Zach Connell
Weber Griffiths
This was a very interesting and exciting project, and it really allowed both of us to see history in a new way. Using two sources, listed below, we were able to enter the world of Alexander Graham Bell and intertwine it with the fantasy world we created. Since he was a teacher for the deaf, we thought it would be important to include him doing that, giving him a reason to not be in his workshop and thus creating an incentive for the heroes to track him down. One of the articles mentioned Bell receiving all the credit for his invention, and others criticized him for it. This allowed us to give the Alexander in the story more reason to not trust his Assistant.
This slight blend of historical fact (Bell teaching a class to deaf students and the tension between him and his assistant) allow a certain amount of reality to permeate an otherwise fictional story. It helped to build humor as well by portraying Bell and his assistant at odds with each other. This clarified motivation and also showcased a perhaps less known character trait of the famous Alexander Graham Bell, which added to the “over-the-top” humor of the whole short. It is an almost poetic contrast as well between fantastical time travel and true to life historical fact.
The graphical novel “After the Deluge” by Josh Neufeld is a great example of a creative treatment of an historical event and inspired in part our own work. Though his novel is more serious, Neufeld’s portrayal of Hurricane Katrina and its effects on New Orleans is done in a creative and new medium not often associated with the genre. It’s colorful sketches and comic book formatting engage the reader in history and allow one to take a whole new perspective on what history means and what it can teach us. Though Bell is humorous and improbable, it echoes similar ideas in its plot. The dichotomous use of fantasy and history uniquely engage the reader in the story and gives them a new (and perhaps very strange) perspective on past events.
This creative treatment of history is seen all over in modern pop-culture, often comedically. As in our script, creative and comedic treatments of history are common and serve to engage and inform an audience. One example of this that reflects our own work is the film Inglourious Basterds (2009). Both Bell and Inglourious Basterds deal with an alternate historical past and specifically they both deal with a comedic execution of a famed historical figure. While Inglourious Basterds is different in many aspect, the comedic execution of Adolf Hitler at the end of the film (A very inaccurate and incorrect portrayal) is very similar to our own execution of Alexander Bell. Both treat lightly major historical events, though not frivolously. It all very intentionally conveys the stories mood and theme while at the same time allowing viewers to see history in a new and creative light.
Sources
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