英国主流文学对科幻小说的贡献

研

究

生 张玉波

指导教师 翁德修

学科专业 英语语言文学

研究方向 英美文学

年

级

99

级

辽宁师范大学研究生部

2002

年

6

月

2

The Contribution of British Mainstream

Literature to Science Fiction

Zhang Yubo

A Thesis Submitted in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirement

For the Degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of English

LIAONING TEACHERS’ UNIVERSITY

2002

3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am indebted to many persons for help and support in the creation of this thesis. My tutor,

Professor Weng Dexiu, has been generous of her time and moral support; her helpful

comments and stalwart encouragement consistently sustained and improved my efforts. I

am deeply grateful to her for helping me to polish the thesis. As a dear friend and mentor,

Robert Livingston did a great help in philosophy. My treasured friend Stella helped me

through many difficulties of German words. And finally I will say thanks from the bottom

of my heart to my family and friends for their support and care.

4

摘要

科幻小说通常不被认为是严肃的文学形式 在文学批评领域中往往和魔幻小说

侦探小说 惊险小说归为一类 因为科幻小说的这种通俗性质 使文学批评家不可避

免地对其存有偏见 所以在很长时间被忽视 但是与此同时 却又有很多严肃文学作

家或者可以叫做主流文学作家 与职业科幻作家相对而言 创作了许多科幻作品 这

些作品几乎都成为文学宝库中的精品并产生了很大影响 而英国的主流文学作家对科

幻文学的贡献更是独特 他们从英国的文学和哲学的传统出发 用科幻文学的形式对

社会进行探讨 尤其是英国独特的人文主义 怀疑主义和自由主义哲学传统使英国主

流文学作家创造了一些不朽的科幻文学作品 这些作品揭示了科学的滥用所带来的对

社会的和人类自身的危害 以及技术的进步所带来的人文主义的危机 从而使人类社

会有走向乌托邦理想的反面 即反乌托邦社会的可能 上述这些作品扩大了科幻小说

的影响力 影响了职业科幻作家的创作 创立了一些科幻文学的传统 使科幻小说成

为关切社会和人类命运的一种文学题材 研究科幻小说尤其是这类和人类命运息息相

关的科幻小说对今天的中国是具有意义的

关键词 科幻小说 主流文学 人道主义 反人道主义 乌托邦 反乌托邦

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A b s t r a c t

Science fiction is not given the status as serious literary form and is

classified as fantasy detective and horror novels. Because of this popular

misconception, many critics have prejudices against science fiction, which has

been neglected for a very long time. Meanwhile, many serious writers, or

mainstream writers, which are in contrast with professional science fiction

writers, produced many science fiction books that became gems in the literature

treasure house. British mainstream writers have made a unique contribution by

exploring society from British philosophical and literary tradition. Especially,

they produced some of the greatest works of science fiction based on the British

traditions of skepticism, humanism, and liberalism. These books revealed the

harm to human beings and society that is brought by abusing science and also

revealed the humanistic crisis that is induced by technological progress. They

also pointed out that human beings may be on the way leading to a dystopia society.

And these books also turn science fiction a type of literature concerned

with human beings

’

destiny, expanding science fiction

’

s influence, affecting

professional writers, and bequeathing the tradition to science fiction. To do

research on science fiction, in particular science fiction concerned with human

beings destiny is meaningful in China nowadays.

Key words: science fiction, mainstream literature, humanism, anti-humanism,

utopia, dystopia

6

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i

ABSTRACT iii

CONTENTS iv

INTRODUCTION 1

PART I: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE FICTION 5

Section1 Definitions 5

Section2 Origins 7

Section3 The Pulp Magazine and the Golden Age 10

Section4 New Wave 12

Section5 Cyberpunks and Movies 13

PART II: THE BRITISH MAINSTREAM WRITERS’ CONTRIBUTION TO

SCIENCEFICTION:MAJORWORKS 14

Section 1 Science Fiction Tradition and Honorable Ancestors: More, Defoe and Swift 14

Section 2 First Science Fiction Book: Frankenstein 16

Section 3 Father of Science Fiction: H.G. Wells 16

Section 4 Dystopia Books 20

PART III: SCIENCE FICTION AND PHILOSOPHY, SOCIETY AND CULTURE 22

Section 1: HumanismTradition and Anti-Humanism Trend 22

Section 2: Utopia and Dystopia 27

CONCLUSION 34

NOTES 35

BIBLIOGRAPHY 37 1

INTRODUCTUON

To choose science fiction as the focus of my study is taking risk of being confronted to

many sharp questions: why this stuff? Can science fiction be regarded as literature? It is a

challenge that many science fiction writers have to face. Frank M Robinson, the author of

Science fiction of the 20th century: an illustrated history, wrote in his book:

Our neighborhood friends looked at us with contempt (an excellent reason to search for

science-fiction pen pal who might live half way across the continent — or maybe half a

dozen blocks away), our parents fretted that we read too much and played too little, and our

teachers were indignant that we were obviously addicted to “that trash” when we should be

reading the classics.

