For those that arent familiar with it, the book is about a couple of retired texas rangers that live on the texasmexico border. 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. I am legend was a major influence in horror and brought a whole new thematic concept to apocalyptic literature. The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of. The first says, man, its just a badass vampire book. Even though families like junes get to live in fancy homes with really overthetop clothes she has a dress with diamonds stitched onto it, most people are living in relative misery and poverty.
It retains the bleak tone, the cortman adversary and the books central themes. I am legend themes survival at the expense of humanity. In the dystopian novel legend by marie lu, the author develops the theme of how nothing is as it seems. Another dominant theme in i am legend is loneliness. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that. The opening scene is particularly relevant in the way it creates the dystopian feeling of the movie. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up throughout i am legend. As the only survivor of the plague of 1975, robert neville is the last human being on earth. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend.
That book was first adapted into the film the last man on earth starring vincent price and then again as the omega man starring charlton heston. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film. Read the text in white and copy the text in yellow. Richard mathesons 1954 novel i am legend blends science fiction and horror into a pulp classic. Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on prezi. Every character in the postplague world of i am legend tries to survive by whatever means necessary. The themes importance to the world is that one can never give up keep fighting and striving and good things will come.
This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your. One theme throughout the book is the fear and loathing. The 2007 film was partially based on the 1971 film as well as the original source. How is the dystopian universe created in i am legend. I am legend themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Legend is told from the perspective of two leading characters. Francis lawrences i am legend is a 2007 sciencefiction thrillerdrama starring will smith as the lone survivor of a devastating virus that has wiped out 90% of the population of humanity. I am legend the movie is based on richard mathesons novel of the same name. They are a blend of fact and fiction, and if well known, become a part of a cultural heritage. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964. Robert neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and manmade. In an alternate ending of i am legend, some themes and the storys. This study guide for richard mathesons i am legend offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease.
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. The theme of otherness in i am legend from litcharts the. I am legend, of course, was first and foremost a novel by richard matheson about the last man on earth fighting a vampiric plague. In legend the republic of america has a great deal of power over its citizens, and boy does the republic like to abuse that power. Jul 18, 2009 main theme composer james newthon howard.
In the process, he empowers himself and gives himself a new purpose in life. The story is very much darker and deeper than the will smith film of the same name. The two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971. He works with many scifi and fantasy themes in works like steel and what dreams may come. 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. Taking on such themes as mankinds need for companionship, the fight for survival, and the existence of god, it at least succeeds in making us.
A discussion of important themes running throughout i am legend. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville. The plot of i am legend centers around the survival of a man named. I dont want to say anymore because its better to just read it and let the story unfold. Another important theme of i am legend is the powerboth benevolent and maliciousof science. 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. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. One of the primary themes of i am legend is alienation, and it is hard to imagine someone who is more literally alienated than robert neville. Richard mathesons i am legend is a science fiction adventure and a. Symbolism in i am legend i have put you down in groups from memory apologies if i got these wrong.
Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of vampirism. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by vampires robert neville is the only. But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the books message, the soulcrushing impact of. 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. It is the third movie to be made from the novel and mathesons writings have modernized the vampire, in todays culture. It is not made clear on the front of the book, or anywhere that this is a collection of short stories, not a novel. By analyzing three adaptations of the same book, its clear that the most faithful, and strongest, adaptation is the last man on earth. One of the themes that seemed prominent throughout all three books were the roles of the female protagonist or antagonist or the male counterpart of. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. Richard mathesons 1954 novel i am legend has been adapted to the. 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. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. Oh boythings are not looking so great for the citizens of the republic of america in legend.
So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. After the announcement of a good new, we discover new york in a total mess. The entire basis of this movie is centered around the completely dehumanized state the humans are left in. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Several humanistic and emotional themes in this book blend the horror genre with traditional fiction.
I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length. In order to develop this theme, the author used the literary technique of point of view throughout the story, switching back and forth between day and junes point of view. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. Francis lawrences 2007 film i am legend is one of the best examples of a mainstream film that is not afraid to delve into spiritual themes through the combination of a strong storyline and powerful symbols. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. In legend, there is actually a great deal of backstabbing that goes on. I am legend essay sample sample essays online library. In part 3, chapter 20 robert neville silently laments.
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. 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. The core themes present in i am legend coincide with concepts familiar to postmodernism. Among living things, survival is a fundamental instinct. This quote is a metaphor and robert in this quote is saying he is a legend but doesnt want people to think of him as a legend. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one.
Day is a criminal on the run for stealing from the republic and making the government look foolish. He is an absolutely normal american man, or at least he was until the world changed around him. Alienation in i am legend one of the main themes of i am legend is alienation, it is hard to imagine someone who is more alienated than robert neville. I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. The book is full of good ideas, every other one of which is immediately dropped and. Hes a legend, but for the wrong reasonsin line with richard mathesons. However, this is a good basic list that you can build from. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities.
This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel. Sometimes you can get through an entire book and not realize what the author meant. Though referred to as the first modern vampire novel, it is as a novel of social theme that i am legend made a lasting impression on the. It transforms every living human into a vampire, except one. Richard mathesons i am legend is a science fiction adventure and a terrifying horror story. Discussion of themes and motifs in richard mathesons i am legend. June betrays day to the authorities after pretending to be another street rat like him, then she finds out that thomas probably betrayed her and killed her beloved brother metias while blaming it on day gasp.
For example, the majority of the novel revolves around nevilles experience in. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film inquiry. One of the most influential vampire novels of the 20th century, i am legend regularly appears on the 10 best lists of numerous critical studies of the horror genre. Mar 24, 2015 i am legend themes meanings and ideas. It also wouldnt be the first time i am legend has been remade. Though he has lost his fear of the vampires, these are afraid of him and want him dead. For example, the majority of the novel revolves around nevilles experience in isolation and his resulting behavior. It retains the bleak tone, the cortman adversary and the book s central themes. He is a normal american man, or at least he was until the world changed around him. There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book.
I am legend study guide contains a biography of director francis lawrence, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Legends are often based on real persons or events, but enlarged through retelling to achieve mythic proportions. Mannequins mrs dixon butterflies jordon, matthew, jessica bob marley. Living alone in new york city, robert neville smith, a former lieutenant and us army virologist, tasks himself with finding a cure to the plague. A central theme, as the title suggests, is the nature of legends. Day of the dead starring lori cardille, joe pilato, terry alexander, richard. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in i am legend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. 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.
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. The city turned to a jungle, showing a chaotic vision of the future. After a virus kills most of the earths population and turn the rest into animalistic bloodthirsty creatures called darkseekers, robert himself is the only one he knows to be immune and have survived. Throughout the novel we slowly learn that the republics citizens are pretty much vulnerable to whatever crazy idea the government comes up with next. As richard mathesons third novel, it was first marketed as science fiction for although written in 1954, the story takes place in a future 1976. One of the themes that seemed prominent throughout all three books were the roles of the female protagonist or antagonist or the male counterpart of it.
I believe this movie does have a lot of spiritual themes running through the entire film. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of i am legend. Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on. Of course, technically, the books protagonist is the not really the last person on earth and therein lies the conflict of this theme.