The Atomic Age in Sci Fi - Thesis Question Help Appreciated!

[Alienweirdo]

Hi again everybody, I have returned with another topic.

My thesis is still going well, I have two chapters done and I have handed in a draft to my dissertation tutors. For those who need reminding, my thesis title thus far is 'How the Real World Has Affected Mainstream Science Fiction'.


I am going to write my third chapter about the Atomic Age, as it follows on chronologically from my previous chapter about the World Wars. My reasons for writing about the Atomic Age, is as I’m sure most of you agree was a time where science was developing at quite a rate what with Nuclear power and so forth, and gave birth to an abundance of sci fi movies etc. I have already mentioned Spider-man and the Hulk on the comics side of sci fi.

I know it’s a major topic, which probably spans more areas then I may need. Perhaps in your own opinions could you tell me what else to look into? What you think would be the best/most major/you personal choice to look into…?

I intend to write about 1600 words in this chapter.

Thanks again all!

 

[Foxbat]

Check out films like The Day The Earth Stood Still, The Day The Earth Caught Fire, This Island Earth. Alternatively, I'm sure you could google fifties science fiction movies and come up with more than could be mentioned here.

 

[iansales]

There was a science fiction story written in the 1940s which discussed the details of a nuclear bomb. The author was investigated by Army Intelligence because they thought he was privy to state secrets. See Cleve Cartmill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also check out Albert L. Berger- The Triumph of Prophecy: Science Fiction and Nuclear Power in the Post-Hiroshima Period and Chapter One: The History of Nuclear War in Fiction

 

[j d worthington]

Yes... the story about Cleve Cartmill inspired C. M. Kornbluth's "Gomez", by the way.

Well, Wyndham's The Chrysalids (aka Re-Birth) is a good example. But yes, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of pieces on the subject, from The Shrinking Man/The Incredible Shrinking Man by Matheson (novel/film), which deals with the effects of a radioactive mist when combined with a particular pesticide on the surface, but is actually as much about entering this new era, with its seeming diminution of human importance, to the innumerable doomsday and cozy catastrophe books. The "fallout" (if you'll pardon the use of the term here -- the multiple pun is quite intentional) of this also played a large part in the New Wave, as well -- which was a reaction to much of the fiction that had gone immediately before. And, of course, there's the Twilight Zone episode, "The Shelter", as well:

The Shelter (The Twilight Zone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

And Heinlein's Farnham's Freehold took a look at a combination of the fears of nuclear holocaust and racial tensions to an intense level... it's one of his more controversial books, still; and quite determinedly unpleasant on darned near every level.


For a parody of the whole thing, you might find a copy of Brian Aldiss' short story "Another Little Boy", which was a rather shrewd comment on changing perspectives....

I'll try to put in some other suggestions in the next day or two...

 

[K. Riehl]

Try Nerves by Lester DelRey


For movies A Boy and His Dog, Dr. Strangelove, On the Beach.

 

[j d worthington]

Try Nerves by Lester DelRey

Oh, that's an excellent choice! And different because it doesn't concern the worries over the bomb, but rather problems with a nuclear power plant, but not handled in a "scare-tactics" sort of way, very down-to-earth yet very taut and extremely tightly written. Very, very good, K. Riehl! Bravo!

 

[Parson]

Another approach, one in which nuclear power is seen as the answer to the needs for power in the future, which was very, very common in the 50's and somewhat in the 60's would be the incomparable Foundation Trilogy by Asimov.

 

[mosaix]

An interesting perspective on this is that during the 1940's, before the Atomic Bomb was common knowledge, Analog magazine (not sure what it was called then) received a visit from the FBI. Apparently a story or an editorial they had printed described the principle A-Bomb so well that the FBI wanted to know who had leaked them the information.

 

[Alienweirdo]

Thanks everyone, thats been a big help as always. i've done the bulk of the chapter, writing well over my intended word amount!

i've included The Cleve Cartmill Affair, 'Nerve', 'The Chrysalids', 'A Boy and His Dog', 'On The Beach' and a wealth of Atomic monster movies from the fifties, as well as the aformentioned superheroes (as wella s radioactive man from the simpsons, just for fun =) )

i may look more into Asomiv as well if i get time near the end. i have featured him in previous chapters, so i am not too concerned about using him in the Atomic age chapter.

i did fail to see how dr strangelove was science fiction though, as i've always seen it as more political/based on fact.

thanks again, be back soon!

 

[Dr. Atomic]

Analog was called Astounding Science Fiction when its editor, John W. Campbell, was approached by the FBI and asked about his in depth knowledge of atomic bombs... He explained that everything he wrote about was extrapolated from science publications of the time, and that he was just smart enough to know what to do with it. Gotta love the guy...

Oh, and on the Beach was also a book, by Neville Shute -- as a very successful film made from a successful book, it could be useful to you...

 

[Kelvin Zero]

My reasons for writing about the Atomic Age, is as I’m sure most of you agree was a time where science was developing at quite a rate what with Nuclear power and so forth, and gave birth to an abundance of sci fi movies etc.

I disagree in part.

I think there is a public perception that science has slowed but I do not think it really has slowed. The atomic bomb and the apollo missions were spectacular, but our technological abilities are still progressing at an exponential rate and may within decades change us in ways that were not immaginable to most people in the atomic age.

 

[Alienweirdo]

I disagree in part.

I think there is a public perception that science has slowed but I do not think it really has slowed. The atomic bomb and the apollo missions were spectacular, but our technological abilities are still progressing at an exponential rate and may within decades change us in ways that were not immaginable to most people in the atomic age.

True, nobody is denying that our technological advances havn't advanced tremendously, what with the internet, mobile technology and so forth. but that doesn't mean to say the that the Atomic age didn't give us hundreds of science fiction stories and films, many of which are still enjoyed today and are regarded as the finest of the genre.

i can't exactly write a research essay about how events within the real world have affected sci fi if these events havn't happned yet lol