Does DLC have the power to change the way that a game is perceived ? During my initial play-though of vanilla Dark Souls II, I felt severely underwhelmed by the base game and disappointed with the bosses. However, as the Dark Souls II DLC began to trickle out, my overall perception of the game became more positive due to the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed playing through the newer areas. Now that Dark Souls III is about to release its first DLC in about two weeks, is it possible that it can change the way that the base game is looked at or presented?
Yes, because in today;s society the DLC is something that is a must for all die hard gamers in a video games experience. Many people might not agree to this, but many games such as Call of Duty, Destiny, Minecraft, and GTA 5, would be boring to jump on to every day and play the same thing day in and day out, without the addition to any new content. – dff50888 years ago
Rock and Roll as a genre is extremely controversial. Given its appropriative history, this goes without saying. Often times, Rock and Roll is also viewed as the hyper-masculine genre of music. Looking at the soundtrack and music references in Richard Linklater's School of Rock, does this film reinforce the misogynistic reputation of Rock and Roll?
Nice suggestion however, you might want provide some specific examples of where this occurred in the film? – Jason0527149 years ago
If we look at works which are both critically and financially successful we often see writers adapting previous works a la comics, books and in some cases films to tv (Fargo) Do writers hinder their own original ideas because of how an existing property is already ripe with ideas that can be changed or looked at in a different way.
Could you give some more examples of adaptations and specify according to type of translation to medium?
For example: Sex and the City - TV to book to movie
MASH - movie to TV
La femme Nikita - movie to TV
Wouldn't it be to a writer's advantage to get more mileage out of their ideas? The only written work I know of is SAGA, a comic book series that was specifically written so it would not be conducive to a film adaptation. Other stories like Spiderman were instances where Stan Lee chose to wait for the technology to do justice to his comics. I think it would be good to look at writers of novels or comics or movies that did not want to transcend the original medium in order to answer the question you have put forward. I hope this helps in what you are intending to answer. – Munjeera9 years ago
In response to Munjeera. The principle writer that has not supported adaptations of their work is Alan Moore. He has noted time and time again that the adaptions of his work are not good because of his own personal feelings on adaptation and that his work is designed for comic book (or graphic novel if you must be that guy) and with comics blowing up in terms of popularity his creation 'Constantine' is now a tv show without his consent and has no interest in exploring the class themes that the character was designed to explore. When it comes to novels to film successes there are countless, o name a few: Jaws, Blade Runner, Snowpiercer, any Kubrick. But there is a significant number of authors that do not agree with their work adapted to another medium. My question was whether this stifles writers, if a writer is constantly building off an already made work then do they limit their own imaginative works? – JChic9 years ago
Thanks for clarifying. I looked up Alan Moore and the topic suggested could be narrowed down to just on Alan Moore himself, a fascinating topic for an article. I would suggest writing about him and his work on this platform so that people like myself, who do not know much about him, can learn about his views. I only knew about him from "V for Vendetta." His beliefs and philosophies are definitely relevant to your topic and there is enough material to write a good article. Also Bill Watterson, of Calvin and Hobbes fame, successfully resisted all efforts to make his comic strip a movie. His dad was a patent lawyer so I am sure he was conscious of how his art could be exploited right from the beginning, an advantage that other artists may not be as aware as an "evil" they may have to guard against to retain their artistic purity. Watterson's rare interviews always touched on this topic. He is another example of an artist who eschewed financial gain for artistic integrity. If I am understanding you correctly, then perhaps the concept you are referring to could be how creative control, or lack thereof, affects the writer? When writers develop their concepts and these concepts are exploited, how does affect an artist? It would be interesting to learn about artists who do not sell out, create and protect their material in the original form. Let me know if I have understood you, at last. – Munjeera9 years ago
It also seems noteworthy that if a adaptation does not do well as a film, or in Tv, then then producers always look to the other one as the saviour. This seems to convolute the markets as now the original work has been adapted twice, therefore taken twice the amount of space for original Tv and film. – thomassutton948 years ago
I think this idea is interesting because it's different from the typical "book vs. movie" argument. I would opt to focus on TV adaptions for sure. The first two series that come to mind are naturally "The Walking Dead" and "Game of Thrones," both of which tend to have vastly different opinions between the book/comic readers and those who watch the show. Something like that could be interesting to discuss. For example, when does "changing the material" take away from the original source? If you are looking into movie to TV adaptions, "Fargo" is an excellent example, along with "Hannibal," "Ash vs. Evil Dead," and, though the original movie was rather poorly received, the stellar TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." – Filippo8 years ago
With many Pop musicians, what you see is what you get. Their personal lives are kept at a safe distance from their work in a very profesional, cut-and-dry fashion. And then there are the others – Prince, MF Doom, Rammstein, Die Antwoord, (to name a few off the top of my head). These artists and artist groups built what might be termed their Pop Persona; that persona is an image, and that image plays into the music itself. The artist cannot be disregarded when listening to the music, yet these artists are often able to balance such a level of involvement with the imaginary celebrity they've constructed around themselves with easy-to-access points of entry for newcomers who just want to enjoy the music. In a way, this also occurred with Andy Warhol, but we might say he was playing off of something that already existed- which means it was around even before his time.
