Adaptation Paper: Bride & Prejudice

Zaynah Quader

July 5, 2013

ENGL392B: English Literature on Film in the Twenty-first Century

Professor Joseph Byrne

Exploring the Imperialist Connection Between Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Gurinder Chadha’s Film Adaptation

Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Hampshire, England to a “rural professional middle class” family. Although the Austen’s mingled with other gentry, they were also linked to the “larger world of fashionable society”, with familial connections to those in the upper class. Austen’s beginning works, which influenced the writing of her later novels, have elements of the burlesque. These elements included fitting large plots in smaller pages, contrasting people in different levels of society, using satire and parody. However, parody was generally considered a topic for male writers. Austen and her family were avid novel readers, and her works in particular seem to be heavily influenced by Frances Burney’s 1782 novel Cecilia. This novel has elements of “free indirect discourse,” a point of view style that Austen has come to be associated with. Free indirect discourse maintains an authoritative third person narration, but also understanding character’s internal feelings and thoughts. According to literary scholars, Jane Austen began writing as a form of entertainment for her family. Family is a major part of most of her works, especially in her 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice (Kelly).

Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen’s second and  most memorable novel. The story of the middle classed, headstrong Elizabeth Bennett finding and falling in love ad midst trials and tribulations with the genteel Mr. Darcy has been told and retold over again in various works including television, film and theater. Strong themes of the novel include family, manners and marriage. However, more modern scholars have interpreted the novel with an imperialist lens. Runjiang Xu and Yucheng Li, in a paper for The Canadian Centers for Science and Education close read the novel to reveal a surprising colonial subtext. Key notes on imperialism from the text include:

• Domestic Exploitation: Bingley and Darcy’s exploration of Netherfield and surrounding land, which Bingley buys, is attributed to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was aided by colonial capitalism. The revolution led to increasing demand of labor force, which the rising bourgeoisie class hoped to satisfy with the Enclosure Movement, expelling farmers from their farmland in hopes to gain forces for labor in the industrialized cities.

• Overseas Colonization: The authors draw parallels between Wickhams exploitation of Lydia and England’s exploitation of countries overseas. Wickham is a soldier, and during Austen’s lifetime, the only wars England waged were for American colonies and to compete with France in domination over Europe.

• Austen’s Opinions of Colonialism: Austen highlights her complacent views on imperialism by ignoring it – even though there is considerable mention of soldiers, there is no talk of the politics of war, which at this time period, were revolved around colonization. Edward Said, in discussing Western literature and imperialism, said of Austen’s work, “improbable as art not involved with Empire” (Xu & Li).

Colonialism is apparent in Austen’s work, whether she wanted it to be or not. It is hard for a modern colonialist reviewer to separate English writing in Austen’s time period and England’s imperialism. This can be seen in the modern adaptation of her novel, the film Bride and Prejudice.

Director Gurinder Chadha is a Kenyan-born British Sikh of Indian descent. She is known for depicting British Indian culture, often depicting culture clash in films such as Bend it Like Beckham, The Mistress of Spice and It’s a Wonderful Afterlife. Her 2004 film Bride and Prejudice is a reinterpretation of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, where Darcy is a wealthy hotel mogul on vacation in India, who meets the middle class Bakshi’s (Bennet’s) at a friends wedding. The film is often labeled “East meets West,” and this bringing together of the two hemispheres always invites colonial commentary. Lalita, the films reincarnation of Elizabeth, is unlike the character which she represents in one aspect: she is outspokenly anti-imperialist. After the American Darcy comments on how he prefers a Goan luxury hotel over the crowded cities of India, an angry Lalita says to him “I thought we got rid of imperialists like you!”

In fact, in Chadha’s adaptation, the conflict between Darcy and Elizabeth is more about their differing culture than their differing social class. While Darcy is wealthier than the Bakshi’s, its his way of ridiculing Indian culture (as well as influencing Bingley/Balraj to stop seeing her sister Jane/Jaya) that turns off Lalita. In comparison, Wickham, portrayed as a hippie-ish traveler, respects and loves Indian culture. Under a colonialism lens, Chadha’s film becomes confusing –  Why does Lalita, who loves her culture, refuse Indian men for white American or British men? Balraj is British-Indian and respects Indian culture, but leaves Jaya in the dust. Darcy, by the end of the film, miraculously shows up with a dhol (drum) and, with no questions asked, Lalita and Darcy get married.

These questions become less confusing if the reason for Chadha’s adaptation is analyzed. According to Suchitra Mathur for M/C Journal, Indian Anglophones groaned upon hearing Chadha was trying to adapt Austen’s classic into a Bollywood “masala” film (masala is used to denote popular Bollywood films’ penchant for portraying a family friendly, something-for-everyone mix of genres, with music, dancing, romance, tragedy, comedy and action). Not only do these critics deride Bollywood films, but,  according to Mathur, these critics viewed Pride and Prejudice as a “master text” while Bride and Prejudice was viewed as a silly “native” tribute. That is to say, Austen’s work is both canonical and transnational, while Chadha’s can only attempt to mimic the White Lady’s words.

While there are many Indian interpretations of English classics (recent Bollywood films have been made based on Othello, Macbeth and Emma), there is little to no interpretation of Indian classic literature for a Western audience. In recent years, strange fusions of literature and film from the subcontinent have been made into movies for the global screen. These include Michael Winterbottom’s adaptation of Tess of the D’urbervilles called Trishna set in Rajasthan with an all-Asian leading cast, Mira Nair’s adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist set in Pakistan and American and with American, Pakistani and British actors, Ang Lee’s Life of Pi and Deepa Mehta’s rendition of Midnight’s Children. Of course, many Bollywood films that have been made from classic Indian literature have been globally recognized, such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas. The only successful, global, film of recent years created from Indian literature for a Western audience is Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. But even this is problematic – the novel the film was based on is not considered classic, canonical literature, and was not widely known, unlike Austen’s novel.

Countering these previous critics, Mathur believes that Chadha’s adaptation was ostentatious compared to the original and that this was done on purpose, calling the film “cheeky.” The entirety of the novel is set in England, but the film jet sets from Amritsar to Goa to LA and to London. Elizabeth and Darcy’s stroll through Pemberley is transformed into a chaotic musical number with water fountains, helicopters and choirs. Lydia’s hushed engagement is a fist fight between Wickham and Darcy in front of a projected movie, letting the audience know that indeed this is a movie, and indeed the director is having a little fun with the original text.

Chadha’s film is something important in the South Asian diaspora communities because it allows “postcolonial subversion” (Mathur). The film is a battle between master and native, and in the end, India wins. In the fight between Wickham and Darcy in the cinema, the film playing in the background is Manoj Kumar’s 1970 film Purab aur Paschim, translated, East and West. The fight does not culminate with Darcy getting one over Wickham, but instead with Wickham being slapped by two Indians, who do not need a white male savior by taking matters into their own hands (literally). Lalita is uncompromising and Darcy is shown at the end of the film decked out in Indian wedding clothes atop an elephant. If this happened in Austen’s novel, if the middle classed Bennet’s won the novel, Darcy would be seen at Longbourn, being treated to Mrs. Bennet’s nagging. In Austen’s novel it is assumed that Longbourn and the Bennet’s are saved by Bingley’s and Darcy’s added wealth, but this is understated in Chadha’s film. More widely, Chadha’s interpretation takes the same high class British culture that colonized India, swallowed one of it’s most beloved novels and belched out a cheesy, obnoxious, Bollywood masala film. Mathur says that authenticity was never Chadha’s goal, and, if the film is analyzed in this way, the director has created an intelligent (and entertaining) work of post colonial art.

