It's a common subject for films to cover their respective countries' events, especially if they take place on a global scale. Films like Schindler's List and Life is Beautiful are made in different countries, yet portray the topic of being in a concentration camp in WW2 differently. It would be interesting to analyze how films portray different parts of the world in other countries. It could help a viewer gain perspective on how filmmakers choose to depict these events.
This is a good idea. it would also be intriguing to build on this notion to try understand how certain catastrophes have affected a countries film industry. for example post 9/11 Hollywood has incorporated the falling sky scraper trope into many of its disaster films.
– Iliasbakalla7 years ago
An interesting choice of subject matter and one that has a great potential for exploring alternate points of view - essential in these days of Hollywood biased 'Americanised' view of world events (no offence intended towards the American people). Regarding WW2, I would recommend viewing such films as 'Eien No O' (The Eternal Zero) [2013], an excellent Japanese film about the treatment of pilots in the Japanese Air Force towards the end of WW2; also the critically acclaimed 'Das Boot' [1981] (The Boat), a superb and harrowing film about the crew of a German U-Boat' to name just a couple. I would suggest including accounts from the ordinary men and women involved in such conflicts and wars; those who had to carry out the sometimes ludicrous orders of their so called 'superiors. It would also be interesting to include how propaganda was employed by all sides and the effect that had on its intended audience. – Amyus7 years ago
The progressive female representation of Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn has been praised by reviewers and gamers alike. However, the gender politics of Horizon Zero Dawn begs to be further examined. Is there a dichotomy created between the feminine and masculine through characters such as Aloy, Elizabet, and GAIA in contrast to Ted Faro, Sylens, and HADES? Additionally, how is this dichotomy complicated by these same characters or others that Aloy encounters?
Interesting dichotomy thoughts. If you look at this dichotomy, you can see that the point of the masculine characters is to undermine or undo the work of the female characters which, if you think about it, has been happening since before the birth of Zero Dawn. I'm also curious to look at the secondary adn tertiary characters that come up throughout the game who provide quests and fight with her at the end of the game. I would say that at the end of the game that the cycle is broken, but Sylens ruins that as well. I'm curious to see more. If anything, it gives me a reason to play Zero Dawn again! – VideoGameProf6 years ago
With the success of Rogue One and the several other stand alone films that Disney has planned to release with the famous brand, explain how this decision changes the way that we look at Star Wars' film legacy. Does it change? If so how? What does this mean for die hard fans of the series?
I think an important element of this discussion would be defining what makes a Star Wars film as opposed to other space stories. – C8lin8 years ago
It's also important to note that Star Wars has so much lore. Be that through the novels, comics etc. the franchise itself already has a huge knowledge base and anthology-like feel. This knowledge just isn't something the general public makes themselves aware of – Nicole Sojkowski8 years ago
i feel about start wars about the future i was promised as a boy, that Googie i belive its called futurism that has become this shit now. I would have liked to have seen where George was going to, he as a lover of Rome, as was his mentor Francis, I would have liked to have seen what the fall of that empire meant to his arc, now cut off and supplanted by a company that gave us Goofy for seventy years, satisfied and pasteurized by a bunch if overly bright paint users who have no interests or adherence to Roman anything. they wouldnt be caught dead comparing Darth Vader to Satan in the Inferno, as I would have liked to know where this story was relay meant to go, as am certian he had as we all do, Virgillian foreshadowing and laying ground works and I feel badly that whatever thsi was supposed to be,whatever futility had to be laid out and was whatever the reverse if an an ehco is,w as left with this tv land horse manure, as we fight the same wars over and over and over... – Antonius8657 years ago
Fifty Shades of Grey originated as a fanfiction online of the Twilight series in an alternate universe. It's escalated into its own franchise. Other online writers have the same hopes for their fanfictions. But is this kind of writing appropriate and is it right that authors get to literally take other characters and rename them to make it into an entire new series, sometimes not as well-written?
