Author: Oscar Abundez
Indigenous Science fiction presentation (Lightning Presentation)
Indigenous Science Fiction Changes the genre, but is Silenced
Revised Science Fiction Proposal
Indigenous Futurism, the contrast of historical events with the ideas of how a world would have been if historical events would have not taken place. Events such as Forced Assimilation, Trail of tears, Manifest Destiny, and many more. In these indigenous futuristic novels, the idea is to imagine a world where such events didn’t occur and thus show a world mostly impacted by indigenous views of nature and their believes. The goal of this annotated bibliography is to show how indigenous science fiction is reshaping the genre, and also the cause as to why indigenous science fiction has been constantly overlooked.
Through history most forms of literature have contained the constant view of Eurocentric styles this includes more dominantly white characters and ideals, science fiction as well has been populated with Eurocentric ideals even though its roots have been to imagine a different kind of world. In the case of Indigenous science fiction which is pushing many boundaries by showing a different world where many of North American historical events do not take place, whereas many other science fiction stories expand on current events indigenous science fiction makes changes to the history and reveals a new world. This extends to a new form of world building, by not going with current events this reversal of events such as the Conquest makes the stories different from others. Another example of indigenous science fiction changing parts of the genre, is in the recent Marvel Comic, Marvels Voices; Indigenous Voices #1. This comic book by several indigenous authors, reveals the characters constant clash with racial profiling and relationship with other superheroes. In this comic book there is also many tribal patterns and color schemes, in which has not been seen before in other comic books.
Rebecca Roanhorse, Cherie Dimaline, Darcie Little Badger, and more, all authors that many people have not heard of. Authors who have made many stories of indigenous worlds, often considered to be invading science fiction, however reshaping the genre as a whole. Their battles with reaching more readers is in many cases not spoken of, however this doesn’t mean it has not been happening. They have obtained many awards, yet many more could have been obtained, in the National museum magazine there is a small excerpt where it is detailed what kind of obstacles tend to get in their way. One of these obstacles is named, The Puppies, which is a group of people who have vote targeted many books, such that these books are unable to gain acknowledgement to receive awards. However, many of their attempts have been short lived, yet their impact has caused many readers to not hear of such novels. Rivals such as these have arisen due to the indigenous futurism of a world where historical events have not taken place, many other authors do not agree with such methods and thus these tactics are what they resort to. The conflict of Eurocentric ideals being forced to change makes many uncomfortable, and thus such disagreements arise.
Ultimately, Indigenous futurism has caused a major shift in the science fiction genre, from introducing a new form of world building to many new views. Science Fiction which is majorly affected by how the stories world build, and often are influence by past/current events indigenous science fiction makes a completely new past and makes a new world out of these changes many of which don’t include Eurocentric ideas. However, due to these advance forms of literature many authors have opposed indigenous authors and have attempted to make these forms of writing hidden from the public eye. It is with best interest to make these known to give interest into these new worlds of indigenous writings, to give readers the ability to get into a new story.
Annotated Bibliographies and Sources
Alter, Alexandra. “’We’ve Already Survived an Apocalypse’: Indigenous Writers Are Changing Sci-Fi.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Aug. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/books/indigenous-native-american-sci-fi-horror.html.
           In this article the authors on many indigenous stories talk about the push that has lately been made to make indigenous writing much more worldwide accepted, as well as howe they have been overlooked for many years. This article gives a small glimpse as to how authors have adapted their novels to reach more readers, their changes and how these have affected the genre.
Beck, Abaki. “When One People’s Sci-Fi Is Another People’s Past.” Bitch Media, 5 Oct. 2017, www.bitchmedia.org/article/old-new-world-indigenous-futurisms.
