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1. What is the fourth dimension?

The fourth dimension is an alternative dimension that does not fit within our current view of the world. It’s how we are “trapped” in time.

2. Why does the Time Traveler want to travel into the future? What does he hope to find?

He is hoping for a better future. If he is able to find a better future, then he can return and solve these issues or guide people towards teh solutions.

3. Who are the Eloi?

The eloi are the “people” of the future, with seemingly less control and awareness of their situation.

4. Why is the Time Traveler disappointed with the Eloi? What did he conclude about them?

He thinks that they’re careless because while it may be a better future, he doesn’t think they are more advanced and they can’t help him in the way he thought.

5. Who are the  Morlocks? What is their relation with the Eloi? What is the dynamic between the two species? How did they evolve?  What is the social/economic commentary within this situation?

The Morlocks are essentially the overlords of the Eloi. They live underground and harvest the Eloi. It is definitely a hierarchical relationship.

6. Thinking of our presentations from Thursday on sociality and morality, along with industrial workers and disability, how can we account for the evolution of the Eloi and the Morlocks? In your opinion, is such a future possible (outside of the confines of actual evolution amongst species)? Support your argument through the film, and other films and readings from the class.

One could argue that this depicts a colonial relationship, with one group having control over another. However, this could easily tie into negative stereotypes as the Eloi are not depicted as the most intellectual group. I think this is a similar issue if you compare this to a class difference, with the implication that the wealthy are in that position because they are more intelligent. It seems almost implicit that a relationship like this would develop, because they seem as if they are two entirely different creatures.

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1. Look up the difference between "Satire" and "Parody" -how would you classify this work? What are your reasons -give examples from the film/musical.

Parody mimics another style for comedic effect, and usually applying that to something that doesn’t quite fit. An example I found online was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Satire has a similar idea, but it tries to draw sympathy, care, or passion for a particular subject.

I think this piece would be a parody because it doesn’t have a clear call to action or mirror to a social issue. It’s something you have to pull more for yourself.

2. What are some common gothic tropes that are used in the film/musical? What is the effect?

The gothic tropes include dead/undead binary, body horror, as well as setting, which even relates to vampire storylines.

3. Which parts of Young Frankenstein seem to be an homage to the works upon which it is based, and which seem to poke fun? What is the effect?

I think the themes of connection is more of a homage to the original work, and the feelings that Shelley likely had while writing it. I think that the stereotypes that each character embodies definitely poke fun at it more than respects or makes commentary on the tropes.

4. Young Frankenstein again takes up the nature vs. nurture debate. While watching the musical/film, pay attention to the monster's inclusion in society, to Frederick's behavior towards his monster and its development. What do you notice?

I think both stories lend towards the nurture debate, but in this new rendition, it is not as much fear or a negative reception that guides the behavior. This could definitely draw the script to themes of generational trauma or differences, which we have previously discussed.

5. Connections between the Book and 1931 film to Young Frankenstein:

6. Since Young Frankenstein's 1974 production, it has become one of the most profitable comedies ever made, and in 2003, the Library of Congress declared that the film is one of America's most "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" motion pictures. Why do you think that this work continues to speak to audiences? What elements / issues remain current in contemporary society?

I think that time and space has created an even greater desire for media that plays on previous tropes in a fun, new way. It fulfills typical expectations for media consumption, by being a high quality production and making the audience laugh. However, it also gives us a feel-good feeling that the original storyline completely lacks.

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Gross domestic product

Measures a country's financial presentation by adding the money related worth of all labor and products delivered inside its nation during a particular period.

Gross National Product (GNP)

estimates the complete worth of every last great and administrations delivered by a nation's occupants.

Interest Rates

charges applied to acquired cash, products, or resources. They apply to different loaning exchanges, including contracts, business credits, and educational expenses.

Inflation

The steady decrease in the buying force of a money after some time, prompting rising living expenses.

