In the first few scenes of i am legend neville is seen driving through the streets of new york, while a spiritual symbol appears, in the form of a butterfly, on a poster. He has some bad qualitys but also good qualitys that helped him stay alive through this hard time. I have decided to use robert neville from i am legend as the starting point. Indeed, nobody in 2007 could believe that we were going to. The character of robert neville in i am legend from litcharts.
The protagonist is a masculine man named robert neville, he is the last surviving human on the planet, living with only. The film is recorded in america and will smith is in the main role as lieutenant robert neville in new york. The protagonist is robert neville, a 36yearold blondhaired, blueeyed man who is the. On christmas eve, when the krippin virus broke out in new york, neville drove his wife, zoe, and daughter, marley to. Robert lives his life amongst the ruins of a world he helped destroy. The novel has been made into three movies, including omega man 1971 and i am legend 2007. In 2007, a third adaptation of the novel was produced, this time titled i am legend.
I am legend is a story about robert neville, a man who is supposedly the only human still living in a postapocalyptic world. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend, originated the zombie genre in both fiction and movies. Sep 12, 2008 i am legend in i am legend, lieutenant colonel robert neville will smith is possibly the last living man on earth since the outbreak of a geneticallyengineered variant of the measles virus that causes victims to become predatory and vampiric beings. Neville describes marleys desire to cure racism and hate with music and love, and he emulates marleys desire with his desire to find a cure for the krippin virus.
Despite nevilles infamous but would you let your sister marry one. Feb, 2008 my name is robert neville i am survivor living in newyork city. Robert neville will smith is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable and manmade. In richard mathesons 1954 science fiction novel i am legend, robert neville is the sole surviving human following a plague possibly resulting from a war. Robert neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and manmade. Dec 14, 2017 lieutenant colonel robert neville will smith attempts to find an antidote to the worldshattering mutation. Set after an outbreak of a viral plague that turns both living and dead into creatures resembling vampires, the plot follows last of his kind robert neville. I am preaching tomorrow on the topic, it is not good for man to be alone gen 2. The film, i am legend is a postapocalyptic science fiction film directed by francis lawrence and starring. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville. Restraint three years, robert has sent extinguished daily radio messages, regardless to ascertain any other survivor who susceptibility be extinguished there. Robert neville is a disciple who is weak to plug the distribute of the horrifying bane that is destructive, irredeemable, and manmade. Definition of a legend in i am legend by robert neville pages 5. While his friends and family become vampires, neville converts his house into a fortress, and spends his days traveling around the city, killing any sleeping vampires he can find.
The isolation neville must suffer and the insanity of his postapocalyptic existence come sharply into focus as night falls in this. Just think if it was you all by yourself, with no one to even talk. Inner dialogue and flashbacks, also from nevilles perspective, reveal the backstory of war, plague, and the rise of vampirism in a postapocalyptic world. I am legend is a 2007 film adaption of the novel of the same name. This adaptation also deviates significantly from the novel. Find a summary of this and each chapter of i am legend. I am legend film analysis essay 1227 words bartleby.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. As i am legend begins, in january, 1976, earth has been ravaged, first by nuclear war, then by a mysterious plague that transforms its victims into vampires. On christmas eve, when the krippin virus broke out in new york, neville drove his wife, zoe, and daughter, marley to an evacuation point. Seeing the opening scene, we expect i am legend to be a utopian movie. A military virologist, neville spent three years in manhattan searching for a cure to the krippin virus. The opposite is true, actually, because i am legend is mathesons condemnation of a white power structure that facilitated racial subjugation in america in the first place. January 1976 chapter one on those cloudy days, robert neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back. A virus was created using the measles in order to cure cancer.
I am legend does contain memorable scenes, as when the island is being evacuated, and when neville says goodbye to his wife and daughter salli richardson and willow smith, and when he confides in his dog who is not computergenerated, most of the time, anyway. Somehow immune, neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of new york city and maybe the world. Analysis and discussion of characters in richard mathesons i am legend. Every night, he barricades himself inside his house and keeps the vampire horde at bay.
I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic action thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. The character of robert neville in i am legend from litcharts the. When the deers run in front of robert nevilles car the editing is sped up and quick cut transitions are now used this is to add suspense and. An infectious virus has taken over the globe and converted everyone to vampirism. Many will consider anne frank a legend because she wrote and left behind her diary that told her hidden life during world war ii. Carl sagan in i am legend the main character robert neville often tries to escape his reality by having delusions.
The film was released to theaters on friday, december 14, 2007. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Living alone in new york city, robert neville smith, a former lieutenant and us army virologist, tasks himself with finding a cure to the plague. Robert neville died some time in 1979 in the novel by richard matheson. He roams the barren streets of new york with his trusty companion, sam, to find food and. Robert neville wont let everything destruct and leave the world to fray, i wont let this happen. While his friends and family become vampires, neville converts his house into a fortress, and spends his days traveling. A definate must see film, real action, real emotional and plenty of. I am legend, directed by francis lawrence, is the latest adaptation of richard mathesons 1954 novel of the same name, following two earlier versions. This film is made for people at the of the age 15 and older, because it contains some violent scenes and rough action.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. Robert neville will smith is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and manmade in this postapocalyptic action thriller. Robert neville is the sole survivor of an outbreak of vampiris. Then he opened his eyes and lit another cigarette, letting the smoke go deep into his lungs. Camera angles this angle gives a deserted abandoned feeling to the audience again duethethe starts with an establishing shot of to film presence of only one moving car new york city, this shows a lifeless run instead of a crowded avenue. Directed by francis lawrence and starring will smith as robert neville, this film uses both mathesons novel and the 1971 omega man film as its sources. Robert neville appears to be the sole survivor of a pandemic that has killed most of the human population and turned the remainder into vampires that largely. Like contagion, black death, outbreak, 12 monkeys, the help, rise of the planets of the apes and any number of other films, the 2007 hit i am legend involves the spread of disease.
