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Elaine J. O’Quinn and Heather Atwell

Familiar Aliens: Science Fiction as Social Commentary

hile teachers have a reputation tive consequences for the world, proving that humans for reading everything from War and Peace have the capacity to unleash the powers of destruc- W to the backs of cereal boxes, the reality tion in the name of ; others, like vaccines and is that they sometimes fall into the common trap of pacemakers, show our ability to imagine and create many readers, which is to find a genre that gratifies ways to preserve and improve human life. In other and stick with it. Consequently, genres like science words, science and technology comprise a double- fiction may get little attention in the classroom beyond edged sword of destruction and preservation; as the the classic Ray Bradbury or Jules Verne. Teachers un- two evolve, there will be questions of ethics and familiar with science fiction cannot offer their students morality. its wealth of texts that deal seriously with a variety of Teaching students to challenge and question complex, contemporary social issues, some of which the world around them should be one of the major have obvious tie-ins to technology. Not only does goals of the literature classroom. If the intent is to science fiction offer wonderful opportunities for the encourage students to create meaning, then English English classroom, but the possibilities across the cur- curricula hold a wealth of opportunities for teaching riculum also are immense. Science, math, computer such skills. To this end, teachers traditionally teach technology, psychology, and even economics are pos- classic texts such as Frankenstein (Shelly, 1818), The sible discussion topics, and these subjects comment Invisible Man and War of the Worlds (H. G. Wells, on how humankind’s imagination can lead to the best 1897, 1898), (Huxley, 1931), and and worst in its creations. Aliens are no longer unrec- I, Robot (Asimov, 1950). These texts, and others like ognizable monsters; they have become the scientific them, posed important questions about the nature and technological avatars of a modern world. and the future of science, society, and commerce for Throughout history, the human many generations of students. From race has developed ways to make genetic manipulation to artificial lives longer, richer, and more con- Aliens are no longer intelligence, books that reveal the venient. Our expanding knowledge power of the human mind to imag- of the world is continually applied unrecognizable monsters; ine unlikely events and situations to advancements and devices that they have become the capture readers’ attention. The “improve” lives. Each generation interest in science fiction hasn’t sees new inventions and discover- scientific and technologi- waned, and judging by the current ies that previous generations could number of texts that address these only imagine, or may never have cal avatars of a modern issues, interest may, in fact, be imagined. Some inventions, like world. increasing. bombs and weapons, have nega- The wonders of the field now

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g45-50-TAR-Summer2010.indd 45 5/12/10 3:38 PM called “techno-science” have become an integral part individuality is removed—perform all menial labor. In of daily life in contemporary society. A generation of this society, the wealthy can extend their lives by har- teens lives in a world in which knowledge is literally vesting the organs of their own living clones. When at their fingertips. Even the word “impossible” may we consider who has access to the best health care in be outdated. Through television, radio, movies, the America, this concept is not farfetched. World Wide Web, cell phones, iPods, digital down- The drug empire of Opium, set up between the loads, GPS systems, global gaming, instant messaging, United States and Mexico, is a solution to the im- and online social network- migration crisis, and the “eejits” who work there are ing, students commonly the poor souls who have unsuccessfully tried to sneak While not specifically a spend the majority of their across the border. They are turned into robot-like day exposed to technology. beings who do only what they are programmed to science or technology Similarly, medical advanc- do—eating, drinking, and resting only when com- issue, immigration, as es such as genetic testing, manded to do so—and who are forced to live in the cloning, stem cell research, most inhuman of conditions. While not specifically a imagined by Farmer, DNA identification, and science or technology issue, immigration, as imagined the manipulation of human by Farmer, simply becomes a potential spoke in the simply becomes a poten- cells have become topics wheel of a genetic conspiracy. The seemingly ridicu- of daily discussions. No lous scenario highlights the current lack of a solution tial spoke in the wheel of longer are such subject to the American