Week 8, Science Fiction

What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?  

Science Fiction is a term based mostly on futuristic and advancements in all sorts of aspects that relate to science, technology and people as well as their world. On the other hand, the range of Speculative Fiction is much wider because it is based on highly imaginative fiction genres, including fantasy, superheroes, supernatural and alternate history (Wikipedia, 2012). Alternate History is a fiction genre  that set in the real world history so The Man in the High Castle  can be seen as a form of it as it is a rich mix of alternate history of WWll.
  
Although Speculative Fiction is more imaginative than Science Fiction regarding of possibility, Science Fiction somtimes falls under the categories of Speculative Fiction because both Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction give new outlooks on life and are capable of pushing the boundaries of our imagination.

"The world presented here is but an illusion that other better worlds might exist" (Dick, 2001, p. 5).

 The Man in the High Castle is set in a world of alternate history because it has references to the real events and involves the people from the timeframe of World War ll. The story also has introduced other aspects which could turn or change the real history and presents a rare theme of a story within a story (Brown, 2001). 


References

 Dick, P.K. (2001; 1962). The Man in the High Castle. London: Penguin.

Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.