Final Post

Who looking at the question, I decided to look at genre stories and storytelling in general. I envision stories advancing the types of stories they tell, creating stories that resonate will the ever advancing and evolving situations.

I see future genre stories still happening, and being able to create amazing stories that can inspire future stories and storytellers to make their own as well.

Looking back at the whole semester, going from examining horror, then sci-fi, and then to fantasy, I feel that we will continue to get more stories that explore different genres, and adding underlying topics and messages that can attract more people to their stories. Stories will adapt and evolve into addressing themes that can teach and grab audiences and tell topical stories that we may need. Stories are best when they can tell stories that can somehow resonate with an audiences, wether it be characters, setting, or having a message that can resonate with the readers.

When looking beyond my life time, I really feel that storytelling will still continue to evolve. I really do see storytelling creating stories that continue to evolve. As the time continues to advance, we do as well.

I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus

For this weeks’ reading, or should I say Listening, I chose “I Think We’re Bozos on the Bus” from Firesight Theater. “Bozos on the Bus” explores issues of how technology has become more prevalent and advanced as the years go by. It’s surprising seeing how technology is portrayed at this way of learning about what had happened before. This is strongly similar to how technology is helping us earn about not only what had happened before, but about what is happening now.  

I feel that the title refers to how sometimes we are all out of it when it comes to how advanced technology is becoming, and how those who aren’t very close to technology can become slow to everything around them. The word “bozo” from the title, also refers to clowns, which relates to the amusement park aesthetic of the story. To me, I also see it as how some can be confused to how technology is now, and how they may be "bozos" compared to those who are well aware of how technology is now.

While listening to it, I doesn’t really understand completely everything presented. There were aspects that I understood, like the messages of technology in the amusement park setting, but didn’t really get everything else beyond that> I might have been because if the time and types of jokes the speakers would talk about. Even though I did understand their stories and how they used technology into aspects of the stories, I overall dint really get that much from it. Even though I didn’t really get any impact from listening, I did enjoy their portrayal of ow technology would be used as, all through the amassment park setting. I really feel that this is an interesting method of talking about technology and how it can be used later on.

Overall, this story sheds light on technology and how twisted and unconventional it can be. I really feel that this is an unconventional mirrored image of technology and how it overtaken our daily schedule and society.

"Ornyx & Crake"

In Ornyx and Crake, by Margrett Atwood, the human race/ population has been obliterated by a deadly plague. All that is let are the Crakers, who are genetically manipulated beings and can survive in the environment. Ornyx is a mysterious woman appearing in Snowman’s (Jimmy’s) dreams and hallucinations. It’s a genre novel that deals with overpopulation, disease, all through the lenses of a science fiction story.

I feel that sometimes genre storytelling is a type of storytelling that can lend itself to more interesting kinds of stories. I also feel that genre stories don’t exactly have to be purely genre, as it can vibe implemented to casual stories, which can make those stories pop and gain more notoriety to different readers. What is great about genre stories is that it can be placed into different kinds of stories and not be tie into it’s own kind of storytelling. You can place different aspects of a genre into different stories. It can make stories seem very interesting and can make them appeal to a broader audience that wouldn’t usually be accustomed to usual kinds of stories.

To me, genre storytelling is still literary. You still have the form of writing stories, the three acts, but it’s the contents that fill each act of the story with makes it very interesting. You can have a normal story, but when you add aspects of different genres, thats when stories like these can take notice.  Here you have a story of a population decreasing in amount, and when you add the alien aspects to it as a reason for it, thats when I feel a story can breathe in new life.

When reading the story, I don’t think that my experience was ruined or changed after going through and answering these questions. I really just saw it as a genre story with interesting element like genetics and businesses. Even though I saw it as a genre story, I didn’t see it as an unamused story, I really think it’s a well executed story that uses aspects of science, genetics, and sourcing, to get its story across. 

