Reimagined Worlds Essay - Example PDF

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English Extension 1 HSC Trial 2019 Question 4 - Reimagined Worlds (25 marks) The very best literature probes existence, sharpening our understanding of the diversity of experiences and perspectives - not simply to open our eyes, but to poke and prod us to reevaluate our own ways of thinking. - ALFRED FLETCHER Evaluate the texts you have studied in light of this statement, in particular with reference to refining our ways of thinking about the implications of different realities. In your response, refer to TWO prescribed texts and at least ONE related text of your choosing. Composers provoke the imagination by constructing unfamiliar realities, representing the instinctively human trait of survival. This allows audiences to redefine their understanding of human survival as a strong, instinctual cultural constructs. Without the power of the imagination and without seminal literature, humanity would remain static in its existence. By presenting new worlds to comprehend, audiences develop a sense of resonance to which they realise their worth in questioning social constructs within their realities. In particular, the use of the science fiction genre by Le Guin, Smith and Nolan allows for the creation of distinct worlds that probe and sharpen the audience's perspective. Le Guin’s 1969 novel, ‘The Left Hand of Darkness’ engages with social science fiction, providing futuristic cultural norms through the androgynous planet of Gethen. Through her use of the bildungsroman and process of defamiliarization, Le Guin encourages her audience to thrive in environments that appreciate the non binary. In doing so, Le Guin facilitates dialogue around her involvement in the Second Wave of Feminism and the harmonious notion of Taoism. On the other hand, through her poetry anthology, ‘Life on Mars’ (2011), Smith utilises Afrofuturism, a sub-literary genre of science fiction by constructing futuristic yet nostalgic Universes to address dark, yet subtle memories in relation to African American culture between the 60s and now. Smith provokes her audience to promote the survival of memories and history as a source for deep introspection into humanity’s prejudice. Nolan’s 2015 film, ‘Interstellar’ however, utilises the science fiction genre through the questioning of time and space. Nolan, speculates a dire future for humanity and the Earth, sparks the audience’s human spirit to survive and comprehend the introspection into one’s actions. ‘Interstellar’ thus becomes a commentary for the technologically dependent 21st century context wherein non complacency and self-reflection is what provides worth in humanity’s progression. As such, worlds based in the enigmatic genre of science fiction engage with the audience's innate will to survive, interrogating the audience's preconceived understandings of social and cultural epochs. By imaginatively living in other worlds, we can be comprehended back to reality and learn that Science-fiction is not necessarily out of this world, but closer to home than we think. In The Left Hand of Darkness, Le Guin sparks her audience’s human spirit to consider the implications of a future that appreciates the non binary. Le Guin does so by engaging with social science fiction, utilising typical conventions of space and the future as a backdrop to speculate society and anthropology. Specifically, Le Guin constructs the androgynous, winter