           In this article the author explains why the Native American Science Fiction has not made a strongly debuted until recently, as well as the process that has to be made in order to make indigenous science fiction much common. The Author titles the sub-paragraphs based on the steps, first being the normalization of indigenous knowledge; this means the knowledge of how the indigenous people had religious views and the way they connected with the land and its inhabitants. As shown in several books written about indigenous religious views, as well as how they were affected by colonization and other effects brought along. Second step was Reclaiming history, not by saying that the history was as told but rather tell it as it was and maybe how certain changes could have changed it as a whole. Third step is described as imagining new communities, a world of new possibilities and different outcomes to the ones that happened. Essentially the author places these as the steps that take to make Indigenous science fiction and the effects that could change the genre, the possibilities that these changes made to make them realistic.
Johnson, Ross. “7 Books That Explore the Many Worlds of Indigenous Science Fiction & Fantasy.” The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 14 Oct. 2019, www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/7-books-that-explore-the-many-worlds-of-indigenous-sff/.
In this article there is a new term presented which is very similar to Afrofuturism, in this case being Indigenous Futurism. Many of the science fiction stories that the authors wrote of clue into other historical events that took place, for example, Trail of lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse, the title itself works on the Trail of Tears. Trail of Tears is a large movement of Natives as they were pushed westward away from their homes, as they moved west thousands lost their lives due to many inequalities that they had to face. As detailed by Johnson Ross the Trail of Lightning is a reverse of these events, this time there has been Global Climate apocalypse and the Navajo tribe has been spared from this demise, and in such there is world change of many new gods. As well as the search of a missing girl, and their adventure to find the girl in North America, the trail to many of their past locations. Johnson Ross takes the time to give summary to the many Science fiction and other genre novels that the indigenous writers have written and have cause a major change in the world, as well as how many awards these stories have obtained.
Ring Adams, James. “Native Authors Invade Sci-Fi: Indigenous Writers Are Reshaping Speculative Fiction.” NMAI Magazine, www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/native-authors-invade-scifi.
The author of this article lets the readers into a little hint of how the world of writer have gathered together to punish back against the indigenous writers and the many ideals that they have been pushing forwards, such as targeting voting to people would be against these ideals so that the writers would not get the recognition that they deserved. During these voting process they made their way to the public in which the indigenous writers would fail, and as such the unfairness that such writers have to face.
RoanHorse, Rebecca, et al. “Marvel’s Voices Expands with ‘Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices’ #1.” Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Entertainment, 19 Aug. 2020, www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvels-voices-expands-with-marvels-voices-indigenous-voices?linkId=97615845.
In this comic book it can be clearly seen the indigenous background that all the people worked on it made, there is an apparent difference between the bad guys that the main character of this comic book encounters and those that take place around the character. As well as the description given at the start of the comic, there reveals a whole new scheme of how marvel is portrayed differently in every culture. This comic book reveals the authors extensive connection with the character and the obstacles that the character will/has faced, in which part the beginning scene she is being discriminated against by men, and with connection as to her race.
Roanhorse, Rebecca. “Eligibility Post 2020.” Rebecca Roanhorse, 26 Nov. 2020, rebeccaroanhorse.com/2020/11/26/eligibility-post-2020/.
The Black Sun by Roanhorse is a science fiction story where many of its influences are from indigenous folklore, characters come from clans and from animals too. In indigenous believe the animals were guiders for many spirits, as well as their connection the planet was one of the most important things, in this story the main character finds herself in a higher position in which she hopes to unite the Sky Made clans. However, the city in which she resides is haunted by a terrible past event, and thus she has to find a way to over pass the priests in charge.
Shapiro, Ari. “’Black Sun’ Offers A Fantasy Set In Ancient Pre-Columbian Americas.” NPR, NPR, 16 Oct. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/10/16/924648210/black-sun-offers-a-fantasy-set-in-ancient-pre-columbian-americas.
