Brave New world / Blade runner / in the wild essay. (1 Viewer)

[nickw...]

Hi.
I have an essay to write, the question is
"Composers in thie elective communicate the vision that regardless of the progress that has been made in civilisation contact with the natural world is vital for humanity. Discuss this view in relation to the texts you have studied for this electives".

If you have studied it, i'd greatly appreciated it if you would post your views on the topic.
I've written probably 60% of my essay, and have touched on the conditioning / giving of memories, human production in BNW / production in BR. And the lack of animals in both texts.

Sorry if it seems i'm trying to get out of work, but its just good to see other people's perspective on things.

Cheers

-Nick

 

[juggernaut]

well for bladerunner id talk about the negative response to the absence of the natural world and through this show the reasons why we do actually need it;

for instance the ppl in LA of 2014 basically live in a dreary existence where communication between civilians is rare.. isolation and unhappiness is prominent, ppl have lost sense of values etc.
this dreary existence is obviously as a result from humanities divorce with the natural world, where also now instead of trees etc smoke and pollution is the most evident feature.. people in the city where gas masks and hence this absence has threatended the health and safety of humanity... blah blah blah

i havent started brave new world yet..

 

[braindrainedAsh]

That was my trial question I think.... or at least it is similar.

Think of the ways that humanity has become detached from their natural world and natural processes in the texts e.g. cloning, mass production of humans, devaluing of human life, artificial things (e.g. artificial snakes in BR). Then think about the way the composers show that it is necessary to maintain these links with nature that are broken in the texts e.g. by their creation of dystopic futures where humans are detached from natural emotions and processes, Huxley and Scott illustrate that for human society to function in a way which crates happiness and fulfilment links with the natural world need to be maintained. The texts project a cautionary value which warns against the development of technocratic societies where humanity is detached from the natural world. etc etc etc

Hope that helps a bit, my brain is going a bit rusty!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Its also important not merely to state that Huxley and Scott both depict contact with the natural world as vital for humanity, but to explain the techniques through which this is represented in each text. For instance, you could state that Scott demonstrates the dystopic results of environmental destruction through techniques such as cinematography and lighting. These are used throughout to depict a world with no natural light, one that is deliberately claustrophobic, the city, and the film itself being set entirely within walls.

Unlike BR (And this could make an interesting point to contrast), BNW is also set within the 'Savage Reservation' and other environs, thereby contrasting the absurdist metropolis with 'nature', another means of highlighting the dehumanisation that has resulted from ignoring the 'wild' (Ironically becoming truly 'wild' in the process). As such, while Huxley and Scott's texts can be seen as opposites in this sense, each composer shares the same imperative, namely to prevent this situation becoming reality.

Of course, dystopic texts are social commentary, and this is a key aspect of BNW and BR.

Perhaps you can also mention the use of replicants as a means of emphasising the lack of humanity inherent in BR.. The slogan more human than human applies not only physically, but emotionally.. (This is also seen in BRC through the replicants being identified through personal first names, while the humans are known through distant surnames..)

Good luck with your essay.