Possible Thesis Topic
I was thinking of exploring the alternate universes/dimensions by comparing the "upside down" in Stranger Things and the "Oasis" in Ready Player One.
Janvi (has finally decided on a) Topic/Focus
Topic: Chaos theory, alternate timelines, and lack of free will; using "Slaughterhouse V" (novel) and Mr. Nobody (film) Focus A: Every single single choice we make in life results in a different set of future events than if we had chosen the other option. Sometimes these differences are minor and other times they are substantial. Where do these separate sets of events go once we have made our choice? Alternate timelines contain each possible universe that stem from each choice we make, and branch off into multitudes. The law of entropy states that the universe errs towards chaos and randomness-- no set of events is better or worse than another, just different-- and gets bigger with each passing moment. Chaos theory and the butterfly effect both express the ability of seemingly minor events to have a major impact on the future, so how does one navigate life knowing that these exist? Mr. Nobody explains these theories in detail, and shows how different Nemo's life could...
I really like both of those films and I think this could definitely work. You could also probably connect it to a dystopian future book.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen or read Ready Player One but I have watched Stranger Things. Do you have any ideas about what you want to analyze about the upside down? It could be cool to look at any symbolism there might be, or maybe analyze the effect its presence has on the characters.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting idea. Have you ever seen Interstellar? That movie has a lot to do with alternate universes/dimensions.
ReplyDeleteI like the connection between these two texts, but I worry that you won't find any secondary criticism. I think we may have to find a more traditional text to connect in so you can gather enough criticism. Here's a really helpful Wikipedia page on Parallel Universes that has references to other texts that might work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_universes_in_fiction. You could always explore a Greek myth like Eurydice, in which Orpheus goes to the Underworld to retrieve his love, Eurydice. Just make sure that one of your texts has some secondary criticism.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we did talk about Bandersnatch earlier. If you're interested in writing about that, there's a cool story by Jorge Louis Borges called "The Garden of Forking Paths" that you could connect in interesting ways: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Garden_of_Forking_Paths
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