Essays from my Course on Fantasy and Science Fiction (Coursera)

1
Since the first reading of these tales my question was What is the general message that popular
German wisdom and the collectors work aimed to pass to the future generations through these
tales? I think that three are the important teachings that can be found practically in all tales.
The most immediate, though not always patent, is the idea that the nature of the World is to be full
of dangers, opportunities and a constant sequence of incidents requiring one's best. Even if
constantly demonstrated, the concept - that past generations want their descendants to understand is sometimes rather explicit:
All creatures are in constant unrest: Nobody is content in this world: much will have more (page
126); Men are led by fear: And that just shows what men are (page 41)..
And more directly ...indeed there is nothing but trouble and worry in this world (page 164).
But there are also two other parallel teachings: one of them, also present in religious concepts, is
the existence of a pre determined destiny invevitably leading to ones fate. In the narrators voice the
final outcome is often clear indipentently from characters intentions. Both Clever Grethel and most
of the wolves are greedy eaters, but the first is a clever heroine that saves herself, while the latters
always perish. Pre-written fate can only be read, understood and lived.
The third teaching, completing the Worldview of these tales - although present in popular wisdom
- can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus (died in 475 BC): Character is destiny.
One's fate is in his/her attitude, be this positive or negative. The leader of the Six Soldier of Fortune
find companions to "stand against the whole world", the Gallant Tailor says I am on my way
thither to seek my fortune, while the sadness in the funeral of the hen or the poor wits of Hans in
Luck and Prudent Hans bring everyone to disgrace.
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2
One of the common themes in Alice in Wonderland is the transformation from childhood to
adulthood. This can be inferred from many symbols and passages and is quite explicit in the final
paragraph of the book. But one of the most curious metaphors used to represent some shocking
changes of puberty - a key moment in this transformation - and its consequent crisis of identity is
the frequent transformation of Alice's size.
Alice is constantly growing and shrinking particularly in the first half of the tale, either in
situations when this is required or unwillingly and the goal to find her ideal size becomes one of the
two primary objectives of her quest. The change in dimensions is a metaphor of the embarrassment
felt with a changing body that is not the same as it used to be and is alternately too big or too small
depending on whether a girl can find her body either too voluptuous - when she wants to stick to her
child-shaped body - or not enough developed - when compared to other adult girls's (keeping in
mind that the story starts and begins with the presence of Alice's sister).
Size can also be symbol for two different psychological phenomena: the first is a lack of adaptation
or sensation of inadequacy - feeling uncomfortably too big means being embarrassed of one's own
presence as shrinking under-size is metaphor of ineptitude, fear of being ignored. But furthermore
Freud and others (see work cited) found that rhythmical growth and changes in some tissues is a
form of intaking vital life and discharging useless substances, manifestations together of one's
libido and particularly common in childhood and adolescence.

 One might argument that in Carroll these transformations as other symbols could fall in the
frequent nonsenses of the tale, but the way it links perfectly to the clear subject of growth can
legitimately make us lean towards the intentionality of this emphasis.
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3
Many features can prove that one of Stoker's main aims in its Dracula was to give us a strong sense
of realism: its format, the descriptions of places and people, the constant logic behind all characters'
actions and more aspects, provide the impression that we are reading a real story, despite its
supernatural character. This realism-making operation, stronger than in other gothic novels, is
enhanced by some references to preceding novels.
Besides the form of a polylogic epistolary novel - present in Richardson's Pamela and Clarissa,
epitomes of the new fiction - Stoker's book conceals three other typical elements of the modern
novel, then a genre less than 200 years old. These aspects are sentimentalism, the ideal of good
marriage and the British XVIII-XIX century economic spirit.
In this novel women's world is constantly driven by their feelings, be these towards family
members, fiances or friends; young characters work for the construction of a good marriage as a
base for a future family; likewise masculine characters are often involved in business with its
mechanisms involving bureaucracy, logistic and regulations: this to the extent that also the evil
Count has to deal with them to get in touch with the British society.
All these aspects trace back to those that Ian Watt (1957) identified as the generating aspects of
the modern novel. Journals of economic-geographic exploration and stories of women moved by
passions gave the shape to the early novels by Defoe, Richardson and Fielding. Robinson Crusoe probably the first modern novel - shows the story of a Homo Economicus, acting likewise many
characters in Dracula. Similarly Lucy and Mina's aspirations to marry good men (beloved but also
"rich, master of his business" p. 176) are common to many of these works, up to the best examples
in Austen's and Eliot's works.
Stoker took important elements from these archetypes of plausible realism to make us believe in
his story the best he could.
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4
Despite its original Greek meaning (as disproportionate humiliating cruelty), the archetypical
excess Victor Frankenstein is accused of is called hubris, in the supervining sense of excessive
pride and self-confidence. The intentionality of this idea is remarked by the author's choice to
subtitle the novel Modern Prometheus, another ancient character associated to this guilt, as
challenged Gods and had eternal punishment instead of the expected immortal glory.
Notwithstanding the importance of his own resolution in the inescapable downfall, some less
manifest elements in the character's portrayal tempt the reader to infer that Victor is fatally brought
to this conduct also by a series of circumstances that forge his presumptuous scheme.
The Frankenstein's family was important in the small - yet prosperous - town of Geneva. The
choice of the place is significant: this is in fact birthplace of John Calvin, fierce defender of the
theory of predestination and founder, in Geneva, of a Republic of Saints independent from nearby
states and based on Calvinist theories.

