Project 3.

About project 3, we are supposed to pick another pop culture icon just like Frankenstein and build up a website to analyze it. And I am going to choose a classic Chinese mythology fiction “Journey to the west”.

Since most of the students may pick a western element, I am going to introduce something different. People among the world must be well known of the Monkey King. However, he’s not only an individual character. He comes from a famous Chinese fiction named”Journey to the west” which is one the “Four Great Classical Novels” of Chinese literature. The story is happened in Tang Dynasty of ancient China. It is about a monk with his three disciples and also protectors going to the west(India) to obtain sacred texts which they think can bring happiness to people. Four main characters will meet a bunch of difficulties which are seemed as the process of nirvana in the Buddhism.

I am going to introduce the novel and characters in the book first. Four main characters are the monk – Tang Sanzang, his first disciple Sun Wukong(the Monkey King), second – Zhu Wuneng(Bajie) and the last one – Sha Wujing. Each of them will get an individual page to talking about their characteristics and the reason why the are chosen to attend this journey.

Then explain it’s influence to different aspect, for instance movies, comics etc. The movie I will introduce is “A Chinese Odyssey”. Which is one of the most famous Chinese comedy movie revised from the “Journey to the west”. And I will introduce two comics – “The Monkey King”(China) and “Saiyuki”(Japan). One online game in China called “Fantasy Journey to the west”.

For the movie and comics, besides the plot, I will compare between the origin character in the novel and new version of characters.(Just like what I did in the presentation project.) For that online game, I will show the elements in the game which are influenced by the novel.

Finally, I will sum up the reason why it can become a pop culture icon. Hope these won’t be too simple, cause things about religions are always difficult  to explain.

 

 

Ideas for project 2

I’ve got a project to make contribution to pop culture by producing a multi-media piece of Frankenstein for my ENGL 106 class. And here are some ideas I have got now, but maybe I will change them later.

I went to St.Louis last Christmas, the City  Museum there impressed me a lot. The main visitors there are children with there parents. Thus, different from a traditional “museum”, this one  has not only the exhibition stuff, but also bunch of amusement equipments  which children can have fun with and meanwhile learn knowledge. For instance, the “Tiny train railroad”.   (Museum website)

I am going to contribute a special “Frankenstein unit” there. It is like an amusement place in the Creature’s body which let children get knowledge  about human’s organs. Each room “in the body” will be set as an organ and assumed belong to the Creature because he is made up with pieces from different people. , and in the room there will be some models of that organ. Those models will be made by silica gel or rubber. Children can also touch those models by hand. There will be a guy acting as Dr.Frankenstein to introduce the function of those organs and tissues to children. . Vascular can be corridors connect each room(not very long). Intestine will be the last part of the unit. Since this will be tortuous, I am going to put some classic photo or picture of Frankenstein and his creature on the sides of the wall.

For multi-media part, I am going to set up a floor plan for the unit(like a body structure picture), design two or three of those organs(by picture) and make a post of this new unit in the museum.

I won’t start this project till next Wednesday night( two exams ), so may be a little in hurry. Hope can finish it on time

Second Draft

Victor Frankenstein-the core of crisis.

Confucius believes that a person’s nature is always good at birth. This theory can be applied to the Creature from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. No matter how evil he eventually becomes, at the beginning of his life he was as innocent as a baby. Frankenstein’s abuse and neglect of his creature was like the flutter of a butterfly; it doesn’t only change the course of the Creature’s nature from good to bad but also darkened his family and friend’s destiny to the abyss of a perilous lives.

At the beginning of the story, the creature is full of humanity and he is eager to become friend with human beings. Initially, he is curious about all of the things surrounding him and makes great efforts to keep himself alive. “I began also to observe, with greater accuracy, the forms that surrounded me, and to perceive the boundaries of the radiant roof of light which canopied me”. (106) According to this, the creature has the instincts of a human being. He tries to understand the things he doesn’t know and find a way to comfort himself. Besides, the creature loved beautiful and benevolent thing which shows his judgment and even humanity. “……but when I found that in doing this I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained, and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots, which I gathered from a neighboring wood.”(114) This plot shows the creature’s virtue of sympathy to others. He may be unusual looking, but his soul is just like a common human being. And all of the evidences before prove that he once had chance to become a virtuous creature.

In all the dealings with the Creature, Frankenstein shows himself to be completely unconcerned with the creature’s feelings, resulting in misery and despair. Frankenstein made the creature into a huge size and ugly appearance for his own convenience while later abandoned the creature because of these very fault. People usually tend to judge a person by their appearance, which makes the creature’s looks the main barrier between him and other people. For instance, the creature was rejected by the De Lacey family when the first time they saw him. They react in fear and horror because of his appearance. “Agatha fainted, and Safie…… rushed out of the cottage. Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from his father……he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick”. (137) This is totally unfair to the creature. Even he was never allowed to speak. All this behavior is just because of the creature’s appearance—the result of Frankenstein’s irresponsibility.

