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.

Readings: The Knight of the Cart, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

One of the most popular superhero franchises today is Marvel’s Avengers, as its superb comic and movie series has propelled its characters into the world of pop culture. That being said, there is a reason why they are so popular; they draw from the very same themes and ideas that made the Knights of the Round Table so well-known during their literary invention.

King Arthur’s knights are among the first literary characters to form a team of heroes dedicated to protecting their land and their society, much like the Avengers. In The Knight of the Cart, Lancelot and the other knights devote themselves to saving Guinevere. Similarly, the Avengers put everything on the line to defend the world from villains like Loki and Ultron. Additionally, each Knight and Avenger has a different personality; Lancelot and Iron Man are both charismatic and popular, while Gawain and Captain American are trusting and humble.

The Knights and the Avengers also serve a similar purpose in the society that they are written, as they act as the model for the ultimate classical heroic ideal. This classical ideal draws upon the ancient legends of mankind, where mighty warriors bridged the gap between Man and God. These heroes would prove their worth by wielding some kind of godly ability; Arthur pulls sword from stone and wields the legendary Excalibur, and Thor is the single person who can lift the hammer Mjolnir and summon lightning. This godly ability shows that the heroes were chosen by the divine or supernatural, and had the mandate of defender of society. Though an unreachable standard to even the greatest of real human “heroes,” it is important to note that this same kind of heroes have progressed throughout human history.

Reading: The Knight of the Cart (Chretien de Troyes)

In The Knight of the Cart, the main character (Lancelot) undergoes a series of trials and tribulations in his journey to save Queen Guinevere from her captor. However, because this is set in an Arthurian world, Lancelot is honor-bound in all of his actions and statements, with presents himself with multiple moral dilemmas. When he first meets the knight guarding the bridge, he swears that he will defeat him in battle; when finally has him at his mercy, a girl begs Lancelot to show the knight mercy. This presents a conflict of honor, as Lancelot must choose between honoring his oath to kill the knight who offended him, or to show him mercy in the spirit of chivalry. Another instance is when he muses over whether or not to “sleep” with his hostess. He has pledged his loyalty to Guinevere, yet he feels he must honor his oath to his hostess, as she allowed him to stay the night. That being said, he unflinchingly returns to the house to sleep with her, “for he could not break his promise” (Troyes 220). This notion of honoring one’s words is one of the most common motifs of this Arthurian romance.

Another curious theme within this story is Lancelot’s curious decision-making ability when it comes to basic moral sense. For instance, he hesitates to save the hostess girl from being raped, an action that one would normally consider obvious. Lancelot also initially treats Sir Gawain with a certain level of flippancy, snatching one of his spare horses and riding off with it to save Guinevere.

This stark difference between Lancelot’s actions regarding honor-bound duty and moral sensibility in the initial part of the story set the stage for his interactions with Guinevere later on.

Reading: A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Christopher Vogler)

In reading the article breaking down Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Vogler asserts that “In his study of world hero myths Campbell discovered that they are all basically the same story – retold endlessly in infinite variations.” I would apply this idea to modern mythical figures; namely, Superman, arguably the most famous of modern fictional heroes. Though the story of Superman has varied over the years due to different comic book series and movies, I will focus on the film Man of Steel. In this movie, Superman’s story parallels the heroic monomyth and many of the symbols and images within it are in fact references to mythical heroes and religious subtexts. Following the path of the Campbell’s monomyth, Kal is initially resistant to embracing his abilities (REFUSAL OF THE CALL), but is motivated to become a savior to mankind by an AI version of his father (MEETING WITH THE MENTOR). In the main crisis of the story, he battles against General Zod, a Kryptonian who seeks to destroy humanity and terraform Earth for surviving Kryptonians (SUPREME ORDEAL). He defeats Zod (REWARD), and is becomes Superman to planet Earth (RESURRECTION, RETURN). Regarding parallels to mythical religious themes, Kal-El is an alien born on Krypton that sent away from his home planet to save him from certain destruction, just as Moses was placed into a stream by his mother to prevent the Egyptians from killing him. Additionally, the name Kal-El contains the suffix “el”, often used to denote God in Hebrew. Superman in this film is also implied to be a Christ-figure, as there are multiple references to Jesus in a few of the scenes.

Article: Remembering Pat Tillman, The NFL’s Greatest Patriot and Hero (Michael Schottey)

The article written by Michael Schottey claims that Pat Tillman, an NFL player who turned down a lucrative contract to serve in the armed forces, is the NFL’s greatest patriot and a hero. I disagree strongly with this claim, as I do not feel that simply serving in the army makes you a hero. If you serve in the army, you can be a hero, but it really depends on the circumstance. For instance, in Pat Tillman’s case, he fought in a war that he disagreed with; yet Schottey claims that he “gave up professional football glory to sacrifice his life for the freedoms we celebrate on the Fourth of July”.  Pat Tillman didn’t sacrifice his life for our freedoms, he fought in a war that was arguably unjust and was killed by his fellow soldiers no less.  If, however, he sacrificed his life for his fellow soldiers in an act of unparalleled bravery, then yes, he would be a hero. The reality is he died tragically in an accident; that doesn’t qualify as heroism in my book. While his courage and mental strength for fighting in a war he disagreed with is admirable, it doesn’t qualify as heroism. That being said, there have been heroes in war; most notably those who fought during the Second World War. I would argue that their sacrifices were more “heroic” as they put their lives on the line for a very real and imminent threat. There is a TV miniseries called Band of Brothers that follows the journey of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne through Europe. It encapsulates why they fought; the following clip best describes the bond that they developed during their journey.

Reading: Man-of-Action Heroes: The Pursuit of Heroic Masculinity in Everyday Consumption (Douglas B. Holt and Craig J. Thompson)

What most intrigued me about this reading was its discussion of athletes and their inherent relation to the man-of-action hero trope. Holt and Thompson write: “The most lauded athletes are celebrated for their individual accomplishments, displays of superhuman skill, and inimitable personal style while at the same time acting as team players, expounding the importance of their supporting cast” (6). They go on to mention legendary athletes, like Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky, but they failed to discuss the one who perfectly personified the heroic man-of-action: Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali is perhaps the most iconic sportsman of all time, not only because of his skill and talent as a boxer, but because of his charismatic personality and dedication to pushing back against the white supremacist power structure present in America during his career. He was cocky, witty and trash-talked his opponents to no end; he defeated powerful rivals where he was often considered the underdog. In addition, he stood up against the racism of American society in the 60s and 70s and became an icon for black racial pride. Through his boxing victories and public actions, Ali solidified his presence as a rebellious, man-of-action hero. Though in his day he was vilified and hated by many white Americans, his image gradually transformed into that of a true American hero. There are few athletes in history that have the iconic legacy he had because Ali perfectly maintained the “rugged individualism of the rebel” (6) and the “allegiance to collective interests” (6).