Page 194 - Vinkler, Jonatan, Ana Beguš and Marcello Potocco. Eds. 2019. Ideology in the 20th Century: Studies of literary and social discourses and practices. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 194
Ideology in the 20th Century: studies of literary and social discourses and practices
sion with ‘science’ – manifested mainly as a thirst for knowledge at the
expense of speculation and metaphysics –, was extended to include litera-
ture too through the integratory dimension of SF. In 1955, upon the pub-
lication of the Romanian science-fiction novel Drumul printre aștri [The
Road Through the Stars], written by M. Ștefan and Radu Nor, a letter
was received by the editor of Scânteia tineretului [Youth’s Spark], in which
a Sibiu technical school principal exhibited a similar rhetorical obsession
with the education of younger generations: “By the end of the book, the
young adult will have acquired a series of thorough and helpful scientific
concepts, and will therefore feel more capable of pursuing bold and use-
ful endeavors, his will to overcome hurdles will be greater, and his inquis-
itive spirit will become sharper” (Simion 2010–2018 VI 277).
The official discourse of the period’s literary institutions and the
194 mainstream press in particular, always insisted on highlighting this role
of SF literature. Moreover, socialist realism persistently defended the gen-
re, arguing that
there has been talk of ‘the place’ of science-fiction literature to discuss
whether it qualifies as ‘true’ literature; asking whether it belongs to the
‘technically’ inclined authors or to the ‘literary endowed’ technicians
means artificially narrowing down the frontiers of literature. It is advisa-
ble to have more quality science-fiction novels, for they can elicit interest
in technology, inventions and daring research (Simion 2010–2018 VI 358).
However, fascination with science is hardly a peculiarity of socialist re-
alism. In his discussion on the reception of H.G. Wells, Gary Westphal
notes, in connection to The Time Machine, that within six months of its
publication, many laudatory letters were sent to the editor of Amazing
Stories, yet none of those discussing it at length referred to its literariness:
while there were some general words of praise or criticism directed at
Wells, and a few brief compliments for The Time Machine, the only three let-
ters with substantive commentary on the novel … focused on purely tech-
nical issues (131).
Socialist realism did nothing but capitalize on this function, incorporat-
ing it into its wider program whereby any form of art was to serve as an
instrument in the advancement of science, a concept subjected to much
trivialization in that period. As Mihai Iovănel states:
socialist realism, in a manner similar to its predecessor, Marxism, was based
on a secular scientific foundation, and took much interest in positive dis-
ciplines such as physics, astronomy, and medicine, which serve as basis for
sion with ‘science’ – manifested mainly as a thirst for knowledge at the
expense of speculation and metaphysics –, was extended to include litera-
ture too through the integratory dimension of SF. In 1955, upon the pub-
lication of the Romanian science-fiction novel Drumul printre aștri [The
Road Through the Stars], written by M. Ștefan and Radu Nor, a letter
was received by the editor of Scânteia tineretului [Youth’s Spark], in which
a Sibiu technical school principal exhibited a similar rhetorical obsession
with the education of younger generations: “By the end of the book, the
young adult will have acquired a series of thorough and helpful scientific
concepts, and will therefore feel more capable of pursuing bold and use-
ful endeavors, his will to overcome hurdles will be greater, and his inquis-
itive spirit will become sharper” (Simion 2010–2018 VI 277).
The official discourse of the period’s literary institutions and the
194 mainstream press in particular, always insisted on highlighting this role
of SF literature. Moreover, socialist realism persistently defended the gen-
re, arguing that
there has been talk of ‘the place’ of science-fiction literature to discuss
whether it qualifies as ‘true’ literature; asking whether it belongs to the
‘technically’ inclined authors or to the ‘literary endowed’ technicians
means artificially narrowing down the frontiers of literature. It is advisa-
ble to have more quality science-fiction novels, for they can elicit interest
in technology, inventions and daring research (Simion 2010–2018 VI 358).
However, fascination with science is hardly a peculiarity of socialist re-
alism. In his discussion on the reception of H.G. Wells, Gary Westphal
notes, in connection to The Time Machine, that within six months of its
publication, many laudatory letters were sent to the editor of Amazing
Stories, yet none of those discussing it at length referred to its literariness:
while there were some general words of praise or criticism directed at
Wells, and a few brief compliments for The Time Machine, the only three let-
ters with substantive commentary on the novel … focused on purely tech-
nical issues (131).
Socialist realism did nothing but capitalize on this function, incorporat-
ing it into its wider program whereby any form of art was to serve as an
instrument in the advancement of science, a concept subjected to much
trivialization in that period. As Mihai Iovănel states:
socialist realism, in a manner similar to its predecessor, Marxism, was based
on a secular scientific foundation, and took much interest in positive dis-
ciplines such as physics, astronomy, and medicine, which serve as basis for
