Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Night Circus

Many have drawn comparisons between Morgenstern's Night Circus and Rowling's Harry Potter for their magic and whimsy, as well as their subtext of romance and maturation amongst young adults. What Night Circus also shares with Rowling's work, however, is a slew of moral quandaries and trials posed to the young protagonists. The idea of Free Will is one that Night Circus plays with frequently; Marco and Celia are not only both heavily influenced and guided by their mentors, but their entire lives are contextualized by the competition that sustains the circus. The questioning of authority becomes a feature as both begin to uncover the truth of their competition with one another, and this is sustained as both confront their mentors to argue the terms of the competition. Ultimately, the story climaxes with Celia's sacrifice, an act of both Free Will and disobedience of authority, which seals her fate along with Marco's but results in the two being set free of their burden together. Though their final circumstance isn't completely ideal, they are happy, which suggests that Morgenstern is suggesting that going one's own way is the key to transitioning to adulthood.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Annotated Hobbit

Like Lord of the Rings itself, The Hobbit very closely follows the model of the hero's journey. Towards the opening of the book, Bilbo Baggins is extremely reluctant to go with Gandalf and the dwarves, but ultimately answers the call to adventure. Gandalf, in both Tolkien works, is the mentor character. The escape from the goblins marks the crossing of the threshold for Bilbo, and the suggestion of greater adventure, along with his first power gained, comes in the form of the ring which he pockets. He begins to prove himself further by outwitting Gollum and finding his friends on his own. The book sees Bilbo and his allies through many trials and enemies until they experience two great ordeals: the battle with the dragon, Smaug, and the Battle of the Five Armies. Finally, the Arkenstone, the object of the journey, is retrieved and laid to rest with Thorin Oakenshield, while Bilbo embarks home with a renewed understanding of life and The Ring, which is secretly an even greater elixir.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Monster Island

"The Weird" in the context of the listed material is undeniably attractive and popular, possibly for the reason that it in some ways reverses many of the lofty elements more endemic to romantic and gothic horror, the long-standing standards. Many "weird horror" stories ground their surrealism in the fabric of the pedestrian and contemporary. Monster Island, for example, uses the entirety of modern New York City as an eerie but familiar backdrop; fearsome not only because it is swarming with ravenous undead, but also because it is something many readers know and have memories in relation to. This phenomenon can also be found in many horror movies. The suburban settings of Sinister and Insidious are extremely common, yet actually contribute to the horror of the situation, as it is far easier for many members of the audience to see themselves in the circumstances playing out on-screen. "The Weird" in these cases appear to be the combination of the supernatural horrific and the plain, which leads to something both jarring and sometimes seemingly plausible.