planet of Gethen where “Gethenians do not see one another as men or women.” encouraging her audience to engage in a process of defamiliarisation. Defamiliarisation, coined by formalist literary theorist Victor Schlovsky, is “a process of transformation where language asserts its power to affect our perception”. In the case of Le Guin, the new world of Gethen and their non binary values through androgyny change our perceptions on gender stereotypes. She provokes a will to survive in new cultural situations, allowing the audience to realise their own ability to embrace more diverse gender norms. This relates to Le Guin’s engagement in the Second Wave of Feminism and Taoism, an East Asian philosophy which placed importance on the harmony of opposing forces. Particularly, the novel draws attention to the notion of survival from physical threats where “the glacier trembles perpetually, snaps and crashes''. The challenges that the physical environment pose symbolise the barriers in her audience and the human envoy, Genly’s understanding of Gethen’s culture. Whilst initially, Genly feels detached expressing that, “whenever I thought of him as a man I felt a sense of falseness” his human survival instinct in dangerous situations encourages him to become hyper aware of his Gethenian companion, Estraven, “I saw then again, and for good, what I had been afraid to see”. Le Guin’s characterisation of Genly as a bildungsroman becomes apparent when he realises that it was “from the difference, that that love came: and it was itself the bridge”. The realisations experienced through a like-minded character, Genly, allows audiences to understand the solace that results from new realities based on appreciation of the Other. Le Guin reinforces this notion through her use of her epistolary form where she pieces together perspectives of both Genly and Estraven as well as ancient stories. Thus, Le Guin ignites her audience’s human survival instinct to recognise the solace that results from new imaginary landscapes that appreciate the Other. As such, Le Guin’s audience is able to question their own existence and history which has been long-rooted in definite gender norms. Moreover, Smith’s Life on Mars poetry anthology presents diverse perspectives on the Universe, encouraging the survival of memories within her audience’s prejudiced realities. Smith reconstructs humanity’s future, making racial and gender equality the norm. In doing so, Smith positions herself in Afrofuturism where her manipulation of her audience’s known history provides a voice to African Americans who have been silenced. To highlight, in her poem ‘Sci-fi’, Smith speculates a future of equality and innovation. Despite looking into the future, the use of enjambment creates a sense of nostalgia for the world that is now reminiscing, “History, with its hard spine and dog eared Corners, will be replaced with nuance.” Smith triggers her audience’s survival instinct, forcing them to face their uncomfortable history. In doing so, Smith argues that humanity’s longevity will result from comprehension of the past and an elimination of “dog eared corners” such as racial prejudice. The use of a tricolon “Weightless, unhinged, / Eons from even our moon,” brings to attention the insignificance of human existence within the grander schemes of the Universe where racial and gender constructs are meaningless in comparison to the vastness of the Universe. Furthermore, in ‘My God, It’s Full of Stars’ Smith revives memories of her late father who grew up amidst a prejudiced context during the 1950s to 1960s. The poem becomes a personal elegy where, “My father spent whole seasons | Bowing before the oracle-eye” - reminiscent of an influential figure who reminds the audience of a dark, prejudiced history and whose existence will transcend time. By accessing her past, the poem positions itself as postmodern, wherein the non linearity of time is utilised for deep introspection about humanity. Much like in ‘Sci-fi’, the audience realises that by processing

grief through layers of time and space, they are ultimately a part of something larger than humanity perceives, “So brutal and alive it seemed to comprehend us back”. As such, Smith voices that it is the survival of memories that enables humanity to progress and overcome the loss and grief in her audience’s realities. By reflecting on the insignificance of humanity in comparison to the Universe, the audience is encouraged to question a different reality that rejects worthless racial and gender norms. Nolan’s film, ‘Interstellar’ creates urgent circumstances where audiences reflect on their complacency in response to their degrading state of world affairs. Much like Le Guin and Smith, Nolan’s work as an auteur relates to the science fiction genre wherein he sets his film in the year 2070 where Earth has been deprived of resources and hope for further survival and civilisation. Nolan utilises this world as well as space, as a test of the audience’s will to survive and comprehend their own actions. In the film, Cooper is characterised as an eager explorer whose innate will to survive encourages him to embrace the mystery and danger of space where he says, “Everybody ready to say goodbye to our Solar System?” Nolan’s characterisation of a selfless Cooper allows him to criticise the need for non-complacency required in the 21st century, especially in response to issues relating to the environment. This is particularly in response to a population more concerned with sustainable longevity and climate change, a prominent value associated with the 21st century. Throughout the film, non complacency and a desire for human longevity enables the audience and Cooper to eventually understand the introspective nature of space. When Cooper enters into the Black Hole Gargantura, the camera pans to reveal the tesseract - a physical representation of time as circular and interconnected. Whilst the narrative time progresses towards the future, through the tesseract, Nolan juxtaposes this by providing a close up shot of the tesseract which pauses in moments of Cooper’s past. In doing so, Nolan critiques how actions fail to progress if they are not aligned with the universe’s circular structure. This nonlinear representation of space and time is signature to Nolan’s role as an auteur. Notably, film theorist David Bordwell expressed that this unique representation emphasises Nolan’s “fascination with turning certain conventions this way and that, to reveal their unexpected possibilities." It is through this illustration of new perspectives of the Universe that audiences reconsider their worth and the importance of action in their own realities. Audiences thus understand that new realities based on action and introspection are able to change the apathetic state of world affairs. Therefore, diverse experiences in unpredictable worlds allow composers to test humanity’s innate will to survive. In doing so, the composers are able to encourage audiences to re-evaluate their perceptions on cultural configurations. Le Guin, Smith and Nolan do so by engaging in the science fiction genre throughout their works. The speculation of a more inclusive universe, enables each composer to provoke the audience’s willingness to persevere and comprehend the worlds presented in their works. It is through this engagement and quality literature that the audience is more open and willing to realise that introspection, inclusivity and non complacency is the key to unlock change in our known realities. (1600 words)...