Generic considerations revisited

James Jordan · 25 Apr 2003, 20:36 · from urth-v0304.mbox · original

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From: James Jordan <jbjordan4 at cox.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) Generic considerations revisited
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 15:36:16 -0500
Message-ID: <urth-v0304-3327 at digest.urth.net>
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>Nutria:
>
>>A difference between a fictive universe that the author intends=20
>>to >correspond to the real world, and a fictive universe that=20
>>introduces >things that are not at present in the real world

 From the Archdeacon:

>I suspect that all literature is the consequence of a process of selection=20
>and elimination - at story is told which does not and cannot correspond to=20
>any 'real' events which may be their basis.
>
>This, firstly, because 'real' life is distinctly plotless and, frequently,=20
>motiveless, and, secondly, because 'real' life cannot be narrated in its -=20
>oh, say its 'raw' form - for exactly that reason.

         I'd say so. Art abstracts from life in order to enhance and/or=20
analyze-discuss some aspect of life. True of all art. I think that's what=20
Blattid is getting at with his subjective/objective schema: What is it that=20
is primarily being abstracted from life and being analyzed in some way?
         I would ask: What is the aspect of life that is unique to SF that=20
is somehow present in SF works and not in others? It would seem to be=20
speculations of some sort about or involving science and technology that=20
does not presently "exist" in our present world. Such speculations can be=20
merely present and not the main thing, an SF element in what Blattid would=20
put as MF; or they can be the overriding factor, in what Blattid would=20
consider SF.
         I don't know if this advances the discussion any. It's fun, though.

Nutria



--=20

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