... -> Module Two Essay
  • Chose one of these questions, or you may combine several, or you may use only part of one, or you may modify one. This is a paper, not a quiz, so the emphasis is on thinking and writing, not just "answering the question." Remember to refer to at least some of the stories from the book, the discussion board postings, and the websites which are linked in the module.
  • Go back to the discussion boards, and post ideas and issues you are thinking about for your paper. Suggest some questions I didn't include.
  • Take a look at the "Tips for Writing Assignments" in the Writing Assignments section above.
This paper will be due Before 9 AM on Friday, February 8. NO late papers!

Module 2 IconQuestions for Module Two

  1. How do the stories in this module connect to your ideas of what an explorer is, or should be?
  2. What do these stories say about the kind of person who will succeed in the future?
  3. What is there about the way life is led on Earth right now that will need to change for us to survive in the future?
  4. How can science and a knowledge of science be a tool for survival, or a tool for destruction?
  5. What are the qualities of people you chose in the "Desert Island Experiment"? Are they different from your classmates' choices? Are they different from the people who succeed in the stories? What do your choices say about you? or your classmates'?
  6. Do you see yourself as a Loonie or a Groundhog? What is it about Earth that's better in the Moon? Where would you rather live, and where would you say "It's Great to be Back"?
  7. In "Down and Out on Ellfive Prime," who's the outlaw? What's the purpose of an outlaw in a space colony? What's the purpose of an outlaw on Earth?
  8. Is space exploration romantic? What about exploring the depths of the sea? or the South Pole or the Amazon Rainforest? What does it mean to "Sail Beyond the Sunset?"
  9. Reread the poem linked in the "To Boldly Go...." section of the module. Connect that poem to any of the stories. In the poem, Ulysses is retired from adventuring. His exploring days are over. Are yours? Are all of ours?
  10. Is survival of the fittest a fair rule? What about when people make mistakes?
  11. What did you learn from any of these stories? About life? About people? About science? About SF?