"Bloodchild" Answers

1. My first reaction to reading the story is about how interesting it was seeing Butler’s  interpretation of a world where gender functions have been reversed. Here, the male are the ones who give birth and bare children. Also, humans are the ones who crash land onto the alien planet instead of the aliens crashing to earth. I really felt that Butler had such an intertwining perspective onto have things would have been if roles were reversed, and challenged the types of roles we are aware of.
2. I connected by how Butler chose to change and reverse certain roles, mainly by means of storytelling. I like stories that change up formulas and looks at a different perspective that we are familiar with. I feel that the part where Gan, whose mother agreed on sacrificing him as a host for the alien embryos. This is a dark part of the story that I felt was real. The fact that she would willingly give away one of er own to appease a threat really struck me because of how real it can feel when a mother would give up her own child for any reason. The overall tense atmosphere, and themes of survival really hit home for me.
3. I can see the story being  translated to the television show formation the form of a drama. I really feel that the environment, scale, and situations can be made into a sci-fi/drama series. I really feel that the kind of story that Butler establishes and creates can have enough of a storyline to sustain a series adaptation. When it comes to any changes, I would say establishing the world and setting of the story, so that if this were put into an actual show, the audience will need to learn about this world before going into the craziness of the storylines. Establish how bikers this world is and the characters that inhabit it. There aren’t many changes I would Mae, but that would be one of them. 

Lilith's Brood

The overall outline of Lilith is about a group of rebels who are trying to rescue the human race against a group of aliens invading earth. It’s all coincided with a war between humans and aliens, the Oankali, who wish to interbreed with the human. They call it genetic interbreeding.

When it comes to looking at majoritarian culture, and their values, I feel that it brakes it. The majoritarian culture, and everything they stand for is very traditional, and how even though everyone may have their own decisions, I don’t think interbreeding with another non human race would be one that wouldn’t sit well with them.

Overall, the story is trying to challenge traditional norms with something radically different and exciting. The idea of relationships between two people of serrate races and sexes and orientations are usually a hot button issue in the real world society. There are real world individuals who have that kind of mindset of what they believe is right or wrong. Having a story like this needed to be made. Now having an interspecies relationship creates an even bigger impact, for better or worse, and sees how a relation like that can be sustained and can be interpreted towards readers is interesting to me. I really feel that stories like these interest me because of how different it is from other stories like that.

"Snow Crash"

The story gets into describing this drug, named "snow crash", and how it affects the human brain and how because of the brain structure, it’s more susceptible to its effects.

This drug is also referred to as a “meta drug”, as it’s abel to happen online, similar to hackers, but for the brain.I feel that this gives the topic of drugs a creative spin on it, and making it more relatable, especially to those who are inundated with technology and how its so precious to them. The fact that the drug targets  and rewires the brains of people, some who are hackers, the author is able to play on how technology has become such a gluttonous resource that we are ally drawn to not matter what. And how if it gets tampered with for us, we start to become frail and damaged mentally and emotionally. It’s all done to stabilize our over dependence on technology and the types of people who are associated with it.

Commercial ads are also a small aspect in the story. In it, it talks about how it bombards Hiro, telling him about his colleagues and making him want to come back to work for the mafia. I feel that this is an amusing mirror to how we are constantly being shoved commercials and adds into our faces , especially in between watching shows and other aspects of entertainment.  

Overall, I really feel that technology and the over dependence for it is a factor in the story of Snow Cash. Everything from the mafia group to the pizza delivery business, technology is always used. Film is used in the mafia, as well as their scanners to look at their member’s personal information. This is also used for the pizza delivery service, as it's also used to look at their employees, and look at how they can be used to sometimes even invade, their personal space. Technology in the story can be used either in a way that helps or can harm.

BABEL-17

A quick description of Babel-17’s story is about language and how it shapes how people perceive the reality they live in and how they communicate with each other.

When it comes to “mind game” in the story, I feel language may   be perceived as a mind game. Language, by definition means combination between individuals. In Babel 17, language is used to determine how one is to go through certain situations. Their grasp on the language is their way of seeing how one perceives the world and how the different classes, from upper class, new world, Far East, and how to determine each of their values.