Mathur also says that “the film thus becomes a classic instance of the colony “talking back” to the metropolis, of Caliban speaking to Prospero, not in the language Prospero has taught him, but in his own native tongue. The burden of responsibility is shifted; it is Prospero/audiences in the West that have the responsibility to understand the language of Bollywood without dismissing it as gibberish or attempting to domesticate it, to reduce it to the familiar.” Some Western audiences will not try to understand this film, which has been filmed in a very Bollywood context that refuses to explain itself to those unknowing. Chadha’s goal, however, is not to one up her fellow Brits, but to invite playful discourse between the East and West. Her ultimate goal, she says is to “make the Hindi language familiar to the world. After all, Bollywood is much bigger than Hollywood. Hopefully, it will work both ways. It will spur Westerners to watch more Hindi movies and also inspire Bollywood filmmakers towards better narratives” (Jha).

Works Cited

Jha, Subhash K. “Bride and Prejudice is not K3G.” Rediff.com. 30 August 2004. Web. June 10 2013. <http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2004/aug/30finter.htm>.

Kelly, Garry. “Jane Austen.” Brandeis University. n.d. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/austenbio.html>.

Mathur, Suchitra. “From British ‘Pride’ to Indian ‘Bride’.” M/C Journal (May 2007). Vol. 10, Issue 2. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0705/06-mathur.php>.

Xu, Runjiang and Li, Yucheng. “Jane Austen and Imperialism — A Rereading of Pride & Prejudice.” The Canadian Centers for Science and Education. December 2009. Vol. 2, No.2. English Department, Zhenjiang Watercraft College of PLA. Web. 5 July 2013. <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ccsenet.org%2Fjournal%2Findex.php%2Felt%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F4474%2F3819&ei=AFDWUbXNIMfW0QGCp4CwBg&usg=AFQjCNECYlEJwyqB9FywjKPcXE-XfTaotw&sig2=ncLYUrU_M0yKQs_x39gewQ>.

Blog Response Post: Watchmen

1. Analysis of the Book

Alan Moore’s 1987 graphic novel Watchmen is arguably considered the greatest graphic novel series written. It is also considered un-filmable. The novel is complex, time shifting, political, psychological, has a story (or stories) within the main plot and has incredibly flawed characters. One of these characters, Dr. Manhattan / Dr. Jon Osterman is considered unfilmable because the character can control matter and transcends time and space (also, he is naked for most of the comic).

2. Analysis of the Film

Zack Snyder’s 2009 film adaptation Watchmen has stylistic points as well as interesting promotion. Both of these elements can be seen in Watchmen’s official trailer:

Snyder deftly shows off his use of slow motion, then sped up editing to enhance action scenes, as he did in the film 300. According to critics, the production also cast mainly well, especially with Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach and  Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the Comedian.    Synder was also applauded for his depiction of the Cold War-era in the United States. The film was promoted through comic-book like posters, animated shorts also based on the comics, as well as interactive promotions, like a viral marketing website based on a newspaper in Watchmen, called The New Frontiersmen.

3. Analysis of the Adaption

Snyder is known for working by using the actual comics as storyboards. While this is good news for enthusiasts of the book, this method does not work absolutely for film. Snyder faithfully interprets all major plot points (except, obviously, the very ending). However, too much focus is on plot, and less on staying faithful to Moore’s characters. Although he does well portraying Dr. Manhattan, Snyder’s portrayal of Ozymandias and Rorschach is too severe, while his portrayal of The Comedian is too soft.

4. Online Research on the Film

•  The Mindscape of Alan Moore is a 2003 documentary film that follows the mysterious writer and his work. The film can be found on Youtube here. 
• This behind the scenes “Video Journal” from the films production shows the production of Rorschach’s mask. The production team even used the same ink blot patterns on the mask from Dave Gibbon’s drawings. Link to video clip here.
• “Watchmen: The High School Years” Parody on Youtube. Link to video here. 
• Watchmencomicmovie.com has definitive list of of the song references in the comics. Link to website here.

The list of music featured in the comics represents both the weaknesses and strengths in Zack Snyder’s adaptation. Snyder uses “Desolation Row”, “Unforgettable”, “You’re My Thrill”, “All Along the Watchtower”, and “The Times They Are A-Changing”, 5 out 10 of the music referenced. Notably absent is Elvis Costello’s “The Comedians” and John Cale’s “Sanities,” which the novel closes with, using the lyric “It would be a stronger world, a stronger loving world, to die in.”  The film supplements with other politically relevant American classics, such as “The Sound of Silence, ” and thankfully includes Nina Simone’s famed rendition of “Pirate Jenny,” a nod to Moore’s story within the story, The Tales of  the Black Freighter.  His use of Philip Glass’ work also speaks to Dr. Manhattan’s (literal) other worldliness. A negative point on the soundtrack is My Chemical Romance’s “Desolation Row” – the name next to Dylan, Hendrix, Nat King Cole, Leonard Cohen, etc feels inadequate (as is their cover of the song).

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

Although Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Watchmen changed the climactic ending of the series, it was a necessary and believable change regarding the time period of the film’s release. Snyder was applauded for treating the comics like a storyboard, trying to evoke the visuals of the comic in every scene of his film, so why would he diverge so far from Moore’s original ending? Although a giant alien squid is asking for a lot of suspended belief from audiences, other films, such as Cloverfield and the more recent, Pacific Rim, have accomplished this. Critics, such as Bob Rehak for Cinema Journal, believe the change was due to the post-9/11 political climate. According to a 2004 interview with Alan Moore, he “heard some people who were apparently in New York during 9/11 say that it felt like the last episode of Watchmen, that they were expecting some giant alien jellyfish to turn up in the middle of it all.” (Thill). In the novel, Veidt creates the “alien” to unite separate nations under a common threat. According to Rehak:

“That mass deception underlies Veidt’s plan now seems an ironic commentary on 9/11 to those who believe the attacks enabled the US government to define the responsible forces as a shadowy network whose conveniently elastic boundaries could both dilate to encompass whole cultures and contract to enable the torture of individual suspects… like a cruel proof of Veidt’s concept, conjuring into simultaneous existence a fearsome if largely fictional enemy and a “homeland” united in public avowal, if not in actual practice.”

Rehak emphasizes his point by saying that the World Trade Centers were shown in multiple shots in the scene to emphasis what could (or will) happen to the world (Speilberg and Scorcese also use shots of the Twin Towers in their films Munich and Gangs of New York for this effect).

Works Cited

darkavm (Youtube user). “Watchmen Video Journal #11 – Rorschach’s Mask.” Youtube. 9 February 2009. Web. 4 July 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u9lntXrcmM>.

freakyfractal (Youtube user). “The Mindscape of Alan Moore (2003).” Youtube. 2 March 2013. Web. 4 July 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YutJ0HORpAQ>.

gelfbury (Youtube user). “Watchmen: The High School Years.” Youtube. 1 April 2009. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIHpKvSdh0I>.

Rehak, Bob. “Adapting Watchmen after 9/11.” Cinema Journal. Fall, 2011. Vol. 51, Number 1. Project Muse. 4 July 2013. <http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/cinema_journal/v051/51.1.rehak.html>.

“Song References.” Watchmen Comic Movie. n.d. Web. 4 July 2013. <http://www.watchmencomicmovie.com/watchmen-comic-songs-music.php>.

Thill, Scott. “Review: Watchmen Film Straddles Line Between Loyalty and Heresy.”Wired. 5 March 2009. Web. 4 July 2013. <http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/03/review-watchmen/>.

Blog Response Post: Fantastic Mr. Fox

1. Analysis of the Book

Roald Dahl’s 1970 novel Fantastic Mr. Fox is a children’s novel about a family of foxes trying to evade three farmers. Although Dahl wrote in many genres, he is most known for his children’s literature, which often have adult circumstances. In this novel, the protagonist, Mr. Fox, must steal food in order to provide for his family, has his tail shot off and is constantly threatened by the farmers. Although the novel has a happy ending, with Mr. Fox stealing a whole feast for his family and other underground animal friends, the threat of the farmers (or other humans) has not been removed entirely.

2. Analysis of the Film

Wes Anderson’s 2009 film adaptation of the novel deftly fits into the pattern of his own works. Although this is Anderson’s first animated movie, and his first adaptation, the film shows off the directors own quirks, such as using classic 60’s and 70’s rock (like the Beach Boys), title cards, using the same actors, portraying the use of older technology (such as Mr. Fox’s cassette tape player), a unique wardrobe, and including complicated family dynamics.

