America's first Frankenstein film turns 100 this week!

Check out this article about the release this week of the 1910 Thomas Edison-studio film of Frankenstein and a book about this film and its history. The Frankenmeme is still alive!!

Last Blog Assignment!! Due March 10th

For your last blog post, please write a 300-400 word consideration of Alan Moore's graphic novel with an eye toward the question: What is Literature? On the first day of class, we considered questions about how to define literature, what makes it relevant, what we get from reading it, and how it continues to be relevant as new media and technologies arise. Please write a response to this text, thinking about whether you consider it a literary text or not, why you consider it the way you do, and what it has to offer the reader. You might also keep your eyes peeled for allusions to other texts/concepts we've encountered this quarter.

Blog Assignment: If only you could see what I have seen with your eyes...

By Friday of this week, please write and post a 300-400 word post in response to the film Blade Runner. To make this blog post of maximal use to you, please write about connections you can make between the film, Frankenstein, and RUR. Even more specifically, see what connections you can make with regard to your essay topic. That way, you already have part of your essay in a draft form via this assignment.

And, whether it fits into your topic or not, please spend at least one short paragraph responding to Roy Baty's decision to spare Deckard. Why did he say what he said to Deckard about living in fear, to be a slave, and the memories he has but which will disappear in time like tears in rain? Why did he spare him? How does this final major confrontation shape your interpretation of the film as a whole?

Today in 1890: Literary History

March 1st, 1890 the first US edition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes was published, Study in Scarlet.

What would a robot want to be called?

A friend sent me this LINK to a forum discussion about what would be politically correct options for addressing robots in the future.

RUR in recent Pop Culture

Follow this LINK to the Rossum Corporation website, used to promote the now-canceled television series: Dollhouse.

Blog writing for Tuesday, February 23

Since our second essay is a synthesis of Frankenstein and RUR, I'd like you to use this blog writing as a chance to start putting the two texts into conversation. Please take 300-400 words to do some very INFORMAL brainstorm writing. I don't want neat paragraphs for this one. Just let your synapses fire full force as you try to make as many connections between them as you can while you move through at least the first part of RUR. It's a good strategy to begin by generating too much connectivity and evidence.