Is science fiction literature?

Answer 1

Whether science fiction is literature or not is a controversial issue because the definition and characteristics of science fiction and literature may be different in different cultural backgrounds.

From a literary point of view, science fiction is usually a fictional art form that aims to explore the future, technology, the universe, and other topics and attempts to express them through literature. Science fiction usually required the author to have solid scientific knowledge, a keen imagination, and rich writing skills to create a science fiction work with depth and breadth. Therefore, science fiction was often considered a form of literature.

However, from the perspective of science fiction, it was not completely equivalent to literature. The main purpose of science fiction was to explore and predict future technology, society, and human destiny, not to tell specific storylines. Science fiction works usually focused more on scientific imagination and predictions of the future rather than specific plots and characters. In addition, sci-fi works could also use different literary forms such as news reports, historical research, philosophical thinking, etc. to express the author's views and values.

Therefore, science fiction could be regarded as a literary form or not. It mainly depended on the theme, content, and form of the work, as well as the reader's understanding and perception of science fiction.