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Opportunity cost (no free lunch in economics)

Supply and demand

Unlimited wants and limited resources

Individuals and society face trade-offs

People maximize utility (everyone acts of out self-interest)

Law of unintended consequences

Moral hazard

Prices determine price allocation

Example:

One example I thought of when it came to the law of unintended consequences is government funded financial incentives for traffic tickets. The government has funded billions of dollars for grants to providing officers with bonuses for meeting quotas or bringing in more tickets ($600 million a year according to the New York Times), yet this hasn’t resulted in better public safety or a police force that “protects and serves.’ Even if there isn’t a set quota, at least 20 states have evaluated police performance on the amount of traffic stops per hour, which erodes public trust and dissuades officers from actually focusing on public safety. For example, an investigation found that in states like Ohio, officers would charge drunk drivers with negligence and public intoxication, rather than drunk driving because the lower ranking tickets keep the financial incentives within the local police instead of the district level. On top of all of this, traffic stops are also a frequent site of violence against non-dangerous individuals and disproportionately impacts people of color. According to an analysis of over 4,000 traffic stops, where an average 70% involved black motorists despite making up a much smaller portion of the population.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/31/us/police-ticket-quotas-money-funding.html

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Meet the lefty Europeans who want to shrink the economy

1. Europeans are worried about economic growth because the limits of growth have been reached. This has contributed to the mass and quickly growing effects of climate change. The system as it is now is simply not sustainable.

2. The same unsustainable economic growth that is happening in Europe is happening possibly on an even larger scale in the United States. An example of this is called the Walmart Effect where Walmart, a large corporate chain which is a figurehead of excess, poorly made consumerist products (many of which end up in a landfill quickly). In addition, the global economy is so interconnected that it easily creates a chain reaction - and, of course, everyone lives on planet earth. Harm to the planet in one area is harm to any other, but it also disproportionally effects the poor and marginalized communities.

3. I agree that it is unsustainable as we know it now. If we could shift our idea of economic growth from primarily being about producing more profit and products, and picture instead growth as an internal factor. Growth in the economy could mean better fulfillment for in jobs, areas becoming more independent for their essential needs, or diversifying types of labor.

4. I found it interesting that the author characterized it as a post-growth continent. I would be curious to know why certain areas haven't grown, and if that trend translates over to the United States.

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The tv essentially poses the question: how do we organize and restart our lives from ground zero? Shows that even when confronted with this opportunity, we imagine us recreating the same behavior and issues. Do we not have any political consciousness?

Robert Kirkman from the Walking Dead: “Apocalyptic storytelling is appealing when people are having apocalyptic thoughts. With the global economic problems and everything else, a lot of people feel we’re heading into dark times. As bad as it is for society, I am benefiting greatly.”

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Notes

Rhizomatic: theory and research that allows for multiple, non-hierarchical entry and exit points in data representation and interpretation.

Intro to Fungi

Fungi as a cultural figure

History of fungi in gothic literature

Analyses

Fungi as Zombie Creators

Zombies as economic figures

Zombie Masses: Monsters for the Age of Global Capitalism by David Castillo

Infection as a conscious choice

Gaia

What Moves the Dead

Feminisms

Escape from patriarchy

There is no hierarchy in death

What Moves the Dead

Fungi as Apocalyptic Actors

Fungi as Solutions

Psychedelics?

Gaia

NOTES

Present both problem and solution to capitalism

Fungi as uncanny

Decay

Present alternative model for eco-social relations

Uncanny

Gaia

Argue it also connects to environmental grotesque

Connecting line to capitolocene

Final scene is literally consumption at a nameless food chain

Last of Us

Mexican Gothic ?

The Marigold ?

Environmental Grotesque

Annihilation

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1. What is it about escaping our own world to play out such fantasies that interests us (collective "us")?

I think the answer is within the question - it allows us to escape from our worries, anxieties, pressures, etc... In our imagination, we can be a hero that rises to the occasion, or turn inward, exploring for our own sake. Our modern economic system matched with our mass media creates so much subtle despair. Even if you are not directly experiencing harm, you are aware of it - both the immediate (like crime) or long term (climate change). Escaping into the fictional allows us to shake off these worries, and even potentially explore another view or solution.

