Both Nick Hornby’s 1998 novel “About a Boy” and Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein’s episode of “The Simpsons: Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy” written in 1994 serve as satirical texts that critique the major flaws of commercialism and materialism in modern society. These texts aim to show their audience the negative impacts of commercialism and materialism through the use of various textual and satirical techniques. Hornby achieves this by exaggerating and criticizing the influence of commercialism on an individual’s social life and personality through the portrayal of the contrasting stereotypes of Marcus and Will.
In the text, Marcus is depicted as a social outcast who is bullied at school due to his lack of material possessions and “coolness”. As described in Chapter 3, the bullies in the school patrol the corridors like sharks, searching for any signs of the wrong trousers, haircut, or shoes. The repetition of “wrong” and the use of simile highlight the bullies’ zealousness in targeting others based solely on materialistic reasons. Hornby presents an exaggerated environment where even children establish social hierarchies based on materialism. These techniques are employed to satirize contemporary society and its obsession with consumerism affecting one’s social life. Additionally, Hornby uses Will Freeman’s characterization as an allegory of materialism to illustrate the negative impact mindless consumption has on an individual’s personality and identity. Ironically, despite Will’s trendy and indulgent lifestyle, he is just as socially isolated as Marcus, underscoring the detrimental effect of adhering to a materialistic ideology on one’s social life.
The text highlights Will as a shallow and self-centered person who values possessions more than meaningful relationships and emotions. The text exaggerates Will’s extreme materialism and focus on material possessions. For instance, in Chapter 2, he admits to spending over 300 pounds on a jacket and more than 20 pounds on a haircut. Additionally, he mindlessly consumes the TV show Countdown. This ridicules the notion of replacing genuine feelings with superficial possessions, which is a recurring theme in his life. In Chapter 20, he uses loud angry rock music to express his emotions, further illustrating his shallow nature and the consequences of a materialistic lifestyle. The author juxtaposes and criticizes these two extreme perspectives to demonstrate that both the complete absence of materialistic sentiment and an excessive dedication to commercialism have negative effects.
The dominant influence of commercial products and materialism on individuals, especially children, is a fundamental flaw in society. The episode Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy utilizes situational irony to effectively portray this theme. This is evident when Lisa expresses her discontent with the sexist remarks made by a line of talking Malibu Stacy dolls, such as “thinking gives you wrinkles.” Marge, on the other hand, recalls that she had a Malibu Stacy doll in her childhood and claims to have turned out fine. She dismisses Lisa’s complaint by suggesting they forget their troubles over a bowl of strawberry ice cream. In response, Lisa tugs the doll’s string, causing it to repeat the same phrase. The character of Marge is used by Oakley and Weinstein to showcase and mock the consequences of the influence of commercialism.
This text highlights the damaging impact that commercial products can have on young people, especially when they promote sexist or misogynistic beliefs. In an episode of the show, Lisa attempts to create her own line of dolls called Lisa Lionheart, which promote intelligence and independence. However, the project fails because the less intellectual Malibu Stacy doll becomes much more popular. This illustrates how society often ignores valid objections in favor of following trends, influenced by commercial pressure. The episode satirizes the mindless consumption of goods, exemplified by an unrealistic Buzz Cola commercial where elderly citizens drink the soda and magically transform into young, trendy individuals. Grandpa Simpson immediately declares that he will also strive to appear youthful and act accordingly.
And he’s going to start with a Buzz Cola! Later during the episode, Lisa released her Lisa Lionheart dolls to the market. Malibu Stacys’ developers felt threatened and decided to “reinvent Malibu Stacy for the 90’s. And they’ll stay all night if they have to.” The following day, Lisa Lionheart sold a single doll while Malibu Stacy sales increased exponentially to exclamations of: “she’s better than ever” despite Lisa’s reasonable and intellectual protestations that “she’s just a regular Malibu Stacy with a stupid cheap new hat” and that “she still embodies all the awful misogynist stereotypes she did before. The irony that the developers “spent all night” to “reinvent” the Malibu Stacy and made a minimal change to the product in the form of a hat is demonstrated in conjunction with the fact that the consumers were still willing to buy it. The clear juxtaposition of the two dolls and the choice made by the consumers despite being presented with clear and rational arguments allows the composers of the text to succinctly outline and mock the naivety of consumers as a fault in contemporary culture. Both About a Boy and Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy are used as vehicles by Nick Hornby, Bill Oakley, and Josh Weinstein to identify and critique consumerism and materialism as major flaws inherent within modern society and their impacts.
