I am legend quotes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. 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. A central theme, as the title suggests, is the nature of legends. Legend is told from the perspective of two leading characters. Soundcloud i am legend theme song by megajack published on 20603t20. I am legend is a post apocalyptic vision by richard matheson, created in 1954 it tells the story of robert neville, the last surviving human in the world, surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires both living and undead. The rest of the book is a collection of short horror stories and not very good ones either. Spoilers its not a bad movie, and it does have a certain charm. I am legend theme song by megajack published on 20603t20. He stood there for a moment looking around the silent room, shaking his head slowly. Litcharts makes it easy to find quotes by chapter, character, and theme.
Lesser films were the last man on earth 1964 and i am legend 2007. 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. Years ago, you see, my husband had wanted to talk about the book, probably when the most recent adaptation to movie form had come out, and i am well known for not reading horror, so it wasnt an unreasonable assumption that i would never read this. He was named a grand master of horror by the world horror convention, and received the bram stoker award for lifetime achievement. The theme of otherness in i am legend from litcharts the. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of. Apr 15, 2008 i am legend piano theme my name is robert neville duration.
Taking care of the movies first, the best adaptation of this 1954 novel was 1971s the omega man. Throughout the novel we slowly learn that the republics citizens are pretty much vulnerable to whatever crazy idea the government comes up with next. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of vampirism. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend.
Choose from 500 different sets of am legend book flashcards on quizlet. A discussion of important themes running throughout i am legend. I am legend was released on december 14, 2007, in the united states and canada, and opened to the largest ever box office not adjusted for inflation for a nonchristmas film released in the u. I am legend themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. The plot of i am legend centers around the survival of a man named.
It is the third movie to be made from the novel and mathesons writings have modernized the vampire, in todays culture. Richard mathesons horror novel i am legend, penned in 1954, is largely considered a pioneer novel for gothic literature in america. 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. The book, however, brings the wide scale stuff down into the mind of one individual. The last man on earth from 1964, with vincent price, sticks with the plot of the book, and more importantly, it sticks to the mood and feel of the book, and is a very well done film. Blending aspects of horror within a science fiction setting, the book is based in the relative future of 1976 but apart from. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up throughout i am legend. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action.
Every character in the postplague world of i am legend tries to survive by whatever means necessary. In the end, he confirms that he is the last man of his race, and at his death, he will be a legend, as vampires are now. In legend the republic of america has a great deal of power over its citizens, and boy does the republic. I am legend rejects any such ambiguity, raising the hero to the status of nearly divine savior. But when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. Day, a renegade from the streets, and june, an elite student at drake university and the republics shining prodigy. In the process, he empowers himself and gives himself a new purpose in life. 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 post. I am legend is very short, not novel length, only 159 pages long, out of the 312 pages in the book. I am legend piano theme my name is robert neville duration. Reaching this blatant christfiguration, i am legend sways radically from the theme of mathesons novel.
But i went into reading i am legend knowing the ending, knowing the twist. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by vampires robert neville is the only. Matheson plays with issues of good and evil, and otherness in general, as his antihero becomes vilified by what he took to be monsters. There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book. In order to develop this theme, the author used the literary technique of point of view throughout the story, switching back and forth between day and junes point of view. Richard matheson 192620 was the new york times bestselling author of i am legend, hell house, somewhere in time, the incredible shrinking man, now you see it, and what dreams may come, among others.
I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Among living things, survival is a fundamental instinct. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that was influential in the modern development of zombie and vampire literature and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. Its influence over major writers of today and continued recognition proves that it deserves to be credited by scholars, as well as included in modern anthologies of. 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. This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel.
I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. Stream i am legend theme song by megajack from desktop or your mobile device. Though he has lost his fear of the vampires, these are afraid of him and want him dead. Later remade as a 2nd movie with will smith minor cover creasing. The book shows that betrayal is only necessary if youre doing it for the right meansfor example, betraying day out of an idea of revenge was a bad idea, but going against the republic because it fits with junes morals makes sense. Taking on such themes as mankinds need for companionship, the fight for survival, and the existence of god, it at least succeeds in making us think. Theme in legend by marie in the dystopian novel legend by marie lu, the author develops the theme of how nothing is as it seems. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. While the first fear is a highly contextdependent one, the second two generalize across cultures and times. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a. I am legend read online free from your pc or mobile. In legend the republic of america has a great deal of power over its citizens, and boy does the republic like to abuse that power.
Til, in the novel i am legend, the vampires fear crosses. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in i am legend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Of course, technically, the books protagonist is the not really the last person on earth and therein lies the conflict of this theme. Learn am legend book with free interactive flashcards. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am legend 2007. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. We assign a color and icon like this one to each theme, making it easy to track which themes apply to each quote below.
Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up. Insofar as i am legend is a window into his psyche, he was afraid of nuclear war, of predation, of being all alone in a dangerous world. One theme throughout the book is the fear and loathing. I am legend is interesting in the context of its predecessors and what the differences have to say about modern popular culture, and further illustrates both the undying interest in mathesons novel and also hollywoods inability to, and perhaps fear of, giving the viewer those very themes that have made the novel a classic of horror. The omega man from 1971, with charlton heston, isnt too bad either, though the story is changed from the book. Smith does a great job as robert neville, the protagonist, and despite some completely unnecessary cgi characters that looked old after a couple of years, its quite a pretty and w. Its influence over major writers of today and continued recognition proves that it deserves to be credited by scholars, as well as included in modern anthologies of american literature. Another important theme of i am legend is the powerboth benevolent and maliciousof science. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york, other than. But unlike most works of horror, i am legend is not a blackandwhite tale of us versus them.
The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend. The story stops annoyingly suddenly, as if the rest of it has been missed off.
Discussion of themes and motifs in richard mathesons i am legend. The two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971. The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of i am legend. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. All these books, he thought, the residue of a planets intellect, the scrapings of futile minds, the leftovers, the potpourri of artifacts that had no power to save men from perishing. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. Day is a criminal on the run for stealing from the republic and making the government look foolish. I picked it up mostly because i read about the alternate ending of the will smith movie, which some criticized for not following the spirit of the book. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure in this postapocalyptic action thriller. In the beginning, hes watching his family from afar they think hes dead and he sees that his.
Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a cloudy day. As for tv, well, chances are that every single twilight zone episode you ever loved was written either by richard matheson or rod serling himself with matheson getting the. I suppose i ought to have read this book in 1965, when i d have been old enough sixteen thereabouts to appreciate its covert unease about the cold war and american fears of communism. Film omega man with charlton heston, based on the classic novel i am legend. I suppose i ought to have read this book in 1965, when id have been old enough sixteen thereabouts to appreciate its covert unease about the cold war and american fears of communism.
Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing i am legend near you. I am legend the movie is based on richard mathesons novel of the same name. 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. This was one of my major issues with the movie version of i am legend the complete loss of civilization is something that bothers me a lot. The first says, man, its just a badass vampire book. The 2007 film was partially based on the 1971 film as well as the original source. Oct 30, 2007 i am legend is very short, not novel length, only 159 pages long, out of the 312 pages in the book.