Dayvon Snell: "Blurred Line"

Blurred Line

By

Dayvon Snell

Science fiction contains things that could happen in our given world, despite some of the phlebotinum used. Although some fantasy uses scientific theories to explain story elements, there is no possible way that many of the events could occur in reality. If I had to draw a line between the two, I would have to say that science fiction expands on the possibilities in our world, while fantasy goes beyond them. This line has become increasingly blurry since the creation of these two genres, making it progressively difficult to define the difference between the two genres.

In Speculations on Speculation, James Gunn gives us a definition of science fiction. He says that “Science fiction is the branch of literature that deals with the effects of change on people in the real world as it can be projected into the past, the future, or to distant places. It often concerns itself with scientific or technological change, and it usually involves matters whose importance is greater than the individual or the community; often civilization or the race itself in danger.” His use of words such as “often” and “usually” shows the inability to make up his mind because of the similarities present in fantasy and science fiction. He also describes science fiction as “a fantastic event of development considered rationally,” even further displaying the existence of the blurred line between science fiction and fantasy. The word “rationally” does, however, imply a difference.

In Philip Martin’s A Guide to Fantasy Literature, he describes three aspects that exist in fantasy. One of these aspects is Escape. It refers to “leaving behind the restraints of a modernistic world.” This aspect of fantasy is commonly shared with science fiction as well. Even though many characteristics of our given world are present in science fiction, readers get to escape to a different world because of the postulated ideas. In DC comics, both science fiction and fantasy are used to entertain the audience. For example, The Flash, a character with super-speed, gained his powers through a lab accident involving a particle accelerator. Another character, Superman, wholly comes from the fictitious planet Krypton. The unity of these characters as they save the world demonstrates that both science fiction and fantasy can exist in the same medium.

The best description of the difference between the two genres, in my opinion, is presented by Miriam Allen deFord. She is quoted saying, "Science fiction consists of improbable possibilities, fantasy of plausible impossibilities." However, I don’t think a definite line between science fiction and fantasy needs to be drawn because neither of these two genres have concrete definitions. The similarities between the two can far outweigh any one difference, and If a reader can escape from our given world for the duration of a story, then the story, whether science fiction or fantasy, has done its job.