Preparing for the midterm exam:
- Review Course Notes (both those posted and those you have taken)
- Review your assignments
- Re-read the  “Introduction” to the Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction and The Science Fiction Encyclopedia entry “Definitions of SF”
- Prepare study cards for each story that we have read in the context of the elements of fiction and SF keywords, themes, and issues
Our midterm exam will consist of two parts: 1/ some short definitional questions of Literary and SF Keywords; 2/ two short essay questions, i.e., three paragraphs each, each asking you to do a close reading of a passage from a text or to discuss some attribute of or theme of a text in the context of other texts that we have read
What we have read so far:
“We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” (1966) by Philip K. Dick
“Day Million” (1966) Frederick Pohl
“The Second Inquisition” (1970) by Joanna Russ
“Time Considered as a Helix of Precious Stones” (1969) by Samuel Delany
“About 5,750 Words” by Samuel Delany
“There Will Come Soft Rains” (1950) by Ray Bradbury
“Reason” (1941) by Isaac Asimov
“Fondly Fahrenheit” (1954) by Alfred Bester
“Helen O’Loy” (1938) by Lester Del Rey
Common themes and concerns:
1/ there is some confusion or disorientation at the beginning of the story that is generally cleared up by the end
2/ all of the stories deal in some way with advanced technologies
3/ all of the stories are concerned in some way with the fate of humanity
4/ all of the stories try to guess what the future will look like
5/ all of the protagonists are affected or impacted by technologies
6/ many of the stories deal in some way with the relationships between humans and machines and/or nature and culture/society
7/ All of the stories are interconnected. Â The authors write in response to the themes, characters, plots, and settings of other authors
Some key discussion questions:
1/ What will be/is the fate and/or role of humanity in a world of endless technological progress?
2/ Are humans inferior machines?
Sample midterm exam questions:
Section 1: Definitions of Keywords and Terms
Sample question:
Genre
Definition:
Why the term is important in SF studies:
Section 2: Three paragraphs about some particular element of a story we have read [see elements of fiction]: setting, plot, character, theme, narrative point of view, figurative language/style
Sample question:
The way in which a story is told often helps to develop the meaning of the story. Consider the narrative points of view in ONE of the stories we have read.
Section 3: One page (three to five paragraphs) on a more open-ended question related to the study, reading, and interpretation of SF
Sample question:
Write about two different characters from two different stories that we have read. Â Compare/contrast these characters and reflect on what their similarities/differences may have to say about the characteristics of sf in the era in which they were written.