 Language, as seen in the story, is used to show political awareness and and establishment, as well as showing character’s actions and how they would react towards certain situations. I feel that this gives language this sense of importance. Language is very important. It is used to verbally show culture and can help other cultures learn from one another. In Babel-17’s case, I do feel that this assumption is exaggerated, yet made into an interesting aspect of the story. Language is used as an understanding, which is quite similar to how language is now; viewed as understanding another culture.

"The Martian"

The story of the Martian tells the story of Mark Wanted who gets stranded on Mars after a massive dust storm that interrupts their satellite connection. Mark’s space team now believes that he’s presumable dead.

 feel that this story uses several themes and aspects that are used in the space genre of storytelling. From the unknown of space to the feeling of isolation, having to survive with whatever he comes across on the red planet. He has to figure out how to get oxygen, water and food in order to survive, while also making sure that his loneliness doesn’t affect him internally. This is not only used in space based genre stories, but in horror stories as well. Horror and space/sci-fi genre series are fairly similar. You have the wide, and unexplored depths of space and it’s from the unknown/unexplored space that horror and intensity come from. Another aspect of the horror in the story comes with others finding out that Mark had been left alone on Mars. Annie Montrose is shocked when she hears the news.

I would say that even psychological thriller could be an aspect in the story. Amenity coming from the intensity of trying to solve how to get back to earth and communicate back to his team. Most of the story derives form Mark trying to keep his sanity and solve whatever problems he comes across on Mars. I feel that this is connected to the horror of space in loneliness of Mars. 

Comedy is also a huge factory in the story. Mark Wanted, who is left on Mars by his space exploration team, has to endure the landscape of Mars, and his sanity and sense of humor is still intact. As being the only one on a deserted planet, you have to be able to keep your composure and avoid losing sanity. Mark would talk to himself to keep him occupied, in order to elevate the sadness of being all alone on a planet, without any hope of being brought back to earth. 

"American Gods"

In American Gods, Neil Gaiman gets the opportunity to fill his story with as many fictional/ mythological characters as he wants.  The story to only uses characters form mythology, but also borrows stories from various myths. From religion to folklore. Characters such as goddess Eatser, Bilquis, and others myth based characters. There are many characters that Gaiman fills his story with.

Gaiman takes look at mythology and how it can relate to people and their cultural significance. It also goes into what it means to be an American, with certain fictional characters used to show how mortal characters identify themselves as. I feel that these mythological characters, mainly rooted in their own cultures, helps in showing how their cultures and how and how American culture is, to Gaiman uses these fictional characters to introduce several different and important themes and topics. I feel that the myths portrayed in the story are made relevant by the myth characters’ representation. Characters such as religious figures are used to show religion beliefs for mortal characters. I feel that this is used to ground the characters and make them believable in a world of fiction.

This is what’s so great about Gaiman’s story American Gods, how he’s able to blend the  realism and fantasy, and have the viewers strongly relate and can find interesting. They are all used to show the deferent facets of the human experience. From religious identity, to sexual identity, the fictional characters in the story show how they are not only powerful, but relatable, showing that even the most otherworldly personalities aren't that different from ourselves.

"Night Circus" Writing Assignment

The story of Night Circus tells the story of magicians who are told that they must compete against each other in competition that travels from location to location, looking for contestants and participants.The story’s themes of magic, wonder, love, and our relationship with it, how magic is so important to us.  I really feel that the story handles aspects and themes that can be viewed as one that teens and young adults can get behind.

The magical elements in the story depicts how people are entranced in magic, which is the main focus of the story. This can be a mirror on how, as they get older, teens and young adults start to wonder more and more about what they can do and since the magic isn’s completely explained, it goes with how teens are unsure of what may not be sure of what they will do down the road. I really feel that magic and adolescence can be viewed as mirrored versions of each other. Both are unpredictable and interesting.