This topic would be very hard to talk about, but I can't help but feel as though it's gone unaddressed in mass cultural discussion. I'm also unsure if this kind of topic is fitting for Artifice, but I thought I would throw it out there anyway.
I believe what you are situating here is a pop star which say Justin Bieber or Britney Spears whose personal is out there for all to see and too exploit. Whereas, pop stars like Prince and David Bowie were/ are relatively private individuals; however, they created an alter persona for the public. And perhaps the article can speak about these differences from a musical point of view and how it affects or doesn't affect the musician. – Venus Echos8 years ago
For other possible examples, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj have done multiple personas as well. – Emily Deibler8 years ago
I think I understand what you are trying to approach here, but I believe there is some unclarity in what the actual topic should be. Are you aiming to propose an exploration of music icons, versus those who are newcomers? – Arazoo Ferozan8 years ago
Tangentially, you could also explore how the personas of musicians in their music are inextricably projected into their personal lives? – stefancharles8 years ago
In the older times comedy consisted of jokes, funny faces and surely others. Now, they consist of people getting injuries (in a somehow funny way), puns and witty comebacks that we found online or made up ourselves. It's weird to see how it's progressed, whether it's a good or bad transformation.
Slapstick comedy (people being injured in comical ways) is a very old comedy device. – Amanda8 years ago
The oldest surviving examples of comedy as a genre come from the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes - he made an awful lot of dick jokes (perhaps that's what you meant by "surely others"). Try familiarizing yourself with the rich history of comedy before making claims about what it "was then" and "is now." – ProtoCanon8 years ago
I'm not certain this is accurate. For example...one of the original Saturday Night Live cast members, Chevy Chase, had a routine that entirely consisted of him throwing himself down a flight of stairs. Think of Eddie Murphy in all of the Beverly Hills Cop movies, how many times did he fall off a car he was attempting to stop during a chase? Even further back, think of the court jester of medieval times who would entertain the patron's of the castle by injuring himself and creating tremendous laughter throughout the court. – danielle5778 years ago
If you're looking for a good resource for the progression of comedy over time, I'd recommend Jimmy Carr's book The Naked Jape. In general it finds that comedy goes from very unrefined mischief characters in various cultural mythologies to much more of a conscious effort to evoke laughter. Oddly enough, much of the material (ie. sex jokes, slapstick, puns, etc.) have remained almost throughout. – Ian Miculan8 years ago
I think you may want to reflect upon the catharsis aspect. In older times, comedies consisted of jokes about the bourgeoisie, which made laugh poor people. Throughout history, as you have said, comedy has a changed a lot. Why do you think people enjoy so much shows like "Jackass" or "The Dudeson"? Could it be our way of life that has changed so radically that we now need this kind of extreme humor? – leandre778 years ago
Before Jackass there was Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin and the Keystone Kops, all falling down. Slapstick started when Eve threw the apple at the snake, missed, hit Adam, he fell on top her and the rest is history. We're all products of "slapstick." – Tigey8 years ago
Focusing on what makes these 80s and 90s movies classics (Clueless, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and what she can bring to her new movie currently in the works.
Some of the most impactful cinema has been composed of fantastical realms far set from reality. What is it about such fantasy that keeps audiences entranced? How are filmmakers still able, after all these years of a seemingly everlasting genre, to create groundbreaking films which continue to fascinate enormous groups of people?
