All stories in some way, shape or form have a hero at their center. The Hobbit, written by J. R. R. Tolkien, features the character Bilbo, who shows off many of the traits one would find in a normal heroic story. He starts off by being the recluse - the one who doesn't want to leave his safe life. That is until Gandalf the Grey and the 12 Dwarves that accompany him offer his to join them on a journey, one in which he'd be a thief. Being totally turned off at the idea, he initially tells them off, but decides that they really do need his help to regain their home from the dragon that stole it.
Throughout the story, Bilbo helps get the Dwarves out of sticky situations, and vice versa. Along the way, he realizes that coming along and helping them was the right decision. And, throughout the entire narrative, we see that no matter what, Bilbo is always humble, never making fun of people or letting greed or victory consume him (unlike others in the story). He may have started out as a coward, but in the end, leaving Bag End was the best thing that could have happened to him.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Week 5 - Witches
Even though I talked about how I have never been a fan of vampire stories, but stories involving witches have never appealed to me. The same can be said for Aunt Maria, another witch story. She was a manipulative and mean character, like most witches. The use this manipulation she uses on men is another trope, and while I think it's been done well in the past, I would have liked to have seen a different approach to the sub-genre.
Week 4 - Weird
To most, being "weird" is used to describe someone or something as strange or quirky; something that makes people feel awkward or confused when compared with works or art that they're usually used to. However, the actual definition for the word weird is "suggesting something supernatural."
A film like Cabin in the Woods is something that I would consider "weird". It goes against the conventional norms of the genre(s) it tackles. It spins the genre tropes (cabin in the woods, stereotypes of each character, final girl cliche) and morphs them into something fresh and different.
The film was received well by critics, but general audiences were turned off by it, as it was considered too "weird" for them. I, for one, love that the film and love that it changes up the established formula, as it makes for a unique story to be told.
A film like Cabin in the Woods is something that I would consider "weird". It goes against the conventional norms of the genre(s) it tackles. It spins the genre tropes (cabin in the woods, stereotypes of each character, final girl cliche) and morphs them into something fresh and different.
The film was received well by critics, but general audiences were turned off by it, as it was considered too "weird" for them. I, for one, love that the film and love that it changes up the established formula, as it makes for a unique story to be told.
Week 3 - J-Horror
Asian films and stories in general are usually much slower in their pacing, compared to those from the West. For example, the film I watched, Audition, actually played out like a quiet romance film for the first half before slowly getting scarier and scarier, showing off the story's true colors.
J-horror is a lot more focused on ghost stories that don't always explain situations or why certain things happen, unlike their American counterparts, which tend to over-explain certain things or mysteries. These are put in place to help rationalise these stories and make them feel more realistic, unlike the supernatural stories of the East.
J-horror is, however, very similar to Gothic stories in that both are embedded in the idea that their "scary" stories have a grand backstory. However, their romance-heavy stories usually differ from the J-horror stories. Authors such as Anne Rice and Edgar Allen Poe have written stories that are good examples of gothic stories, but they also show how they're different from J-horror, which isn't always about the romance aspect but instead exorcisms, ghosts, and rituals.
J-horror is a lot more focused on ghost stories that don't always explain situations or why certain things happen, unlike their American counterparts, which tend to over-explain certain things or mysteries. These are put in place to help rationalise these stories and make them feel more realistic, unlike the supernatural stories of the East.
J-horror is, however, very similar to Gothic stories in that both are embedded in the idea that their "scary" stories have a grand backstory. However, their romance-heavy stories usually differ from the J-horror stories. Authors such as Anne Rice and Edgar Allen Poe have written stories that are good examples of gothic stories, but they also show how they're different from J-horror, which isn't always about the romance aspect but instead exorcisms, ghosts, and rituals.
Week 2 - Vampires
I'm not a huge fan of vampire stories, but "Interview With A Vampire" was an interesting look at the duality of said characters. Most of the vampires I've seen in media have left a bad taste in my mouth (such as Twilight). That being said, this story does a great job at using the undead as a way to show the idea that people want to live forever.
We mindlessly go through our everyday lives, wishing to continue it for as long as we can, and Anne Rice does a great job at framing this within her story. The constant dread of having to relocate to hide who they truly are (as well as doubting if they're really the villains or not just like Frankenstein) paints an interesting tale of back-stabbing, revenge and regret.
All the characters (especially the vampires) are always trying to get the upper hand on one another, adding tension. This novel also shows that no matter how hard they try to live together with one another and to have some sort of relationship with themselves (in a genre that loves to create romantic plots), the undead are more miserable than the living. This is why Louis, the interviewee, gets upset when the person who's interviewing him asks him to turn him into a vampire, not understanding the emotional and physical stress being a vampire has given him.
We mindlessly go through our everyday lives, wishing to continue it for as long as we can, and Anne Rice does a great job at framing this within her story. The constant dread of having to relocate to hide who they truly are (as well as doubting if they're really the villains or not just like Frankenstein) paints an interesting tale of back-stabbing, revenge and regret.
All the characters (especially the vampires) are always trying to get the upper hand on one another, adding tension. This novel also shows that no matter how hard they try to live together with one another and to have some sort of relationship with themselves (in a genre that loves to create romantic plots), the undead are more miserable than the living. This is why Louis, the interviewee, gets upset when the person who's interviewing him asks him to turn him into a vampire, not understanding the emotional and physical stress being a vampire has given him.
Week One - Frankenstein
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a literary classic that has influenced many horror, gothic and romance stories today. Her book follows a young scientist who creates a terrifying and grotesque monster that eventually breaks out and torments him for the rest of his life. It's influences on the horror genre are great, but it's also a gothic at it's core.
Victor Frankenstein and The Monster are both constantly asking themselves throughout the course of the novel whether they're good or bad people. Victor takes on the role of the protagonist, but at times act like the villain, not warning people about the monstrosity he's created, fearing no one would believe him and that his reputation would be ruined. Because of this, Justine is convicted of murdering Victor's younger brother, William.
The Monster also has doubts. Once he escapes from Victor's grasp, he runs off into the woods, unable to speak. He hides near a home he finds with a family, hoping to understand who he is and how to fit in. This outcast who's unsure if he's good or bad is a huge element of gothic literature. When everyone looks at him as a monster, he believes it, when in reality many people think that Victor is the true monster of the story. Another aspect of gothic literature in the novel is the tragic love between Victor and Elizabeth that we all know will not end well. The story is was a turning point for horror, romance and gothic stories and how they were told.
Victor Frankenstein and The Monster are both constantly asking themselves throughout the course of the novel whether they're good or bad people. Victor takes on the role of the protagonist, but at times act like the villain, not warning people about the monstrosity he's created, fearing no one would believe him and that his reputation would be ruined. Because of this, Justine is convicted of murdering Victor's younger brother, William.
The Monster also has doubts. Once he escapes from Victor's grasp, he runs off into the woods, unable to speak. He hides near a home he finds with a family, hoping to understand who he is and how to fit in. This outcast who's unsure if he's good or bad is a huge element of gothic literature. When everyone looks at him as a monster, he believes it, when in reality many people think that Victor is the true monster of the story. Another aspect of gothic literature in the novel is the tragic love between Victor and Elizabeth that we all know will not end well. The story is was a turning point for horror, romance and gothic stories and how they were told.
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