Eighth Grade English
Mrs. Mathieson
Name__________________
Date__________ Period___
Unit Two – Strange Goings-On
Science Fiction Notes
Part One
Directions: Please use pages 549-553 in your book to complete the following notes. Please make
sure you are reading and understanding what you are reading as work through the notes.
Science fiction is that branch of literature that deals with human responses to changes
in…science and technology.
-Isaac Asimov, science fiction writer
Can you imagine what life on earth will be like one hundred, one thousand, or even one
million years from today? Will people still look like people? Will we talk and walk as we do now?
Perhaps one day we will use our thoughts to transport us to different destinations. Perhaps our
bodies will no longer require food, but instead use energy from the sun, as plants do. These are
the ideas that writers of science fiction consider when they weave tales of the future.
Science Fiction is imaginative writing that has a scientific basis. It examines events
that might actually happen. When people think of science fiction, they often picture space
travel, alien beings, and computers. Some common machines and tools used today—such as
airplanes and cell phones —were first described in earlier science fiction stories.
Science Fiction
Science Fiction explores settings, events, and characters that are both familiar and out
of the ordinary. The surprising combination may shed new light on everyday occurrences,
sparking new insights and ideas.
Science fiction is usually set in the future and involves technology and science. Its purpose is
almost always to make a serious comment about the world. Sometimes the ideas of science
fiction writers come true. Other times, their suggestions reach far beyond what we imagine in
our lifetime. For example, in 1965, Isaac Asimov wrote about futuristic beings in “Eyes Do
More Than See.”
Key Elements of Science Fiction

realistic and fantastic details

grounded in science

usually set in the future

unknown inventions
Theme and Conflict in Science Fiction
The theme—the central message or idea of a work—is hardly every stated directly.
The reader usually has to figure it out from details in the story. These details may be included in
the title and in the description of the characters, setting, and plot. In science fiction, there may
be a message in the story about the dangers of technology or about what happens to
characters who live in futuristic settings.
Conflicts in a story are clues to the theme. Some may be internal—taking place within a
character—and some may be external—taking place between a character and an outside force.
A theme in science fiction will often apply to life as we know it, but since the story is set in the
future, or the characters are strange and unusual, it is made more vivid and memorable.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a technique that writers use to set a mood, create suspense, convey a
tone, or communicate an attitude toward a subject. Foreshadowing is a writer’s use of clues
or hints about things to come in a story. The suspense and the mood that the writer builds
through foreshadowing help keep readers interested.
Drawing Conclusions
When your best friend starts to plan a party, you can reasonably conclude that you are
going to be invited. You draw conclusions by combining facts and details and your own
knowledge and experience to make a special kind of inference. An active reader can also draw
conclusions about a character’s motives, about the importance of a setting, or about the plot of a
story. Use the strategies on this page to help you draw conclusions.
How to Apply the Skill
To draw conclusions, an active reader will:

look for facts and details

make logical guesses

connect experience and knowledge to the text.

evaluate the information

use a chart like this one (on page 553) to help draw conclusions
Part Two
Directions: Please use the Glossary of Literary and Reading Terms on pages R124-R139 in your
book to define the following terms.
Mood – a mood, or atmosphere, if a feeling that a literary work conveys to readers. In “The
Woman in the Snow,” for example, the description of the ghostly figure and her baby in the snow
creates an ominous and heart wrenching mood.
Suspense – suspense is a feeling of growing tension and excitement. Writers create suspense by
raising questions in readers’ minds about what might happen.
Tone – the tone of a work expresses the writer’s attitude toward his or her subject. Words such
as angry, sad, and humorous can be used to describe different tones.