ipl-logo

Imagination Disaster Susan Sontag Analysis

1025 Words5 Pages

Susan Sontag, an author of the essay “Imagination Disaster,” explores the world of science fiction as she discusses the tropes in films from the mid-1900s. Throughout her essay, Sontag analyzes why these types of films were created, and basically ties her discussion with humanity. With the growing technological advances, science fiction films state specific things about how science threatens humanity. She also ties her discussion to how sci-fi films tend to serve an attempt at distributing a balance between humanity and the technological world. Sontag claims that science fiction films has suspense, shock, surprises, has an inexorable plot, and how they invite a dispassionate, aesthetic view of destruction and violence. She also states that sci-fi is touching and some of it is depressing. Basically, detects war that opposes no problems or moral qualifications. Finally, she makes a claim that science technology is a good unifier and how they create a utopian society where everyone thinks alike. Sontag states powerful claims that are indeed true. In fact, Guardians of The Galaxy vol. 2 is an excellent sci-fi film that supports Susans claims. Sontag claims that sci-fi films do not contain horror. In fact, she states that “ suspense, shock, surprises are mostly abjured in favor of a steady inexorable plot. Science fiction films invite a dispassionate, aesthetic view of destruction and violence--a technological view” (332). In other words, science fiction films, only contain

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast A Sound Of Thunder And Nethergrave

    892 Words  | 4 Pages

    Some works of science fiction are better than others. “A Sound of Thunder,” a science fiction short story by Ray Bradbury, is about people going into a time machine to kill a dinosaur. When they go back, one of the men goes off of the path, and he learns that doing very insignificant little things in the past could change the future a little bit. “Nethergrave,” a science fiction short story by Gloria Skurzynski, is about a boy that has many troubles in his life. For example, he kicks a ball in the net in a soccer game, but he kicked the ball in the wrong net, scoring for the other team.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Why Mark Gets Sent To Mar

    722 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over half my power supply, everyday.” (Weir 67). Weir uses science fiction to help keep Mark alive in the book to keep the story going. These are just some of the examples where Weir uses good science fiction as an element from this

    Read More

  • Star Truck David Gerrold Summary

    656 Words  | 3 Pages

    In David Gerrold’s “Star Truck” the author gives examples and arguments to how the writers and creators of Firefly uniquely built the world for this science fiction/western hybrid through subtext, unique philosophical questions, and relatable uses of modern-looking technology. I believe that the author has provided numerous quality examples to demonstrate his opinion on this subject and has done an excellent job and persuading the reader. Gerrold’s writing provides examples from the show Firefly to show how the writers used subtext in lieu of monologues, or other means, to help build their characters. He also argues that a show asking philosophical questions such as “what does it mean to be a human being?” helps to create an intrigue for the audience as other shows, even within that same genre, don’t take the same approach to asking those types of questions, if they’re even asked at all (190).

    Read More

  • Comparing Speech Sounds By Octavia Butler And Walter Van Tilburg Clark

    747 Words  | 3 Pages

    Science Fiction Comparison When people’s lives are stripped away, and communication is lost, is the time when people prize companionship and affection the most. They crave to go back to the way their lives were before and something that was small before the destruction of their livelihood, is now what they depend on for their happiness. Both Rye and Dr. Jenkins experience longing for their pasts and they do anything to satisfy their nostalgia. In “Speech Sounds” and “The Portable Phonograph”, Octavia Butler and Walter Van Tilburg Clark describes the greed that the characters face, that causes destruction with both symbolism and the similarities of the characters.

    Read More

  • Archetypes In Star Wars

    844 Words  | 4 Pages

    If you were asked what you thought the most popular Sci-Fi franchise is among all generations of people, which franchise would you choose? For most, the answer would be Star Wars. That is no surprise, because of the overwhelming popularity of the franchise. People appreciate the fact that there are a variety of characters and personalities that are easy to relate to. The director of Star Wars, George Lucas, subtly uses the characters and the advanced technology to get important messages across to the viewers.

    Read More

  • Starship Troopers Essay

    753 Words  | 4 Pages

    Food of the Gods, Starship Troopers, and A Legend of the Future all share common characteristics where the audience can attempt to redefine science fiction. In relation with the three books, there is a strive of perfection affected by human emotions, an idea of dissociation, and a relationship between technology and humankind. To begin with, Food of the Gods is able to express the idea of perfection through boomfood. Herakleophorbia was the next big thing, “a vista of enormous possibilities” as scientist Bensington remarked.