3. Analysis of the Adaptation

The film portrays Mr. Fox, in a mid-life crisis, who goes back to his old thieving ways, which gets his family and community of wild animals in trouble. To make the film version of the short novel full length Anderson chose to add to the plot, which now include a nephew and a jilted father son relationship, as the feud between the animals and farmers becomes far more intense than it is in Dahl’s novel. Although Anderson includes his own style, the influences of the novels original illustrator, Donald Chaffin, is apparent in the films depiction of the Fox’s tree house, their Edwardian wardrobe, and more. Although the film attempts to emulate the rather strange and obscure world of Dahl’s novel, the film is brighter and contains a happier ending than the book. Also notable is the very American cast portraying an English novel.

4. Online Research on the Film

• In this interview, Wes Anderson discusses shooting in stop motion and creating the sets in Dahl’s home. Link to article here. 
• This article notes Wes Anderson’s specific attention to detail- the text in the newspaper that Mr. Fox writes for is actually text from Dahl’s novel. Link to article here.
• This interview with Wes Anderson argues that the directors vision works with Dahl’s novel. Link to interview here.

The interviewer, Craig McLean of The Telegraph, believes that stop motion animation, a technique that requires a series amount of time and attention to detail is perfect for the director, who is known for being very detail oriented. The animation allows the film to be in a between cartoon and live action, which harkens back to Wes Anderson’s love of early 20th century surreal filmmakers. The director includes Buneul and Fellini as inspirations, saying that he did not want the film to look entirely real. For example, the water in the film is made from cling film.

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

The filmakers chose to include references to Dahl’s work in order to pay respect to the author, as well as evoking a sense of satire. Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of Wes Anderson’s favorite childhood books, he says “it was the first book I actually owned with my name written in the title page on a little sticker” (McLean).

The film took a long time to establish, Anderson first contacting Dahl’s widown ten years prior to the films finish – creating an adaptation of the novel was something important to the director. Anderson’s works are noted for their “pop-surrealism” and irony (McLean). As well as including actual words from the work in title cards and in the newspapers (as mentioned above), Anderson also modelled the figure of Bean in the likeness of Roald Dahl. Furthermore, the director often creates a scenario where the audience is aware that his films are actually part of book, such as in The Royal Tenenbaums.

From The Royal Tenenbaums.

Works Cited

Bell, Crystal. “‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ Newspaper: Easter Egg Revealed in Wes Anderson’s Animated Film.” Huffington Post. 9 August 2012.  <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/fantastic-mr-fox-newspaper-secret_n_1760690.html>.

McLean, Craig. “Wes Anderson Interview for Fantastic Mr. Fox”. The Telegraph. 20 October 2009. Web. 3 July 2013. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6387593/Wes-Anderson-interview-for-Fantastic-Mr-Fox.html>.

Weintraub, Steve ‘Frosty’. “Wes Anderson Interview Fantastic Mr. Fox”. Collider. 2010. Web. 3 July 2013. <http://collider.com/wes-anderson-interview-fantastic-mr-fox/>.

Blog Response Post: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

1. Analysis of the Book

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is J.K. Rowling’s third novel and it is the third novel in the Harry Potter series. The novel serves as a turning point in the series, as Harry’s problems seem to escalate. Not only does the threat of Voldemort still loom, but Harry has to worry about a werewolf professor, Sirius Black escaping Azkaban to supposedly kill him, but also having a crush on a girl, his friends fighting and other teen circumstances. The novel is darker than the previous two, and the series continues to become more adult as Harry grows up. An example of this is Rowling’s invention of Dementors – flying, cloaked, skeletal monsters that can suck the soul out of a person. Furthermore this novel expands on the politics of the wizarding world.

2. Analysis of the Film

Alfonso Cuarons 2004 contribution to the film series marked the greatest difference between the films. He greatly diverged from Christopher Columbus’ original style, trading the brightness to darkness, and adding his own stylistic motifs, such as the talking shrunken heads and showing the Womping Willow as the seasons change to mark the passage of time. It’s biggest difference is it’s darkness and camera work. In the beginning of the film, the camera work is closer, shakier, giving off a “real-life” effect, not found in many other Harry Potter films. While the subsequent films have moments arching back to Columbus’ brightness and grandness, they also include Cuaron’s motifs.

3. Analysis of the Adaptation

This adaptation is the most interesting movie version of a Harry Potter novel as it serves as a plan of action for translating the rest of the series to film. Cuaron took greater leaps in translating the book to film, unlike Columbus, as he was working with more material. Harry’s crush on Cho Chang is completely removed, there are little classroom scenes and many characters have much more consolidated dialogue. The director also chose to include some of his own invented scenes that foreshadow future Harry Potter plotlines, such as Lupin discussing Harry’s mother on the bridge and Dumbledore stalling for Harry and Hermione to save Buckbeak without being detected by Cornelius Fudge. On the film, J.K. Rowling has said:

“Alfonso [Cuaron] had very good intuition about what would and wouldn’t work. He’s put things in the film that, without knowing it, foreshadow things that are going to happen in the final two books. So, I really got goosebumps when I saw a couple of those things and I thought people are going to look back on the film and think those were put in deliberately as clues.” (Haber).

4. Online Research on the Film

• Their are numerous wikipedia-like websites that attempt to note everything in the Harry Potter world. The Harry Potter Wiki for the film adaptation can be found here.
• New book covers have been designed by Kazu Kibuishi for the 15th anniversary of the series. The new cover for third book is definitely connected to the film’s depiction of the scene were Harry saves himself and Sirius from the dementors. Link to article here.
• In an interview the BBC Films, Alfonso Cuaron talks about the film. Link to interview here.

In this interview, director Alfonso Cuaron is asked about the many differences between his film and the previous two Harry Potter films. Cuaron applaudes Christopher Columbus for choosing an excellent cast as well as setting up a very solid foundation for the rest of the films to work with. He credits the books with giving him the reigns to include as much darkness as he did in the film, saying:

From the get-go we set up to serve the material, and I think that the darkness comes out of the material. There is an evolution between the first film and the second film that is also a result of the material, and now this new darkness has come up from Harry’s perception in which the world is changing. Some of the monsters are not outside, the monsters are inside, but also the antidote for the monsters is inside. So we were trying to add darkness, to balance the darkness present in the book. What is so beautiful about these books is the dance of the darkness – the scary, emotional elements – and humour. That is what we were trying to honour.

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, books are represented as agents of change, representing those who wrote them and those who seek knowledge from them. The beginning of the film chose to show Harry desperately trying to study against the rules of uncle Vernon. The Marauders Map is a kind of book that allows Harry (and Lupin) to find out about Peter Pettigrew, and the Shrieking Shack. Snape makes sure someone (Hermione) finds out about Lupin being a werewolf by assigning his students to read and write about werewolves and animagi. So, The Monster Book of Monsters‘s aliveness speaks to the power the other books in the film have, which is why the director chose to include it in the film. Other books in the series that have proven to be important are Hogwarts, A History, which appears in all of the novels, Tom Riddle’s diary in The Chamber of Secrets, the Half-blood Prince’s Potions book in the sixth novel and The Tales of Beedle the Bard in the The Deathly Hallows.

Works Cited

Coffey, Laura T. “Presto chango! “Harry Potter” books get edgy new covers.” Today. 28 June 2013. Web. 1 July 2013. <http://www.today.com/books/presto-chango-harry-potter-books-get-edgy-new-covers-6C10484227>.

Haber, David. “Foreshadowings in Prisoner of Azkaban.” Beyond Hogwarts. 2006. Web.< http://www.beyondhogwarts.com/harry-potter/articles/foreshadowings-in-prisoner-of-azkaban.html>.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Harry Potter Wiki. Web. <http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Prisoner_of_Azkaban_(film)>.

Trout, Jonathan. “BBC – Films – Alfonso Cuaron.” BBC. June 2004. Web. 2 June 2013. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/06/01/alfonso_cuaron_azkaban_interview.shtml>.

