On Science Fiction (Isaac Asimov) — NCERT Solutions

Answer:

The Author's Attitude:
Asimov's attitude towards pre-scientific imagination is one of respectful appreciation and open-minded inclusiveness, though tempered by his primary commitment to science-based fiction.

• He does not dismiss myths, legends, and fantasy as mere superstition or childish entertainment. Instead, he acknowledges that such stories have 'tickled the human fancy for thousands of years' and that throwing them out for not being in accord with reality would be 'wrong' and 'trivial.'

• He draws a generous parallel between prescientific fiction (myths, Arabian Nights, Greek legends) and science fiction, calling them *'equivalent'*—both set in universes different from our own, both following 'analogous paths.'

• He shows genuine admiration for the imaginative power of prescientific literature by invoking the timeless appeal of Achilles and Hector, naval battles, and magical creatures.

The Tone:
The tone Asimov adopts is:

• Conversational and informal: He uses phrases like 'You bet!' and 'Never!' and refers to himself as 'sufficiently stick-in-the-muddish,' which gives the essay a personal, accessible quality.
• Balanced and fair-minded: He acknowledges the value of prescientific imagination even while maintaining his own preference for 'true' science fiction.
• Gently humorous and self-deprecating: His use of 'Modestly, I refer you to my own science fiction mysteries' is ironic and witty.
• Authoritative yet approachable: As a master of the genre, he speaks with confidence, but never condescendingly.

Overall, the tone is that of an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and generous guide to the world of speculative fiction.

Answer:

Asimov makes deliberate and effective use of the single-sentence paragraph throughout this essay. Examples include:

• 'Never!'
• 'Can it be done? You bet!'

Purposes served by single-sentence paragraphs:

1. Emphasis and dramatic effect: A single sentence standing alone on the page commands the reader's full attention. It creates a visual and rhetorical pause, making the statement more forceful than if it were buried within a longer paragraph. 'Never!' is far more emphatic as a standalone paragraph than as part of a longer sentence.

2. Rhetorical punch: Asimov uses these short paragraphs to deliver his key arguments or conclusions with maximum impact. They function like a speaker's dramatic pause before a punchline.

3. Conversational rhythm: The essay is written in a highly conversational style, and single-sentence paragraphs mimic the natural rhythm of speech—the short, emphatic statement one makes in conversation to drive home a point.

4. Structural contrast: The short paragraphs provide contrast to the longer, more discursive paragraphs around them. This variation in paragraph length keeps the reader engaged and prevents monotony.

5. Signalling a turn in argument: Sometimes a short paragraph signals a shift in the direction of the argument or a direct response to a question the author has just posed (e.g., 'Can it be done? You bet!').

In summary, Asimov uses the single-sentence paragraph as a stylistic and rhetorical tool to create emphasis, maintain conversational energy, and guide the reader through his argument with clarity and wit.

Answer:

Discourse markers (also called discourse signalers or linkers) are words or phrases that connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs, signalling the logical relationship between them. Asimov uses them skillfully throughout the essay.

Examples of discourse markers found in the text:

1. 'Nevertheless' — Used at the beginning of a paragraph to signal a contrast or concession with what has just been said. It tells the reader: 'Despite what I just argued, here is a qualification.'

2. 'After all' — Used to introduce a supporting reason or reminder, signalling that what follows reinforces the previous point.

3. 'Why, then' — A rhetorical question used as a transitional device to move from one point to the next, connecting the previous argument (about enjoying old naval battles) to the new point (about enjoying mythological fiction).

4. 'So though' — Signals a concessive conclusion: 'Given everything I have said, here is my position.'

5. 'After all' (second instance) — Again used to reinforce a point with a logical reminder.

6. 'That, however, only means' — Signals a qualification or limitation of the previous point, preventing the reader from drawing too broad a conclusion.

7. 'But' — A simple contrast marker, used to introduce a counterpoint.

8. 'There may be... but' — A concessive structure acknowledging one thing while asserting another.

9. 'Let me explain the difference that makes' — A meta-discourse marker that explicitly tells the reader what the author is about to do, guiding the reader's expectations.

These discourse markers give the essay its logical coherence and make Asimov's argument easy to follow, even when he is dealing with complex distinctions between genres.

Greek Mythological Creatures:

1. Centaur: A creature with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. Centaurs were known for their wild nature, though some (like Chiron) were wise and noble. They appear in many Greek myths.

2. Satyr: A creature with the upper body of a man and the legs, horns, and tail of a goat. Satyrs were companions of Dionysus (god of wine) and were associated with revelry and mischief.

3. Sphinx: A creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and sometimes the wings of an eagle. The most famous Sphinx in Greek myth posed a riddle to travellers and killed those who could not answer it. Oedipus solved the riddle.

4. Harpy: A winged spirit with the body of a bird and the face of a woman. Harpies were agents of punishment who snatched away people and things.

5. Gryphon (Griffin): A creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. It was considered the king of all creatures and a symbol of divine power.

6. Gorgon: A fearsome female creature with snakes for hair. The most famous Gorgon was Medusa, whose gaze could turn people to stone. Perseus slew her.

7. Pegasus: The winged horse born from the blood of Medusa when Perseus beheaded her. Pegasus was associated with poetry and the Muses.