immigration problem, and the menial a genetic conspiracy. matters left only to the labor the eejits must perform has a hauntingly familiar experts to debate; ethical resemblance to the current lot of many immigrants and moral challenges to progress become the province who work long, hard hours for little pay. Students will of everyone. no doubt see immediately the connection to two con- While classic texts remain powerful tools of temporary social problems—wealth distribution and discussion and historical relevance, Marc Aronson immigration—and will most likely have strong reac- (2003) reminds us that “if adults want books to be tions to and important questions about the long-term part of teenagers’ lives, they must provide books that social consequences of each, as presented in Farmer’s are equally attuned to the present” (p. 42). Young story. people need books that inspire them to question and Like the eejits, the minds of the clones are also challenge their world, much as the classic texts chal- systematically destroyed, turning them into nonsen- lenged former generations. Contemporary young adult sical beasts. Clones have no traditional mother and science fiction approaches issues of techno-science father; they are taken from an existing person’s genes to specifically appeal to adolescents and deal with and allowed to develop inside of a cow until they are problems they know are real. Many of these texts harvested as infants. Locked up and isolated, they are play off of the current technologies in which students generally detested as creatures less respectable than participate and the public dilemmas of ethics that they animals. Readers learn quickly that Matt, the main hear about in the news, from family and friends, or character of this book, is the one clone who is spared experience for themselves. The genre is a natural for the “intelligence removal” treatment. That is because thinking about how closely good and evil are related. he is the clone of the lord of Opium, El Patron, who wants his clone to have a “normal” childhood until Considering the Realities of The House he needs to harvest his organs. Matt is an intriguing of Scorpion main character because, while he feels himself to be a human being as much as anybody else, he is treated The House of the Scorpion (Farmer, 2002) is an ex- like “a bad animal,” an “it” (p. 27). The reader can- cellent example of young adult science fiction that not help but identify with Matt as he tries to define deserves to be in the classroom. Farmer addresses himself in the face of a society that tells him over and the issue of gene manipulation by creating a society over again that he is less than human. Although he is in which drones or “eejits”—whose intelligence and a genetic copy of El Patron, he is still obviously living

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g45-50-TAR-Summer2010.indd 46 5/12/10 3:38 PM his own life, has his own thoughts and desires, and valuable. This book easily becomes a vehicle for develops his own personality, much to the chagrin of interdisciplinary study. At the same time, reading The El Patron, who would have him be nothing more than House of the Scorpion could add a level of interest to a shadow in the world. Again, the parallel thinking by what students learn in science. Students who “hate” some about those who live in society’s borderlands is English but are interested in science will be drawn in frightening. by this book. Likewise, students who love literature In the real world, human cloning is not something but feel that science is not a subject to enjoy will find we have yet accomplished, although we are surpris- important connections between the story line and the ingly close. Last year, there were reports in the news world of science they inhabit every day. of the cloning of rhesus monkey embryos to produce Other texts that deal with scientific questions and stem cells, and, in fact, it has already been ten years issues include The Angel Experiment: Maximum Ride since Dolly the sheep was cloned. Scientists are still by James Patterson (2005), Mergers by Steven Layne a long way from actually being able to grow a human (2006), and Transplant by Malcolm Rose (2003). Pat- clone inside the womb to produce a baby, but they are terson’s book raises interesting questions about the certainly closer to it than ever. In fact, 15 American potential use of DNA; Layne’s talks about a society states already have laws pertaining to human cloning. of assimilated races; and Rose tackles another is- It is not inconceivable that human cloning will be pos- sue that has already been sible in our lifetime, and it is easily imaginable during in the headlines—face the lifetime of our students. This and other medical transplants. One more text By allowing students to possibilities have created a world in which the bioeth- that forces relevant con- research and see primary ics of medical advancement raises serious issues. cerns about the possibili- The