Because of seclusion by others, the creature learns to hate human beings, which eventually leads to murderer. “No: from that moment I declared ever-lasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who formed me, and sent me forth to this insupportable misery”. (138)  This is the beginning of his hatred against human beings and Frankenstein. However this was not the only time the Creature was disappointed by humanity. Even after saving a little girl’s life, the creature was shot by a man. “This was then the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction, and as a recompense I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the flesh and bone…… Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind”. (143) The creature’s detestation of human beings eventually results in misfortune for Frankenstein’s family and friend.

Frankenstein’s selfishness extends beyond the Creature. In his desire to save himself from harm, Frankenstein condemns his family and friends to death. In the incident of Justine, Frankenstein chooses to conceal the existence of the creature instead of proving that Justin is sinless, because he is afraid of being responsible for William’s death. Some excerpts in the book represent Frankenstein’s worry about people would take him as madness if he disclosed the secret of the creature. “My tale was not one to announce publicly; its astounding horror would be looked upon as madness by the vulgar”. (81) Hypothetically, a person who has an urgent desire to prove other’s innocence should find the evidence to the best of his potential. While Frankenstein acts like a coward this time. He hesitates to proclaiming about the existence of the creature to public because in his deep down heart, he is panic about being blamed for William’s death. His faintheartedness build up the stage of the misery.

Frankenstein was so afraid of being killed by the creature that he neglects to warn his family and friends to take precaution against the creature. “During my absence I should leave my friends unconscious of existence of their enemy and unprotected from his attacks, exasperated as he might be by my departure”.(158)  People may think Frankenstein is just so naïve this time. However for my perspective, that is his selfishness which made him pay too more attention on him self’s safety to take others in to consideration. Here is the evidence “It is well. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night.”(173) it is obvious the creature will ruin the wedding of Frankenstein’s wedding, but not kill him. If the creature wanted to do so, he would kill him at the time of the threat. Unexpectedly, he married with Elizabeth when he was aware of the threat by the creature. “……I lived in daily fear lest the monster whom I had created should perpetrate some new wickedness. I had an obscure feeling that all was not over, and that he would still commit some signal crime……” (95) How paradox Frankenstein is. He seems to concern about his family when he regards the creature will follow him to Geneva on one side while on the other side knowing something dreadful would happened to his life he should never thought of his family and friends. Poor innocent Clerval and Elizabeth died for Frankenstein. While he even “forgot” to protect them.

It is true that the creature has his own consciousness to decide what he should do. However, In Chinese there is a proverb saying “The child’s committing mistake should be blamed to his father’s failure to teach him.” Which means since Frankenstein is the creator of the creature he should take the responsibility to teach the creature and accompany him.

Let’s pretend Frankenstein didn’t forsake the creature. He will teach the creature how to interact with people. The creature’s kindness and love for human beings will be kept. People will gradually accept his looks. He may even become a member of Frankenstein’s family.  No victims anymore in the story. Although this won’t make Frankenstein a perfect novel as famous as now it is, but I would rather believe in the parallel universe, there will be a creature, living a happy life with his “Frankenstein.”

Title and Intro

Title:  Vector Frankenstein —— the core of crisis.

Intro: As Confucius’ belief, a person’s nature is always good at birth. So that no matter how evil the creature becomes later, he was a purely “baby” who is not familiar with affairs of human world at the beginning. What Frankenstein did is like flutter of a butterfly, change the creature’s whole life to a completely different way.

Outline of paper

I. Introduction

Thesis statement:  Victor Frankenstein is the arch criminal of the creature ‘s hatred to human and his family’s death because of his selfishness.

II. Support:
Topic Sentence: Dr. Frankenstein didn’t take the creature’s feeling in to the consideration which made the creature discriminated by others.

1. Frankenstein made the creature in a huge size and ugly appearance for his own convenience while later abandoned the creature because of his  own fault.
2. Without Frankenstein’s, the creature feels alone and have no idea with how to get in touch with human beings.
3. Because of not being accepted, the creature form the hatred to human beings, which finally lead to committing the crime of murdering people.
4. Frankenstein broke his promise with the creature based on his own  hypothesis that the new creature will be worse which lead to the creature becoming anger.

 

III. Support:
Topic Sentence: Frankenstein was afraid of taking obligation and care his own safety more than others which lead his family to death.

1. Frankenstein was afraid if  he prove Justin is  innocence, then he should be responsible for William’s death.
2. Frankenstein was in fear of being killed by the creature so that he forgot to precaution his family and Henry to be vigilant  on the creature.