Who is a "real writer?" In this day and age, isn't it anyone who writes and publishes something, whether traditionally, through self-publishing, or online? – Stephanie M.8 years ago
You can tie this into how English majors or people who go to college for this craft are for or against it as well. I am a fellow English Major and I think all writing is good writing, across all mediums. But, I am sure people out there things the opposite of that. Such as people who write Fanfiction don't and have no gone to school for the craft and etc., not sure if that would work but something to think about on the con side of things. – S C8 years ago
George RR Martin touched on this topic too, on his LiveJournal (he links to Diana Gabaldon's thoughts on the matter as well: http://grrm.livejournal.com/151914.html) There are many sides to this issue -- most professional writers (like GRRM) seem to be less supportive of fanfiction as a concept, whereas others are more sympathetic (like Cassandra Clare). I suppose one's relationship to fanfiction boils down to one's intent: is it better to spend your precious writing hours on someone's pre-established work, or breaking something original? – bloom8 years ago
I would say that fan fiction is just as much real writing as anything. Why? Because there are several ways for one to write, to be inspired, and to create a world. Sometimes it takes one's own version of the story to birth and even greater tale, however until we try, nothing is for certain. Articles: https://www.bustle.com/articles/71438-13-things-fan-fiction-writers-are-very-tired-of-explaining https://psmag.com/fan-fiction-the-next-great-literature-15c99a34d49c#.bq4yb2jb9 – Autumn Edwards8 years ago
I definitely agree with Autumn Edwards on this topic. I would say fan fic is for real writers because in its most basic form, it is a story. Who says that one can't take some aspects from a different story and create something new, or even add on to a story? Writing is writing (as long as it is not infringing on copyright/publishing/plagiarism issues) but fan fic is for real writers and I think that if it IS good enough that it could have some literary merit. – AlbusBloodworthe8 years ago
I agree with Stephanie's comment: it's about quality, not genre. Regarding bloom's comment, professional writers have a conflict of interest, so their weigh-in begs a grain of salt. I would disagree with S C that all writing is good, but, again, wholeheartedly agree that form/genre does not determine quality. – Tigey8 years ago
The issue isn't whether fanfiction is 'real' or not; the issue is that it's wrong to profit off of someone else's work. That's worse than bad writing; that's plagiarism, that's theft. – Sarai8 years ago
As a former fanfic lover, I say that writing is writing. Yes, most fanfics are empty writing fueled by obsessions and fantasies, but fanfiction has the same potential to be good writing. It just depends on who's writing it and with what purpose because think about it, a good story started out as an idea from the writer's imagination... Fanfiction starts out the same way but with already existing background information. A perfect example is the One Direction fanfiction "After" that started out as a wattpad favorite, and is now published and successful. – ValentinaRueda8 years ago
Funnily enough, I actually wrote a blog post discussing this very topic with Fantasy author M.E.Vaughan. While the blog post provides a more in-depth discussion, the long and short of it is that every writer is different. Some see fan-fiction as a helpful tool, whilst others see it as a distraction or, worse, an insult to an original creators work. Whomever decides to write this must keep on mind that, really, there is no such thing as a "Real Writer." There is only the expectation of what I writer should be doing which, when you look at it, is a very subjective and heavily debated topic.
Here's a link to the post, if you're interested in the more in-depth view: https://whywordswork.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/fan-fiction-creative-practice-or-creative-procrastination-featuring-m-e-vaughan/ – ERHollands7 years ago
I think fan fiction has its purpose. A lot of a lot of literary assignments spanning elementary to college is fan fiction. In one of my last college projects I changed the ending of AI. Got a B. Also isn't a lot of science fiction tie-ins work inspired by its source material? – lisa827 years ago
Fantasy has remained a strong cultural presence from the days of Tolkein to now with Game of Thrones. Changes in the fantasy genre are unsurprising given an increased technological influence and shifts in societal attitudes. That begs the question: what is next for fantasy? Examples of current fantasy authors: Sarah J Maas (ACOWAR etc), V.E Schwab (Shades of Magic series) and others are definitely welcome (and even encouraged)!