Blog Response Post: A Scanner Darkly

1. Analysis of the Book

A Scanner Darkly is 1977 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick set in a dystopian Orange County, California future. The future that Dick imagines is a world hyper-surveillanced, riddled with a dangerous synthetic drug, and very concerned with anonymity. The characteristics of this world betray the protagonist, Bob Arctor, into a role he did not sign up to play. The novel fits in politics and psychology as well as depicting drug addiction as a social ill. From the authors note:

Drug misuse is not a disease, it is a decision, like the decision to step out in front of a moving car. You would call that not a disease but an error in judgement. When a bunch of people begin to do it, it is a social error, a life-style. In this particular life-style the motto is “Be happy now because tomorrow you are dying,” but the dying begins almost at once, and the happiness is a memory.

The novel also explores the way severe government intrusion can be perilous to it’s citizens.

2. Analysis of the Film

The animation choices in the film enhances it’s depiction of drug use.

The most notable factor of Richard Linklater 2006 adaptation is his use of interpolated rotoscope on digitally shot film. This gives the world of A Scanner Darkly look like a mass of constantly shifting shapes. This description is analogous to Dick’s description of the scramble suit, which in the film looks like a mass of constantly shifting facial features and body parts. The animation is reminiscent of distorted images from a surveillance camera, as if the entire film is CCTV.

3. Analysis of the Adaptation

While the film downplays the role of religion in the novel, it does include the novel’s opinions of government involvement and drug use. The novel is not necessarily pro or against drug use, as it is not a “moral” tale, and likewise in the film, Arctors coworkers and love interest cause his decline arguably as much as the drugs. While the novels dystopian future is set in the 90’s, the film’s is unidentified. However, it can be argued that the premise is just applicable to the film’s time period (the film was made during the Iraq war) as it was during the time Dick wrote the novel (post Vietnam War).

4. Online Research on the Film

• TVtropes.com has a thorough list of various motifs found in the book and film, such as the language Philip K. Dick uses. In the novel, he uses California street language from the 70s. When this is translated to film, it the dialogue sounds a little futuristic, which works, as the film is set in the future. Link here.
• This The Guardian article discusses the themes of darkness and insanity in the book and film. The author argues that while his earleir works spoke more to his drug induced hallucinations, this novel elaborates on societal views on insanity. Link to article here. 
• This article from Computer Graphics World discusses the importance of the film’s animation. Link to article here.

The article purports that the choice of animation was a great way to depict the “blurred lines” of Arctors drug addiction, world and relationships. This “slippery cartoon” encompasses the idea that “the medium is the metaphor.” At first the director thought to shoot in blank rooms, and have artists draw scenery, but then decided the real life details were important. Also, the production looked for artists who were good at “comic book” style drawings. The article also applauds the productions ability to do well outside the “constraints of family comedy,” and believes that future films will follow suit.

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

The inceptions of the novel and film adaptation of A Scanner Darkly during or post major United States wars is critical to the authoritarian government and drug motifs of the novel. The late 70’s saw a boom in computer design and production, and this increase in technology can be likened to the 21st century, where people such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs head new ventures in technology every year. In fact that novel’s themes are eerily reminiscent of the amount of surveillance the United States is currently engaged in with its own citizens, as proved by the current National Security Agency leaks. Technology and the government are linked in modern drone warfare, as well. Not only is a heightened government watch present, but substance D is paralleled to heroin in the United States and the war in Afghanistan. Very soon after the U.S. entered Afghanistan in 2001, opium (which, along with cocaine, is really the only major drug that stems from a flowering plant)  production increased, making Afghanistan the number 1 producer of heroin in the world. Although the novel was published in 1977, the film adaptation in 2006 was very relevant to the time period – surveillance, war and drug conspiracies are very much alive and kicking.

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Works Cited

“Literature: A Scanner Darkly.” tvtropes. n.d. Web. 27 June 2013. <http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/AScannerDarkly?from=Main.AScannerDarkly>.

Robertson, Barbara. “On Edge.” Computer Graphics World. August 2006. Vol. 26, Issue 8. (p. 28-32). Web. 27 June 2013. <http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=iih&AN=24682533&site=ehost-live&gt;.

Walter, Damien. “Darkness in Literature: Philip K Dick’s A Scanner Darkly.” The Guardian. 17 December 2012. Web. 27 June 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/dec/17/philip-k-dick-a-scanner-darkly>.

Blog Response Post: No Country for Old Men

1. Analysis of the Book

No Country for Old Men is a novel published in 2005 by Cormac McCarthy. McCarthy is known for using very minimal punctuation marks, “Cowboy” story elements, and biblical themes. The novel is set up as a clash of philosophies, between Sheriff Bell and ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh. Bell’s faith in the role choice plays in life is shaken as the crimes he follows the slew of victims left by Chigurh, who seems to believe in fate as the ultimate decision maker. McCarthy is sometimes seen as the modern day William Faulkner, writing Southern Gothic tales ad-midst unforgivable sprawling, barren landscapes. In an interview with the New York Times he says:

 “The novel depends for its life on the novels that have been written.” His list of those whom he calls the “good writers” — Melville, Dostoyevsky, Faulkner — precludes anyone who doesn’t “deal with issues of life and death.” Proust and Henry James don’t make the cut. “I don’t understand them,” he says. “To me, that’s not literature. A lot of writers who are considered good I consider strange.” (Woodward).

2. Analysis of the Film

Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2007 film adaptation of No Country for Old Men is considered a good adaptation of the novel. The film gives considerable focus to West Texas, capturing the barren landscape in contrast to the gruesome violence. To compliment the landscape, the directors chose not to include much of a soundtrack to the film. The film also gives a distinct approach to Chigurh’s physical appearance, giving the character a strange, alien like appearance. Javier Bardem’s strange haircut is particularly notable, and has become somewhat iconic. It also effected the actor, who said:

“It was just depressing to look in the mirror and see that haircut … I had to live with that! It wasn’t a wig. It was my hair! It’s bad. It’s really bad. You go to the market to buy your milk and people get weird, like really scared.” (Yuan).

3. Analysis of the Adaptation 

The Coen brothers have received a lot of praise for their adaptation. Although McCarthy’s has written a film friendly plot – with drug dealers, assassins and cops – there are a few aspects of the novel that are difficult to film. These include Sheriff Bell’s lengthy internal monologues, and the slow pace of the novel. Adaptations cannot be one hundred percent accurate, and although the Coen’s obviously respect the novel, they do add their own directorial stamp on the film with added dark humor, unfounded in the novel.

4. Online Research on the Film

• In this New York Magazine article by David Edelstein, the Coen brother’s filmography is discussed, especially their style of “favoring form over content.” Link to article here. 
• In an NPR review, Bob Mondello discusses how minimal directing can create a lot of tension- such as when Chigurh checks the soles of his boots after his visit with Carla Jean Moss. Link to review here. 
• You Know, For Kids! is a Coen Brother’s fansite that has the No Country for Old Men script, reviews, and production images, such as an image explaining Chigurh’s weapon. Link to website here.
• Ltd. “The Art of Pop Culture” has a gallery displaying art for sale inspired by Coen’s films. Link to gallery here.

Much of the Coen brother’s work has iconic figures that have lasted throughout the years (such as many of the character from The Big Lebowski). This gallery proves that their rendition of McCarthy’s Chirgurh will be amoung those celebrated characters. Almost all of the artwork depicting No Country for Old Men is of Bardem’s depiction of the character, especially his haircut, but also his ideas, like the example below, by Wade Lageose:

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

Although Anton Chirgurh kills most of the people he meets without pause, the filmmakers chose not to show him killing Llewellyn and Carla Jean Moss to show Chirgurh’s indifferent philosophy compared to that Sheriff Bell. Mainly in the book, but also in the film, the audience is steered by Sheriff Bell more so than the other two main characters. Sheriff Bell is “normal” compared to what he believes is the newly changing violent country. In comparison, Chigurh is strange. In an interview, Bardem says of his character:

“… opening a bottle or answering the phone or opening an envelope, he will have problem with that. He’s out of sync with that. He’s not good at that—having a normal life, but once he gets a gun, he’s like a shark.” (Murray). 