The notion of love was interesting to me. In the story, love is used in a way that is subtle, but also obvious. One example that comes to mind is the relationship between Hector and daughter Celia. It’s during the invitation and obstacles in the circus. The obviousness comes from the father-daughter relationship. The subtleness comes from them knowing that they love each other and talking to one another in between obstacles. Another issue that arises in the story is sacrifice, which relates to love. Here, it’s used in order to show how much certain characters love each other. It is also used to show their relationship between each other. For example, several characters would sacrifice one another, from Hector sacrificing himself for his daughter, or Tsukiki and Hector doing the same. This gives the story depth, especially between characters, and lets the viewer believe in the characters and the situations given.

Overall, Night Circus, handles certain issues between the characters in a realistic and satisfying manner. Each for the aspects and. The themes presented in the story delves deep into each character’s motivations and is able to create a compelling story for the reader to dive in.

"The Hobbit" Writing Assignment

Written by J. R. R. Tolkien, the story of The Hobbit does, in fact, follow most of aspects in the “hero’s journey” archetype. Everything from the protagonist, to the journey, to a resolution that changes up the aspects we’ve always known in stories like this. In the beginning of the story, Bilbo is established as an ordinary hobbit who enjoys being by himself in his land of Bag End, with his furry toes brushing up against the grass. I feel that this an interesting way to establish a hero, as a protagonist who is happy and content with is current living along the land of Bag End, even when he is approached to do what he needs to fro in his journey.

Bilbo is approached by wizard Galdalf, and talks to him about the mountains and tales of dragons an riches. To me, this a different way of approaching the usual hero’s journey. In usual hero journey stories, whether it be in Star Wars with Luke Skywalker learning of his true destiny, comic book movies with their iconic superhero protagonists up against their antagonists, to even Disney movies such as Aladdin and Hercules. The hero’s journey is a repeated, yet always embraced storytelling archetype that has lasted for such a long time and is always embraced by readers.

In The Hobbit, Bilbo sets out the journey alongside wizard, Gandalf in order to retrieve gold from a dangerous dragon.

Another aspect of the hero’s journey is lineage. For Bilbo, the story tells of his ancestors, talking about how his family was wealthy, eccentric, and even adventurous. Even though Bilbo has a well established and adventurous family lineage, Bilbo is known as their played back and restful hobbit. This gives more backstory to Bilbo and can explain why Galdalf approached Bilbo of for retrieving the gold need from the dragons and other creatures.

At the conculsion of the story, Bilbo recollects the events that he had gone through in his journey. Everything from the tasks he and his group endured to the sacrifices that they had gone through. This is usually found in almost every hero’s journey story. In Hobbit, group mates such as Fili and Kili have died and by the end, Bilbo is content on settling back in Bag End after his journey. This helps the story become different then the others. In most ending in heroic stories, the hero is ready to take on whatever happens in the future. Here, the protagonist isn’t as concerned to continue n being the hero. He just wants to sit back and relax at his home. This brings something different to the classic hero’s story and is done fairly we’ll, never feeling out of place.

"Legend" (1985)

Directed by Ridley Scott, 1985’s Legend, tells the story of Darkness, who's plan is to hunt down the unicorns, and bring him their horns in order to plunge the land in complete darkness. Jack, our hero of the story, decides to save the unicorns, and destroy Darkness, and save the world. To me, Legend is considered a dark fantasy film, with horror elements in it. The fantasy elements are apparent in the film, with magical creates like dwarfs, and unicorns present, and the horror comes from the lord of Darkness himself. The hero’s journey comes from Jack, as a main protagonist that is tasked to take down Darkness, as he tries to plunge the world into darkness. What is so interesting to me is the evil/ antagonist being presented, who is the actual personification of evil and darkness itself. This is contrasted beautifully by Scott's portrayal of the magical creatures as the personifications of hope, light, and happiness. Usually, in stories like this, the antagonist would be presented as this normal looking person, who hides his/her evil intentions behind their facade. Here, it's placed in full display, with huge horns and all.

Overall, Legend is an dark fantsy film that pushes the viewer into a world of fairies and devils. Scott creates the imaginative and colorful story that has an intriguing hero’s journey that is universal and interesting. The story of good versus evil is a story technique that is known by everyone, and Legend does so very well. By having the image of evil in the film be of actual, satanic evil, sells this technique very well. The fact that the goal is a simple, yet effective one, where darkness wants to steal what’s left of good in the world, helps the story even more. Ridley Scott creates a compelling, fantasy film, with an dintriqueing good versus evil fantasy story.

