Robert neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and manmade. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend, originated the zombie genre in both fiction and movies. This study guide for richard mathesons i am legend offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Mar 28, 2020 we have an intriguing problem with comparing the book and film. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on richard mathesons i am legend. In the first of the novels four parts, neville has barricaded himself in his home against.
However, we dont exactly know how people turn into zombies, how clever zombies are etc. I am legend author richard matheson was himself a real. The first says, man, its just a badass vampire book. The movie i am legend directed by francis lawrence is dystopian movie. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one. I am legend film analysis essay 1227 words bartleby. This is not an example of the work produced by our essay writing service. I am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending becomes clear if you understand the personal journey of its hero. They are humans, both living and undead, who were infected with vampiris. I am legend the movie is based on richard mathesons novel of the same name. Patterson reads i am legend as an uneasy attempt to negotiate racial anxieties and the vampires as thinly disguised africanamericans. 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. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that.
My analysis of this text, and the sets of instructions through which it manipulates the minds constructed for its characters, draws. Neville keeps referring to they, without explaining his thought process. The best study guide to i am legend on the planet, from the creators of sparknotes. Richard mathesons 1954 novel i am legend blends science fiction and horror into a pulp classic. He knew he should burn up the paper plates and utensils too, and dust the furniture and.
I am meant to be writing a blog about how i am legend, by the late, immensely great, richard matheson, is the king of vampire novels. The i am legend novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. Dec, 2007 the opening scenes of i am legend have special effects so good that they just about compensate for some later special effects that are dicey. As i am legend begins, in january, 1976, earth has been ravaged, first by nuclear war, then by a mysterious plague that transforms its victims into vampires. Although there is no direct dialect in the film one of the zombie members shows authority over the others through his actions. Dec 14, 2017 i am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending becomes clear if you understand the personal journey of its hero. Set after an outbreak of a viral plague that turns both living and dead. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic action thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson.
But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the book s message, the soulcrushing impact of. Welcome to i am legend wiki, a wiki covering the novel and movie, i am legend, the last man on earth, and the omega man. I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Through the analysis of the text i am legend, its clear that forms and viewpoints of postmodern literature can be discovered in unexpected literary genres. The book ends with june and day together, running from the law and planning to go to the waterfront to pick up eden before crossing the border and going into colonies territory, which signifies a fresh start for all the characters. 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. Camera angles this angle gives a deserted abandoned feeling to the audience again duethethe starts with an establishing shot of to film presence of only one moving car new york city, this shows a lifeless run instead of a crowded avenue. And yet the core characteristics of the nightwalkers in the 2007 film are relatively true to one strand of what we see in the 1950s story. 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. I am legend is a sciencefiction novel written by richard matheson, and is one of the origins and the first of its kind. 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. 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. A look inside once upon a time in the west and the wild bunch duration.
It transforms every living human into a vampire, except one. Enhancements were made to more precisely measure materials read in k2 classrooms. The first adaptation is the movies last man on earth in 1964, and the second is the movie the omega man in 1971. Here we have a man, robert neville, who is not marooned on an island, nor is he buried in a tunnel, nor is he stuck in any of the typical places people tend to get stuckrobert is stranded in new york city. Matheson heightens the suspense by slowly giving readers more and more information about who they are.
Finally, is i am legend a criticism of the development of the biology. They are mostly mindless creatures, searching for blood to drink and even resorting to cannibalism when other prey is scarce. Attributing minds to vampires in richard mathesons i am legend. I am legend narrative, representation of race, class and. The horror genre, particularly, is underrepresented amongst literature that is deemed worthy of critical study.
I am legend by richard matheson goodreads share book. Immune, neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of new york city and perhaps the world. Richard mathesons 1954 apocalyptic horrorsciencefiction novel i am legend gave plenty of original ideas to the genre, and inspired many. You can view samples of our professional work here. I am legend book the novels main character is robert neville, apparently the sole survivor of a pandemic the symptoms of which resemble vampirism. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. Since i liked the movie i am legend and knew that it was based on a 1954 novel by richard matheson, i decided to read the original. And yet the core characteristics of the nightwalkers in the 2007 film are relatively true. January 1976 chapter one on those cloudy days, robert neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back. Stokers 1897 gothic horror novel tells the story of the evil count dracula, a vampire who sucks the blood of his victims. 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. 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.
However, as is often the case, i enjoyed the book i am legend even more than the movie. In legend, the first of a trilogy, both of the main characters are definitely famousthough for very different reasons. I am legend dystopian movies always have a big change in the society. We can easily tend to answer yes, seeing how new york city and the humanity are transformed by this progress. 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. It is the third movie to be made from the novel and mathesons writings have modernized the vampire, in todays culture. Need help with chapter 1 in richard mathesons i am legend. How teachers and students can make the quick transition to online learning. Detailed analysis of characters in richard mathesons i am legend. In the first of the novels four parts, neville has barricaded himself in his home against the nightly onslaughts of the vampires, among them his former friend and. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend.
As a vampire novel, the touchstone for am legend is, without a doubt, bram stokers dracula a novel which matheson mentions more than once over the course of the book. The film is based on a comic book of the same name and is a live action, shotbyshot visualization of said comic. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up. Robert neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and manmade. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. 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. Day, a renegade from the streets, and june, an elite student at drake university and the republics shining prodigy. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a. Dr analysis of the classic horror novel, i am legend, by richard matheson. The novel has been made into three movies, including omega man 1971 and i am legend 2007.
Analysis and discussion of characters in richard mathesons i am legend. There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book. The opening scenes of i am legend have special effects so good that they just about compensate for some later special effects that are dicey. Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the. We have an intriguing problem with comparing the book and film. I am legend, the movie released in 2007, is the third adaptation of richard mathesons novel of the same name. Later he forced himself into the kitchen to grind up the fiveday accumulation of garbage in the sink. Though he has lost his fear of the vampires, these are afraid of him and want him dead.
I am legend dystopian science fiction movie description. Various authors have found inspiration in the sciencefiction horror novel that centers around a scientific version of vampires, instead of the common superstitious and fantastical variant. Jun 04, 2011 but when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up throughout i am legend. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. The first, the true vampires, are corpses reanimated by vampiris. Day is a criminal on the run for stealing from the republic and making the government look foolish. During the invasion of nevilles house the leader stands outside while the rest of the horde rushes in, showing much of higher status. 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. David craddock i am legend might be one of the most frustrating survival stories ever written. I am legend was released on december 14, 2007, in the united states and canada, and opened to the largest ever box office not adjusted for inflation for a nonchristmas film released in the u. Legend is told from the perspective of two leading characters.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. Related questions and answers for characters in i am legend. If he had been more analytical, he might have calculated the approximate time of their arrival. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a cloudy day.
But when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. Immediately download the i am legend summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching i am legend. The book that i used in reference to some scholars theories on the. Dive deep into richard mathesons i am legend with extended analysis.
All along his fear has been shared by the ones whom he has been afraid of. The 1956 i am legend book is a vampire story inspired by dracula. Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the recent will smith movie, and the. Immediately download the i am legend summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Whether is it has something to do with aliens or the world ending. As she writes, the novel contains a very clear, racially charged subtext that makes racial difference and vampiricism synonymous. I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of.
290 520 1064 232 1513 268 1188 1356 489 381 1584 1425 485 563 1571 435 753 1233 1519 1149 346 1241 475 218 300 737 1546 1433 1033 1166 831 457 884 349 450 381 974 1444 951 705 308