Parallel Creatures in Indian Mythology:

The Story of Achilles and Hector:

The story of Achilles and Hector comes from Homer's epic poem, the Iliad, which tells the story of the Trojan War.

Background:
The Trojan War was fought between the Greeks (Achaeans) and the Trojans over the abduction of Helen, wife of the Greek king Menelaus, by the Trojan prince Paris. The war lasted ten years.

Achilles was the greatest Greek warrior—brave, swift, and nearly invincible. His only vulnerable point was his heel (hence the phrase 'Achilles' heel'). He was the son of the mortal Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis.

Hector was the greatest Trojan warrior and the eldest son of King Priam of Troy. He was noble, honourable, and deeply devoted to his family and city.

The Climactic Duel:
The conflict between Achilles and Hector came to a head after Hector killed Patroclus, Achilles' beloved companion, while Patroclus was wearing Achilles' armour. Consumed by grief and rage, Achilles returned to battle (he had previously withdrawn due to a quarrel with the Greek commander Agamemnon).

Achilles pursued Hector around the walls of Troy three times. Hector finally turned to face him. In the duel that followed, Achilles killed Hector with his spear. In his grief and fury, Achilles then dragged Hector's body behind his chariot around the walls of Troy.

Resolution:
King Priam came secretly to Achilles' tent to beg for his son's body. Moved by the old king's grief, Achilles returned Hector's body for a proper funeral. This moment of compassion is one of the most moving scenes in all of literature.

Achilles himself was later killed by an arrow shot by Paris, guided by the god Apollo, which struck his vulnerable heel.

Significance:
Asimov refers to this duel to illustrate that great literature retains its power to move us even when its specific context (fighting with spears and shields) is long obsolete. The human emotions—courage, grief, honour, compassion—are timeless.

Concept: Tone groups are units of speech said in a single breath, averaging about five words or two seconds. Pauses between tone groups are marked with the symbol /.

Marked Dialogue:

A: Good morning, / this is Ten-2-Ten supermarket. / Can I help you? /

B: Good morning, / I'd like to speak / to the person in charge / of your After Sales Service, / please. /

A: That's Mr Patel. /

B: Could you put me through / to him, please? /

A: Who's speaking, please? /

B: My name's Karandikar. /

A: Just a moment, / Mr Karandikar... / I am sorry, / Mr Patel's line / seems to be busy. /

B: Well, / is there someone else / who could help me? /

A: There's Mrs Paul. / She's the assistant manager, / but she's out / at the moment. /

B: Look, / this is quite important! /

A: I'll try Mr Patel's line / again for you, / ... trying to connect you. /

B: Ah! / finally, / ... is that Mr Patel? / Good morning, / this is... / Hello?... / oh no! / I'm cut off. /

Note: The pauses marked above are suggested divisions based on natural breath groups and the rhythm of conversational English. In actual speech, individual speakers may vary these slightly depending on their pace and emphasis. Longer phrases (such as 'to the person in charge of your After Sales Service') are broken up because they exceed the average tone group length of about five words.

Concept: Transitive verbs take a noun phrase (object) after them. In the passive voice, the object becomes the subject, and the subject becomes the agent (introduced by 'by'). The verb form changes to: be + past participle.

(a) He expected a sudden change of rules.

• Object (noun phrase): a sudden change of rules
• Passive form: A sudden change of rules was expected (by him).

(b) Nothing prevents writers from using actual science.

• Object (noun phrase): writers (note: 'prevents...from' is a prepositional verb pattern; the direct object is 'writers')
• Passive form: Writers are prevented from using actual science (by nothing).

(c) He revealed that he didn't know the difference between the element and the compound.

• Object: Here the verb revealed is followed by a that-clause rather than a simple noun phrase. The that-clause functions as the object.
• Passive form: It was revealed (by him) that he didn't know the difference between the element and the compound.

(d) He demonstrated that he couldn't tell the difference between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and reduced the plot to a shambles.

• Objects: demonstrated takes the that-clause as its object; reduced takes the plot as its object (with 'to a shambles' as a complement).
• Passive forms:
• It was demonstrated (by him) that he couldn't tell the difference between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
• The plot was reduced to a shambles (by him).

(e) The writer must carefully explain to the reader all the boundary conditions of the imaginary society.

• Object (noun phrase): all the boundary conditions of the imaginary society
• Passive form: All the boundary conditions of the imaginary society must be carefully explained to the reader (by the writer).

Concept: Many verbs in English can be followed by a that-clause (a subordinate clause beginning with 'that') as their object. These are called verb + that-clause constructions. The word 'that' is sometimes omitted in informal usage.

The verb 'ask' with that-clauses:

In the paragraph beginning 'I don't even ask that...', the verb ask is used with two that-clauses:

1. I don't even ask that they be wrenched out of context and somehow be made to fit the universe of reality...
2. I ask only that they be self-consistent in their prescientific Universe—and that they be well-written and exciting stories.

Here, ask is used in the sense of require or demand, and it is followed by a subjunctive that-clause.

Other verbs followed by that-clauses (from this and earlier texts):

Note: In all these cases, the that-clause functions as the object of the verb, expressing the content of what is believed, known, said, demonstrated, etc. The word 'that' can often be omitted without changing the meaning (e.g., He thought [that] it was impossible).