IV. Concession paragraph

A. Topic sentence (concession): It is true that the creature has his own consciousness  to decide what he should do.
1. In Chinese there is a probe saying “The child’s committing mistake should be blamed to his father’s failure to teach him.” Which means since Frankenstein the creator of the creature he should take the responsibility to teach the creature and accompany him.

 

Quotes to use for my paper Ⅱ

I have to say I really enjoy the process of reading the book Frankenstein. Besides the plot and characters in the book, it’s an excellent language learning chance for me. And I am sure I will continue reading English novels later.

From page 105 to page 146, OMG why these pages look so thinner now, I took a long time to read them! Anyway, the narrative of the creature is particular and has a large information including his self awareness and why he would hate human beings so much. From my perspective of the paper, I am going to use the creature’s discard by Frankenstein and the creature’s feeling on this to expound that Frankenstein is a villain.

The creature though has an unusual configuration, but his soul is just like a common human being. He is curious about fangle surrounding him and makes great efforts in keep alive. In the book Frankenstein, Marry Shelley writes that “I began also to observe, with greater accuracy, the forms that surrounded me, and to perceive the boundaries of the radiant roof of light which canopied me. “  (106) According this, we can see obviously the creature has an instinct of human beings or we can say life. He try to understand the things he doesn’t know and find the way to comfort himself.

The creature was pure and kind at first. He loved every beautiful and benevolent things which shows his judgment and even his humanity. He can even show understanding and sympathy for others! In chapter four, Shelley writes like this “……but when I found that in doing this I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained, and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots, which I gathered from a neighboring wood.”(114) I can not describe how astonished I was when I reading this part! The creature is completely a newly born baby at that time, he has all the virtue he learned from the cottagers. While everything was vanished away, and without Frankenstein, the creature lead him self into an irredeemable enmity to human beings.

We all have to admit that someone can not grow without a guide. Usually, our parents act as the character. To the creature, his only hope and depend is Dr. Frankenstein while who abandoned him after he was created only because his unpleasant appearance. That’s why the creature thought him self was a  wretch. As which is mentioned in the book “I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept.” (105-106) What a poor guy! If Frankenstein didn’t renounced the creature, he could give some positive influence to avoid him obsessed in inferiority complex, finally developed to losing himself in malignity and revenge.

 

That’t it. I will finish the book soon and I can’t wait to know the ending!

 

Songs for Frankenstein.

I have been recommended a song and a clip of musical about Frankenstein by Nancy this week. (share link: song and clip) I like both of them. Especially the second one, I love the part that when Frankenstein was shoot by a cop(maybe),  the creature rushed to him and hold him. That is so touching, and shows the affection from the creature to Frankenstein.

For the first song, at the beginning the creature is travelling with himself, he is just like a solitary. While Dr. Frankenstein(maybe I should call him the vocal of the band), he sings in an upset mood. And there is a scene like a memory flashes in this music video that “Frankenstein” is playing ball game with the creature and they look so delightful. I think the songwriter may want to convey a concept that creature is loved by Frankenstein and he is a part of Frankenstein’s heart since he was made of spares body part.  They belong to each other. And losing each other is an agony thing to them just like couples in love.

For the second song in the clip by Arcade Fire. I think it is quite suitable for this context because the creature is coming back to revenge his discard  by Frankenstein. Otherwise, he  still care about Frankenstein but he can’t approach him because of his ugly appearance and his sin. He wants to enjoy an ordinary life while his body keeps him away from those because after all he is a monster created by a human beings.

And besides these two, I go to google the song inspired by Frankenstein. And found I think is really cool. “Jumpstart your electric heart” by Kevin Max. (song and lyrics) Kevin Max is an American singer, song writer and poet. According to Wikipedia, it is a “modern-day retelling of Shelley’s Frankenstein.” I think the reason why he used Frankenstein is because, first, the creature is revived by electricity which is shown obviously by the title of the song. Secondly,  the creature was just a vacant body before Frankenstein use electricity to animate him. Songwriter may want everything becomes vivid instead of cliche.

That’s it. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Quotes to use for my paper.

I have to write an argument paper about there is no character is all good or all evil in the book Frankenstein. And after these days’ reading, I am going to choose Victor Frankenstein in the book (maybe changed later) and  I have picked some paragraph or sentences which being prepared to use in my paper.

As people doing everything with a motivation, I am going to analyse the motivation of Dr Frankenstein’s experiment first. In Shelly’s book, herself maintain that Dr. Frankenstein has a big curiosity about nature science, as which is mentioned in this sentence “While my companion contemplated with a serious and satisfied spirit the magnificent appearances of things, I delighted in investigating their causes. The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine.“(38) In other words, everything started with the curiosity of Dr. Frankenstein. It was his interest which leaded him into the door of  science. Instead of becoming a hero or seizing the world, his initial motivation looks so simple.

