Twilight Characters Manifesting the Saviour Mode

One of, if not my favourite novels is the Twilight Saga. I know many people have developed a hatred for Twilight but I definitely suggest reading it. I absolutely love the saga but had developed somewhat of a hatred (until New Moon) for the films for they are an injustice to the novels. Anyways, when I think of a Christ figure in film, or someone who is the closest to a Christ figure, I think of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

As discussed in lecture, there are two modes of Christic representation, and they are the Saviour mode and the Redeemer mode. I find both of these characters as manifesting the Saviour mode for reasons which will be further discussed.  Edward Cullen can most obviously represent a Christ figure and manifests the Saviour mode for he takes extreme caution to protect Bella Swan from everything possible. He constantly rescues her from dangers and liberates her from her tedious and uneventful life. He is a wonderful example of a Christ figure for he is a saviour for Bella.

Moreover, Bella Swan represents a Christ figure and displays the Saviour mode. She liberates Edward Cullen from himself and shows him a life that he never knew could ever exist; he likewise does the same for her. Edward Cullen and Bella Swan both exhibit the Saviour and Redeemer mode, but the Saviour mode is definitely more identifiable.

How does Jesus look like?

           Eric, I like that you discussed the notion that everyone has their own vision of Christ’s appearance. This is a very interesting discussion and there is a number of people that are obsessed with the appearance of Christ. As you have stated, society should focus more on the good Christ brought to the world than his bodily and facial characteristics. That is incredibly intriguing the fact that different cultures have their own personal Jesus. Wondering why this may be and why it is popular, Christians personalize Jesus’ appearance for it allows one to have a more intimate relationship with Him. Allowing the Son of God to possess certain characteristics that you have makes him much more relatable and real.

            I questioned myself asking why society depicts Christ’s features being that of blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin and facial hair. I saw a documentary a little while ago on the History Channel that was discussing the appearance of Christ. The skull of a person who lived approximately at the same time as Christ was analyzed and the DNA showed the appearance of the man. I remember what the narrator said; it was something along the lines of “Now this may shock you.” The skull that was tested showed a man with dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin and dark facial hair—he looked like he was Arabic. This man was to reveal what Christ looked like and He was an Arab, which is what He indeed was. This came as a shock to some but why should it for Christ was born in the Palestine of His day. When I think about the reason why Christ is envisioned to have blond hair and light features, I automatically think of Renaissance art. Renaissance art depicts Christ as a blond haired, blue eyed, fair skinned man for the artists made their Christ be what people, for example Italians, looked like at that period. Medieval art tended to represent Christ having darker features, although some artists envisioned Him with light features. The reason being why Christ in today’s society is depicted as Renaissance artists depicted Him is because of the popularity and the huge influence of Renaissance art. This is an important notion to keep in mind that the light features of Christ are relatively recent.

Medieval Image of Christ

Renaissance Image of Christ

The Problem of Social Networking

Kathleen, you did a wonderful job with the presentation of your blog. I read the article about the Pope’s warning of alienation risks in social networking and it was very interesting to see what the Church has to say about social networking. Pope Benedict XVI’s views are like my own in that people should not think that their ‘friends’ on Facebook for example, are real friends. I have a number of friends (actual ones) that have over 500 friends, some nearing 1000 friends on Facebook. I guarantee they have not physically met a few hundred of them. I personally find it quite pointless to have ‘friends’ on Facebook if they do not live up to the name.

It is quite humorous the fact that my little brother, still in elementary school, is wanting a cellular phone because his friends at school have it. It is obviously pointless for him to have one for he is still a kid. My sister received a Blackberry for her birthday, and now she is complaining how she wants to switch phones. The fact that her phone goes off every minute from text messages, Facebook notifications, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger makes her annoyed (myself included) with the constant noise and the fact that people cannot leave her alone. She says now that she has a phone, she wants to completely get rid of it.

Social networking is expanding, how far it will go, no one knows. There are various problems with social networking; the fundamental ones in my eyes are the creation of artificial relationships as well as the advertising of one’s life.

The Power of Sensory Experience

           Emotional branding is an entirely new concept to me. Last week’s lecture was very informative for it opened my eyes and gave me the ability to criticize various advertisements and see what approaches advertising companies use in order to woo the consumer. Emotional branding, the belief that brands offer more than just items but emotionally attract its consumers and appeal to one’s senses, is an innovative element in the world of advertising today. The fact that the way a person feels about a particular object is more important than the appearance or even function of the object itself reveals the dependence society has investing in products. As discussed in lecture, brands are meaning systems now, and this truth is crucial in understanding the relevance of emotional branding in today’s advertisements.

            Emotional branding makes consumers irrational people by being easily persuaded by companies in their attempts to increase sales. Peoples’ love for designer clothes, technological devices, hair products and even beverages reveals the problems (or advantages) with capitalist societies. Reducing people to consumers is unlawful and an embarrassment to what it means to be human. Identifying oneself as an owner of a 6.1 L, Hemi V8 Chrysler SRT or a Samsung 60” LED HDTV gives the perception that our only purpose in life is to consume. So, as James B. Twitchell states, “You are either with the brand or against it” (53). The interesting fact of the matter is that either consciously or subconsciously, products give us our identities. Similarities between others in terms of the products we share can spark a conversation and even a friendship.

            The way in which brands make us feel is a rather odd and fascinating thing. As discussed in lecture, brands make us feel good. An example of the reasoning behind this are colours that products possess. As highlighted by Marc Gobe in the video attached below, the colour red, in the case of Coca-Cola, is the colour of power; thus those who consume Coca-Cola can feel powerful and confident. He also gives the example of the colour yellow which represents the sun, symbolizing energy and therefore making the consumer energized and happy. The modification of the colours of objects can completely change the perception of the brand, as discussed by Gobe. An intriguing statement Gobe claims near the end of the video is, “Corporations don’t own brands, people own brands.” This assertion by Marc Gobe highlights the overall theme of the importance of brands in one’s life and its contribution to their identity.

Please check the link below which is a video of Emotional Branding by Marc Gobe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfIj5-AotKU

Also, here is the link to his website:

http://emotionalbranding.com/