Themes In Military Science Fiction

Military science fiction has grown up over the years. Gone are the days when a simple plot would suffice. Readers demanded more of an intricate story, something they can proverbially sink their teeth into. They do not want something that could be read in hours. Because of this demand, story plots are more complex today than in earlier years. In the stories presented this semester, storylines varied, but there was always once central theme: survival. Characters were built up more to accommodate the intricate plots. Themes have matured and have reflected the state of current world events. All these work together to supply the backbone of the stories. Over the past decade, story scenarios have become more enthralling to the reader. The adventures …show more content…
The idea for Arena centered on humanity facing a hostile species. At that time, World War II was nearing the end and Germany was the species being fought. Second Variety had a theme of mankind and their ability to destroy themselves. It was an apt theme, as the development of the hydrogen bomb was underway during the time the story was published. The theme for Starship Troopers was one of responsibility and doing what was good for the people. At the time of publishing, the world was suspending nuclear policy. It could be said that doing this was not in the best interest of the public. The premise behind Megahitler was captured in the opening sentence. An ignorant person, or group of people, is a dangerous thing. This theme could be tied to the war in Afghanistan, or a congress that seems to vote in favor of the unpopular agenda. A few themes were found in Enders Game. Games were the most prevalent of the few. This idea could follow any military campaign, such as the conflicts faced in Beirut during this time. One of the themes for On Basilisk Station was performing a duty no matter what the consequence was. Honor’s defense of Medusa did not make her popular, but she completed her job. The same can be said about the officers that were part of the Rodney King incident. Old Man’s War had a theme of what makes one human. John Perry was given a new body, one that was genetically compatible with his old one. This could tie into the ethics of life extension debate. Cloning and the moral issues surrounding it were part of the world news during the time of publishing. Returning home and the trouble getting there was the theme of The Lost Fleet: Dauntless. All Black Jack wanted to do was get his crew back home, and the Syndics went out of their way to make it difficult. This could tie into the military serving in the Iraq war. All they wish to do is get home in one piece and everything possible is making it difficult for them to do