One could possibly take a look on even indie fantasy films like say The Lost River and other such offbeat titles apart from the famous approved ones. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
Traditionaly the Fantasy genre has been seen, and looked down on, as a primarily adolescent kid brother/sister of its more serious speculative counterparts, SciFi and Horror. Its audience was largely adolescent and its protagonists were cheifly adolescent - at least initially for most early fantasy tales were of the Bildungsroman or "coming of age" sub-genre. More adult works of fantasy didn't start appearing (mostly) till the later part of the 20th century and I think the future of fantasy has to be seen in this more adult light. Fantasy needs to "come of age" and tackle the more serious aspects and subjects of wider speculative fiction in the way that Science Fiction and Horror already do. – Harbinger4517 years ago
Poets and prose writers often receive different "instructions" on how to write well, and are encouraged to read widely in their own genre, but I would suggest that prose writers can vastly improve their craft by turning to poetry. Poets focus on imagery and concision – two tools that make immensely better prose writing too. Of course, these tools aren't used in the same way, but reading and even writing poetry can strengthen a prose writer's ability. Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar is a perfect example of this. Plath is best known as a poet, but her novel is unparalleled. While reading it, I was struck by the poetic use of language and economy of words (why use twenty when you could use five?). What other ways can prose writers improve from reading/writing poetry?
Good idea, especially about concision. I've written prose for years and still struggle with that. Poetry sometimes helps. – Stephanie M.8 years ago
Fusing prose and poetry together definitely has some merits and would make for a solid article. Determining/clarifying what type of prose writers would be helpful, as there are creative writers, fan fiction, bloggers, etc, that would likely claim their already employed vivid language that derives from poetry. Good topic though! – mazzamura8 years ago
Poetry often has a closer focus on form that can be useful for prose writers. Different poetic forms have particular histories, and are adapted or kept to for particular purposes, much more so (I find) than in most Western prose. That's something that prose writers can learn -- an appreciation or awareness of form. – belindahuang188 years ago
There's a Judith Ortiz Cofer essay called "But Tell It Slant: From Poetry to Prose and Back Again" which refers to this idea. She discusses how one can create a better or more economical prose piece if it is "summarized" in poetry first, and the poem is then used as a framework for the prose. – ThomasB7 years ago
I noticed while I was watching North and South that there are very similar themes to Pride and Prejudice. A man who seems mean and aloof, a stuck up girl who has refused him twice and got a proposal earlier on…Falling in love in the second proposal. It would be interesting to explore all the similarities
You can definitely draw parallels, but they are distinctly different in thematic issues, characterization, social issues, etc. Also, you stated "while I was watching," therefore, you could simply deal with the adaptations--I believe there has only been one of N&S, but MANY of Pride and Prejudice--centering on one of the Pride and Prejudice versions. I am a huge Austen and Gaskell fan, but I am uncertain how much I agree with the validity of parallels that can be drawn. But, as I always say, I do enjoy when I am uncertain about a connection in literature and then am proved wrong, allowing me to grow as a reader! – danielle5778 years ago
There remains much to be explored about connections with Elizabeth Gaskell, Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. Not only did Gaskell write a biography of Charlotte Brontë, there are fruitful overlapping themes begging to be explored, reworked, etc. – JudyPeters7 years ago
For a comic that's ostensibly about lesbian bondage sex, Sunstone manages to say a lot about relationships. It looks into all kinds of relationships, be it romantic, sexual, familial or friendship and does a great job of showing how each is important in its own right.
Of special interest might be its exploration of the transitions from one kind of relationship to another as seen in friends becoming lovers and returning to being friends and finding that to be an incredibly special bond and also the struggle that the lead characters face in moving from a "friends-with-benefits" relationship to actual romance.
Add some of a focus to this - it should pass the "So What?" test for both a writer and its future readers. – mazzamura7 years ago
I haven't read this at all, but whoever picks up the topic should be sure to stress in the early parts of the article (or even the title) that it's commentary on various kinds of relationships applies to men too. I mean, obviously, but just as a note so the demographic of the article isn't instantly lessened by people feeling like they can't relate. – Slaidey7 years ago
Pirates of the Carribean 2 and 3 were shot back-to-back and released soon one after the other. This is something which James Cameron is also attempting with his Avatar sequels. On the other hand, there was a gap of 59 years between the two installments of Disney's Fantasia. Analyse the various effect the timing between episodes has on aspects like the box office prospects of the films taking into consideration factors like brand recall and set production costs.
