Overview
This assignment asks you to write a short, formal paper comparing the relation of any aspect of Chaplin’s work we’ve explored in class to a contemporary figure, film, or media work of your choosing. For the purposes of this assignment, “contemporary” refers to any performance or cultural product produced in the last 30 years. The goal behind this assignment is to investigate an aspect of Chaplin’s legacy as we might observe and evaluate it today.
You may decide to write on a performer, filmmaker, or artist who openly acknowledges the influence of Chaplin. Or you may want to choose a figure, film, or a performance-based work about whom the influence of Chaplin has not been recognized or claimed – at least as far as you know.
In shaping your discussion, take care to consider both the merits and limitations of the comparisons you make. In what ways does “Chaplin” or “Charlie,” and the films that brought both figures international fame, remain relevant in our present cultural era, or a particular sector of it? Also consider the ways in which recognizably “Chaplinesque” images, behaviors, or patterns may carry different meanings today, in light of changing cultural codes or the new pathways through which cultural materials now circulate and have impact.
Papers will be evaluated in terms of: (1) the originality and coherence of the comparisons and contrasts you articulate; and (2) the clarity and precision with which you express your ideas. As always with formal writing, you are responsible for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.