(1)

Melissa Scoot must sympathize with Robinson because she got a bitterer experience. In

her introduction of Conceiving the Heavens she said:

This is a true story. Shortly after my first novel was published, I went home to Arkansas

to visit my family. I was flushed with pride: this 350-page paperback with as astonishingly

appropriate and attractive wrap-around cover was entirely mine. The book was good enough

to sell — only my second finished manuscript — and a few people outside my immediate

circle of friends had said they liked it. It had even garnered a largely positive review in

locus, the major review organ for science fiction readers. So, as I say, I was quite pleased

with myself, and within the confines of the family where bragging is permitted, I said so.

My parents seemed pleased for me as well, but there was a note of constraint in their praise

that I couldn’t quite identify. Then I helped my mother host one of their regular cocktail

parties, at which my book was left prominently on the coffee table. Sure enough, one of my

book was left intellectually conservative friends picked it up, studied it, and looked

quizzically at me.

“So tell me, Melissa,” she said, “why does someone who went to Harvard write this

stuff anyway?”

(2)

This is literally a sharp question. Melissa, and any science fiction writer would be, was

brought down sharply and did not know what to say. When she recovered from the shock,

she thought over and gave us an answer: The answer to that is very simple. Science fiction

is the only genre that is predicated on the assumption of inevitable change.

(3)

Maybe this is not the only answer but should be the best answer. Human being is the only

species that can design future. Of course a defense of science fiction is beyond my

capability yet I still have some words to explain why I choose this theme. 2

Though I remember when I was a child I was obsessed with the science magazines that

were ephemeral flowers in Chinese literary history, I still believe that the science fiction

authors cannot equate with the great authors of mainstream literature, such as Tolstoy,

Shakespeare or Balzac who have great reputation to be novelists. But science fiction has its

unique difference that the other literature cannot achieve.

It is hard for contemporary people to imagine the life one hundred years ago, an age

without televison, plastic, ATMs, VCRs. Illnesses like tuberculosis, diphtheria, and

pneumonia meant only death. Of course, cloning appeared only in science fiction. Not to

mention computer and Internet.

Today, our workplaces are equipped with assembly lines, fax machines, computers. Our

daily life is cushioned by air conditioners, cell phones. Antibiotics helped to create a long

list of miracle drugs. The bypass operation saved millions. The discovery of DNA has

revolutionized the way scientists think about new therapies. Man finally stepped on the

magical and mysterious moon. With the rapid changes we have been experiencing, the

anticipation for the future is higher than ever.

Science is the key factor (or the first cause) to change the world visage. From invention

of ironware to industry revolution, there was three thousand years stagnation that you could

not find the dramatic change in building or industry. Athenaeum or arena of Rome, for

example, was still the most spectacular building that even could not be surpassed by

Napoleon’s triumphal arch. Then the industry revolution gave the Earth and its passengers a

great surprise. Skyscrapers sprang from the ground, as if Aladdin had rubbed his magic

lamp.

The communication and transportation system are thoroughly different now. A letter from

London to Africa took a month to travel in colonialism period. And nowadays it takes you a

second to sent an email. A hundred years ago horse was the most important transportation

means for people to take a journey. And now the human beings fly everywhere. More

evidences are needless to prove what miracle science work out. No doubt, modern science

is an elephant that stay with us in a small room. We cannot neglect it. And this is why I am

interested in science fiction since it focuses on the relationship between human beings and

science.

The paper is divided three parts: first part focuses on the brief introduction of science

fiction history. China is a land lack of the tradition of science. In China the number of

professional science fiction writers is no more than five.

(4)

The science fiction fans’ favorite

science fiction is Hollywood movies. The history of science fiction is still a blank in China.

This is status quo of Chinese science fiction. Thus I believe that it is necessary to introduce

the history of science fiction.

In fact, nowadays science fiction becomes more and more important in western countries.

Universities even set up new department to offer degree for science fiction, for instance, 3

M.A. programs in science fiction is being offered at the University of Liverpool (where we

could explore the Science Fiction Association Collection). This means that we have a new

field to be opened up.

Also, science fiction boasts an impressive predictive track record. Atom bombs,

spacecraft, comsats, credit cards, jukeboxes, waterbeds, gene splicing--they all appeared in

science fiction first, well before showing up at the mall or on the military base. But science

fiction is prophetic only by accident. You\'ll have a hard time finding androids, aliens, time

travelers or psychic powers, even though science-fiction writers have obsessed about them

for 80 years.

Indeed, science fiction writers can predict some novum.

(5)

Yet that does not mean that

science fiction writers are such clear-eyed prophets that we can turn confidently to today’s

science fiction for an accurate depiction of the world of 3000. For one thing, many science

fiction writers do not see themselves primarily as prophets, and are apt to create in one story

a set of projections completely contradicting those of the one before. For another, even

those science fictionists who take the business of prophecy seriously are infinitely better at

foreseeing general patterns than at discerning particular details. It is not really difficult to

extend broad technological or social trends the future, but making sharp and specific

predictions is more a matter of luck than genius, even for the best of science fiction writers.

