Anthropologists generally study behaviors that persist in human groups. The invention of print media gave a new area for the preservation and transmission of cultural values.
Literature, specifically, the growth in the 19th C. of the gothic novel introduced a certain kind of female response to danger. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein began the practice of women writing in previously male-only areas of culture such as the natural sciences. Shelley introduces self-reflection regarding the ethos of the actor, Dr. Victor Frankenstein.
Since that time, it has not been uncommon for genre literature to teach as overt lesson or subtext how to behave in the world. Genre literature can operate beneath the radar of dominant cultural norms and strike a different path via various styles of social satire (e.g., H. G. Wells' Eloys and Morlocks in The Time Machine.)
What theory tracks how genre (SF, fantasy, horror) literature trains the young to become adults in their culture?
Or do some genre messages teach alternatives to growing up and an escape from the norms of the socially-constructed, gendered group?
Adolescents in the industrialized world and elsewhere have vast resources in print and electronic texts. They spend large amounts of time reading of playing themed games that use tropes developed in stories.
What are these messages for living and what theories study this role of genre literature?
Thanks, Colleague Wolfgang. I am in touch with Darko Suvin on occasion. He is retired and spousal health issues so I try not to ask too much advice from him these days. I will look at your text.
This is a multi-layered question which can't have an answer in one direction.
I studied the magic-realism of Johan Daisne in Belgium and he based his theory on the realismo magico of Massimo Bontempelli. There was also Jean Ray who got more translated. In the depth art connects the philosophy of Plato, with the research of Jung, with the findings of Quantum Physics, which bring us again to the abstract art of Steve Lacy who himself was inspired by the poets.
At the end the poet was never paid and even not noticed. Only now science get some interest in the magic patchwork of that all.
Before we can answer the question the archaeology of art must get resolved, but I wonder if science has the tools for it, it's a field without paradigm.
In my book ‘The Train of Inertia’, I explained this novel of Daisne, which is based on inspiration and a certain clearvoyance which I can’t explain myself. I brought together some elements like an Alchemic formula, and it worked; we made a movie about it and put it in a historic frame. People didn’t believe me but now it's getting sold.
The life of Marina Tzvetaeva, another pillar in history is a science fiction on its own.
Hi all, I would suggest John Rieder’s book “Science Fiction and the Mass Cultural Genre System”. In this work, Rieder suggests that a significant shift has occurred in the literary field, and in what counted as “culture”, with the emergence of genres defined not by academics (as the Classics were) but primarily by the public and by the market. Horror, Fantasy and Sci-fi are some of these genres according to him.
An artist never explains in his work what he really wants to say, he asks from the public a certain clearvoyance. When you ask him to explain he might lose the ability of his art, the inspiration. As all art is magic-realistic. In Lohengrin of Wagner, the white magician has to leave because his love has asked his name. In the field of art much works only by intuition.
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Thanks, Colleagues Hebert and De Vuyst. I will look at what you suggest.
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