"Akata Witch" Assignment

Akata Witch tells the story that involves several different witch type characters with their own powers and personality.

 In Akata, the main character, Sunny, who is from a Nigerian family. When she goes back to Nigeria is when her powers start to become apparent and start to manifest within her. She is also described as being albino, which gives her a distinct appearance amongst the rest of the characters. The witches aren’t really described by using usual stereotypes of green skin tone and warts., Instead, by describing her as a different kind of witch.  For example, the author describes Sunny being from Nigeria, as well as being an alibino, and being good a soccer. The story doesn’t really describe her as a usual witch, but as this person who has witch abilities. This is used for the other characters in the story. This, to me, feels like the author is placing in homages to what a witch would usually look like, with their green skin. I may be exaggerating here, but, to me, it feels like a bit of an homage. Characters in the story are Orlu, Chichi, Sasha, as well as the scholars and the antagonists. Each character has their own personality that they resemble. Whether it be the authority figure, a friendly protagonist, or the an antagonist, the story helps in making a story that suits the usual story of witches and witchcraft.

I feel that they aren’t exactly archetypes of what witches are, but rather as individuals with certain abilities. This plays more like a coming of age tale than being solely about a witch. It has more of a feeling of someone wandering how to come to terms with one self, especially when one has special, latent abilities. This is also being sought out as another version of Harry Potter. Having both of them be about people with special abilities, attending a place that will help them in figuring out more about their abilities. 

When it comes to looking at how they show positive, and powerful female characters, they pretty much help the story itself. For example, Sunny and Orlu are two characters who interact ad help each other out.

I feel that having multiple different female characters with their different aspects, whether it be where they are from or their physical appearances that differ from each other can help reach different audiences and personality. This also helps in making the story refreshing and translatable to audiences.

For Sunny, it’s her sun related abilities that helps her be this ray of positivity to those who read. Also, her albino, related to her disappearing abilities shows that even if someone is this positive person, they can still have moments of negativity, as long as it doesn’t overpower their positivity. That is an incredible power that can help a story reach the right kind of audience. In this case, it can be female readers who look at the characters and see something special in it. 

"Suspiria" (1977)

Directed by Dario Argento, 1977’s Suspiria centers around a young woman who attends a ballet school in Germany. She is soon involved in a murder mystery of students at the school, that is then thought to be work of witches and witchcraft. What is interesting about the witch aspects in the film is that it isn’t mentioned, or thought of, until the third act. Other films that center around that aspect is usually a huge aspect of the story, sometimes used earlier in the story. Here. It’s used more of an afterthought that isn’t put into the character’s minds until close to the end after all of the murders happen.

Argento creates this visually interesting story with a slab of unconventionalism. Everything from the setting, which is the ballet school, to the staff there, which is the ballet teacher, the director creates this weird and cold setting that enhances the mood of the film. The later revelation that witchcraft could be a factor in the happenings in the story. The which craft isn’t exactly the usual type that most people would think of, but it’s more of a spiritual aspect where you aren’t sure if it’s actually happening. All of this helps solidify the weirdness that Argento’s Suspiria creates in his film of witches and ballet slippers. 

"Borne" Writing Assignment

In Borne, the story contains several instances and aspects that would be deemed “wired”. Everything from the characters, such as Mord, who is a giant flying bear, to Borne, a metaphorically personified character, the story goes out of it’s way of being able to plunge the reader, full force, into the atmosphere of the story. In my opinion, the word, “weird”, especially when telling a story, can be used in different ways, from it’s approach to its excecution. Mainly, I see it as being able to make people believe in the story they are experiencing. Whether it be the characters, or the setting, a “weird” story can help in the believability of the story being told.

