Fictional Stories Research Articles

Hearing home: Exploring place and identity through voice

Creating or recreating voices through the writing of fictional letters can be a way of reconnecting with places that may have been taken from us. For the person denied an authentic connection with their birthplace, the writing of voice through fictional stories, novels and creative nonfiction may have the power to bridge time and distance, to take a person back to the place where they were born and to help rebuild an origin story that was refused them. By recreating the voices of people associated with one’s original home, especially when writing for an audience who may take the theoretical place of an absent respondent, a person may come to develop a better understanding of their relationship with that region. This paper is informed by Elspeth Probyn’s theory that childhood is a repeatable point of beginning, Anne-Marie Fortier’s extended definition of home, and an examination of the results a return to the past may bring. It references studies on dialect as it relates to character the epistolary form. It provides examples that informed the author’s thinking in using voice to reflect place and follows with samples of the author’s attempts to connect with their birthplace by drawing imaginary portraits using dialect reflected in the epistolary form. It ends with a reflection on this process.

Ted Chiang imagines a computational theory of robots.

Two short science fiction stories, "Exhalation" and "Seventy-Two Letters", explore robots inside and out.

Sharing Stories Versus Explaining Facts: Comparing African American Children's Microstructure Performance Across Fictional Narrative, Informational, and Procedural Discourse.

Both fictional oral narrative and expository oral discourse skills are critical language competencies that support children's academic success. Few studies, however, have examined African American children's microstructure performance across these genres. To address this gap in the literature, the study compared African American children's microstructure productivity and complexity across three discourse contexts: fictional narratives, informational discourse, and procedural discourse. The study also examined whether there were age-related differences in microstructure performance by discourse type. Participants were 130 typically developing African American children, aged 59-95 months old, enrolled in kindergarten through second grades in a Midwestern U.S. public school district. Wordless children's books were used to elicit fictional narratives, informational, and procedural discourse. Indicators of microstructure performance included measures of productivity (i.e., number of total words and number of different words) and complexity (i.e., mean length of communication unit and complex syntax rate). The effects of genre and age on microstructure performance were assessed using linear mixed-effects regression models. Children produced longer discourse and used a greater diversity of words for their fictional stories compared to their informational or procedural discourse. Grammatical complexity was greater for fictional narratives and procedural discourse than informational discourse. Results showed greater productivity and complexity among older children compared to younger children, particularly for fictional and informational discourse. African American children exhibit variation in their microstructure performance by discourse context and age. Understanding this variation is key to providing African American children with support to maximize their oral language competencies.

Ravens and Strawberries: Remarks on Hempel’s and Ramsey’s Accounts of laws and scientific explanation

Hempel never met Ramsey, but he knew his work. In his 1958 The Theoretician’s Dilemma: a study in the logic of theory construction, Hempel introduces the term Ramsey sentence, referring to Ramsey’s attempt in Theories to get rid of theoretical terms in formal accounts of scientific theories. In this paper, I draw the attention to another connection between Ramsey’s and Hempel’s works. Hempel’s Deductive-Nomological (DN) account of scientific explanation resembles very closely Ramsey’s account of a certain type of conditional sentences. In the first part of the paper, by introducing a fictional story, I highlight the similarities and differences between the two. In the last part of the paper, I claim that the most relevant difference between Ramsey and Hempel can be used to offer original solutions to Hempel’s Raven Paradox. Two possibilities are presented, arguing that the second, which requires a reconsideration of the formalisation of laws, is the most promising.