I think the effect speaks to the creative principle behind the theme. In Pirates, you have the right actor, the necessary chemistry, and a setting that lends itself to dynamic rehashing of plot. Some which of pertain to other cinematic marvels, Tron, for instance; the same which could be said. But, why drown the audience in Tron revivals when the original accomplished what films are expected to accomplish: take the imagination to new and unrealistic frontiers, time and again, without the need for props and people. When the Tron sequel eventually emerged, it was nearly messianic in its prophetic second coming, to the delight of its loyal cult following. This is going to be a worthwhile literary examination, part of which I have only scratched the surface of--looking forward to it. – lofreire7 years ago
I say if you're going to do installments, space them out reasonably. A gap of 59 years is too long, because by then the original product has already aged too much. People are more inclined to hate the new installment on sight because it's not the old one. Or, they go the other way and give the new installment so much praise, the old one is forgotten. In a series like Pirates, you have to watch spacing of releases so people can keep up. The more episodic your series, the harder it may be for "newcomers" to catch up and keep up. Well-spaced releases, say 2-4 years apart, keep the series audience-friendly. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
With the current trend of shopping at the local Vinnies or Salvos and old fashion items becoming hot new styles so too has the vintage mediums been resurrected. A largely growing population of "old souls" now turn away from the digital medium in the forms of music and photography and writing and choose to use the older mediums. Vinyl record sales are on the rise, film photography (particularly polaroid) has increased and budding writers punch away on their mechanical typewriters. Why does the heavy "chick, chick, chick" of a typewriter make us more likely to be the next Hemingway? How many of us truly can hear the difference between the "warmer" sound of vinyl and the digital versions? And which hobbiest photographer can see the infinitely better contrast on the film negative compared to the ones on their iPhone 7?
There are a number of TV shows and film franchises that have an almost cult-like following (e.g. Star Wars, Supernatural, MCU, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Doctor Who, BBC Sherlock). What's the appeal? How or where do these "fandoms" start? Why do they exist? What do these "fandom franchises" have in common? And does it say something about our society that these are the shows that have gained fandom followings?
I think the social factors your questions allude are very good points of interest in this article. However, I think it'd be just as interesting to explore the impact of companies on fandoms too, because without the desire to make profit a lot of them cease to exist. Perhaps this suggests what should/shouldn't be promoted in society. Going down the rabbit hole of failed tv/book series because of small audience would be cool to learn about. But perhaps looking at "fandoms" generally is too much research for the author. It might be easier to look at the change of Fandoms in the past fifty years by comparing older ones with news ones, while addressing those same questions you've mentioned. Doctor Who or Star Trek against something like Harry Potter would be interesting, particularly as they began before the internet and encompass different generations. – olives2brand7 years ago
I definitely thing the popularity of certain fandoms indicates something about society. Mostly that escapism is stronger that ever. Whether or not this is a good thing is highly interesting! – reneekohler7 years ago
People seem to enjoy that feeling of belonging to a like-minded group, and fandoms operate to satisfy that sort of urge. Who does not like to engage with like-minded people? Is it escapism? Or a need to belong? – JudyPeters7 years ago
Assess the continuing relevancy of revolutionary filmmaker George Méliès, taking note to mention not only his pioneering use of special effects, but also the practicality and methodology of his cinematic practice. While technologies and cinematic styles will always be changing, it is always important to look back and remember why we choose to make films, and what makes them so amazing and enjoyable to behold.
Good topic. I think Martin Scorsese's Hugo helped the recent revival of interest in this pioneering movie-maker. – Ben Hufbauer7 years ago
The story or Méliès shows how magicians responded to the emergence of film which eroded their income stream as people visited the theatres less. – Peter Prevos7 years ago
He has directed some of the most popular movies known to the American public/around the world in the last decade; so what is it about his directing style that keeps raking in audiences by the millions?