I'd suggest mentioning the movie Pan's Labyrinth. The film is a fantastic example of blurring the line between fantasy and reality, which not many films do. – StefAnghel8 years ago
I don't know that one article can tackle successful fantasy in cinema. I'd recommend utilizing a case study of world-building through Hollywood and noting how it went right by citing and sampling instances through which it's gone wrong. I would definitely read a case study, and that would help focus the topic. – Piper CJ8 years ago
Unfortunately, not all films under the fantasy genre have this impact on audiences, so it would be better to write about this by picking a specific fantasy film, or series, that makes viewers feel 'entranced'. Also, if you look up "fantasy" in IMDB as a genre, you get a list with about 10,000 movies from "Suicide Squad" to "Shrek", so maybe identify further what you have in mind (eg. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc.) – Suman8 years ago
Great topic, but I do agree with the preceding notes suggesting possibly adding in a title, or two, to set the mood for what you are attempting to highlight. As for fantasy, it is the ultimate means of escapism--except when the fantastical world is highlighting all that is wrong with society, such as dystopian society. Let's take, for instance, Harry Potter. It is a wondrous place of excitement, nostalgia, familial relations, friendships, emotional and mental growth, and has a wonderful score. How many times have you wished you could eat in the dining hall and have the owls deliver mail to you :-)? – danielle5778 years ago
How the view of women inside books changed. For example, in earliest writing of fiction and plays women would be portrayed as being delicate. In some of mythology they were seen as items and prizes for the heroes. In some stories they are seen as enchantresses that lure men into danger. How did they transition from that to books with characters like Anne Shirley ?
This would be a good topic, and there's certainly a lot to be explored. You could analyze only American literature, British literature, or whatever and analyze how the views have changed across history along with decisions that have happened pertaining to culture and society. – Nayr12308 years ago
This topic is incredibly interesting, but it is also extremely broad. Perhaps it might be easier to take a couple character traits and shown how authors have ran with ideas that exemplified those traits? How has society made room for redefining what the roles of a women should be? Lastly, it could be worth looking into how the roles of women has changed in just two consecutive decades? – lgonsiorek8 years ago
I don't immediately see this topic as a good one. Women have to be generally objected, categorized and potentially dehumanized to reflect on the view of women in all of books. The generalizations that would have to be made would be terrible patronizing. If you carve out "perceptions of women in Norse mythology" or "portrayal of the woman's role in classic British literature" would help to focus the topic. – Piper CJ8 years ago
The main problem your generalized draft question hints at is how women characters were written BY men for most of history. I think narrowing your focus to considering the range of female characters women authors write could also open up some interesting discussions. The problem is that it's assumed that in ancient/early modern writing women were mere sexualised items however that view is problematic by how some Greek authors (see Lysistrata by Aristophanes) were already playing with those roles and creating strong female characters. And sadly today things aren't drastically better in how tv and many books still don't have strong female characters or lead roles. Perhaps it's worth investigating the instances they are given faithful representation and the type of stories that demote them to objects (masculine, pursuits of greed etc.) – JamieMadden8 years ago
This is a huge topic to cover- could you maybe narrow it down a little bit? It would really be interesting, but there is just so much to it that it couldn't be done justice in a single article. Maybe choose a few books, or an era of books to cover. – LilyaRider8 years ago
way too vague, not a good topic. – Richard Marcil8 years ago
This topic is extremely vague and difficult to cover as you are basically asking someone to explore all genres of literature form inception to contemporary times, i.e. Beowulf, or Gawain and the Green Knight, to let's say The Girl on the Train. It's too difficult and the way in which women are portrayed is intertwined with the social mores in which the stories are written. That, in fact would be an interesting topic. To look at it more from a sociological aspects--the expectations of the female heroine, and those that were thought to contradict the prototypical idealized female. – danielle5778 years ago
When "critical lens" are applied to texts, which should then serve as an object of critique: the theory that supplemented the text in the first place, or the text interpreted by the theory itself?