ANALISIS POLA KALIMAT PADA DONGENG MUNI PENIUP TEROMPET KARYA ENDANG FIRDAUS

A sentence is the smallest unit of language, in oral or written form, and capable of expressing a complete thought. Fairy tales are fictional stories that not only contain moral values, but are also made to entertain. This research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the sentence patterns in the fairy tale “Muni Peniup Terompet” by Endang Firdaus using descriptive qualitative research methods. In this research, secondary data was used and data collection was carried out using observation and analysis methods, then carrying out reading and note-taking techniques. The results of this research contain sentence patterns in the fairy tale texts being analyzed. The sentence patterns found are: 1) S and P; 2) S-P and O; 3) S-P-O and K; 4) K-S-P and O; and 5) K-S-P and K. Keywords: Sentence, Sentence Patterns, Fairy Tale

Within the Hypha: The Deconstruction of the Anthropocentric Perspective in László Sepsi’s Novel Fruiting Bodies

In my study, I interpret one of the most outstanding stories of Hungarian fiction, László Sepsi’s weird, body- and biohorror novel, Fruiting Bodies [Termőtestek]. The narrative depicts the rivalry between gangster families who fight for the hallucinogenic mushrooms, an important commodity in their town Höksring. As the novel progresses, the rivalry of the crime families fades into the background against the disease spread by the mushrooms, and thus the story presents the beginning of an eco-dystopia and apocalypse. As the title suggests, one of the central motifs of the text is the mushroom, which is both a drug (essentially food) and the basis of the city and houses (living space). In this paper, I will show how the metaphors and similes in the narrative, through the compared things, represent the blurred boundaries between the human body, nature, disease, food and the city, which are central to the novel’s narrative. In my view, the narrative and the parts of the story that focus on the relationship between humans and environment/nature are themed around the breakdown of binary oppositions. The boundaries between culturally distinct categories, the Great Divide (to use Bruno Latour’s term), are dissolved, and the ecological viewpoint, the circulation of matter and reciprocity predominate. I will show that Fruiting Bodies dismantles hierarchies at the narrative level of both the action and the storytelling, offering a more universal perspective rather than a purely anthropocentric one, by situating humanity in the relationships of natural cycles. I will build on the main terms of plant studies (such as plant blindness and plant will), and through the concepts of phytosemiology, Object-Oriented Ontology, flat ontology, hyperobject and dark ecology, I will show how the fungus as metaphor and motif organizes the narrative, and thus offers a posthuman perspective instead of an anthropocentric one.

The puzzle of sports fandom

ABSTRACT Why do sports fans sometimes (often?) go crazy at sporting events and then afterwards proceed with their day as if nothing much happened? If something of genuine significance happened, something that warranted the emotional ups and downs the fan experienced during the game, why don’t its effects linger? These questions pose a version of the puzzle of sports fandom. Others have applied Kendall Walton’s theory of fiction to solve the puzzle, but Walton’s account of sports fandom fiction is unacceptably thin. Recent attempts by Nathan Wildman and Joseph Moore to address this thinness problem fail. We answer the thinness objection by explaining how sports fandom is a collaboratively authored fiction, constructed by fans, sponsors, players, teams, media commentators, and more. The stories of sports fandom fiction are passed to new generations of fans in a way more reminiscent of The Iliad or The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Sports fandom fiction is more like folklore, and less like a novel.

Translanguaging as Method in Science Fiction Story of Your Life

Translanguaging as Method in Science Fiction Story of Your Life

New Modes of Humanity and Everydayness in Gibson’s Cyberspace

The problem this article addresses is that we disregard the impact of cyberspace on our human development and everyday lives. We use cyberspace in our daily lives today through virtual work meetings and internet games. However, cyberspace can be more than a communication medium and game destination. It can be more than a matrix of networks in a science fiction story. Instead, cyberspace can be a space of human growth and where we experience our everyday lives. This article discusses the cyberspace described by William Gibson in his Sprawl trilogy, composed of the novels Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive. The article shows how Gibson infuses cyberspace with everyday objects and situations. These everyday things enable the characters and readers to participate in a cyberspace that feels real and genuine. It depicts a cyberspace that is a new approach to being human and the emergence of a new everyday world. The research aims to show how cyberspace and our physical space are similar. It investigates how cyberspace contains a human dimension and human places. It examines how cyberspace can be as genuine as physical space. The research considers how cyberspace can provide a new everydayness and pathway for human living. From this research, the article hopes to show that cyberspace can be a place for human living in a world with fewer constraints. In this way, cyberspace can be an avenue for a new form of everydayness and greater human progress.

