IndexIntroductionResearch objectiveIn-depth readingCinematographyThemesStructureSetupComparisonResolutionPasticsConclusionFirst of all, we would like to express our sincere thanks to our Literature teachers, for providing us with useful insights into what Literature is and inspiring us on how we can analyze Shaun of the Dead. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay I would also like to sincerely thank Ms. Teo Hsin Fern for being an expert mentor, guiding us along our research journey to prove the literary legitimacy of Dawn of the Dead. Furthermore, we would like to thank many students at our school for encouraging us along the way, especially Ron, for providing us with valuable advice. Introduction Shaun of the Dead is a comedy released in 2004 and directed by Edgar Wright. The film follows a man named Shaun who must survive a zombie apocalypse. It has been considered a cult classic since its release thanks to its shocking mastery of humor and its clever premise. This "entertainment factor" of Shaun of the Dead has placed itself firmly in the category of films that aren't serious enough to be considered a literary work. Traditionally, literature has been regarded as the canonical works of authors, as seen in Bloom's Shaun of the Dead. The Western Canon', published in 1994. This list of 25 literary authors included the likes of Shakespeare, Austen, Chaucer and more. This meant that literature included only established texts written by authors revered as brilliant by the literary community, thus excluding the works of any other author, regardless of literary merit, from being considered literature, simply because they "essentially" are not. (Geisel, TS 2005) Purpose of the research The purpose of our research is to demonstrate that the film can and should be considered literary. Shakespearean plays and writings have been considered literature by audiences (Erne, L 2013), but this has not extended to other areas of cinema (Anne Bartsch 2012), where viewers prioritize immediate emotional gratification over appreciation of work of a film. Through this study we aim to demonstrate that the film can be considered literary according to the essentialist traits of literature. There have been controversies on similar topics: arguments over whether the film can be considered literary. For example, Matthew Brett Vaden argues in 2015 that “the film encourages viewers to explore the world it shows. Viewers feel the presence and power that the film possesses because they are looking into a secondary world, which seems very real to them, but is also elusive and mystical. and despite the fact that film and literature in the traditional sense are presented through very different means, “at the end of the day they share the same essence, or spirit. That spirit is story, or narrative.” Our goal is to determine how Shaun of the Dead can be considered literary, through a careful analysis of its cinematography, narrative elements, and stylistic language or diction. We choose to study the first, third, and fifth traits of essentialist literature because we think they are the most controversial ones which, once proven, would make our argument much more convincing. The reason for choosing Shaun of the Dead would be that Edgar Wright was considered one of the most brilliant comedy directors and despite all the techniques Edgar Wright employed, many consider his work "funny" at best, andnot at all literary. Thus, through this study we hope to give Edgar Wright the recognition he deserves for his work. We intend to analyze the essentialist traits of Shaun of the Dead, supported by evidence of the film's themes it explores and the development of its characters. The project aims to explore the literary nature of Shaun of the Dead, explicitly defining that Shaun of the Dead possesses inherent literary characteristics according to the five qualities of essentialist literature, as defined below (Culler, 2000). The first essentialist trait of literature dictates that literature must use language competently and demonstrate its intelligence with the manipulation of words. By fictional, it would mean that the plot of the story and its elements are a figment of the author/creator's imagination and, therefore, should not be considered historically true or accurate. Literature must convey universal and transcendental concepts and themes of human nature: love, hate, life or death. Purpose refers to the art of creating literature, whereby the creator intentionally applies language in certain ways. However, literature has no defined purpose for doing so, unlike other forms of text. For example, propaganda has an ulterior motive in its production (Jowett, G., & O.Donnell, V. 2018). Instead, literature allows readers to appreciate it on their own and draw their own conclusions, and it should not be didactic. Intertextuality refers to the intentional similarities between different literary works that alter the viewer's perspective based on a person's knowledge. Intertextuality includes literary devices such as quotations, allusions, pastiche, calque and parody (Genette, G. 2001) (Hallo, William W. 2010). Close reading“much of the focus in the study of postmodern literature is on intertextuality: the relationship between a text (a novel for example) and another or a text in the plot of literary history. Critics