The following are the questions that will be on Quiz #4 this Wednesday.
There will be TWO GROUPS of writing prompts. Choose ONE from each GROUP to answer.
GROUP 1
Chapter 6 and 7: Secret Sects and Cults
A. Write about one secret sect from the reading and describe how it has affected heroes and popular culture.
Examples:
Rosicrucians
Theosophy
Scientology
The Golden Dawn
Christian Science
Secular Humanism
Freemasons
Mormonism
Buddhism
Agnosticism
Kabbalah
B. In many ways, certain popular culture characters have a “cult” following. Write about a popular culture “cult” and explain why so many people are devoted to that character or story.
Examples:
Star Wars
Marvel Comics
Star Trek
DC Comics
Smallville
Harry Potter
Dungeons & Dragons
Evil Dead
Lord of the Rings
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The Big Lebowski
Chapter 8: Occult and ‘Cult’ Super Stars
C. Our textbook explained how there has been several “larger than life” individuals who inspired people (much like today’s super heroes.) The individuals in question were associated with the supernatural—an occult or secret mystical group. However, in today’s popular culture, there are famous individuals who also have a “cult” following, and who are seen as messiahs, mystics, or seers (even if they are not associated with any formal spiritual movement.)
Identify one of these characters and explain how they have influenced history, society, or culture. You can choose a person from the chapter or refer to a contemporary “cult-like” figure.
Examples:
Friedrich Nietzche
L. Ron Hubbard
Martha Stewart
Aleister Crowley
Joseph Smith
Hillary Clinton
Harry Houdini
Dalai Lama
Sun Myung Moon
Edgar Cayce
Oprah
Michael Jordan
GROUP 2
Chapter 20: The Visionaries
A. Choose a visionary and explain how their work has inspired, shaped, or re-defined heroes in popular culture.
Examples:
Jack Kirby
Neil Gaiman
Madeleine L'Engle
Stan Lee
Grant Morrison
George Lucas
Bob Kane
J.K. Rowling
Homer
Alan Moore
J.R.R. Tolkien
Ovid
Chapters 21 and 22:
B. Heroes in popular culture are part of our collective unconsciousness. These characters teach us about the world—about good and evil, right and wrong. Describe an iconic popular culture hero that communicates an important life lesson to the audience.
C. Heroes and superheroes are changing the expectations of the human machine. How have these narratives inspired the “transhumanism” movement?
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Saturday Night Live Digital Short: Super Hero!
I don't know if anyone saw SNL this weekend. I thought that this digital short was appropriate for our 480 class. Hilarious...and a little violent (you've been warned!)
Saying Goodbye to the Co-Founder of Dungeons & Dragons
The Sunday New York Times had an interesting farewell piece to Mr. Gary Gygax, co-creator of the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
The universe contained within the D & D game draws a lot from old mythology and archetypes of heroes and villains. Adam Rogers, a senior editor at Wired Magazine has some interesting thoughts on the impact that both Gygax and D & D have had on our culture (everything from modern on-line gaming to avatars on Facebook.) Check it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/opinion/09rogers.html
The universe contained within the D & D game draws a lot from old mythology and archetypes of heroes and villains. Adam Rogers, a senior editor at Wired Magazine has some interesting thoughts on the impact that both Gygax and D & D have had on our culture (everything from modern on-line gaming to avatars on Facebook.) Check it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/opinion/09rogers.html
Monday, March 3, 2008
Earth Liberation Front: Hero or Villain?
From the Associated Press:
"Three seven-figure dream homes went up in flames early Monday in a Seattle suburb, apparently set by eco-terrorists who left a sign mocking the builders' claims that the 4,000-plus-square-foot houses were environmentally friendly."
The sign in question: three spray-painted letters: E...L...F. Some consider the Earth Liberation Front as heroes of the radical environmental fringe. Others (like the Federal Government) see them as domestic terrorists.
What do you think? ELF...heroes or villains?
AP article:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQlKz_UjBgvhm8rfGiTaQYS82a5gD8V66KUG0
"Three seven-figure dream homes went up in flames early Monday in a Seattle suburb, apparently set by eco-terrorists who left a sign mocking the builders' claims that the 4,000-plus-square-foot houses were environmentally friendly."
