Let the experiment begin

By Sajitha PREMATUNGE

My mind invariably ran back to the half a dozen times I read Sir Arthur C. Clarke, and any hope of ever writing and publishing a science fiction, was cruelly crumpled. In fact considering the meagre enthusiasm displayed by amateur writers, generally in dabbling with science fiction, as compared to other literary genres, it's difficult to believe that science fiction could take a sudden turn for the better in the near future. With the World Science Day just around the corner Passionate Pen decided to get to the bottom of why Sri Lankan science fiction is lagging behind.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to write science fiction. All it takes is a healthy interest in science and a vivid imagination." says Nalaka Gunawardene. He can be best introduced as a science and development writer, having written well over 2000 articles. He identifies himself, basically as a storyteller and science writer by training.Speaking with a 21 year experience of working as a research assistant for Sir Arthur C. Clarke, he says that defining science fiction in itself is difficult and controversial. There are two types of science fiction, fantasy - the likes of Star Wars and Star Trek - and hard core science fiction, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hard core science fiction are based on the limits of science, Laws of physics, they are basically things that are likely to happen. "But the demarcation between science fact and fantasy is vague." Science fantasies of the 19th century like space travel have now become science fact. "Science fiction is something that is likely to happen, but would want not to happen. Fantasy is something that's unlikely to happen, but you wish it would." he explained. However he said that science fantasy is nothing inferior. "They are just two types of the same genre. However the average reader is more attracted to fantasy."

Science fiction writers have additional intrinsic obstacles. They have to describe everything in detail. "When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes a foggy night everybody understands it. But science fiction writers are faced with the difficult task of having to describe extraterrestrials and alien worlds." In spite of the fact that the mode of presentation of science fiction ranges from movies to video games and the internet has opened up whole new opportunities, there are other major difficulties that writing science fiction entail.

"There are differences in perception." Nalaka Gunawardene explained that many critics dismiss it as not even fit to be considered as fiction. The major reason for this may be the initial bad impression given by pulp fiction - through which authors like Isaac Asimov and Sir Arthur C. Clarke made their debut when other publishers simply refused to even entertain them - between 1930s and 50s. "In 108 years of its history the Nobel Prize was never awarded to a science fiction." He explains that, although science fiction have become science fact and writers like Isaac Asimov have become household names just as other mainstream writers, this perception still lingers.

The situation is no different in Sri Lanka. Little recognition is given to science fiction in Sri Lanka today, as apposed to main stream fiction. "Once in a while a writer like Harsha Wasalathanthri would win the State Literary Award, but apart from this science fiction writers are given little encouragement." He points out that even detective stories have not received much recognition. But with the mainstream writers also starting to dabble with science fiction - Carl Muller (Exodus) - Nalaka Gunawardene believes that the future of science fiction would be more promising. Another factor that hinders the due recognition of science fiction writers is fact that most vernacular science fiction writers go unnoticed, or at least they are not recognized for their science fiction. "Great writers like Jules Verne and Sathyajith Ray have written in vernacular languages. In fact Amitav Gosh's Calcutta Chromosome is a great historical science fiction set in 19th century British India." But he pointed out that Gosh is better known for her mainstream novels, while science fiction writers who write in their respective vernacular languages would never make it into the international market.

In the Sri Lankan context science fiction in Sinhala/Tamil stand a better chance of selling at least among the Sinhala/Tamil readership. However by opting to write in a vernacular language in the first place, the writer loses out on the international readership.

However Nalaka Gunawardene points out that there are few original Sinhala science fictions. He implied that most Sri Lankan science fictions are trapped in an innate cultural egotism. According to him most Sri Lankan science fictions are based on the same storyline, where technology wreaks havoc and a single man saves the world from an apocalypse. "Science fiction should always be, first and foremost entertaining. In stead they are using science as a trapping to get across their pet theories. If we leave our ideological baggages aside and aspire to be entertainers, the readers will follow."

We have miserably failed to exploit English science fiction as a means of reaching the international readership. "In the global setting this is not so. Science fictions like Frankenstein have existed, they are just not considered as science fictions any more. They have become iconic." He also pointed out that there are few writers competent and confident enough to write in English in Sri Lanka. A short term solution for this would be to encourage translations. Translations of science fiction in Sri Lanka, are mostly from English into Sinhala. One of the greatest challenges would be to translate vernacular science fictions into English so they have a better change of exposure in the international setting.

One reason for this lack of confidence is the misconception that you have to be a rocket scientist to write science fiction. Gunawardene explained that some of the highly accomplished science fiction writers have not come from science based background. "It's not only scientists and the engineers who are capable of dabbling with this genre."

He feels that the artificial demarcation of students, between the sciences and arts, is one reason for this hesitation. He explained that this demarcation leaves no room for cross fertilization. "After this demarcation students are stuck to their respective streams. You rarely encounter a doctor who can sing or paint" and explained that even the reading preferences of arts students are less grounded in science. Although science students possess the necessary knowledge, they lack writing skills. And although arts students possess the skill, they lack the know-how. This dichotomy has prevented people from dabbling with science fiction. "There are not enough bridges between the arts and sciences in Sri Lanka. All of this tend to put off amateur science fiction writers." According to him nurturing amateur science fiction writers to become professionals have hardly begun in Sri Lanka.

"Everybody play sports. Science fiction can be regarded in pretty much the same terms. Everybody talks about cricket, writes about cricket and plays it. Why can't we use science fiction as a way of life, like cricket."His advice for potential science fiction writers is "Start experimenting. It's like swimming, you can't learn swimming terra firma." He explained that amateurs should overcome initial fears. Even if you are not confident enough to publish, share your work among peers. "As Sir Arthur C. Clarke once said 'No work of art is finished, it's just abandoned" He explained that this abandonment should be the minimum level of perfection for that work to be able to stand on its own. "But the problem is that some of our writers abandon their work too soon. It's pretty much like cutting a gem. And there are no short cuts."n