In this interview with one of the most popular Indigenous Science Fiction writers Rebecca Roanhorse, Ari Shapiro takes the time to ask a few questions. The author Roanhorse reflects on how she wrote her book, and the connections between indigenous believes. As well as the generational trauma from the genocide that the Native Americans received, and this is what is written into the book with the main character. As well as being a vengeful being and how these many connections faced the authors live, as well as the effects that such events in real live made the writer get into the writing. The power divide and how the origins of the character connect with the writer in their past, as well as the inability to connect with how the current world treated indigenous people.
Writers, The Unbound. “Celebrating Native American Speculative Fiction: Some Favorites.” Fiction Unbound, Fiction Unbound, 15 Nov. 2019, www.fictionunbound.com/blog/celebrating-native-american-speculative-fiction.
In this article the author writes for the Native American Month, many series of book other than science fiction are shown. Further expanding the impact of indigenous futurism, and the spread of it out of science fiction, as well as the many side of views from what is known to the indigenous views. With these other novels the author contrasts how the indigenous believes behind certain animals are comparison to the current popular believes, as well as the heritage that these believe bring. The Past of knowledge shared with the indigenous people, and how this knowledge could further expand other writers’ format of writing. The author also writes about werewolves and their popular believes to them being like monsters, in comparison to how native believe is that the wolf is the person themselves and how they act in the world, “reveal itself— wolf, or not—wolf.”
Work Cited
Alter, Alexandra. “’We’ve Already Survived an Apocalypse’: Indigenous Writers Are Changing Sci-Fi.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Aug. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/books/indigenous-native-american-sci-fi-horror.html.
Beck, Abaki. “When One People’s Sci-Fi Is Another People’s Past.” Bitch Media, 5 Oct. 2017, www.bitchmedia.org/article/old-new-world-indigenous-futurisms.
Johnson, Ross. “7 Books That Explore the Many Worlds of Indigenous Science Fiction & Fantasy.” The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 14 Oct. 2019, www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/7-books-that-explore-the-many-worlds-of-indigenous-sff/.
Ring Adams, James. “Native Authors Invade Sci-Fi: Indigenous Writers Are Reshaping Speculative Fiction.” NMAI Magazine, www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/native-authors-invade-scifi.
RoanHorse, Rebecca, et al. “Marvel’s Voices Expands with ‘Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices’ #1.” Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Entertainment, 19 Aug. 2020, www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvels-voices-expands-with-marvels-voices-indigenous-voices?linkId=97615845.
Roanhorse, Rebecca. “Eligibility Post 2020.” Rebecca Roanhorse, 26 Nov. 2020, rebeccaroanhorse.com/2020/11/26/eligibility-post-2020/.
Shapiro, Ari. “’Black Sun’ Offers A Fantasy Set In Ancient Pre-Columbian Americas.” NPR, NPR, 16 Oct. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/10/16/924648210/black-sun-offers-a-fantasy-set-in-ancient-pre-columbian-americas.
Writers, The Unbound. “Celebrating Native American Speculative Fiction: Some Favorites.” Fiction Unbound, Fiction Unbound, 15 Nov. 2019, www.fictionunbound.com/blog/celebrating-native-american-speculative-fiction.
Class Notes 12/1/2020
Professor: Congratulations to those who took part of the Symposium, as well as those who attended.
~~ Symposium Discussion ~~
Max: It was good being able to hear from the class and their thoughts, mainly those who rarely talk in class.
Derick: I was just nervous the whole time
Professor: Thankfully for the time my internet worked….. Did anyone get to make it to the key note? All of the videos are finally up, if anyone is interested. Might be useful for research, and talks. There is a long gap between the research done and when published.
~~ (Free write into peer review) <5 minutes> ~~
Professor: We will do a research work shop, and then work on a refined paper. Will be the hardest part of the semester.
Free write (sum) and think about your research, reflect on your work. (Broad reflection)
*Identify what your research Question is? <30 seconds>*
~~ Read out loud the research question ~~
Max: Is it possible to codify a moral and axiological foundation for an artificial intelligence that is entirely new and alien?
Ronald: What is multi-verse theory and could it be real?