And, if you could add more - topics are essentially like a brainstorming of the article that is going to be written, so maybe clear up some vague topics. – scole8 years ago
I would day that the critical lens is applied to the actual piece, as it is a form of literary theory. There's numerous approaches to reading a text: postcolonial, gender studies, historical lens, etc. etc. Usually, one of these approaches are applied to the actual piece read, and then you provide information from the leading scholars and theorists in this particular field as to how the text should be interpreted. – danielle5778 years ago
It should be a mutual exchange between the chosen object of critique, the text, and the critical theorist's perspectives. To clarify, the author is mobilizing the work of someone else to a text which has either a) never been subject to said critique or b) never been subject to the author's interpretation of it through a "critical lens." Something to consider, in addition to the notion of "what" to critique is "how." If I claim to be deconstructing an anime for its representation of effeminate men through queer theory, equal attention should be drawn to whose critical text am I using, what aspect of their argument accentuates my point, and, because of the nature of Artifice, something else in the theorist's text not used. – JMIWrites8 years ago
I write critical analyses of literature as part of my job, and my view is that the critical theory and the literary work both become objects of critique. The theory illuminates the literary work (it guides our close reading of the literary work, helps uncover patterns in the literary work, etc.) even as the literary work illuminates the critical theory (it serves as an example of or a complication to the theory being used). – JamesBKelley7 years ago
Over the past 5 years or so, there has been a dramatic decline in cinema theater going, as home technologies such as Netflix, Hulu, and the Amazon Firestick, have grown in popularity. With that in mind, what does this mean for the future of the movie going experience? How do they maintain relevance in an industry that is quickly out growing their services?
I have said this before, and I will say it again, I do think monetary issues are a key reason in the decline in movie theater viewership. I have heard people countless times remark that they would obtain the film via. online streaming, a DVD, etc., to avoid the high cost of the movies. Also, now with the rise of 3-D televisions, people are able to watch the movies, as intended, upon filming. Not to mention the high-tech sound systems people have in their homes that allow for the same surround sound feeling that people go to the movies for. Another important aspect is the lack of quality of movies. All that appears to be released is another subsequent edition to a franchise, a remake, or a blockbuster film with hardly any dialogue and abundant reliance on special effects and CGI. On another note: I do not think your title--though I know this is just a suggested topic--adequately describes your topic. When reading the title, it appears as though you are going to discuss film in a positive light, yet you bring up all of these relevant questions that dispute the title. Even if you were to just add a question mark after your title, it would make more sense. – danielle5778 years ago
I think there are may writers who can write, but what makes a good writer? Its not just correct grammar and use of good words / sentences. Its more about connecting the reader to write-up isn't it? To really convey his or her message to the reader that can touch one's heart! That psychological aspect in the writing! That feel in the writing that can connect the reader with everything it can!
What makes a writer/author "good" is also subjective. Some people might find an author amazing and others will be less thrilled with their work. It might also be worthwhile to discuss the books people consider "classics" like Charles Dickens' or Jane Eyre novels. What makes them classic and who decides? – S.A. Takacs8 years ago
A "good" writer is like any other artist. Art usually provokes a reaction. Just as beauty evokes a feeling of joy and humility, art will generate a response. Not always positive and not always appreciated in its era. I think this could be an effective article if the writer focuses on touching readers' hearts. What do readers care about? It's like writing a musical piece. You compose and hope people enjoy it and get it. – Munjeera8 years ago
Some necessaries for a good writer: lateral thinking, a clear conscience, the realization that no one is objective. "Remember when you're out there trying to heal the sick that you must always first forgive them." – Tigey8 years ago
Ironically, I attempted to broach a sort of similar topic, but was asked--and for good reason--to define the term "good." I did not want to use the word "good," but I also did not want readers to become fixated on just the technical aspects of writing, which can be taught. Writing is a subjective experience. How many times have you stated, "I love that book!," to someone else responding, "I just didn't get what all the hype was about." Many times, books that "speak to us," are due to our personal journeys in life. Lastly, let's not forget the greatest writers who were told that they weren't any good, or were rejected countless times!!! – danielle5778 years ago
I think this topic will spark many subjective answers, but my perspective on this topic is that a "good" writer must be able to communicate their ideas to an audience. There are examples in literature where authors ignore existing grammar rules or traditional conventions, but because their ideas reflect themselves and their community, the work becomes useful and valid for representing a set of ideas. For example, much of Beat literature is pretty much unreadable from a grammatical perspective, but its influence on American youth and counterculture is undeniable. So if I was to further clarify your topic question, I would ask: how can an author ensure their work communicates to an audience and what steps can they take to better reflect their perspective of the world around them? Some potential answers to that question in relation to your original query might include suggestions for how the writer can immerse themselves in a community ("No man is an island"), write in the language of the community, and use that community as the writer's target audience. I think answering the "how-to" part of that question will help get to the psychological aspect you are referring to in your topic question. – Kevin8 years ago
If you were looking for a purely psychological view point I would source Rebecca Sax and her ted talk "How we read each others minds" in which she talks about how authors use psychology to relate to other people. The RTPJ portion of the brain is responsible for making moral judgements and thusly is used to determine what someone is thinking and if it is justified. As writers the question "What are they thinking?" Is essential to the craft and so we must use this part of our brains incredibly often. It would be interesting to see if that particular section of the brain is larger in artists, such as writers, than average people. – ReidaBookman8 years ago
Hyper Light Drifter's game experience is inspired by the developer's heart disease and his fear of meeting death at any moment. Death is constantly looming throughout the game as the protagonist continues to cough up blood. Players empathize with the fragile hero and the creator effectively shares his struggle
How effective is this channeling of personal fear in Hyper Light Drifter, and what other examples are in other games?