In the story, the city is threatened by this apocalyptic event that has left the are in ruins and in constant, looming danger for its citizens.  It has been shown that abandoned stores located in the ruined city. Characters, Wick and Rachel, live along cliffs, because of how badly the city had become after the disaster. This still go about their lives like nothing had happened. This goes with the weirdness that the story expresses. The fact they they would continue to live in their homes that are so close to danger helps in the unusual found in the story.  Another example would be how characters are exaggerated metaphors. Instead of all characters being actual, physical individuals, some are can be seen as nonexistent to everyone. or For example, the character of Mord, the flying bear is used a symbol for the unpredictability of the current state of the world in the story. This is a perfect example of how unexpected and different this story can be.

The down side of a "wired" story like this can be that the viewer/reader may get plunged too hard into the story that the viewer gets confused and starts to feel disoriented by it. Because of all of the things being thrown into it, the viewer doesn’t get enough time to take in all of the atmosphere and other aspects being showcased. You have to correctly establish this world from the outside before plunging the weird depths underneath.

I may be exaggerating here, but it can feel a bit disorienting to someone who is experiencing this weird, wide world for the first time and may not get used to it immediately.

Overall, Borne is a story that knows what it is; an apocalyptic story filled with multiple, unusual characters in an unusual setting. What is cool about the story is seeing how much “weirdness” that the author places in here. It shows what certain content can be written and placed into a story that makes sense, all for the type of story being told.

"Sinister" (2012)

Directed by Scott Derrickson, Sinister is a 2012 horror film that revolves around a crime writer who finds these mysterious film tapes that show disturbing murders that date back decades ago.

The weirdness and unusualness come from the tapes themselves, which were found in a box in an empty attic. He wonders why the content in the tapes are all related. 

Each tape show a different family being executed in various ways, from hanging, to being lit on fire in a car in their garage. Each tape has one thing in common, the mysterious creature known as the Baghuul. The Baghuul is depicted as this sharply dressed, mouthless spirit that haunts and hypnotizes children into committing horrendous acts of cruelty. He doesn’t say anything, and is treated as this unsettling entity that is the driving force for the murders shown in the tapes. This is another aspect to the story that gives it it’s weirdness and and unknowingness. Who is he? Why is he recruiting children to commit horrid acts? What is his end goal? This is ultimately unresolved, which adds even more vagueness and mystery to the Baghuul.

When it comes to horror, I believe that what is unexpected can be just as scary, sometimes even more. The unknown can be so curious to us, and can be so unnerving. In most horror films, wither it be a supernatural horror, a murder mystery, or a generic slasher film, not knowing anything about the killer and not knowing the reasoning and motives can cause the story to be unnerving to the viewer. That, I feel can cause a successful, intended reaction that makes the story that more intriguing.

"Kwaidan" Reading Assignment

For this week's reading assignment, I chose to write about Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.

There, I was able to examine different supernatural stories involving several different individuals, some from legend, and some not. This was very much more of an anthology based story them a straight horror story. This gives the book these different approaches to horror storytelling in an interesting manner. What I liked most about these stories was where it goes from showcasing stories of legend, tortoise of themes tat we are familiar, from sacrifice, to broken promises, such as in Yuki-Onna.

I found them all different and each of them had a certain quality that made them stand out, whether it’s Hoichi, which was about a man who gets involved with a spirit, to O-Tei, a story about about resurrection and promising to a loved one, to Jikininki, about human flesh and a priest who used to be a creature. Each story had their own kind of supernatural storytelling. 

I can see this being different from western horror and gothic storytelling. This is mainly due because of the place where it originates, which is Japan in the book. Horror can have so many different meanings, depending on the origin. Western gothic, and horror is mainly from grotesque, dread, and and darkly moody atmosphere and characters. In a Japanese based horror, it placed more to the culture, since culture is incredible important to Japanese. This gives horror tone of new perspectives, and can help the genre of storytelling evolve.

