There are two parts to this week’s assignment:
Part 1/RWA3.1: Reading Delany’s Fiction and Criticism and Part 2/RWA3.2: Responding to Course Questions. Both are DUE BY MIDNIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21.
RWA3.1: Reading Delany’s Fiction and Criticism
Please print out a copy of Samuel Delany’s short story “Time Considered as a Helix of Precious Stones” (1969) and his 1968 essay “About 5,750 Words” (1968) Please read both texts from start to finish. Then, briefly write about your response to each in your reading journal. Afterward, please read both again, this time taking notes and attending to the story’s elements as a fictional text (plot, character, setting, narrative perspective, figurative language, themes) more carefully, its relationships to various issues related to science fiction as a genre and to some recurring elements or properties of science fiction texts, and in what ways specific elements of this story may relate to Delany’s essay about the writing and study of fiction. Afterward, please write some more about each story and the essay, what you now understand about them, and questions that you have about them.
Finally, please post three paragraphs in response to this post BY MIDNIGHT, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, the first briefly summarizing Delany’s story and describing it in terms of its elements as a fictional text, the second briefly summarizing Delany’s essay, the third explaining what you found most interesting about each text and how the two texts may relate to one another. [Please note: if it is easier to write about each text separately, feel free to use the third paragraph to write about Delany’s story and add a fourth for the essay] Finally, feel free to post one to three questions that you have about the texts.
Though not required, please feel free to post links that you may have consulted in the process of reading the stories and why you found them helpful. What is required is that you read the two texts carefully, write about them in your reading journal, and think about them in the context of our class discussions, Russ’s “The Second Inquisition,” Pohl’s “Day Million,” Philip K. Dick’s short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale,” our discussions about that story, the issues and topics raised in the “Introduction” to the Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction and the collection of responses gathered in “Why Do You Read Science Fiction.” We will be discussing the storiy and essay and your responses to both in our next class session.
RWA3.2: Responding to Course Questions: Please PRINT OUT a copy of our “Course Questions: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017” Read over the 26 questions. Professor Rodgers has suggested that these 26 questions fall into five broad categories: C1/ definitions of literary terms, C2/ definitions of SF terms/keywords, C3/ questions related to Russ’s and Pohl’s stories, C4/ discussion questions related to reading and interpreting science fiction texts, C5/ questions about course assignments. Make a note of which category you would assign to each of the 26 questions. Of the questions that you have categorized as belonging to C1, C2, or C3, select 3 questions to respond to and post your responses as a reply to this post.
Small time thief and impersonator, with aliases, always having the initials H.C.E, plays the role of this story narrator. H.C.E (for the sake of keeping his name consistent) arrives on Earth with stolen goods, which he plans on selling through the black market. However, his luck of evading the police runs out when he encounters Special Services agent Maud Hinkle, who inform him that he is on their watch list. H.C.E later encounters and old friend Hawke, a Singer, who helps him arrange a meet up with an established crime boss, Arty, who is willing to buy the stolen goods he carries. Although the meetup proceeds fluently, the Special Services helicopter arrived at the location to arrest any miscreants, particularly H.C.E. Both H.C.E and Arty manage to escape with the help of Hawke when he performs a song. Now a few month later, H.C.E opens an ice cream parlor on Triton to masquerade his criminal activity and meets with both Maud and Arty again. Maud informs him of that the Special Services no longer has an interest in him while Arty explains in the near future they will be rivals.
The main focus of About 5,750 words are the words content, meaning, and information, particularly their impact on the writing styles of authors. Delany defined meaning as the intent authors write their literature with, information as the gained knowledge or intent from reading a sentence, finally content as the information and meaning contained in words. All three words depend on the other to define their existence, therefore creating a very deep and intertwined relation. Delany further explains meaning as the connection between word and memories, in other words, what we think of when a word is spoken to us. If a word was to be used in relation to another word that does no match the memory/word pattern of the reader, the reader becomes confused. This simple principle, according to Delany, defines the difference between an amateur writer and a professional.