The Promise and Peril of Emerging Technology for Brain Enhancement

Today’s emerging technologies provide possibilities for radical therapy for human diseases and disabilities, as well as radical enhancement and alteration of human abilities. This article discusses both the positive and negative possibilities of three current emerging technologies for therapy and bioenhancement—brain-computer interfaces, prosthetic memory, and transcranial direct current stimulation—as well as fictional narratives that prefigure these innovations. The author argues that the particular dangers of current radical emerging technologies that could enhance brain processing speed, alter or enhance memory, and affect mental states are prefigured by fictional stories that anticipate these real innovations.

We are a miraculous mess and that is the only way we can be

This article introduces the second issue of Stolen Tools by exploring the concept of the love and ‘the erotic’ as described by Audre Lorde. The erotic is a deep, non-rational life force rooted in creativity, self-knowledge, and authentic emotional connections. The erotic embraces a chaotic plurality of identities; creative, free and authentic expression; and meaningful, nurturing solidarity. It is crucial for resisting racial oppression and something that Stolen Tools aspires to, even in the face of institutional and personal blocks. The second half of this piece presents the papers that constitute this issue and build on its theme. The papers in this issue include fictional stories and a poem exploring the complexities of identity, resilience, and racism, as well as articles analysing the limitations of equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in academic and clinical settings. Thank you to everyone who worked on and contributed to this issue including Ricardo Twumasi, Gabi Nieuwoudt, Rubbia Ali, and Hannah Abdalla. Particular thanks to Ebony Burke, who has been seconded from the King’s College London Library and Collections to support our project and is indicative of the creative institutional support that we survive on. I dedicate this issue to my daughter Nika, who inspired the opening article and is one year old at the time of writing.

Music-Evoked Thoughts

Music listening can evoke a range of extra-musical thoughts, from colors and smells to autobiographical memories and fictional stories. We investigated music-evoked thoughts as an overarching category, to examine how the music’s genre and emotional expression, as well as familiarity with the style and liking of individual excerpts, predicted the occurrence, type, novelty, and valence of thoughts. We selected 24 unfamiliar, instrumental music excerpts evenly distributed across three genres (classical, electronic, pop/rock) and two levels of expressed valence (positive, negative) and arousal (high, low). UK participants (N = 148, Mage = 28.68) heard these 30-second excerpts, described any thoughts that had occurred while listening, and rated various features of the thoughts and music. The occurrence and type of thoughts varied across genres, with classical and electronic excerpts evoking more thoughts than pop/rock excerpts. Classical excerpts evoked more music-related thoughts, fictional stories, and media-related memories, while electronic music evoked more abstract visual images than the other genres. Positively valenced music and more liked excerpts elicited more positive thought content. Liking and familiarity with a style also increased thought occurrence, while familiarity decreased the novelty of thought content. These findings have key implications for understanding how music impacts imagination and creative processes.

Effective tourism destination stories: Matching effects between story type and destination type

Stories are a powerful tool for enhancing tourism. However, the factors that contribute to effective destination storytelling are poorly understood. Hence, this study investigates how destination type and destination gender influence the destination story design. Four scenario-based experiments were conducted online, using various experimental stimuli. This study verified the matching effect between destination story type (factual vs. fictional), destination gender (feminine vs. masculine), and destination type (hedonic vs. utilitarian). Specifically, factual stories are more effective for masculine destinations, while fictional stories better suit feminine destinations. The results also indicate that fictional stories are more suitable for hedonic destinations, whereas factual stories are preferable for utilitarian ones. Additionally, the mediating effects of imagination proclivity and emotional arousal were examined. Overall, this study provides valuable practical insights into the design and promotion of tourist destinations.

