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Illuminated Texts: John Gardner's Grendel
Illuminated Texts created by students that illustrate and illuminate John Gardner's novel, Grendel.
Dark Chasms: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel by Sima Cunningham
A brilliant and insightful examination of Grendel's choices (or lack thereof) in an animated Power Point video created by Sima Cunningham. Once again, this Illuminated Text shows the power that the words from the text have (and that the pictures -- or lack thereof) in Illuminated Texts are secondary. [You can also choose to view a Flash Video version of this presentation].
Grendel the Destroyer: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
This presentation by Briana Ryan and Kalissa Kakarous focuses on the destructive nature that Grendel embraces (reluctantly) after his meeting with the Dragon. A simple background - a tree encircled by mist -- with blood red text tells of Grendels journey from innocent to a jaded monster who bitterly accepts his fate. [There is now a Quick Time Video version of this Illuminated Text - if you have had any problems viewing the Power Point version].
Grendel in Flash: A New Kind of Illuminated Text
This Illuminated Text by Courtney Hong and Emma Ocampo on John Gardner's Grendel is a watershed in many ways. For one, it is the first to use Adobe Flash, rather than Power Point -- for another it uses the text extensively, appropriately, and ultimately beautifully to tell the story of Grendel -- his alienation and his encounter with the accidental nature of life. It is a stunning accomplishment.
Tedium is the Worst Pain: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel.
This presentation by Vaishak Bapu and Luis Barragon shows exactly how intricate planning can pay off when creating an Illuminated Text. It begins with the word "Pain" appearing and then it beats like a heart -- slowly, all so slowly the rest of the line about tedium appears -- the point is made not only with the text but through the very act of their appearance. The music, in a minor key, plays like a ballet of words and letters. "Friend" and "comfort" become Grendels "shadows" -- later a black hole swallows up all of man's theories and logic. An incredible Power Point presentation.
Mercy: An Illluminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
This presentation by Izat Mir and Jason Weng seems to begin innocently enough - the background image is pastoral and Grendel is sparring with the ram. But as the Illuminated Text continues - a theme - a focus builds. First Grendel goes to the Mead Hall to seek friendship - and he is attacked. He cries for "Mercy." Then he sees the same injustice being thrust upon Wealhtheow - and he again asks those around him for "mercy." The authors of this Illuminated Text do a terrific job of making a point and building their support throughout the presentation. Please remember, as this is a Power Point Illuminated Text, to hear the sound you must use Internet Explorer as your browser and choose to Open rather than to Save when you click on the link below.
Theories: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel using Power Point
Although most students now create their Illluminated Texts using Adobe Flash, this outstanding presentation, by Charlie Stanton and James Bobbitt, was done using Microsoft Power Point (please be aware that in order to view and listen to Power Point Illuminated Texts you must use Internet Explorer - a browser that currently makes the rest of this website hard to read). However, what they have done with Power Point is nothing less than incredible. Different questions appear around the word, theores, and the word itself becomes a road through which the men that create their theories walk on over the canyon of reality. A terrrific presentation.
Torn Apart by Poetry: An Illluminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
This Illuminated Text by Diana Camacho, Candy Wu, and Kelley Mui - tells the story of The Shaper, the bard or scop who arrives in the middle of the night at Hrothgar's court and so infuriates, frustrates, and moves Grendel with his tales of heroism, glory, and beauty that Grendel knows implicitely to be false. The presentation resembles what is best about epic movies - it takes the viewer through the text and through the story of the shaper and Grendels reaction to his songs. As the piano plays in the background the text beautifully and creatively unfolds -- at one point the words "hairy monster" assemble themselves into the very beast. A powerful and inventive Illuminated Text.
Pointless, ridiculous, monster: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel by Luke Strom & Jordan Oswald
Celtic music plays in the background - and the words "Baby Grendel" appear on the screen - it then says "I" still "played cat and mouse with the universe." And the letter "I" does exactly that chasing the cat in the mouse across the screen. The text in this wonderful Illuminated Text comes alive, but that brilliance is even outdone by the critical connections that the authors create. Grendel -- still young and innocent is compared to the young queen Wealtheow -- given away as a prize, a tribute. And as the presentation makes clear - the real monsters are not named Grendel.
The Dragon Smiled: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
There is a wonderful focus in this presentation by Julius Dixon, Norman Xu, and Raymond Kwong. Using Flash, the animators show the conversation taking place between Grendel and the Dragon - they pay special attention to the colors of the fonts: blue for water, red for the dragon. At one wonderful and inventive part of the Illuminated Text, an emerald grabbed by Grendel, becomes a gem made up solely of words. A great job.
The Sky Says Nothing: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
This incredible presentation by Amalia McCallister and Devin Jankovitch, concentrates on Grendel's battle with the heavens. It begins where the novel begins, Grendel is talking to the unresponsive sky -- and getting no reply he becomes more and more frustrated by what he sees as the meaninglessness of the world. The artists here use backgrounds of blue, clouded skies as well as total eclipses and galaxies to explore Grendel's view of the world. At one point the words appear in the sky and grow the monster's fangs. An outstanding Illuminated Text in every way. Please note: this Power Point is very large and will take a long time before it begins to stream or to download.
Deadly Progression: An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
Sometimes it is hard to determine whether the best of these Illuminated Texts belong in a Literature Class or an Art Class - and this presentation by Lila Chui and Sage Dukunue is that kind of project. There is a beautiful opening sequence -- and the fonts are chosen with care and perfectly reflect the action that the text is describing. The letters rearrange themselves to show that action as well. The wonderful thing about using Adobe Flash in these projects is that it forces the authors (of the presentation) to consider why and what they are doing very seriously.
That went by - so can this: An Illumnated Text of Grendel, Beowulf, and the Anglo-Saxon poem, "Deor"
This presentation that spans three works was done, appropriately, by three students: Jacob Matisyak, Francesca Moroni, and Josh Moran. They also use a medely of music that progresses through time to show Grendel's own progression of thought. There are some very creative touches here - the use of thought bubbles and Grendel remembers his past and as Beowulf ponders what is in front of him. It is very well done -- and very well thought out.
Invisible Floors: an Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
This beautiful, ominous, and ultmately enlightening Illuminated Text by Vadim and Adam shows once again the potential that these projects have to explain and define a piece of text. Using a dark background of a very fierce dragon - white text that changes depending on its meaning and context rolls and moves across the screen. A particularly forceful Mozart composition plays in the background - as the dragon explains to Grendel his place in the world and how it is about to change. Words change shape -- form mountains, abyss's and create a bigger picture for the viewer. The presentation climaxes in the dragon's final advice to Grendel.
The Prisoner: An Illuminated Text by Alicia Acevedo on Grendel, Young Goodman Brown and Plato's "The Cave."
This Illuminated Text by Alicia Acevedo brilliantly combines common ideas (and text) from Grendel, "Young Goodman Brown" and Plato's "The Cave." If we are prisoner's, who are our wardens? This presentation demonstrates the power of reaching across texts to show common ideas and even more importantly the interplay of the text between different works. As it is done in Power Point, you will need to use Internet Explorer to hear the sound.
Innocence Lost - An Illuminated Text of John Gardner's Grendel
If you want to see how well an Illuminated Text can follow one theme, have thesis, all the way through - this presentation by Brenda Morales and Natalie Jeung is a superb example. They use white on black text throughout and paint pictures with words (the "no" in innocence pulls away from the word in the opening slide) that follow Grendel's transformation from a young innocent child through his first encounter with men and then back to his deep lair with his mother who knows that something has changed in her child. They do an outstanding job in every way.
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