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I Am Legend Science Fiction Theme

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All novels have a precise and clear genre—or do they? The novel, I am Legend by Richard Matheson proves this wrong. The genre of this novel remains unclear, and has become a debatable question on where it belongs in. I believe that I am Legend is a science fiction novel.

First of all, science fiction is the fantastic made plausible through the backdrop of science. Sci-fi typically deals with themes such as futuristic science, contact with extraterrestrial beings, time travel, alternate universe, etc. Mysteries are usually solved scientifically, or with scientific reasons. Common characters in a sci-fi novel include aliens, robots, a time traveler, a scientist and so on. The setting varies, but generally the story takes place in space, an …show more content…

The plot is there was a man called James Cole who is sent on a mission to go to the past with the purpose of stopping an epidemic that almost destroys humanity in the future. When he goes back, he is put in a mental institution because he was classified mentally unstable. There, he meets a psychiatrist who eventually discovers that James is actually from the past, and tries to help him stop the virus. In this film, there were themes such as time travel, disease outbreak, time, and technology.

I am Legend is also often classified as horror. Horror, by definition, is a fictional novel in which the writers intention is to scare, disgust, or frighten the reader. Common elements of horror include paranormality, mystery, dread, fear, surprise, etc. Horror stories could have a good development, or sudden terror and fear. In a horror novel with long development, dread is an essential component. As events build up, dread builds up, making the reader anxious for the next action. This leaves the reader more engaged with the …show more content…

To some people, I am Legend is a horror novel. Maybe this is because of some of the imagery used. For example in chapter 5, the text: “Cold fear poured through his veins at the thought of them all waiting for him at his house.” This causes dread and fear for the reader. However, f I compare and contrast, there are significantly more elements of science fiction than horror. There are not a lot of nerve-wracking and terrifying parts, but a lot of him researching the case. The mysteries are solved and considered with scientific explanations. This is why I think I am Legend is a science fiction

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