Rise of the most excellent scholar, demise of the field: a fictional story, yet probable destiny

ABSTRACT This article presents a fictional narrative about Professor Sackker, the solitary researcher in the field of Sackker Studies, once known as Management and Organizational Studies. Despite its absurdity, the story portrays Sackker’s dominance, marked by his inevitable rise with record-breaking publications and citations, stifling competition, and leaving him as the ultimate winner and ruler. Through personal reflections, his story explores his career strategies, provides insights into his success, and explains how he shaped, transformed, and eventually (but unwittingly) destroyed the field. This narrative, though fictional, mirrors real concerns in today’s reality: growing inequalities, the dominance of elite scholars, and erosion of meaning in academic careers as a function of hyper-competition. We examine the prevalence of systemic issues plaguing academia. Despite challenges, the article also aims to inspire hope. By illuminating these problems and integrating them into scholarly discussions, there lies an opportunity for change, empowering the next generation of academics.

Redefining Our Climate Future: New Approaches to Writing Climate Fiction

The genre term climate fiction (‘cli-fi') refers to fiction in which climate change is a major theme. When situated at the intersection of Anthropocene and literary studies, its usage raises questions on how writers might depict a just and representative climate future through storytelling, especially when contemporary publishing grapples with which voices get published and read at all. Rooted in a writing experiment conducted with five UK-based writers of colour, who were instructed to write climate fiction stories over the course of a month, this article explores how a redefinition of climate fiction as a genre – and, in turn, the imagination of possible futures – might begin by closely studying writers' creative processes, and how their lived experiences in a warming world translate into text. By weaving together literary and geographical theories concerning storytelling and the creative writing process, it suggests how more urgent, topical, and relatable climate stories might be told via the use of embodied testimonies of climate change considering race, place, religion, and an intersectional awareness of global warming’s disproportionate impacts.

Narrative coherence and mentalizing complexity are associated in fictive storytelling and autobiographical memories in typically developing children and adolescents

Different lines of evidence indicate that the ability to communicate narratives coherently is related to children's social-emotional development. However, it is unknown whether narrative coherence is genre-specific or generalizes across autobiographical memories and fictive stories, and if autobiographical and fictive narratives show different or similar associations with mentalizing language, cognitive functions, social and daily functioning. Addressing these questions may provide important clues about the development of narrative communication skills in children and adolescents. We assessed 86 typically developing children and adolescents aged 7–14, examining narrative coherence and mentalizing complexity in six autobiographical memories and five fictional stories, alongside intellectual functioning and parent and teacher reports on social and adaptive functioning. Results showed that the measures on narrative coherence and mentalizing complexity, respectively, were associated across autobiographical memories and fictional stories. Moreover, narrative coherence and mentalizing complexity was related to each other on both fictive and autobiographical stories. Higher narrative coherence and mentalizing complexity on autobiographical memories were specifically related to better social-emotional reciprocity reported by teachers, who likely have more opportunities than parents to observe the child’s daily interaction with peers. Our findings suggest that narrative coherence and mentalizing language in school-aged children generalize across genres. Being able to communicate personal narratives coherently with use of mentalizing language appears to be important for the social-emotional interplay of children and adolescents.

Compassionate Othering: the construction of refugee patients in medical students’ narratives – a qualitative study using story completion

BackgroundRefugees remain a marginalized population and are exposed to a variety of discriminatory processes, among them Othering which categorizes people as belonging or not-belonging according to certain ascribed characteristics. We explored how the narrative construction of refugee patients by medical students constitutes a form of Othering.MethodsUsing story completion, 124 5th year medical students at the Martin- Luther- University Halle-Wittenberg in October 2019 wrote a fictional story in response to a story stem situated in a medical practice. In a comparative approach, one patient presenting with abdominal pain lacks further characterization (version A) and the other is a refugee (version B). The stories were coded using qualitative content analysis by Mayring with a focus on content and narrative strategies (plot structure and perspective).ResultsWe identified four themes: characters, medical condition, access to care and provision of substandard care. The stories were predominantly framed with a medical or an interaction-based plot structure and written from a process-oriented perspective. The themes in version B, supported by their use of narrative strategies, were largely contextualized within the patients’ history of migration. An empathic depiction of patient B and the students’ compassion for the patients facing substandard care were key motifs as well.ConclusionThe perception of the version B patients predominantly as refugees establishes their construction as an Other. The students’ compassion acts as a representation of societal inequalities and remains an inept response without the tools to counter underlying discriminatory structures. Based on a discourse of deservingness, compassion alone therefore perpetuates Othering and highlights the need for structural competency training in medical school.

