Period 2 non-literary works reflection

 LP entry: Reflect on the two non-literary bodies of work that we have looked at so far this period. 

• Global issues

• How the GIs are represented

• Contrasts with earlier texts and/or works

The two non-literary bodies of work that we've looked at are Rick and Morty and Victim. Rick and Morty as a body of work is a show that often tries to tackle existential questions through the medium of comedy, sci-fi, and often nihalism. Exploration of these themes is often confined to the subtext of episodes, while the episode's plot tends to focus on entertaining sci-fi scenarios. Some parallels can be drawn to Key & Peel in how they use comedy to explore certain issues in an indirect way. On the other hand, Victim is a serious nóir thriller dealing largely with issues of sexual identity in the time it was made. The constraints of what was acceptable in cinema, and indeed society as a whole, are felt throughout the film as a conscious effort is made to tread within the lines of what can be shown. Interestingly, homosexuality is still presented as a flaw, but the film argues that it's not a criminal one. The strongest comparison/contrast I can think of to earlier works is that of Oranges are Not the Only Fruit, which deals with similar themes, but in a vastly different way. Oranges provides a contrast to Victim, both in when it was made, and the sexual orientation of the creator. Both works are very interesting explorations of sexual identity, but Victim especially needs to be understood in its cultural and historical context to be fully appreciated.