The sign in question: three spray-painted letters: E...L...F. Some consider the Earth Liberation Front as heroes of the radical environmental fringe. Others (like the Federal Government) see them as domestic terrorists.
What do you think? ELF...heroes or villains?
AP article:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQlKz_UjBgvhm8rfGiTaQYS82a5gD8V66KUG0
Prince Harry Rejects 'Hero' Label
Prince Harry--soldier and third in the line to the throne of England--rejects the notion that he is a hero.
Read about it (courtesy of the BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/jersey/7273129.stm
Read about it (courtesy of the BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/jersey/7273129.stm
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Comm 480 presentations
Day One/March 5, 2008
Chase, Ryan, Ian
Scott
Erika, Chandra
Matthew
Larry
Day Two/March 10
Ross, Bernie
Keyleigh, Alyssa
Susan
Andrew
C. Brady
Estelle
Day Three/March 12
Bernie, Ross (No, this is not a repeat from Day Two)
Ronnie, Marshall, Jason, Annie
Colin
Megan, Emily, Christina
Sarah, Geoff, Brandon
Arron Karlo, Emma, Jessica
Chase, Ryan, Ian
Scott
Erika, Chandra
Matthew
Larry
Day Two/March 10
Ross, Bernie
Keyleigh, Alyssa
Susan
Andrew
C. Brady
Estelle
Day Three/March 12
Bernie, Ross (No, this is not a repeat from Day Two)
Ronnie, Marshall, Jason, Annie
Colin
Megan, Emily, Christina
Sarah, Geoff, Brandon
Arron Karlo, Emma, Jessica
Monday, February 18, 2008
Quiz #2: Wednesday February 20th
We moved up Quiz #2 to this Wednesday.
The quiz will draw questions from Chapters 4 and 5.
For this quiz we want you to think about the concept of Hero As Archetype and how it relates to real-life heroes. In Chapter 4, ("Dawn of the Gods") the author explains how the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman societies had a robust and ritualistic relationship with their respective pantheons of Gods. Each God represented an aspect of life and the universe and each had a unique narrative or place in their daily lives.
Nowadays, we too have our own versions of the Gods. So far, we have talked at length about comic book super heroes. But what about real-life heroes? Real life heroes also seem to embody the same characteristics/traits of the Gods. For instance, in the current Presidential race Senator John McCain has been constructed as a God of War (both because of his service in the U.S. Navy, his status as a former P.O.W., and his support for "the surge" in Iraq.)
In Chapter 5, ("Empire of the Mind") the author talks about the influence that heroes have on other people and societies. He specifically mentions Alexander the Great as a prototype of the influential icon in the annals of history. We can also look to what Knowles calls "The Radicals" or groups of people who make up a social movement and how they inspire change--the Suffragists, the Abolitionists, etc.
Lastly, Chapter 5 focuses on Spiritualism and how the United States suddenly found itself inside a phenemonen where self-identified mystics, psychics, and clairvoyants "spoke to the dead." Knowles argues that this spiritualist movements "...tapped into the greater discontent aroused by industrialization and its attendant social woes."
Here are the two questions that you should think about and be prepared to write on for Wednesday's Quiz. It will be the same format as Quiz #1--choose two questions to answer:
1. Choose a real-life hero (athlete, artist, educator, spiritual leader, politician, historical figure, social critic, revolutionary, etc.) and discuss their Heroic Archetype. What is it in their character or actions that makes them a "hero?"
2. What can we learn from this hero's story? Is the narrative meant to be a parable (where we learn important life lessons) or is it merely entertainment?
The quiz will draw questions from Chapters 4 and 5.
For this quiz we want you to think about the concept of Hero As Archetype and how it relates to real-life heroes. In Chapter 4, ("Dawn of the Gods") the author explains how the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman societies had a robust and ritualistic relationship with their respective pantheons of Gods. Each God represented an aspect of life and the universe and each had a unique narrative or place in their daily lives.
Nowadays, we too have our own versions of the Gods. So far, we have talked at length about comic book super heroes. But what about real-life heroes? Real life heroes also seem to embody the same characteristics/traits of the Gods. For instance, in the current Presidential race Senator John McCain has been constructed as a God of War (both because of his service in the U.S. Navy, his status as a former P.O.W., and his support for "the surge" in Iraq.)