Part of this strangeness represents an indifference to those he needs to kill. These are the “morals” that Carson Wells discussed with Llewellyn: Chigurh kills, but also lets fate intervene if it must. The film, which is on Sheriff Bell’s side of things, is obsessed with having Llewwellyn and Carla Jean escape their fated meeting with Chigurh. By the end of the film, Chigurh has won – the film does not need to show their deaths because, to Chigurh, it matters just as much as the next kill (or not at all). This is paralleled to Sheriff Bell giving up looking for Chirgurh and retiring, and Chigurh walking away from a fated car accident.

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Works Cited

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

Edelstein, David. “Coen Heads.” NYMag. 24 September 2007. Web. 25 June 2013. <http://nymag.com/movies/filmfestivals/newyork/2007/38025/>.

Ltd. Art Gallery. “The Art of Pop Culture” Store. 2010. Web. 25 June 2013. <http://www.ltdartgallery.com/category/current-exhibition.>

Mondello, Bob. “‘Country Boys’: Coen Brothers Out for Blood Again.” NPR. 9 November 2007. Web. 26 June 2013. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16153234.

Murray, Rebecca. “Javier Barden Talks About No Country for Old Men.” About.com. n.d. Web. 25 June 2013. <http://movies.about.com/od/nocountryforoldmen/a/countryjb111407_2.htm>.

Woodward, Richard B. “Cormac McCarthy’s Venomous Fiction.” The New York Times. 19 April 1992. Web. 25 June 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/05/17/specials/mccarthy-venom.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>.

You Know, for Kids! n.d. Web. Last accessed: 25 June 2013. <http://www.youknow-forkids.com/.>

Yuan, Jada. “Javier Bardem Still Mad at the Coen Brothers About his Haircut in ‘No Country for Old Men’.” Vulture. 8 November 2007.  Web. 25 June 2013. <http://www.vulture.com/2007/11/javier_bardem_still_mad_about.html>.

Blog Response Post: American Splendor

1. Analysis of the Book

American Splendor is series of comics books written between 1976 to 2008, written Harvey Pekar and illustrated by various comics. The comic books are autobiographical, and detail various aspects of Pekar’s life. The comics are considered revolutionary in the underground comic scene because they tell mundane, yet entertaining, stories from Pekar’s life as a file clerk in Cleveland, Ohio. Pekar is noted for his biting cynical, yet humanist depiction of himself.

“The humor of everyday life is way funnier than what the comedians do on TV … It’s the stuff that happens right in front of your face when there’s no routine and everything is unexpected. That’s what I want to write about.” – Harvey Pekar (McGee)

2. Analysis of the Film 

At times, the film depicts itself in the format of an actual comic book.

The 2003 film adaptation American Splendor, directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini is also part documentary. While the film show Paul Giamatti as Pekar, it also interviews the actual Harvey Pekar and others in his life. This gives off the effect of documentary “recreation” of actual events. The film flits between Giamatti’s scenes and Pekar’s scenes as if they are different frames in the same comic book.

3. Analysis of the Adaptation

Giamatti creates his own comic block as Pekar in American Splendor.

Pekar’s comics were noted for their postmodern effect, which the film enhances. In the comics, there are time jumps, a random series of events, and times where the character of Pekar seemingly talks to the reader. The film includes these characteristics, but adds to the post modern feel by including the actual people being represented in film. Their is no pretense: the most post modern moments are when Giamatti and the other actors are “off camera” and interacting with the real people they are portraying on film.

4. Online Research on the Film

• One of the most extensive interviews with Harvey Pekar was in 2008 with Webcomix, where he discusses a range of topics including his favorite music, mood disorders, his job and his political views. Link to interview here.
• American Splendor was a strange, lasting success that even made Pekar’s coworker, Toby Radloff mildly famous, as the “Genuine Nerd” on MTV. Link to video of his MTV segment here.
• Harvey Pekar’s guest appearence on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations.” Link to video here.

“No Reservations” is known for its unique style. For this episode, they mirror Berman and Pulcini’s directing style. Pekar gives a monologue, as he writes a comic that another artist draws, detailing his curiosity over why Bourdain wants to meet him. He figures he can get money out of him because Bourdain probably wants Pekar to draw him a comic, which is the one he’s writing now. The episode is just as post modern as the film, depicting the way Pekar drew his life to paper as it was happening.

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

American Splendor extensively uses jazz as it’s soundtrack to mimic the way comic books are written and read. Popular comics are created by one author, but grows to exponential authors and artists, as well as with different story lines, time periods, characters and spin-offs. This is reminiscent of Jazz: the way it is played, and what it has become. Jazz can be generally defined as having a flexible rhythm and improvisation. It’s genre has expanded to include bebop, swing, soul jazz, ska, and so many other sub genres, especially through location or culture. NPR’s Felix Contraras says on Pekar and R. Crumb:

There is something to learn from how these guys integrated jazz into their visual expression: an eye for improvisation; a developed sense of group play; a constant reminder of the past in looking toward the future. (Contraras)

Pekar and original American Splendor illustrator R. Crumb not only loved jazz, but used it in their work. In the film, the common theme or rhythm is Harvey’s story, and the improvisation comes with the various depictions of him. For example, on meeting him for the first time, Joyce Brabner, his future wife, is scared that he will turn out to be one of the more unpleasant depictions of Harvey in real life.

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Works Cited

Primary Sources

Harvey Pekar. American Splendor and More American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar. New York: Ballantine Books, 2003.

Harvey Pekar. American Splendor: Another Day. New York: DC Comics, 2007.

Secondary Sources

Contraras, Felix. “Harvey Pekar & R. Crumb: Jazz and Comics.” NPR. 11 September 2009. Web. 20 June 2013. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2009/09/harvey_pekar_r_crumb.html>

eyesewmuisc (Youtube User). “Genuine Nerd Toby Radloff- Valentine’s Day goodies – 1989.” Youtube Video. Web. 20 June 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXxRnZ3Ih44>.

Travel Channel (Youtube account). “Anthony Bourdain meets Harvey Pekar.” Youtube Video. Web. 20 June 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J38mp_ON64Y>.

McGee, David. “The Many Faces of Harvey Pekar, Creator of American Splendor.” Interview from Zeitgeisty
Who is Harvey Pekar.” The Bluegrass Special. February 2008 via Webcomix. Web. 20 June 2013. <http://thebluegrassspecial.com/archive/2010/august10/harvey-pekar-interview.php>.

Blog Response Post: Adaptation

1. Analysis of the Book

Susan Orlean’s 1998 nonfiction book The Orchid Thief is based on her 1995 article “Orchid Fever” in The New Yorker. The book can be thought of as two interweaving parts: an in-depth journalistic inquiry on John Laroche and also a more broader, reflective piece on the passions of life. Not only are Laroche’s passions discussed, Orlean herself is entrapped in the random obsession with orchids. In an interview she says:

I heard about an obsessive orchid collector in South Florida and I thought, “What a strange and wonderful thing. I’ve got to look into this.” The more I looked into it, the more I wanted to know more. It drew me in. It just sort of pulled me in. It was a hypnotic kind of story. (Murray)

The book jumps from an in depth botany lesson about orchids or Laroche’s history, but every other chapter is set in the context of Orlean’s interviews with Laroche (Weiss).

2. Analysis of the Film

Spike Jonze’s 2002 film Adaptation is a self-proclaimed adaptation of Orlean’s novel. Instead of a straightforward adaptation, however, the movie is more about creating the adaptation – the character of Charlie Kaufmann is having a difficult time creating a screenplay based on The Orchid Thief, a novel that has been called “unfilmable.” This film can be considered “metafilm” because it, like Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, is a film about creating a film that uses the names and occupations of real people, including Susan Orlean herself. The film is a commentary on screen writing for art films and Hollywood films.

