Speculation in Literature

Course Description: From J.R.R. Tolkien's Gollum to Suzanne Collins' Katniss Everdeen, the highly imaginative world of speculative fiction - a genre that includes science fiction, fantasy and urban fantasy, horror, utopian, and dystopian fiction will explore the human experience through the lens of the imagination. Speculative fiction often allows writers and readers to wrestle with complex social and psychological issues ranging from genetic engineering to forms of government, often in far-reaching and fantastical settings.  This course will help students develop discussion and critical thinking skills as they negotiate complex issues of government, change, alternate identities, fear of the unknown, climate change, imperialism as expressed by well-known literary works.

Some of the core texts explored will be:
  * I, Robot by Asimov
  * Kindred by Octavia Butler
  * The Dark Fantastic by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
  * V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

Various non-fiction, fiction, poetry, multimedia and cinematic resources will be explored to ensure understanding.


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