Week 3 & 4

Week 3 & 4

How is science fiction different from fantasy, according to Le Guin?

According to Ursula K. Le Guin (2008), argues that science fiction and fantasy is clearly different. Science fiction are stories that pretend and ignore the times in present. It often pretends that the future is the present. However, fantasy is different to science fiction because fantasy are stories that viewers clearly know that it is unreal and will not happen in future. An example of science fiction is “Star Wars.” A large number of science fiction fans believe that events in science will happen in the future, which may include light sabers and spaceships. Example of a fantasy would be “Wizard of Earthsea.” Fantasy such as Earthsea includes spells, wizard and unrealistic elements.

What are the similarities between science fiction and fantansy?

Although the two genres, science fiction and fantasy, are in two different categories, I believe that there are similarities as well. Similarities of the two are that they are not set in the present.  Another similarity I found was people read the two because they feel more important within themselves. The two genre always have a hero that saves the planet or people in the area. Many readers of science fiction and fantasy use imagination and picture themselves as the main character that is strong, and acts that humans cannot possibly do such as “Iron Man” and “Harry Potter.” They are both heroic characters that save people from disasters. 

Reference:

Le Guin, U.K. (2008). Plausibility Revisited . Retrieved Oct 5, 2012, from http://www.ursulakleguin.com/PlausibilityRevisited.html

What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?

What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?

Hills (2004) suggests in his three definitions that fans do play an important part in the construction of cult t.v. Out of the three definitions he of Cult Television he admits that fans constructing cult TV is the most “plausible and persuasive” he does not seem to agree with it personally.

Hills (2004) describes four ways in which fans construct cult TV.

Firstly, he described how fans organise TV programmes into an intertexual network. This point focuses on media fandom and looks into how shows link into a wider network of popular materials. These include comics, books, and other programmes creating a wider network in which fans have access to.

Secondly, he describes how cult TV fans are generally self-couscous of using the word “cult” when describing these networks.  

Thirdly, he points out that fans organised themselves into “appreciation societies” which are developed to honour a programme as well as provide a medium in which fans can discuss and appreciate their programme of choose with like-minded people. These groups look deeply into programmes and create commentaries and episode guides which may provide details into parts of the show they have missed. Appreciation societies are a stereotype heavily played out by the media. The media often publicise conventions held by these associations to help attract long-time fans as well as new people who may be interested.

The final factor in which fans construct cult TV is the market in which they create for their favourite shows. They create props, toys, costumes and other memorabilia which help to “mass merchandise” the programmes. This is especially effective for programmes which have stopped running e.g Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Fans definitely help create cult TV. They provide an invaluable resource into the shows and are crucial in maintaining the popularity in cult TV.

References

Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts,

Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The

Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen

& A. Hill. London and New York:

  

week 2

As I lost the previous writing for week2 I had to write again and I have forgotten what I wrote before.

Adventure travel is still popular with people of all age. Many people want to experience different tastes of cultures around the world. Tintin is brave and moral. Also he never grows up. This hero is an imaginary in real world. This genre can come close to readers easily.

 

From my experience, there was no doubt that cartoons are for only children in the last two decades, past, however, nowadays as readers approach to cartoons closely, the fixed idea and stereotypes we hold are being broken. Cartoons, now are for every generation. Tintin was loved by children and adults as Far(1991) stated that this cartoon was targeting all young people aged from seven to seventy-seven. In my opinion, although Tintin is marked as children’s comics they would have been too young to understand the concepts about races. The invaders,Japanese would be seemed to readers, especially to children as pigs and evil. Evil Japs is a case in point. Having the fact that Japanese are invaders but only few adults would really think Japanese are pigs. On the other hand, the film would be very approachable to children as the story goes faster than the books. The hero in film is muscular as children think heroes are strong to save others but in cartoon Tintin is as skinny as Chinese who introduce a town.

 

Reference
Farr, M. (1991). Tintin the Complete Companion. London: John Murray