The book also shows assumptions of what good and evil is, and how it is presented. It can even reflect here on cultural  orientation. In Kwaidan, some stories depict different myths and legend, such as a samurai and heaven, and shows how it with relates to the culture, religious backgrounds, and/ or philosophy. This, again is very different from many western horror stories, whether it's in literature form on on the big screen. We always associate western horror and gothic with atmosphere, where in Japan, it's more in civilizations, and showcases several figures of legends and myths. These assumptions and aspects in the stories may not be exactly like many other gothic stories that we know, but they both have these unsettling stories with realist undertones. May not be as scary, but the tragic aspect in the stories, such as the spirits in the O-Tei story, have at least some similarities to gothic fiction storytelling. 

Overall, Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things tells several different anthology supernatural stories that all aligns with culture, which is different from how we are camera with horror and gothic literature and storytelling. they both have the effectiveness of delivery griping narrative that deal with the supernatural and horror, but in two different methods, whole both being successful at what they aim to do.

"Audition" (1999)

“Audition” is a Japanese horror film by director, Takahi Miike. It's one of the films I chose to watch from the list of suggested films of the blogspot.

The film is about a man, who had recently lost his wife and is influenced, by his son, to seek out a new wife by holding auditions for a new wife, under the guise of it being a for a film.

The film explores mainly the subject of objectification, most towards women that go through the titular audition, as well as the consequences. This a very controversial subject matter, especially with current events happening. The main character, Shigeharu Aoyama, doesn’t actually show signs of knowing that he is objectifying these women through the auditions, as he mainly sees this as being able to get a new wife.

The film has two ways of being viewed: The first part being that the first half of the film can be seen as a man wanting to find wife again after the loss of his first, and the later half being a torture based horror film. 

The torture and horror part for the film comes from one of the women who goes through the audition process, gets accepted, and then finds out the reason for the audition. She then paralyzes him, and then subjects him to physical abuse and harm for what he had done. This is an incredibly gruesome story, yet interesting, from a storytelling process. The subject of objectification is turned upside down when she touchers him for objectifying all the women in the audition, as punishment for not only Aoyama, but also objectification that is happening in today’s sex and body obsessed culture

Overall, “Audition” is a gruesome, and psychological thriller about the horrors and consequences of objectification. This creates a story that can be seen as a dark reminder of the dangers of treating individuals as anything but. 

"Interview with the Vampire Writing Assignment"

One of the first relationships shown in Interview with the Vampire is set up early. It begins with Louis (the interviewer) and Lestat de Lioncourt, the vampire to whom Louis is interviewing. The story sets up both how they interact with one another throughout the interview, but also how Vampires are portrayed in the story, such as not being harmed by light. 

Lestat is the one who “creates” Louis, turning him into a vampire (and later, Claudia). He acts more than thinking, since he is a vampire, choosing to bite first before everything else. It later talks about Lestat’s insecurities, and how he uses his powers to keep Louis close to him, resulting in Lestat coming off as this character who knows he’s flawed and will do whatever it takes for that insecurities to not show externally. This an extent of the gothic nature of a story like this. The gothic elements of vampire and the dreary sense towards oneself. It’s the darkness of vampires combined with the reality of one’s persona and how one feels about him or herself. 

Another relationship, which is the most complicated, involves Claudia. Because Claudia was “made” by both Lestat and Louis, after being bitten, this becomes a bit complicated and creates some tension. She has forgotten her human self, and leaves this trail of self loathing and sadness since she feels she won’t have this fulfilling life as a vampire. I feel that this not only creates this interesting look at how a vampire based relationship would be, but also enhances its Gothic undertones and mood. She hastes what she has become from the last 70 years, and can’t do anything about it. Even though she has this relationship with Louis, she feels this hatred and love for him for turning her into a vampire.

Another character that gets involved in the relations is Armand, the oldest of the vampires and leader of the coven of vampires. He sees Louis as this way of helping him connect to the times, especially the 19th century, since he’s been around for so long, and a bit out of touch. It’s his affinity for Louis and his natural evil that causes Armand to kill Claudia. It’s his natural evil combined with his love for another that creates this unnatural, and often unnerving, relationship, which creates an interesting situation. This is what the story is ultimately about; these unsettling relationships between horrific individuals, choosing between their natural urges and living a new life, while trying to come to terms with their new found affinities.