The title and article do not correspond. I suggest you either remove art from the title--the simpler revision--or include art in your topic. As it stands there is no aesthetic representation in your topic, though there are an infinite number of examples to choose from if you decide to include one, or more. – danielle5778 years ago
How did the famous website changed how English Literature students read (or don't read), study and write essays? Does it promote more intellectual laziness than it is beneficial for general understanding of studied texts? Talk about how studying literature is different now than it used to be, before the democratization of internet.
Perhaps it did not revolutionized English Majors' lives, but it certainly did change something. Not having to buy cheat-sheets, or even to be able to download them on pirate sites, made it much easier not only for students but also for providers. Maybe it can be included in your similar article. – Léandre Larouche8 years ago
I agree that it is possible that Sparknotes might have made a fundamental change. I think a more likely candidate, though, would be Wikipedia. I remember a professor of mine arguing that, despite popular understanding, people today were considerably less intellectually free than people were during the 19th century in Britain. For a lot of us, wikipedia is the primary, go-to source for a great span of information, which means that we're absorbing the same details with the same slant, in the same tone, as everyone else, and bumping into as little information along the way. Sparknotes, obviously, has certain precedents in print form, but I do agree that the momentary accessibility of the entirety of Sparknotes makes it possible to pretend to know how a piece of literature goes with basically zero meaningful experience whatever. – TKing8 years ago
It has completely changed for the better in my view because now students have to consider how they interpret the texts. – Munjeera8 years ago
The online implications of Sparknotes have had tremendous repercussions. Students no longer have to figure out traditional themes themselves. It forces students to write from a post-modern view. – Munjeera8 years ago
As a teacher, I'm kind of torn on the idea of SparksNotes. I would rather students learn to analyze a text on their own, but sometimes when a student is struggling to understand what is happening in a text and getting too frustrated I think that having a quick overview is a good thing, because they can then discuss it in more detail. That being said, I have noticed a lot more plagiarism in schools now with the availability of sites like SparksNotes. (I'm talking cut and pasted right from the site).
Great topic! – Lauren Mead8 years ago
Sparknotes can facilitate plagiarism if not used properly. Sparknotes and the like should be used to help the student clarify as Lauren has pointed out. It is the first step in analysis and should be developed into the students' own ideas and how they further analyze the themes, symbolism and other rhetorical devices on their own. If used as a tool, any type of notes on the internet can be helpful to springboard original ideas. Anything used to cut and paste from the internet is intellectual theft if not properly credited. If a student does not remember where in virtual reality he/she got his or her source from then that should be noted as well. The internet has made the accessibility of such notes almost without barriers. Also, let's not forget that most authors are willing to include an email address where they can be contacted. In the past, communiqué with authors was relegated to once in a lifetime screenings at a university campus. I think more students should try contacting authors directly for their papers. I have found this to be a surprisingly effective tool when teaching Grade 11 and 12 English. Most authors respond and many have a question and answer page where some other students has posted a similar question. Accessibility to interacting with authors is for me the second most important advantage to online research. – Munjeera8 years ago
Here's what can happen if one relies too much on Sparknotes: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sXJ8tKRlW3E – Tigey8 years ago
Sparknotes and other similar websites have bumped up the policing of plagiarism as plagiarism itself has become more accessible due to these websites. There are programs in place now to help avoid and detect plagiarism before a student submits a paper, that's how bad lazy students have gotten. Should the blame for this issue be put on websites like Sparknotes that were created with nothing but good intentions of helping students? – rowenachandler8 years ago
Sparknote effect not only exists in English Majors but in history and other social sciences majors. I read Sparknotes for studying Political Science since I'm not native. It's as helpful as wikipedia, to know some background information. I know there's another website named quizlet, which also helps students to learn. The phenomenon can also trace back to the advancement of technology and the insistence of E-learning.
