Deck 42: Stagecoach and Firefly: the Journey Into the Unknown in Westerns and Science Fiction, Fred Erisman

Question 1

As a reflection of its time and audience, The X-Files storylines emphasize ________.

A) a free-thinking mentality based on confidence in the individual
B) subordinating personal happiness to the good of the group
C) the inherent trustworthiness of any social organization
D) using science to solve a wide range of problems

Answer 1

C

Question 2

As a reflection of its time and audience, Star Trek storylines emphasize ________.

A) a free-thinking mentality based on confidence in the individual
B) subordinating personal happiness to the good of the group
C) the inherent trustworthiness of any social organization
D) using science to solve a wide range of problems

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The X-Files reinforces our fundamental vision of ourselves as _____________.

A) members of a society
B) problem solvers
C) potential heroes
D) individuals

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In Serenity, terraforming results in a world on the outer planets that has too few resources for humans. This causes __________.

A) the resurgence of age-old brutal forces
B) people to cooperate in all aspects of survival
C) development of a strict authoritative command structure
D) a wide range of psychological problems for humans

Question 5

In Serenity, the Reavers are NOT____________________________________.

A) the result of a biological experiment
B) feared cannibalistic creatures
C) androids who have invaded from outer space
D) representatives of what has gone wrong with society

Question 6

In Firefly, Captain Mal Reynolds most often represents the values of the __________________.

A) outsider
B) collective
C) family
D) individual

Question 7

__________________-one of the most frequent motifs in mythology-forms the basic structure of Stagecoach.

A) The power of the social group
B) The power of the individual
C) The journey
D) The portrayal of destruction

Question 8

For the characters in both Stagecoach and Firefly, the wilderness is a ___________________.

A) refuge
B) neutral stage
C) place of beauty
D) source of energy

Question 9

Mal Reynolds can be considered a trickster figure because he ______________________________________.

A) rebels against civilization and authority
B) provides people with elements of civilization
C) allows a funeral service for victims of the Reavers
D) a, b, and c
E) a and b

Question 10

"Liminal space" is Victor Turner's term for___________________.

A) an unstable area on the threshold of two dominant forces
B) an area cleared in the wilderness
C) outer space as populated by aliens
D) an area designated as unfit for humans

Question 11

________________________ directed the 1939 classic Western Stagecoach.

Question 12

In Serenity, ____________________ is the process used to make lifeless planets and moons habitable for human beings.

Question 13

In this article, "Stagecoach in Space: The Legacy of Firefly," the author highlights the constant tension in _________________ between the good of the individual and the good of the group.

Question 14

Many fans of Firefly are attracted to Mal Reynolds' _____________________ political philosophy.

Question 15

___________________ is the literary term for the hero's journey to hell that ultimately results in valuable self-knowledge.

Question 16

Apache: Stagecoach :: ________________ : Serenity

Question 17

In both Stagecoach and Firefly, the characters coalesce into a type of family called a ___________________ after John Ford's standard grouping of characters in his films.

Question 18

In both Stagecoach and Firefly, ____________________ make the choices about the groups they will belong to-a phenomenon explained by Victor Turner.

Question 19

As a counterpart to Mal Reynolds, ____________________ is a trickster in Greek mythology because he stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans.

Question 20

The ______________________, defined by Carl Jung, can be applied in this chapter to the characters whose journey ultimately brings them to self-realization.