LESSON 1: SPECULATIVE FICTION
It is based on the idea that for every
Speculative Fiction
 is a broad genre that encompasses stories that take
place in imaginary worlds as a result of one or more
"what if...?" questions.
 Speculative fiction includes genres such as science
fiction, fantasy, supernatural fiction, utopian and
dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic
fiction, alternate history and parallel universe.
Sub-genres:
1. Science fiction deals mainly with the impact of
actual or imagined science upon society or
individuals. The premise may either be based on
flatly contradict scientific facts and principles.
2. Fantasy uses magic and supernatural elements in
plot, theme, and setting. Magic is central to the
fantasy genre. These stories often involve journeys
and quests.
Examples:
JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
JK Rowling's Harry Potter
JM Barrie's Peter Pan
3. Utopian fiction presents a world that is ideally
perfect in all aspects of society
Examples:
Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach
The Magellanic Cloul by Stanislaw Lem
4. Dystopian fiction presents a futuristic, imagined
world in which there is only an illusion of a perfect
society, but is in fact one which is oppressed
through corporate, bureaucratic, technological,
moral, or totalitarian control.
Examples:
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
The Giver by Lois Lowry
5. Apocalyptic fiction deals with the end of
civilization cither through nuclear war, plague, or
some other general disaster.
6. Post-apocalyptic fiction is set in a world disaster.
The time frame may be immediately after the
catastrophe, focusing on the struggles of survivors,
or some time later when the existence of
civilization before the catastrophe has been
forgotten.
Examples:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
World War by Max Brooks
The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood
7. Alternate History is set in worlds in which one or
more historical events unfold differently from how
it did in reality.
event that occurs or a decision made in our reality,
there is another place (a parallel universe) where
the event or decision turned out differently.
Examples:
Age of Aztec by James Lovegrove.
Napoleon in America by Shannon Selin
***We will focus on one very interesting sub-genre
of Speculative Fiction***
Dystopian Fiction
Dystopia refers to a state or condition in which life
is extremely bad. Think of it as a worst care future scenario.
What do you think is the worst thing that could happen to
our society in the future? One such scenario, for example,
could be that machines would be so technologically
advanced that they would be able to do all kinds of human
work, rendering human skills irrelevant and useless.
Dystopias are usually an exaggerated imagining of the
future, with the intention of criticizing a current social
norm, trend, or political system.
Dystopian fiction asks the question “what if” to
show us the worst possible future consequence of an issue
that we have now.
The following are characteristics of a dystopian
society:
1. The citizens of society are controlled using propaganda.
2. Information, independent thought, and freedom are
restricted.
3. A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of
the society
4. Citizens are perceived to be under surveillance.
5. Citizens have a fear of the outside world.
6. Citizens live in a dehumanized state.
7. The natural world is banished and distrusted.
8.Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality
and dissent are bad.
9. The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.
Sample Literary Texts:
Selection 1: Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegaut Jr.
Selection 2: Divergent (Chapter 1) (2011) by Veronica
Roth
Lesson 2: Memoir Lesson 3: Metafiction
Memoir Metafiction
 from the French word ‘memoire’, which means “memory” or “reminiscence”  a fiction that “self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction. (Patricia Waugh, 2010)
 is a subgenre of creative nonfiction that recounts the experiences of someone’s life  a fiction that systematically draws attention to itself as a literary work. (P. Waugh, 2010)
 usually involves a public portion of the writer’s life as it relates to a historic event
 falls under the same broad category: reminiscent writing that includes biographies, Some examples and categories of metafiction: (according to Ronald Richardson)
autobiographies, and diaries.  A work of fiction within a work of fiction
 A novel about a writer creating a story
Similarities and Differences:  A novel where the narrator intentionally or accidentally exposes himself as an author
Memoir Biography Autobiography Diary creating the story being read
Definition personal account of one’s life  A novel about a reader reading a novel
Authorship -written by the -written by -written by the narrator -written by the
 A novel in which the book itself seeks interaction with the reader and sees the book itself
narrator himself another person himself narrator himself
Source -rely mostly on -heavily -can be heavily -rely mostly on
as a living entity
memory and researched researched; may rely on memory and  A novel wherein the author is a character
recollection memory/ recollection recollection  Merging characters or elements from diverse works of fiction into a new fictional
Events of -very specific life -recount a more general, broader story of -personal experiences scenario
the story event one’s life  Characters who express awareness that they are in a work of fiction
Instances -written some time after the significant period of one’s life -written day-to-day
-allows for -requires immediate
profound reflection recording Lesson 4: Comicbook / Graphic Novel
and introspection
on the part of the Comic book
writer  refers to any format that uses a combination of frames, words, and pictures to convey
Example Woman Warrior: Einstein: His Gandhi: An Anne Frank: The meaning and tell a story
Memoirs of a Life and Autobiography Diary of a Young Girl
 when a comic book exceeds 50 pages and is bound in either soft or hard cover, it becomes
Girlhood Amongst University by Mahatma Gandhi by Anne Frank
Ghosts by Walter a graphic novel.
by Maxine Hong Isaacson  a visual text: its language of storytelling is unique
Kingston o apart from words, it uses static images
o has section called panels, to convey meaning
Memoires can be a powerful means of chronicling a historical episode through one person’s o in some cases, images alone communicate meaning
firsthand experience of that event. o
 preserves a moment of history through documentation To understand the language of comic book, familiarize yourself with its parts.
 involves a certain degree of emotion and subjectivity

Memoires can be a great opportunity to focus awareness on issues that may NOT otherwise be given
much notice. Read the excerpt below.
Unmeasured Strength
by Lauren Manning
(Excerpt)

As I veer left toward my elevators, I suddenly feel an incredible sense of other

worldliness, It’s an old tremendous, quaking feeling, and everything…moves. The entire
110-storey tower is trembling.

Then I hear a huge, whistling rush of air, an incredibly loud sound:

shshoooooooooooo. My adversary is racing toward me, howling in fury at its
containment as it plummets to meet me from the 90th floor.

This is the moment and place of our introduction.

With an enormous, screeching exhalation, the fire explodes from the elevator
banks into the lobby and engulfs me, its tentacles of flames hungrily latching on. An
immense weight pushes down on me, and I can barely breathe. I am whipped around.
Looking to my right toward where the two women were talking. I see people lying on
the floor covered in flames, burning alive.

Like them, I am on fire.

  E-books
o An electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or an e-
book reader.
 Digital story
o Multimedia movie that uses a combination of pictures, videos, audio, text,
narration, and sometimes animation.
 Vlog
o A blog that contains video content (video blog)

Lesson 6: Spoken Word Poetry

Lesson 5: Digital Media Texts

Media Text
 Refers to any media product we wish to examine and from which we derive meaning
value (www.medienabc.org)
 It includes traditional media: newspaper and magazine articles, comics, films, TV shows,
music, performances, interviews, or talks.

Digital Media
 is digitized content-texts, audio, video, and graphics—that can be transmitted over the
internet or computer networks
 traditional media like TV network or a magazine that is presented on a website or blog
can fall under this category
 makes interactivity and community collaboration possible in ways that traditional media
does not

Some popular types of digital media:

 Podcast
o Similar to a radio program, but with key differences: in a podcast, listeners can
tune in to the show at their convenience and listen directly on any device that
can play audio file
Lesson 7: Theatrical Adaptation