Both works of Delany possess many interesting ideas and notions, but I feel I should lead with About 5,750 words, mainly because it enlightened me to the importance of word placement. Delany’s focused on the idea that by changing a single word in a sentence can affect the whole tone of the sentence, whilst keeping the information the same. I think of it as turning off and on the light (words) in a room, the room (information/content) remains the same even if the light turns off or on. By using proper words that can convey the writer’s intent a room can be illuminated, conversely using improper words cause the room to become obscure. In Time Considered as a Helix of Precious Stones, the mention of Holographic by Maud interested me very deeply. Maud and other characters provide little details on how it works, but from the little that was revealed it seems to be some sort of mass data collection device capable of computing probabilities. This reminds me of a similar real world concept in use by the NSA as revealed by famous whistleblower Edward Snowden. In his data dumps to the media he reveals the mass illegal data collection done by the NSA and how it’s used to make personality and threat profiles about people.
Question: Why does the main character of “Time Considered as a Helix of Precious Stones” always assume an identity with the initials H.C.E?
Delany’s work “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” tells the story of an ordinary man (introduced as Harold Clancy Everet, though he changes names frequently under the acronym H.C.E.) who tries to make something of himself in a city full of opportunity and competition. Unsatisfied with his initial role of farming cows, he quickly resorts to petty crimes for a living, such as pickpocketing, smuggling stolen items and contraband, and identity fraud. As H.C.E. becomes more prolific, he’s made aware of how his civilization balances the efforts of organized crime and law enforcement, and that his attempts to secure a better living for himself can have serious consequences.
Delany’s other work “About 5,750 Words” is an essay on formal literary definitions, reading comprehension, and how both are critically important in defining genres of literature. Delany makes an argument that bad SF puts too much focus on “content” and not “context,” and proceeds to give examples on how readers depend on context to interpret the characters, scenes, and events in a story. Delany finishes by correlating context to literary genres, and declaring the context of science fiction as a balance of imagination that is enough to defy realism, but not enough to force readers to suspend their disbelief.
What is interesting is that Delany’s work is an excellent example of his own essay in using context to shape a story. The narrative of “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” is told in first person, and the words and the context are laid out in a way that gives you the sense that an actual person is talking. Throughout the story, H.C.E. tends to describes things using metaphors, as people sometimes do in casual conversations. When H.C.E. describes something he sees, he momentarily goes off topic for a sentence or two, recalling a past memory or an obscure fact that popped up before returning to the immediate topic. When describing a scene, H.C.E. describes individual things that are happening, which gives a sense that the city is active and carrying its own momentum.
you forgot to log in lol @ whoever did it
Of course, even when I specifically clicked the “keep me logged in” box.
In “About 5,750 words” by Samuel Delary’s, he elaborates on the importance of the styles of writing.Subjunctivity refers to the meaning and tension of threads between sound images. He tells his reader about the particular subjunctive level of science fiction. Their are different levels due to the fact science fiction is a combination of different genres and subgenres. All categories have a different freedom in the choice of words, without the limits they have a sense of nothing making it a bad sf story. He basically stresses the fact the combination of words give us content, tone, an image. Which is rather important considering science fiction talks about a distant future.
“Time considered as a helix of semi-precious stones” also by Samuel Delary’s is about a boy from an orphanage that just wanted adventure. He goes by many names but the name he was given at birth is Harold Clancy Everet. Although he goes by many names he keeps it within his initials. It all started when he went to jail for getting drunk and robbing the PA’s credit cards and one of the helicopter. Eventually comes in contact with an secret service agent named Maud who makes him paranoid, everything her hologram said came true. Him running into an old friend named Hawk and running into alot of money. Hawk introduces H.C.T to a drug lord, Arty, that buys the stones. However, that is when the police arrive and the building they were in catches on fire. Both Arty and Harold escape the burning building, unfortunately Hawk is left with severe burns. Years later, Harold uses the money he made to open an ice cream parlor which he plans to use to launder money, so maybe someday he’ll become a crime lord.
