Governance and Maintenance

During the Anthem story, the society met the needs of government and maintenance, but it wasn't a quality government where people can express themselves. The only reason that the government could work in such a society is because the people have not experienced a different one and so when they are born into a society like this, they can't do much about it. The whole system of the government picking the jobs and the government deciding basically everything that happens in your life is something that really makes you feel that you're being totally controlled. The people in that kind of society are brainwashed in a sense because they don't know a life of individuality and a life of freedom. I guess that the society met the needs of government, but the government that was established was one that did not improve upon society, but rather held it back.

When Equality 7-2521 went to see what job they would get they were assigned street sweeper, “for the lips of the oldest did not move as they said: "Street Sweeper"”(26). This is a specific example and it shows how society meets the government's needs. The government established was controlling everything that was going on. Everyone has to be satisfied with what they do because the government controls everything and that's how this collective society decided to meet the needs of a government system. Also, the response to whatever job that a person received was “The will of our brothers be done” (25). This doesn't make sense because they call each other brothers even though it is very obvious that the council members that are giving the jobs have a position of power so not everyone is exactly equal although they call each other equals.

This government system reflects the value of everyone being equal. Even though the people have no choice in what they are to do, everyone needs to be happy with it and satisfied with it because it is for the greater good of that society. So the society values everyone being equal, and I would think that most individuals don't value that, but they have to just because the society does. The government also reflects the value of obedience, because in order to listen and to take every order that you receive without questioning it or without arguing is very hard to do. All the individuals need to be obedient towards the government and that is another value that the society has as a whole.

Education

I think that the collective society in Anthem chose a good way to meet the education needs of the society. Everyone learns what they need to learn in their ten years at the Home of the Students. It's a very organized system that I think should work out well. The only problem with this system is that learning too quick is a sin. If you learn quick, it should be counted as a blessing, but it's almost like the government is trying to control what the people learn so that no one can be better than another person. The education system that the society has come up with is a good one, but the fact that they reject quick learning is a horrible problem with the education.

The good part about the education system is that it's organized and everyone should be learning the same thing throughout the 10 years in the learning progress. “In the Home of the Students we arose when the big bell rang in the tower and we went to our beds when it rang again” (21). This passage tells me that the system was very effective and it was a good system that was established by the collective society. It's kind of like the education system that we have today only longer and without any kind of free time. The worst part of about it was that it was a bad trait to have a quick learning ability. “It was that the learning was too easy. This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick” (21).

The educational system of the collective society once again shows that the society as a whole values the fact that everyone should be equal. The story tells us that it is a sin to have a quick head which means that everyone should be at the same pace, no one should be any worse or any better than another single person. It shows that everyone isn't actually living for themselves, but for the society. This educational system also shows that the society values intellect, because everyone is constantly learning from the morning until the night and that's a lot of learning. Even though quick learning is a sin, the society still values education because the educational system puts a lot of time and effort into it.

Recreation

The collective society did not meet the needs of recreation because there were very few examples of recreational activities in the story. The one example that they had was the social recreation time at the end of the day. It's always a theatre play and it's always about the same thing. This definitely does not meet the needs of recreation because recreation is a time where individuals can have fun and enjoy themselves, not a place where you sit and watch a play everyday.

“Then the bell rings and we walk in a straight column to the City Theatre for three hours of Social Recreation. There a play is shown upon the stage, with two great choruses from the Home of the Actors, which speak and answer all together, in two great voices” (28). Although this is a long quote, it really shows that there is no difference in recreation everyday. At the end of the day it's always the same thing, by the same people and there is no possible way that anybody can enjoy themselves every single day like this. Recreation is about the individual having fun and in this collective society, there was no such thing so the needs of recreation was not met.

Once again, recreation shows the value of everyone being equal. The actors all speak and answer together, in two great voices it says. There is no individualism in that, it's all a group effort and something that is completely based on society. This type of recreation also shows that they don't really value variety. Everyday, everybody does the same exact thing, watching the same exact things, eating the same exact things. There is absolutely no difference in anyone's lives because no one really values change in this collective society.

In science fiction however, particularly films, there often is an element of romance within it. (Think boy gets the girl at the end and they fly off into the abyss to colonize a planet in peace.) And I'm all for that. I think it's cool. However it is usually an after thought in the film or book in question. However that's not quite what we're discussing here.

Then what is Science Fiction Romance? Is there a sure fire definition? Not yet in my opinion. But you'll definitely know it when you read it. In lieu of a definition here are some hints that will help narrow your focus.

In this kind of story the basics of science fiction do apply be it technological, behavioral, social or otherwise i.e. futuristic world, time or place-- not necessarily visitors from a futuristic world time or place. Because that could be considered Time Travel. Think space ships, genetically altered babies, aliens, intergalactic wars, space pirates you get the picture. And there always has to be a romantic element that is central to the plot and development of the character i.e. not only is she is a space pirate but her husband is a Captain in the Intergalactic Police Force charged with capturing her.

Sounds easy enough? Well we're not quite finished. Because they have to have a believable relationship (we're not talking about real. After all why would a space pirate fall for a stuffy old captain anyways? But the real -er the better.) And more importantly, there has to be a happy ending. What's the point if they both die in a tragic explosion killing themselves and never having the chance for that baby (who has to choose which side of the law he/she is on in the sequel) to come about? Sounds formulaic? I think not.

There are plenty of writers who write works of tragedy (and you know the ending will be let's just say “heartbreaking”) and their work is considered sound, valid even praised as excellent pieces of literature. Why then books with the expectation of a happy ending be less valid or even praised as a type of literature? In this world of good news and bad. Wouldn't you rather have more good news? I would. Bad news will come any way, I don't always have to read about it. But back to my point.

So does Science Fiction Romance fall under the heading of Science Fiction-- where it is more often scoffed at or does it belong under the heading of Romance where there is a loyal following but keeps a low profile under the categories of Futuristic or Paranormal depending on who categorized the directory. If we as an audience were to seriously review our favorite scifi books, movies and tv shows and give the work a closer look, would we recategorize?

What if Star Wars was more about Han and Leia? Would it be Sci fi/Space Opera or would it be considered Scifi Romance? Read the Courtship of Princess Leia and let me know.