The+Big+Fish+and+What+Dreams+May+Come

@1. Daniel Wallace

@2. The Odyssey

3. @Ulysses

4. @Twelve Labors of Hercules

6. Richard Matheson Alec Gagliano

Aim:

Richard Matheson is best known for his work in fantasy/horror novels. One book of his, I am Legend, has been adapted to the big screen a couple of times. Matheson’s is so good at his work, he wrote several episodes for the show, The Twilight Zone. Sources even claim, “He [Matheson] wrote the short story "Duel" as a screenplay which was promptly directed by a young Steven Spielberg, for the television movie of the same name”(“Richard Matheson” 1).Needless to say, Richard Matheson has had quite the impact on entertainment with being involved in hundreds of works. In death, there have been several artists that have commented on the life Richard Matheson. These artists include Steven Spielberg all the way stephen King. Everyone only had kind things to say about him and are thankful for working with him and enjoying his work.

Audience:

Richard Matheson’s work is summarized as fantasy/horror. The man’s audience could be said to be people that like and or love this genre. What is neat about this group of people, there is no specific demographic. People of any age, race, sex, sexual orientation can easily enjoy this man’s work. Especially since Richard’s work is not exclusive to novels, it’s in TV and film. For example, “He may be known best as the author of I Am Legend, a 1954 horror novel that has been adapted for the screen four times”(“Richard Matheson” 1). The latest I am Legend, made over 250,000,000 dollars. That means thousands of people say this movie only adding more people to like his work. Even today, if one was to mention this movie, someone would know the movie easily and that means his work is remembered and is will receptive of his audience.

Historical:

Richard Matheson’s work has a had a long lasting impact. His work dates from when he was just 8 years old to the around the year he passed away. His novel, I am Legend, probably the most well known seems to be throughout his whole career even though the book was written in 1954. This is because the novel was so good, it has been adapted four times. According to a movie database website, there was another reboot of the novel in 2013, the year he died(“Richard Matheson” 1). This confirms that Matheson has some kind of remarkable piece of entertainment that has been liked for over 50 years. His work can be identified from teenagers all the way to elderly people. Richard Matheson is said to have his accomplishments live on forever in the imaginations of everyone who read or saw his inspired work.

Cultural:

Richard Matheson has appealed to the American culture from the 50’s all the way to the current generation. Though, I am Legend has had the most impact due to its popularity and original concept, Matheson’s novels have been constantly in the works. The assumption that he may have stopped writing and focused exclusively to cinema is false. In the last 13 years, Matheson has written 9 novels(“Richard Matheson” 1). If he was able to write all those books that means his audience was quite receptive to it and by them buying and enjoying his work that could say something about the culture if his audience. A culture that can appreciate fictional fantasy that give the reader goosebumps and chills. It is no wonder why he was asked to do the skit on The Twilight Zone. The skit was called “Nightmare at 20,000ft” and was so popular it was adapted into a movie, years later. That has something to say about the media and the people that loved Matheson’s work.

Works Cited:

"Richard Matheson". IMDb. n.d. Web. March 31, 2015

"Richard Matheson". Wikipedia. n.d. Web. March 31, 2015.

7. Dante’s The Divine Comedy Alec Gagliano Aim: Dante’s Divine Comedy, is one of the most known pieces of literature throughout the entire planet. The poem is about Dante’s adventure through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Metaphorically, it’s about the soul’s trip to meeting God (“Divine Comedy” 1). Dante uses Christian theology as the basis of this poem, which is essential to the piece of literature. The poem is also said to have set a concrete foundation of Tuscan language. One of the more famous parts of Divine Comedy is Inferno. Inferno is still studied by many schools, today. Divine Comedy will still be studied hundreds of years on because of it was so ahead of its time.

Audience: The audience of Divine Comedy could be said to be the citizens of Italy. Dante was well educated Italian man, and with his knowledge and ideas, he wanted to share it with the populous. Dante wrote Divine Comedy in poetry, instead of regular scriptures. Funny enough, in the case of Inferno, “We can discount the idea that Dante was writing to appeal to a large audience… Probably Dante wrote the Inferno largely to gratify himself, to denounce his enemies and gain a certain amount of revenge” (Hubbard 1). At the time, Dante lived in a time of great political turbulence in Italy. The country was divided among two main groups: those that sympathized the papacy, and the Emperor’s supporters. Dante ended up in exile from Florence because his political participation. One thing that is for certain it is that Dante appealed to those that were active in the politics of Italy as well as just the populous that could read in the country. works cited:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Historical: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dante Alighieri was born in Florence, Italy. During the late 1200s there was a battle between Guelphs and the Ghibellines.Dante was with the Guelphs and he fought with the Guelph cavalry at the Battle of Campaldino. Later it is said that “To further his political career, he became a pharmacist. He did not intend to practice as one”(“Dante Alighieri” 1). This was required from citizens of florence to have practice in an expertise to run in office. He did not have much political success but the Guelphs did win. Once they won, they divided into two factions “Whites” and “Blacks”. For a time “Whites were winning politically, and Dante was aprt of this group. But, after awhile, the “Blacks” finally took back political control of Italy and Dante was exiled out of Florence. During his exile, it is said that he conceived the Divine Comedy, which was influenced by many variables in his life like religion and the conflicts. After Divine Comedy was written it was viewed by many. Surprisingly enough, Dante was never executed by the “Blacks”. He died in his 50’s what many think was malaria.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cultural: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">The cultural implications that Dante’s Divine Comedy left is most likely a positive one. This is because To this day Divine Comedy is studied based on its story and scientific philosophy. Many find it fascinating on how Dante brings in science when his story is religious based. One example of this is when he is describing change in the direction of gravity (“Divine Comedy” 1). This would show that Dante possibly might be versed in physics. During the late 1200s when this was written it can be said that Dante was considerably smart using scientific elements. He would be prove to be so smart that Dante’s Inferno influenced Galileo's own ideas. It should be worth noting that Divine Comedy was influenced based on the conflict between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. The conflict between these two sides shows a change of heart in the ways of how the pope was running things in Italy. This could be a direct example of the culture in the society that Dante lived in. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Works Cited: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Divine Comedy”. //Wikipedia//. n.d. Web. March 1 2015.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hubbard, Eleanor. "Divine Comedy-I: Inferno Background." Study Guides & Essay Editing. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">GradeSaver, n.d. Web. March 31, 2015.