In Chapter 5, ("Empire of the Mind") the author talks about the influence that heroes have on other people and societies. He specifically mentions Alexander the Great as a prototype of the influential icon in the annals of history. We can also look to what Knowles calls "The Radicals" or groups of people who make up a social movement and how they inspire change--the Suffragists, the Abolitionists, etc.
Lastly, Chapter 5 focuses on Spiritualism and how the United States suddenly found itself inside a phenemonen where self-identified mystics, psychics, and clairvoyants "spoke to the dead." Knowles argues that this spiritualist movements "...tapped into the greater discontent aroused by industrialization and its attendant social woes."
Here are the two questions that you should think about and be prepared to write on for Wednesday's Quiz. It will be the same format as Quiz #1--choose two questions to answer:
1. Choose a real-life hero (athlete, artist, educator, spiritual leader, politician, historical figure, social critic, revolutionary, etc.) and discuss their Heroic Archetype. What is it in their character or actions that makes them a "hero?"
2. What can we learn from this hero's story? Is the narrative meant to be a parable (where we learn important life lessons) or is it merely entertainment?
"Real Life Heroes": Teachers
The following video is a trailer for a documentary titled "Accidental Hero: Room 408." The film follows the life and work of forensics coach/teacher Tommie Lindsey, who built the ferociously competitive James Logan High School Speech and Debate squad from a small after-school program into a juggernaut on the National Forensics scene.
I have known Tommie for six years now and I have had the great opportunity to work with him and his students down at James Logan (which is located in Union City, CA not far from the greater Oakland area.)
Tommie is the paragon of a real-life hero, an educator who puts in to0 many hours and who has faced too many challenges to just give up his hope and dream of helping his students find their voices and and their talents.
I have known Tommie for six years now and I have had the great opportunity to work with him and his students down at James Logan (which is located in Union City, CA not far from the greater Oakland area.)
Tommie is the paragon of a real-life hero, an educator who puts in to0 many hours and who has faced too many challenges to just give up his hope and dream of helping his students find their voices and and their talents.
"Real Life Heroes": Historical Figures
I really enjoyed our preliminary discussion of "real life" heroes (as opposed to comic book heroes or fictional protagonists.)
We will be extending our conversation on real-life heroes in class today. I think its important to think of real-life heroes in terms of archetypes (as opposed to a rigid criteria or definition.) A real-life hero can be found in all walks of life: teachers, parents, siblings, mentors, colleagues, employers. We can also think about real-life heroes in terms of historical figures or artists, writers, thinkers, and revolutionaries.
Speaking of real-life historical heroes, The New York Times printed an interesting article regarding the icon status of our first President, George Washington:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/opinion/18hogeland.html?th&emc=th
It is interesting to note from the article that Washington shunned the adoration that his colleagues and admirers thrust upon him. If someone does not want to be considered a hero...are they still a hero?
We will be extending our conversation on real-life heroes in class today. I think its important to think of real-life heroes in terms of archetypes (as opposed to a rigid criteria or definition.) A real-life hero can be found in all walks of life: teachers, parents, siblings, mentors, colleagues, employers. We can also think about real-life heroes in terms of historical figures or artists, writers, thinkers, and revolutionaries.
Speaking of real-life historical heroes, The New York Times printed an interesting article regarding the icon status of our first President, George Washington:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/opinion/18hogeland.html?th&emc=th
It is interesting to note from the article that Washington shunned the adoration that his colleagues and admirers thrust upon him. If someone does not want to be considered a hero...are they still a hero?
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Project Pitch Period/Feb. 13, 2008
The very important PROJECT PITCH PERIOD is almost here. On February 13th be sure to arrive on time and prepared to give either DOC or Mr. A. the best pitch possible. This is worth some substantial points! Cheerio, DOC
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Songs of Superman
That Superman documentary is pretty interesting, eh?
Speaking of the Man Of Steel--I was looking over my iTunes library and it hit me: there are a lot of songs out there that are either about Superman or they reference Superman.
Here are the songs that I could think of that fit this category; please post any others in the comment section that I may have left out.
