So, this is it: the last blog post. I suppose I’ll write a few pointless sentences on what a great experience this has been in the beginning to take up space. Just kidding! This week’s topic will discuss literary influences upon Star Wars; I felt this would be appropriate given that the new Star Wars video game just came out, and the next movie is due soon as well.

I feel the closest literary influence upon Star Wars would be King Arthur. For starters, Luke Skywalker is initially a young farm boy who does not know his father was a Jedi, similar to how King Arthur did not know his true heritage. Additionally, Luke then meets Obi-wan Kenobi, a character akin to Merlin the wizard mentor to Arthur. Luke is given his father’s lightsaber; it is an elegant, ancient weapon that draws thematic parallels to the Sword in the Stone and Excalibur (This same lightsaber is summoned from the snow by Rey in The Force Awakens, further indicating its symbolism as a thematically Arthurian sword). Luke then goes on an adventure to defeat Darth Vader, a menacing figure that shares much in common with the villainous Black Knight trope of Arthurian tales. Luke also recruits the aid of the dashing Han Solo, who is similar to the popular knight Lancelot in style and purpose.

Another influence is the Bible; specifically the narrative of Jesus Christ. In Star Wars, there is a belief among the Jedi of the Old Republic that a mighty Jedi will bring balance to the Force. This is very similar to the purpose that Jesus serves in the New Testament, as he is deemed the “messiah” who will ultimately save the world from sin. Too bad Anakin didn’t live up to the task. 

The focus of our project is raising awareness surrounding the pangolin and its status as an endangered species. We chose this animal because so few people know about this creature compared to other endangered species, such as elephants or rhinoceroses. We feel that while the pangolin may not be large or majestic, it still has inherent value as a curious and unique creature that should be protected from human harm.

Part 1: Pre-production

Our method of getting people to become familiar with this situation is by making a comparison between the pangolin and the Sandshrew pokemon. Both have a similar appearance, and we can use the popularity of the pokemon franchise to draw attention to the plight of the pangolin. The plan is as follows: print out fliers with the sandshrew on it and an attention-grabbing title, and have a QR code that will direct people to our website that will have information regarding the pangolin crisis and links to organizations to donate to.

Part 2: Post-production

Our group successfully put together a social media campaign on Snapchat, distributed flyers around Sanfilippo residence hall, and put together a cool website for people to visit and learn about our movement. We did receive a lot of positive feedback from our Snapchat story; one user replied with a Snap saying “I’m down with the movement” and another drew an image of a Sandshrew, saying “Save the Pangolins!” I also had a conversation with a friend regarding the flyers we placed around the dorm; he was confused as to why they were all over the place, and I explained to him our campaign and directed him to our website.

Reflection on the experience:

I had a really great time with this part of the project. Doing the research and writing for the paper may have had its own value, but actually getting involved was pretty fun. I feel that our idea of cutting out Pokemon flyers was ingenius; it was smart, cool, and actually intrigued people. It was sort of like that popular mobile video game, Pokemon Go: where you can go around and find different Pokemon for your collection; except in this version, people had to find the Sandshrews to help “save” them from the evil poachers. Additionally, we have a pretty cool website that has a lot of educational value; Shreya put together some really informative infographics that could get people interested in the cause. While our effort may have been small, we did our best with the community we had and made a noticeable impact. If our method was applied worldwide, the Pangolin would surely be saved.

Readings: The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

In our reading of The Hunger Games, we have come across a literary motif used time and time again throughout Western literature and culture. This motif is that of the “Christ figure,” a character who sacrifices him or herself for the greater good, and ultimately serves as a catalyst for change in the conflict of the story. In The Hunger Games, Rue embodies this ideal, as she is an innocent being gifted with special abilities (singing to the mockingjays) who dies as a result of an oppressive evil. Moreover, she is killed by a spear through her torso, much as Christ was speared by a Roman soldier while on the cross.

I would like to take the opportunity to make comparisons between the imagery of Rue’s death and other “Christ figures” of the modern age to assert the everlasting presence of this specific motif in our culture. Take for example, Roy Batty in the film Bladerunner. Towards the end of the film, as he pursues Rick Deckard, he pierces his hand with a nail to keep himself from losing his senses and dying. This is akin to Jesus’ death by being nailed to a cross. Additionally, after giving a moving speech on the nature of his existence, he dies and a dove flies up into the sky; this parallels the Holy Spirit flying from Jesus on the cross.

Another apt parallel would be Superman’s recent death in Batman v. Superman, as Superman is impaled in the torso in an effort that ultimately kills the villainous monster, Doomsday. Additionally, in the final shot of the film, the dirt lying on Superman’s coffin rises up; this indicates that the man of steel will rise again, just as Jesus did.

Readings: The Hunger Games, Casino Royale

Given our current reading of The Hunger Games, I see an opportunity to make a comparison between it and another book I am currently reading: Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming. Casino Royale has inspired the spy genre for generations and formulated one of the most popular heroes in modern history: James Bond. I believe the drastic differences between James Bond and Katniss Everdeen’s worlds serve as a reference point to understanding the settings of the culture in which they were written.

For instance, in Casino Royale, James Bond is a secret agent working for MI6, the main intelligence agency of the British government. This is a world in which order is constantly competing against chaos, and the “good” order must prevail through the actions of 007. In Hunger Games, however, Katniss is someone who works to provide for herself and is under the subjugation of the “evil” order. In this instance, the paradigm of good vs. evil has been significantly altered and become somewhat muddied, as the order is evil and uses chaos (the Hunger Games) as a method of control.

I believe the main reason for this paradigm shift is due to the vastly different political and social climates in which the stories are written. In Casino Royale, James Bond is symbolic of Britain’s power after World War II, and is also an homage to the various intelligence officers and commandoes Ian Fleming met during his service in the War. The Hunger Games, however, is born fresh off the brutal destruction of the Iraq War and the era of reality television. It is essentially a criticism of modern society, while Casino Royale lives off the glory of its time.