Derick: How does Science Fiction effect how we understand our emotions?
Khoury: How does time and multi-verse correlate with each other?
Xavier: How does science fiction influence the real world and our progress in holographic technology?
Shamach: Why do most science fiction stories see symbiotic relationships as negative?
Oscar: How does Indigenous Science Fiction effect the genre?
Arin: How is the relationship between men and machine?
~~ Group Work ~~
Professor: Give thoughts about each others work. How many of you have researched. I have the sense that folks need to do more promiscuous research.
Professor: If you end up where you started in this research then it is to do it wrong, maybe there will be some proposal changes. Open mind-ness to research is much better to do.
*Identify 5 key terms that are relevant to your topics.*
~~~ To make this class note interactive, if I missed some parts please leave them in the comment section. Thank you~~~
Worlds change with Native American Science Fiction
Science Fiction Proposal
As of lately Science Fiction has made many strides to become all around great for everyone, even with its Eurocentric culture many great writers have taken to light to write new narratives and views as to what a science fiction world looks like. Native Americans and indigenous people have also taken this mantel of writing science fiction stories, while Eurocentric ideals still follow science fiction many of these writers have begun to change the outcome science fiction written. These changes are not only many a change in the science fiction but as well as the readers who participate, these changes are opening a whole new world of possibility. Eventually Native American or indigenous science fiction won’t be a rarity and many people will eventually be able to enjoy it.
Alexandra Alter, a writer for the New York Times writes about a few writers who have changed the North American Science fiction and many other genres. The Reporter states, “[Cherie] Dimaline, along with Waubgeshig Rice, Rebecca Roanhorse, Darcie Little Badger and Stephen Graham Jones, who has been called “the Jordan Peele of horror literature,” are some of the Indigenous novelists reshaping North American science fiction, horror and fantasy — genres in which Native writers have long been overlooked.” Meaning that these authors/novelists have made the biggest impact in the modern world of Science Fiction, As well making these changes more likely to be noticed. The reporter makes a note to specifically state that Native Americans had always been writing or telling science fiction stories, however these tales and stories were never titled as such or taken into consideration until now when science fiction has taken the passage to greater change.1
Many of the Native American Science Fiction stories come from many of the Northern American historical events such as the Conquest, manifest Destiny, the trail of tears, and many more historical events where many Native Americans died, or they were taken advantage of. The aftereffects that took place as well, such as the force assimilation. Through these science fiction stories the authors express what the Native American world would look like if such things were to never have happened, as they turn away from Eurocentric views that the colonist brought with them.
Annotated Bibliographies and Sources
Beck, Abaki. “When One People’s Sci-Fi Is Another People’s Past.” Bitch Media, 5 Oct. 2017, www.bitchmedia.org/article/old-new-world-indigenous-futurisms.
           In this article the author explains why the Native American Science Fiction has not made a strongly debuted until recently, as well as the process that has to be made in order to make indigenous science fiction much common. The Author titles the sub-paragraphs based on the steps, first being the normalization of indigenous knowledge; this means the knowledge of how the indigenous people had religious views and the way they connected with the land and its inhabitants. As shown in several books written about indigenous religious views, as well as how they were affected by colonization and other effects brought along. Second step was Reclaiming history, not by saying that the history was as told but rather tell it as it was and maybe how certain changes could have changed it as a whole. Third step is described as imagining new communities, a world of new possibilities and different outcomes to the ones that happened. Essentially the author places these as the steps that take to make Indigenous science fiction and the effects that could change the genre, the possibilities that these changes made to make them realistic.
Johnson, Ross. “7 Books That Explore the Many Worlds of Indigenous Science Fiction & Fantasy.” The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 14 Oct. 2019, www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/7-books-that-explore-the-many-worlds-of-indigenous-sff/.
