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 1. “Introduction: The Deeper We Go, the
More Complex and Sophisticated the Franchise Seems, and the Dizzier We
Feel.” Issues treated in this volume;
contexts of looking at the franchise.
William G. Doty
JACKING IN TO ISSUES OF
GENDER AND RACE
2. “Welcome to the Sexual Spectacle: The Female Heroes in the Franchise.” Perhaps it is time for a retelling of heroic mythology that does not masculinize the female hero. Martina Lipp 3. “Is Neo White? Reading Race, Watching the Trilogy.” Ignoring the racial message of the franchise only reinforces old abuses of power. C. Richard King and David J. Leonard CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS 4. “Religion, Community, and Revitalization: Why Cinematic Myth Resonates.” The roles of religious symbolism in an entertainment culture Richard R. Jones 5. “Fascist Redemption or Democratic Hope?” Embedded political values smack largely of American fascism. John Shelton Lawrence 6. “Stopping Bullets: Constructions of Bliss and Problems of Violence.” The various religious themes do not overcome a reliance upon violent means. Frances Flannery-Dailey and Rachel L. Wagner THEORIZING CYBERWORLDS 7. “The Déjà vu Glitch in the Matrix Trilogy.” Literal versus ironic readings of the “reality” of our matrix. Michael Sexson 8. “Visions of Hope, Freedom of Choice, and the Alleviation of Social Misery: A Pragmatic Reading of the Matrix Franchise.” This is neither a “postmodern” or “modern” franchise, but one that hopes for a better future for all. Stephanie J. Wilhelm and Matthew Kapell 9. “Biomorph: The Posthuman Thing.” Machine plus human plus computer software: things, they are a-changing. Gray Kochhar-Lindgren THE GAMES AND ETHICS OF SIMULATIONS 10. “Strange Volutions: The Matrix Franchise as a Post-Human Memento Mori.” Lessons about free will and choice in the new theater of “dynamic cinema.” Timothy Mizelle and Elizabeth Baker 11. “Try the Blue Pill: What’s Wrong with Life in a Simulation?” The choice of the blue pill satisfies philosophical teachings. Russell Blackford 12. “Conclusion: At the Edge of the World, Again.” From Star Wars to the newest franchise using many more mediations. Perhaps it is an allegory of a new aesthetic. Matthew Kapell 13. Appendix: Getting with the Program/s of the Franchise – Users’ Information 14. Glossary of names and terms in the franchise. |
