I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that was influential in the modern development of zombie and vampire literature and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. Do you think that the book could be read as a commentary on. Matheson goes to great lengths to rationalize or naturalize the vampire myth, transplanting the monster from the otherworldly realms of folklore and victorian supernaturalism to the test tube of medical inquiry and rational causation. Discussion of themes and motifs in richard mathesons i am legend. One of the primary themes of i am legend is alienation, and it is hard to imagine someone who is more literally alienated than robert neville. The entire basis of this movie is centered around the completely dehumanized state the humans are left in. I dont like vampire novels much, so i wasnt planning to read richard mathesons classic vampire story i am legend which was published in 1954, is also known by the title the omega man, and is, of course, the basis for the movie i am legend. One theme throughout the book is the fear and loathing.
Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up throughout i am legend. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville. They are a blend of fact and fiction, and if well known, become a part of a cultural heritage. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. The opening scene is particularly relevant in the way it creates the dystopian feeling of the movie. Compare contrast book movie i am legend free essays. Every night, he barricades himself inside his house and keeps the vampire horde at bay. These notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community. The city turned to a jungle, showing a chaotic vision of the future. Study guide for i am legend novel i am legend novel study guide contains a biography of richard matheson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
Stephen king said i am legend was one of the books that inspired him, and you can see that when you read this book. After the announcement of a good new, we discover new york in a total mess. The story is very much darker and deeper than the will smith film of the same name. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend. Mar 24, 2015 i am legend themes meanings and ideas. Thats because the government has a rather unsentimental view of its citizens. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film. The theme of otherness in i am legend from litcharts the. He is an absolutely normal american man, or at least he was until the world changed around him. However, it is also a playful take on an old archetype, the vampire the reader is even treated to nevilles reading and putdown of bram stokers dracula.
I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of vampirism. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film inquiry. The novel version of i am legend is better then the motion picture because the information slowly leaks out about nevilles past, present, and specifics about the vampires. Francis lawrences i am legend is a 2007 sciencefiction thrillerdrama starring will smith as the lone survivor of a devastating virus that has wiped out 90% of the population of humanity. I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length. The pervasive tone of the novel is one of the loneliness. Sometimes you can get through an entire book and not realize what the author meant. Day, a renegade from the streets, and june, an elite student at drake university and the republics shining prodigy. Robert neville finds himself alone after a hideous mutation turns humans into vampires. He works with many scifi and fantasy themes in works like steel and what dreams may come. This film is i am legend in name only, it bears very little relation to the book of the same name.
This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of i am legend. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. Oh boythings are not looking so great for the citizens of the republic of america in legend. I dont want to say anymore because its better to just read it and let the story unfold. Alienation in i am legend one of the main themes of i am legend is alienation, it is hard to imagine someone who is more alienated than robert neville. This aside, it is a fairly good movie with post apocalyptic themes and a storyline that will keep you interested for the 96 minutes duration. Set in 1977, the omega man depicts the story of robert neville the same character used in both the original book and i am legend living in a. However, what they typically leave out is the equally terrific job done by author richard matheson coming up with the storyline and writing the original book version.
By analyzing three adaptations of the same book, its clear that the most faithful, and strongest, adaptation is the last man on earth. I am legend is atypical for the horror genre in that the monsters take a back seat to the psychological horror of the protagonist. The book is full of good ideas, every other one of which is immediately dropped and. In the republic of america of legend, there is no shortage of suffering or death. The core themes present in i am legend coincide with concepts familiar to postmodernism. Jul 18, 2009 main theme composer james newthon howard. Unlike neville, they had no immunity to the virus and subsequently became creatures previously known only in legend as vampires. Years ago, you see, my husband had wanted to talk about the book, probably when the most recent adaptation to movie form had come out, and i am well known for not reading horror, so it wasnt an unreasonable assumption that i would never read this. There may be some conflict here as to mathesons importance in shaping the horror genre. I am legend the movie is based on richard mathesons novel of the same name. I am legend is the product of an anxious artistic mind working in an anxious cultural climate. Stories are built on universal storytelling elements and literary devices as they intertwine with the central theme of the story. In richard mathesons i am legend, robert neville is the last living man on earth, having somehow managed to survive an incurable virus that has mutated every last man, woman, and child in the world into bloodthirsty and vampirelike creatures who prowl and ravage the abandoned ruins of civilization at night. This is a topic that fascinates me, so i really enjoyed reading mathesons treatment of it.