In this article there is a new term presented which is very similar to Afrofuturism, in this case being Indigenous Futurism. Many of the science fiction stories that the authors wrote of clue into other historical events that took place, for example, Trail of lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse, the title itself works on the Trail of Tears. Trail of Tears is a large movement of Natives as they were pushed westward away from their homes, as they moved west thousands lost their lives due to many inequalities that they had to face. As detailed by Johnson Ross the Trail of Lightning is a reverse of these events, this time there has been Global Climate apocalypse and the Navajo tribe has been spared from this demise, and in such there is world change of many new gods. As well as the search of a missing girl, and their adventure to find the girl in North America, the trail to many of their past locations. Johnson Ross takes the time to give summary to the many Science fiction and other genre novels that the indigenous writers have written and have cause a major change in the world, as well as how many awards these stories have obtained.
Ring Adams, James. “Native Authors Invade Sci-Fi: Indigenous Writers Are Reshaping Speculative Fiction.” NMAI Magazine, www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/native-authors-invade-scifi.
The author of this article lets the readers into a little hint of how the world of writer have gathered together to punish back against the indigenous writers and the many ideals that they have been pushing forwards, such as targeting voting to people would be against these ideals so that the writers would not get the recognition that they deserved. During these voting process they made their way to the public in which the indigenous writers would fail, and as such the unfairness that such writers have to face.
Shapiro, Ari. “’Black Sun’ Offers A Fantasy Set In Ancient Pre-Columbian Americas.” NPR, NPR, 16 Oct. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/10/16/924648210/black-sun-offers-a-fantasy-set-in-ancient-pre-columbian-americas.
In this interview with one of the most popular Indigenous Science Fiction writers Rebecca Roanhorse, Ari Shapiro takes the time to ask a few questions. The author Roanhorse reflects on how she wrote her book, and the connections between indigenous believes. As well as the generational trauma from the genocide that the Native Americans received, and this is what is written into the book with the main character. As well as being a vengeful being and how these many connections faced the authors live, as well as the effects that such events in real live made the writer get into the writing. The power divide and how the origins of the character connect with the writer in their past, as well as the inability to connect with how the current world treated indigenous people.
Writers, The Unbound. “Celebrating Native American Speculative Fiction: Some Favorites.” Fiction Unbound, Fiction Unbound, 15 Nov. 2019, www.fictionunbound.com/blog/celebrating-native-american-speculative-fiction.
In this article the author writes for the Native American Month, many series of book other than science fiction are shown. Further expanding the impact of indigenous futurism, and the spread of it out of science fiction, as well as the many side of views from what is known to the indigenous views. With these other novels the author contrasts how the indigenous believes behind certain animals are comparison to the current popular believes, as well as the heritage that these believe bring. The Past of knowledge shared with the indigenous people, and how this knowledge could further expand other writers’ format of writing. The author also writes about werewolves and their popular believes to them being like monsters, in comparison to how native believe is that the wolf is the person themselves and how they act in the world, “reveal itself— wolf, or not—wolf.”
Work Cited
1 Alter, Alexandra. “’We’ve Already Survived an Apocalypse’: Indigenous Writers Are Changing Sci-Fi.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Aug. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/books/indigenous-native-american-sci-fi-horror.html.
Beck, Abaki. “When One People’s Sci-Fi Is Another People’s Past.” Bitch Media, 5 Oct. 2017, www.bitchmedia.org/article/old-new-world-indigenous-futurisms.
Johnson, Ross. “7 Books That Explore the Many Worlds of Indigenous Science Fiction & Fantasy.” The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 14 Oct. 2019, www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/7-books-that-explore-the-many-worlds-of-indigenous-sff/.
Ring Adams, James. “Native Authors Invade Sci-Fi: Indigenous Writers Are Reshaping Speculative Fiction.” NMAI Magazine, www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/native-authors-invade-scifi.
Shapiro, Ari. “’Black Sun’ Offers A Fantasy Set In Ancient Pre-Columbian Americas.” NPR, NPR, 16 Oct. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/10/16/924648210/black-sun-offers-a-fantasy-set-in-ancient-pre-columbian-americas.
