Analysis of the Hounds of Tindalos
The Hounds of Tindalos is a short science fiction story containing many and varied elements that have been long associated with the genre of science fiction. This essay will identify these elements, examining their placement within this short text and also the interchange of these elements with the characteristics of other genres, more specifically, horror. Belknap Long, the author, was clearly intent of incorporating the elements of horror within the genre of science fiction and this amalgamation of these two genres was a popular combination employed by future horror and SF writers. Perhaps the inclusion of horror within the SF genre is a comment in itself about perceptions of SF held by writers, the elements of horror being a cautionary warning to those in the science world.Long's main character is Halpin Chalmers, a self proclaimed "rebel and champion of originality and lost causes". From the start it is clear there are present within this text some elements of the SF genre that seem to be in just about every SF story, beginning with the main character. Many writers have as their main characters people who are non-conformists, who wish to boldly go where no one
seems to convey the author's desire for this story to be a story that inspires and urges people to question science constantly and never be satisfied with just one scientifc discovery, to go on and devise experiments that test what is considered to be the "impossible." The challenge is devising ways to do exactly this, Chalmers accomplished it with a natural eastern drug, which perhaps suggests looking to nature to test science. Binary oppositions within SF texts are more clearly illustrated when we examine the different discourses that exist with the text. The Hounds of Tindalos is no exception in this case. There is the Religious discourse that exists that has already been discussed and there is the Scientific discourse with the elements of Darwinism that is in opposition to this. The overtones of religion are not the only characteristics of this story that enable it to resemble the SF genre, Long also makes reference to the Greeks frequently through the use of his main character Chalmers. On his journey through time with the aid of a drug he experiences in quite vivid terms the Hellenic culture. Then in referring to a name for the Hounds he remembers the Greeks have a name that conceals their essential foulness. And then lastly, in his hastily scrawled writings just before he dies, he recalls with regret the Greeks having a way of preventing the Satyrs from helping the Hounds, and acknowledges the loss of being unable to remember much of the Greeks knowledge.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Adam Eve, Hounds Tindalos, Square Chalmer's, Ancient Greek, Halpin Chalmers, Science Fiction, Hounds Respect, SF Long's, Ancient Chinese/Eastern, Egypt Pharaohs, hounds tindalos, science fiction, main character, elements horror, sf genre, science fiction genre, adam eve, sf stories, exactly chalmers, overtones religion, unicellular organisms, genre science fiction, main character chalmers,
Approximate Word count = 1855
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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