Like another popular hybridization of science fiction and horror from the 1950s invasion. Read the text in white and copy the text in yellow. I happened to be reading skeleton crew at the same time as this book, which gave me a unique opportunity to compare. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in i am legend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. In the dystopian novel legend by marie lu, the author develops the theme of how nothing is as it seems. Day of the dead starring lori cardille, joe pilato, terry alexander, richard. After a virus kills most of the earths population and turn the rest into animalistic bloodthirsty creatures called darkseekers, robert himself is the only one he knows to be immune and have survived. Written by harsh bimbral and other people who wish to remain anonymous. In an alternate ending of i am legend, some themes and the storys. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. Symbolism in i am legend i have put you down in groups from memory apologies if i got these wrong. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. Living alone in new york city, robert neville smith, a former lieutenant and us army virologist, tasks himself with finding a cure to the plague.
Francis lawrences 2007 film i am legend is one of the best examples of a mainstream film that is not afraid to delve into spiritual themes through the combination of a strong storyline and powerful symbols. As the only survivor of the plague of 1975, robert neville is the last human being on earth. Even though families like junes get to live in fancy homes with really overthetop clothes she has a dress with diamonds stitched onto it, most people are living in relative misery and poverty. Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on. I am legend study guide contains a biography of director francis lawrence, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Hes a legend, but for the wrong reasonsin line with richard mathesons. At one time, the vampires were normal people who were infected by a bacteria later dubbed vampiris, by matheson. I am intrigued by your argument that i am legend be seen as postmodern. Mannequins mrs dixon butterflies jordon, matthew, jessica bob marley. The story is set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities.
Though referred to as the first modern vampire novel, it is as a novel of social theme that i am legend made a lasting impression on the. Taking on such themes as mankinds need for companionship, the fight for survival, and the existence of god, it at least succeeds in making us. I am legend is a post apocalyptic vision by richard matheson, created in 1954 it tells the story of robert neville, the last surviving human in the world, surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires both living and undead. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on i am legend by richard matheson. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that. Vampires have inherited the earth in richard mathesons i am legend. Legend is told from the perspective of two leading characters.
The i am legend community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author. Richard mathesons i am legend is a science fiction adventure and a. I am legend themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Robert neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and manmade.
Richard mathesons i am legend is a science fiction adventure and a terrifying horror story. He is a normal american man, or at least he was until the world changed around him. Day is a criminal on the run for stealing from the republic and making the government look foolish. Another important theme of i am legend is the powerboth benevolent and maliciousof science. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. For those that arent familiar with it, the book is about a couple of retired texas rangers that live on the texasmexico border. For example, the majority of the novel revolves around nevilles experience in isolation and his resulting behavior. Legends are often based on real persons or events, but enlarged through retelling to achieve mythic proportions. How is the dystopian universe created in i am legend. Richard mathesons horror novel i am legend, penned in 1954. One of the themes that seemed prominent throughout all three books were the roles of the female protagonist or antagonist or the male counterpart of it.
Dystopian movies are based on an unpleasant society and often themes that play out in reality. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. Of course, technically, the books protagonist is the not really the last person on earth and therein lies the conflict of this theme. In order to develop this theme, the author used the literary technique of point of view throughout the story, switching back and forth between day and junes point of view. In the process, he empowers himself and gives himself a new purpose in life. But i went into reading i am legend knowing the ending, knowing the twist. A central theme, as the title suggests, is the nature of legends.
Another dominant theme in i am legend is loneliness. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up. However, this is a good basic list that you can build from. The other main theme of i am legend is extreme isolation. But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the book s message, the soulcrushing impact of these words will be lost on you. I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.
It is the third movie to be made from the novel and mathesons writings have modernized the vampire, in todays culture. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic action thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book. Unlike neville, they had no immunity to the virus and subsequently became creatures previously known only in. It is not made clear on the front of the book, or anywhere that this is a collection of short stories, not a novel. This study guide for richard mathesons i am legend offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. In this novel, the protagonist, robert neville, is seemingly the only survivor of a plague that has converted the rest of humanity to vampires.
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