It's an extremely broad issue. – moonyuet8 years ago
E-learning would be a deserving topic. – Munjeera8 years ago
As an English major, I find this to be a very interesting topic, and I agree that there are definitely pros and cons of sparknotes-the pros being that students can use these notes to help them analyze something they miss or don't understand. The cons of course would be that they people can easily plagarize them and be so reliant it discourages them from actually reading the text and drawing their own conclusions. – enizzari8 years ago
I was an English major and pretty much stayed away from Sparknotes. Yet some of the texts I was assigned were so old, or so complicated, that I found the site really helped. (I never would've gotten through James Joyce's Ulysses without it). I also wonder if teachers and professors shouldn't embrace Sparknotes more. Sparknotes explains complicated literature in an easy-to-understand and sometimes fun way, which can be hard to do in a classroom when it's 8 AM and you're talking to 20-something people who'd rather still be in bed. What would happen to English if Sparknotes were embraced; would it become a "friendlier" subject? – Stephanie M.8 years ago
Some brand characters include Dos Equis' "the most interesting man in the world", Jolly Green Giant, and The Michelin Man. These characters are meant to establish long term recognition and should be effective in having a cultural impact. What's the story behind certain brand characters like the Marlboro Man, Pillsbury Doughboy, or Tony the Tiger? How do they embody the brand's identity and appeal to their target market/consumers? How have they evolved over the years?
Let's not forget the Progressive Insurance lady, Flo! She's the best! – Christen Mandracchia9 years ago
I think it would be more interesting to steer away from simply telling the stories of certain brand mascots, towards talking about the development of these mascots over the years, i.e. who they are appealing to, what sort of marketing concepts are they appealing to. While it will be necessary to discuss the stories behind some of them, there should be some discussion about the development over time, and trying to deduce the path into the future of characters in advertising. – Matthew Sims9 years ago
I think it will be more beneficial to narrow down the topic to some specific areas of discussion. A common denominator or target theme might help to have a solid discussion. For example focusing on a few different cosmetic companies as a focal point to see how each use characters to create a familiar brand, who their target consumers were and how have they evolved over the years. – Arazoo Ferozan9 years ago
Two of the commentators before me have focused on the idea of how one of the characters has changed over the years. Two related cases I remember reading something about are Aunt Jemima (with her changing appearances) and the Marlboro Man (introduced to give that cigarette brand an entirely new, masculine association). Rather than track a character over time, it would also be possible to develop a close reading of the character's appearance and performance at any one given moment. – JamesBKelley8 years ago
The beginning of The Sopranos began with a session with a psychologist and a pool full of ducks. Tony projected many of the inner conflictions he felt about his family onto the ducks and they served as an important reminder of the work-family juxtapositions of the Mafia boss' life.
Discuss and analyse the representative relationship between Tony and the ducks in relation to family, work, and his lucid dream-states when talking to Dr. Melfi.
As we all know, satire is an extremely power tool of communication, capable of exposing fraud and reaching the masses. People such as Voltaire and Jonathan Swift have written infamous satirical essays that are still read today. What modern equivalents do we have of these superstars? In what instances has humor clearly pushed an agenda? One may think of John Stewart and his work with 9/11 first responders.
Whenever I think of Voltaire, I think of a purported incident in which he submitted a bill to legislature joking that people should have to shut their blinds during the day so candle and lamp makers wouldn't have to fight the sun for competition, which was great commentary against industrial greed. More generally, though, this is a good topic to discuss. My first go-to celebrities would be Tina Fey and Amy Pohler. Their interviews and actual discussions tend to be more direct than their shows, but both 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation had distinct socio-political overtones. Fey's character Liz Lemon was an outspoken feminist and eco-critic, while Pohley's Leslie Knope highlighted the issues with contemporary government that tends to slow down or stonewall progressive change. One important aspect to consider here is that in days past, these major writers were among the only artists (as in, people involved in any art, writing, plays, music, etc) to really pay attention to, whereas now we have far more celebrities than any one person can pay attention to. Moreover, art, especially literature, was reserved for the upper class, as they were the only people both literate and able to afford to read, since mass publication didn't exist, but today, anyone can access any range of art and media for little to no money. In discussing the impact of modern equivalents, we should also keep in mind the amount of people talking and who, in fact, is listening. – Kevin9 years ago
I think the real effects of humor are that it helps the war on so much disinformation. Satire promotes the ability to think critically in a palatable form. Munjeera – Munjeera9 years ago
Great topic. I remember reading an article that said irony was dead after September 11. Thankfully that is incorrect. – Tigey8 years ago
The Harry Potter Generation is still as enthralled with the series as they ever were. With many moral messages included in the book, could you make the argument that they really taught their readers something? Consider the backlash when "The Cursed Child" cast a black actress to play Hermione. Can any connections be made between Death Eaters and Extremist Right-Wing political groups? Are there links between the Harry Potter Generation and the left-leaning Millennial generation?
