moda essay final

5/27/2018 ModA Essay Final

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Module A Assessment Task

Society refers to the functional co-existence of individuals, encompassing their collective beliefs,thoughts and actions. In this way it can be seen that an individual and society are not distinct of

each other, but are rather engaged in a mutually dependent relationship. A comparative

analysis of Mary Shelleys 1818 post-industrial epistolary novel Frankenstein and Ridley Scotts

1982 post-modern science fiction film Blade Runner, brings light upon similar social critiquespresented within both texts, influencing individuals across varying contextual backdrops to

consequently question their own relationship with their society. The common literary themes

existent within these contextually disparate worlds remind individuals of their inherentresponsibility to maintain ethical practices, in order to preserve the element of humanity within

their society. Audiences of both contexts are provided an opportunity to explore their ownrelationship with their society by viewing the agreeing commentary that both Frankenstein and

Blade Runner present in their themes of moral obligation and dehumanisation.

Mary Shelley advocates the innate moral responsibility common to all individuals through the

character of Victor in Frankenstein,influencing individuals of the Romantic era to consider

future impacts of their actions on society. Contextually, the Romantic movement emerged as anopposing force to rigid social constructs of the Enlightenment, and is typified through Victors

ambitious attitude and disrespect for the ethical guidelines common to all humans. Beforegiving life to his creation, Victor recalls It was on a dreary night of November, that I beheld the

accomplishment of my toils. Gothic elements of melancholic visual imagery foreshadow the

significant social repercussions that will be brought on by Victors disregard of theduty to

consider the ethics of his actions. Victor goes on to exemplify his irresponsibility when he states,

Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, Iquickly rushed out of the room.Shelleys diction in quickly emphasises Victorscowardice in failing to confront his creation and

is symbolic of the self-interest Shelley saw typical of Romantics. This is further reflective of herconcern that individuals, adoptive of lax dispositions and unwilling to uphold their ethical duty

as parents, would later degrade the moral integrity of society. The form of Frankenstein as anepistolary novel further proves effective in unveiling the consequences of an individuals

irresponsibility on others. VictorsCreation laments his misplacement within society, as hewonders WasI a monster from which all men fled and whom all men disowned? The

Creations rhetorical questionconveys the dysfunctional relationship he shares with society, and

is indicative of Shelleys idea that one individuals choice to act immorally willseep into societys

collective attitude. In turn, this invokes apprehension within a Romantic reader as it becomes

obvious that the burden of maintaining societys moral frameworklies with the individual. Thus,the rebellious actions of individuals, such as those typical of the Romantic era, are

communicated to have wide-reaching negative implications on the moral fibre of society,contributing to a weakened relationship between an individual and their society.

In the same vein as Frankenstein, Ridley Scotts sci-fi film Blade Runnercautions viewers of the

societal turmoil that arises when ethical values required by individuals are not upheld, albeitwithin the context of a society facing rapidly increasing technological progress and economic

liberalisation. Scotts extreme longshots of a decaying Los Angeles metropolitan carry a sense ofurgency that warns viewers of the reckless impacts of globalisation, and presents the idea that

commercialism was adopted without any consideration of its future implications. The use ofcolourful advertising billboards juxtaposed against the drab homogeny of individuals justifies

Ridley Scotts decision to utilize film as the medium of communication, so as to visually

represent the direct effect that the collective apathy of individuals has on society. Scott arguesthat failure to meet ethical obligations as individuals will consequently remove the incentive to

maintain a stable and progressive society. Scott implies that this allows for corporate control to

take place and the subsequent formation of a dystopian society to occur. The role of greed in

surpassing moral responsibility and emotion is explored in Tyrells cold and detached attitudestoward the acquirement of money, in his maxim Commerce is our goal here at Tyrell Corp.

This parallels Victors obsessions with obtaining knowledge and works in conjunction to solidify

the notion that, under all circumstances, individuals should not lose sight of what is right andwrong for the preservation of a functional society. Scotts viewpoint is made concrete through

Biblical allusions threaded through Blade Runner, such as Tyrells metaphoric implication in


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calling Roy his prodigal son.This simplifies issues of moral obligation for modern day viewersby drawing upon elements of a widely established and influential text, and hence aids Scott in

commenting on issues of social degradation through an individualsdisregard for ethics.

