Post #6 Readicide

I agreed with a lot of what Gallagher said about "Readicide" and I believe it's a problem in schools today. I am a big fan in classic novels/plays, I like reading Shakespeare, I love classics like Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird, and I like the discussions that go with them. I use it as a defense in my music choice: The reason we read Shakespeare in High School is because it can tell us something about ourselves and we can relate to the tragedy and deepness. We stop reading books like Go Dog Go because they are simply written and are made to make a buck. This in comparison to listening to Bob Dylan over Justin Beiber or something. With that being said though; I understand what Gallagher means by not understanding today's world. Perhaps reading Hamlet will give you self-awareness but it doesn't tell you of anything going on today in the world. So that’s why I propose what Gallagher already has: the 50/50 plan, read a classic like Catcher and discuss it. Then read something from this era about our modern lives and what is taking place.

For me Literary Fiction does prepare us, it prepares us to look at morals and personal events on who we are and who we want to become. While a genre fiction could probably prepare us for the real world a little bit better. I would be outraged if we had to read Twilight over Of Mice and Men because Twilight doesn't do anything for me, and it probably was influenced by books like Of Mice and men. Twilight might as well be Go Dog Go because it is just a crap teen novel that made a lot of money. But that is probably just the Bob Dylan fan in me, the original; the classic artist who influenced so many others should be listened to before you listen to something like Justin Beiber. So don’t read something like Twilight because it was written today, only if it is giving us an example of what is happening today.

Post #5

With the story Shutter Island by: Dennis Lehane there would be many challenges to overcome with the film making. For one, is finding an island to capture the remoteness and how wild Shutter Island really is. Special effects are cool, but without a base location (specifically an island) the film would be missing one of the most important parts. Another possible challenge in the film making process could be capturing the era or the time it was supposed to be in the story. The year is 1954 so capturing the technology, the appearances, and the overall atmosphere of the 50's would be important and potentially a challenge. I don't think anything should be done to the plot because the plot is A+ material, it is held in regards with movies like Fight Club, Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back, Planet of the Apes, etc. Movies that are similar with similar plot twists at the end. In Shutter Island the term "Twist" almost doesn't do it justice. So the plot should stay the same, but maybe some of the characters could be changed. Such as Doctor Cawley could be more of a villain and he could be sketchy and uncomfortably looking. Also a character like Chuck, I think he would need to look like an innocent, good looking man who could portray even more of a good guy role. I think that the sub plot of having Teddy playing bad cop and Chuck playing good cop would have to go. I think they need to make Teddy look as normal, innocent, and good looking as Chuck does so nothing is given away.

A key scene that should not be changed at all would be finding the letter Rachel leaves behind in her cell. This scene is just mainly important for the plot, meaning it helps us uncover the plot twist at the end. It is important with this writing style because the viewer can look back on this scene and think: “Oh my gosh it was obvious”. It is also part of the uncovering of the ending as well so it is a must scene.

Another key scene that needs to remain in the film is the scene where they enter Rachel's room and they realize how small it is. This is a key moment and must be added because it is a key part of the plot, but also it lets you see what this “treatment” really is. It is less like treatment and more like a prison. This scene really gives you the first glimpse of that and starts the beginning of the plot.

A third scene necessary in the movie is one towards the beginning of the movie when Teddy walks by the garden and an inmate puts up her finger to be quiet or to tell him "shhh". This scene has stuck with me from when I saw the commercial for the movie, seeing the movie, all the way to reading the book in that order. I just think it is an iconic scene and the way the movie portrayed the gal exactly how Lehane describes it really makes the scene powerful and memerable. So this scene should be added because it gives you an idea of what Teddy is dealing with now, it kind of puts you as the viewer and Teddy as the character a little un-settled.

A scene I would cut from the adaptation of the book to a movie would be the very beginning of the book, it goes into a description of Teddy, where he is from, what he looks like, etc. In an adaptation I would have Teddy’s description throughout the book that way you can see the character building as it goes with the plot. Or maybe even at the end after the plot twist, put a full description of him and who he thinks he is.

Another scene I would adapt/add to the movie is in the beginning maybe show the making of the island, meaning have a narrator describe how shutter island came to be before anything happens. Like the prequel to the movie but making it a very dark kind of sketchy scene of crazies and their crimes.