Blade Runner + Frankenstein Essay
Due to differing contexts, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Riddely Scott’s Blade Runner explore overarching themes in diverse ways. Exploration of these themes in light of the context of the texts reveals the underlying warnings present in both Frankenstein and Blade Runner. As a result, comparison of the two texts leads to a greater understanding of these themes, including nature, technological advancements and the notion of humanity.
The natural world is explored throughout the texts in such a way that the context of the time era is projected through to reflect upon social attitudes. Throughout Scott’s Blade Runner there is a distinctive lack of nature, in fact the only natural object we are shown, besides humans, is a bonsai tree found in Tyrell’s office. Throughout Frankenstein we are shown many examples of naturalistic references through majestic imagery such as, “the pines are not tall or luxuriant, but they are sombre” and “the eagle, soaring amidst the clouds – they gathered all round me, and bade me be at peace”, these descriptions of the natural environment signify how the romantic movement in which Frankenstein was written has been conveyed through the text. The romantic period was one in which the beauty of nature and life were highly valued, and this is represented through the positive tone of the nature references. However, when contrasted these two texts both depict the collective opinion of the time. For example, through the lack of nature in the futuristic Blade Runner, we can deduce the social view is one of a diminishing natural world and in fact that it will deteriorate completely. We are shown the extent of this ‘diminished world’ in Blade Runner when Zhora the replicant is asked, “is that a real snake?””Of course not, do you think I would be working in a place like this if I could afford a real snake?” This demonstrates the rarity of natural objects within this dystopian society, and hence the predicted rarity of natural objects in the
The natural world is explored throughout the texts in such a way that the context of the time era is projected through to reflect upon social attitudes. Throughout Scott’s Blade Runner there is a distinctive lack of nature, in fact the only natural object we are shown, besides humans, is a bonsai tree found in Tyrell’s office. Throughout Frankenstein we are shown many examples of naturalistic references through majestic imagery such as, “the pines are not tall or luxuriant, but they are sombre” and “the eagle, soaring amidst the clouds – they gathered all round me, and bade me be at peace”, these descriptions of the natural environment signify how the romantic movement in which Frankenstein was written has been conveyed through the text. The romantic period was one in which the beauty of nature and life were highly valued, and this is represented through the positive tone of the nature references. However, when contrasted these two texts both depict the collective opinion of the time. For example, through the lack of nature in the futuristic Blade Runner, we can deduce the social view is one of a diminishing natural world and in fact that it will deteriorate completely. We are shown the extent of this ‘diminished world’ in Blade Runner when Zhora the replicant is asked, “is that a real snake?””Of course not, do you think I would be working in a place like this if I could afford a real snake?” This demonstrates the rarity of natural objects within this dystopian society, and hence the predicted rarity of natural objects in the