Introduction

Speculative fiction is one of the most powerful lenses to shine a light on real-world issues. From stories about climate to race, we’re constantly writing and consuming life lessons and dire warnings, half of the time not even realizing it. With the growing popularity of various AI tools, those who have read the speculative fiction books are screaming from the rooftops that danger is near. All the while, many remain blissfully unaware of the warnings authors have proposed.

Authors of speculative fiction aren’t just warning society, they’re helping build fictional studies of possible outcomes of various topics. There’s a tradition of speculative fiction being a social commentary, sharing political systems, and voicing environmental concerns.

As an Author of Tomorrow, you have the opportunity to explore current issues in original and impactful ways. By the conclusion of this post, you will have the tools to craft a short story or outline designed to address a social issue that captivates your interest.

The Tradition of Social Commentary in Speculative Fiction

If you’ve kept up with your reading list, which I swear I’m working on not buying any new books, you’ll know that using literature has been providing social commentary for a long time. The wave of the social commentary in speculative fiction can be broken into three categories: early examples, new wave, and contemporary. Each of these brought their own flare to the fiction, but in the end they had great impacts on societal concerns.

Early examples (Prior to 1960)

• “Gulliver’s Travels” (1726) by Jonathan Swift – A satirical work critiquing human nature and society.
• “The Time Machine” (1895) by H.G. Wells – Examines class division and the potential future of human evolution.
• “1984” (1949) by George Orwell – A stark warning about totalitarianism and surveillance states.

New Wave (1960s and 70s)

• “Slaughterhouse-Five” (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut – An anti-war novel using time travel and alien abduction as literary devices.
• “The Female Man” (1975) by Joanna Russ – A feminist science fiction novel examining gender roles across parallel worlds.
• “Neuromancer” (1984) by William Gibson – While slightly later, it’s often considered part of the New Wave, exploring themes of technology, corporate power, and identity.

Contemporary (1980s-Present)

• “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985) by Margaret Atwood – Explores reproductive rights and religious fundamentalism.
• “Snow Crash” (1992) by Neal Stephenson – Examines the impact of technology on culture and economics.
• “The Hunger Games” trilogy (2008-2010) by Suzanne Collins – Critiques media manipulation, class division, and authoritarian government.

Reviewing these titles, even if it’s just the spark notes, you’ll find great examples of how to handle social commentary in speculative fiction. But a list of examples won’t tell you if it’s something you actually want to implement into your stories. In the end, it’s really up to what your goals with the story are. If you’re on the fence, then let’s look at the benefits of social commentary in speculative fiction.

Benefits of Using Speculative Elements for Social Commentary

Creating Distance

Anything labeled fiction gives an initial emotional distance for readers to explore situations they may never find themselves in. Few of us are going to get to explore the mind of a serial killer. Neither would we condone their actions, but we become enthralled by understanding. The more sensitive the topic, though, the less willing readers will see it in “our world” or the “real world” settings. As a speculative fiction, you’re able to create that next layer of separation.

Adding the word speculative, fantasy, or sci-fi to your fiction story makes everything more disconnected from the reader’s “real world.” As you can see from the examples above, many of these novels that provide social commentary do so in ways that would be much less successful in other a straight fiction or non-fiction books. Not all topics are easy to talk about, especially at the dinner table, but it’s more acceptable to talk about the points of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the questions of religion and reproductive rights.

These conversations often stem from a unique approach to society and its issues.

Offering Perspective

There are certain topics that have been talked about, alluded to, or passive-aggressively noted in our lives, yet we still hear them again and again. Why? Because we’re humans and we need to hear things a lot before we actually give them much consideration. What changes the impact is the perspective.

A story can be told from many perspectives, and each one will change the story. In writing workshops, you’re constantly asked if this is the right character to tell the story. For you it may be, but take the time to consider how the story would look from your other characters of different backgrounds might look at the story. Observing the story from these other views will offer unique insights and more thought out reactions to the protagonist’s actions.

Speculative fiction transports readers to unfamiliar worlds, fostering empathy for diverse characters and experiences. By exploring real-world issues through imaginative settings, this genre encourages critical thinking and broadens perspectives. Ultimately, it promotes a more inclusive worldview, inspiring readers to approach differences with compassion and understanding.