Nolan's pretty strong on auteur theory, good choice! – m-cubed7 years ago
I think a key feature of his films is that he tends to focus on the psychology of the human mind; what are its extents and limitations, why and how it thinks certain ways. And to audiences, I think that many find it unique and refreshing that he is creating major Hollywood films that deal with something so cerebral ( which is not as common amongst the majority of big budget Hollywood pictures)
That could be an angle to take – Yanni7 years ago
JulieCMiliay, Hello again. As you pointed out, Christopher Nolan is without a doubt one of the most financially successful directors working today, and in my opinion, he deserves the praise. While this is a bit of a cheap way to make suggestions, I think it's best to simply write some pros and cons about him in order to be fair in critiquing his work while also appreciating it. First the negative: 1. He isn't all that original. While many say that his movies are different and break off from most movies, the bulk of his work isn't actually original material. He's made 10 movies thus far (I'm counting Dunkirk though it hasn't been released), and only 4 of them are original (Following, Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk). The others are as follows: Memento is an adaptation of his brother's short story Memento Mori; Insomnia is a remake of an Icelandic movie of the same name; The Dark Knight trilogy is, obviously, an adaptation of the Batman comics; and The Prestige is an adaptation of a novel of the same name by Christopher Priest. While he is definitely an exciting director, his material usually comes from someone else.
2. Sometimes he isn't much of a craftsman, especially when it comes to editing. I'd recommend watching some videos on Nolan's editing and see for yourself how it can get a bit confusing to tell what's going on, especially during action scenes. And that's about all I can think of, really. Now the positive: 1. He's a classy director. His movies don't rely on swearing, graphic depictions of sex or violence, or controversial subjects in order to get an audience.
2. He's a spectacular director. His movies are often grand in scope and, more importantly, they rarely involve CGI. The majority of the effects in his movies are practical and as such make the scenery all the more vivid.
3. His movies are, as Yanni said, interested in making the audience think. More often than not (at least in my case), I find myself thinking about his movies long after I've seen them because of the ideas presented and because of how they were presented. I hope these observations help. Thanks for your time,
August – August Merz7 years ago
It would be good to see 'Dunkirk' also included in this analysis. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
They once asked Plautus how he so perfectly knew the culture and as an immigrant to Rome from southern Italay, read Jewish and Italian, how he has so many hits to a roman audience. Make Sure that the theatergoer is the same person at the epilogue as he is at the ovation, especially when writing for the upper crust, and He said 'Know thy audience'. a Latin line reechoed in Groucho at that machers funeral, give the people what they want. – Antonius8657 years ago
Ever since games have gone 3D, there has been an increasing amount of open-world video games. Nowadays, it seems to be a trend of making a game open-world just for the sake of it. Does having a sandbox feel generally improve a gaming experience, or can more restrictive level design benefit a game in certain areas?
I would compare open world games and non-open world games to understand the pros and cons to both game types. – BMartin437 years ago
It stands to reason that changing something as fundamental as dimensions would have a massive impact on the kind of games being made, and the popularity of open-world games (MMOs particularly) makes them a popular major project. Gaming is a big and competitive industry and AAA games have to follow the money. That said, there are ways to tighten up level design in a sandbox (linearity would be the main one). Whatever angle the article takes, I'd suggest acknowledging off the bat that both open-world and closed-world have their pros and cons, and there are dedicated audiences for both. – Cat7 years ago
I don't think there's an easy or objective answer to the question you've asked. The gaming experience is subjective and will depend on various factors, including what a player is looking for in their game and their personality. Having a more linear game style, I feel, is a good way to direct players through a story in a more direct way. Open world gaming has given players, or at least, coincided with the trend of, giving players more power to make and guide their own stories. One feels more like a book to read, while the other feels like you've been given a notebook, a pen, and backstory to craft your novel. Obviously, this analogy is a bit of an oversimplification. Possible benefits of linear might be: for developers with limited or low financial resources, having a linear design means they are able to dedicate their time to the finer details of a game (e.g. if they spend all their time working on an open world, the overall design quality might be reduced, the story might be lacking, etc.) but this is obviously less relevant for developers who have the resources and time to effectively design all components of a game including an open world. – Kacey Martin7 years ago
Look at the remakes of today and compare them with the originals and see if the changes that have been made for a contemporary audience improve the property or not.