3. Analysis of the Adaptation

The adaptation of Orlean’s book can be considered both faithful to the themes of the book but unfaithful to the actual book. Adaptation uses The Orchid Thief as a prop to tell Kaufman’s self-reflexive story. However, the film’s contribution to depicting Laroche like he is characterized in the book and it’s obsession with understanding passion is definitely a celebration of the book. It may also be a strange parallel to another of Orlean’s articles-turned- films, Blue Crush based on her article “Life’s Swell.” Blue Crush is more of a Hollywood “Donald”- esque movie than the artsy, genre bending Adaptation, written by Charlie.

4. Online Research on the Film

• In an interview with IGN, Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman add to the fake existence of Kaufman’s twin brother, Donald. Donald is credited in the production noted for Being John Malkovich, and is said to be the reason why the film was made in the first place. This hints to the fact that Jonze and Kaufman had already had the idea of Donald before fleshing out the screenplay for Adaptation. Link to article here. 
  
• In an interview with GQ, Spike Jonze’s and his unique directing choices, including Adaptation, are analyzed. Link to article here.
• A blog post by Matthew Cai describes Adaptation as an exercise in auteur theory. Link to blog post here. 

Cai refutes the notion that “good” adaptations are assessed on how much they strictly adhere to what’s written down in the book. According to him, film adaptations are done well if they are, in essence, “creative close-readings” of the text, such as Adaptation. So, films should not be considered subordinate to the text. He goes onto to discuss Adaptation’s various high brow motifs, including irony, satire and being incredibly self-reflexive.

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

Although Adaptation initially treats Hollywood and art-films as a dichotomy, the ending of the film (as well as Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay) brings the two together in order to negate the real Charlie Kaufman’s “image”.  Kaufman is incredibly private, but when he gives interviews he does not reveal much because he does not want to be written as a “nebbish … socially awkward … caricature” (Gordon). The movie is about Charlie trying to make a good screenplay, and the real Kaufman was lauded for his work in Being John Malkovich that “upended many of the conventions of Hollywood films” (Stein). It can be argued that Donald represents a “Hollywood” version of Kaufman while the film’s Charlie is that journalistic caricature. When Donald dies at the end of the film, Charlie is able to use his ideas to make a great screenplay. The end result is a post modern, unconventional film that uses popular Hollywood tropes such as drugs, sex, shoot outs, voice overs and deux ex machina. Also, Charlie becomes more like Donald, writes a successful screenplay and gets the courage to face his love interest. The film is partially about giving credibility to Hollywood-isms: they can work, if used properly, to create a satisfyingly happy ending.

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Works Cited

Primary Sources

Susan Orlean. The Orchid Thief. New York: Random House, 1998. Print.

Secondary Sources

Cai, Matthew. “Spike Jonze’s Adaptation of Auteur Theory.” Film Eats the Soul. 21 July 2011. Blogspot. 18 June 2013. <http://filmeatsthesoul.blogspot.com/2011/07/spike-jonzes-adaptation-of-auteur.html>.

D., Spence. “Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufmann discuss Adaptation.” IGN. 5 December 2002. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/05/spike-jonze-and-charlie-kaufman-discuss-adaptation>.

Gordon, Devin. “Confessions of an Outrageous Mind.” Newsweek. 9 December 2002, pg. 82. Web. 19 June 2013. <http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sr&csi=5774&sr=BYLINE(Devin)%2Bw%2F3%2BGordon)%2BAND%2BHLEAD(Confessions+of+an+Outrageous+Mind)%2BAND%2BDATE%2BIS%2B2002>.

Heath, Chris. “Spike Jonze Will Eat You Up.” GQ. October 2009. Web. 18 June 2013. http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/200909/spike-jonze-dave-eggers-where-the-wild-things-are>.

Murray, Rebecca. “Susan Orlean and John Laroche at the World Premiere of “Adaptation”.”  About.com. n.d. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://movies.about.com/library/weekly/aa120402a.htm>.

Stein, Joel. “Charlie Kaufman.” Time International (South Pacific Edition). 26 April 2004. Issue 16. Page 81. Web. 19 June 2013. <http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=23568128&site=ehost-live&gt;

Weiss, Aaron. “The Adaptation of the Orchid Thief into the Film Adaptation.” CinemaFunk.com. 31 January 2010. Web. 18 June 2013.

Film Treatment Paper: Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid

Zaynah Quader

June 19th, 2013

English 329b: English Literature on Film in the Twenty-first Century

Dr. Joseph Byrne

Film Treatment Paper: Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid

1. Concept

Moth Smoke is an English-language novel written by Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid. It is mainly set in 1998 Lahore, Pakistan – the same year Pakistan completed five underground nuclear tests. The novel also includes scenes from Mughal India (which Pakistan was a part of) that deal with the Emperor Shah Jahan, who erected the Taj Mahal, and the trial of his eldest son, Dara Shikoh by the third son in line for the throne, Aurangzeb. In this novel, Mohsin Hamid favor multiple point of views: every chapter is written in a different point of view than the last.  The part of the novel that takes place in Mughal times is in third person omniscient, parts of the novel are written in second person: the novel refers to “you” as a court judge in Pakistan, and the majority of the novel is written in first person, following the life narration of Darashikoh Shehzad, a troubled banker in Lahore. The novel is a time-shifting complex array of allegories, comparing the state of Pakistan in 1998 to one of the most infamous stories in South Asian history.

The reader meets Darashikoh Shezad (Daru) on the tipping point of a downward spiral. He is a former boxer who comes from middle class family. Because of schooling and his deceased parents connections, he was able to grow up around the upper class of Lahore. However, he was unable to go to an international university even though he did very well high school, unlike many of his peers, and could only sustain a mid-level banking job.  His best friend, Ozi, is everything Dara is losing: rich, with a high-paying job, and family money. He likes to drink, (an unforced crime Pakistan), is aggressive, and is a pothead. He eventually loses his job, gets kicked out of his country club, and has to resort to selling weed to rich teenagers. Meanwhile, he begins an affair with Ozi’s wife, Mumtaz, who anonymously poses as a controversial male reporter for Pakistani newspapers. Because of his connections to a major drug dealer in Lahore, Daru tries and becomes addicted to heroin (which he refers to as “hairy”), loses his relationship with Mumtaz, robs a boutique and his relationship with his servant. One day while driving in the city, he sees Ozi run over a child on the street. He attempts to rescue the child and bring him to the hospital. However, to avoid arrest, Ozi pins the hit-and-run and Daru.

The plot, written plainly, does not give insight to the authors style of writing. The second person narrative of “you” as the judge in court takes place in the trial of Daru for the hit-and-run. The first person narrative in Daru’s point of view is revealed to be an article by Mumtaz, under her alias Zulfikar Manto, in an attempt to tell his side of the story. As Daru gets further disillusioned with his loss of wealth and status and further into his drug addiction, his thoughts become muddled and fantastical, almost dream-like. Hamid’s novel is mainly set in the interesting city of Lahore, which includes characters such as Murad Badshah, the large and happy rickshaw owner / drug dealer, and Professor Julius Superb, Daru’s strangely named Economic professor. The author goes out of his way to show the duality of Lahore, describing the widening gap between the upper and lower classes. Finally, the novel portrays Pakistan’s corruption under the umbrella of the Mughal emperors.Ozi is the modern day Aurangzeb, a violent and ruthless Emperor who assassinated his brother, Dara Shikoh, who was relatively popular with the common people. Although the present day story is on a smaller scale, it also reflects the power play between two former brothers: India and Pakistan. The 1998 Pakistani nuclear tests were a response to India’s Operation Shakti, of the same year.

2. Characters

Darashikoh Shezad: A middleclass, early to mid thirties pothead Pakistani man on a downward spiral. He comes to resent his need for money, and his wealthy peers. He loses his mid-level banking job, has an affair with his best friends wife, and becomes increasingly aggressive. Later starts dealing drugs for money and becomes addicted to heroin. He is implicated for the murder of a child that Ozi ran over in a hit and run accident.

