Week 12 - Illuminated Page on Modern Media

I illustrated this illuminated page in order to shed some light on what I see as a fear of technology, that it's hijacking our minds. In reality, technology only allows more seamless communication, for us to curate a mediascape for others to escape into. We are technology, but technology amplifies our ability to reach/manipulate each other. They are two sides of the same coin, and can both be positive or negative.

Comments

Week 9 - The Voice of Wes Anderson

I watched “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “The Royal Tenenbaums”, three films by director Wes Anderson. Each movie showcases Anderson’s authorial voice, Budapest and Mr. Fox more-so than the Tenenbaums. These two movies are completely fictionalized, while “The Royal Tenenbaums” is in a more traditional building in a real city. Anderson’s later movies, one a piece of stop-motion animation and the other featuring a make-believe hotel, lend themselves to more imaginative situations, and therefore lends more freedom to the filmmaker to make many more creative choices with the filmmaking. In a world or a structure where the viewer is unfamiliar with the ‘rules’ of the universe, more can be done directorially before immersion is broken. This is important, because Anderson’s actors always behave strangely. By strangely, I mean speaking curtly and often formally, with long pauses. The dialogue is very secondary to the visual storytelling. It’s used to supplement the vi...

Cosmopolis and Privilege

In the book "Cosmopolis" by Don Delillo, Eric Packer is a ludicrously rich head of a financial firm who rides around in his limousine all day on his way to get a haircut. Outside the vehicle, the world around him rages and writhes in turmoil. People fill the streets protesting capitalism, but all Packer feels is amusement. This lack of empathy is a symptom of Eric's privilege. His privilege is a trait he has built upon with every dollar he's gained and luxury he's bought. Every ordinary event and interaction is now seen through new eyes; ones less attuned to the hearts of those struggling to get by. He sees the events around him as a spectacle, and uses the windows of the limo not only as a protective shell but also as a socioeconomic disconnect from the world around him. To Packer, everything he sees through the window is a stage set for him to interpret at his leisure, and only those he rides with are the selected audience members. One such audience member is Sh...

Week 10 - My Favorite Thing is Monsters

My Favorite thing is monsters is a graphic novel unlike anything I had read before. It’s a very open, intimate story about a young girl’s self-image. It feels like we can see through her eyes in this comic, especially because of the illustrative style. They’re rough, and this can be jarring, but their very emotive and serve to show you the main character’s thoughts and opinions, including those on herself. She portrays herself as a monster, and this parallel, quite literally shown is very impactful for the reader. We are struck by the gravity that one’s image has on their self-esteem and how those themes fit into an unstable part of one’s life. Growing up is hard, and coming to terms with one’s self is even harder as it’s a part of that process. The way that this graphic novel is able to abstract these concepts through the drawings is really effective.

Chris Beausire's Lit & Media Studies Experience

Search This Blog