(The song titles with asterisks are in my iTunes library, btw.) :-)
"Sunshine Superman" by Donovan*
"(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" by The Kinks*
"I Am Superman" by R.E.M.*
"Waitin' For A Superman" by The Flaming Lips*
"Pocket Full Of Kryptonite" by The Spin Doctors
"Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down
"Superman" by Five For Fighting
Speaking of the Man Of Steel--I was looking over my iTunes library and it hit me: there are a lot of songs out there that are either about Superman or they reference Superman.
Here are the songs that I could think of that fit this category; please post any others in the comment section that I may have left out.
(The song titles with asterisks are in my iTunes library, btw.) :-)
"Sunshine Superman" by Donovan*
"(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" by The Kinks*
"I Am Superman" by R.E.M.*
"Waitin' For A Superman" by The Flaming Lips*
"Pocket Full Of Kryptonite" by The Spin Doctors
"Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down
"Superman" by Five For Fighting
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The World Superhero Registry: Real Life Super Heroes!
I read about the "world superhero registry" in a magazine last summer. The website is a database of real-life people who don costumes and patrol the streets of their towns.
Here is Jade Justice, Defender of Rochester, Minnesota:
The World Superhero Registry can be seen at: http://www.worldsuperheroregistry.com/
The alternative newspaper City Pages in Minneapolis has an interesting article on the phenomenon: http://articles.citypages.com/articles/2008-01-16/feature/superheroes-in-real-life/
Here is Jade Justice, Defender of Rochester, Minnesota:
The World Superhero Registry can be seen at: http://www.worldsuperheroregistry.com/
The alternative newspaper City Pages in Minneapolis has an interesting article on the phenomenon: http://articles.citypages.com/articles/2008-01-16/feature/superheroes-in-real-life/
Monday, January 28, 2008
Discussion Questions to Ponder Regarding Heroes and Popular Culture
Here are some of the questions that came out of our first class discussion. This is just the beginning!
Is the study of heroes in popular culture the history of the future or a look back at previous mythology?
Does a heroic person or icon ever cease being heroic?
If a hero lets you down, are they still a hero?
Can a hero have flaws? Should a hero be required to have flaws?
Is a hero’s alter ego a different aspect of their identity or is there no such thing as an alter ego?
Other Topics:
-The academic prejudice against studying popular culture
-Fiction versus fact: the real person and the legend
Is the study of heroes in popular culture the history of the future or a look back at previous mythology?
Does a heroic person or icon ever cease being heroic?
If a hero lets you down, are they still a hero?
Can a hero have flaws? Should a hero be required to have flaws?
Is a hero’s alter ego a different aspect of their identity or is there no such thing as an alter ego?
Other Topics:
-The academic prejudice against studying popular culture
-Fiction versus fact: the real person and the legend
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Hello, Comm 480 students! Here are two sites that you might want to check out.
1. The Popular Culture Association web site is: http://www.pcaaca.org
2. If you have an interest in "Film and History," check out: http://www.uwosh.edu/filmandhistory/index.php
I would like to put together a paper proposal for this conference that will take place in the fall. If you might be interested in this, send me an email. (DOC)
1. The Popular Culture Association web site is: http://www.pcaaca.org
2. If you have an interest in "Film and History," check out: http://www.uwosh.edu/filmandhistory/index.php
I would like to put together a paper proposal for this conference that will take place in the fall. If you might be interested in this, send me an email. (DOC)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Superman Monologue: Kill Bill Volume 2
Bill philosophizes about Superman, identity, mythology, and the mysteries of Ms. Beatrix Kiddo.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Welcome!
Welcome to Heroes in Popular Culture!
This is going to be a dynamic and interactive seminar in which we will explore the creation and the nature of heroes and superheroes:
- what they are
- who they are
- why we have them
- how they are created
- how they are treated in the media
- what they communicate to us about ourselves
- what they communicate to us about our relationship to the universe
Our class sessions will feature lively discussions of ideas, facts, and artifacts. This blog is an opportunity to continue our discussions beyond the confines of a classroom space.
So let's get started...!
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.
Email Doc the name of the television series that featured the character referred to in the quotation above by 1:52 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008: acr1@humboldt.edu
If your answer is correct, DOC will award you with one extra credit point!
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