Bladerunner_and_Franky

Frankenstein and Blade Runner are both texts with a cautionary message. Do you agree and if so, what are we being cautioned about' Although texts such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner are the fictitious constructs of composers, not only do they address and explore societal issues of their era, but they forewarn of the consequences of a particular course of action. Shelley’s Frankenstein warns of the consequences of subverting the natural order, while Scott’s Blade Runner fashions a dystopian world in which extrapolates from the values and attitudes of his era. In essence, both texts are prophetic as such they forewarn of consequences of unbridled development – whether technological or economic, and the dehumanizing impacts – ideas which link these two texts throughout time. Shelley’s Frankenstein is a celebration of humanity’s relationship with nature, used by characters to elucidate their lived experiences, and thus warns against the unfettered scientific development of her era. Using a hybrid of Gothic and Romantic conventions, Shelley gives nature the divine qualities of awe and beauty. Victor is then used as a vehicle, to speak of “the glittery pinnacle, the pine woods…all bade me at peace”, as well as “the river raging amongst the rocks…spoke of a power as mighty as the Omnipotence”. The use of simple siFrankenstein and Blade Runner are both texts with a cautionary message. Do you agree and if so, what are we being cautioned about' Although texts such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner are the fictitious constructs of composers, not only do they address and explore societal issues of their era, but they forewarn of the consequences of a particular course of action. Shelley’s Frankenstein warns of the consequences of subverting the natural order, while Scott’s Blade Runner fashions a dystopian world in which extrapolates from the values and attitudes of his era. In essence, both texts are prophetic as such they forewarn of consequences of unbridled development – whether technological or economic, and the dehumanizing impacts – ideas which link these two texts throughout time. Shelley’s Frankenstein is a celebration of humanity’s relationship with nature, used by characters to elucidate their lived experiences, and thus warns against the unfettered scientific development of her era. Using a hybrid of Gothic and Romantic conventions, Shelley gives nature the divine qualities of awe and beauty. Victor is then used as a vehicle, to speak of “the glittery pinnacle, the pine woods…all bade me at peace”, as well as “the river raging amongst the rocks…spoke of a power as mighty as the Omnipotence”. The use of simple similes, such as “like a hurricane” add to the sensory detail of each experience, while alliteration, such as “deep, dark, deathlike solitude” contributes to the symbolic resonance and an enhanced Gothic atmosphere. The use of these techniques in order to show heightened emotions function as a promotion of the Romantic virtues of free thought, emotion, nature and imagination, and serve to challenge the logic established by the Age of Reason. The only unnatural processes of the novel occur in Victor’s labs, the charnel houses and graveyards. These grotesque locations are juxtaposed with the sheer divinity of Mont Blanc and Chamounix, thus allowing Shelley to front her assault on unchecked science – a clear cautionary message entwined in the novel. ith the Replicants, whose limited lifespan lends urgency to their efforts, and forces them to work together for the common good. Roy serves to challenge the values and attitudes of this projected society, shown by his remarks to Deckard: “Not very sporting to fire on an unarmed opponent…I thought you were meant to be good.” Religious imagery is then used to blur the line between good and evil, human and Replicant, with his impaled hand associating him with Jesus, conveying the injustice of innocents suffering for crimes of a dominant power. By empathizing with his victim and bestowing life, he is elevated to saintly status, bathed in a sea of light, with cathartic qualities which change Deckard’s outlook. Adherence to film noir conventions anchors the world of Blade Runner in a sodden, decaying world, with protagonists as hostages of fate in the face of social corruption and decadence, thereby extrapolating from the era of Reaganism. Scott By careful consideration of both texts, it is evident that Shelly’s Frankenstein and Scott’s Blade Runner are in fact cautionary tales, grounded in the zeitgeists of their eras. Despite their differing contexts, both texts are prophetic as Shelley’s Gothic classic stresses the importance of nature and warns of the impending erosion of humanitarian values, while Scott’s dystopic world of branded artificiality mirrors the profound social decay of the 1980s. - 1057 words