The remake adds a greater dimension of perception (or misperception) that is not entirely there in the original, perhaps due to the state of the art or the creative force behind it. The issue then becomes the over-reliance on technology (or the performer) to carry the story, leaving thin the inspiration and vitality of imagination, I believe. If you write this article and I rewrite it a year later, what (and who) determines which is better, or worse? I am eager to find out. – lofreire7 years ago
My first thought on reading the heading and pitch was the broad strokes approach to condemning/questioning the legitimacy of remakes. Same as with any work which derives from another, superiority is subjective. I'd also stress the importance of audience - in the case of series like Star Trek, the audience is extremely important because the bulk of the original audience is still around and there are huge expectations. In the case of public domain, so Frankenstein or Dracula for instance, anybody can make a TV show or a movie or a derivative novel without buying rights, and the market is already saturated with retellings of high and low quality so expectation is not as much an issue. Finally, pop culture and social awareness change and morph over time, so content which was totally acceptable in the fifties or sixties would have to change to become palatable to a modern audience, and that isn't a bad thing - it's just a necessary alteration, like tying up a loose end or addressing a minor inconsistency. – Cat7 years ago
Also,examine the need for these remakes. Doesn't the minor alteration of the story render these remakes as a form of fanfiction themselves? – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
Audience fascination with medicine has resulted in a large number of riveting TV series pertaining to the topic being made. Analyse the various aspects and ethical dilemmas of medicine portrayed on various medical shows.(even the lesser known ones)
It should be. But, you should display acuity in choosing products that are not hoax ( giving you only complications.) – droy8 years ago
This one would take research. So many medical dramas that are designed to come across as authentic still take advantage of common misconceptions in order to cut storytelling corners, and since the bulk of what laypeople know about what to do in a crisis comes from what they've seen on TV, this can be really dangerous. On the other hand, medical dramas are a potential way to introduce little-known or misunderstood health issues to a broader audience, and it could be fascinating to explore the impact of this and the nature of the moral obligation this places on the show to be both informative, non-judgemental yet still present an engaging narrative. – Cat7 years ago
Creative Writing Bachelors have different styles in each university, there is no one universal way to teach and inspire it. So, how do we define what is teachable in Creative Writing? Consider the stable and interchangeable natures of prescribed texts, preferred genres and personal preference in lecturers and tutors.
I think all the university can do as far as teaching is light the way with as many materials as budget will allow, given the talent pool of instructors. Then, the student has to decide how deeply he wants to delve into the landscape or how intensely she wants to tap into the faculty and the campus resources. Nonetheless, it will be a writing piece on the main factors affecting the caliber of current programs out there. – lofreire7 years ago
You might also delve into discussions of M.A.s and MFAs (terminal degrees) in creative writing. Are there more or fewer teachable elements for those? And, what's the difference between a degree in creative writing vs. professional writing? I have degrees in the latter, and choose to call them such because of the stigma. As in, "Oh, you studied creative writing. Isn't that cute?" Does that stigma put pressure on professors and students to make creative writing more serious, analytical, and teachable? – Stephanie M.7 years ago
That is a great suggestion, lofreire. I also think the instructors' experience and depth in the creative writing industry affect the scope and length of the student's learning. – HollyDavidson7 years ago
That is a good point, Stephanie M. There is definitely a lot of material to cover about the higher degrees. I also agree that the degree comes with a certain stigma, but I wonder if that is to do with the degree itself, as it is such a popular degree that is without scientific or mathematical academia, or if it is mostly a societal stigma of 'the degree that you sit at home and do nothing with'? – HollyDavidson7 years ago
The evil twin is, at first glance, a predictable trope where pure villainy is set against the heroism of the central protagonist. Evil is subsequently only something that is external to our hero. But is this all there is? Does having an evil twin make the hero confront another side to himself? What does it mean for the viewer to see someone who looks exactly like the hero we know behave in a completely different manner? Does it make us reevaluate his behaviour, think about what circumstances could make him turn to the dark side? Or is this all negated by the disappearance or death of the evil twin and a swift return to the status quo?