House of the Scorpion takes these issues to ties of medical advances is documents on the scien- extreme, but not in a way that completely surpasses Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies possibility. Like all good science fiction, it raises (2005), which is the first tific issues in this book, important questions about humanity and what makes in a popular trilogy. Again, a human “human” after all? It also provides ample the topic is one that has huge connections can be room for discussion about the best ways to handle our already found its way not drawn between English growing capacity to change, control, and create life. only into the news, but into Students will face these challenging questions in their the everyday lives of teens: class and science class, lifetimes; thinking and talking about them now can cosmetic surgery and its only be helpful for them later. Who will have access implications for the search as well as any class that to the scientific wonder of cloning? Who will suffer for identity and articulated studies social issues. because of it? Is it okay to create clones of ourselves cultural notions of what it in lieu of having children naturally? What makes means to be pretty. West- medical science ethical or not ethical? These are not erfeld’s book offers a disturbing critique on some very far-fetched questions. real social conditions and opens a whole new conver- Farmer’s book forces readers to look at genuine sation on unnecessary medical and “social” technolo- problems requiring genuine solutions. Her text takes gies. It is not to be missed. a strong stance against using fully developed human clones to meet the medical needs of others, but it The Eerie Intimacy of Feed raises important questions about embryos. By allow- M. T. Anderson’s Feed shifts the focus from science ing students to research and see primary documents to technology and may best fit into a category of sci- on the scientific issues in this book, huge connections ence fiction known as cyperpunk. Movies like Blade can be drawn between English class and science class, Runner (Scott, 1982) and (Wachowski as well as any class that studies social issues. Depend- & Wachowski, 1999) give a good visual of what the ing on the school and the level of science students are world of looks like. William Gibson and his engaged in, what they learn or have learned about famous Sprawl trilogy, of which Neuromancer (1984) genetics could make the book even more critically

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g45-50-TAR-Summer2010.indd 47 5/12/10 3:38 PM is the first novel, is probably the best-known writer in the senselessness and destructiveness of a commer- this subgenre. The category continues to evolve, and cially driven society and does so in a number of ways, there are now postcyberpunk stories as well as stories not the least of which is through language. Language that fall into the category called cyberprep. What all and how it is used in Feed raises any number of inter- of these stories have in common is a combination of esting questions. The story is told through the voice technological advancements that include some form of of Titus, who speaks just as he thinks, using less than body modification (cybernetics would be an early run- proper English and peppering his conversation with ner) and computer intrigue. Cyberpunk is also popular heavy doses of interjections (e.g., “like” and “um”), in several anime and manga graphic novel series. a good amount of slang, and a variety of obscenities. In Feed, everything is owned and controlled by (The choice to allow characters to speak as authenti- large corporations (school is School™, fact is fact™, cally as they think exemplifies one of the components and speech tattoos™— of “radical change” found in contemporary books which cause the bearer for youth, as discussed by Eliza Dresang in her book Another important theme of the tattoo to automati- Radical Change: Books for Youth in a Digital Age cally say “Nike” in every [1999]). Language that at first glance might be con- in Feed is the potential sentence—are corporate sidered offensive and too vernacular is actually used problems associated with examples), and most to show how society has changed and what it values. people have a computer “Curse” words are no longer considered inappropri- the development of tech- “feed” from the Internet ate, and even adult characters speak quite informally. and television directly For example, Titus’s dad says of his wife “She’s like, nology and the instant wired into their brains. whoa, she’s like so stressed out. This is . . . Dude . . . People can instantly ac- Dude, this is some way bad shit” (Anderson, p. 46). gratification it seems to cess any information they The sales representative from FeedTech™ who tells bring. want, shop, chat with their a character that her feed cannot be fixed says: “We friends, send memories have to inform you that our corporate investors were and physical