If you’re looking for a great scary movie to watch late at night with a bowl of popcorn, look no further than the 2007 hit, 1408. Based on a short story by Stephen King, published in his 2002 book Everything’s Eventual, this movie is a real home run. I am a big fan of Stephen King’s novels, and I have read the short story that this movie is based on, and let me tell you, this is probably one of the very few instances where I think that the movie is better than the original story. While the story was quite short and didn’t have many events, the movie adaptation completely revamped and expanded the original writing. The movie 1408 focuses on author Mike Enslin, who is played by John Cusack. Enslin visits reported haunted places, and writes about
his experiences. When a mysterious postcard is sent to him, featuring a picture of the Dolphin Hotel, and a message of “Don’t enter 1408,” he can’t help but be intrigued. After arguing back and forth with the hotel’s manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), Enslin finally convinces him to allow him to stay in the room for one night. Once at the hotel, Olin wastes no time in showing Enslin the numerous crime scene photos of previous guests who stayed in room 1408. Every guest who stayed in that room had died within one hour of entering it, and Olin definitely does not want any more casualties. Of course, Enslin isn’t scared by any of the stories, and he enters into 1408. When a few things are found out of place, the audience can get a sense that something isn’t quite right with this room. After a creepy run-in with some ghosts and corpses, one could see how someone could be driven mad or given a heart attack while staying in room 1408. I really enjoyed John Cusack’s role as Mike Enslin. He captured the emotions and feelings of the character very well. His confusion about what is happening in the room is very believable, and his character is very easily sympathized with. His sadness when memories of his late daughter are dug up looks real, and one can see how well this actor can fit into a role. I found the pacing of the movie to be very effective, with its slow introduction and build-up, and powerful climax that keeps hitting you with scares and things to make you wonder if Enslin is really just dreaming this all up. With all of the weird events that can’t possibly have been real, someone watching this movie could be really conflicted as to what they think is actually going on, but, thankfully, the ending explains it all for us. My only critique about this film is that it never really delved into the history of the room. It left me wondering, why is this room “evil”? How does it manage to get into people’s heads and show them their worst nightmares? Although the movie brushed upon the various deaths that occurred in the room previously, I think that more of a backstory and explanation was needed. I want to know if it’s an actual haunted room, or if the room is its own entity, or some other thing that could possibly explain how the events in the room took place. Other than this, I think the movie flowed nicely and gave a suitable amount of details. To conclude, 1408 was an amazing psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, anxious to see what will happen next. I loved the choice of actors, and the pacing of the movie was just right. What began as a quick read is now developed into a full length feature, and I am sure that any horror fan will agree with me that this movie will be a favourite of many for years to come.
In his book, An Imperfect God, Henry Wiencek argues in favor of Washington being the first true president to set the precedent for the emancipation of African-American slaves. Wiencek delves into the evil paradox of how a nation conceived on the principles of liberty and dedicated to the statement that all men are created equal was in a state that still preserved slavery for over seven decades following the construction of the nation. Washington’s grandeur estate at Mount Vernon at its peak had the upkeep of over 300 slaves 126 of which were owned by Washington. First, it must be understood that Washington was raised on slavery receiving ownership of 10 slaves at the age of 11 years old and that Washington was a man of his time. However, it must also be understood that Washington’s business with slavery was in the context of a constrained social and political environment. Weincek maintains that this does not exonerate the fact that Washington maintained slavery however; it does help to quantify the moral shortcoming by which Washington carried until his last year of life.
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by author Ray Bradbury we are taken into a place of the future where books have become outlawed, technology is at its prime, life is fast, and human interaction is scarce. The novel is seen through the eyes of middle aged man Guy Montag. A firefighter, Ray Bradbury portrays the common firefighter as a personal who creates the fire rather than extinguishing them in order to accomplish the complete annihilation of books. Throughout the book we get to understand that Montag is a fire hungry man that takes pleasure in the destruction of books. It’s not until interacting with three individuals that open Montag’s eyes helping him realize the errors of his ways. Leading Montag to change his opinion about books, and more over to a new direction in life with a mission to preserve and bring back the life once sought out in books. These three individual characters Clarisse McClellan, Faber, and Granger transformed Montag through the methods of questioning, revealing, and teaching.
One of England’s greatest literary figures, William Shakespeare, expressed the truth about coveting knowledge by saying that “ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven” (William Shakespeare Quotes). One must assume that Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451, learned from this. Bradbury’s novel shares a similar portrayal towards coveting knowledge. In the novel the protagonist realizes that he is living in a world where knowledge is lost. People abide by rules and restrictions given to them by the government. There is nothing in this society to make people think about how valuable knowledge is, except for books. The protagonist is a fireman whose job is to seek out books and destroy the contents. The mass population believes that books are a waste of time and useless. The protagonist also believes this until a change of heart leads to a journey of identity and curiosity. Bradbury believes that this type of world will eventually turn into our own. Clearly, Ray Bradbury’s outlook for the future of man is grim because he represses intellectual endeavor, lacks critical thinking, and becomes destructive.
