The Ring in all its manifestations; the Japanese novel, the Japanese film, and the American film, although deemed successful in its simplicity function to stage a film instilling horror within its viewers, it also offers much open speculation about the anxiety that is created by the development of communication technologies. All versions introduce startling insights into the relationship between changes in media forms and widespread fears of contagion. For it is this fascination and welcoming, or perhaps just the mere subconscious adapted utilization of new-age advancements in technology which give light in the novel to ultimately be the same thing that renders us ultimately doomed to an unescapable viral death. The Ring novel as well as both the Japanese and American film version reflect the collective anxiety of our time by representing the way in which inhuman technology and machines dominate our lives and beings. The Ring Narrative, most exemplifying of the three versions, incorporates these new-age media technologies into its supernatural narrative in order to illustrate the dehumanizing impact technology is posing on society in correlation to the essential downfall of humans, metaphorically and literally.
People may not encounter a killer with a mask and a machete, although, most people do use and own computers, cell phones, and televisions. The Ring narrative manages to take something that is so prevalent and so necessary in modern society and make it scary. What we rely on can turn against us, or in other context, media advancements that we are welcoming are actually the catalytic threats to our once wholesome society. “The Japanese horror films don’t see technology itself as a threat… Technology merely provides a conduit for more threatening forces to manifest themselves through” (Bunch 138). The story presents the fear that media and technology can take over our lives and eventually affect the real world. This is demonstrated by Sadako or Samara for that matter, physically entering and crossing over to this world. Television and telephones is the medium of choice in this story: a television is the only companion Samara had in her isolated room before she died, the television is where people are exposed to the cursed tape, and the telephone is the shadowy sanction to inform you of your impending death in seven days.
Through these examples, it is depicting that these means of technology are associated with and then therefore are creating nothing but dreadful operations and foreshadowing. It may be the unease at the fact that technology is changing the way society interacts and communicates thus which causes the Japanese or at least just the novel itself, to portray technology as an “evil” force. It will only continue to isolate us individually and ultimately seize the very components of the human being that which make us human, as opposed to any other living organism.
Majority of the novel is spent following Asakawa in investigating the video’s origins and Sadako’s history, seeking to discover whether the curse is biological or supernatural. His failure to find a solution indicates that this is not the novel’s point. Suzuki’s novel perhaps is concerned with a figurative social critique. The novel’s central conceit is not that of destroying the she-male monster or the mediums through which she captivates the victims by, but that of a moral dilemma. On that note, in watching the cursed video, one has to copy the tape and show it to someone else, condemning him or her in order to save oneself. The curse itself is not as terrifying as its antidote: the willingness to spread the curse regardless of the potential consequences. This antidote is a direct representation of the dehumanizing effect technology is posing on individuals; technology is acting as a catalyst, in accordance with the slow demise of Japanese pre-modernity valued dependence on tradition, cultural norms and beliefs. It isolates individuals
Mans Ring 1 A REAL MANS RING A Real Mans Ring: Gender and the Invention of Tradition Roberta Jones Taft College, Bakersfield Word count: 777 Mans Ring 2 A REAL MANS RING: GENDER AND THE INVENTION OFTRADITION I Found the article A Real mans Ring: Gender and the Invention…
written to reflect the feelings held by our poet after noticing her wedding ring lying idle in a basket. In the poem “Wedding-Ring”, Denise Levertov uses the neglected symbol of her past marriage in order to capture the emotions of someone reconciling with the failure of one of the most serious commitments of their life. Levertov captures the tone of the first stanza in a negative light, describing her neglectedwedding ring and leaving her audience with the assurance that the divorce is final. She…
Ring of Gyges Definition: It granted its owner the power to become invisible at will. Purpose: A just man and an unjust man will act the same given a Ring of Gyges. Once in possession of this ring, the man can act unjustly with no fear of reprisal. No one can deny, Glaucon claims, that even the most just man would behave unjustly if he had this ring. He would indulge all of his materialistic, power-hungry, and erotically lustful urges. This tale proves that people are only just because they are afraid…
Mark. "Choosing Promise And Claddagh Rings." (2011): n. page. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://www.english-magazine.org/index.php/culture/1840-culturearticle.html>. Main Points The main point of this article is the significance of the promise ring and the claddagh ring. You can use promise rings if you are not planning to get married or you can use claddagh rings as one of your choices as well which is mostly used in the Irish culture. Claddagh rings look like two clasped hands around a…
is only worried about presenting the speech. Even through all the turmoil the young black man makes it through these treacherous events and is rewarded, but must hold his tongue when trying to speak his mind. The young woman in the middle of the ring before the fight gives Mr. Ellison multiple opportunities to describe the struggle for equality during this time period. She represents how women had just as little choice as the black boys in a society run by white men. The white men threatened…
Compare And Contrast Apple Inc. Steven Paul Jobs was an American entreponour and inventor, best known as the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc. steven paul jobs was born in san francisco on february 24 1955 to two university students joanne carole schieble, of swiss catholic descent and syrian born Abdulfattah "John" Jandali.. Through Apple, he was widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the Person computer revoloution and for his influential career in the computer and consumer fields…
C Anderson B Reeves Year 11 Philosophy “Ring of Gyges” – Article _________________________________________________ Without consequences would you do anything you want? “With great power, comes great responsibility” was famously said to Peter Parker in the first Spiderman film. What if, the ‘great power’ was an invisible ring? And the ‘responsibility’ was to remain/become a good person. Is it possible? Well Spiderman certainly managed to anonymously fight crime and be a good person, but is…
J.R.R Tolkien uses characterization to demonstrate through certain themes that free will can always overcome the forces of evil. Wisdom, fate, responsibility, sight and surveillance are the key themes that the main characters in The Lord of the Rings posses to use on their adventure to destroy all evil. Much similar to modern day society and as well on how this country was formed; we can connect similarities between the main themes used by the characters from the book to the roles our founding…
system of planetary rings, which makes it the most visually remarkable object in the solar system. The rings extend from 6,630 km to 120,700 km above Saturn's equator, average approximately 20 meters in thickness and are composed of 93% water ice with traces of tholin impurities and 7% amorphous carbon. The particles that make up the rings range in size from specks of dust up to 10 m. There are two main theories regarding the origin of the rings. One theory is that the rings are remnants of a destroyed…
The Two Towers Asking Questions Question1: Saruman is arguably the primary adversary in The Two Towers, yet we learn that he and Gandalf used to be allies. Why does Tolkien choose to make Gandalf’s opponent a former colleague? Question2: Though Gollum is clearly hateful and scheming, Tolkien emphasizes a childish, even innocent side to Gollum as well. At times, the creature appears almost sympathetic. Why do you think Tolkien shows this soft side of Gollum? Question3: Cooperation and fellowship…