Similarities Between Frankenstein And The Last Man

‘‘Frankenstein’’ and ‘‘The Last Man’’ was a famous novel published during the early 19th century by Mary Shelley. These books were recognized as the first as science fiction novels. For years people have been asking ‘‘What is science fiction?’’. Science fiction isn’t tied down to one definition, there are many definitions for science fiction. The reason for that would be the perspective. Everybody see’s science fiction in a different perspective. For an example, people who don’t really think all that much about science fiction would have a different definition, than others who are really interested in science fiction. Well, let me tell you one thing. Science fiction is more than just aliens, spaceships, and lasers. It’s true science fiction
may involve these things, but it’s seen in a much greater perspective.My perspective science fiction is literature involving logic dealing with the advancement of societies.
Science fiction isn’t like other genres, it’s so different and unique. This genre expresses our imagination, while being guided by logic. For an example, if a story were to say cows had the potential to produce diamonds. Why? How did they possess this ability? Science fiction would explain why they did this, what were that causes. In other word science fiction helps the story make sense. In order to understand the definition of science fiction we are going to need to look at some story examples.
The first story we will be looking at would be ‘‘The Cold Equation’’ written by Tom Godwin. The theme of the story would be sacrificed. The story takes place aboard the ‘‘Stardust’’. The Stardust is an advance transportation used to travel all around the galaxy. The story begins on a Emergency Dispatch Ship (EDS) that was heading to a planet in desperate need for medical aid. The pilot discovers a stowaway: an eighteen year old girl. She had suncked on the EDS to reunite with her brother, but she snuck on without knowing the consequences. By EDS laws stowaway were to be kicked out because EDS carry no more fuel than is needed for a safe
landing. At first the girl hesitated, but eventually she accepted her faith. After, she said her final words to her love ones, she was ejected from the EDS. This novel is a great example for science fiction because it had all the details and evidence to make it a science fiction. The story took place during a futuristic timeline, there were advanced technology (EDS), and fictitious laws. Paragraph L, Section 8, of Interstellar Regulations: “Any stowaway discovered in an EDS shall be jettisoned immediately following discovery.” This quote shows us how sacrifice and death isn’t really big deal when dealing with intergalactic regulations. Life does not matter. As long it doesn’t interfere with their task. Another, quote from the story; Her words echoing hauntingly clear in the void she had left behind her ‘‘I didn’t do anything to die for... I didn’t do anything…’’. This quote help define the theme of the story because it expresses the emotion, feeling, and cruelty of the story. Its helps us see a picture of how cruel and unfair the future had become. Clearly the pilot didn’t want to kill her. He basically sacrificed his humanity for the EDS mission. This should not be a surprise to us. We don't realize as we go deeper into the future not only are we developing all of these new technology, but we are losing our humanity in the process. This quote also, relates to a story from the author; ‘‘A machine does not care’’.
Secondly, we are going to look at would be the novel ‘‘To Serve Man’’ by Damon Knight. The story beings with species who calls themselves the ‘‘Kanamit’’ who arrives to earth offering peace to mankind. The theme for this story would be deceivement. The Kanamit were offering a cheap source of limitless energy, a device that would to remove weapons of war, and cures for heart disease and cancer. To find out more about the Kanamit two person tried to learn their language with help from the stolen book from the Kanamit. In the end when they finally decypher the book the title of the book was ‘‘How To Serve Man’’, but it was too late. In the end humanity was doomed and destined to end up on the menu from the Kanamits. So, when you look back all of the ‘‘helpful’’ resources the Kanamit provided was just apart of their plan to cook us. The energy was to get us nice and fat. The cures were provided so, we would be healthy and wouldn’t die off. Removal of guns, so if we were to find out and fight back our weapons would be useless. This story fits into the genre science fiction because the story contains extraterrestrial species who were providing advanced technology. The Kanamit were the extraterrestrial species, and the technology provided had an impact of scientific advance on human being. A quote from story ‘‘ when I tell you that our mission upon your planet is simply this -- to bring you the peace and plenty which we ourselves enjoy, and which we have in the past brought to other races throughout the galaxy.’’. This quote was apart of a speech spoken from the representative of the Kanamit and shows us the theme of the story. Clearly they are from other plants and their technology are far more superior than earth, but more importantly they had a hidden purpose that they’re not sharing with us. “These are the standard instruments for testing the truth of a statement,” said Dr. Lévêque. This is another quote that help define the theme for the this story. When the Kanamit first came to earth the people didn’t know weather to believe them or not. So, they decided to put a lie detector test on the Kanamit to make sure they weren't deceiving them. This just shows how careful earthing could be, but not careful enough.
The third story we’ll be looking at would be ‘‘Colony’’ by Philip K.
Dick. The theme for this story would be not everything could be trust worthy. The story is about a advanced search team scouting the planet ‘‘Blue’’ to see if it was habitable. At first the planet seemed like the perfect planet no germs or pest, but soon thing start to change when they get on the ship. Inanimate objects started attacking the crew. They soon discover that some new lifeform that had the ability to mimic inorganic objects. Soon they decided to board the ship naked just to be safe from the objects. They contacted for rescue. So, when the rescuer came they crew was never found because earlier the spaceship the boarded was another one of the shapeshifter specie. ‘That’s my rug. I bought if from Terra. My wife game it to me. I-I trusted it completely’’. The quote helps support the theme because it showed us to never let our guard down. The captain trusted his rug and that was his biggest mistake. The rug nearly killed him because he was too comfortable around his surrounding, but to be fair you wouldn't expect something like that from an inanimate object. Another, quote from the beginning of the story ‘‘ Interesting isn’t it? Three weeks on the planet and we’ve yet to find a harmful life-form’’. Look at how naive the crew is on this planet. This is another good quote the help supports the theme. The crew was too naive and gullible on planet Blue. Nothing is perfect and they should've realize that
when they thought of the planet as too perfect. This goes to show not everything s what it seems like.
In conclusion, science fiction is seen in many different perspective, so there is not a specific definition for it. From my perspective I see science fiction as literature involving logic dealing with the advancement of societies. Some other definition for science fiction could be a unitary genre or form, hence cannot be encompassed in a single definition, or science fiction as a form of literature which crosses the frontiers of knowledge using imagination, intuition or logic to guide it. To wrap up this essay the theme for each short story. The Cold Equation would be ‘‘sacrifice’’, To Serve Man ‘‘deceivement’’, and Colony ‘‘not everything could be trust worthy’’. All of these story might have different themes, but are very similar because they’re all related to science fiction.