To robert neville the situation merely existed as natural fact. Monday, november 03, 2008 michael allen 2 comments. I am legend written by richard matheson 1557 words cram. Chapter summary for richard mathesons i am legend, part 1 chapter 3 summary. I am legend film analysis free essay example by essaylead. An immune survivor, neville spends his days hunting vampires, scavenging and struggling with loneliness, and the nights being taunted by undead vampires that keep swarming outside his house. On those cloudy days, robert neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back. A legend is someone who is repeatedly told in a story. The film, i am legend is a postapocalyptic science fiction film directed by francis lawrence and starring will smith. Learn all about how the characters in i am legend such as robert neville and ruth. Robert neville finds himself alone after a hideous mutation turns humans into vampires. In i am legend, its a manmade disease which results in the effort to eradicate cancer and our natural desire for control is what unleashes all of the monsters. I am legend is told from the thirdperson limited point of view, from the perspective of the protagonist robert neville. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of i am legend, directed by francis lawrence.
It wouldnt be so bad if it werent that he had to listen to them. It was still scarey but only had that horror effect when the time was right or when the monster was approached. Richard matheson writes a novel that follows robert neville, the last man on earth. The i am legend novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. How long can robert neville survive alone with his dog in a world of vampires and how long do you think you can live in this case. Mar 28, 2020 i am preaching tomorrow on the topic, it is not good for man to be alone gen 2. Detailed analysis of characters in richard mathesons i am legend. Lieutenant colonel robert neville will smith attempts to find an antidote to the worldshattering mutation. Get everything you need to know about robert neville in i am legend. Definition of a legend in i am legend by robert neville.
All characters robert neville ruth ben cortman virginia neville. Robert neville is the lead character in richard mathesons classic novel, i am legend. Bear in mind i am legend was wrote after washington square. Alice krippin is interviewed about her great discovery, she has changed the measles so that it attacks cancerous cells. And if it is true that mankind has 100 years to live before we destroy our. Definition of a legend in i am legend by robert neville kibin. Catherine and robert share many comparisons in character and are unquestionably alike.
During the early stages of the outbreak of vampiris, neville was bitten by a infected vampire bat, but as the bat was not human, the vampiris it introduced into neville s system through that bite acted as a vaccine against the disease. In richard mathesons i am legend, robert neville is the last living man on earth, having somehow managed to survive an incurable virus that has mutated every last man, woman, and child in the world into bloodthirsty and vampirelike creatures who prowl and ravage the abandoned ruins of civilization at night. The character of robert neville in i am legend from. The title is a reference to robert nevilles favorite album, legend by bob marley. Robert neville is an average, casually but not completely racist white american. I am legend took on a new significance in 2011 with the outbreak of h1n1 in 2011, fuelling conspiracy theories and providing. He was captured by a vampire society and committed suicide biography. In this paper i will analisy the movie i am legend to better understand the overall storyline and its plot. Robert neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and manmade. In his book, i am legend, richard matheson depicts a dystopian world in which robert neville is the last man on earth surrounded by vampires. None of these movies used the ending of the original novel.
The appearance of butterflies in i am legend occurs over a half dozen times during. Through his perspective, i am legend is a story of hope wrapped in a layer of post. The movie i am legend was a horror movie that took a different aprroach from your normal horror movies. If he had been more analytical, he might have calculated the approximate time of their arrival. Immune, neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of new york city and perhaps the world. The i am legend community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. I am legend in i am legend, lieutenant colonel robert neville will smith is possibly the last living man on earth since the outbreak of a geneticallyengineered variant of the measles virus that causes victims to become predatory and vampiric beings.
Francis lawrences i am legend is a 2007 sciencefiction thrillerdrama starring will smith as the lone survivor of a devastating virus that has wiped out 90% of the population of humanity. Lieutenant colonel robert neville was the main protagonist of i am legend. I am legend my name is robert neville soundtrack youtube. Dec, 2007 i am legend does contain memorable scenes, as when the island is being evacuated, and when neville says goodbye to his wife and daughter salli richardson and willow smith, and when he confides in his dog who is not computergenerated, most of the time, anyway. We believe that robert neville is heroic in some ways, but also unheroic in other ways. Robert neville, as he searches for a cure to a vicious, manmade disease. Through him, richard matheson dramatizes humanitys desperate struggle to overcome a catastrophe that it. Robert neville is the main character in i am legend and in some ways almost the. Camera angles the film starts with an establishing shot of new york city, this shows a lifeless run down new york which creates questions in the audiences minds. Robert neville tries to take his mind off the days activity. In metropolis and blade runner, the scientist is quite crazy, socially very different. Inner dialogue and flashbacks, also from neville s perspective, reveal the backstory of war, plague, and the rise of vampirism in a postapocalyptic world.
The novel version of i am legend is better then the motion picture because the information slowly leaks out about nevilles past, present, and specifics about the vampires. Robert neville closed his eyes a moment and held his lips in a tight line. This sentence is also said by dr neville during another scene, completed by. A detailed description of i am legend characters and their importance. I am legend focuses on lieutenant colonel robert neville will smith, a doctor fighting a virus that has seemingly wiped out all of the human race except him. Need help with chapter 2 in richard mathesons i am legend. The title is a reference to robert neville s favorite album, legend by bob marley. Sep 11, 2011 robert neville is the last normal living man in the world.
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