Back in 1941, Robert A. Heinlein proposed the initials “SF,” which at the time was a common abbreviation for “science fiction.” But he had another idea. He felt it should stand for the broader term “speculative fiction.” To this day, there are passionate debates about which term to use.
Is is all semantics? Here’s what I [...]
Posts under ‘1940s’
The Great SF Debate
Master or Mastered: Machine or Alive
The following essay was a paper I wrote for a class I took called “Science Fiction and American Culture.” It compares Harry Bates’ short story “Farewell to the Master” to the movie based on it, The Day the Earth Stood Still.
“Farewell to the Master” first appeared in the October 1940 issue of Astounding Stories. You [...]
Characters and Society in Science Fiction Stories after 1945
This essay was written for a class I took called “Science Fiction and American Culture.” It was in response to three short stories and one novel:
“Thunder and Roses” by Theodore Sturgeon,
“The Roads Must Roll” by Robert Heinlein,
“Coming Attraction” by Fritz Leiber, and
The Space Merchants, by Frederik Pohl and Cyril Kornbluth.
You should be able to find [...]
