Fairly Awesome

[BentonGrey]

So, I'm teaching Composition 101 this semester, as some of you may know.  I'm vaguely following the standard format for this class, with the major assignments being several different types of papers like narrative, informative, etc.  I'm departing pretty profoundly from the general practices at my institution in the general tone of the class, focusing a lot more on critical thinking and current events than is common, but that's neither here nor there.  The reason I'm writing this post is because something I've been looking forward to is finally here.  My students have to write a literary analysis paper, so I get to teach a little mini-section about literature.  I've given my students a big list of various types of texts that they can use for their papers, including 6 poems and two essays to cover the traditional types of literature, but including three graphic novels and four movies in an attempt to push their understanding of literature a bit at the same time.  They are supposed to chose one and write their paper on it, but I also gave them the option of suggesting another text for consideration, and I just received a message asking me if I would allow one of them to write about Bioshock.  How cool is that?  The debate on games as literature is just beginning in academic circles, but people have been thinking in these terms for a while now, obviously.  Still, I'm excited.  I'm going to allow him to tackle it, because I figure it's got a decent amount of literary heft.  What do y'all think about this?

[captainspud]

Just make sure he reads the Wikipedia summaries of Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead first so he's got some foundation to lean on.

[Tawodi Osdi]

First, I like the fact that you are pushing critical analysis.  I view the lack of analytical skills to being a big problem in modern culture.

Regarding using graphic novels and computer skills as literature, I was unsure if I agreed with the idea at first.  Literacy to me is more than just the ability to read, and reading literature is more than an entertainment.  Literature should make a person stop and think about life in a way that it either validates ones convictions causes one to question them.  Then, I thought about what comic books has done to promote my own literacy.

I suffer from mild dyslexia, but all of those interesting characters and exotic locations caused me to push through my disability, and I push myself still today.  I remember all of the stories and concepts, at least in golden and silver aged comics, that were inspired by literary creations, like Solomon Grundy and Felix Faust.

In addition, I loved the Young All-Stars and its use of obscure literary sources within its stories.  I think I may have been the only one.  I have never read League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but I loved the movie.  Comic books can be used as a successful medium of literature.

I am still uncertain about video games regarding literature, but I am not that huge of a gamer.  I like the stories behind Freedom Force and Command & Conquer, but I don't know if I would call them literature.  Of course, a creative enough of a writer could make literature out of almost any media.

[Tomato]

Heh, I guess my perspective is somewhat skewed... Having taken sociology and writing courses directed at those in a game design field, I've always taken games to be a as much a form of literature as comics are.

[Tawodi Osdi]

My perspective is limited on the issue, but I didn't grow up with computer games as an option.  For half of my life, PC's were too clunky and expensive for anyone who wasn't a major technophile.  And console games, Nintendo 64 was the best there was.

[detourne_me]

Wow,  There's so much that could be said about Bioshock.
Will your student just tackle the storyline or will he try to add in the fact that you subjectively participate in the narrative? There are multiple endings right?

[Mr. Hamrick]

While I have not played Bioshock (insert gasps here), I have played several other games that have storylines with a definite literary elements that I think would make great papers given the right person handling it.

The idea reminds me of an independent study I did at West Georgia about ### years ago (ok, ok, about ten years... i am dating myself) in which I tackled comic books (particularly graphic novels as literature).  At that time, I had not read The Watchmen (though was aware of it) so I had a bit of a handicap there in the selections I chose. (I went with Neil Gaiman's Sandman series and Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise primarily.)

So... as long as you give the student a decent bit of width to explore both source material and its connections to literature and its merits as literature yet still steer him in the direction of an academic direction then there should be an interesting paper coming out of the assignment.

[BentonGrey]

Yeah, there are definitely games that are approaching the cinematic complexity and impact of a movie, and there have been games with narratives complex and meangingful enough to challenge graphic novels for a while now.  Bioshock is, without a doubt, one of the more visually compelling games to come out recently, and its narrative is perhaps even more interesting given the current economic climate.  I am really excited to see what he comes up with, but I don't know precisely what he's doing yet.

[BWPS]

Just make sure he reads the Wikipedia summaries of Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead first so he's got some foundation to lean on.

Why doesn't he just read the actual books?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA, Oh god that was funny. I don't even think Ayn Rand has finished them.

[The Phantom Eyebrow]

Just make sure he reads the Wikipedia summaries of Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead first so he's got some foundation to lean on.

Why doesn't he just read the actual books?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA, Oh god that was funny. I don't even think Ayn Rand has finished them.

Hah!  Sure if the final boss battle is as bad as in the game, then why would anyone finish the books?

What?