Conversely, Mary Shelley provides a commentary on the relationship between the individualand their society through her text, Frankenstein, by also exploring the dehumanizing effects an

ambition driven society may have on a person. The epistolary form of Frankenstein fabricatesstories embedded within another that carry a unified commentary, as the audience witnesses

the mirrored progression of both Victor and his Creation from lively and empathetic beings todehumanized shells of their former selves. During his awakening moments, the Creation

explores his capacity for emotion, as he recounts I found a fireI was overcome with joy at the

warmth I experienced. The tactile imageryused to describe the fire is symbolic of thehopefulness of individuals during the turn of the 19

thcentury. This is in a stark contrast to what

is felt simultaneously by Victor, who has receded to feelings of anxiety and paranoia, as he is

Disturbed by the wildest dreams. Thissignifies that Victor has realized the short sighted and

imprudent nature of his previous actions, which were only concerned with advancement for thesake of his self-gratification. The ultimate implication of this is the Creations rejection from

society, as he reflects upon being attacked by the De Lacy family; If I cannot inspire love, I willcause fear. The Creations denunciation of moral conventions symbolically criticizes the

emphasis that Romantics placed on the aesthetic, as opposed to the metaphysical and explores

how individuals adopting this perspective would lead to an intolerant society. Deliberately

manufactured by Shelley, these de-characterizations create a microcosm of the early 19th

century; a period that Shelley saw as plagued by the unchecked acceptance of the IndustrialRevolution. The deterioration of both Victor and his Creation allude to Shelleys fear that the

Romantic idea of ambition would coalesce with industry driven pursuits fabricated during theIndustrial Revolution, and inevitably demoralize societys constituent individuals. Thus, Shelley

provides a critique on the growing tendency of society to find value in the superficial, andfurther communicates that a widespread acceptance of the Industrial Revolution will deform the

emotional integrity of all individuals.

Similarly, Blade Runner extends the concept of individual dehumanization as a product of socialinfluence to the modern era, by presenting a future world where all humans have become

devoid of emotion. Ridley Scott introduces the idea of a Replicant in Blade Runneranartificial humans mass-produced for slave labour. Early in the film, the usage of a Voight-Kampff

test designed to Evoke an emotional response from subjects, alludes to the fact that

Replicants are manufactured to lack the fundamental human qualities of emotion and empathy.The cinematography of Blade Runner starkly contrasts this assertion however, unveiling the

irony within it. Upon Rachels discovery that she is a Replicant, a close-up of her teary eyed facequickly cuts away to linger on Deckards expressionless reaction. The juxtaposition within this

shot supports the notion that Deckards compliancy with the social convention of retiringdisobedient Replicants has stripped him of his human qualities. This further provokes thought

within a modern viewer, challenging them to consider whether they have lost an element oftheir humanity by blindly accepting social norms within their own context. Contrary to

Frankenstein, however, the instances of social demoralization in Blade Runner are extendedpast singular examples, dealing with societys influences on individuals on a macroscopic level as

a means to illustrate the dystopian effects of consumerism. A panning shot of an urban street

depicts individuals pacing uniformly with identical umbrellas early in the film, metaphoricallydenoting the mechanical nature of modern individuals and representing the loss of individuality

as a result of their embracement of commercial conditioning. Hence, Blade Runner comments

on the consequences that individuals face when collective social values become obscured,

inevitably leading to a loss of the element of humanity.

In summation, although the context and form of Frankenstein and Blade Runner differ in nature,both texts are inextricably linked by the commentary they provide on the relationship between

an individual and their society. Fundamental human concerns such as the failure to meet innatemoral obligation as an individual, and the existentially jarring concept of losing our humanity


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through social conformity are embodied within the core of each text. The persistence of thesevery issues across varying contexts ultimately leads to the conclusion that an individual and their

society share an intricate relationship that transcends the passage of time.

moda essay final

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