By now, you’ve spent most of the semester reading and viewing and listening to material about monsters (real or imagined). You’ve summarized and analyzed what other people have said and written about monsters and monstrosity. For this final assignment, you’ll extend the work you’ve done so far by choosing a monster–any monster–and then tracing the development of that monster over a period of time and into the future in a roughly 8-page report. For example, if you’re into Japanese popular culture at all, Godzilla (ゴジラ) may be an obvious choice. Godzilla appeared first in the early 1950s but has been featured in numerous films, television programs, animated series, and many other media. At first, Godzilla seemed to be a pretty clear metaphor for the challenges and dangers of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy (understandable given the atomic explosions in Japan at the end of World War II). But after the end of the Cold War, it’s likely that Godzilla started standing for other fears. You could explore how Godzilla is still, evidently, a monster–but how the kind of monster it is has become something different in the 21st century. As you know, you may also think even more creatively in choosing your monster, since the concept of “monster” doesn’t just include scaly or furry beings. Are there ideas that you’ve encountered that are, themselves, monstrous? Are there humans who have acquired reputations for monstrosity? Have they changed? Have attitudes about them changed? Once you choose, you should collect high-quality materials on your own–from Marriott Library, primarily–that will help you answer your questions about how your monster has developed. (More specific requirements about sources below.) You should read, view, and/or listen to those sources and take notes about them. Once you’ve done that, you should start drafting a report that describes how, in specific terms, your monster has developed. Once you’re working on that, you have a choice about how to finish the report:
Option 1- Speculate (reasonably) about how the monster you chose will change next. For example, if Godzilla has been a metaphor for the dangers of nuclear power/weapons or for “toxic waste” or for industrialization, what will it stand for in the future? Terrorism? Climate change? Why do you think so? Option 2- Invent and describe a monster that you think could replace the monster you chose. For example, maybe Cookie Monster has run his course. Maybe parents’ concerns about gluten have finally caught up with him. Who/what might be a replacement? What might s/he or it look/sound like? How would s/he or it be “monstrous”? Feel free to integrate visuals if you know how to do that using your composing software. For that matter, feel free to create a 3D mockup of your monster. But remember that this assignment, like our other assignments, is really an opportunity to write in ways that help you practice for all of the other writing you’ll do at the U. Sources- You should select five (5) sources on your own to help you write your report. “Sources” can be books, articles, films, videos, even comic books, internet memes, movie posters, and TV commercials. (You’re welcome to think broadly about how both academic and popular cultures have featured the monster you chose.) Items to include in the report- An introduction that gives your audience (again, primarily me–but also classmates) a brief overview of who/what your monster is, why you chose it, and how it has developed over a period of time. (That last part–“how it has developed”–is really your thesis.) A section that describes as specifically as possible your monster’s development up to now. For this section, you’ll need to rely on the summary and synthesis skills you’ve learned throughout the course to include what your chosen sources tell you about your monster. You should also highlight the ways your monster “works” rhetorically. For instance, what was the rhetorical exigence for your monster? What audience did your monster’s creator(s) imagine? How does your monster appeal to that audience using pathos and/or other appeals? A section that either speculates about how your monster will develop next or that describes the kind of monster you believe could replace it. This is where you choose Option 1 or Option 2 and go with it. For Option 1, how do you believe your chosen monster will change, and why? For Option 2, what would a new/replacement monster be like, and why? A conclusion that summarizes your findings about your monster(s). Your roughly 8-page final draft should use APA or MLA formatting–double spaced, 12 point font, in-text citations–and should include a “works cited” or “references” page to list sources you use.