2. Why do we build these types of immersions: game rooms, haunted houses, meow wolf -where we are invited to exit the real world, and deal with aliens, ghosts, being locked in a room etc. ? There is clearly interest, otherwise this business venture would have floundered, how can we explain why these types of venues are so successful?

These types of immersions allow us to actively play into whatever fantasy or daydream version we have of ourselves. We can be brave in a haunted house, or quick to solutions in an escape room. Board games I think also partially fall into this category - it allows us to exercise skills in a measured way we normally don't have in real life. Ultimately, we know this won't have any material impact on our lives, but we can still allow our emotions to fully immerse themselves in the moment.

3. Do you like these types of experiences? If you have experienced Meow Wolf, what are your thoughts?

I think these experiences can be fun. I think DnD is similar to this, but more based on your imagination rather than the physical immersion of a haunted house or escape room. I think I would mostly enjoy Meow Wolf for it's aesthetics and craftsmanship, similar to most haunted houses.

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This explores fungi in context of mutual aid, which could be seen as a healthier, more sustainable economic path or decision than our current system.

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*markets are a/immoral
*Market: where people meet to buy and exchange goods
*Monopsomy: single buyer
*Monopoly: single seller
*Surplus: too much of one product

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1. There are three human-type species  (who are/ or at one point were human) left on the planet. Describe each them, How does one become one of these creatures? Which of them do you deem the most monstrous -why? Which is the most "human" why?

There are humans, then zombies, then the Bonies - in that progression. If your brain remains intact after being attacked, you become a zombie, and it is implied that Bonies are what happens after losing the rest of your humanity. The last category definitely seems the most monstrous, not only visually but also because they seem less empathetic and more prone to violence. In our perspective in the film, the zombies almost feel more human to me - you can understand their feelings of isolation, loneliness, and alienation. The opening monologue is a testament to that emotional appeal.

2. How does R describe a typical "zombie"? How would you define the "zombie" in this film? How is it different from the Returned in They Came Back or the zombies from Romero's Dawn of the Dead?

They’re slow, non-verbal, emotionally unavailable creatures. The movie within the film describes them as “not bleeding, not thinking.” They seem to almost be an in between of the other two representations of zombies that we’ve seen. They have more emotions than Dawn of the Dead, but are more visibly similar to that film, where They Came Back portrayed them as more humanlike.

3. Why the airport? What does the airport represent? What makes this space different from Romero's choice of the Mall as the setting in Dawn of the Dead ? (What makes it similar)?

R essentially reflects a similar reason we were given in Dawn of the Dead - it’s people repeating their past lives. For example, we see a zombie mopping the floor or scanning bodies - two jobs which serve no actual purpose now that they’re dead. Yet their jobs are what they return back to. It is the most essential part of them. While this seems to focus more on labor, Romero focused on consumerism. This could open up a wide range of Marxist critiques showing that we place more emphasis on our work than consumption now.

4. Why do zombies (in this film) like to eat brains? Why is this important?

They get their memories, thoughts, and feelings. It essentially allows them to feel human again. Death is a very alienating experience in this film.

5. What does Grigio's wall, and the human settlement within represent, in your opinion?

It seems to be an almost elitist frame of mind. Many of the middle class are fighting to stay in that category, or people in the upper class look down on what they know is always a possibility. This creates a competitive environment where you want to protect your status in a decaying world.

6. Just as the zombies are attempting to become human again, there are initiatives that claim an attempt to "rehumanize" the economy. Google concepts such as the Solidarity Economy,Links to an external site.  or the Community EconomyLinks to an external site.. What do these movements have in common with the zombies in the film?

Besides the Bonies, which seem to hold status as almost another type of creature, there is very little hierarchal organizing within the zombies. They also rarely turn to violence against each other, working as a cohesive group. For example, the first scene where R meets Julie, nobody is taking on a lead or fighting each other for food, even though they’re all hungry. It was a collectively made decision.