Honestly “Time considered as a helix of semi-precious stones” is a very long and confusing text. I wouldn’t read it again. “About 5,750 words” is a great text that makes you aware of what words you choice, it simply shows how one word can change how the readers react and if they enjoy it.
I have read Samuel Delany’s, “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones,” two times and listened to it three times. Yet, I still do not understand the majority of the story. However, from what I can grasp, this is a first-person narrative about an orphan, Harold Clancy Everett, who grows up and became a thief. Harold is constantly changing his name, however is continues to keep his initials H.C.E. One day at a bar, a woman by the name of Maud tries to talk to Harold by using the criminal underground’s secret word of day, “Jasper.” Harold notices that she used the word incorrectly which eventually leads her to reveal that she is actually a secret service agent. Maud then reveals that a supercomputer that the secret service uses has predicted that Harold will soon come into contact with a lot of many and meet a hawk. The prediction eventually becomes true when Harold comes into possession of a briefcase filled with precious stones and reunites with his singer friend named Hawk. Hawk introduces Harlod to a crime lord named Arty who agrees to buy the stones. God I hate this storyUnfortunately for them, the police came crashing into the building that the deal was being held and the building soon catches on fire. Hawk sacrifices himself to be a distraction so Harold and Arty can escape the building. The story is then moved to several years into the future. We find that Harold has opened an ice cream shop as a means to launder money so he can stay under the radar from the secret service agency. Harold then meets up with Maud again and she tells him that she only told him about the information so they can eventually help each other out in the future. After meeting Maud he meets Arty and tells him that there will be a day where they meet each other and they will try to kill each other. In the end, Harold is on his way to becoming the next big crime lord.
In Samuel Delany’s, “About 5,750 words,” he describes the importance of the way authors write. Delany describes the importance of content and how many stories tend to focus on the context. I believe what he is trying to elaborate here are stories that just give out exposition in ridiculously easy ways; like having a character tell the reader their own backstory. This reminds me of how Hayao Miyazaki from Studio Ghibily makes his stories. Like Delany he finds content the most important part of making a story. Miyazaki would even storyboards all of his animations without dialogue to make sure that he would not rely on dialogue alone. Throughout this essay, Delany focuses on teaching his readers the difference between a good work of literature and a bad one.
In my opinion, “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones,” was one of the worst things I’ve ever read. I feel as if I understood only a portion of the story. It seems that Delany stray away from his own advice and should focus a bit more on context .
1. What do Singers do, are they like Beyonce and Kayne?
2. If singers are the ones that announce the word every day why don’t they just get arrested on the spot.
3. Did Maud go against the law by helping Harold.
The story “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” revolves around a criminal whose alias always revolves around the initials HCE. HCE starts off as a “low rank” criminal who’s trying to make his way up in the criminal ranks by adopting different names and personas. Via these personas, he is eventually brought to Earth. On Earth, he crosses paths with a Special Service Agent, Maud Hinkle, who identifies HCE and tells him about his “future” because of “holographic information”. From there Maud disappears, leaving HCE confused. HCE eventually comes across a crime boss known as Arty the Hawk, who is willing to buy the stolen goods that HCE picked up on Earth. As soon as Arty the Hawk buys HCE’s goods, the police raid the penthouse where the transaction was occurring. Arty the Hawk and HCE actually end up escaping by having Hawk (different Hawk, same place), a singer, perform a song. Months later, HCE opens up an ice cream parlor on a moon of Neptune as a way to launder money. On that moon, HCE encounters Maud who informs HCE of her intentions. Later on, Arty the Hawk appears on HCE’s doorstep and informs HCE of how their future could play out, leaving HCE ti contemplate what could occur.
“About 5,750 Words” by Samuel Delany’s, Delany talks about writing styles. Delany discusses tools used in SF as well as how old and new SF is styled. Delany also discussed how despite the old SF style and new SF style varied slightly, they still had similar elements that were core and quintessential to that genre. Delany had also brought up subjunctivity. Delaniy classified popular literary genres by “subjunctivity”. By that, he meant the events that have occurred.