This is a very interesting topic, and one that seems especially big in its scope. It might prove to be quite difficult to show the connections between "Harry Potter" and the political attitudes of the majority of its readers. I'm not sure whether you could find any surveys related to such, but this would certainly require a lot of background research.
In addition to finding research to support your claims, you would have to point to the presence of such ideas within the literature itself.
Another thing to consider would be whether "Harry Potter" had a hand in creating the progressive generation or whether its success was merely symptomatic of the generation's already-present political attitudes. – Farrow9 years ago
I wonder if J.K. Rowling would even answer something like that on Twitter. It would certainly be an intriguing question to ask. Maybe it would help the writer of this topic to look at her life and education and try to connect not just the plot and characters to our life, but her life, as well. – Jaye Freeland9 years ago
There's many topic possibilites here. Focusing on the Harry Potter Generation could be a good foundation. As far as paralleling or contrasting it with the left-leaning Millennial generation, consider at least 3 specific topics or points to express the ramifications. Examples could include faithfulness in friendships, culture of British teens in HP and those of America, forced vs. independent interest in school (using Hermoine's passion, or Harry's interest in potion from "Half Blood Prince" or even Lovegood and the dead), civil rights interests, sacrifice, etc.) The examples are endless. – margorose9 years ago
I think Rowling said at one point some comparison between Death Eaters and Nazis, so maybe pointing to that may help the point when going for moral compass of Harry Potter. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
Can you be more specific about what generation is the "Harry Potter generation"? Do you mean the first generation that grew up with the books? (as an example - someone who was around HP's age when the books were published would be people in their early 30s now?) – Katheryn9 years ago
How was Bowie's own creativity through music and other mediums has also caused others to be influenced in their own work.
I recommend for researching this to look at recent comments made after this death. Many people have talked about how he was an inspiration. If the writer can find some of these examples he or she can look to that artist's work to find examples. One example I can think of off the top of my head was Broadway director Robert Jess Roth who directed the original production of Beauty and the Beast says that his biggest influence is rock gods like Bowie. This was reflected in the way he designed the Beast as more of a rock star than an animal. One example, but this is the KIND of research and evidence I suggest the writer uses. – Christen Mandracchia9 years ago
I think it would be useful to mention his androgynout style inspiring lgbt rights and freedom. Also, he blew off his Hall of Fame induction. Perhaps look at that as a form of inspiration to not care about the hype? Then of course his creative and versatile music and his music videos! Find examples if how his musical style changed over time and the artists that credit him as an influence or at least adopted some of his style in their own art. – Robyn McComb9 years ago
Lady GaGa has always said that David Bowie was a major influence for her music (to the point where she copied or used direct lines from his work). I myself have written a few pieces that were inspired by him.
Even the 11th Doctor, Peter Capaldi, said that he based his Doctor Who wardrobe on David Bowie. – JennyCardinal8 years ago
Dylan fan, mentioned by George Clinton, sampled by James Brown, and declined knighthood; truly one of the greats. – Tigey8 years ago
Are you asking if Bowie has influenced other artists? – T. Palomino2 years ago
Consider whether Sherlock can last any further seasons. With a let down audience from the Christmas special, is Sherlock going to struggle to keep its originality?
