Ben Tylecote

    1.     Focusing in detail on two of the texts you have studied on the module, analyse how they contribute to a critique human exceptionalism and anthropocentrism.   Fowler’s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves (WAACBO)(2013) and Faber’s Under The Skin (UTS)(2003) blur the boundaries of what it is to be human in their stories. They utilise the deception literary, non-visual, narrative allows for to twist perceptions of readers, and, in the process, underline to them their own exceptionalism. ‘I tell you Fern is a chimp and, already, you aren’t thinking of her as my sister.’ (Fowler,2013,77) Therefore Rosie, Fowler’s protagonist, or ventriloquist (however you see it) plays with time in the telling of her story, starting in the ‘middle’ and continuing to jump backwards and forwards throughout the text such that we know Fern as sister first, chimp second. We can infer why Fowler does this, as a novelist, from some of the other anecdotes she writes and ...

  Is it too simplistic to claim that eighteenth-century writers invented new forms of heroism and new types of hero? Considered in relation to Frankenstein and Robinson Crusoe. The Key Heroic Archetypes pre-18th century began with the Oral Tradition – figures larger than life who embodied ideals and aspirations of their cultures. Then came the Greek Classical hero – characterized by valour in battle, intelligence and perseverance against formidable odds. Often flawed yet possessing extraordinary abilities that set them apart from mere mortals. They dealt with relationships between gods and humans. Finally, there is the Medieval Knight – defined by courage, loyalty and humility, upholding a code of honour, often torn between duty and personal desire. (Tomiwa 2024) Through examining Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein , we can see how these authors built upon these heroic archetypes while introducing innovations that would influence literary heroes for...

Scene analysis of The Truman Show (0:00:00 – 0:05:00) In this essay I will examine how Peter Weirs 1998 film The Truman Show utilises multiple narrative frameworks, juxtaposition of characters and cinematography to critique media (consumption and production). The opening sequence introduces us to the dramatic premise – a man living his life unaware that his every move (for his entire life) is being broadcast for millions of people to watch. This sequence also serves to foreshadow the central conflict between Truman, the unknowing star, and Christof, the creator of ‘The Truman Show’ TV show, which film viewers are sometimes viewers of. The film engages us in a narrative filled with blurred boundaries, which some critics suggest makes it impossible for viewers of the film to truly suggest they are much different from inter-film viewers of the Truman TV show (Knox 2010) who we might critique for supporting the manipulation of an entire being’s life. The premise inevitably leads me to ques...