afrofuturism and McCoy

 AfroFuturism is depicted in “The McCoy Game” through the fabulist elements centered around two characters, cousins Dre and Jamal. It combines elements of the present world with aspects of the future through technology. The use of jetpacks, a key-droid, and the mention of a spaceship are seen as common to the keydroid as it guides the boys through the obstacles yet remain novel to the two boys throughout the entire story.  Integrating the future with the present is also a way in which Alston presents Uncle Ray, a figure of the past is presented in a way which a figure of the past becomes ahead of the future. Knowing more than his nephews on what is possible and hiding his machines from both of them. AfroFuturism integrates also itself into this short story by mentioning the history which was shared with the boys: “Humanity was born in Africa, and Grandad said those caretakers stopped by early on to teach us up on their ships to see the galaxy” (Alston 45). Before bringing these traditions to the present: “He taught Dre and me to care about it too. Each summer we’d spend at his trailer, he’d take us outside whenever the night was clear and we’d stare up at the stars” this combination of history and science is what makes AfroFuturism such an interesting prospect to study because it is constantly remaking the past and putting the concept of what the future can become even farther away. In the source text written by Mark Dery —in conversation with Samuel R Delany he says  :“It’s struck me more and more over the years that one of the most forceful and distinguishing aspects of science function is that it’s marginal. It’s always at its most honest and most effective when it operates—and claims to be operating—from the margins…I don’t want to see it operating from anyone’s center” (Dery 189). Delany appreciates the ways in which science friction allows for the microphone and center audience to be who they are without an explicit agenda, similar to the story where Dre and Jamal are simply just two boys who came into good fortune and that is the story at hand rather than an explicit group sentiment, which marginalized stories are often forced in to being. 


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