I think it would help if this topic was broadened a little bit. Maybe if it analyzed Sherlock throughout the seasons and then compared them to now and what the future may bring. Or, talk about other shows along with Sherlock. OR, write an article about a television series' need to stay fresh but original and how to keep the audience interested. – Jaye Freeland9 years ago
No, it can't really. I mean, it can go on forever, but it will lose it's unique appeal. And I think it really could be great if it just stopped now. There's not much storytelling reason to keep it going, because each episode is feature length. There's already so much of it to enjoy. But if it should go a bit longer, maybe one more season and then close it out. The Japanese anime series, Detective Conan, is very similar in how it keeps a lot of the clues away from the audience, relying on the chemistry between characters to keep your interest, and involving strange technology and gadgets. Detective Conan also has a very compelling premise, where the main detective character is drugged with something that reverts him to the size and physical age of an 8 year old, requiring him to fool others by using another detective as his mouth piece. The problem, though, is that this series has been running non-stop since the mid-1990s, and has never once concluded the initial plot: that being getting this young detective back to his normal age and body. And the murder plots are so repetitive and so overdone, that the spark and intrigue is completely gone. The first 5 seasons released in America by FUNimation are solid, and the first few movies are amazing. But after that point, the show just looses its steam, and yet keeps chugging along like Pokemon, as if it still thinks what they're producing is worth someone's time. I mean, clearly it is, otherwise they wouldn't do it. Someone is watching it. It just sucks that it couldn't close out the story ark back in the 90s when it would have meant something. – Jonathan Leiter9 years ago
I don't think it can go on much longer, either. Maybe cover how the show is losing steam. Be sure to include specific examples of how the plot is deadening and why Moriarty is necessary to the show. – Robyn McComb9 years ago
Interesting topic, but I think the title limits the a writer in what they can explore to answer these questions. – Arazoo Ferozan9 years ago
The interesting aspect of today's TV is that a great bit of it can (and does) stray away from the book or original narrative. While becoming more innovative, character, action and plot can fulfill the essential drama that defines the story.
– Jeffery Moser9 years ago
Hmm, was the audience really let down by the Christmas special? Just a quick google search makes me think that it's disputable; in fact, it looks like a lot of fans reacted positively. Also, be aware that Moriarty is actually not a huge figure in the original Conan Doyle stories; the idea of him being Sherlock's archenemy is actually a bit of a myth. This topic is making a lot of assumptions that I'm not certain are true. If you think that Sherlock can't go on past the death of Moriarty, even though the stories do, I think there needs to be a legitimate reason that a potential writer of this topic could go off of. – Laura Jones9 years ago
As Laura Jones said, not everyone was disappointed by the Christmas special. I'm sure the reason people were disappointed was because they expected the story of Moriarty to continue. However, the special was about developing Sherlock's character. We saw him, a man who has lived according to facts, allow his fear of Moriarty's return to defy reason.
Doctor Who fans who know Moffat's writing probably weren't surprised about the special and I think he and Gatiss will be able to write new and original stories for Sherlock to keep going. – JennyCardinal8 years ago
If there has indeed been a drop off in audience, it might be due to the fact that there is such a large time gap between new seasons. It is hard for a show to keep going full steam when it doesn't have a consistent release schedule of new episodes. – KennethC8 years ago
Analyzing the concepts of the popular site, Fanfiction, and use of self inserts while examining one of the most prolific of 14th century poetry by Dante's Divine Comedy, from Inferno to Paradiso. This essay will also examine the use of self inserts in modern literature, such as Slaughterhouse Five, and other novels that use this concept as a way to commentate on the events that occur in the story.
It seems to me that the topic you are referring to will make for an interesting experience if handled well. There had been a movie which used the whole concept of Dante's "Divine Comedy" (mostly Inferno) although the only ones (fan fiction) which I've come across are on deviantART rather than on fanfiction.net http://kiwikiwi3.deviantart.com/gallery/33711392/Seventh-Circle
http://nazaru.deviantart.com/art/9-Circles-of-the-Shadow-Realm-152335095
http://www.deviantart.com/browse/all/literature/fanfiction/d65ityw With that said, seems like an interesting topic to work on, and I look forward to any results which pop up in fanfiction.net (good and bad) on such a concept – shehrozeameen9 years ago
Very interesting topic. Obviously the practice has changed from respected to less respected, and there's a lot of history to deal with. I'd also recommend looking at Thomas More's Utopia for this, as he uses a self-insert to argue against the controversial "Utopia" the main character describes for the majority of the work. – IndiLeigh9 years ago
I would also recommend exploring Paradise Lost by John Milton, the ultimate biblical epic aka fanfiction. He doesn't self-insert himself as a character per se, but he is ostensibly the third-person omniscient narrator and his voice does come across through a variety of figures. – txl9 years ago
I think that calling it fanfiction is, although somewhat accurate, best reserved for jokes. Self-insert? Definitely, fanfiction... not so much. It's important to remember the primary purpose of the Divine Comedy was to spread Dante's grievances with the Pope and the way the Church held control over the religious lives of the people at the time. – JTastic2 years ago