Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” takes the reader on a psychological journey through the mind of Montresor; his and Fortunato’s descent in to the catacombs of Montresor estate parallel the journey into the subconscious of the dying narrator.
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Chopin and Silko
Much of what is uncomfortable about Silko’s “Yellow Woman” and Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” stems from a clash between our traditional societal values and those presented within the stories.
Lem’s Solaris: Critique of Human Progress
Unlike either Tarkovsky’s or Soderbergh’s film versions, both of whom seem to have taken Muntius’ interpretation of Solaris to heart, Lem’s 1961 novel suggests that Solaris remains alien, something that humanity’s cataloging and ordering cannot explain.
We Want Mirrors
I watched Soderbergh’s Solaris again last night to try and get this paper going. I was again captivated by the visuals that seemed to pay homage to Tarkovsky’s love of flow. If Tarkovsky had had access to the latest in CG technology, would he have used it?
Tarkovsky’s Solaris
Tarkovsky’s Solaris portrays humanity’s attempt to understand that which is beyond the scope of our creation. The characters make contact with the truly alien and try to conceive of this presence in terms dictated by their science and ration understand, but fail miserably.
Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Some Notes
Like Euripides was for Athens, Ovid was for Rome: the iconoclast poet devoted to the education of Rome’s elite in the ways of love. He wrote satirical verse aimed at subverting what he saw as an authoritarian imposition of moral reform embodied by his contemporary, Virgil.
Soderbergh’s Solaris
This film does not try to promote a clear position about the universe, but suggests that we are products of what we choose to do — I guess in itself that is a position, but the ontology of the film is one of human volition in that we make our own meaning and determine our own happiness (and sadness) through the decisions we make every day.