sensations like, “What’s doing with this?” (p. 195). Clearly, it is to one another, watch shows, and listen to music, all not just the teenage characters whose language is in while the feed bombards them with advertisements question. personally catered to their buyer profiles. Television Interesting discussion could arise in the classroom shows, music, and other forms of entertainment have around how students respond to the language in this been reduced to mere sensationalism (as illustrated by book. How do they feel when they hear adults speak the popular television show “Oh? Wow! Thing!”), and so carelessly? Should there be a division between for- fashion and hairstyles change by the hour. mal and informal language? Why and when? What are The current fad for the main character, Titus, and some similarities and differences between language his friends is to have “skin lesions.” Even though the now and language in this book? When does language lesions are the unsightly and dangerous result of the cross borders and become unacceptable and/or of- feed, consumers have been manipulated into believ- fensive? Is language a reflection of something larger in ing that the lesions are the cool, must-have tattoos of a culture? If so, what? their generation. It does not take long for readers to Another important theme in Feed is the potential understand that while and starvation con- problems associated with the development of technol- tinue for the less fortunate, the populations of highly ogy and the instant gratification it seems to bring. Just developed countries are falling deeper and deeper into as The House of the Scorpion entertains the important self-absorbed consumerism promoted by the feed. question of science’s increasing power to “play God,” Upon reflection, readers will easily concede that the Feed illuminates the potential danger of excessive role huge corporations play in the characters’ daily dependence on technology. Anderson depicts a society lives is not nearly as removed from their own as they so dependent on technology that one of the characters may have initially thought. dies when her feed stops functioning—with the feed In this wicked , Anderson is able to tease out wired directly into the brain, a malfunctioning feed

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g45-50-TAR-Summer2010.indd 48 5/12/10 3:38 PM means a malfunctioning person. Indeed, the most Texts, Movies, and the Classroom disturbing aspect of this book may be the characters’ apathy for their own well being. Ironically, Violet, We have here explored just two books of science fic- the character whose feed finally kills her, is the only tion that could be used in the classroom to touch on person readers meet who has the courage to think for issues of science, technol- herself and challenge what she sees happening around ogy, and the future of the her. Near the end of the novel, she explodes at Titus, human race, but there While the novel warns saying: are many more available. Authors like Sonia Levi- readers about technologi- Do you know why the Global Alliance is pointing all the tin, William Sleator, Terry weaponry at their disposal at us? No. Hardly anyone does. Prachett, and Jeanne Du- cal developments that go Do you know why our skin is falling off? Have you heard that some suburbs have been lost, just; no one knows Prau, to name just a few, unchecked, it also chal- where they are anymore? . . . Do you know the earth is have written challenging dead? Almost nothing lives here anymore, except where and revealing stories that lenges them to consider we plant it? No. No, no, no. We don’t know any of that. students will find interest- We have tea parties with our teddies. We go sledding. We ing and relevant. From the role they play in how enjoy being young. We take what’s coming to us. That’s the Double Helix (Werlin, our way. (p. 214) society ultimately embrac- 2005) to Z Is for Zachariah Throughout the novel, Anderson takes subtle and (O’Brien, 1974), there is es and uses those tech- not so subtle stabs at the nature of American contem- no shortage of applicable porary society—our unrelenting need to consume, science fiction that calls on nologies. our complicit relationship with corporate advertising the critical thinking skills (including Channel One), our growing dependence on students will need as they navigate a future we prob- technology, and our unthinking development of what ably cannot even imagine. constitutes “new” and “better.” He reveals society’s Indeed, students already do this through the many widespread oblivion to the most pressing problems science fiction movies they watch and enjoy. Mention of the world, our unthinking approaches to everyday Avatar (Cameron, 2009) or Idiocracy (Judge, 2007) to life, and the focus on immediate gratification without them, and they will quickly note these are stories of concern for the long-term effects of our actions. social commentary and political statement. Though Feed is futuristic