The composer uses a variety of textual and satirical techniques to achieve a satirical treatment of the effects of materialism on one’s social life and personality, as well as its influence on consumers and their gullibility. In his 1996 cinematic adaptation “Romeo + Juliet,” Baz Luhrmann modernized Shakespeare’s play while maintaining its textual integrity and dramatic impact. By focusing on universal themes such as love, hate, and impetuousness, Luhrmann successfully demonstrates the relevance of the original play to contemporary audiences. This is further explored through the translation of the original play with a modern perspective and through a range of dramatic and cinematic techniques. Love, specifically youthful passion, is understood by all audiences as a universal theme. This is shown in Act II Scene II when Romeo and Juliet express their mutual love and make vows of marriage. Romeo metaphorically compares Juliet’s window to the east and Juliet to the sun, using light as a motif to reflect on her beauty and his love. This motif recurs when Juliet bids him “a thousand times good night” and he responds that it is “a thousand times worse to want thy light.”
The presence of love is further emphasized using hyperbole in the scene. In a similar vein, Luhrmann incorporates motifs of water and light in his cinematic adaptation. These two elements are combined through the pool, its ambient lighting, and the string lights below Juliet’s balcony, creating a depiction of vitality and youth. The atmosphere of youthful passion is further reinforced by a soft piano non-diegetic musical piece that complements the two protagonists as they confess their love in the pool.
Luhrmann’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet modernizes the story by changing the setting from an orchard to a modern pool. This allows him to explore the use of cinematic features while still keeping the universal theme of love intact. By doing so, audiences can enjoy the drama of the original play in a more contemporary context.
The theme of hate is a prominent element in Shakespeare’s original play, particularly highlighted in Act I Scene I. Tybalt Capulet serves as an allegory of hate, as demonstrated through his disdainful statement: “peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell [and] all Montagues.” The theme is further emphasized by Prince Escales, who refers to the two houses as “enemies of peace” and demands that they put an end to their destructive rage.
In Luhrmann’s adaptation, hate is also a major theme in the first scene. However, it takes on a satirical tone, with exaggerated comedic actions and delivery. Characters like Sampson biting his thumb and performing slapstick-style actions contribute to a general comedic atmosphere. During the gunfight, a non-diegetic underscore reminiscent of western films plays, adding to the exaggerated nature of Tybalt’s extravagant poses.
The presence of religious symbols, such as Jesus on Tybalt’s vest, the cross on Benvolio’s gun, and the necklace crosses worn by both houses, creates situational irony because the characters wearing these symbols are the ones committing acts of violence. In the latter half of the scene, flames engulf the entire area during the fight, which signifies a dire tone and represents hate symbolically. This is supported by the Phoenix Gas Station sign that reads “Add more fuel to your fire”. To further emphasize the theme of hate, dramatic non-diegetic orchestral music is played throughout the scene.
Luhrmann both satirizes and criticizes the pettiness of hate in the play, highlighting its harm to society and maintaining the play’s theme. This perspective reflects on the contemporary implications of the hate. The impulsive nature of Romeo plays a major role in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The entire play takes place within only five days, showcasing the impetuousness of the two lovers. In Act II Scene II, Juliet remarks that their love was “too rash, too unadvised, too sudden [and] too like…lightning.” This repetition and simile reinforce the idea of a hasty relationship. In Act V Scene III, Romeo’s irrational desire to return to Verona and commit suicide after learning of Juliet’s faked death showcases his recklessness and poor consideration of consequences. Despite noticing that Juliet’s complexion hasn’t changed due to death, Romeo disregards this detail and drinks poison. This dramatic irony emphasizes the impulsive nature of Romeo’s character and serves as a theme throughout the play. Luhrmann similarly portrays impulsiveness in Romeo + Juliet through Romeo.
During Act II Scene II, Romeo and Juliet showcase the impulsive nature of their relationship by delivering their lines and kissing each other swiftly. This notion is further explored in Act V Scene III, where fast-paced non-diegetic music and a constant ticking clock sound effect enhance the action scenes when the police try to apprehend Romeo for entering Verona. Luhrmann amplifies the dramatic irony of Romeo’s death to underline his impetuousness. Juliet awakens just before Romeo consumes the poison and gently caresses his face, a gesture he remains unaware of.
Luhrmann effectively conveys the continued relevance of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” to modern audiences by utilizing film and dramatic techniques to highlight the theme of impetuousness in both the story and the characters. Through his adaptation, “Romeo + Juliet,” Luhrmann maintains the original text’s dramatic impact while offering a modern perspective and employing a range of cinematic techniques. This demonstration of universal themes such as love, hate, and impetuousness ensures that the significance of the play remains intact for contemporary viewers.
