Post 6 Neverwhere

                                                                    Works Cited Page

Amer. “http://meerchant.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/neil_gaiman_neverwhere.jpg.” Photograph. Webshot. Merchant.file.wordpress.com, 23 Nov. 2009. Web. 1 Apr. 2011.

  Black, Suzanne. "Comic-Neverwhere (DVD)-Neverwhere." thelist.co.uk. The List, 11 Aug. 2009. Web. 1 Apr. 2011.http://www.list.co.uk/article/2230-comics-neverwhere-dvd

Carey, Mike. Introduction. Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. By Carey. Paperback ed. New York: Vertigo, 2007. 1-2. Print.

Chris Jones “ 'Neverwhere' at Lifeline: Descending into Neil Gaiman’s richly imagined London Below.” lifelinetheater.com. Chicago Tribune. 12 May 2010. Web.14 Apr. 2011.

DarthSkeptical. “Comic Book DB-Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere 2005.”  http://comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=479. Comic Book Database, 27 Nov. 2008 Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

Gaiman, Neil. Neverwhere. New York: Harper Perennial, 2003. Print.

GMZOE. “Neil Gaiman Visual Bibliography.” Neil Gaiman bibliography. GMZOE. 6 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. http://www.neilgaimanbibliography.com/

Heath, Lord. “Aveleyman-Gary Bakewell.” Photograph. Webshot. Aveleyman, n.d.,Web.  29 Apr. 2011.

Jack B Quick.“http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/84/10399_20060612123308_large.jpg” Photograph.  Webshot. Comic Book Database, 12 Jun. 2006, Web.  14 Apr. 2011.

Katy Walsh “ “Neverwhere”: Desired Destination!” lifelinetheater.com. Chicago Now 11 May 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

Kimberly Butler “Mirrors.”  Photograph. Webshot. http://www.neilgaiman.com/. Neil Gaiman, 2005.  Web. 6 April 2011. 

 “Lifeline Theater:: Neverwhere.” lifelinetheater.com, Lifeline Theater, n.d., Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

“Lifeline Theater:: Neverwhere:: Cast & Crew.” lifelinetheater.com, Lifeline Theater, n.d., Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

“Literary Reference Center- powered by EBSCOhost: Neil Gaiman.” http://ezp.tccd.edu:2321/lrc/detail?sid=82a80165-6b6b-46e9-978d-4c0c4717f363%40sessionmgr110&vid=4&hid=119&bdata=JnNpdGU9bHJjLXBsdXM%3d#db=lkh&AN=103331LM31379790302744  Literary Reference Center, Jan. 2007.Web. 6 May 2009.

MacGregor, Luke. “Northern Territory tourist attraction will be spruiked on the London underground.” Photograph. Webshot. Reuters, 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 6 Apr. 2011.

“Neil Gaiman-Biography.” http://www.neilgaiman.com/. Neil Gaiman, n.d. Web. 6 May 2011.

“Neil Gaiman-The Sandman Summary.” http://www.neilgaiman.com/. Neil Gaiman, n.d. Web. 6 May 2011.

Skyhawke. “http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/132/65486_20061013075812_large.jpg.” Photograph.  Webshot. Comic Book Database, 5 Oct. 2006, Web.  14 Apr. 2011.

Randall Colburn. Untitled. lifelinetheater.com. Gapers Block. 10 May 2010. Web.14 Apr. 2011.

Reading Group Guide. “An Interview with Neil Gaiman.” Neverwhere (2003):p.396. Print.

Roy, David. “Neil Gaiman.” Guide to Literary Masters & Their Works Jan. 2007: 1-1. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 6 May 2011.

Youtube- Neverwhere- Lifeline Theater. LifelineTheater. 14 May 2010. Youtube. 14 April 2011.

   

Post 5

Neil Gaiman

Born: November 10, 1960; Portchester, England

Image source: http://www.neilgaiman.com/gallery/set.phpid=72157600302260864&title=Neil+...+Past+to+Present

According to the Literary Reference Center Plus’s website, after working on some writing projects such as Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, and the BBC mini-series and the novelization of Neverwhere , Gaiman wrote  more novels that met success including American Gods and Coraline. What Gaiman continues to write is graphic novels. As stated in the author’s official website, neilgaiman.com, Gaiman currently resides near Minneapolis Minnesota.

                                                            “How Neverwhere was born”

During his writing career, Neil Gaiman co-founded the BBC mini-series Neverwhere, along with Lenny Henry.

In an interview with Gaiman, which can be seen in the UK VHS release of Neverwhere, the idea of Neverwhere stemmed from a conversation between Gaiman and Henry.  
Henry mentioned the idea of about a story involving groups of homeless people in London in a story.  Because Gaiman saw the possibility of young readers imitating characters with socially approving traits, like the homeless in London in the story, Gaiman was hesitant to go along with the idea. Nonetheless, the issue was resolved when Gaiman decided to make the story less realistic and more fantastical, which can be observed in both the BBC mini-series and in the novel, Neverwhere.