Ozi: Daru’s best friend whom he grew up with. Ozi’s father is the reason why Daru went to a posh high school. Ozi seems to have a perfect life – he has a good job, is wealthy, and loves his wife and son. However, he runs over and kills a child with his car, and easily pins it on his best friend, Daru.

Mumtaz: Ozi’s wife, who has an affair with Daru. Mumtaz goes by the pseudonym Zulfikar Manto as a journalist- something her family does not know about. Mumtaz has grown to dislike her husband. She grew up in America and does not feel like a good mother to her toddler son.

Mannucci: Daru’s only servant, a teenaged boy, who is one of the only characters actively trying to help Daru overcome his addiction.

Murad Badshah: Part-time rickshaw owner, part time drug dealer and general crook. He is large and friendly and although introduces Daru to heroin, he tells him not to do it.

3. Themes

There is a strong theme of Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, as more relevant than organized religion. As Daru’s mental state deteriorates as a part of his addiction, he stops caring about the worldly things in his life that he used to care about so much: such as his car being too cheap, or his low salary. Instead he relates life to moths in a flame, reminiscent of whirling dervishes:

The poets say some moths will do anything out of love for a flame

[…]

The moth takes off again, and we both step back, because he’s circling at eye level now and seems to have lost utter control, smacking into the wall on each round. He circles lower and lower, spinning around the candle in tighter revolutions, like a soap sud over an open drain. A few times he seems to touch the flame, but dances off unhurt.

In fact, the format of the novel is written in a circle: it begins with a historical tale of Shah Jahan, then describes Daru in jail, then “you”as the judge at the trial, then it begins what it entitles the “Intermission,” or first person narrative of Daru. The novel ends in an opposing pattern: after the intermission is over, it’s the judge, jail and finally an epilogue. Organized religion, however, is debased. No character shows interest in religion. Religious fundamentalists, whom Daru calls “Fundos” are seen as a futile effort- they pass out flyers in cinemas. A very well known mosque, Badshahi Mosque (created by Aurangzeb in the 17th century) is located right next to Heera Mandi, a red light district, and where Daru gets heroin from.

There is a very strong theme of a widening gap between classes. Daru is the only character trying to straddle the two: the rest of the characters are obviously very well off, or obviously very poor. In Zulfikar Manto / Mumtaz’s interview with Daru’s Economics Professor, he says whether a man is well off or not has to do with whether or not they have air conditioning.

The novel is postmodern, not only in the way it shifts perspectives, but in the way it makes the reader a character. In the novel, the reader is the judge that is obliged not only to the court, but the novel makes a reference to acting and drama itself:

… one by one the other actors in this drama turn to you. The audience awaits. The director bites his nails. Critics and producers will judge your decisions.

Here comes your cue.

“Come on,” someone hisses from offstage. “What’s it to be? Guilty or not?”

Finally there is a theme of Cain and Abel-style brothers at war. Daru and Ozi were like brothers, but they resented each other for various reasons as they got older. Eventually, Ozi betrays Daru. The present day relationship between Daru and Ozi is reminiscent of Shah Jahan’s sons: Aurangzeb executes his brother for the throne. On a larger scale, in 1998, India and Pakistan can be shown to be “brothers at war” in a nuclear weapons race.

4. Locations

Mughal Locations: 17th century India. The beginning scene overlooks the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The last chapter of the book discusses Dara Shikoh’s and Aurangzeb’s deaths. Dara Shikoh was assassinated in Delhi, possibly in his prison room in front of his son (Bernier). Aurangzeb died of natural causes at the age of 88 in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India.

1998 Lahore: The rest of the novel takes place in a courthouse in Lahore, in a Lahori jail cell, and in the city and suburbs. There are many high end suburbs around Lahore, and although the novel never names exact places, it can be assumed that Ozi lives in one of these. Daru’s house should still be in the suburbs, closer to the city but smaller and more dilapidated. Other locations are in the city of Lahore, which are around the Lahore Museum, red light district of Heera Mandhi, the Badshahi Mosque and a Lahori rickshaw station and Government College University in Lahore.

1998 Ras Koh Hills, Chagai District, Balochistan: Where the nuclear tests were carried out underground by the Pakistani government.

5. Action Scene

Loud trilling from a bicycle bells sounds. Daru walks out to the gate and sees a few gardeners with garden tools piled up on bikes clapping and hollering with joy. Manucci runs up to Daru and breathlessly tells him that Pakistan has completed it’s nuclear tests. Daru straightens his posture, and the two men smile at eachother, then shake hands excitedly. Daru begins to tell Manucci about something but is interrupted by close range gunfire from a Kalashnikov, fired in the air in celebration. There is a flashback to Daru’s mother, who strictly instructs servants to bring two charpoys to the roof of the house. A loud celebration and more gunfire is heard. Daru’s mother is shown, lying on a charpoy on the roof,  being accidentally shot through the throat as a celebratory bullet came down on the Shezad’s rooftop. The flashback ends with more gunshots, and Daru watches Manucci spontaneously bhangra in celebration.

6. Dialogue Scene

Manucci, in court, remembers a discussion about AC’s:

Manucci: Why do people turn on AC’s in the middle of summer?

Another Unnamed Beggar: What are you talking about? Because it’s hot of course!

Manucci: But AC’s make hot air.

Beggar: Don’t be stupid: AC’s make cold air. Everyone knows that. That’s the way it is: AC’s make cold air. That’s what there for.

Manucci: See look at this! This is an AC coming out of the shop! Touch the back of it – look at all the hot air it makes!

Beggar: You’re crazy, boy.

Manucci: Do you have an AC?

Beggar: Well … no.

Manucci: Doesn’t that box make hot air?

Beggar: I guess it does. But everyone knows AC’s are supposed to make cold air.

Manucci: I’m going to tell the AC repairman that he’s doing a bad job next time he comes around – someone should let him know. I can’t believe rich people are paying him to give them hot air in the middle of summer.

7. Pitch

Moth Smoke is like Toni Morrison’s Jazz (an author whom Hamid studied under): it invites the reader to come in, take a seat and listen to each character’s testimony. The audience knows there is a man in custody and it asks them to be the judge in his trial. This second person narrative allows a film goer to be a greater part in the film than most, with the characters in the court directly addressing them. However, this style narrative is not overpowering: the majority of the film would follow Darashikoh’s life.

Darashikoh is the classic, tragic anti-hero, reminiscent of Travis Bickle in Scorcese’s Taxi Driver. Instead of New York, this film is set in an equally interesting city, Lahore. Lahore is rich with the dilapidated buildings of Mughal history, is a huge cultural center for the subcontinent, and demonstrates an very visual divide between the upper and lower classes.

Hamid’s novel translates well onto film, as many important parts of the novel are purely visual. These include the nuclear tests, the obvious differences between the lifestyle of Pakistan’s elite versus the lower classes, and especially Daru’s decline into drug addiction. In fact, so much action happens in the novel, that a film would improve on it. The novel includes boxing matches, fights, sex, drug use, a robbery, and a car accident. Visualizing the grandness of the Mughal Empire right before the brink of its collapse would add to the novel, especially the prologue, where Shah Jahan overlooks the creation of one of the most celebrated monuments in the world, the Taj Mahal.

Although the novel uses names from South Asian history, many film goers would recognize them, as they are some of the most important name in Mughal history. Also, the prologue in the novel introduces the main characters, their names, and the gist of their importance in history. The way this story is written is reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain, where a set of characters are in different time periods that have paralleled story lines.  The actors should play their paralleled roles in the Mughal setting, in the post-modern court, and in present day Pakistan. 

The narrative is similar to Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon,  where different characters give different testimonies, which sometimes contradict, on the same event – in this case, the hit-and-run accident.

Although the novel is set in Lahore, Pakistan, where Urdu and Punjabi are mainly spoken, it is written in English. Therefore most of the film should use English, especially when dealing with Daru and his other highly educated peers. However, for accuracy’s sake, Urdu and Punjabi should be used by the “lower class” of people, such as Murad Badshah and Manucci, but Mughal Urdu (which includes more Persian words) should be used by the Mughal royalty.

