1st Semester Final Essay
Vi, Tylor
Mr. Bearson
Honors English I
12/20/13
Literary Devices in “The End of Science Fiction”
Is science fiction coming to an end as humanity further advances technology everyday? What will happen to modern society when science fiction comes to an end? In “The End of Science Fiction”, Lisel Mueller uses the literal devices of diction, figurative language, and sound as she looks back on the great achievements of mankind and stories from mythology to discuss the extent to which our world has changed and evolved, but not necessarily for the better.
In every stanza of “The End of Science Fiction” there is either the word “we” or “invent.” She repeats these words to show that it is we, mankind, who is responsible for all that has happened to us over the course of history up to now and forever more. Ironically the poet discusses how technological advances are hurting us throughout the poem but she tells us to do great things by inventing something. One example is when she says, “The genre is dead. Invent something new.” (Line 13) If technology is all about inventing then why does she tell us to invent something new? The “genre” is science fiction and it is dead to her because science fiction is all about technology and it is boring in the time setting of the poem because that is all there is. “Invent something new” tells us to accomplish something other than technology like creating a transcontinental railroad or landing on the moon. Another example of diction found in the poem is almost like a command. “Invent us as we were before our bodies glittered and we stopped bleeding.” (Line 24-26) This tells us that during the time setting of this poem people are beginning to live their lives in artificial robot bodies. This is most likely created for rich people who don’t want to die and store their brain inside a robot to continue life. Hollywood has portrayed people living in robot bodies many times in sci-fi movies like Terminator and dreamed of achieving it in
Mr. Bearson
Honors English I
12/20/13
Literary Devices in “The End of Science Fiction”
Is science fiction coming to an end as humanity further advances technology everyday? What will happen to modern society when science fiction comes to an end? In “The End of Science Fiction”, Lisel Mueller uses the literal devices of diction, figurative language, and sound as she looks back on the great achievements of mankind and stories from mythology to discuss the extent to which our world has changed and evolved, but not necessarily for the better.
In every stanza of “The End of Science Fiction” there is either the word “we” or “invent.” She repeats these words to show that it is we, mankind, who is responsible for all that has happened to us over the course of history up to now and forever more. Ironically the poet discusses how technological advances are hurting us throughout the poem but she tells us to do great things by inventing something. One example is when she says, “The genre is dead. Invent something new.” (Line 13) If technology is all about inventing then why does she tell us to invent something new? The “genre” is science fiction and it is dead to her because science fiction is all about technology and it is boring in the time setting of the poem because that is all there is. “Invent something new” tells us to accomplish something other than technology like creating a transcontinental railroad or landing on the moon. Another example of diction found in the poem is almost like a command. “Invent us as we were before our bodies glittered and we stopped bleeding.” (Line 24-26) This tells us that during the time setting of this poem people are beginning to live their lives in artificial robot bodies. This is most likely created for rich people who don’t want to die and store their brain inside a robot to continue life. Hollywood has portrayed people living in robot bodies many times in sci-fi movies like Terminator and dreamed of achieving it in