7. What is the key to the cure? -If there is one.

There is a cure that is discovered in the movie. Unlike most horror or sci-fi movies, it’s not rooted in science, but human connection. If their brain remains intact, having an emotional connection with those around them can help.

8. Which part of society does Grigio (the dad) represent? the Bonies? what do they represent? -in your opinion

I think the dad partially represents the elitist of a society, as discussed above. The Bonies seem to show a progression of alienation. They seem to be more disconnected, unable to truly speak to each other in the way that the normal zombies sometimes manage to. It could be interpreted as them being literally more “hollow” with their gaunt appearance.

9. The zombies like to live through other people's dreams (ie eating brains) -how is this similar to the "real' world? (Apart fro eating human brains).

We turn to movies, tv shows, books, plays, etc… to root us in another world, person, or emotion. We frequently turn to escapism fantasies in order to cope with the world around us - a boom in escape rooms, alternative spaces like Meta, connections with AI models pretending to be human, and other developments in our economy reflect this need.

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This explores the scientific, less cultural side of fungal networks. Fungal systems perform mutual aid almost inherently. (New York Times article)

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Fungal Networks Are Often Hidden and Overlooked. But They Can Help Save Us.

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Merlin Sheldrake, a biologist and author, is doing his best to show the world all the amazing things fungi can do to benefit life on a damaged planet.

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Opinion | ‘The Last of Us’ Is Right. Our Warming Planet Is a Petri Dish.

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Primary Sources
The Last of Us
Mazin, Craig, and Neil Druckmann. The Last of Us, Season 1, 2023.
The Last of Us first appeared in the mainstream media as a video game in 2013, available for
both individual and cooperative team play. Reanimated in 2023 as a TV show, it quickly gained
popularity, but with a key twist from its original storyline. In this version, fungi are still at fault for
the mutations, but the original culprit is climate change. I will specifically use the opening scenes
of the first episode to explore expressions of anxiety around climate change.
Theoretical Framework
Monster Culture by Jeffrey Cohen
Cohen, Jeffrey Jerome. “Monster Culture (seven theses).” Monster Theory, 1996, pp.
3–25, https://doi.org/10.5749/j.ctttsq4d.4.
Monster Culture is by far one of my favorite pieces of literature I read this semester. The seven
theses that Cohen outlines will help me narrow down and better categorize the depictions of
fungi in media, and explore the motivations behind them. It will also provide me a base
framework to discuss how exactly a monster functions in our culture.
Systems Change not Climate Change
Beer, Christopher Todd. “‘systems change not climate change’: Support for a radical shift
away from capitalism at mainstream U.S. climate change protest events.” The
Sociological Quarterly, vol. 63, no. 1, 2020, pp. 175–198,
https://doi.org/10.1080/00380253.2020.1842141.
In this source, I will be able to learn about the support for an economic system shift as a solution
for climate change. This will also provide me with information about the demographics behind
the support, which will play a significant impact on attitudes towards both the economic system

and the environment, as each generation has their own circumstances and culture which shifts
their views.
“What Would the Mushrooms Say?” Speculating Inclusive and Optimistic Futures with
Nature as Teacher
Reade, Julia. “‘what Would the Mushrooms Say?’ Speculating Inclusive and Optimistic
Futures with Nature as Teacher.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 3
Aug. 2022, www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/11/4/97.
This text “envisions a healing-centered, interdisciplinary approach to climate discourse in
learning spaces, one that centers the theoretical and practical applications of an Indigenous
science to flip the dominant narratives we tell about the dystopic dead ends of climate change.”
This piece will be valuable in bringing a postcolonial perspective to my discussions on climate
change, which (like many academic disciplines) is dominated by a western bias and
methodology.
The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing
Tsing. The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist
Ruins. Princeton University, 2015.
In this book, the author explores larger topics of the global economic system, supply chain,
consumption, and its impact on the environment through the lens of a mushroom. Ursula Le
Guin, a well known author and activist, wrote, “Scientists and artists know that the way to handle
an immense topic is often through close attention to a small aspect of it.” This book will allow me
to take a hyper focused approach to a fungal connection to our economic system.
Secondary Sources