 Furthermore both Victor and his father find their soulmates - loved but also mean of natural
reproduction - in a context of disproportionate supremacy nearly omnipotent. Both Caroline,
Victor's mother and Elizabeth, his beloved, are in fact women saved from indigence by the
Frankensteins: while in Victor's father gratitude for the protection received seems to generate their
love spontaniously, Victor's introduction to Elizabeth is explicitly reminding us she was adopted as
a gift for him, and from their first encounter he feels she is "mine", "mine only" (p. 47).
Further steps to the descent to disgrace are the books encountered by chance in Chapter II and the
apprenticeship with Waldman.
Even if Victor often condems his sick project as generated by his mind, part of the author's design
brings forward a - gothic-romantic - concept of the existence of an inevitable doom driving
individuals to face the consequences of what fate arranged for them, likewise happened to
characters of Greek mythology.
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5
The four tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne display the possible realization of four different ancient
myths with the objective of projecting us into fantasy situations: despite the operation leads to
different conclusions (with more or less tragic epilogues and moral teachings) it includes the basic
theme of reflection of early American Literature.
In "The Birthmark" a scientist attempts to achieve the aesthetic perfection of nature with science.
The tragic ending reminds us that the XVIII century idea of Perfection is only possible when
pursued in harmony with nature.
In "Rappaccini's Daughter" Hawthorne uses an alluring Italian garden dwelling of a poison-woman.
The final allows a double interpretation: both Rappaccini and Giovanni lead Beatrice to the death,
the first disobeying the laws of nature and the latter not interpreting the special rules of the garden.
In "the Artist of the Beautiful" the creator of artificial life - as in the ancient myth of the Golem realizes the abstract sense of his mission of producing artificial beauty in the moment it is
destroyed.
Finally "Dr Heidegger's Experiment" uses the twin topoi of the Fountain of Life and the Elixir of
Life to show the superficiality of vain characters against the wisdom of the doctor.
Besides the dissimilarity of endings and teachings all these stories use ancient lores to reflect on
the intimate debate - particularly explicit in "the Artist of the Beautiful" - on the rightefulness of
one's acts contrasting with one's destiny. This subject, parallel to the grace-freewill opposition, is
latently constant in most of the early American literature. Religious-like speculation is often
influenced by the XVII century's Antinominan controversy inside the Massachussetts Bay Colony well studied by Hawthorne as the setting of his most famous novel. From John Winthrop to
Johnathan Edwards most of the literature of the new nation took shape from a particular interest in
the exploration of human conscience contrasting the divine pre-destination of men.
On Perfection: Wadysaw Tatarkiewicz, Christopher Kasparek (1980) Moral Perfection and
Perfection in Wikipedia (See part concerning Enlightenment)
On Rappaccini's Daughter see George Woodberry's essay The Scarlet Letter & Rappaccinis
Daughter.
On the Golem see Wikipedia.
On the Fountain of Life and the Elixir of Life see Wikipedia
On Antinomianism
Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
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6

In "The Country of the Blind" Wells sets a fascinating story in a fantastic yet somewhats realistic
land among the unexplored forests of South-America. The society of blinds shows contrasting traits
of tolerance and intolerance that make it a utopic country, but also a satire of modern societies.
A striking attitude of the inhabitants, highly functional for the plot of the story, is that they ignore
the sense of sight and judge the protagonist as different for claiming to have such a gift, thus ending
up being as an incompetent idiot, full of delusions, with imperfect senses. Despite the instinctive
feeling of difference between them and a normal man coming from outside, their attempt to
integrate and save the stranger from his strangeness and isolation is positive and marked with
tolerance.
In itself the hidden world of the blinds is coherent with the model of a Utopia. In this country
there are clear traits of the perfect society that should be imitated: there is a balance between powers
and individual responsabilities, food and shelter is provided to everyone, rules are highly regarded
and a safe, happy life is granted despite the ignored handicap suffered by the entire population. The
idea of Utopia (namely from greek "No Place") comes mainly, among other sources, from the book
written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fantastic independent island set by the author a
few miles away from the coast of Brazil. This fictional place is used by the author to fantasize about
all the good habits humans could have to live better, from housing to regulations and justice.
More, Campanella, Swift, Huxley and others used the non-existing country to expose alternative
ways to live in community. Well's Utopia offered happiness to Nunez, on condition of his rejection
of his own privilege, making thus the story a deep reflection on personal liberty in social groups.
H.G.Wells "The country of The Blind" 1902
Sir T. More "Utopia" 1516
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7
The fiction of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and its social reflection, makes frequent use of simple
dichotomies to show different kinds of social organizations and the perception of the otherness
between society and human kinds. From a contemporary point of view some of these separationsoppositions can be seen as cases of false dichotomy (orinformal fallacy).

