I've had a look on Youtube at some Jabberwocky adaptations to help understand the poem more and give me inspiration on how I can adapt the text. These 2 versions are similar in some ways and very different in others. They are both set in forests and the tone is quite creepy. This is also the kind of feeling I want to create in my adaptation and I was also thinking about shooting it in the woods.
My initial idea was to have technology being the beast (the Jabberwocky) in the story. I would begin the video with a teenager on their laptop listening to their ipod and reading the "Jabberwocky" as homework and then they would fall asleep and we would go into their dream. They would be in the woods with technology all around them and at the end we would see them wake up and turn off their technology and go and play outside. I like this idea but I need to develop it further so that there is a proper story and figure out a way to make it creepy and maybe have another character in it saying the poem.
I'll carry on thinking and see what I can come up with.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Fiction Adaptation: Adapting a Classic Text
Today we had a lecture on Charles Dickens as all of his novels have been adapted in one way or another. We watched Great Expectations the 1946 version and part of the 2011 BBC drama to see how the 2 compared. I found this really interesting and it made me start thinking of book adaptation I could use in my essay.
We also had a workshop today where we had to choose a classic text and adapt it some how so it was different to the original story. We then had to pitch these ideas to the class.
I worked with Abbi and we decided to use the classic novel "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck as we both knew the story really well as we had studied it at GCSE. We decided to change the ending as we wanted to change the moral of the story. We decided that we didn't want George to shoot Lennie in the final scene as we thought that this was an unrealistic ending. We decided that instead George would help Lennie run away reminding him of their "American dream" and that they would meet again one day. Lennie would run away and George would have to deal with the consequences of Lennie's actions and when everyone on the ranch finds out that he let Lennie run away this would climax in George being shot by Curley for betraying him. We thought that this would be a good alternative ending as it meant that George was taking responsibility for Lennie's actions and therefore sticking up for his friend who is not able to cope with his actions himself.We decided this would be good as a drama on BBC and we decided it would be worthy of adaptation as it is a story about friendship rather than love and shows peoples dreams of a better life and we thought this would be relatable to the audience.
Monday, 6 February 2012
"As Live" Brainstorm
I've had a brainstorm for ideas for "As Live" and this is what I came up with.
I've had a few ideas sprout off from this brainstorm but a lot of them are not achieveable with our resources. I think I've got 1 or 2 ideas I can develop into something which is more achieveable, fits the brief and would be entertaing.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Understanding Jabberwocky
I found this website really helpful in understanding what the poem really means.
http://wordsyoudontknow.com/2009/09/the-jabberwocky-words-you-dont-know-all-of-them/
By looking at Humpty Dumpty's explanation from "Through the Looking Glass" this is how the words can be translated:
Brillig is no longer evening, but about 4pm in the afternoon.
Slithy is now slimy and active rather than smooth and active.
Toves are no longer badgers exactly, they are “something like badgers–they’re something like lizards–and they’re something like corkscrews.” And “they make their nests under sun-dials–also they live on cheese.”
Gyre is to spin like a gyroscope rather than to scratch.
Gimble is still to bore holes, but now specifically after the manner of a gimlet, which is a small hand tool with a T-shaped handle for boring hole.
Wabe is now the area around a sundial, rather than a hillside.
Mimsy is still unhappy; flimsy and miserable.
Borogove is no longer a parrot, but a thin shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round.
Mome now probably means lost (but Humpty Dumpty is not quite sure). However, it does not mean grave.
Raths have become green pigs rather than turtles, possibly a joke on the fact that there are very few green animals.
Outgrabe has not changed its meaning much. However, we should note that Carroll uses this word in The Hunting of the Snark (published after Through the Looking Glass – there is an excerpt below). In The Hunting of the Snark the word plainly means to squeal out in terror, whereas Humpty Dumpty gives it the much more whimsical meaning of something between bellowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle.
