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Fantasite, v. 1, issue 2, February 1941
Page 9
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9..........THE FANTASITE Chicagoans support [underlined] Amazing [/underlined], and such organizations as the Pro-Scientists and the Frontier Society are built still more closely about definite progress. The answer to the question of what the MFS should do with itself was found in the fact that four of its members are professional authors (the fourth is Carl Jacobi, who, incidentally, wrote most of the constitution) and several others are interested in writing. Since the society thus has something of a literary atmosphere, it has been decided that the third aim shall be to study fantastic fiction from the viewpoint of intelligent literary criticism. Science-fiction, supernatural fiction, and pure fantasy are all distinct literary forms, with definite histories, themes, and principles of composition, and not a great deal has been done thus far in analyzing and evaluating them. The "gosh-wow-boy-oh-boy" school of criticism is passing from fandom, and in its place, we believe, must come an appreciation of the fact that science-fiction is a branch of literature (not of science) and must inevitably take its place among the distinguished fictional forms that engage the attention of serious literary critics. This, of course, sounds like a pretty high-toned undertaking for a group of fans, and so it is, but not so much as a first glance indicates. For one thing, literary criticism is nothing new to fandom: every intelligent fan practices it, and every good fanmag contains it. It is not so much an achievement of genius and profound scholarship as it is an attitude toward one's literary subject-matter---a method of dealing with a piece of writing by analyzing its form and content, evaluating its importance, and "placing" it in literature by reference to its predecessors in its particular literary form. To practice honest literary criticism it is not necessary to have a Ph.D., but it is necessary to have a sincere regard for the best in writing and a distaste for the cheap and ephemeral. The MFS is too young to have developed a very extensive program to carry out this lofty aim, but it has made a few steps. At each meeting some member gives a talk or reads a paper on some particular phase of fantasy in which he is interested, and an effort is made, in these papers and the discussions following them, to evince a certain limited amount of intellectual acumen---enough, at least, to stimulate further thought in the subconscious minds of the membership. Moreover, the society is going to take notice of outstanding stories which appear in the future (or have appeared in 1940) by making the author an honorary member. It is obvious that neither the papers nor the awards will mean anything unless backed up by a highly discriminating attitude toward the truly literary aspects of the works thus studied or honored, and it is wholly up to the club to maintain such an attitude if its activities are to bear any weight in fandom. And so the Minneapolis Fantasy Society has been launched on its high-riding way---one more little coterie of stfanatics among the myriads dotting this country and springing up like mushrooms in every hamlet. Whether it will endure or disintegrate no prophet yet can foretell, but if the quiet enthusiasm and determination of its members are any guide, it will be heard from again. --------------- --------------- --------------- Subscriptions that expire with this issue are those of Harry Schmarje, Jack Townsend, Melvin Schmidt, D. B. Thompson, Don Ford, and Gertrude Kuslan. Immediate renewals would be greatly appreciated. You won't want to miss the next issue!!... -------------- -------------- --------------
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9..........THE FANTASITE Chicagoans support [underlined] Amazing [/underlined], and such organizations as the Pro-Scientists and the Frontier Society are built still more closely about definite progress. The answer to the question of what the MFS should do with itself was found in the fact that four of its members are professional authors (the fourth is Carl Jacobi, who, incidentally, wrote most of the constitution) and several others are interested in writing. Since the society thus has something of a literary atmosphere, it has been decided that the third aim shall be to study fantastic fiction from the viewpoint of intelligent literary criticism. Science-fiction, supernatural fiction, and pure fantasy are all distinct literary forms, with definite histories, themes, and principles of composition, and not a great deal has been done thus far in analyzing and evaluating them. The "gosh-wow-boy-oh-boy" school of criticism is passing from fandom, and in its place, we believe, must come an appreciation of the fact that science-fiction is a branch of literature (not of science) and must inevitably take its place among the distinguished fictional forms that engage the attention of serious literary critics. This, of course, sounds like a pretty high-toned undertaking for a group of fans, and so it is, but not so much as a first glance indicates. For one thing, literary criticism is nothing new to fandom: every intelligent fan practices it, and every good fanmag contains it. It is not so much an achievement of genius and profound scholarship as it is an attitude toward one's literary subject-matter---a method of dealing with a piece of writing by analyzing its form and content, evaluating its importance, and "placing" it in literature by reference to its predecessors in its particular literary form. To practice honest literary criticism it is not necessary to have a Ph.D., but it is necessary to have a sincere regard for the best in writing and a distaste for the cheap and ephemeral. The MFS is too young to have developed a very extensive program to carry out this lofty aim, but it has made a few steps. At each meeting some member gives a talk or reads a paper on some particular phase of fantasy in which he is interested, and an effort is made, in these papers and the discussions following them, to evince a certain limited amount of intellectual acumen---enough, at least, to stimulate further thought in the subconscious minds of the membership. Moreover, the society is going to take notice of outstanding stories which appear in the future (or have appeared in 1940) by making the author an honorary member. It is obvious that neither the papers nor the awards will mean anything unless backed up by a highly discriminating attitude toward the truly literary aspects of the works thus studied or honored, and it is wholly up to the club to maintain such an attitude if its activities are to bear any weight in fandom. And so the Minneapolis Fantasy Society has been launched on its high-riding way---one more little coterie of stfanatics among the myriads dotting this country and springing up like mushrooms in every hamlet. Whether it will endure or disintegrate no prophet yet can foretell, but if the quiet enthusiasm and determination of its members are any guide, it will be heard from again. --------------- --------------- --------------- Subscriptions that expire with this issue are those of Harry Schmarje, Jack Townsend, Melvin Schmidt, D. B. Thompson, Don Ford, and Gertrude Kuslan. Immediate renewals would be greatly appreciated. You won't want to miss the next issue!!... -------------- -------------- --------------
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