Overall, the relationships shown in Interview with a Vampire can be viewed as ones that embodied love and self doubt, where some characters love one another, yet have trouble coming to terms with themselves. This also goes great with the gothic themes around other gothic readings, such as Frankenstein, and the dark, and gloomy atmosphere, and placing in these realistic and resonating times that most readers would find relatable.

"Frankenstein Writing Assignment"

For this assignment, I decided to talk about a small aspect in the story that I believe shows an aspect of gothic literature, which is dark and gloomy, mixed with with a relatable topic. I am writing about how Victor is disgusted after he sees his creature, and how his image doesn’t reflect his personality. One of the most important aspects to Gothic literature is the gloomy and decaying atmosphere that the author portrayed.

In Frankenstein, this is most often shown where Victor first creates his monster and, after looking at his new creation for the first time, he sees nothing but horror and disgust. I feel that this is a prominent example that Shelly creates and exaggerates, but also feels like it’s resonating. Shelly also implies this irony into the story, since the the monster feels like this sweet and tender being with an horrific and nightmare inducing exterior. Victor finishes his creation and it’s visage creates this horrific image that haunts its creator. This a great part of the gothic horror, and the a kind of story. Not only is this dark, but can also be a dark reflection of how image is everything to people and how if our image is not impressive to others, we might think we are less than desirable.The monster’s growing alertness to his surroundings and growing knowledge of people’s emotions, and empathy towards himself. Even the people in the village that the monster visits see him as the opposite of his creator, as this peaceful being with a grotesque appearence, This is a reflection on how the monster’s solitude, which is contrasted with the monster’s knowledge and surprising eloquence. The monster’s serration of the others relates to his social problems. The monster’s growing intelligence reflects the sad, and darkness he has been through.

Overall, this is very effective in showing what gothic literature can do; presenting these stories of horrific creatures and layer them with these themes and ideals that feel more realistic to the reader. This, in a way, makes this even more frightening because of how real it can be viewed as today. 

"The Lost Boys"

Directed by Joel Schumacher, The Lost Boys is a unique horror film from the 1980's about vampires. The film is about two brothers who encounter a band of bikers after they move to Santa Carla in California. There, they find out that the bikers they met are actually vampires and are gathering teens into their cult and turning them into vampires. The film is about the brothers trying to kill them, and destroy the head vampire.

In the film, Vampires are portrayed as these cult leaders who are taking innocent children and teens to be part of their cult. The fact that the head vampire must be destroyed in order to destroy every other vampire chances the cult aspect that Schumacher creates. As opposed to the usual portrayal of vampires like Nosferatu, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, these vampires are seen as being able to pass for teenagers. They go out at night to stalk and gain new members to turn into vampires. They wore these punk rocker, almost gothic clothing, to differentiate themselves from other people there. Like bats, the film also shows these vampires sleeping by being hung upside-down from the ceiling. They also cannot go into the sunlight. The film shows the usual aspects of vampires that we are familiar with, but modernizes them in way that seems natural an different, especially for creating a new kind of vampire of a new generation. The film embraces the stereotypes and aspects that Vampires and Dracula are known for, and establishes it’s own rules.

Overall, the film creates an intriguing story about modern vampires and creates it’s own spin on the classic interpretation of vampires a new audience.

Gothic Literature and Frankenstein

Gothic literature means implementing dark, gloomy, and unpleasant scenarios, and situations given to characters in the story. It also places darkly romantic, mystery and dread to the story.

I believe that gothic literature is supposed to entice readers with stories of horror, mystery, and dread. It allows people to react and reflect on situations presented. Gothic storytelling can be very interesting, and can help the horror genre to be viewed more than just being these “scary stories” about posters. It injects them with life and powerful and intellectual storytelling.

"Horror and Atmosphere"

When I think about the horror genre, which is manly from film, television, and other types of media, it's the atmosphere that is prevalent in most instances. If the audience, or reader, isn't invested in the type of scene that is being created, it may not have the impact that the creator is trying to invoke.

- Christopher Peña