This website goes through stanza by stanza.
http://www.shmoop.com/jabberwocky/stanza-1-summary.html
http://wordsyoudontknow.com/2009/09/the-jabberwocky-words-you-dont-know-all-of-them/
| Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll | Literal Translation |
| `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. | It was evening and the smooth active badgers Were scratching and boring holes into the hillside, All unhappy were the parrots And the grave turtles squeaked out. |
By looking at Humpty Dumpty's explanation from "Through the Looking Glass" this is how the words can be translated:
Brillig is no longer evening, but about 4pm in the afternoon.
Slithy is now slimy and active rather than smooth and active.
Toves are no longer badgers exactly, they are “something like badgers–they’re something like lizards–and they’re something like corkscrews.” And “they make their nests under sun-dials–also they live on cheese.”
Gyre is to spin like a gyroscope rather than to scratch.
Gimble is still to bore holes, but now specifically after the manner of a gimlet, which is a small hand tool with a T-shaped handle for boring hole.
Wabe is now the area around a sundial, rather than a hillside.
Mimsy is still unhappy; flimsy and miserable.
Borogove is no longer a parrot, but a thin shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round.
Mome now probably means lost (but Humpty Dumpty is not quite sure). However, it does not mean grave.
Raths have become green pigs rather than turtles, possibly a joke on the fact that there are very few green animals.
Outgrabe has not changed its meaning much. However, we should note that Carroll uses this word in The Hunting of the Snark (published after Through the Looking Glass – there is an excerpt below). In The Hunting of the Snark the word plainly means to squeal out in terror, whereas Humpty Dumpty gives it the much more whimsical meaning of something between bellowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle.
This website goes through stanza by stanza.
http://www.shmoop.com/jabberwocky/stanza-1-summary.html
Humpty Dumpty's Jabberwocky Explanation
The poem "Jabberwocky" is used in Lewis Carroll's "Through the looking Glass" novel a sequel to "Alice in Wonderland". The book tells of Alice's adventures within the back-to-front world of a looking glass.
Alice's reaction to the poem:
"You seem very clever at explaining words, Sir", said Alice. "Would you kindly tell me the meaning of the poem 'Jabberwocky'?"
"Let's hear it", said Humpty Dumpty. "I can explain all the poems that ever were invented--and a good many that haven't been invented just yet."
This sounded very hopeful, so Alice repeated the first verse:
"That's enough to begin with", Humpty Dumpty interrupted: "there are plenty of hard words there. 'Brillig' means four o'clock in the afternoon--the time when you begin broiling things for dinner."
"That'll do very well", said Alice: "and 'slithy'?"
"Well, 'slithy' means 'lithe and slimy'. 'Lithe' is the same as 'active'. You see it's like a portmanteau--there are two meanings packed up into one word."
I see it now", Alice remarked thoughfully: "and what are 'toves'?"
"Well, 'toves' are something like badgers--they're something like lizards--and they're something like corkscrews."
"They must be very curious creatures."
"They are that", said Humpty Dumpty: "also they make their nests under sun-dials--also they live on cheese."
"And what's to 'gyre' and to 'gimble'?"
"To 'gyre' is to go round and round like a gyroscope. To 'gimble' is to make holes like a gimlet."
"And 'the wabe' is the grass plot round a sun-dial, I suppose?" said Alice, surprised at her own ingenuity.
"Of course it is. It's called 'wabe', you know, because it goes a long way before it, and a long way behind it--"
"And a long way beyond it on each side", Alice added.
"Exactly so. Well then, 'mimsy' is 'flimsy and miserable' (there's another portmanteau for you). And a 'borogove' is a thin shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round--something like a live mop."
"And then 'mome raths'?" said Alice. "If I'm not giving you too much trouble."
"Well a 'rath' is a sort of green pig, but 'mome' I'm not certain about. I think it's sort for 'from home'--meaning that they'd lost their way, you know."
