In this thesis, the concept of identity as presented in The Handmaid’s Tale - both the novel and the Hulu series - will be dismantled to reveal the identity politics within its narrative and...Show moreIn this thesis, the concept of identity as presented in The Handmaid’s Tale - both the novel and the Hulu series - will be dismantled to reveal the identity politics within its narrative and literary context. In the first chapter, identity politics within the 1985 novel will be explored, to find out how these fit in with the contemporary identity politics debate. The second chapter will contain an analysis of the 2017 series, which will be compared to the 1985 novel, to further explore how the book's identity concepts have been adapted for the modern small screen. Furthermore, the second chapter will critically discuss which adaptation choices have been made and how these affect The Handmaid’s Tale (2017- ) as an updated version of the book. The second chapter will also display the use of The Handmaid’s Tale within contemporary identity politics, to show how The Handmaid’s Tale - both the novel's source material and the series' adaptation - have become part of the current popular culture. As this thesis will show, The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) contains the identity politics elements that are necessary to adapt it to a twenty-first century version. The Handmaid’s Tale is a still relevant speculative version of reality that (1) explores a possible outcome of the essentialism - constructivism debate, (2) where totalitarianism is used as a political framework, inspired by historical politics - and where (3) the exploration of gender identity, minority identities and identity in general is a main objective. Through these elements, The Handmaid’s Tale has been able to participate in critical debates concerning the construction of identities, especially gender identities, in the broader context of feminism and identity politics as a whole, and to establish itself as a symbol of the modern identity politics debate featured on the small screen.Show less
Because Isle of Dogs is simultaneously an animated picture involving talking animals and a work of socio-political critique, the movie and its central themes can be perceived differently by both...Show moreBecause Isle of Dogs is simultaneously an animated picture involving talking animals and a work of socio-political critique, the movie and its central themes can be perceived differently by both children and adults (Rosenburg). For children, Isle of Dogs tells the tale of a boy’s desperate quest to find his lost dog. For adults, however, themes of imprisonment such as dogs in camps allude to American soldiers in Japanese POW camps, Japanese American citizens in American internment camps, and the large amount of Jewish people in German concentration camps. For many adults watching the film, animals, and the dogs specifically, become allegorical vehicles for historical tenors. Moreover, contemporary political philosophies such as Trumpism are also respectively scrutinized, criticized, and satirized in the film, adding another layer of political allegory to this richly allusive film. In turn, the references to the various events that took place during the Second World War draw out contrasts and parallels with current American politics, emphasizing that history can repeat itself, according to Anderson.Show less
This MA Thesis has sought to highlight the extent to which the dystopian genre foregrounds the role played by language in controlling people's perception of reality. As such it is a study that...Show moreThis MA Thesis has sought to highlight the extent to which the dystopian genre foregrounds the role played by language in controlling people's perception of reality. As such it is a study that reflects on the meta-textual themes in dystopian fiction, rather then socio-political themes, which is an original approach. It builds a methodological framework by bringing together critical concepts from major scholars within formalist and structuralist literary-critical theory, to show that the manipulation of language, using various tools, is of paramount importance in maintaining the ideology that the dystopian society aims for. This thesis concludes that language can be manipulated in many ways to gain power, but also, that with the correct tools, such as defamiliarization, one can escape these manipulative approaches.Show less
This thesis explores the journey that Shadow Moon makes in American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This journey takes the shape of a guest for individuation. In this journey he encounters characters and...Show moreThis thesis explores the journey that Shadow Moon makes in American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This journey takes the shape of a guest for individuation. In this journey he encounters characters and symbols that represent Jungian ideas and through these encounters Shadow becomes a better person.Show less
