“Cows can Be pUrple again”

All assignments should be 2-3 pages, use MLA, and be uploaded Turnitin.com unless absolutely impossible. You will need to complete all requirements and write well to be successful in this assignment. If you feel that you absolutely need to alter the assignment in order to succeed, you must approach me about it at least three days(72 hours)in advance for consideration. No assignment is shorter or easier than any other, so base your choice on your interest. (Trust me. You think the songs are easiest until you start writing, then you complain about how many you have to do or about why you have to do extra writing; or you start asking me what a CD is…at which point I cry.)

  • All creative assignments require a cover letter explaining the significance of your creative choices.
  • The simplest formula for a story is INTRODUCE CONFLICT, COMPLICATION of CONFLICT, FURTHER COMPLICATION, FURTHER COMPLICATION, CLIMAX, (maybe denouement).

Singing in the Pain

Choose five scenes from the novel Slaughterhouse-Five that you think arefunny, dramatic, or horrific. Find a song for each scene that you think would enhance the scene if it were in a movie. The song may be current or ancient. Its lyrics should reflect something about the scene (maybe not the action but the mood, for instance). Your song may be used to alter the tone of the scene from horrifying to comical or satirical or something else.

  1. Bring in the songs and their lyrics. If you do not have the song, choose another.
  2. Write:
  • Explain why you chose this song. Name three things in the scene that made you think of this song.
  • Explain how this song would enhance or change the mood or tone of the scene. You must explain the “feel” of the scene both before and after the song is added.
  • In the scene you have chosen, to whom does the song most apply? In other words, does it go with Billy’s mind-set or is it sympathetic to one of the characters—Who would be hearing the song in his/her head?
  1. Record the songs on CD and create an original cover.
  1. Present the writing as liner notes in a CD booklet.

Black Comedy

Black comedy – humorous effects resulting largely from grotesque, morbid, or macabre situations dealing with a horrifying and disoriented world. Black comedy aims to shock and disorient its readers/viewers, making them laugh in the face of anxiety, suffering, or death.

  • Write an end of the world comedy. Pick a place and characters that are involved and tell the story from one person or group’s point of view.
  • Try to find a new way to end it all—the end must be manmade.

Other Ideas and starting points: Some of the scientists that invented the Bomb were concerned that the atomic reaction they were about to test would set off all of the atoms in the atmosphere destroying all life on earth. Then they detonated the first atomic bomb. From “Live Science” (and many other media):“Scientists could generate a black hole as often as every second when the world's most powerful particle accelerator comes online in 2007. This potential "black hole factory" has raised fears that a stray black hole could devour our planet whole.” Then there is always global warming.

Big Bang Theory

Write a Kilgore Trout short, sci-fi story that has, at its core, the major fear of the 21st century. The atomic age had giant ants, Godzilla, and the Hulk—allcreated by radiation. UFO’s invaded like the communists. Genetics and viruses spawned new versions of Spiderman and zombies. What’s new?

Include:

  1. A brief prefaceexplaining what fear you’re exploiting.
  2. A creature, robot, or alien.
  3. A story that introduces a conflict, complicates it, complicates it more, then resolves it.

“I’m going to be a banker”--The Essay

The theme of “war as insanity” is prevalent in both Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove and Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. In no less than five paragraphs, consider the following:

Which characters appear to be sane, and why? (Paragraph 2)

Which characters appear to be insane, and why? (Paragraph 3)

Which attitudes, situations, or events appear insane, and why? (Paragraph 4)

Your response should, of course, include an introduction and conclusion. You must be sure to address, in each paragraph, one specific example from the novel and one from the film.

Graphic Novel

Create a graphic novel of a Trout story; of Dr. Strangelove’s back story; or of a portion of SH-5.

Make this relevant to the themes of the film!.

Word count can be lower, but between narrative and dialogue, it should still be about 500 words.

The Sequel

Write a sequel to Dr. Strangelove. Yes, a sequel. If Planet of the Apes can do it, so can you. 100 yrs later? Life in the mine shaft?

Make this relevant to the themes of the film.

You may do it in short story form or write a script for a few key scenes.

The Banker II –Return of the Lack of Return of Imagination

Comparison Essay-- Compare the novel and the film in terms of character, themes, humor, and tone. Do most, if not all, of the following:

  1. Relate two characters in Dr. Strangelove to two in SH5. Points of comparison include both the personality traits, the exaggeration of said traits, and the purpose the author had for the character (in terms of getting a point across).
  2. How do both the movie and the novel portray the concept of the enemy. Consider myths created and methods of dehumanization of the enemy via language and propaganda and how the works contrast this to the actual enemy characters.
  3. How does each work comment on Masculinity/ Machismo? The military? How is sexuality used?
  4. Give an example of Black Comedy in each work.
  5. Anything that both works satirize? What? How?

The Banker 3-Tokyo Drift The Essay

Write an analytical paper that shows how Slaughterhouse 5 actually is a Tralfamadorian novel. Before you get into the essay, you will have to explain what a Tralfamadorian novel is, then you will have to have to use quotes and context to explain how the whole story works as such.

Your response should, of course, include an introduction and conclusion. You must be sure to use extensive quotes and evidence.