consider this an indication of postmodernism's lack of originality and reliance on clichés. Intertextuality in postmodern literature can be a reference or parallel to another literary work, an extended discussion of a work, or the adoption of a style. In postmodern literature this commonly manifests as references to fairy tales – as in the works of Margaret Atwood, Donald Barthelme, and many others – or in references to popular genres such as science fiction and detective fiction. An early 20th century example of intertextuality that influenced later postmodernists is Jorge Luis Borges's "Pierre Menard, Author of Quixote", a story with significant references to Don Quixote that is also a good example of intertextuality with its references to medieval novels. Don Quixote is a common reference among postmodernists, for example Kathy Acker's novel Don Quixote: Which Was a Dream. Another example of intertextuality in postmodernism is John Barth's The Sot-Weed Factor, which deals with Ebenezer Cooke's poem of the same name. Often intertextuality is more complicated than a single reference to another text. Robert Coover's Pinocchio in Venice, for example, links Pinocchio to Thomas Mann's Death in Venice. Furthermore, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco takes the form of a detective novel and references authors such as Aristotle, Arthur Conan Doyle and Borges. “Applies postmodernist concepts of intertextuality and pastiche to Shaun of the Dead. The intertextuality in Shaun of the Dead can be seen in the numerous references it makes to other films and television shows. To list a few examples, in Day of the Dead, a well-known zombie film, a zombie staggers into the frame. Towards the beginning of the film, Shaun of the Deaddemented has a similar shot of Shaun staggering into the camera frame after waking up. Shaun's place of work before the zombie apocalypse is called Foree Electric, a clear reference to one of the stars of Dawn of the Dead (yet another zombie film), Ken Foree. Finally, after the zombie outbreak begins, Ed exclaims to Shaun's mom, "We're coming to get you, Barbara." This line references a line from George Romero's seminal zombie film Night of the Living Dead. Cinematography According to "A Film Experience", film can be analyzed through 7 methods. The analysis of framing, light and color, lens, movement, plot, setting and POV. Cross-referenced with “Corrigan White,” the ability of a film's mise-en-scène to portray themes and messages reinforces the aforementioned “Foregrounding of Language” characteristic. References to other literature can be identified (e.g. intertextuality) and, furthermore, postmodern pastiche will be analyzed to consider this film literary. Themes Peter Barry defined how humanistic literature should express its themes and what kind of themes it expresses in his fundamental work “Theory before Theory”. It details the principles of liberal humanism, and while this is important to our study, we are primarily focusing on the broad definition gleaned from the principles that literature should foreground tensions and paradoxes that are eternally significant to human nature , transcending synchronic and diachronic limits. Structure Shaun of the Dead follows the three-act structure of the film. The structure involves a setup, then a confrontation, and ends with a resolution. (Moura, G. 2014) The acts are punctuated by a plot point that initiates a fundamental change, both within the characters and in their situations. Throughout the entire film, the structure of Shaun of the Dead is used to highlight and enrich the theme of the film, mainly the conflict between wanting to grow up and wanting to maintain one's immature youth. SetupAct I deals with the introduction of Shaun and Liz, as well as their relationship and its difficulties. We learn that the two of them want to be together, but due to Shaun's insecurity and indecisiveness, their relationship is more or less stagnant. The first act focused on setting expectations about the themes that would be explored in the show, such as growth versus nostalgia. Act I also establishes the conformity of society and high life around Shaun. Comparison Act 2 throws viewers into the eventual main conflict by introducing the main characters to the film's main antagonists: zombies, and forces Shaun to confront the relationship issues that have plagued him and Liz. The main characters escape the zombies and find refuge in the Winchester Pub, slowing down the action and setting in motion the human drama that will drive the rest of the film. The choice that Shaun made to grow up and become an adult manifests its consequences in the loss of his mother (and therefore the protection and motherhood that she gave him). David even questions his dedication to becoming more mature, asking further serious questions of Shaun. The zombies then begin their final assault on the Winchester. Shaun and his friends are gradually eliminated one by one, even as Shaun begins to see the benefits of growing up. Resolution In Act 3, Shaun, Ed and Liz are cornered in the basement of the Winchester and come to terms with their mortality just as Shaun is coming to terms with his newfound maturity. Suddenly a deus ex machina arrives in the form of an army and Shaun and Liz are saved. Wright concludes the story by resolving the issues in.