    Read More

  • Unwind The Time Machine And Fahrenheit 451

    1302 Words  | 6 Pages

    Science Fiction has been a popular and important genre for centuries. Through science fiction, authors can express creativity and imagination without the limits of reality or possibility. This genre allows people to dream big and imagine the future instead of limiting themselves to traditional standards. However, simply because science fiction is not limited by reality, does not mean that reality can not learn from it. Despite the whimsical ideas found in many science fiction novels, many serious topics are covered in them.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Materialism In Fahrenheit 451

    938 Words  | 4 Pages

    “I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows, or gorillas” remarked Ray Bradbury, author of the science fiction novel Fahrenheit 451 and many other works, “when this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room”. A suspension of disbelief is mandatory when reading science fiction. The realm of the genre travels from the stars, to the pageant of politics, to biologically modified animals. Science fiction contains a myriad of subgenres that split into every idea or place possible, and, more often than not, impossible. Jaunting throughout the entire cosmos of science fiction is the Marxist Theory.

    Read More

  • The Body Snatchers In Invasion

    1573 Words  | 7 Pages

    The science fiction genre is very often associated with space, the future, or extra-terrestrial beings. Many classic depictions of sci-fi stories involve cliché alien encounters where the alien species invades Earth and take control over humanity. The alien species introduce themselves to human kind as foreign and unknown by using deadly viruses or weapons of massive destruction to destroy all human life on Earth. The foreign alien species are often shown to have no understanding of human kind or human nature, and pursue a takeover of the planet purely for sustenance or power. However, there are stories of the science fiction genre that create interesting contrasts to the common depiction of alien life forms throughout media.

    Read More

  • The Pain Of Others Susan Sontag Analysis

    267 Words  | 2 Pages

    From Reading The Pain Of Others by Susan Sontag, Sontag explores the relationship between war pictures and war. What do war pictures actually help our society to prevent war? She says, “It was, how in your opinion are we to prevent war?” (Page 4) “We” then becomes an aim to her discussion because “we” are the power to prevent war. She figures out and says, “That ‘we’ would include not just the sympathizers of a smallish nation or a stateless people fighting for its life, but-a far lager constituency-those only nominally concerned about some nasty war taking place in another country.”

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Dehumanization In Society

    2134 Words  | 9 Pages

    Showing concern for the fellow being is the need of the hour which will give comfort and solace to the inhabitants of the world. Humanity thrives well if the people of its society live with concern. Everybody expects care and warmth from the society forgetting the fact the little drops from every individual will make a mighty ocean. It is the apt time to think about what is wrong with the attitude of mankind to check what will harm the present as well as future generations. The writers who write science fiction try to create awareness and at the same time give an alarm to the society.

    Read More

  • Godzilla And Frankenstein: The Unknown Nature Of Technology

    599 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the movie business the director will usually do whatever it takes to try and attract to the audience, whether it be trying to appeal to a bias or just providing a cheap thrill. The movies Godzilla and Frankenstein are no different; they explore the unknown nature of technology and how it can be detrimental to us humans. By exploring these unknowns, movie makers are able to exploit how society feels about technology and push the boundaries of what 's right and wrong. From the first movies being about cowboys and romance, movies have started to explore the unknown nature of technology.

    Read More

  • Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey

    1548 Words  | 7 Pages

    2001: A Space Odyssey is, perhaps, one of the single most revered films in cinematic history. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the writings of Arthur C. Clarke – the film is a heady think piece on human existence and the search for purpose and meaning to the world. Told through three different time spanning segments, we witness the evolution of man and the ultimate grapple with the question of who created us. Hidden in this film though, lies deep political, social, and sexual themes that lead to Kubrick’s final message to humanity.

    Read More

  • Ideological Film Controversy

    754 Words  | 4 Pages

    When it comes to watching films from any time period, there always seems to be some type of criticism. In Not only does it come from critics but society as a whole as well. While “ideological film theory” studies the connection between society and films, they also look over how it could signify social realities. “An ideology is a set of beliefs about society and the judgments about the nature of right and wrong, good and evil, justice and injustice, law and social order, and human nature and behavior” (Prince, 430). There are numerous ideologies in societies.

    Read More

  • How Do Propaganda And Bigotry Impact Society

    261 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the beginning of cinema, horror films have been giving audiences frights and delights. First, the horror genre has inspired fear of scientific advances. Second, the horror genre has inspired us to fear nature. Thirdly, I will discuss how films of propaganda or bigotry impact societies by inspiring fear, which add to people 's already massive feelings of fear and hate to causes people to commit horrible actions.

    Read More

More about Imagination Disaster Susan Sontag Analysis

Open Document