What I found most interesting in “Time Considered As a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” was the fact that HCE would constantly use the initials HCE. It sort of dumbfounded me because despite it being his calling card of sorts, it would just fly over some peoples’ head. As for “About 5,750 Words”, I found the fact that Delany’s passion, detail, and analytics for his preferred genre. I guess it’s just the quantity and articulation that amazes me. In terms of how the two works relate, the subjunctive fits in. In “Time Considered As a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones”, space travel is subtly placed in the background, which is somewhat expected because how would one travel from one planet to another?
1.) Why an ice cream parlor?
^ whoops, that was me. Forgot to log in.
The story “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” by Samuel Delany, is a about a small time crook making his way to being a larger more successful criminal set in space in the future. The man goes by many names whose initials are always “HCE”. Along his travels he runs into old friends and is about to take a step into the big leagues. There he acquaints himself with a new criminal who ranks pretty high. In the process of trying to grow and become more successful he catches the attention of the “Special Service Policemen” Eventually through many identities and skillfully avoiding getting caught, he re-encounters earlier characters and because of this futuristic world is again fortold what the future is likely to look like.
“About 5,750 Words” by Samuel Delany the author is very focused on explaining the difference between good and bad literature and what that entails. He discussing the difference between content and context and how to use them interdependently. He then goes on to elaborate on how genre is affected by the use of these and how the use of these affect how genres may be classified.
I thought the story by Delany was great and what I found most interesting is how the very different setting is kind of brushed upon and taken for granted. It isnt the focus but really draws your attention and curiosity. I think I understood well, but I am not sure, but I am loving the many disguises and way to change your appearance. I also thought the precious stones theme recurring was interesting.
In Delany’s essay “About 5,750 words” he portrays the importance of your choice in words. Delany constantly mentions that the words you choose to form a sentence have a great impact in the readers perspective and the outcome of the story. During the time Delany wrote his essay there was a controversy between Old Wave and New Wave Science Fiction, he wrote about the different ideas both movements had. He mentions that the old wave focused more on the difference between content and the style and how they prioritized content over style. On the contrary New Wave thought that content and style should not be view separately instead be view together and with the same importance. Delany mentions the words content, meaning, and information constantly throughout his essay and explains the role each of these things have. He compares the styles of some authors with each other and then explains why one of them is a better writer than the other because of their choice of words.
Delany, Samuel “Time Considered as a Helix of Precious Stones” is about the story of Harold Clancy Everet (HCE) an orphan who at the beginning was striving for a better future, and for his old life to be forgotten. Harold Clancy Everet steals Pa’s credit cards, one of his helicopters, and a bottle of white lighting geezer made himself , and then takes off. He is sent to jail when caught. After going through these events he tries to never end up in those situations again. When he has finally left his past behind he doesn’t want anybody to find out about his past, specially about the time he worked at the Pa Michael’s Dairy Farm. He also has a thing about his name, after he left no one ever called him Harold Clancy Everet again instead he changed his name but keep his first initials. When he arrives in New York he goes to a bar to meet his buyer. While in the bar he stumbles across a special service agent Maud Hinkle. She tells him that there were helicopters and cows in his past and helicopters and hawks in his future. This worries him a little. But after a series of events what she had told him about his future comes true, he meets Hawk a poet and Arty the Hawk which buys his stolen item. He also encounters helicopters used by the police who suddenly attack the penthouse. After another series of events he comes to an agreement with Arty the Hawk for his life.
I personally enjoyed reading Delany’s “About 5,750 words” more than his other work “Time Considered as a Helix of Precious Stones” due to the fact that i understood it more. Since these two works are a year apart i feel like Delany interpreted what he wrote about in his essay to his story.
Question.
If Harold Clancy Everet was clung to leave everything from his past in the past why did he keep his first initials instead of just changing his whole name?