Besides his interest, the characteristic of Dr. Frankenstein is another very crucial reason why he would lost himself during the experiment.  As describing Frankenstein’s character, Shelly wrote these, “It was my temper to avoid a crowd, and to attach myself fervently to a few.“ (38) From which we can see he is solitary and prefer to stay alone. These kind of people may usually be overanxious and bigoted. Indeed, at the end of chapter 4, when Frankenstein could not succeed to make the creature he was said as “…I was oppressed by a slow fever, and I became nervous to a most painful degree; the fall of a leaf startled me…“ (57) This nervousness became more and more seriously till the creature was made and translated to his illness.

In addition, he has such a strong urge to control everything, including his friends and experiment.  At the end of chapter 1, it was describing that “… and looked upon Elizabeth as mine – mine to protect, love, and cherish… my more than sister, since till death she was to be mine only. “ (37) This kind of selfish and arrogant leaded Frankenstein to his crazy mind finally without others guidance.

I am sure I can get more details about Dr. Frankenstein from the book in the future. I will share with you then.

ADS about Frankenstein

After being showed pieces of  advertisement  in the class on Friday,(click to see) I specially love the design of “Absolut Shelly”! It is so fancy that I can’t move my eye! The bottle is not only creative but also delicate. The bolts on the neck of the bottle are funny and I am still wondering how they put them together? Compared of this, the “Absolut Karloff” is a little bit monotonous. It looks like an old style wine pot. And the first thing which it reminds me of is not Frankenstein but the Mummy.

In my opinion, the reason why manufacturers choose the Frankenstein in their ads is because the specialty of the character can resonate the feelings of audience. Like the commercial for the “Osteo Bi-Flex”, it takes the advantage of the stiffness of Frankenstein instead of a conman people’s experience to make the audience have a better understand of how unbelievable the product is.

I really like the idea for some advertisements which are designed based on a famous character. And usually when I watching a movie or reading a novel, I am always thinking of their specialized qualities which can represent them obviously and also being used like an advertisement.

For Frankenstein, the first thing come to my mind is his afraid of fire. It leaves me a deep impression in the movie. That leads to the idea of a Frankenstein Fire alarm!

The fire alarm in my apartment sometimes rings unreasonably. It screams so harsh that I feel like it is going to hurt my ears. But if we change it into a Frankenstein fire alarm, besides ringing a lower volume of “Beep” sound it can also make a sound like the roaring of Frankenstein.  That will definitely scares me and some children I believe. For the appearance, it can be green and has bolts in both side of the base. Or even better, it will be installed just like being sewed on the floor.

Next time when the Frankenstein fire alarm rings, people may be more hurried to evacuate from the house due to the panic roaring of Frankenstein reminding them of the horrible fire.

Two more blogs about Frankenstein.

I have read two blogs about “Frankenstein” this week. One is by Keith Phipps (link to the blog) which talks about the DVD version of “Frankenstein(1931)”. And another one is written by Brett Gallman (link to the blog) which mentions aothor’s experience of horror movies and his perspectives of “Frankenstein(1931)”. Both of them are informative and inspire me  a lot.

The biggest enemy of classic is  being lost. Fortunately, we have the new DVD version of “Frankenstein”. According to Phipps’ blog, “The restored print and cleaned-up soundtrack make it look and sound better than any previous video version, which is to be expected……” I celebrate the fact that people decide to put it into a DVD version so that the frames will be clearer which can let audience have an experience of the elaborate make up in the movie.

Besides, the special extra as Phipps mentions in his blog catches my eye.  He agrees,when he writes “It is, in short, the best way short of a time machine to gain a sense of what Frankenstein means. Given the tendency of the DVD market to gravitate toward recent films, it also provides a model of just how useful and entertaining the format can be for those interested in exploring cinema’s past.“ Indeed, it will be a helpful way to understand Frankenstein and models for other classical movies to explore more.

The second blog by Gallman arouse my memory of seeing horror movies. Gallman himself writes,“I have come to appreciate that type of atmosphere when watching a film. Any horror fan will tell you that there’s something different about watching a horror film on late night television. Sure, they’re usually edited and interrupted by commercial breaks, but for many fans, this is how they grew up with the genre (myself included). ” I strongly agree that the time and place to watch horror movie can make difference a lot, because when I saw the “Paranormal Activity”, there’s only me and my bestie in our dorm that night. We didn’t turn on any light even a desk lamp. It was really a big big torment to me, the atmosphere was killing me!!  If you have seen that you will know how freaking it is. Compared to this one, “A nightmare on Elm Street”  in the cinema is just like a fairy tale!!

Anyway, these two blogs are very attractive especially the one by Gallman. It’s a special memory and arouse sympathy among all of the horror movie fans or victims just like me.