Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up. However, this is a good basic list that you can build from. It is the third movie to be made from the novel and mathesons writings have modernized the vampire, in todays culture. Sep 06, 2012 last night i finished reading 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 biography and quizzes written by community members like you. True, not everyone has celebrated this book, and criticisms were often pointed back in the early days afters its initial publication.
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. Discussion of themes and motifs in richard mathesons i am legend. In the end, he confirms that he is the last man of his race, and at his death, he will be a legend, as vampires are now. In the process, he empowers himself and gives himself a new purpose in life. Otherness richard mathesons i am legend is a science fiction adventure and a terrifying horror story. Robert neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and manmade. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am legend 2007. While the first fear is a highly contextdependent one, the second two generalize across cultures and times. The rest of the book is a collection of short horror stories and not very good ones either.
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. 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. 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. Influencing great modern horror writers like stephen king, its one that will stick with you. It may be difficult to turn her back on everything that she has in the republic, but june has to make the decision to fight against the corruption and deceit that she encounters in the system. But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the books message, the soulcrushing impact of these words will be lost on you. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am. 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. Another important theme of i am legend is the powerboth benevolent and maliciousof science. Stephen king said, books like i am legend were an inspiration to me.
Robert neville will smith is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and manmade in this post. Aug 04, 2016 i am legend is a classic horror story. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure in this postapocalyptic action thriller. Understanding themes a book s theme is the main idea that flows through the narrative and connects the components of the story together. I am legend film analysis essay 1227 words bartleby. Mar 24, 2015 i am legend themes meanings and ideas. I was sitting shotgun while my father drove us home from a vacation in michigan.
A central theme, as the title suggests, is the nature of legends. But unlike most works of horror, i am legend is not a blackandwhite tale of us versus them. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of vampirism. 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. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of legend by marie lu.
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. The frequently snarky damon knight claimed that the plot limps and that all. I still remember the exact moment i started and finished this book nearly 10 years ago. Of course, technically, the books protagonist is the not really the last person on earth and therein lies the conflict of this theme.
Sometimes you can get through an entire book and not realize what the author meant. All these books, he thought, the residue of a planets intellect, the scrapings of futile minds, the leftovers, the potpourri of artifacts that had no power to save men from perishing. Though he has lost his fear of the vampires, these are afraid of him and want him dead. 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. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. 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. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that. It retains the bleak tone, the cortman adversary and the books central themes. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend. I am legend piano theme my name is robert neville duration. The core themes present in i am legend coincide with concepts. Jul 11, 2019 many people, when asked to describe the theme of a book will describe the plot synopsis, but thats not the same as the theme.
This film is actually the third adaptation of richard mathesons novel of the same name from 1954. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a. Background plot summary my background relates to i am legend mostly because the main character of the book is always figure out find a cure for vampirelike creatures parading around his house every night by looking through science books telling about bacteria and dna which is. So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. Throughout the novel we slowly learn that the republics citizens are pretty much vulnerable to whatever crazy idea the government comes up with next. Darkseekers are vampires in the 2007 film adaption, i am legend. The two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971.
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. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film inquiry. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel. Many people, when asked to describe the theme of a book will describe the plot synopsis, but thats not the same as the theme. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a cloudy day. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. Insofar as i am legend is a window into his psyche, he was afraid of nuclear war, of predation, of being all alone in a dangerous world.
The theme of science in i am legend from litcharts the. Legend is a 2011 young adult novel by chineseamerican author marie lu. 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. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in i am legend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The i am legend novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. This study guide for richard mathesons i am legend offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Richard mathesons horror novel i am legend, penned in 1954, is largely. He stood there for a moment looking around the silent room, shaking his head slowly. I am legend is very short, not novel length, only 159 pages long, out of the 312 pages in the book. This quote is a metaphor and robert in this quote is saying he is a legend but doesnt want people to think of him as a legend. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length. The themes importance to the world is that one can never give up keep fighting and striving and good things will come.
These discussion questions can help your students unpack the themes and plot of this. Theme in legend by marie in the dystopian novel legend by marie lu, the author develops the theme of how nothing is as it seems. I am legend the movie is based on richard mathesons novel of the same name. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on prezi. Understanding themes a books theme is the main idea that flows through the narrative and connects the components of the story together. The i am legend community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author. A discussion of important themes running throughout i am legend. Its influence over major writers of today and continued recognition proves that it deserves to be credited by scholars, as well as included in modern anthologies of. 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. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of. Richard mathesons i am legend is a science fiction adventure and a terrifying horror story.
I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. By analyzing three adaptations of the same book, its clear that the most faithful, and strongest, adaptation is the last man on earth. Even though legend takes place in a totalitarian state, the characters all have the free will to make the choices that they believe are right. The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by vampires robert neville is the only. Day, a renegade from the streets, and june, an elite student at drake university and the republics shining prodigy. Learn and understand all of the themes found in i am legend, such as survival at the expense of humanity. I picked it up mostly because i read about the alternate ending of the will smith movie, which some criticized for not following the spirit of the book. I am legend themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Richard mathesons horror novel i am legend, penned in 1954, is largely considered a pioneer novel for gothic literature in america.
The theme of otherness in i am legend from litcharts the. In legend the republic of america has a great deal of power over its citizens, and boy does the republic like to abuse that power. Learn how to find the theme of a book or short story. Day is a criminal on the run for stealing from the republic and making the government look foolish. The film, i am legend is a postapocalyptic science fiction film directed by francis lawrence and starring will smith. The story stops annoyingly suddenly, as if the rest of it has been missed off. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the recent will smith movie, and the. I am legend is a classic work of science fiction and horror, and one that many students will find engaging.
Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up throughout i am legend. While those infected with kv who survive it develop primal behaviour upon succumbing to the virus and becoming a darkseeker, they do retain enough of their higher intelligence to build and copy complex traps they have previously seen. One theme throughout the book is the fear and loathing. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. Its influence over major writers of today and continued recognition proves that it deserves to be credited by scholars, as well as included in modern anthologies of american literature. Anthony boucher praised the novel, saying matheson has added a new variant on the last man theme and has given striking vigor to his invention by.
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