Despite decades between their writings, the similarities between H.G. Wells and P.K. Dick are numerous and include the fact that both authors were far ahead of their time, had aspirations regarding the universe and a future electronic era to come, had a theme revolving around a distant planet, and challenged humanity. Both science fiction authors were beyond their time. Wells had the capability of “lifting up our fathers’ hearts with hopes, exciting them with the feeling that a new world was at the point of being born and they were to inherit it“ (Dickson 17). Throughout all of his works, P.K. Dick “focused on conveying the truth of his many-faceted visions without regard for critical expectations and genre conventions” (Mackey 128). It is said that “knowledge of Dick’s biography is essential to an understanding of his work” (Umland 2). This too is similar to Wells. Both authors led fascinating lives and each found their own unique way to incorporate their events and interest into their works as demonstrated by their various novels and short stories.
In order to fully understand each authors views, style, and most importantly to establish ethos, one must first understand the authors life. Dick and Wells were greatly influenced by the world around them. Whether it be obvious or not, Dick included his life experiences into his books. He also included many of his own personal interest into the book. Wells writings were mostly influenced by his own views, opinions, and interest. It is easy to assume that a book was written simply off a good idea however, there is often more to it. An underlying interest, an attempted degree, an unexpected adventure.
In 1949, Dick began studying philosophy at the University of California Berkley (1...
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...rld, there is power in numbers and we have the ability to lead future generations further, not only into the science fiction world, but science itself.
Despite nearly three quarters of a century between their writings, the ideas these two magnificent authors had were similar in many ways. They both challenged science and society to their limits.
Works Cited
Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. New York: Random House, 1968. Print.
Dickson, Lovat. H. G. Wells: His Turbulent Life and Times. New York: Lovat Dickson (?), 1969. Print.
Mackey, Douglas A. Philip K. Dick. Massachusetts: Twayne, 1988. Print
Wells, H. G. “A Story of the Days to Come.” 28 Science Fiction Stories. New York: Dover, 1952. 730-820. Priint.
Wells, H. G. “The Time Machine.” The Complete Short Stories of H. G. Wells. London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1966. 9-91. Print.
Gould, Stephen Jay. The Mismeasure of Man. W.W. Norton & Company. New York, London. 1981.
Finally, the last similarity was being great at writing. Both authors were able to show strong
Wood, Karen and Charles. “The Vonnegut Effect: Science Fiction and Beyond.” The Vonnegut Statement. Vol. 5. 1937. 133-57. The GaleGroup. Web. 10 March. 2014.
Literature and film have always held a strange relationship with the idea of technological progress. On one hand, with the advent of the printing press and the refinements of motion picture technology that are continuing to this day, both literature and film owe a great deal of their success to the technological advancements that bring them to widespread audiences. Yet certain films and works of literature have also never shied away from portraying the dangers that a lust for such progress can bring with it. The modern output of science-fiction novels and films found its genesis in speculative ponderings on the effect such progress could hold for the every day population, and just as often as not those speculations were damning. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis are two such works that hold great importance in the overall canon of science-fiction in that they are both seen as the first of their kind. It is often said that Mary Shelley, with her authorship of Frankenstein, gave birth to the science-fiction novel, breathing it into life as Frankenstein does his monster, and Lang's Metropolis is certainly a candidate for the first genuine science-fiction film (though a case can be made for Georges Méliès' 1902 film Le Voyage Dans la Lune, his film was barely fifteen minutes long whereas Lang's film, with its near three-hour original length and its blending of both ideas and stunning visuals, is much closer to what we now consider a modern science-fiction film). Yet though both works are separated by the medium with which they're presented, not to mention a period of over two-hundred years between their respective releases, they present a shared warning about the dangers that man's need fo...
Science fiction and the sea are surprisingly linked in their history. Early attributes can be noted as early as Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, which experimented with fantastic elements, made realistic by adhering to real world rules and practices1. Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea likewise used true historical detail “to convey a sense of existence... through three layers of operability: existing technology, those plausible through their analogy with the existing, and the fictive,”2. The experiences of both Heinlein and Herbert in WWII provided them with experience and knowledge to draw on to create realistic predictions in their works, which wer...
Young, Kenneth. "Wells, H. G. (1866-1946)." British Writers. Ed. Ian Scott-Kilvert. Vol. 6. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1979. 225-246. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 March 2014.
...rlds. Internal and External conflicts are shown along with foreshadowing; humans believed that they were the superior of all races. Foreshadowing, Symbolism, and Irony were literary elements used to enhance the theme. Over a course of 52 years, Wells wrote more than 100 books. A majority of which were science fiction books.
...ce, although both writings are interesting in their own ways, the most interesting aspect of both writings together is that they both have a similar plot and theme. It is rare that two
Science fiction has been around for a very long time, and over the years it has changed to match the interests of the people. Styles and themes of the genre are still very similar, but there are lots of differences. Some subgenres of Science fiction have stayed the same; others have changed to something that’s not what it was when it started. There have been subgenres that started out okay and then grown into something amazing like zombies, and others like post-apocalyptic worlds that have gotten worse than they used to be. I personally believe that the genre although it still has some similarities, is very, very different than it used to be.
The Best Science Fiction of the Twentieth Century. Ed. Orson Scott Card. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, 2001. 212-217.
Cantor, A. Paul and Hufnagel, Peter “The Empire of the Future: Imperialism and Modernism in H.G. Wells”
During the late Victorian Britain, H.G. Wells became a literary spokesperson for liberal optimism and social reform. His scientific knowledge and literary capabilities led him to be one of the fore fathers of modern science fiction. In his novel The Time Machine, Wells, knowledgeable on the teachings of Charles Darwin and those of the Fabian Society, attempts to warn society that the brutality of capitalism and the plight of the laborer are not dealt with through social reforms then humanity will drive itself to extinction.
Hoberek, Andrew P. "The 'work' of science fiction: Philip K. Dick and Occupational masculinity in the post-world war II United States." MFS Modern Fiction Studies. Summer 1997.
These two authors are very similar. Both use dark, surrealistic language. Both men show different aspects of the descent into madness. Also both men use a descriptive, intelligent writing style. Instead of appealing to your emotions, or telling you what you should be feeling, they describe what is happening. Their descriptions may induce certain emotions, such as disgust, fear, or sadness, but they appeal first to the mind. They appeal first to the mind, and when the mind dictates to the heart that this is wrong, or strange, then the heart stirs and provides the appropriate emotion. Their writing styles may have their differences, but on the whole they are more alike than they are different.
Sci-Fi novels have been around for almost a century. Sci-Fi has the most potential of any genre to capture and explore the imagination of the world we know , or don’t know. Like any other genre Sci-Fi has tried to teach us lessons , or warn us of our arrogant choices as a whole civilization. But like all things, it changes with time. Sci-Fi writers adjust their styles accordingly based on current economic, political, or environmental problems around the world. The language in the writings change as well in an ongoing effort to keep up with the trends of popular culture.