Wednesday, April 22, 2015

week 14: The Future


For this week's blog I read the Hitchhikers's Guide to the Galaxy:

I think that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is really comedic. The humor derives from philosophy, and science. Adams uses sarcasm to make some points about life. I think that the characters are very interesting. 

Arthur Dent: Clueless character
Ford PrefectL: Arthur's friend from Betelgeuse
Trillian: She is the charming Earth girl who flies the Heart of Gold
Marvin: the eternally depressed robot. 
Zaphod Beeblebrox: he has two heads, three arms, and arrogant attitude

The story explains how things become even trickier for main character when he discovers the great usefulness of sticking a Babel fish into his ear. He meets the President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox and Trillian (both of whom Arthur actually met months before at a party.) Impossible coincidences are explained by the fact that Beeblebrox's ship is runs on the new Infinite Improbability Drive. Dent becomes confused during his travels on board the Heart of Gold, and the story eventually ends up where they visit space and other planet.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Week 13: THE AQUATIC UNCLE

Are there any Prominent symbols in the story? If so what are they and how are they used?


I believe there were many symbols in "The Aquatic Uncle” but the main symbols that I saw were the two different environments that these creatures lived. The land was symbolic of modern ways of living, while the Sea was symbolic of older, more traditional ways of living. One can make the connection by looking at the character  of Qfwfq, who can represent someone from a younger generation, and the character of Uncle N'ba N’ga, who represents someone from an older generation. The author did a good job of portraying a believable relationship between two people from two different age group that had two differing beliefs. but at the same time the author did a good job of creating middle ground of creating a character that was extremely interested in the “Aquatic,” more traditional way of doing things, with the character of Lll. I think overall the story uses these symbols as a way to drive the overall theme of identity, and taking the two different beliefs and finding out who you are for yourself. 

What connections did you make with the story. discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect.

The aspect of the story that I connected to most was the overall part of meeting someones  relatives. You never really know how someone will react to meeting your relatives. Its very interesting when people connect in ways that you never thought they would. This story is an extreme case of that, but it does a good job of showing how people can connect even though they are from different worlds. I really connected with Lll and how she is from the the “land” ,Modern times , she was able to form connections  and find interest with the aquatic life. I think it is very interesting hearing stories and understanding our past in order to make progress for the future.

what changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? what medium would you use, what change would you make ?

If I were to adapt this story to another medium, I don't think it would be totally necessary to keep the the whole “aquatic/reptilian” aspect of it, it could really be replaced by anything fantastical. The story is mostly about identity and the relationship between two completely different generations. I think as long as the same type of relationships are present, the story will get a cross. I feel like to get the true meaning across it would be smart to adapt it into a film. I feel like it could easily be portrayed by humans. and would almost be stronger if it was live action compared to an animation, because it will get the relationships across stronger.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

week 12: Diverse Position Science Fiction


I read "I Live With You" by Carol Emshwiller. I felt that this was one the most horrifying short stories.I thought the lack of resolution at the end was creepy. Basically, the story is about a being that lives with a human and tries to make life better.The narrator pretty much creeps on the life of a female girl. It's weird because the female girl does not even recognize its existence. 

My first assumption of this "being" was that it was a ghost; however this "thing" does human things like eating. It's creepier knowing that it is a human thing that was using the female person's house stuff. The female noticed and felt like something was living with her. The story ends with the narrator never being revealed. I think this really makes the story a lot more spookier. 



This was such an interesting short story and I felt that it was well written. I can see how it's considered to be a diverse position science fiction. In some ways, I feel like this could be considered sci-fi. With the unidentified being, you could argue that it was an alien, especially since the narrator/being is never fully identified.