Real-World Issues Addressed in Speculative Fiction

• Climate Change and Environmental Concerns
  • Climate fiction is a growing sub-genre that tackles the possible, likely, and extreme outcomes of environmental issues. These stories can take place in the real world, near future, or in fictional worlds. All with the purpose of raising awareness and warning readers of environmental concerns if they go unchecked.
    • My current read, “Outland” by Dennis E. Taylor, is a great example of this and a great read. It covers the potential destruction of the Yellowstone volcano erupting. Check it out!
• Social Inequality and Discrimination
  • Dystopian fiction is one of the more common approaches to this real-world issue. Explore systemic racism, class divides, and societal prejudices through exaggerated versions of discriminatory societies. See “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins mention above.
• Technological Ethics and AI
  • Cyberpunk fiction is a great way to address these issues, but other speculative fiction genres also explore technological and AI concerns. Hack into concerns about AI autonomy, data privacy, and the advanced technology to ask what the potential danger or moral dilemmas we’re ready to face. “Nueromancer” by William Gibson, as talked about above, is a great example of this.
• Political Systems and Power Dynamics
  • Often seen in Alternative History fiction, political systems and power dynamics examine authoritarianism, democracy, and the balance of power. Writers inspire readers to question and rethink politics by creating new systems or reimagining history. “The Man in the High Castle” by Philip K. Dick is a novel that explores a fictional world where the Axis powers won World War II, focusing on the themes of totalitarianism and resistance.
• Gender and Sexuality
  • Feminist Science Fiction is one of the leading sub-genres in this area. Writers explore gender roles, LGBTQ+ rights, and societal expectations. These worlds are created with different gender norms or genders are removed altogether. Challenging the readers’ preconceptions of gender. “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin is a feminist sci-fi book that explores a unique world where people have both male and female characteristics, questioning the traditional views on gender.
• War and Conflict
  • Military science fiction is one way you can examine the causes and consequences of war and its impact on individuals or society. These elements often appear as interplanetary or futuristic conflicts that are being resolved through militaristic means. “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card is a science fiction book that looks at the morality of war, child soldiers, and the effects of conflict in a space war.

How to Infuse Speculative Fiction with Social Commentary

The Power of Allegory and Metaphor

Allegory and metaphor create another level of that separation we talked about earlier. Through allegory and metaphor, you can create parallels through characters, settings, and governing systems. Many of these appear as literal translations of people into animals, Animal Farm by George Orwell, or more “high-level” translations, such as the mutants in X-Men comics. Choose how heavy-handed you want to be with your message.

World-Building with Purpose

As we’ve talked about in previous posts, world-building can be more than just a single use tool. The goal is to make it do the most work it can for you as you develop the details. Your allegory may make some changes to world-building obvious, as in if the entire populace used an annual battle of the poor to entertain the rich. Or you’re going to have to dig for the details if you’ve chosen a less well-known topic to dig into.

The goal is to create a logical consistency in the fictional world you’ve created and the concept you’re addressing. With world-building, every choice of what to keep and what not to keep has a direct consequence on the rest. It’s essential to consider the cultural, historical, and geographical aspects of the world, as well as the social structures and technological developments. Each decision, whether it pertains to the political system, the languages spoken, or the flora and fauna, contributes to shaping the overarching narrative and influences the characters’ behaviors and interactions.

Character Development as a Vehicle for Social Critique

Diverse characters can represent different perspectives of social issues in literature and media. By portraying a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs, authors and creators can shed light on the complexities of our society. Through these diverse characters, audiences can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by communities and the impact of societal norms. You also open up the potential to foster empathy, encourage dialogue, and promote inclusivity, contributing to a more enriched cultural landscape.

Writing Exercise: Speculative Fiction with Social Commentary

Create a short story outline or scene that addresses a current social issue using speculative fiction elements.

Steps:

1. Choose a social issue:
   • Select a current social issue that interests you (e.g., climate change, inequality, technological ethics, gender roles, political systems).
2. Develop a speculative element:
   • Invent a futuristic technology, magical system, or alternate world that relates to your chosen issue.
3. Create distance:
   • Set your story in a different time, planet, or dimension to provide emotional distance for readers.
4. Craft an allegory or metaphor:
   • Develop a central allegory or metaphor that represents your social issue in a unique way.
5. World-building:
   • Outline 3-5 key aspects of your world that reflect the social issue (e.g., laws, customs, technology).
6. Character development:
   • Create two characters with opposing views on the issue. Briefly describe their backgrounds and motivations.
7. Plot outline:
   • Sketch a basic plot that brings your characters into conflict over the central issue.
8. Perspective shift:
   • Rewrite a key scene from the perspective of the opposing character to offer a different viewpoint.
9. Reflection:
   • Consider how your speculative elements enhance the exploration of the social issue. How does the distance created by your fictional world allow for a unique examination of the topic?

Remember to use your speculative elements purposefully to illuminate the social issue without being overly didactic. The goal is to engage readers in thought-provoking exploration through an imaginative lens.

Conclusion

As Authors of Tomorrow, we have a unique opportunity to shape the discourse around pressing social issues through the lens of speculative fiction. By crafting worlds that both entertain and enlighten, we can inspire readers to think critically about the challenges facing our society. Remember, the most powerful stories are those that not only transport us to new realms but also reflect the complexities of our own world. So, pick up your pen, fire up your imagination, and let’s create fiction that matters.

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