Both Shelley and Scott present worlds where the pursuit of perfection is seen as futile.

Do
you agree? (20/20) (An evaluate type question in disguise)

The view that both composers of Bladerunner (1992) and Frankenstein (1818) present worlds
where societal and emotional perfection is unattainable is valid and credible. A pursuit of
perfection can be seen as a sense of social equality where all individuals and outsiders are
embraced. However, the futility of this aspiration is influenced by the blindness to the plight
of rejected individuals in Shelleys post-Industrial Age and Scotts post-modernist societies.
In addition, a barrier to emotional perfection is evident through the failure of the Creators in
both texts to achieve a realisation of the value of life. They are possessed by a reckless
pursuit for scientific and economic endeavour which hinders this positive experience of a
Creator-creation relationship. Both texts also present the despairing hope of achieving full
control over the emotions and actions of spurned creations as a mechanism to gain perfect
psychological manipulation.

A comparative study reveals the flawed aspirations of both Bladerunner and Frankenstein to
achieve a decisive, authoritative and firm control over their creations. This idea of the
manipulation of the identity of creations is seen as futile in both texts. In Shelleys novel, she
comments on the inability of Frankenstein to chastise or subdue his abhorrent creation. The
Creatures delight at the destruction of the de Laceys with flames with hungry and licking
tongues is emphasized through the personification and visual imagery. This heightens the
violence or an individual unrestrained and uncontrolled. Moreover, this fervent intellectual
behaviour which remains unabated is furthered with the Creatures exclamation of the past
was blotted from my memory, the future gilded by rays of hope. Here, the hyperbolic
language suggests the Creatures joy in nature, typical of Romantic idealism. This evocation
also elucidates the ridiculing of Frankensteins attempt to mould the Creatures own identity.
Furthermore, parallels can be made with Bladerunner where the pursuit of a dominant and
unquestionable control over artificial beings is marred by an evident independence possessed
by the Replicants. In shaping their own identity and emotional experience, these artificial
creations seek to be rid of the control of Creators. When Roy consults Leon, he is amused by
Leons precious photos. Here, the frank and sarcastic tone evokes the attachment Leon has
to his photos as reservoirs for his memories. This is an emotional depth unable to be tainted
by Tyrell. Also, Tyrells misaligned attempt to subdue the creations identity with a pillow
for their emotions is portrayed through the subverted warm connotations of pillow to act
as a futile control over them. Thus the failure to manipulate creations resonates across both
texts.

The pursuit of societal perfection of unity is at odds with and discordant to the abject
isolation of artificial creations labelled as social outsiders. This inherent inability to
accommodate spurned creations is evident across both Frankenstein and Bladerunner.
Shelleys novel introduces the Creature as a tormented individual rejected by its own creator,
its anguish is keenly felt through the anguished remark I ought to by thy Adam. Here, the


subversion of the religious allusion communicates the despair and futility of society to
embrace outsiders, as embodied by Frankenstein. In addition, this inherent moroseness
caused by a rejection by society is instilled through the visual imagery in shelter from the
seasonsand barbarity of man. The zeugma here correlates to the misery of an individual
unable to connect to society. This futility of societal cohesion is supplanted by Shelleys post-
Industrial age where technology in fact undermines societal perfection. Similarly, Scotts
overly-mechanised world presents this social failure, where Replicants are spurned by society.
Here, the paralleled colour palette of Pris clothing and the garbage mis-en-scene behind her
suggests the failure of society to address the needs of artificial creations. It is clear that across
both texts, the lofty aim of social accord with rejected individuals is not attained but merely
prolonged.

A pursuit of perfection, in regards to the penultimate value of life, is often obstructed by an
overly narrow mindset to creation which makes this dream futile. Here, both Shelleys
Frankenstein and Scotts Tyrell are viewed as inhumane Creators. Shelleys novel
Frankenstein is grounded in the Enlightenment era where rational thought turned to scientific
experimentation. In this novel, when Frankenstein is about to infuse the spark of life, the
grandiose and over-zealous tone in life appeared to me ideal bounds suggests his reckless
pursuit of science. It depicts a view of creation as a mere stage in scientific endeavour. This
claim demonstrates the callous attitude of society to artificial creations, presenting the futile
attempt to gain emotional perfection. Similarly, Scotts film Bladerunner envisions a world
where the acquirement of an idealic importance of life is made futile by the overly
economically-orientated beliefs of its Creator, Tyrell. In the dystopic environs of LA 2019,
Tyrell appears grand and imposing over his creations, ignorant of their plight, seemingly
ambitious to gain aggrandisement. Here, when Tyrell is approached by Roy, Tyrell dismisses
him with the words that is out of my jurisdiction. Here, the legal connotations are subverted
to evoke the failure to gain a true comprehension of the value of life, instead, Tyrell appears
unperturbed by the woes of his creations, overlooking them for profit. His dismissive tone in
Rachel is an experiment, nothing more is coupled with the scientific connotations to
suggest his sinister economic aim which devalues creation and life. Thus the pursuit of
emotional perfection in terms of the value of life is seen as unattainable across both texts.

The pursuit of perfection of social solidarity, emotional control and the value of life are
seen to be false hopes. In both Frankenstein and Bladerunner, the idealic vision of a perfect
society where all individuals are embraced, not shown resentment is seen to be futile. In
addition, the perfect appreciation of life for its true worth is disrupted by the attitudes of
Creators. The vain pursuit for a successful manipulation of creations is also presented as a
reality for societies. Thus this hollow aspiration for the pursuit of perfection is seen across
both texts.