Why is it that Frankenstein and Blade Runner present similar perspectives to humanities use of technology despite being composed

more than 150 years apart? in your response make detailed response to both te!ts" The desire for social progression has always shrouded society. Both Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (1818) and idley Scotts Blade unner (1!8") were produced during eras of technological e#ploration. Through depicting technology $reeching %oral $oundaries through conte#t& characterisation and interte#tuality& $oth Scott and Shelley highlight the dangers of progression with the a$sence of ethical e%otion ' a ti%eless social issues which $inds these two te#ts. (ritten during the industrial re)olution and the e%erging era of e#istentialis% and e#ploration ' Shelleys Frankenstein can $e interpreted as a warning to the technologically curious. This curious nature is personified throughout the protagonist *ictor Frankenstein& who tragically falls )icti% to e#peri%entation without $oundaries. This was an atte%pt to forshadow the potential dangers of un%onitored technological ad)ance%ents. To reiterate this senti%ent& Shelley also ai%ed to to stress the di)inity of nature in the face of technological do%inance through ele%ents of o%anticis%. +The weight upon %y shoulders was sensi$ly lightened as , plunged yet deeper into the ra)ine- e%oti)e i%agery highlights the cleansing effect of the en)iron%ent& .u#taposed against the oppressi)e nature of the technologically ad)anced city. This idea of negati)ely depicting technologic do%inance is si%ilarly illu%inated $y Scott. To e%phasise the age of glo$alisation& consu%eris%& corporate do%ination and co%%ercialis%& Scott has intended the dystopian setting of /.0. "11! to represent our potential e#istence should we let technology get out of control. The esta$lishing panora%ic long shot of industrial colu%ns spewing fire against the eternally dark hori2on generated fear for what our society %ight co%e to $e. The %a.estic 2iggurats of the Tyrell 3orporation loo% o)er the city s4ualor ' a )isual %etaphor for technologys do%ination o)er society and the resulting negati)e i%pact. ,t is clear that Scott had intended Blade unner to $e a warning of our own progressi)e dri)e as a society. Shelley has characterised *ictor and the Monster as ele%ents of this technological progression. *ictor represents society intent on pushing the $oundaries and the %onster represents the product of this curiosity5 of technology gone wrong5 technology without ethics. +0ccursed creator6 (hy do you for% a %onster so hideous that e)en you turn away fro% %e in disgust7- The %onsters constant rhetoric 4uestioning addresses these ethics and illu%inates the %onster as a sy%$ol of innocence in the face of corruption. *ictors relationships also allow insight into the %oral dile%%a of creation. *ictors positi)e fa%ily relationship is .u#taposed against his spite for the %onster& a so%ewhat child of his. This represents the separation of e%otion and technological progression and the dangers that acco%pany this. This illustrates the warning Shelley ai%ed her progressing society to heed. Si%ilarly& the characterisation within 8Blade unner sheds light on the fragile relationship $etween technology and e%otion. oy Batty ' the product is in fact 8%ore hu%an than hu%an against the society that produced hi%5 personified $y the anti9her :eckard. 0s oy releases a white do)e upon his acceptance of i%%inent

death it is e)ident that he acknowledges hi%self as a sad product of technological curiosity. 0 low angle shot of oy $athed in ethereal light .u#taposes the high angle shot of :eckard5 )ulnera$le and struggling for sal)ation. 0nd in an act of e%otional superiority& the technologically %ade oy sa)es the %aker or personification of society. This second chance to hu%an e#istence still echoes strong warnings regarding unheeded technological e#ploration. To illu%inate that this fear of creation without ethics is ti%eless& Shelley has included an e#cerpt fro% ;ohn Miltons /aradise <ost. +:id , ask thy %aker %ould %e %an7this interte#tuality con)eys the topics $i$lical roots. The concept of challenging gods role is reinforced within Shelleys original introduction. +Frightful would $e the effect if any indi)idual should %ock the stupendous %echanis%s of the creator of the world-. ,t is e)ident that Shelley ai%s to generate audience awareness to current social and technical antics. Scott also e%ploys interte#tuality to add depth to the underlying concept. By depicting =hora as 3hrist& slowing down the fra%es and o)erlaying s%ooth non9 diegetic .a22 %isc& Scott generates audience e%pathy despite =hora si%ply $eing a technological product. This $i$lical allusion and e%oti)e fil%ing acknowledge the $lurred $oundaries $etween real and artificial e%otion. eiterating this is the partial stig%ata of oy as he feels the pains of life and ulti%ately sacrifices hi%self for hu%anity. These allusions gi)e insight into the ti%eless ethical de$ate o)er creation that still ra)ages technological progression today. 0s $oth Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and idley Scotts 8Blade unner were created during ti%es of technological ad)ance%ent& $oth te#ts illu%inate the danger of this do%inance through conte#t and characterisation. ,nterte#tuality highlights that this has $een and will always $e a pre)alent and contro)ersial issue within hu%an e#istence. >?@ words