Works Cited

Primary Sources

Hamid, Mohsin. Moth Smoke. Riverhead Books, New York. 2000. Print.

Secondary Sources

Bernier, Francois. Section: [The Death of Dara Shukoh] from Travels in the Mogul Empire, AD 1656-1668, trans. by Archibald Constable on the basis of Irving Brock’s version, ed. by Vincent A. Smith. Delhi: Low Price Publications, 1994 [1934]. Web. 19 June 2013. <http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00generallinks/bernier/txt_bernier_dara.html>.

Appendix : Location Images

Location of the 1998 nuclear tests: Ras Koh Hills, Chagai District, Balochistan Province, Pakistan

The Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Heera Mandhi (Red Light District) in Lahore, Pakistan

Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan

Government College University,  Lahore, Pakistan

Example of an expensive Lahori villa- Garden Town, Lahore

Blog Response Post: The Hours

1. Analysis of the Book

Michael Cunningham’s 1998 novel The Hours not only sets a narrative where three women’s lives are uniquely affected by Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel Mrs. Dalloway, but also mirrors Woolf’s plot and style of writing. Woolf was a pioneer in telling stream-of-consciousness narratives, and Cunningham uses this in his novel, with the narrative written as if everything in the character’s mind is said, all at once. This means daily activities of the characters, such as Mrs. Dalloway or Clarissa Vaughn buying flowers, are paralleled with them thinking about the past, their school days. Cunningham arguably not only has a stream-of-consciousness narrative, but a stream-of-consciousness form, as each chapter is centered on one of the three different women, yet their actions, thoughts and feelings mimics each others in some way. Although Cunningham has called his novel somewhat of a “parlor trick,” it aims to recreate the way Woolf’s Dalloway “find[s] the profundity in the most outwardly ordinary experience” (Gussow).

2. Analysis of the Film 

Stephen Daldry’s 2002 The Hours deals with the representation of suicide in a surprisingly un-morbid way. The characters are incredibly picturesque, all in beautiful settings. Even the older Richard, played by Ed Harris is typified as the troubled New York poet, in a dilapidated, dirty flat in the middle of the city. For Woolf, Richard and Laura Brown, suicide is shown as something internal, something that will eventually happen, and something that is not so negative, compared to other depictions of suicide as a response to something wrong. This is highlighted by Philip Glass’s score. The piece below, played during beginning scene of Woolf’s suicide is slow and contemplative, “with Glass’s repetitive style analogously enhanc[ing] the cyclical rhythms of the films characters’ lives … [which] deepens the film’s grandeur and melancholy” (Schepper).

3. Analysis of the Adaptation

This film can be seen as an adaptation of an adaptation. Cunningham’s novel is obsessed with Mrs. Dalloway, and so the film is an adaptation of The Hours, and it must also represent Woolf’s novel. If Woolf was a modernist, Cunningham is a post modernist, as he makes the subject of his novel another novel (Hughes). The film also contains post modernist moments, although not as ostentatious as those found in Tristram Shandy or Adaptation. In the example below from the film, Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman, thinks up the first line of her novel out loud “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.” The film then cuts to Mrs. Brown in the 1950’s, played by Julienne Moore, who, reading the book that the audience just saw Woolf beginning, reads the first line out loud on her bed. Right after, the film shows Clarissa, played by Meryl Streep say “I think I’ll buy the flowers myself,” to Sally who has forgotten them.

The postmodernism in the novel is shown to be amplified in the film, as the director does not have chapters to separate the three narratives – the film flits through the three time periods to show their paralleling story-lines.

Another parallel: Mrs. Brown’s dream of drowning before she plans to commit suicide is reminiscent of Woolf’s actual drowning in the river.

4. Online Research on the Film

• Amanda Rodriguez on “Bitch Flicks” questions the feminist hype for The Hours. Her argument is that the film portrays women as “bottomless pits,” that are doomed to never be happy or content. Link to article here. 
• James Rawson for The Guardian analyzes the fact that although more LGBT characters are represented in film, many of them die. Many successful, award-winning films that have LGBT main characters, such as The Hours, Milk, Brokeback Mountain, Black Swan, A Single Man, Philadelphia and Monster, kill off their characters. This is eerily reminiscent of Richard believing that the only reason he is receiving the award is because he is close to death. Link to article here.
• Roger Ebert, in his review of the film,  argues that the film is not about sexuality or suicide. Link to review here. 

Instead he believes  it is more about lives lead with love vs. lives lead without love. Ebert believes the film “creates an emotional vortex at the end of the film, in which we see that lives without love are devastated …  for the two in the movie who do not or cannot love, the price is devastating.” Virginia and Leonard Woolf both love each other, and it is only in a moment of clarity about her mental illness that she kills herself, in part to remove the burden of dealing with the illness off of him. Clarissa is able to love many in her life including Richard and her daughter, Laura.  In the beginning of the film, she questions her relationship with Sally. But by the end of the film, possibly due to Richard’s death and Mrs. Browns arrival, she seems to remove those doubts. However, Mrs. Brown inability to love, whether it is because of personality or societal constraints,  has left her hollow- her life without her family does not seem more or less satisfying then her life with her family (something that is an invention of the film, not a part of the novel). She does not demonstrate any real emotional love for anything, except for Mrs. Dalloway and perhaps Richard’s works. Furthermore, Richards life is directly affected by the lack of love he felt from his mother. He kill’s her character in his novel, and looks at an image of her before he commits suicide.

5. Critical Argument Paragraph

The Hours represents literature as a creation that takes incredible time and effort, where sometimes the sacrifices for that creation are questionable. The two authors – Richard and Woolf – have a great impact on their loved ones, and are aware of it. While we see causes of Richard’s work (his mother’s abandonment, his relationships and friends) and the outcomes (the characters often call it “difficult,” and his receiving the Carrouthers),  we do not see him writing anything.  The audience is offered this aspect of a writers life by Woolf’s character. The time and effort Woolf puts into Mrs. Dalloway is mirrored by the time and effort Clarissa and  Laura put into the party for Richard and Dan’s birthday party. In an interview, Stephen Daldry has said about Mrs. Dalloway “books change my life … this book changed Michael Cunningham’s life and changes Laura Brown’s life in the story” (Billington). It can be argued that this film proves that the sacrifices an author makes for their literature is valid, as Woolf’s novel stays alive in the world of the other two women.

_______________________________________________

Works Cited

Primary Sources

Cunningham, Michael. The Hours. 1998. 

• Prologue: <http://michaelcunninghamwriter.com/books/the_hours/excerpt>.
• “Mrs. Dalloway”pgs. 9-27: <http://books.google.com/books?id=_CFvOd9bh44C&dq=michael+cunningham%27s+the>.

Secondary Sources

Billington, Michael. “‘Nothing is the hardest to do.'” The Guardian. 12 February 2003. Web. 13 June 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2003/feb/12/oscars2003.oscars>.  

Ebert, Roger. “Reviews: The Hours.” RogerEbert.com. 27 December 2002. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-hours-2002>.

Gussow, Mel. “A Writer Haunted by Virginia Woolf.” The New York Times. 20 April 1999. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/20/books/a-writer-haunted-by-virginia-woolf.html>.

Hughes, Mary Joe. “Micheal Cunningham’s The Hours and Postmodern Artistic Re-Presentation.” Critique (Summer 2004). Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.paolacarbone.com/vo/pm%20re-presentation.pdf>.

Rawson, James. “Why are gay characters at the top of Hollywood’s kill list?” The Guardian. 11 June 2013. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2013/jun/11/gay-characters-hollywood-films>.

Rodriguez, Amanda. “The Hours: Worth the Feminist Hype?” Bitch Flicks. 3 April 2013. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.btchflcks.com/2013/04/the-hours-worth-feminist-hype.html>.

Schepper, Ron. “Phillip Glass – The Hours- Review.” Stylus. 1 September 2003. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/philip-glass/the-hours.htm>