"And what does 'outgrabe' mean?"
"Well, 'outgribing' is something between bellowing an whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle: however, you'll hear it done, maybe--down in the wood yonder--and when you've once heard it, you'll be quite content. Who's been repeating all that hard stuff to you?"
"I read it in a book", said Alice.
Alice's reaction to the poem:
'It seems very pretty,' she said when she had finished it, 'but it's rather hard to understand!' (You see she didn't like to confess, even to herself, that she couldn't make it out at all.) 'Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas—only I don't exactly know what they are! However, somebody killed something: that's clear, at any rate'Humpty Dumpty then goes on to explain the poem to her.
Humpty Dumpty's Explanation
"You seem very clever at explaining words, Sir", said Alice. "Would you kindly tell me the meaning of the poem 'Jabberwocky'?"
"Let's hear it", said Humpty Dumpty. "I can explain all the poems that ever were invented--and a good many that haven't been invented just yet."
This sounded very hopeful, so Alice repeated the first verse:
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"That's enough to begin with", Humpty Dumpty interrupted: "there are plenty of hard words there. 'Brillig' means four o'clock in the afternoon--the time when you begin broiling things for dinner."
"That'll do very well", said Alice: "and 'slithy'?"
"Well, 'slithy' means 'lithe and slimy'. 'Lithe' is the same as 'active'. You see it's like a portmanteau--there are two meanings packed up into one word."
I see it now", Alice remarked thoughfully: "and what are 'toves'?"
"Well, 'toves' are something like badgers--they're something like lizards--and they're something like corkscrews."
"They must be very curious creatures."
"They are that", said Humpty Dumpty: "also they make their nests under sun-dials--also they live on cheese."
"And what's to 'gyre' and to 'gimble'?"
"To 'gyre' is to go round and round like a gyroscope. To 'gimble' is to make holes like a gimlet."
"And 'the wabe' is the grass plot round a sun-dial, I suppose?" said Alice, surprised at her own ingenuity.
"Of course it is. It's called 'wabe', you know, because it goes a long way before it, and a long way behind it--"
"And a long way beyond it on each side", Alice added.
"Exactly so. Well then, 'mimsy' is 'flimsy and miserable' (there's another portmanteau for you). And a 'borogove' is a thin shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round--something like a live mop."
"And then 'mome raths'?" said Alice. "If I'm not giving you too much trouble."
"Well a 'rath' is a sort of green pig, but 'mome' I'm not certain about. I think it's sort for 'from home'--meaning that they'd lost their way, you know."
"And what does 'outgrabe' mean?"
"Well, 'outgribing' is something between bellowing an whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle: however, you'll hear it done, maybe--down in the wood yonder--and when you've once heard it, you'll be quite content. Who's been repeating all that hard stuff to you?"
"I read it in a book", said Alice.
--Through The Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll
Jabberwocky
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Fiction Adaptation: Brief
For our Fiction Adaptation unit we will need to produce a 2-3 minute film based on one of the 5 poems we have been provided with the choices are:
We will also have to produce an essay answering the question:
For this question we will have to know both the book and the adaptation really well so that we have alot to talk about.
I have started to think about what book I will use and I think I will either use Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as I know that this has been made into 2 big budget films or I might choose to use Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as I studied this play in depth at school and also know that it has been adapted many times.
- Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll
- The Listeners by Walter de la Mare
- The Burning of the Leaves by Laurence Binyon
- The Horses by Ted Hughes
- An Arundel Tomb by Philip Larkin
We will also have to produce an essay answering the question:
"In adapting a novel the adaptor inevitably infringes the integrity of the original text - discuss with reference to at least one adaptation."
For this question we will have to know both the book and the adaptation really well so that we have alot to talk about.
I have started to think about what book I will use and I think I will either use Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as I know that this has been made into 2 big budget films or I might choose to use Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as I studied this play in depth at school and also know that it has been adapted many times.
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