“Racism is alive and well”: (Re)visiting the University of Florida’s Black Student Union’s history through composite counterstorytelling

This study centers on the origins of the Black Student Union (BSU) during the late 1960s and early 1970s at the University of Florida (UF) presented as a speculative fiction composite counterstory. The story presented in this manuscript serves as a cautionary tale of what the future of higher education will be, if white supremacy persists, even when white people will no longer represent a numerical majority. Though the findings utilized in this piece are decades old, we offer the current climate of public institutions and DEI initiatives to emphasize the importance of counterstories that underscore the resistance and activism that challenges oppressive systems and birthed such organizations as Black Student Unions, which are now increasingly under threat of elimination. Utilizing BlackCrit, we look backward to explore the permanence of anti-Black racism in our future. We invoke the genre of speculative fiction to give form to our findings - a fictional short story that posits a possible future world that runs counter to expectations for a post-racial future on college campuses and in the United States more broadly. Through a deeper understanding of how Black students drew upon their social networks during the Long Black Student Movement era, we aim to spark dialogue about the future of Black student advocacy at predominantly white American colleges and universities.

Художественно-педагогическая реконструкция и теоретический анализ опыта взаимоотношений «учитель – ученик» в образовательной сфере России начала ХХ в.

The study aims to determine the role of a teacher’s personality in solving moral and pedagogical problems arising in the process of teacher-student relations in the educational sphere of Russia in the early 20th century by conducting a theoretical analysis of individual documentary fiction texts by K. G. Paustovsky in the genre of documentary prose. The paper substantiates the importance of the priority spiritual and moral principles and values of Russian pedagogy and psychology as the basis of the traditional knowledge paradigm of education, actualizes their relevance in modern Russian theory and practice. The study is original in that it is the first to reveal the role of a teacher’s personality primarily as an educator and bearer of moral universal values in the traditional knowledge paradigm of education based on K. G. Paustovsky’s documentary fiction stories about the teacher-student relations in the educational sphere of Russia in the early 20th century. In addition, the paper determines the importance of a teacher’s personal self-esteem (professional reflection) and their individual threshold of tolerance and responsibility for the process of forming the personal image of pupils, humanistic qualities and psychological characteristics of students. As a result, it was found that an essential factor of success in solving moral and psychological problems in the system of teacher-student relations in both traditional and modern humanistic paradigms of education is the personality of a teacher, their “human factor”. The professional reflection of a teacher, which is their personal self-assessment manifested in psychological, creative, moral and mental abilities at an active and interactive level to influence the spiritual world of a pupil, creates conditions for the movement of the educational process towards the creative self-expression of a student’s personality. A teacher’s ability to correctly assess and take into account students’ personal and psychological characteristics ensures the formation of conditions for pupils’ personal growth, their values and worldview orientations.

Imagining the future of artificial intelligence in education: a review of social science fiction

ABSTRACT In this article, we explore how the recently revived approach of social science fiction can be used as a creative and critical method to imagine and discuss the future of artificial intelligence in education (AIED). We review one hundred social science fiction stories written by researchers and analyse how they depict the potential role of AI in teaching and learning. Through a thematic analysis, we identify four main themes and several sub-themes that highlight the hopes and concerns that the researchers express for the future of AIED. Although the fictions present imaginative scenarios of anticipated AIED futures already present in the literature, they also feature creative illustrations of how such futures may materialise. We observe that social science fiction can be valuable in approaching the complex and uncertain landscape of AIED while stimulating reflection and dialogue. We conclude by suggesting some directions for further research and practice using this emerging approach of storytelling.