Novel
Name three main characters and their occupations?
Heather Lelache (lawyer), William Harber (oneirologist), and George Orr (draftsman)
What were the names of authors from the first wave of SF writing?
The Old Guard
In Moxon’s Monster Moxon is in the machine shop playing _______ with a machine?
Chess
What was LeGuin’s family well known for?
Their relationship with Ishi, the last California Yahi Indian
What is a popular trope that the augmentor falls under?
“Infernal machine”
What is the name of the alien species that invades earth?
The Aleberanians
What is the latest sub genre of SF?
Solarpunk, and it centers around technology existing in harmony with nature
True or False: Beatrice’s poisonous touch reflects her toxic character
False
Where was LeGuin born?
Berkeley
What old story prompted anxiety over technology?
Ancient Greek myth of Prometheus
True or False: An egg whisk is meant to symbolize balance
True
What helped facilitate the rise of SF?
The rise of pulp magazines during the 1800s made this possible (along with radio programs) because now the literature was cheaper and more accessible
Why did John Crowley name his short story “Snow”?
It comes from the Director’s remark in the story that the footage might eventually have “snow” as it breaks down
Ishi worked at the ______ in San Francisco
UC Museum of Anthropology
Who coined the name steampunk?
Keven Jester when we sent a letter to Lotus in 1987
What award did the Lathe of Heaven win?
Locust Award for best novel
What is the difference between cyberpunk and steampunk?
Cyberpunk was typically more “liberal” and focused on more “progressive” matters while steampunk was more conservative and was about
Which popular SF writer was initially mistaken as a man?
C.L Moore
Which of Le Guin’s novels is most well known for challenging fixed gender categories?
The Left Hand of Darkness
Name on theme that was heavily prevalent in 21st century science fiction?
Gender, Climate change, space exploration, racism, and colonialism
What occurred in 1998 and what did Orr dream of in response to it?
The end of the world “occurred” due to the nuclear war, which lead to Orr dreaming of a new world
Why is the first science fiction novel so heavily debated? And what are the three main front runners in this debate?
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz by John Crowley
Symzonia: A Voyage of Discovery by John Cleeve Symmes
Ultimately, the debate over what is considered a SF novel depends on how you define the genre
What assumption is disputed in the Mushroom Hunters?
The assumption that only men hunted and invented technology while women gathered; women were portrayed as just as vital to society
Which of the following is an award that Le Guin did NOT win?
Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Howard Vursell Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York Times Bestselling Author
New York Times Bestselling Author
Provide me with a real world example of technological developments that have proven to be both beneficial and harmful?
Richard Jordan Gatling invents a rapid fire gun → many died in the Civil War at the hands of the gun
Marie and Pierre curie created the X-ray → the X-Ray saves lives in WWI → Marie Curie died of radiation
Atomic power provides energy → Atomic power destroys cities (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) → Nuclear technology threatens humanity