Sci-Fi Essay Draft: Science and Technology on the Rise

Science fiction is a certain genre of fiction in which the stories often associate with the science and technology of the future. It is very different from fantasy and more related to science, hence the name "science fiction". Everything pictured in sci-fi is something we all want to know about. It is an incubator for imaginative minds to create visions that help us to glimpse not only into the future, but also something about ourselves in the present. Science fiction exists because authors and screenwriters want to show us the possibilities we may have in the future that may affect our society positively or negatively.

Emphasizing the importance of science breakthroughs along with its potential consequences is one of the things all sci-fi writers do in their work to make a good science fiction story. It helps the audience to see and understand what might these advances can do to either help us or hurt us. In the movie, I Am Legend, the one science breakthrough was finding a vaccine for cancer. But the cancer vaccine that could have helped millions and millions of people, turned into a huge tragedy, mutating and infecting those cancer patients into blood-thirsty monsters who make it hard for the main character to live a normal life. That was not the only negative consequence of the vaccine. It also turned cancer into an airborne disease. The main character, played by Will Smith, was immune to it and was determined to find a cure for the infected. In the end, he accomplished his goal. Wall-E also has its variety of science breakthroughs, from hover chairs to automated pilots. And as always, along with these breakthroughs comes consequences. The hover chairs in Wall-E helped the people get to their destinations faster, but also made them lazy to walk. And over the years, the people began to gain weight and get bigger due to lack of movement and exercise. The auto pilot had the same effects on the captain as well. It forced the captain to form a lethargic attitude, making him lazy to steer and control the space ship himself. I Am Legend and Wall-E are two great movies that document the consequences of certain science breakthroughs.

Another element in good science fiction that authors and screenwriters highlight in their work is the technological advances in science and technology. Movies like Avatar and Iron Man, and short stories like "There Will Come Soft Rains" show and tell us about certain technological advances that may be a possibility in the future. In Avatar, scientists grew and created Na'vi-human hybrid bodies called avatars. The scientific developers of these hybrid bodies combined the genes of the Na'vi and the genes of humans. The avatars are operated via mental link by genetically matching the DNA. This is a great example of an advance in technology. Also, Iron Man has a certain technological advance that is being developed right now. It is, of course, the bionic suit. In the movie, the main character, played by Robert Downey Jr, is an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton also known as the bionic suit. He then becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron Man. "There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury is a science fictional story that tells about an automated home that is fully unaware of the inhabitants' absence after they have died in a nuclear war. The robotic house makes breakfast, disposes of the untouched breakfast, and performs various domestic tasks (most of the time using robot mice to clean the home), before it finally burns down in a fire started by a fallen tree limb. All of Ray Bradbury's sci-fi stories puts things into perspective for me. When I read his stories, he really makes me think about how the future will be like.

Every science fiction story and movie always need a convincing plot/conflict and resolution (a.k.a. storyline) that has enticing action and suspense. This is what all sci-fi writers try to create and it is what really grabs the attention of the audience. Without a persuasive storyline, the audience won't be riveted or impressed. Movies that I think have convincing plots and resolutions are The Day After Tomorrow and I Am Legend. The Day After Tomorrow is such a sad movie that helped me to realize what is happening in our world today. The screenwriter focuses on global warming and air pollution, and how it can affect our world later in the future if we don't do anything about it now. In the movie, it starts off in the Arctic. The scientists there were observing the changes in climate of the Arctic. They noticed that the ice was beginning to melt and crack easily, proving that global warming is present on our planet today. It soon began to affect different parts of the globe causing worldwide natural disasters and developed the worst ice age in the history of the world. The movie finishes with the ice age melting away from the face of the Earth. I Am Legend is truly one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, from the cinematography to the storyline. While watching it, I always felt a sense of intensity. I kept yearning to know what would happen next. The movie kept me on edge the whole time while I was watching it.

Science fiction is all around us; in movies, books, magazines, etc. They all foretell what might become of our society's future, our planet's future, and even our universe's future. There are good and bad ramifications with science and technology pictured in sci-fi everywhere, from mutating cancer vaccines to hybrid bodies controlled through mental links by genetically matching DNA. The world around us is changing and we are probably going to depend more on technology as the years go by. Everything that makes up good science fiction are emphases on the importance of science breakthrough (including their consequences), superb technological advances/scientific breakthroughs, and always, a convincing and believable storyline (plot/conflict and resolution). These elements help the audience to become aware of the things happening in the world right now that may lead to either a bright or dark future.

Journal #32

PAINTING: The Potato Eaters By Vincent van Gogh
The poor family shares a humble meal of steaming mashed potatoes and a hot cup of tea. The mother serves the food and listens intently to her husband as he tells them about what happened at work that day. The grandfather reaches out his cup so that the grandmother can pour more tea for him to drink. Spoons and forks "clank" as the family digs into their dinner. The dim light coming from the lamp above them flickers. Their tiny, crowded home doesn't seem to bother them, and as long as they are together as a family they will always be happy.