Nov 16, 2009

Odd John | Odd John

At a glance:

Author: Olaf Stapledon
First Published: 1935
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Science fiction—superbeing
Time of Work: 1910-1933
Setting: Primarily England and a small island in the Pacific Ocean
Genres: Long fiction, Science fiction
Subjects: 1910’s, 1920’s, 1930’s, England or English people, Islands, Utopias, Superman or superbeings, Pacific Ocean, Mutations or mutants
Locales: England, Islands

The Plot

Odd John (subtitled A Story Between Jest and Earnest) deals with one of the most pervasive questions of science fiction: How will humanity react when confronted with a being of superior intelligence? The narrator is writing a biography of John Wainwright, a mutant who represents the next step of evolution, Homo superior.

The narrator begins by describing John’s odd appearance, precocious intelligence, and early education. Too disruptive to attend school, “Odd” John masters specific subjects, such as mathematics and biology, as they...

[The entire page is 1137 words long]

Odd John | Odd John

At a glance:

The Plot

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