The Story of an Hour illustrates the dual themes of confinement and freedom. Mrs. Mallard's story reveals the restricted roles of women in 19th-century society and the profound yearning for selfhood that lay beneath those constraints. The brief and intense exploration of freedom in Louise's mind highlights both the allure and the cost of autonomy in a world that does not yet recognize a woman's right to it.
The writer could focus on how Mrs. Mallard explored freedom in a time when women were not free to exercise their rights – Laurika Nxumalo4 months ago
The writer could also examine whether Mrs. Mallard’s fleeting taste of freedom reflects a deeper critique of marriage as an institution in the 19th century, questioning if her sense of liberation stems from personal desire or societal oppression. – Beatrix Kondo3 months ago
The intent of the author is usually considered somewhat unknowable, however, every now and then, a problematic controversy surrounds the author that makes a more critical look at their works necessary. For example, H.P. Lovecraft's racism features heavily in his work. However, some works are slightly harder to catch as being problematic until the author is caught in a controversy, like JK Rowling's stance on trans people or the current accusations against Neil Gaiman. Suddenly, some of the problematic themes in the works come to light, such as the description of Rita Skeeter or the treatment of the house elves in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, for example.
While the controversy itself obviously does not create the problems found within the works, it is important to consider the author's intent at the time of the work's creation as well as the cultural influences that may have led to the problematic writing being present. For instance, JK Rowling being openly against trans people in the present day does not change the problematic writing she engaged in at the time of her writing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2000 with the descriptions of house elves or potentially racist naming conventions. That said, examining the British culture around the perception of such inclusions during 2000 could present a deeper understanding of how cultural acceptance of this kind of problematic writing shifted to what it is in the present day.
The topic taker should do their best to answer the questions "How much does the intent of the author change after a problematic controversy, and how much of their intent may be partially based in problematic beliefs about society?" and "Does the controversy in the present day perhaps recontextualize and potentially change the meaning of what the author originally intended at the time of creation?" The examples above provide a bit of a starting point for authors that can be examined for the topic, if they wish to use them, though, given the very graphic not safe for work nature of the accusations levelled against Neil Gaiman, it may be best to use discretion if his work is examined, bearing in mind that the accusations are alleged at this point.
Neil Gainman’s case alone could be more than enough to write an article about this issue, given that the accusations against him shed a different light on his work. – T. Palomino1 day ago
Sleep and dreams are central motifs in Shakespeare's Macbeth, symbolizing guilt, psychological turmoil, and the disruption of natural order. Throughout the play, sleep represents peace and innocence, but as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become consumed by ambition and crime, their ability to sleep is gradually undermined, reflecting their deteriorating mental states.
Explore the significance and role of sleep and dreams in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
How does *Moby-Dick* explore queer themes? Look closely at the closeness between Ishmael and Queequeg, the tension in Ahab’s relationship with Starbuck, and the way the all-male crew interacts. What does the story say about breaking norms, hidden desires, and finding yourself in a world that forces everyone into the same mold?
The character of Merlin as he appears in ancient myths and modern stories is somewhat difficult to parse. In the old tales, Merlin is a mysterious, wise figure—a prophet, guide, and shapeshifter with a deep connection to magic and nature though not without his flaws such as his lineage and obsessions with his students. In recent decades, relatively speaking he has become even more fractured as a character. He’s shown in many disparate ways between today’s books, movies, and shows, where he might be a playful teacher (like in The Sword in the Stone) or a darker, more complicated character (like in BBC’s Merlin). How do these versions of Merlin reflect how we see wisdom, power, and right and wrong today?
Love this topic! I personally grew up with BBC's adaptation of Merlin stories and T. A. Barron's Merlin Saga. Both works strike me as particularly oriented toward the teen audience as they focus on the themes of coming-of-age and forging powerful bonds. – Horselover Rat2 months ago
'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' is a widely acclaimed science-fiction work that explores the notion of human existence as a unique but non-essential and reproducible phenomenon. The novel is additionally known for its film adaptations 'Blade Runner' and 'Blade Runner 2049'. However, a less explored but arguably equally important theme in Philip K. Dick's body of work is religion and its psychological and mystical influence on people. In 'Do Androids', humans worship Mercerism which ends up impacting the climax of the story.
Mercerism is a fictional religion that compels individuals to use devices known as empathy boxes to feel the physical pain inflicted on a figure named Wilbur Mercer, whose appearance is only shown through a TV program as he journeys through a desert plain. Sometimes, rocks are thrown at him to wound him which triggers pain to everyone using an empathy box. This is a communal activity as multiple people tune in to watch and partake in Wilbur Mercer's suffering thanks to the empathy box.
Some possible questions and avenues to explore belief in science-fiction: What is the purpose of Mercerism in the story? How does it encompass Philip K. Dick's own mystical experiences? What real-world influences does Mercerism draw from? How does Mercerism differ from other fictional religions and belief-cultures in popular media? Why is Mercerism unexplored in both Hollywood adaptations of the novel?
"The Death of the Author" is the title of an essay literary critic and theorist Roland Barthes.
The term itself has been argued to mean that the work should be judged wholly on its own merits despite problematic origins. But, was that the intent of the framework or is it a post hoc justification for supporting creators (and thus their creations) who would otherwise be maligned?
With regards to fandom, how much can be said to be justified under this framework and as consumers should there be a limit to where and how this framework is used as a defense?
I recently studied this essay in my class on Contemporary – thalamouawad2 years ago
I recently studied this essay in my class on Contemporary Writing by Women. I think that Barthes' essay can be juxtaposed effectively with Nancy K Miller's "Changing the subject". It counters Barthes' work by stating that this dismissal of individual identity can be interpreted as a hegemonic tool used to deemphasize the stance of minority writing. – thalamouawad2 years ago
Another point for reference: novelist John Green has publicly subscribed to the Death of the Author philosophy, saying "authorial intent doesn't matter"; how readers interpret metaphors, he says, is as important or more important than what the author was thinking when he wrote them. This makes reading Green's books, like Paper Towns and The Fault in our Stars, which are stuffed full of metaphorical imagery, quite interesting.
Paper Towns, in particular, is about imagining people as multifaceted instead of seeing them as metaphors - but if authorial intent doesn't matter, should we accept our superficial impressions as accurate? – noahspud2 years ago
Barthes argues that once a text is created and released into the world, it no longer belongs to the author. In other words, the meaning of a text is not tied to the author’s personal intentions, experiences, or background. The text becomes an autonomous entity, open to interpretation by any reader. – MehdiYousefi3 months ago
The writer could explore the challenges and opportunities in adapting Harry Potter into a TV series. How might this format allow for deeper dives into beloved characters and overlooked subplots? What risks come with retelling a story already ingrained in global pop culture? The piece could also examine the impact of fandom expectations and the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s public statements on the reception of this adaptation.
Good topic! For starters, you might examine the controversy surrounding the desire for a British-only cast, vs. the potential non-British actors could bring to the series. Along with that, you could examine some of the elements JKR has "retconned" or said she wishes she added, such as Hermione being a person of color or the fact that Hermione should have ended up with Harry, not Ron. – Stephanie M.4 months ago
The writer could also look at the risks of changing the setting. Could this degrade the quality of the story? Could this make people walk away from the franchise? – KomikSans3 months ago