enough for the reader to see they may initially joke and say Wall-E (Stanton & the absurdities of the world Anderson creates, but it Docter, 2008) is nothing more than an animated ro- hits close enough to home to cause readers to take mance, it will not take them long to offer that it is also a second look at our world and the direction we are a dark story of the fate of mankind, as is the disturb- headed. While the novel warns readers about tech- ing film Children of Men (Cuarón & Sexton, 2006). The nological developments that go unchecked, it also desire to rid ourselves of anything we deem different challenges them to consider the role they play in how or inexplicable cannot be avoided when discussing society ultimately embraces and uses those technolo- District 9 (Blomkamp & Tatchell, 2009), and the clon- gies. Students who read this book will certainly en- ing that occurs in Moon (Jones, 2009) is no harder to gage in enlightening discussions about the important imagine than that which takes place in House of Scor- questions it raises. It might be especially significant pions. Students already think about issues of social to study in relation to older books on this topic, such consequence; all teachers need to do is pull such ideas as Brave New World (Huxley, 1932) and Nineteen into the classroom. Eighty-Four (Orwell, 1949). What has changed since In an ever-changing world, it is crucially impor- these books were written? What has come true? Is tant to make school a place where everyone learns to one of the futuristic societies better or worse than the look beyond the “now” into the world being cre- other? Why? Are we living already in an irreversible ated for the future. English classrooms can be places dystopia? where students examine complex questions that, in their lifetime, will require thoughtful answers. If the

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g45-50-TAR-Summer2010.indd 49 5/12/10 3:38 PM societies found in The House of the Scorpion and Feed Dresang, E. (1999). Radical change: Books for youth in a digital are unacceptable, for instance, then students should age. New York: H. W. Wilson. be encouraged to think through what they can do to Farmer, N. (2002). The house of the scorpion. New York: Simon & Schuster. make science and technology work in more meaning- Gibson, W. (1984). Neuromancer. New York: Ace. ful ways. By providing books from a wide range of Huxley, A. (1931/2010). Brave new world. New York: Harper science fiction that connect with students because of Perennial. characters, age, and contemporary issues, you will Jones, D. (Director). (2009). Moon [Motion picture]. United help students engage more deeply with the world in States: Summit. Judge, M. (Writer/Director). (2007). Idiocracy [Motion picture]. which they live and are about to inherit. United States: Twentieth Century–Fox. Layne, S. (2006). Mergers. New York: Pelican. Elaine J. O’Quinn is ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­an associate professor at Appa- O’Brien, R. C. (1974). Z is for Zachariah. New York: Simon & lachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Her Schuster. research interests include adolescent literature, teaching of Orwell, G. (1949/2003). Nineteen eighty-four. New York: composition: theory and pedagogy, issues in English stud- Plume. ies, ethnographic research, and girls’ studies. Patterson, J. (2005). The angel experiment: Maximum ride. New York: Little Brown. Rose, M. (2003). Transplant. New York: Scholastic Point. Heather Atwell is a graduate student at Appalachian Scott, R. (Director). (1982). Blade runner [Motion picture]. State University in Boone, North Carolina. United States: Warner Brothers. Shelly, M. (1818). Frankenstein. New York: Penguin. References Stanton, A. (Writer/Director), & Docter, P. (Writer). (2008). Wall- Anderson, M. T (2002). Feed. Cambridge: Candlewick. E [Motion picture]. United States: Pixar. Aronson, M. (2001). Exploding the myths: The truth about teen- Tolstoy, L. (1869/2008). War and peace (R. Pevear & L. Volok- agers and reading. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow. honsky, Trans.). New York: Vintage. Asimov, I. (1950). I, Robot. New York: Gnome. Wachowski, A, & Wachowski, L. (Writers/Directors). (1999). The Blomkamp, N. (Writer/Director), & Tatchell, T. (Writer). (2009). Matrix [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Brothers. District 9 [Motion picture]. United States: TriStar Pictures. Wells, H. G. (1897/2002). The invisible man. New York: Penguin. Cameron, J. (Writer/Director). (2009). Avatar [Motion picture]. Wells, H. G. (1898/2005). War of the worlds. New York: Penguin. United States: Twentieth Century–Fox. Werlin, N. (2005). Double helix. New York: Puffin. Cuarón, A. (Writer/Director), & Sexton, T. J. (Writer). (2006). Westerfeld, S. (2005). Uglies. New York: Simon & Schuster. Children of men [Motion picture]. United Kingdom: Strike Entertainment.

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