Fahrenheit 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which paper, more specifically books, burn. As a fireman living in a futuristic city, it is Guy Montag’s job to see that that is exactly what happens. Ray Bradbury predicts in his novel Fahrenheit 451 that the future is without literature -- everything from newspapers to novels to the Bible. Anyone caught with books hidden in their home is forced out of it while the firemen force their way in. Then, the firemen turned the house into an inferno.
Monsters under the bed, drowning, and property damage are topics many people have nightmares about; nightmares about a dystopian future, on the other hand, are less common. Despite this, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell’s 1984 display a nightmarish vision about a dystopian society in the near future. Fahrenheit 451 tells of Guy Montag’s experience in a society where books have become illegal and the population has become addicted to television. Meanwhile, 1984 deals with Winston Smith’s affairs in Oceania, a state controlled by the totalitarian regime known as the Party. This regime is supposedly headed by a man named Big Brother. By examining the dehumanized settings, as well as the themes of individuality and manipulation, it becomes clear that novels successfully warn of a nightmarish future.
declares that he will improve the city (she) by his rulings. Creon describes how his
Book Title: Fahrenheit 451 Author: Ray Bradbury Original date of publication: 1953 Part A.) The Author. Visit the reference section of a library. Drawing from at least two sources, share the life story of the author. Discuss how the author’s life and circumstances may have influenced the novel.
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, irony is used to convey information and it contributes to the overall theme of the novel. Written during the era of McCarthyism, Fahrenheit 451 is about a society where books are illegal. This society believes that being intellectual is bad and that a lot of things that are easily accessible today should be censored. The overall message of the book is that censorship is not beneficial to society, and that it could cause great harm to one’s intelligence and social abilities. An analysis of irony in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury shows that this literary technique is effective in contributing to the overall theme of the novel because it gives more than one perspective on how censorship can negatively affect a society.
Overall, in Stephen King’s essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, his suggestion that we view horror movies to “reestablish our feelings of essential normality” (562) and there is a “potential lyncher in almost all of us” (562) has brought forth many aspects that I have never really thought about. Why do we have so much excitement when it comes to horror films? Everyone has their own opinion, which will never end with one definite answer. Stephen King thinks there’s and evil in all of us, but I don’t think so. The evil only comes out if you make it, we do not need horror films for psychic
To begin with, some people would say they enjoy a horror movie that gets them scared out of their wits. They go see these movies once a month on average, for fun, each time choosing a newer sequel like “Final Destination” or “The evil Dead”. King says “When we pay our four or five bucks and seat ourselves at tenth-row center in a theater showing a horror movie we are daring the nightmare” (405). As a writer of best-sel...
The Dark Tower – Stephen King The Dark Tower is a series of stories that follow the main character, Roland "The Last Gunslinger", as he travels across a harsh desert on a mission to find the "man in black". His mission is to make it safely to the Tower in order to save himself and the very existence of the universe. The entire series revolves around the tower and how essential it is. The tower is a central point where different planes of existence merge and if Roland doesn't make it there before it gets destroyed then everything else will be destroyed along with it.
"Imagine yourself suddenly set down surrounded by all your gear, alone on a tropical beach close to a native village, while the launch or dinghy which has brought you sails away out of sight… Imagine further that you are a beginner, without previous experience, with nothing to guide you and no one to help you. For the white man is temporarily absent, or else unable or unwilling to waste any of his time on you. This exactly describes my first initiation into field work on the south coast of New Guinea."
Stephen King is known as one of the greatest horror and gothic writers of our time. The reason for this is his ability to fuse the gothic elements created by stories such as Dracula or Frankenstein and todays horror. King has written hundreds of short stories but two in-particular “The Night Flier” and “Popsy” show his unique ability to combined gothic elements from the old literature with realistic settings and people of our era. One of his greater talents is being able to use gothic element like vampires and make us see them in a different light. Kings unique way of writing with his old gothic ideals, new horror ideas, and use of realistic settings help to put a new spin on what we conceive as gothic story.
The banana massacre in One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is the striking of the banana workers organized by Jose Aureliano Segundo. The plan was that the banana plantation workers would get together and go on strike in protest of the inhumane working conditions. This also parallels the act of Colonel Aureliano Buendia who also fought for the rights of the working class during his generation. Macondo was placed under martial law, which “…enabled the army the functions of arbitrator in the controversy, but no effort at conciliation was made.” (Page 303). Then the workers sabotaged the plantation. “The workers, who had been content to wait until then, went into the woods with no other weapons but their working machetes and they began to sabotage the sabotage.” (Page 303). In reaction to the government they invite all of the workers, which is more than 3,000 people, including Jose Arcadio Segundo, to gather in a conference with the administration of the plantation to come to an agreement. The meeting was a trick and the soon enough the 3,000 workers became surround...
Utopia as a text is a clear reflection and representation of More’s passion for ideas and art. Through the character of Raphael, More projects and presents his ideas, concepts and beliefs of politics and society. More’s Utopia aims to create a statement on the operations and effectiveness of the society of England. This text is a general reflection of More’s idea of a perfectly balanced and harmonious society. His ideas and concepts of society somewhat contrast to the rest of 16th century England and indicate a mind that was far ahead of its time. A number of issues and themes are raised throughout the text to which More provides varying views and opinions. These are transmitted and projected through the perspectives of the fictional Raphael, More and Giles.