The People Who Study Fungus Know Why It’s Suddenly Taking Over Horror
Byron, Aubrey. “The People Who Study Fungus Know Why It’s Suddenly Taking over
Horror.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 10 Feb. 2023,
slate.com/culture/2023/02/last-of-us-hbo-mushroom-fungus-horror.html.
This source gives a varied overview of fungi in modern literature, historical media, as well as its
scientific benefits and threats. This will be helpful in providing areas for further research, such
as older movies and stories I may not be familiar with. It also references and gives context for
pieces I already plan to analyze in my project.
Zombie Masses: Monsters for the Age of Global Capitalism by David Castillo
Castillo, David R. “Zombie masses: Monsters for the age of global capitalism.” Zombie
Talk: Culture, History, Politics, 2016, pp. 39–62,
https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137567727_3.
While this piece does not explicitly connect to fungal monsters, a significant amount of fungal
horror media results in a zombie-like state. For example, The Last of Us creates a zombie with
the typical features of losing a grasp on the human language and desire for flesh, but it is
passed through spores infecting the air or food supply. Overall, this piece of writing will help me
connect a common monstrous depiction within my theme to the effects of global capitalism. It
also explores broader connections of economic anxieties to apocalyptic film, which is a
prominent feature in the media I will be exploring.

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How do fungal themes in The Last of Us reflect a growing anxiety around the climate crisis?

What lessons can we apply from fungi to how our socio-economic choices intersect with our ecosystem?

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1. This project explores the connection between fungal monsters as a result of growing anxieties around the climate crisis and its interplay with our economic structure, capitalism.

2. Themes

1. Key Terms

1. Capitalism

1. The socio-economic system dominant in the Western world since the breakup of feudalism, in which means of production are privately owned and production is guided and income distributed largely based on pursuit of profits. (Adapted from Britannica)

2. Mutual Aid

1. When people in a community get together to meet each other’s needs built on the principles of direct action, cooperation, mutual understanding, and solidarity. It also relies on a horizontal mode of organization, aiming to break down hierarchies and practice collective decision making. In simpler terms, mutual aid is cooperation for the common good.

2. However, Capitalism has disrupted this tendency within humans – as systems of private property and wage labor were created, it has led to alienation from our natural tendency to care for each other.

3. Anthropocene

1. The term combines "anthro," meaning human, with "era," denoting a geological period. The concept suggests that human activities, particularly those associated with industrialization and the modern era, have led to profound and often irreversible changes in the Earth's atmosphere and ecosystems in the current age.

4. Capitalocene

1. Where the Anthropocene focuses on humanity as the driving force, Capitalocene highlights the role of our economic system in shaping and driving environmental changes. It suggests that the primary impact on the Earth's ecosystems is not just a result of human activities in general but is particularly influenced by capitalism as a near-global socio-economic system.

2. "Anthropogenic implicates an actor that doesn’t exist. There is no Anthropos, no humanity as a unified actor. So, if not anthropogenic, what? In a word: capitalogenic." (Moore)

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1. How does the film start out? What is the situation? Is it mentioned how to kill zombies? If so, how are they killed?

The film follows an argument between two individuals on a news segment that is airing live. It grows increasingly heated, until zombies eventually enter the room. The scientist figure is advocating to kill the dead bodies which carry this disease by shooting them in the head.

2. Roger Demarco and his team raid a low income housing unit. Roger asks: "Why do these people keep them here?", how does Peter respond? -What does this allude to about society? about the police/government?

He says they stay because there is still respect in dying. Ultimately, the only thing the people here have are other people. Unlike the main characters, they don’t have the privilege of jumping into a helicopter and flying off, or being the person behind the guns doing the killing. We can see the police and government are more than happy to call orders to kill their own people - it’s something they have done in the past and will do again.

3. What do Stephen and his girlfriend Fran plan on doing? What would you do?

The couple makes plans to meet on top of the roof that night to catch a helicopter. If I had access to a helicopter, I would definitely prefer that over sheltering in place, especially somewhere heavily populated. Truthfully, I don’t think I would react very well to a high stress situation like that, especially if I had to witness mass death around me.

