053820410/

5. Types of Science Fiction:
SOFT SCIENCE FICTION:
focus on human
characters and their
relations and feelings,
while de-emphasizing
the details of
technological hardware
and physical laws
Ray Bradbury – The Martian Chronicles. Imagen de marsmett tallahassee en Flickr. Licencia Creative Commons by-nc-sa.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63596312@N03/7353805094//

6. Types of Science Fiction:
SOCIAL SCIENCE
FICTION: concerned
less with technology
and space opera
and more with
sociological
speculation about
human society
Big brother. Imagen de Vince_Lamben Flickr. Licencia Creative Commons by-nc-sa.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22320444@N08/4272283260/

7. Isaac Asimov (1919/20-1992)
Extraída de Wikimedia Commons , en.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22320444@N08/4272283260/

8. Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUz_KkibYAs

9. About his life
• EARLY EDUCATION:
Science fiction pulp
magazines .
• Science fiction fandom
(1930s)
• Astounding Science
Fiction
Big brother. Imagen de newhousedesign en Flickr. Licencia Creative
Commons by-nc-sa.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/newhousedesign/3247677259/lightbox/

10. I, Robot (1950)
• ROBOT : "FORCED
LABOR"
• I, ROBOT (1950)—A
COLLECTION OF SHORT
STORIES
Big brother. Imagen de holgalicious en Flickr. Licencia Creative
Commons by-nc-sa
http://www.flickr.com/photos/holgalicious/5027577472/

11. Asimov’s robots in motion pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/truthlying/76957
9/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mesacountylibrari
es/9268093915/

12. Robbie: Plot Overview
1) How does the story open?
2) What does Gloria promise
Robbie?
3) Does she fulfill her promise?
Why?
4) What is Mr. Weston’s
response? How does it change?
5) Which is Mr. Weston’s final
plan?
6) How does the story end?

13. Match the characters to their viewpoint :
1. GRACE WESTON
…is wary of technology
2. GEORGE WESTON
…is entirely ignorant of the
fact that Robbie is a robot
1. GLORIA WESTON
…sees Robbie as a playmate.

14. Analyzing quotations:
• “The little girl protested, ‘Again? I’ve told you
Cinderella a million times. Aren’t you tired of it? –
It’s for babies.’” (p. 7)
• “It’s that robot Gloria calls Robbie. He doesn’t
leave her for a moment (p. 8)
• “And yet he loved his wife –and what was worst
his wife knew it.” (p.10)

15. Some questions…
• In what part of the story are the Three Laws
of Robotics introduced?
• Name some technological devices present
in the story
• What are the aspects that make Robbie a
science fiction story?

16. Possible Themes in “Robbie”
• Technophobia: confronting
Frankenstein’s complex
• Ethical and moral
responsibility
• Technology as a potential
benefit to human life

17. Este obra está bajo una Licencia Creative
Commons Atribución-NoComercial 3.0 Unported.