When considering a story, a
message is an important factor--something the audience can understand apart
from the plot of the story. This message can be a common value, an aspect of
daily living, or whatever else the writer determines that encapsulates or expands
their story overall. This element of story is known as the Theme and is defined
on the Master
Class website as ''the main idea or underlying meaning a writer
explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work. The theme of a story
can be conveyed using characters, setting, dialogue, plot, or a combination of
all of these elements."
As described
in the Master Class website, Theme can be expressed in various ways. In this
post mainly characters, dialogue and plot will be used to discuss how Theme is
expressed--in the form of a movie and two anime television series that I found
each have the Theme of Humanity involved in different ways. For pretext of our
discussion to come, Humanity is defined by Google as "the human race;
benevolence; symbolizes love and compassion."
SPOILER WARNING: The following
movie and television series are examined and discussed in detail.
*Wonder Woman (2017 Film)
*Attack on Titan (2013
Action series; Season 3)
*The Promised Neverland
(2019 Thriller series; Season 1)
The 2017
film Wonder Woman features the Amazonian on the hunt for the
antagonist while joining a group of mercenaries and learning the meaning of why
she fights. At some point it's understood that she fights to protect
people--"...those who cannot fight for themselves", but I believe the
film goes deeper towards the end based on the movie's ideal statement:
'Humanity is not worth being saved.' and challenging that idea. In the film
Steve Trevor is used to challenge the movie's ideal through his reasoning for
saving humanity as "It's not about deserve, it's about what you believe.
And I believe in love." This declaration to Diana before sacrificing himself
in turn allows Wonder Woman to win against Ares and is what I want to highlight
for how this film defines Humanity--that love and compassion drive the need for
humanity to be protected and preserved.
The 2013
television series Attack on Titan is about a race of humans
known as Eldians who can transform into giant Titans and are therefore feared
by the world. This series is filled with action, mystery, and their own
political complexities--all while discovering what the outside world is since
living in isolation behind 3 major walls for generations by decree of their
king, King Fritz. As the show progresses, the main character, Eren Yeager, can
harness his transformations under the supervision of the Scouting Regiment. The
Commander and Lieutenant, Erwin Smith and Levi Ackerman respectively, are the
focus of how I'll showcase Humanity here.
In the aftermath relating
to The Founding Titan, Levi meets his old mentor/guardian named Kenny who
rests on a tree before he dies. Kenny's last words to the battle-experienced
and now-commander were, "...everyone...was a slave to something...".
I believe this scene talking about life shows the dark side of Humanity
regarding how determined humans are to pursue their heart's desire/dream towards
grave expense. Erwin Smith's desire concerns his father's hypothesis about the
truth outside the walls and so seeks the knowledge hidden within the basement
of Eren Yeager's home--to which Erwin endeavors through each battlefield,
suffering multiple casualties of his comrades and even losing his arm. At what
he believes to be his final battle, the Commander speaks with his Lieutenant to
voice his concerns and doubts about the decisions and sacrifices made to set
the stage before them. In response Levi grants him the resolve to press on into
a Suicide Charge alongside the remaining Regiment troops against the Beast
Titan enemy.
I encourage you
to witness the speech--if not the series--to personally evaluate this viewpoint
and Erwin's resolve. Both Erwin's resolve and Kenny's last words are what I
want to highlight in defining the theme of Humanity with this show. For further
insight into Erwin Smith watch a video Sage's
Rain posted. As Wonder Woman (movie) questions its own stance of
'Humanity not being worth saving' and this series asks "how far will
Humanity go (to preserve its desire)?", I believe the following series
called The Promised Neverland as a more intimate situation to Erwin Smith's.
The 2019
animated thriller series called The Promised Neverland follows
a trio of intelligent children named Emma, Norman, and Ray, among other kids in
an orphanage, and as each child turns 12 years old, they are adopted and leave
the compound. What Humanity is like for kids and the meaning of life from their
perspective can be showcased in the first season--more importantly, how to
preserve that desire of life while under a watchful eye via their caretaker,
Mama. While living day to day and looking forward to being adopted, it is later
revealed that adopted means taken away to be fed to Demons rather than taken
into a family.
In a similar
fashion to Erwin Smith there comes a time when the trio of children discuss how
to delay the process for one of them, which leads to some dire and sacrificial
claims for the sake of their relationship in Episode 9. Such claims include Ray
getting sick, Norman hiding in the nearby wilderness, Ray breaking an arm or
leg--all to avoid any of them dying at the hands of Demons. The will to
preserve the care and wellbeing of each other is the definition of Altruism and
is represented in this drama filled scene. In finding a solution to this
dilemma I believe the question this series asks is "how far will we go to
preserve Humanity?" and furthers the topic of what Humanity is.
These examples show the desperation and love of Humanity, through the eyes of children, soldiers, and superheroes. With all this in mind, my question to you is, "What do you define as Humanity?". Feel free to write your thoughts in the comment section below and maybe what other shows & movies come to mind (animated or not). Thanks for reading this post and I hope these scenes and plot points gave some insight into what Humanity is like in animated media and opened some new entertainment too.
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