Science fiction has long served as a powerful lens through which complex social issues and historical narratives can be explored. From the earliest days of the genre, science fiction settings have been utilized to explore contemporary concerns. The struggles and experiences of marginalized groups have frequently found expression in science fiction narratives, with the African American experience being a particularly resonant and recurring motif. The history of African Americans in the United States, from the antebellum days of slavery through the long fight for civil rights and the ongoing struggle for equality, presents a compelling and highly significant narrative. This history of oppression, resistance, identity, and the struggle for freedom naturally lends itself to analogical representation. By representing these historical struggles in futuristic societies or alternate realities, they can be explored from new perspectives, potentially fostering greater empathy and understanding.
Whether the replicants in "Blade Runner", the Synths in "Fallout 4", or the androids in "Detroit: Become Human" - the representations of these 'artificial humanoids' include a number of analogies to African American struggles of the past. Works that investigate the representation of race and history in science fiction literature and film exist, but video games remain an area of research that is underrepresented in relation to their popularity and cultural relevance.
All three games use said representations of African American history in the context of artificial humanoids to allude to players’ cultural and historical knowledge and project it onto players’ interpretations of the (non?)human beings. The prevalence of these representations within the games’ narratives, however, differs significantly and correlates with how keenly each game is trying to convey the specific interpretation to players that treating these artificial humanoids as anything less than human is unjust.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Blade Runner
2.1 General Information
2.2 Replicants in the World of Blade Runner
2.3 Representations of African American History
3. Fallout 4
3.1 General Information
3.2 Synths in the world of Fallout 4
3.3 Representations of African American History
4. Detroit: Become Human
4.1 General Information
4.2 Androids in the world of Detroit: Become Human
4.3 Representations of African American History
5. Why represent History?
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This thesis examines how and why specific science fiction video games incorporate analogies to African American history—particularly the experience of slavery—within their depictions of artificial humanoids. It explores how these games use historical parallels to influence player perception and morality regarding the humanity of fictional beings.
- The use of "otherhood" in science fiction as a lens for exploring real-world racial discrimination.
- The structural representation of slavery analogues in Blade Runner, Fallout 4, and Detroit: Become Human.
- The intersection of player agency, narrative choice, and moral development in interactive media.
- The critical analysis of historical memory and the "popular legend" of the Underground Railroad in video game narratives.
- The effectiveness and potential moral drawbacks of using historical trauma as a game design tool.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 Representations of African American History
While the idea of slavery is often alluded to, the actual term is rarely used in Fallout 4. A few select instances can be found at different parts of the game, however. One such mention comes early in the game’s main storyline when a character called Hancock – the rather violent mayor of a small settlement – talks about the Institute and how “No one knows where the Institute is, what kind of people they are, or why they’ve decided to engineer their own slaves” (Bethesda). Through Hancock, the idea of synths as slaves is formulated early in the game. Its inclusion in a dialogue of the main storyline means that players, no matter which faction’s quests they end up advancing, will hear it. It remains the only direct mention of slavery in the game’s main questline – all other mentions of it are uttered either by characters in non-mandatory quests or are just scattered across the game’s world. Especially when engaging with the Railroad – which I will discuss in detail later – the word ‘slave’/’slavery’ is used at different times throughout the game.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the research field, highlighting the utilization of science fiction to explore complex social issues through historical analogies, specifically regarding the African American experience.
2. Blade Runner: Analyzes the 1997 game, focusing on how its linear narrative and covert choices establish replicants as "others" and the subtle, sparse references to slavery.
2.1 General Information: Provides background on the 1997 Westwood Studios game, its setting in 2019 Los Angeles, and its point-and-click adventure mechanics.
2.2 Replicants in the World of Blade Runner: Examines the nature of Nexus-6 replicants as biological, indistinguishable entities and the role of paranoia in their portrayal.
2.3 Representations of African American History: Investigates the specific parallels between replicant subjugation and antebellum slavery, including critiques of the slave-catcher analogy.
3. Fallout 4: Explores the post-apocalyptic Boston setting and the factional struggles that define the synth "slavery" narrative.
3.1 General Information: Gives an overview of the game's open-world structure and the post-nuclear narrative context.
3.2 Synths in the world of Fallout 4: Discusses the advanced, bioengineered third-generation synths and their societal standing in the Commonwealth.
3.3 Representations of African American History: Breaks down the explicit and implicit connections between the Institute and plantation slavery, as well as the Railroad and the Underground Railroad.
4. Detroit: Become Human: Examines how this choice-driven game uses explicit analogies to represent the entire history of discrimination against African Americans.
4.1 General Information: Profiles the three protagonists (Connor, Markus, Kara) and the game's focus on moral decisions in a future Detroit.
4.2 Androids in the world of Detroit: Become Human: Details the physical and social status of androids as commodities and their transition to "deviants."
4.3 Representations of African American History: Analyzes the use of segregation imagery, such as bus seating and protest marches, and the direct references to the Civil Rights Movement.
5. Why represent History?: A synthesis chapter discussing the impact of these representations on player morality, agency, and the paradox of guiding players toward a "correct" ethical stance.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis, reviewing how the intensity of historical analogy usage correlates with the degree of player agency provided by each game.
Keywords
Science Fiction, Video Games, African American History, Slavery, Underground Railroad, Civil Rights Movement, Artificial Humanoids, Replicants, Synths, Androids, Player Agency, Moral Choice, Discrimination, Posthumanism, Historical Analogy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic work?
This work explores how science fiction video games utilize historical analogies, specifically those related to African American history and the struggle for civil rights, to explore themes of humanity and social justice.
Which video games does the author examine?
The author conducts a comparative analysis of three specific titles: Blade Runner (1997), Fallout 4 (2015), and Detroit: Become Human (2018).
What is the central research question?
The thesis aims to determine how and to what end these games incorporate historical representations of slavery and inequality in their portrayal of non-human entities, and how these analogies influence the player’s moral experience.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The author performs an analytical qualitative study, combining gameplay playthroughs with an investigation into literature regarding history, posthumanism, and game studies to evaluate the narrative frameworks and player agency within each title.
What are the major thematic differences between the games?
While all games use analogies to history, Blade Runner is categorized as subtle and sparse, Fallout 4 as employing explicit references with complex factional politics, and Detroit: Become Human as utilizing the most overt and frequent historical imagery to guide the player toward a specific moral conclusion.
What are the key findings regarding player agency?
Counter-intuitively, the author finds that the games with the strongest historical parallels (which attempt to guide players toward "just" actions) often result in less perceived player agency than games where the moral choice is left more open to interpretation.
How does Fallout 4 utilize the concept of the "Underground Railroad"?
The game features a faction explicitly named the "Railroad," which mirrors historical Underground Railroad operations through the use of coded language, secret symbols like lanterns, safehouses, and the goal of moving oppressed entities toward a "promised land."
What is the significance of the "Jericho" location in Detroit: Become Human?
Jericho serves as both a literal refuge and a symbolic reference to the slave spiritual "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho," representing the tumbling walls of both slavery and the structural barriers facing the game's androids.
Why does the author critique the use of historical analogy in these games?
The author argues that while these analogies are effective for building quick moral understanding, they often reproduce a "popular legend" version of history that prioritizes "savior" figures while downplaying the active agency and resistance of the actual enslaved individuals.
- Citar trabajo
- Lukas Bay (Autor), 2024, The Representation of History in Science Fiction Video Games, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1556582