4. Where does the group of four decide to seek shelter? Why would this be a good place? What problems do they encounter there? Which economic issues are represented?

They seek shelter in the mall after visiting a few other sites, like an airport. However, the airport has run out of gas, already signaling scarcity. The mall is a good location because it has been relatively isolated from scavengers and has different types of emergency and standard supplies, like the gun store.

5. Are the Zombies cannibals? What does the film say?

Yes and no. It seems like biting is more motivated by violence rather than hunger. We don’t see a lot of zombie scenes we’re used to now of them feasting on flesh.

6. At one point Francine asks "What are they doing? Why do they come here?" and Stephen responds with "Some kind of instinct. Memory, of what they used to do. This was an important place in their lives." What does this mean? How can we interpret this? What is the film trying to convey or expose?

This part of the movie is meant to be a critique of consumerism. If muscle memory is based on what we do most frequently or most passionately, for many, shopping will be the answer either way. The intercut of the shopping scenes of the survivors shows there isn’t much of a difference between the undead and the living.

7. How does Dawn of the Dead explore the challenge of resource allocation and the struggles faced by the remaining humans in managing these resources? What would you do differently or similarly to these characters?

The film shows how much of the survivors' energy is spent on trying to gather resources. From relocating to different areas, taking extraneous risks, and executing elaborate plans, they try many different strategies to achieve a sustainable survival. Truthfully, I don’t think I would be as trusting as the other characters if I didn’t know the people within my group well. I would be more inclined to have a few people I am extremely close to and know their abilities.

8. How does Dawn of the Dead address the long-term sustainability of the survivors' situation in the mall? What economic principles can be applied to their attempts to maintain stability?

Resource scarcity is definitely apparent in the mall. While there is an abundance of resources in general, like the dozens of clothing stores filled to the brim, not all of it is directly beneficial and therefore does not hold the same value in this new economy.

9. How does Dawn of the Dead use the shopping mall to critique consumer culture and materialism? What parallels can be drawn between the film and society?

The symbolism of the shopping mall is a strong image to relate to consumerism. It is a space literally solely designated to consume - shop after shop lined up, with more shops and booths in between. The parallel can be seen if you squint your eyes just a bit - people/zombies walk through the mall, mindless, moving on muscle memory. They consume because something (their instincts or their circumstances) tell them to consume.

10.  Throughout the film, there are several economic themes that are expressed. Here is a list of some of those themes. Choose the one that speaks to you the most, and explain how this theme is presented in the film -the obstacles, and issues faced by survivors (and zombies) etc. and how this may reflect on our current society, does this theme still resonate today? How?

I chose to look at value and necessity. I think reframing our current settings (such as malls) in the context of pure survival, like a zombie apocalypse, can be helpful in showing how frivolous some of our actions and items are. For example, the stores filled with clothes and trinkets are worth almost nothing in the face of the gun store. However, most of those guns would have been valued for hunting or to be shown off, rather than for day to day survival. This shows that value and necessity are all subjective concepts which can switch and impact what individuals are willing to exchange, buy, or sell in an economy,

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Chart #1 - Net Worth Change

I think this chart does a great job at showing why we often have such a difficult time discussing economic hardship across generations. It does surprise me that the under 35 category is higher than 35-54. However, I would be interested in better understanding the graph to see how significant that difference is. Those three categories are at least in the same quarter of the chart, which the 65 and older category is in a completely different half than almost all of the other demographics.

Chart #2 - Life Expectancy

What sticks out at me the most from this chart is the difference in life expectancy between the lowest and highest classes. Just recently, the New York Times wrote an article about how a college degree (a signifier of class) can change how long and quality your life is, and this was exasperated by the pandemic. "Adult life expectancy for this group started out two and a half years lower, at 51.6, in 1992 — so an average individual would live to nearly 77 years old. But by 2021, it was 49.8 years (or almost 75 years old), roughly eight and a half years less than people with college degrees, and those without had lost 3.3 years during the pandemic."

