Wednesday, March 10, 2010

LAST BLOG POST: Light of Thy Countenance

Literature has no solid definition, and there are many different texts that can be argued to be defined as literature or not. Alan Moore’s graphic novel Light of Thy Countenance is in that category. The novel is mostly pictures with words filled in here and there to add to the images and help the story along. It could be argued easily either way whether this book is literature or not. This book has the characteristics of being thought of as literature, but I would completely understand an argument saying that a picture book is no such thing as literature.

In my opinion, this book is literature. It is telling a story with meaning and is representing something bigger that people need their eyes opened up to. What I am referring to is the fact that television has taken over people’s lives and has also replaced God in many homes. I feel that a message this strong being told through even something such as a graphic novel is definitely considered literature. Light of Thy Countenance is a very interesting book for all readers. It really makes you think about the world and not only where we are headed with technology, but where it is taking us. This book points out how technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of everyone’s daily lives. It’s almost as if we are relying on it, and people need to see what is happening.

Alan Moore has used such a simple thing as a graphic novel to point out such a huge thing as technology. To me this is an allusion to the idea of technology taking over, such as was in Frankenstein and R.U.R. This concept is very important to be seen by everyone because today it is becoming a reality. Every day I see people constantly on their phone, computer, or watching television. We are becoming dependent on the latest technologies and are barely able to live without them. I will admit that I am one of these tech junkies. Through Alan Moore’s literary graphic novel, we should all be able to see that sometimes we just need to step away from our technological devices and appreciate the finer things in life, such as books!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Blade Runner

In the two texts and the movie, Blade Runner, R.U.R., and Frankenstein, each story involves a robot or inhuman creature being used as slave labor or as something the creator wants. Each being is made to replace or do the job of a human being, because humans are thought to be imperfect and flawed.

All three of these pieces point out the imperfections of man and the possibilities to fix them. Obviously none of them work, which just goes to show that humans shouldn’t try to meddle in things bigger than themselves, especially something as huge as re-creation. There was always some sort of problem that couldn’t be repaired. One of the main problems or advantages for the creatures was that they had no souls or emotions. This was a problem because they felt no pain, and didn’t care if they harmed anyone. This was also an advantage for the beings because they didn’t have to worry about being afraid to do anything, and didn’t have to think about emotions affecting their lives.

When Roy decides to spare Deckard at the end of the movie, I was very shocked. I thought that the reason Roy spared him was because he saw what Deckard had (the gift of being human) and that he should be able to live on and appreciate that gift. Also at the same time I think Roy saw the fear in Deckard and how that was affecting his life, making him a slave to his own emotions. It seems as though throughout the movie, the robots realized that the humans constantly lived in fear for their lives. They realized how much better off they were because they didn’t have to worry about things such as emotions and feelings and anything to do with the soul, which just completely complicates life. (Keep in mind I had these opinions before you told us about the Director’s Cut and how the story should really be)