Naive Innocence
An interesting characteristic of the movie, "The Island" is the idea of innocence lost. Innocence lost? you say. Isn't this film about cloning. Well yes it is but one thing I observed was the effort made by the institution to maintain inocence in order to gain complete control over the clones. The clones where white only (which is one of the first things Lincoln six echo sees as out of place). Their diets are strict and they have to watch their proximity to the opposite sex. The clones obey this unquestioningly until Lincoln starts to wonder why they must do these things. The real reason is so that the institution can control the clones - maintain their naivity and they are controllable. There is a problem with Lincoln however, because he isn't quite as naive as the others - he starts to question the institution. Jordan-two-delta who escapes with Lincoln maintains her naivity for awhile though. This is shown in her astonishment at the violence of the institution. Lincoln, however, seems to be almost at home in the outside world, as he has the memory of his owner. Having been exposed to the outside world Jordan also loses her naivity and therefore her innocence by the films end. This gives her an aggressive independence that allows her to defend herself. The contrast between the naivity and worldly independence is seen clearly at the end of the film. As you see the streams of clones, still in their white clothing stumbling outside to discover the truth. Amongst the white clothes stand Lincoln and Jordan dressed in dark attire indicating their new worldliness. It makes you wonder about the institution in our world. What are its method of control? Then again if they didn't do it what would happen?
saw the movie and loved the concepts that were being put out there...like individualism and what it actually means...
I love science fiction as well, and some may say it's trash, but those are the people who have narrow minds and refuse to expand their craniums! lol
I've written three sci-fi books myself, (as yet unpublished cause I'm too chickenshit to submit them lol) but friends and family have said they are unique and quite good...one of them centers around what I call a "terrestrial" alien...someone who is of alien heritage but has been born here on Earth, but doesn't know he is truly not of this world...
Great review of the film...I enjoyed reading it...very insightful and well written!
Take care,
Nick
Passionate Apathy
The childlike mindset was also used to control the clones; the rare questions were dismissed with facile answers. Real-world institutions often use a similar tactic, having pre-programmed no-thinking-required answers.
Further, many institutions like to foster the attitude that questions are intrinsically immoral or unpatriotic or likewise harmful. Asking questions is taken as a sign of lack of faith, and like Darth Vader, our so-called "leaders" very often find our lack of faith disturbing.
there is where you have courage and I lack the stuff...
It's not so much that I fear the rejection part so much as I fear the thought of someone without much interest in science fiction or well written lietrature for that matter skimming over my hard work and effort , grumbling and then tossing it into the "recycle" bin...
That, is where my true fear lies...and why only family and friends have read any of my works...
As an already published author, I'm certain you'll understand...
But perhaps one day, when I'm old and grey I'll cease to care who likes it or not and send it in anyway! LOL
Thanks for your sage advice! Stop by my Sanity Corner or my Stitch In Time Blog sometime, folks are saying it's pretty heady stuff especially for a lamer like me LOL
Take care,
Nick