Chart #3 - Education Inequality

I found this chart very interesting, especially considering that the Asian-American community is often seen as the "model minority" and excelling specifically in academics. I think this chart can still show how there is a significant barrier for certain groups to enter higher education.

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Opinion | Without a College Degree, Life in America Is Staggeringly Shorter

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There are two Americas, and they are divided by a college degree.

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Perfect Blue

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

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1. Dorothy is running away from her family's farm in Kansas. She returns because she realizes the importance of her family and her desire to protect them from the evil witch. This can be a reflection of the coming of age trope because she goes on her own adventure which emphasizes her independence and maturity. Leaving the familial nest is likely emphasized by her farm life, which could be especially isolating.

2. “Disaster Economics” references the branch of economics which studies the impact of natural disasters. In the movie, it is a tornado that lifts Dorothy’s house away. This can be literally translated into how the housing market is often impacted the hardest after natural disasters.

3. The Munchkins were grateful to Dorothy for killing the Wicked Witch of the East. They had been exploited by the witch, which is why they celebrated.

4. Each character represents rational self-interest in their own way by seeking a goal which will improve upon themselves or their performance in some way. They believe by reaching these goals, they will be fulfilling their self interest by fulfilling their desires around what they are “lacking.”

5. The Wicked Witch of the West is seen as a powerful, masculine, and malicious figure. She lives in the Winkie Country, controlling the beings there. She also desires the ruby slippers, which all come together to represent desire, greed, and control she exerts.

6. The Wizard of Oz reflects the idea of economic scarcity because it shows how everyone always has a desire - from the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and Dorothy, all of them have their own wishes. However, in the real world, and as it is revealed in the movie, this can’t always be fulfilled at the snap of a finger.

7. The request for the broomstick shows that an incentive is seen as a necessary aspect of bargaining - essentially, if I do this for you, you’ll do this for me. If they had failed, they would have been punished, even though they put in the work. This shows the emphasis on results, rather than the process or work in economics.

8. One that stood out to me was the Yellow Brick Road. It reminds me of how people were told that the United States has streets “paved with gold,” especially told to immigrants. That even connects to the “migration” that Dorothy goes through. Just like in the real world, Dorothy realizes along the way that everything isn’t shiny and perfect on the surface.

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1. What is the significance of the funeral scene at the beginning of the film? What type of practice does this highlight?

The funeral scene is significant in providing a tone and subject of the film; death and darkness. Funerals themselves tend to be a great reflection of culture - essentially, how are bodies valued? How were their lives valued? How much of this do we do for ourselves? In the West, we place a lot of value in the body and funerals. However, in this narrative, death also becomes a site of exploitation, reflecting how life had become more exploited over the industrial era.

2. What does the scene with the brains at the medical college insinuate? How is this foreshadowing?

They discuss the difference between the normal, good citizen brain vs the bad, abnormal, criminal brain. This first places blame for our behavior in biology, following determinism, rather than our decisions shaping our morality.

3. Why did Henry Frankenstein (Victor) decide to leave medical school?

He sees himself as being too edgy or advanced for his school and peers. He wanted to explore darker areas with fresher, better bodies but kept being denied.

4. How does Henry Frankenstein bring his creation to life? Why does he always keep him in the dark? How may this be an allegory?

In the movie, he uses electricity to shock his creation into life. He keeps him in the dark to control him, as if he is a simple bug drawn to light. This can be an allegory for literally keeping things "in the dark" will eventually boil over and be even worse.

5. This film deviates from the traditional Gothic by eliminating the elements of the supernatural and replacing them with science and technology. Look at these two virtual exhibitions on technology and medicine in 1818 Links to an external site. (when Mary Shelley published her novel) and 1931 Links to an external site. (when the film was produced). What do you notice about these technologies? How may they be represented in the film?

The depictions are almost more raw than our typical textbook depictions we have now. They also focus on bringing back the dead - something I think that we are less keen to put on display or advertise the way these are shown off. The use of electricity definitely translates over to the movie using it.