This is a very valid exercise in self-judgment or sizing up of strangers. In a personal sense, evaluating the inherent goodness or bothersome evilness can be cathartic in times of peril or doubt. In dealing with others, it can be a make or break relationship that start productive or end disastrously. Seeing this dynamic in action through the twin phenomena can be insightful for the viewer, and probably transformative for the director as well. I think there is a good reason this narrative exists, it really serves a useful purpose in finding the root cause of positive or negative personalities or situations. Movies and television are littered with the story line, contact me to discuss. – lofreire7 years ago
Interesting topic and questions. I tend to think the evil twin trope is tired and clichéd--if it's played completely straight. However, I like it when heroes are forced to confront "shadow" versions of themselves. For example, I once wrote a character whose nemesis embodied what her worst traits would have been, had she not possessed the morality and inner strength to control her own weaknesses. I think confronting that is a lot more powerful than confronting an evil twin, because it's actually scarier. If a hero has an evil twin, then yes he or she can just say, "Oh, that's the evil me. I don't want it, I have to kill it, I killed it, so let's go back to how things were." But if a hero is confronted with another, unrelated person, the stakes are different. Example: an intellectually gifted but loner hero confronted with an equally intelligent person who uses his or her brain to hurt and alienate others. In that situation, the hero has to confront, "That *could* be me. I can relate to and sympathize with that, so how do I approach and cope with this person?" – Stephanie M.7 years ago
The basic emergence of this cliched trend harkens back to the very existence of matter and antimatter in this universe. Interesting topic. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
It can certainly be used as a lazy trope, undoubtedly; however, it also harks back to the doppelganger concept, which would be an interesting addition to exploring this theme. – JudyPeters7 years ago
In this technological age…new books are being streamed out alongside movies and TV shows. How can we persuade the new generation to read rather than just seeing the show? Especially supporting the struggling readers when the books could be more than 400 pages long…
Examples that could be included… Game of Thrones The Mortal Instruments Hunger Games Harry Potter
Since so much has been written in this area already, I'd stress the importance of finding a new angle on it, and a non-partisan one in particular. There are so many contributing factors when it comes to film adaptations, it might be an interesting idea to pick a narrower lens - for instance market over-saturation, or the difference between book adaptations of shows as opposed to tv show/movie adaptations of books. – Cat7 years ago
In my experiences I have always found the book to be more enjoyable. The reason for this being they have so much more freedom to write the story exactly as they envision it to play out. It can be as long or as short as they like. In the TV show, they are restricted with what content they are allowed to air. There are also time constraints resulting from trying to fit everything into a half hour time slot. Important storylines are often cut to make way for the sake of fitting the time limit. The TV show is still cool to see the book come to life, it will just never be able to match the book for quality. – JoshuaFtk7 years ago
You should also probably take into account visual achievements which were much better than the original writeups themselves. Case in point being Band of Brothers, Drive and Fight Club to name a few. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
The books serve a purpose which movies cannot. Obviously, for the upcoming generation, the impatient ones will go for a movie and the creative ones shall opt for a book. Regardless of the fact that there would have been no movies without the books.
The words let you imagine and make a world of your own. They get into your instincts and sometimes you live those characters. You learn a lot from them and you try to imitate their character rather than something worthless shown on silver screen. Movies mould the actual meaning and one tends to just develop a scenerio which is displayed rather than applying his/her own mind.
Words let you fly whereas movies restrict your thoughts. – vipulmanuja7 years ago
Daria was a TV show that ran for 5 seasons from 1997 – 2001. It explores the life of a teenage girl who is a sarcastic realist in a world where her family life and school life are decentralized from her values and morals.
Given the recent rise of political correctness, how important is it for a person to stand for their beliefs even when they are unpopular? An look into the life of the fictional character Daria – Who is she and what does she stand for?
I'm not familiar with Daria, although I've heard a lot about her (should investigate). Love the topic. :) In writing it, be sure to:
(A) Define "political correctness"
(B) Compare/contrast what beliefs are acceptable or unacceptable, and why. How has that evolved? (Example: in the 1950s and '60s, what we now call "liberal" beliefs were highly unpopular for many. But as liberalism and conservatism have evolved, so have our stances on them).
(C) Compare/contrast other characters with Daria. Even if their beliefs aren't obvious, what do they seem to be? How do the characters stand up for what they believe--or don't they? If not, why not? – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Looks so interesting. I'm not familiar with the show either but I find this topic potentially very stimulating and topical. – JulieCMillay7 years ago