FSP–121-08 Coming of Age in a Science Fiction Novel
Semester: Fall 2007
Instructor:
Dept.:
Office:
Tel:
e-mail:
Alan Waterman
Psychololgy
SSB 111
771-2117
water@tcnj.edu
Office Hours:
Monday: 3:45 to 4:45 and 8:15 to 9:15 PM
Wednesday: 12:30 to 1:30 PM
And by appointment
Course Overview:
Science fiction (sf) has also been termed “speculative fiction”. One genre within sf is
the coming of age novel. It starts with a premise that a culture differs in one or many
respects from ones actually in existence. The question then becomes, how are those
differences likely to impact upon the psychosocial development of individuals maturing
within such a culture. The genre allows the author and the reader to explore the
contributions of culture to parent-child relationships, physical maturation, sex-role
expression, sexual exploration, peer relationships, attitudes toward authority, career
choice, religious development, and the development of political ideologies, among other
themes. By exploring what it means to come of age in speculative fiction, there is an
opportunity to gain a critical understanding of the contributions of biology, the social
parameters of the culture, and what it means to be a developing, sentient organism
within that culture.
Reading List
Card, O. S. Ender’sGame. Originally published in 1977
Heinlein, R. Starship Troopers. Originally published in 1959
Tepper, S. The Gate into Women’s Country. Originally published in 1988
Spinrad, N. Child of Fortune. Originally published in 1985
Fowles, J. The Magus (A revised edition). Originally published in 1966; Revised
in 1978.
Graded Responsibilities:
1. A written evaluation of each of the five novels. The format for these evaluations is
provided on a separate sheet. Each of these written assignments will be worth 1/9 th of
the course grade.
2. In connection with the novel Child of Fortune, each student is to write his or her
“name tale”. Details on this assignment will be distributed at a later time. It is intended
that the name tale will be read to the class. This assignment will be worth 1/9 th of the
course grade.
3. An original science fiction coming of age short story. This assignment will be worth
2/9ths of the course grade. Your short story should be submitted both as hardcopy and
as a Word file via e-mail.
4. The remaining 1/9th of the course grade will be based upon class participation.
Due dates for all course assignments are specified on the calendar of activities.
Schedule of Class Assignments
Date:
Assignment
Sept. 4
Course introduction and organization
Reading: Begin Ender’s Game.
Sept. 10
Coming of age in New Jersey and surrounding areas
“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, aren’t they?”
Discussion of Ender’s game.
Reading: Continue: Ender’s Game.
Sept. 17
Discussion of Ender’s game.
Reading: Complete Ender’s Game.
Sept. 24
Discussion of Ender’s game
Assignment: Report on Ender’s Game due
Reading: Begin Starship Troopers
Oct. 1
Discussion of Starship Troopers .
Reading: Complete StarshipTtroopers
Oct. 8
Discussion of Starship Troopers
Assignment: Report on StarshipTroopers due
Reading: Begin The Gate to Women’s Country
Oct. 15
Discussion of The Gate to Women’s Country
Reading: Complete The Gate to Women’s Country
Oct. 22
Fall Break
Oct. 29
Discussion of The Gate to Women’s Country
Assignment: Report on The Gate to Women’s Country due
Reading: Begin Child of Fortune
Nov. 5
Discussion of Child of Fortune
Assignment: Draft of short story due
Reading: Continue Child of Fortune
Nov. 12
Discussion of Child of Fortune
Assignment: “Name Tale” is due
Reading: Complete Child of Fortune
Nov. 19
Presentation of “Name Tales”
Assignment: Report on Child of Fortune due
Reading: Begin The Magus
Nov. 26
Discussion of The Magus
Assignment: The revised short story is due
Reading: Continue The Magus
Dec. 5
Discussion of The Magus
Reading: Complete The Magus
Dec, 10
Assignment on The Magus due
Format for the Written Evaluations of Each Novel
Answer each of the five following questions.
1. Did the protagonist experience one major epiphany or a series of smaller epiphanies
(or was there some other pattern)? Describe the events constituting the
epiphan(y)(ies)? In what ways is the protagonist different at the end of the novel than
he/she was at the beginning of the novel? (Disregard the literary device of a novel
unfolding as a flashback.)
2. Is the author a good psychologist, that is, do you believe that a character such as the
protagonist is conceptually possible and, under circumstances portrayed in the novel,
would act as he or she did? Justify your answer by giving specific examples of strong
and/or weak psychology. (If the author is a poor psychologist, how might she/he
respond to such a criticism?)
3. What type of adult will the protagonist make? What strengths does the protagonist
bring to adulthood? What limitations does the protagonist bring to adulthood? Is the
protagonist likely to be a ”happy” adult? Why or why not?
4. Do you consider the society depicted in the novel to be a just society? Why or why
not? Would you like to live in the society depicted? Why or why not?
5. What do you think you learned about the author’s coming of age from reading this
novel?