We can clearly see revolutionary ideas about the potentials of a society ruled by women in female
characters, their education, social system and many paragraphs describe their natural - yet well
cultivated - physical and character strength, compared to the unnatural braveness of people in
modern western societies. Also the different attitudes towards women of the three men show
polarizations that cannot totally be healed by time and expericence: Terry tries to conform himself
with this new women, but keeps the same materialist and aggressive attitude. The good habits of the
inhabitants of Herland and western society are compared - despite the chapter saying
"Comparisions are Odious" - separating good from bad patterns.
Nevertheless other extremes are derivated by intrinsic ideas of the writer and her time: the first
chapters, describing voyages around Herland as the central part, with the story of the Country,
include in fact abundand references to the savageness of the populations encountered and the
civilization of United States, Europe and later the newly-discovered land of women. This primitiveeducated anithesis limits part of the strength of Gilman's progressive ideas. And Terry's bias towards
women, dividing them into Aunties and Preys show extreme visions in the author's mind about
some men, lacking any profundity and psychological.
Whether it is intentionally used as a form of satire or criticismtowards modern society or her
personal belief - thus demonstrating some narrow-mindness of the writer and her time and context -

it can often be inferred from a broader view of her social message, even though some might raise
doubts on her real intentions.
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8
Modernism and Postmodernism in The Martian Chronicles
The history of fantasy is usually somewhat separated from classic and mainstream literature, but
in some cases they share ingredients and features. The year of Bradbury's pubblication of The
Martian Chronicles is set between the golden years of Modernism (whose main features were
Experimentation and the struggle to find new ways to express the fragmented subjectivity of reality)
and the first examples of Post-Modern literature (characterized by further Experimentations
magnified by the awareness of the impossibility to represent, turning literature into a mere game of
forms and modes).
Besides the author's literary crafts and the social-historical message behind the book, feaures of
both movements are found in this masterpiece. The fragmentation into different short stories and
situations can be placed among the list of modes to represent reality experimented by Woolf, Joyce
and others. The numerous sketches/short-stories and preludes are similar to a prose version of
Imaginist Poetry (Pound's in particular), where simple themes and feelings, are told with glimpses
of images and sensual perceptions; and in both kinds of stories (more evident in The Summer Night
or The Watchers, but also in longer ones), dreamlike scenses display the lecture of surrealism and
the irrational element in fiction.
Post-modernist absurdities - anticipating the new theatre of Becket and Ionesco - and a
weakening of the border between sane and insane are present in the first contacts of Men with
Martians (The Earthmen and The Third Expedition), and a virtuoso use of wrting skills helps the
author to show the life of a family through its deserted automated house in There Will Come Soft
Rains.
But in particular it is the sense of helplessness towards the future in the ending of the novel, a
partially contented resignation reminding developments of the latest modernism (often pessimist)
into a new vision of the world, that authorize us to call this novel an example of the lately-called
Post-modernism.
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9
Great works involve concerns of their age, timeless matters and bring forward new ideas. LeGuin's
The Left Hand of Darkness manages to do all this even if setting its plot in a distant planet ruled by
different natural rules. Besides the timeless reflections on power and the new stimuli proposed by
Gethenian populations (and the Ekumen and future Earth's itself) there are passages reminding us
the specific reflections of the period when it was written (1969).
The complex and highly symbolical sexual behaviour and physiology of the Gethenians might be
considered an important - yet fantastic - contribution to the debate on the Sexual Revolution - at its
apex at the end of 1960s - and the beginning of the views that were leading to Gender Studies. In
TLHOD bisexuality, contraconception, extra-marital sex and new paradigms of education (outside
the traditional parental scheme) are presented in a brilliant set of metaphors without traditional
prejudices. Also the concept of perversion is defined in new, "alien", terms, satirizing our own
definition of it.
Also a new religion based on deep reflections on what can be defined by what is not is described
in the novel. At page 57 we can read: "Ignorance is the ground of thought. Unproof is the ground of
action. If it were proven that there is no God, there would be no religion. [...] if it were proven that

there is a God there would be no religion". These and other reflections on cults and spirituality
similar to some Buddhist and Zen starting points can be connected to the oriental spirituality that
was becoming popular in the 60s and was to gain further interest in the following decades.
Besides its fascinating otherworldiness, LeGuin's work manages to keep us in contact with our
world's anxieties and it probably owes its fame to the fact that it was answering to people's need of
new points of view when it came out.
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