Of course, science fiction is unabashedly a popular culture and usually is the best seller in

the list of bookshop, which can explain Melissa’s embarrassment. Science fiction is a

fun-house mirror for a society warped by raging technological advance. Science fiction

doesn\'t want or need to make much sense. It seeks astonishment, terror, wonder, ecstasy and

dread. It is spectacular and mythic, an oxygen tent for society\'s daydreams. Science fiction

cordially ignores many vital technologies, such as, say, garbage recycling. Recycling is

hugely important, but it has zero science-fictional thrill.

Science fiction is a native 20th century art form that came of age at the same time as jazz.

Like jazz, science fiction is very street-level, very American, rather sleazy, rather popular,

with a long and somewhat recondite tradition. It\'s also impossible to avoid, no matter how

hard you try. Critics usually do not grant popular culture as an art. So science fiction is

naturally contemned and neglected. Yet I argue that a lot of classic works were undoubtedly

for entertainment purpose. And maybe the popular culture, who knows, will became a

mainstream culture.

The second part of my paper focus on the British mainstream literature’s contribution to

science fic tion.

The status of British science fiction is very unique. British literature has never been short

of fantasy tradition. Reading from the works of Shelley, Wells, Lewis, Stapledon, Shaw,

Clarke, Aldiss, Adams, Golding, Burgess, Ballard, Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling, we will

follow the development of British science fiction from the scientific romance to the New 4

Wave and fantasy from the medieval romance to Harry Potter. We will also consider science

fiction and fantasy films and TV series from Things to Come (1938) to The Quatermass

Series (1953-79) to Day of the Triffids (1962) to A Clockwork Orange (1971) to Doctor

Who (1963-89), contemplating as well the films of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. We

will seek to understand the historical, social, economic, and cultural factors that have made

British science fiction and fantasy distinctly “British.”

Four authors of British mainstream literature are deliberately chosen in this paper. Their

names are listed in Great Writers of English: Novelists

(6)

, which list the great names from

Shakespeare to Hemingway (sadly, I cannot find even one name of professional science

fiction writer, neither Heinlein nor Clarke). And the names are also listed in St. James guide

to science fiction writers: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Herbert George Wells, Aldous

Huxley and George Orwell.

(7)

They are no doubt the mainstream authors but their

reputation (it is a bit ridiculous) is on science fiction. In other words, their most famous

masterpieces are, more or less, science fictions: Frankenstein, Time Machine, Brave New

World and Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The other British writers’ names are also mentioned in the first part: such as C.S. Lewis,

William Golding and Rudyard Kipling. But the above-mentioned four books will be

analyzed to show the contribution of British literature since they represent the typical

British thought. Englishmen are different from German who have a stiff attitude and from

French who glow too much. So British Philosophy is full of skepticism and liberalism. This

character appears inevitably in British authors’ works.

Part three explored the philosophy hidden among these books. I have to announce that,

first of all, I am not a philosopher. Therefore to explain these books in a philosophy tone is

not my task. Yet when we study the relation between human beings and nature, we cannot

ignore philosophy. The British mainstream writers as I mentioned belong to humanists. But

they also explored the dangerous result of abusing science. To some extent, they have a

trend that is called anti-humanism which becomes popular forty years later. According to

Kate Sope:

Capitalist industrialization, by provoking the question of the ‘humanity’ of science and

technology, put an end to an unquestioned faith in the harmonization of human

progress with the dictates of nature, and thus brought about a polarization between the

enthusiasts of science and technical progress and the advocates of the human and

natural values supposedly endangered by industrial development. Cataclysmic in its

effects on the natural environment and radically disruptive of any belief in the

inevitable congruence of human happiness with the march of science, the industrial

revolution was to push apart elements of thinking that had been previously maintained,

albeit precariously, in more integral form. The cleavage was thus established in the

nineteenth century between those who reveled in the heady testimony of capitalist 5

industry to secure our mastery over nature, a process they associated with a triumph of

reason over ‘animal’ instinct and reactionary superstitions, and those who reacted by

stressing our organic relations with the rest of nature.

(8)

These writers of science fiction are confused with this ‘cleavage’. On one hand, they

believe that science and technology progress is inevitable. On the other hand, they worry

about the disaster ‘endangered by industrial development.’ Their works embodies the

complex feeling and this dilemma will be discussed in part three.

Part I: A Brief Introduction to the History of Science Fiction

Section 1: Definitions

The term science fiction resists easy definition. This is curious, because most people have

a sense of what science fiction is. Any bookstore will have a section devoted to science

fiction: shelves of mostly brightly colored paperback volumes, illustrated on their covers

with photo-realist paintings of intricate spaceships perhaps, or of men and women in

futuristic cities or bizarre alien landscapes. Most of these novels are narratives that elaborate

some imaginative or fantastic premise, perhaps involving a postulated future society,

encounters with creatures from another world, travel between planets or in time. In other

words, science fiction as a genre or division of literature distinguishes its fictional worlds to

one degree or another from the world in which we actually live: a fiction of the imagination

rather than observed reality, a fantastic literature.

Here is the definition from the reference dictionaries. Fiction often based on future or


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