defining science fiction

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Science Fiction
The chapter tries to explain the true definition of science fiction. It accomplishes this by explaining the difference between science fiction and other types of fantasy genres that people tend to classify as science fiction. To get at these differences, the chapter outlines some of the characteristics that are dominant in this type of literary work (Roberts 2). By definition, science fiction is a type of literature that narrates ideas which are not present and are impossible in the current world.
As such, it is possible to find some literary work that is classified as science while in fact; it represents other imaginative literature. For a piece of work to fall into this category, it has to meet the following criteria (Roberts 2). For starters, the events or things discussed in work have to be unique and impossible in the current world that we live. Secondly, the event or subject explained in the work has to have some scientific explanation which cannot be tested with any form of technology. For example, in his novel, Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton explains how the DNA was manipulated to form Dinosaurs. However, it is impossible to manipulate the DNA to form the animals in the real world. If a genre lacks these two characteristics, it should not be classified as science fiction (Roberts 6). For example, Stephen Baxter uses the laws which already exist in the field of science to write the narrative about his travel to planet Jupiter.

His work cannot qualify as science fiction since it is possible to accomplish this in the real world.
In another definition, SF is portrayed as a genre that has both metaphoric strategies and tactics. To this end, the ‘novum’ of science fiction stands for a section of the world as imagined. It is right to say that, science fiction subjects represent some part of the real world (Roberts 12). For example, the uses of time travel machines, the robots, and aliens that possess some human characteristics.
In conclusion, a genre is classified as a SF depending on the degree of the difference between its main theme and that of the world. The further they differ, the more it is likely to be classified in this category.
Works Cited
Roberts, Adam. Science fiction. London New York: Routledge, 2006. Print.