Writers, The Unbound. “Celebrating Native American Speculative Fiction: Some Favorites.” Fiction Unbound, Fiction Unbound, 15 Nov. 2019, www.fictionunbound.com/blog/celebrating-native-american-speculative-fiction.
Cassandras(CJ’s) Phenomenon
In the movie, “See you yesterday,” by Spike Lee is close to the lives lived in New York. Not only was the after school scene to the train (Bedford Park Blvd Lehman college) Â a few blocks from where I live, but there was scenes that truly displayed the lives of many New Yorkers. The movie focuses on many aspects of live in the city, from how young people have to become strong on their own to how the world treats them due to being physically young.
In the beginning we are introduced to Claudette (CJ), Sebastian, and Eduardo, who are students of middle class struggling to get recognition to go to prestigious schools such as MTI and many more. This issue that is introduced is to familiarize them as actual people, and make the character relatable to those going to High School. As they arrive to Flatbush the story is then expanded into introducing community problems, however the first problem introduced in Flatbush is still connected to making the characters relatable. CJ is confronted by an Ex that she once had named Jared, they go into Carlitos’ store and cause a seen. This connection of the neighborhood not only expands on the location of which they live in, but the ambiance they must endure.
Another major conflict that is encountered is the outcome of their time travel, which is causing ripples in their timelines this not only affects their own lives but those around them. Ultimately causing the loss of Calvins life, CJ seems to be worn out by such loss that they do not attend the fair in which they would have introduced the time machine. This conflict truly shows that CJ is very close to her brother and would much rather attend his event than what her previous desires, she would have gotten the opportunity to get to the school she wanted to and much more. This causes her to travel back once again to save her brother, however fails due to being behind on their time. She tries once more and this time saves her brother at the cost of Sebastians life, she continues to not see that her conflict is not with her decisions but that there will be a price for everything she changes.
Ultimately, in the movies second to last attempt it is revealed that there is a social pressure she was not taking into account, the social injustice that police have placed people of her skin color under. Due to this fact even though her brother tried to do the right thing he would ultimately loss his life due to the police mans racism, as well as the police mans inability to take time to talk and peacefully settle a problem.
In conclusion, the movie has many conflicts that it touches on, from social injustice to science fiction problems. The movie tries to touch upon all these points in many narratives to show the viewer that peoples lives in lower income, or middle class communities are socially and politically not likely to have the desired outcomes. As well as the difficult lives that people live due to these injustices, all in all the fact that there was time travel was a good touch to add more ambiance to the setting.
Oscar’s Reading Response #6: The Destroyer
Considering the title of the story being “The Destroyer,” the story mainly focused on the grief that a mother felt at the death of her beloved son. And in this comic book the grief is the motivation for her to create these futuristic technology that many people have never been able to do. The story follows the creation of a “monster” created by doctor Frankenstein, in this story the monster is causing all sorts of chaos through out the planet. However, a doctor who had peace in her life for a little while is slowly getting pushed into the inner parts of the play, she had a son and due to a mistake of identity. The son was gun down by a police officer, the mother in her grief created the future edition of the monster using her very own son’s corpse. I personally like the irony of the story because when she explains to her son that they will judge him as they are currently judging the monster, they will soon come to call her “The Destroyer.” Which in on its own is contradiction that she created the future human, one that is not easy to kill and can do many unordinary things. The contradiction reveals a deeper aspect that the mother has had time to think of the consequences and she is willing to give up her name to make a new life for her son. In the end the mother and father parish due to the monster but the son lives on, however she has down loaded her self into his mind. This reveals a new step to maybe revive herself in the future, or maybe be able to download people into a digital world. This all is connecting to real possibilities, that we could run into soon. As well as the characters back story and their social analytical views, is something that everyone experiences eventually. Most of the events use real life locations, and even things that have ended up happening with real policemen. Connecting the real world to the story of comic book, and eventually can be a true event.