6. What are some examples of modern technological advancements and innovations that could make the fictional themes of Frankenstein relevant to the real world of the 21st century?

I think AI is something that would be really interesting to explore using the story structure of Frankenstein. AI is literally a "frankenstein" of different thoughts and different people. There have also been a few projects where people build fake bodies for AI personalities, which often leave an uncanny valley effect with the audience.

6.Some of the monster theory that we covered in the begining of the semester, suggest that the monsters portrayed in films are manifestations of repressed desires rising to the surface to threaten normality. How may this be the case in this film? (or not)

I think there is some desire to be victor/henry in the beginning of the story - dedicated and passionate to his project, to the point he is willing to cross societal boundaries. This is also what draws people in to Frankenstein. The audience can relate to his feelings of isolation or not fitting in, but also desire his ability to exact revenge on teh person who made him this way.

7.  What are some current debates over scientific or technological discoveries and applications that reflect consideration over their “unchecked power and self-serving ambition” ? Are there current technological advances that challenge the notion of what it is to be human? If there is demand for these inventions and advancements should they be regulated, or should more free-market type principles apply?

I think this goes back to AI. AI has so quickly taken over social media, our news, our classrooms, etc.. There are even entire programs dedicated to making nudes out of non consenting people. Yet, in the US we have seen very little moves to regulate this industry.

8.  What may Dr. Frankenstein and his creature exemplify or represent in society?

I think beyond the economic comparisons, this can definitely represent generational trauma, which can also be related to economic setting. Overall, I think that it represents the isolation and negative cycle of destruction we as a society engage in.

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Zombie Masses: Monsters for the Age of Global Capitalism by David Castillo

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Zombie Masses: Monsters for the Age of Global Capitalism by David Castillo

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Traditional African and Haitian zombies were not capitalistic, rather thought of as “slaves” either awakened from the dead or hypnotized into a magically induced catatonic state to carry out the will of the zombie master

“Our present fascination with monsters fascination with zombies bespeaks of a society riven by fears and anxieties of various kinds, including uncertainty about the future.”

Anthropologist Elizabeth Bird: “We use monsters to try to explain our society, which is why zombies have become our favorite surrogates when it comes to expressing the fear of nuclear and pandemic catastrophes and environmental collapse, as well as the idea that we are consuming ourselves.”

“Zombie hordes may best express present anxieties about the dreadful fate of a world inhabited by post-human crowds of mindless, soulless consumers. I would further argue that our fixation with apocalyptic fantasies is fundamentally tied to the widespread conviction that there is no possible alternative to capitalism as a world-wide economic system, paired with the growing realization, or at least the suspicion, that the logical evolution of global capitalism will inexorably lead to our self-destruction.”

Veronica Roth, author of Divergent, was asked why people gravitate towards dystopias. “These books are perfect for people who like to ask, “what if?” The majority of the characters in dystopian and post-apacolyptic literature have a lot of agency - they take charge of their lives in environments that make it hard for them to do so.”

We can empathize with this

“This self-reflective cynicism is why the zombie hordes are the perfect monsters for the age of global capitalism. They are the face of globalization, our dark mirror image, our sweat shops, our landfills, our pollution, an infinitely reproducible and exportable product of the mass-culture industry, a sign of the times, and a warning of things to come.”

Robert Kirkman from the Walking Dead: “Apocalyptic storytelling is appealing when people are having apocalypitc thoughts. With the global economic problems and everything else, a lot of people feel we’re heading into dark times. As bad as it is for society, I am benefiting greatly.”

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* Foucault inspired lens views monsters as intersections, where disruptions happen

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* Freud pointed out that "Uncanny" in German translated to, "Not of the Home." Second definition is "hidden in the home."
* Freud believes our fears result from our childish selves

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Economics
* Milton Friedman: "Judge economic models public policies by their results, not their intentions."
--Not sure if I agree with this quote - there are so many outside factors, like other countries.

* Assumption: everyone acts in self interest (try to maximize their utility)

* Opportunity Cost: What do you give up to do something else?

Culture
* Acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior.