Purpose of the Study: This research paper intends to unravel and examine the postmodern elements ... more Purpose of the Study: This research paper intends to unravel and examine the postmodern elements in Katsuhiro Ōtomo’s anime film Akira (1988). This paper aims to analyze and critically study the postmodern elements as evident in the film and add more knowledge to the existing critical studies available on the film. Methodology: The primary text for this research is Katsuhiro Ōtomo’s anime film Akira (1988). Close textual analysis has been applied to analyze the text in view of the characteristics of postmodernism. The text is read in terms of postmodernism’s traits. Main Findings: Akira symbolically summarizes thoughts, ideas, and movements in post-WWII Japan. The film references many disaster texts from the repertoire of Japanese literature, cinema, and popular culture. The film exemplifies many postmodern traits such as discontinuity, pastiche, schizophrenia, hyperreality, cyberpunk, posthumanism, the cyborg et cetera. Application of the Study: This study will be beneficial to tho...
High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-- inte... more High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-- intellectual or creative-- that is intended for refined, cultured and educated elite people. Low culture is the culture of the common people and the mass. Popular culture is something that is always, most importantly, related to everyday average people and their experiences of the world; it is urban, changing and consumeristic in nature. Folk culture is the culture of preindustrial (premarket, precommodity) communities.
A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the li... more A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the living. It is a Gothic uncanny figure. So judging by the outlook, a vampire is not a figure with whom we should fall in love with. But judging by the current trends in popular culture, it is not true so. Though vampires were once portrayed as gruesome and horrible, with the passage of time, change in trends and paradigm shift in popular culture, they have been naturalized as normal. They have even attained celebrity status. The evolution of the vampire from a gruesome Gothic figure to a superstar of popular culture goes through a process of three stages- Accepting the Vampire as Normal and Natural ‘Celebritizing’ the Vampire and Making a Star out of Him Narrative Technique or Storytelling of Vampire Texts
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature’s child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that ‘male’ science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates “into the recesses of nature” (Shelley, 1818).
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature’s child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that ‘male’ science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates “into the recesses of nature” (Shelley, 1818).
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature’s child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that ‘male’ science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates “into the recesses of nature” (Shelley, 1818).
The Evolution of The Vampire From A Gruesome Gothic Creature To A Superstar Of Popular Culture With Reference To The Vampire Diaries Tv Series, 2019
A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the living. I... more A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the living. It is a Gothic uncanny figure. So judging by the outlook, a vampire is not a figure with whom we should fall in love with. But judging by the current trends in popular culture, it is not true so. Though vampires were once portrayed as gruesome and horrible, with the passage of time, change in trends and paradigm shift in popular culture, they have been naturalized as normal. They have even attained celebrity status. The evolution of the vampire from a gruesome Gothic figure to a superstar of popular culture goes through a process of three stages-(i) Accepting the Vampire as Normal and Natural (ii) 'Celebritizing' the Vampire and Making a Star out of Him
Between High Culture and Low Culture; and also The Difference Between Popular Culture and Folk Culture, 2019
High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-intell... more High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-intellectual or creative-that is intended for refined, cultured and educated elite people. Low culture is the culture of the common people and the mass. Popular culture is something that is always, most importantly, related to everyday average people and their experiences of the world; it is urban, changing and consumeristic in nature. Folk culture is the culture of preindustrial (premarket, precommodity) communities.
IJELLH, Vol 7 No 9 (2019): Volume 7, Issue 9, September 2019, 2019
In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature's child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that 'male' science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates "into the recesses of nature" (Shelley, 1818).
The term ‘ideology’ “designates any comprehensive system of political or economic thought art (e.... more The term ‘ideology’ “designates any comprehensive system of political or economic thought art (e.g. fascism, neoliberalism, democratic socialism) articulated or otherwise tacitly supported by an individual or institution” (Cuddon, 2014). Popular culture always has some ideological base. Popular culture either articulates or tacitly supports some ideology or ideologies. Some of these ideologies may be— (i) Capitalism and Consumerism (ii) Patriarchy and Gendered Discourse (iii) Western Cultural Hegemony and Eurocentrism (iv) Racism and Stereotyping (v) Religion
Purpose of the Study: This research paper intends to unravel and examine the postmodern elements ... more Purpose of the Study: This research paper intends to unravel and examine the postmodern elements in Katsuhiro Ōtomo’s anime film Akira (1988). This paper aims to analyze and critically study the postmodern elements as evident in the film and add more knowledge to the existing critical studies available on the film. Methodology: The primary text for this research is Katsuhiro Ōtomo’s anime film Akira (1988). Close textual analysis has been applied to analyze the text in view of the characteristics of postmodernism. The text is read in terms of postmodernism’s traits. Main Findings: Akira symbolically summarizes thoughts, ideas, and movements in post-WWII Japan. The film references many disaster texts from the repertoire of Japanese literature, cinema, and popular culture. The film exemplifies many postmodern traits such as discontinuity, pastiche, schizophrenia, hyperreality, cyberpunk, posthumanism, the cyborg et cetera. Application of the Study: This study will be beneficial to tho...
High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-- inte... more High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-- intellectual or creative-- that is intended for refined, cultured and educated elite people. Low culture is the culture of the common people and the mass. Popular culture is something that is always, most importantly, related to everyday average people and their experiences of the world; it is urban, changing and consumeristic in nature. Folk culture is the culture of preindustrial (premarket, precommodity) communities.
A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the li... more A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the living. It is a Gothic uncanny figure. So judging by the outlook, a vampire is not a figure with whom we should fall in love with. But judging by the current trends in popular culture, it is not true so. Though vampires were once portrayed as gruesome and horrible, with the passage of time, change in trends and paradigm shift in popular culture, they have been naturalized as normal. They have even attained celebrity status. The evolution of the vampire from a gruesome Gothic figure to a superstar of popular culture goes through a process of three stages- Accepting the Vampire as Normal and Natural ‘Celebritizing’ the Vampire and Making a Star out of Him Narrative Technique or Storytelling of Vampire Texts
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature’s child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that ‘male’ science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates “into the recesses of nature” (Shelley, 1818).
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature’s child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that ‘male’ science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates “into the recesses of nature” (Shelley, 1818).
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature’s child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that ‘male’ science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates “into the recesses of nature” (Shelley, 1818).
The Evolution of The Vampire From A Gruesome Gothic Creature To A Superstar Of Popular Culture With Reference To The Vampire Diaries Tv Series, 2019
A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the living. I... more A vampire is a mythological-folkloric creature that is said to feed on the blood of the living. It is a Gothic uncanny figure. So judging by the outlook, a vampire is not a figure with whom we should fall in love with. But judging by the current trends in popular culture, it is not true so. Though vampires were once portrayed as gruesome and horrible, with the passage of time, change in trends and paradigm shift in popular culture, they have been naturalized as normal. They have even attained celebrity status. The evolution of the vampire from a gruesome Gothic figure to a superstar of popular culture goes through a process of three stages-(i) Accepting the Vampire as Normal and Natural (ii) 'Celebritizing' the Vampire and Making a Star out of Him
Between High Culture and Low Culture; and also The Difference Between Popular Culture and Folk Culture, 2019
High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-intell... more High culture is a collection of ideologies, beliefs, thoughts, trends, practices and works-intellectual or creative-that is intended for refined, cultured and educated elite people. Low culture is the culture of the common people and the mass. Popular culture is something that is always, most importantly, related to everyday average people and their experiences of the world; it is urban, changing and consumeristic in nature. Folk culture is the culture of preindustrial (premarket, precommodity) communities.
IJELLH, Vol 7 No 9 (2019): Volume 7, Issue 9, September 2019, 2019
In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/ot... more In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein (1818), we find several dichotomies: culture/nature, self/other, ego/id, male/female et cetera. In the novel, Victor is a scientist who wants to inject life into inanimate objects and thereby become a creator, a god. As science is an element of culture, Victor is associated with culture. But he represents the darker side of culture: scientism misused as fantasy. On the other hand, the creature is associated with nature. Though Victor infuses life into the monster through a scientific experiment, the monster is still a nature's child as he is brought up in the midst of wild natural landscape. In the novel, we find that 'male' science (as a part of culture), in the person of Victor, penetrates "into the recesses of nature" (Shelley, 1818).
The term ‘ideology’ “designates any comprehensive system of political or economic thought art (e.... more The term ‘ideology’ “designates any comprehensive system of political or economic thought art (e.g. fascism, neoliberalism, democratic socialism) articulated or otherwise tacitly supported by an individual or institution” (Cuddon, 2014). Popular culture always has some ideological base. Popular culture either articulates or tacitly supports some ideology or ideologies. Some of these ideologies may be— (i) Capitalism and Consumerism (ii) Patriarchy and Gendered Discourse (iii) Western Cultural Hegemony and Eurocentrism (iv) Racism and Stereotyping (v) Religion
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Papers by Kunal Debnath
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(i) Capitalism and Consumerism
(ii) Patriarchy and Gendered Discourse
(iii) Western Cultural Hegemony and Eurocentrism
(iv) Racism and Stereotyping
(v) Religion
(i) Capitalism and Consumerism
(ii) Patriarchy and Gendered Discourse
(iii) Western Cultural Hegemony and Eurocentrism
(iv) Racism and Stereotyping
(v) Religion