Oscar Abundez Reading Response #5: WestWorld
The HBO Show “WestWorld,” is a show with a very sinister ending. The main focus of the show is a world that is created of Robotic people who believe they are regular people, and yet seem to repeat the same day for the as long as the creators decide. I the case of the show the people are unaware that they repeat the same thing for all of eternity, however the show then pulls out of the fake world to show the real one that overlays upon it. In the real world the people see the robots play out their lives, however there seem to be guests called “New comers” that have entered the world and caused havoc.
In the beginning there is an apparent contrast with how technology used to be in the past and the technology the future is capable of creating, such as “reanimated” horses and people (16:00). With this contrast the show expands on how the technology from the past was not to the standards on the future, with the show making the two connect with the future controlling the “Past” the contrast of power is also enabled. The future seems to be capable of controlling more than the people in thee past, as well as showing how primitive technology seemed (14:50).
In the first appearance of the “New Comers” the issue of an exciting world changes direction, to who are they and why can’t they seem to die (12:40). As well as what impacts do they have upon the androids, will their knowledge be corrupted or altered due to the fact? These new questions and issues arise with this introduction, and yet they are lightly answered with the “father” of Deloris. The android seems to become defiant, and wanting revenge on his creators, which in turn seems to be caused because the system has created an error where the android can access the previous memories (1:02:00).
The different layering of placed interest within the show makes the first episode grasp the curiosity of the people and makes them wonder if its something that can actually happen later in the show, the questions consist of the current details and the outcomes that happen. The problem of the show or issue of the story doesn’t only consist with a single character but rather a general outcome that could happen to the androids as a whole, the story builds on this when they show how many robots have been placed into storage (1:06:05). The ending in which we can see that the android is in fact crying is quit a questionable scene, because this begs the question of how intelligent does the android have to be to become something similar to human.
Oscar’s Reading response #4: The Last Question
Asimov’s, “The Last Question,” is a short story about a possible future of humanity. The short story may be in its writing short, however it is relatable to such a large extent that the story in itself is not just on the paper but within every time someone asks themselves how long will the world last (Entropy: Degradation of matter and energy in the universe). The story had a quick view to different times and life styles showing how not only a single person could ask the same question, but how different people as it in their manner. The story has a resolution which is not something people can expect nor is it that fond of a true outcome, or one that the characters desired for. The story as a whole put the same question in different perspectives and gave different passages to the same outcome, different times and live styles.
The first instance of the story the two characters can be considered one of the very first humans to travel, and yet be in the lower portions of the economy and due to this their question is more direct. Their life styles can be shown in the way they speak and question the peoples intent to be guided by the machine and the machine alone, this is shown by how one of the characters questions the machines knowledge and ability to remain for years to come. Each generation that comes to the same conclusion is at least thousands of years apart and they always ask the machine if Entropy can be reversed or if the universe can return to its original state, however the machine always responded with, “INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.” Which meant the collaborate knowledge that the machine had was not enough for it to find a solution to the end of galaxies themselves, each time the question came the machine hand already been looking for an answer but never found any till the end. In the end once all of humanity had passed and the galaxies faded into nothing, that’s when the machine finally found the and yet there was nobody in sight to share the answer with. The answer was simple and yet able to change everything, “Let there be light..”
The ending is remarkable in the fact that who is there to say that a being much more powerful than all of humanity has already gone through this process thousands of times and yet the outcomes never really change, the world end and pass but the being stays and sees everything grow from nothing once again. Like a person seeing a plant grow and vanish as time passes by, this story tries to question the idea of how long we think what we are doing is truly worth the while. The story questions many Morals and many ideas, its meant to change the peoples perspective and that why the writer excerpt in the beginning is quit outstanding because he is happy with how people don’t remember his name but can clearly remember the story. The author is content because this shows that the story made an impact with readers minds, as well as has made the question exit the short story.
