Star Wars & SF Genre

• The fundamental principle of any SF text is extrapolation.

• SF extrapolates features from our own society and transforms them into futuristic worlds .

• “Good SF” argues that if A is the case it follows that B can happen.

• If human history does breed dictators, then Nineteen Eighty-Four can happen.

Star Wars & SF Genre

• SF is not so much a single genre – it is more of a cluster of overlapping sub genres.

• There are about 6 most familiar story types: Space Opera, Planetary Romance, Future Cities, Disaster Stories and Alternative Histories.

Space Opera

• Star Wars falls under the sub-category of Space Opera.

• Space Opera – “Tales of interstellar heroics, usually involving mighty spacecraft and fearsome super-weapons.”

» David Pringle The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Science Fiction

Classic Fairy Tale Narrative

• A Princess has to be rescued

• The hero often sees her in a magical object like a mirror

• He has to carry out a difficult task and is helped by friends with special skills

• He defeats the antagonist (supernatural adversary) and restores harmony.

Star Wars Narrative

• Princess Leia has to be rescued• Luke sees Leia in a magical object like a mirror -

R2D2’s projection.• Luke is aided in his quest by friends with special

skills - (Ben Kenobi, R2-D2, C3PO, Han Solo).• Luke comes up against a supernatural adversary

- Darth Vader• Luke blows up the Death Star and restores

harmony (temporarily).

Vivian Sobchack

– “ Star Wars and Close Encounters rally a cinematic exodus from the constraints, pollution and crime of the failed city…”

» Vivian Sobchack Cities On The Edge of Time in Alien Zone II (Ed Kuhn), Verso 1999.