Changes in science have always prompted changes in science fiction. However, the general structure of the novels have remained essentially the same throughout the ages. Because of this, it is possible to say with a fair amount of certainty that the Science-Fiction genre has remained essentially the same despite addressing new material to keep the stories fresh. Novels such as Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson and 20000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne do a particularly good job of showing how the structure of the story has remained essentially the same despite the vast gulf between their subjects. These novels were chosen because they stand as two titans of the Science-Fiction genre that have managed to spark several years worth of controversy
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This is shown by how both novels attempt to showcase technology that is far ahead of the time period in which they are written (e.g the metaverse in Snow Crash and the Nautilus in 20000 Leagues Under the Sea) and explain how these advances impact the fictional society. Both novels portray the spirit that created these advances as a blessing but are also quick to point out that the advances in themselves are neither a blessing nor a curse. By juxtaposing the way the technology is described and how the characters use these pieces, the authors can show that while a device can be created with benevolent intentions, it can quickly be adapted to serve more nefarious means. The Metaverse in Snow Crash is the clearest example of this as it was created to be a world in which one could be free of all burdens and live life as they see fit, but ultimately became the medium through which Raven peddled the drug that ruined so many lives. When taken into consideration with a few other instances, this element in both works also serves as a warning that attempts to show the reader what happens when the rate of advancement is too high for the people to keep up with. For when innovation occurs too quickly, it leaves room for a …show more content…
However, Snow Crash presents a less neutral view of human nature, saying that humans are more inclined towards making easy money and relying on technology to do the work for them.This difference can be attributed largely to the differences between the problems that people in the two time periods faced because in Verne’s era, much of the world was still unexplored , whereas in 1992, the uncertainty surrounded the new virtual sphere that was just being developed at the time. The people of Verne’s era were concerned about humanity’s impact on the world which is shown by how Nemo lists off the consequences of war and rapid industrialization, while in the early 1990s, the concern was more about how this virtual world was affecting us, which is implied by the fact that a drug in the virtual world could affect someone in reality. Another reason for this difference is that Stephenson includes social issues into Snow Crash such as the power of franchises and the tendency of the masses towards laziness, which helps paint an altogether bleaker picture of human nature than that of 20000 Leagues Under
This is shown by how both novels attempt to showcase technology that is far ahead of the time period in which they are written (e.g the metaverse in Snow Crash and the Nautilus in 20000 Leagues Under the Sea) and explain how these advances impact the fictional society. Both novels portray the spirit that created these advances as a blessing but are also quick to point out that the advances in themselves are neither a blessing nor a curse. By juxtaposing the way the technology is described and how the characters use these pieces, the authors can show that while a device can be created with benevolent intentions, it can quickly be adapted to serve more nefarious means. The Metaverse in Snow Crash is the clearest example of this as it was created to be a world in which one could be free of all burdens and live life as they see fit, but ultimately became the medium through which Raven peddled the drug that ruined so many lives. When taken into consideration with a few other instances, this element in both works also serves as a warning that attempts to show the reader what happens when the rate of advancement is too high for the people to keep up with. For when innovation occurs too quickly, it leaves room for a …show more content…
However, Snow Crash presents a less neutral view of human nature, saying that humans are more inclined towards making easy money and relying on technology to do the work for them.This difference can be attributed largely to the differences between the problems that people in the two time periods faced because in Verne’s era, much of the world was still unexplored , whereas in 1992, the uncertainty surrounded the new virtual sphere that was just being developed at the time. The people of Verne’s era were concerned about humanity’s impact on the world which is shown by how Nemo lists off the consequences of war and rapid industrialization, while in the early 1990s, the concern was more about how this virtual world was affecting us, which is implied by the fact that a drug in the virtual world could affect someone in reality. Another reason for this difference is that Stephenson includes social issues into Snow Crash such as the power of franchises and the tendency of the masses towards laziness, which helps paint an altogether bleaker picture of human nature than that of 20000 Leagues Under