According to ” Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” by Samuel Delany explains a life story of a low rank thief whose given a task to steal any priceless object to work his way up to be at the top rank criminal given his code name as Hank Culafroy Eckles (H.C.E). This part was actually confusing like is it his real name or a fake identity. After the attempt stealing, he was capture and sent to jail until he met Maudline Hinkle Chief of Special Services Department questioning H.C.E about the crime he has been avoided for the past seven years. Also, Hinkle questions H.C.E of the higher ups of the crime syndicate but doesn’t respond to the questions. Hinkle shows a hologram to H.C.E of the events happen in the future which he was puzzled. When H.C.E got out of jail and met a singer Hawk who is going to introduce him to his boss therefore working for him. Afterwards, the event came to be true from the hologram about H.C.E and Hawk brought the stolen property of his crime and the police went tactical assault in the penthouse.
In the essay ” About 5,750 Words” by Samuel Delany explains about words have significant meanings to the writer’s style which can change the definition of the sentence. Delany criticize the words that should be descriptive therefore influence other writer’s to take interest in their idea to form an incredible writing piece. He explains the story of the words should be visual to their minds giving the writing more explained details making it reasonable to understand the content.
The most interesting part was in the ” About 5,750 Words” the title gives a meaning asking about what does each of the words mean and used to create a total definition which makes each different of the words unique. Also, how Delany used examples of the word “The” and asking questions to himself what does it mean when using the word the in the sentence. I find it more easier to understand in the essay than the Samuel Delany’s story.
The infamous criminal, HCE, ventures through the world constructed by Samuel Delaney with a whole spectrum of aliases and a suitcase of stolen goods. He flies to New York in hopes of finding a buyer but confronts a Special Services Agent called Maud who uses holographic technology to inspect the past and intervene in a criminal’s future. After escaping her clutches, rendezvous with Hawk the singer and long time friend. In this universe, vocal art is highly recognized as truth by society. The young poet leads HCE to a party where the shady HCE comes across Arty, the crime boss who purchases his goods. Immediately after the protagonist is alleviated from the worries of finding a buyer, his stress is then centered around the Special Services trying to arrest him. Through the help of HCE’s aliases and Hawk’s grand vocal spectacle, their escape is ensured. Since then HCE has become an established crime lord. In the final moments of the story. The brand-new kingpin meets Arty who describes their future together. A future in which they will be at each other’s necks for supremacy. Should both survive, they may even work together.
In “About 5,750 Words” Delaney critically examines between style and content and their relation to one another. From his inspection, style is the exterior of a story whereas content is the core of a text. Along with that, Delaney explains how to structure an image through description. By defining the little details, the context becomes crisper and closer to reality. When that attention to detail is achieved, the writing can ascend to greater heights.
In my eyes, “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” is an application of the author’s essay, “About 5,750 Words.” While reading, I found the carefully thought out description between plot points to be the cohesive glue for the story. Delaney’s sci-fi contains the elements of one of the best sci-fi stories read in this class. Every event in the story is marked by the code word of a gem which relates back to the title. I really like the little details and open ended universe. Whether it be the extents of the holographic tech, or how does HCE’s life as a crime boss will play out. But most of all, the importance of music was interesting to read because I feel music does the same, which is to tell the truth. I would read a sequel.
By Jonathan Samuel
I Thought that the whole “HCE” as initials mystery really added some depth to the story an allusion that pushes you to look into its origins. The story is a cliche about a small time thief who moves up in the world but the focus is on how he got from point A to point B. The word or Jasper that he learns is on a special agent named Maud Hinkle is an incredibly important item because it can be used to claim a myriad of favors from the criminal underworld. HCE talks with the agent more and receives a startling prediction about his future which is troubling and also comes true when the police raid his deal with a customer and his meeting up with hawk the poet.
The future that Delaney proposes in his story is a quirky futuristic utopia where the technology is advanced yet some concepts and technology still have connections to his era.
In Delaney’s essay he talks about why words are important and how context is key especially in Science fiction stories where words hold depth and have things to contribute to sentences.