February 8, 201016 yr William Munny... Client Eastwood's character in Unforgiven. In fact, you could probably make a case for most of the characters Clint Eastwood has played in movies.
February 8, 201016 yr Humphrey Bogart's character in Casablanca. Robert Downey Jr.'s character in Iron Man. Matt Damon as Jason Bourne... real nice guy... wants to stop killing people... seriously... but 'they' won't let him dammit.
February 8, 201016 yr Oh man! I do not have the balls to make a bunch of 18 year olds read Ayn Rand! I think there would be mutiny! Thank you all for your suggestions--and please keep them coming. Throughout the latter 2/3 of the semester we'll be reading and watching stuff to discuss what makes a monster, what can redeem a monster. So, we're going to be doing lots of critical thinking and playing devil's advocate. The final (class) project will to put a "monster" on trial and have a little mock trial. The Fountainhead is so much better than Atlas Shrugged though. Besides, I hear a lot of senior HS english classes have it in the curriculum (mine didn't). Roark's a pretty likable guy unlike Dagny Taggart or Hank Rearden, I think it'd be a fun exercise.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 06:37 PM) Humphrey Bogart's character in Casablanca. Robert Downey Jr.'s character in Iron Man. Matt Damon as Jason Bourne... real nice guy... wants to stop killing people... seriously... but 'they' won't let him dammit. I'd say no to Bogart as Rick in Casablanca. I think it was always made clear that he fought the good fight both in his earlier life and also later as the proprietor of the Cafe. He worked hard to convey the image of a tough and morally ambiguous person (ostensibly to never be hurt in love again), but his kindness to the random Bulgarian couple attempting to flee to freedom, his willingness to aid Victor Laszlo at the expense of his own happiness. etc., puts him firmly on the side of the Good Guys. Claude Rain's Captain Renault said it best: “As I suspected. . . you're a rank sentimentalist.” As an aside, I continue to rank Casablanca amog the top five American films ever made.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Feb 9, 2010 -> 12:48 AM) The Fountainhead is so much better than Atlas Shrugged though. Besides, I hear a lot of senior HS english classes have it in the curriculum (mine didn't). Roark's a pretty likable guy unlike Dagny Taggart or Hank Rearden, I think it'd be a fun exercise. But you have to read all her stupid bulls*** about architecture which comes across as retarded also the sex scenes. Meursault from The Stranger. i don't even know what my argument would be.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 07:51 PM) But you have to read all her stupid bulls*** about architecture which comes across as retarded also the sex scenes. Meursault from The Stranger. i don't even know what my argument would be. Your argument would be: "I read Camus. look at my Large Brain! Wanna have sex with me?" Or maybe that's my argument.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 03:23 PM) Daniel Plainview. I think that character was overtly evil.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 04:49 PM) Frank Castle/Punisher I think he's the definition of moral ambiguity in pop culture. Ooh, that's a very good one. I was going to say Tony Soprano or Dexter Morgan, but both have been added already.
February 9, 201016 yr How about reading or watching Watchmen? There are at least three characters that would make for good conversation (Ozymandias, Comedian, and Rorschach).
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Feb 9, 2010 -> 02:12 AM) Ooh, that's a very good one. I was going to say Tony Soprano or Dexter Morgan, but both have been added already. Are Dexters morals really ambiguous though? He has a code that he describes in detail.
February 9, 201016 yr Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe's character from American Gangster) Donnie Brasco/Joe Pistone Trent (Vince Vaughn in Swingers) Former governor George Ryan Captain Benjamin Willard
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 08:21 PM) Are Dexters morals really ambiguous though? He has a code that he describes in detail. He gets rid of bad people, which is a good thing. But, he does so by killing them. That can make for good discussion.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 08:17 PM) How about reading or watching Watchmen? There are at least three characters that would make for good conversation (Ozymandias, Comedian, and Rorschach). I like that a lot. Ozymandias would make a hell of a case study.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 08:23 PM) I like that a lot. Ozymandias would make a hell of a case study. And so would Comedian (and Rorschach to a lesser extent, IMO). That book/movie would be a great topic for discussion on moral ambiguity.
February 9, 201016 yr QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 8, 2010 -> 08:21 PM) Are Dexters morals really ambiguous though? He has a code that he describes in detail. The same argument could be made for several of the above, basically all of the archetypal vigilantes. But the ability to rationalize away moral dilemmas to your own satisfaction doesn't mean the rationale carries weight with society at large. The hallmark of these characters as sociopaths is going to be the personal moral relativism that allows them to behave the way they do.
February 9, 201016 yr I thought about Watchmen characters, but I thought that not many people would get the reference.
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