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(2013
midterm assignment) Sample Student Midterm Answers 2013 #3: Web Highlights |
LITR 4232 |
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Victoria Webb
Modern Culture Connections: A Web Review
“Thinking of Star Wars as
a romance is helpful when I’m trying to define the term. I also particularly
like Craig White’s generalization that “Most Hollywood movies are romances, but
some “independent movies” involve tragedy.” Romances involve unambiguously “bad”
or “good” characters; viewers of Star Wars have no trouble deciding how to feel
about Darth Vader, for example.” (Andy Feith)
“The main character,
Belle, journeys from town and stumbles through a dark and scary forest only to
come across a gothic castle filled with curses and enchantments. Then in sublime
style Belle falls in love with a darkly foreboding but equally enchanting
“beast”. This pairing suggests an interracial relationship between human and
monster because Belle must first fall in love with the monster before seeing the
prince inside. Even the father figure in the story expresses one of the themes
from class. Belle’s father is an inventor who becomes curious about the way all
the enchanted objects in the castle work. This is a nice example of the struggle
between technological progress and the spiritual/supernatural.”
(Jennifer
Martin)
“Romantic ideals pervade
our modern culture. Especially
today, society pushes the limits of excess and extravagance.
Divorce is on the rise because people have delusions about reality.
They desire the things that our culture says they deserve.
The “American Dream” is built upon this romantic idea that all things are
possible when you only believe it.
Contemporary song lyrics drip heavily with fantasized ambitions.
The “gothics” wear their pale faces and black clothing.
Artists like Marilyn Manson attract a cult-like following.
And the sublime is a feeling that is coveted by drug users and
alcoholics. The high or escape that
is immeasurable to reality brings a sense of awe and wonder.” (Angela Sims)
While
overviewing the model assignments, I noticed there was a pattern amongst some of
the essays; the modern culture connection. I found this to be an interesting
application, especially because of the time of the American Renaissance. There
is nothing “modern” about a castle in the woods or legends of headless horsemen,
and yet it is so ingrained into our minds and woven into our modern culture.
The
first essay I reviewed and found interesting was Andy Feith’s connection between
romanticism and the Star Wars series. I agreed with his statement that the
series is a romance and there is a sense of dark and light with the good and the
bad in the movies. Although I could see the point he made, I felt that there was
more he could have written about or elaborated on.
When
reading the sentence “thinking of Star Wars as a romance is helpful when I’m
trying to define the term”, I felt in agreement with the author. However, he
gives only one good example: Darth Vader and the theme of blackness or darkness.
If writing the same thesis, I would state not only the theme of “dark side”, but
also the journey Luke Skywalker must go on, the separation and reunion of the
twins Luke and Leia, and Luke’s transformation from a boy from Tatooine into a
Jedi.
I
enjoyed reading Jennifer Martin’s essay titled “More than Words on a Page”. Her
essay was an overview of American Renaissance, with a detailed paragraph of
applications to the real world and popular culture. The children’s movie,
“Beauty and the Beast” is brought up and the prime example is of classic
Romantic and Gothic themes in the timeless fairytale. I was impressed with her
description of the relationship between Belle and The Beast as a representation
for an interracial relationship. I also found it interesting and was most
impressed that she picked up on the connection between Belle’s father and his
fascination with the enchanted objects as a representation between spirituality
and technological progression.
The
final essay I reviewed is the long essay titled “Branching Out to Something New”
written by Angela Sims. The content is interesting, but I do not feel I am in
full agreement with the author. It appears as though towards the end she is
applying Romanticism to modern culture in a negative light. She explains that
divorce is on the rise because of delusions of reality, which seemed a bit
vague, and describes our culture as pervaded by Romantic ideals. Accurate
connections to real world and themes are made; examples being the gothic theme
tied together with the gothic clothing style as well as the association of the
sublime and the feelings drug and alcohol users experience when intoxicated.
In my
opinion, I feel the author could have elaborated more and given more examples
for the terms used; while her examples are correct, they appear to be one-sided.
If writing something similar, I would add more cultural applications. For
example rather than associating the sublime with drug use alone, the expansion
of the sublime and religious application would give a broader understanding of
the term.
