Creating a Religious Divide: Journeys Through Hell in British and American Science Fiction

Science fiction, like any other genre, is sub-divided into categories. Yet scholars
in the field have long debated the existence of multiple, regional sf genres. The most
critiqued of these classifications is between sf produced in Britain, and America. Though
Britain remains the birthplace of sf, American author have undoubtedly left a mark on the
genre. Scholars mark this difference in the writing styles and themes of authors in these
regions. To examine this difference, I analyze two authors that have worked on a
common theme: religion and in particular, the concept of hell. Evaluating the arguments
put forth by critics such as Peter Kuczka, Cy Chavin, Franz Rottensteiner, and others; I
examine works by Scottish author Iain m. Banks, and American author Cordwainer Smith
to determine the validity of this classification.