                                                                       Image source 
http://www.neilgaiman.com/gallery/set.phpid=72157600302260864&title=Neil+...+Past+to+Present                                                           

                                    “How his life experience affects the novel as a whole”

Before working on Neverwhere, Gaiman was no stranger to the world of fantasy. He already had some experience with incorporating fantasy into his writing. According to the Literary Reference Center Plus website, his early published works included a few graphic novels along with the successful comic books series, The Sandman, which he created with his friend, Dave McKean. Like the content in Neverwhere, the content in The Sandman possesses the magical and unrealistic elements For example, in the author’s official website, neilgaiman.com, in the fifth volume of The Sandman comic book series, A Game of You, there is “old witchcraft and fantasy.”

So even before Gaiman could even decide to make London Below an imaginary world with imaginary characters, Gaiman had to have had some prior knowledge from his past life experience to have known about magical, mythological, and imaginary worlds in order to integrate unreal elements into Neverwhere. Although we, the readers, can neither explain the existence of such extraordinary people living under London, such as Angel Islington and Lady Door and the Marquis de Carabas, nor can we scientifically explain all the strange events that take place in Neverwhere, such as how Richard Mayhew returned back to London Above and was once again acknowledged by the citizens of London Above, we understand that in the end, this novel should be seen primarily as a fantasy.

 ---JC

Post 4

The character I want to analyze is Richard Mayhew.

Here’s an image of the man who played the role of Richard Mayhew in the BBC series of Neverwhere, Gary Bakewell, as stated in the link provided below this image.

Image source page: http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=41220

Richard Mayhew, a character from Neverwhere, is a businessman from Scotland who moves to London. The other London (London Below) is just below the surface of the “real” London, (London Above). It is there that Richard’s maturity develops. The most important thing that stood out the most to me from Richard Mayhew is how his desire for what he wanted, changes. To confirm this statement, according to Neil Gaiman who did an interview that was documented after the page labeled “Acknowledgments” in the paperback edition of Neverwhere, he stated that he“wanted to write a story about someone growing up and changing [in this novel, it was Richard Mayhew]; and about someone who goes through the book wanting something, and then, when he finally gets that thing, finds he isn’t the person who wanted it any longer….” (Gaiman). In this novel, that “he” and that “someone” Gaiman is referring to Richard Mayhew. So not only is Richard changing, but he is growing up.

All of his desires and his fears change when he gets involved with the rest of the dwellers of London Below.  From the moment he has to cross a plank without falling at such an elevated height, to the moment that he must fight the great Beast of London, Richard Mayhew learns to get out of his comfort-zone.

Richard’s development as a person is the crux of why this work (as a whole) is considered a coming-of-age story.  

Post 3

                                                                  Post 3

I would like to talk about the following themes in Neverwhere and how significant all three of them to the novel as a whole:

“Good vs. evil.”                                                                                                                                         

All the way through the novel, the image of good and evil is demonstrated in various scenes. Some of the following examples are precisely these scenes:

Lady Door vs. Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar in Chapter 1

Richard Mayhew vs. Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar in Chapter 2

Richard Mayhew and Anesthesia vs.  The darkness of the Night’s Bridge in Chapter 4

Anesthesia vs. Her aunt and the man that was living with Anesthesia and her aunt, also in Chapter 4

The Marquis de Carabas vs. Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar in Chapter 10

Richard Mayhew and Hunter vs. the Beast in Chapter 16

Richard Mayhew, Lady Door, and Marquis de Carabas vs. Islington, Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar in Chapter 17

For those who without any prior knowledge of Neverwhere, they should look at the characters’ motives, because based on their motives, the characters show how moral and how immoral they really are. As a result, the readers can see that there is bound to be conflict occurring every time the good and the evil meet.

“Trust vs. Betrayal”

There were times in Neverwhere, when someone trusted someone, yet there were times when someone betrayed someone.

In Chapter 1, for example, Richard Mayhew found Lady Door, lying in the ground, bleeding. When he realized that Lady Door didn’t want to go to the hospital, Richard decided to take Lady Door to his apartment.                                                                                                                       Good Samaritan, Richard Mayhew, didn’t know what Lady Door’s intentions were; nonetheless, he disregarded the possibility of being harmed by Lady Door, by trusting her, and trusting himself that he was doing the right thing.  Although Richard Mayhew, a stranger to Lady Door, could’ve betrayed Lady Door at that moment, by first appearing to help her and then, tease her, or worse, Lady Door also provided that trust in Richard Mayhew and in herself  by allowing Richard to help her at that unexpected moment.

Characters from Neverwhere, such as Richard Mayhew and Lady Door, gained each other’s trust, while others experienced betrayal. Of course, Richard and Door’s trust builds as the story continues; however, they made the mistake of trusting another character from Neverwhere, who they thought was a loyal friend.

In Chapter15, when the Marquis de Carabas and Richard try to catch up with Hunter and Lady Door down the well, they saw Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, hiding and anticipating for Hunter and Door to come their way. Richard desperately tries to warn Hunter and Door; however, Hunter showed her true colors by kicking Richard in the stomach and by allowing Mr. Croup and Mr. Hunter to take Lady Door, as their hostage. Mr. Croup subtly explains to Richard that Hunter was working for Islington since her alliance with Islington was arranged.

The message behind this theme is, “Who can you trust? How do you know you can trust someone? How do you know that person you trust could be stabbing you in the back, at any moment?” These questions do not have clear cut answers, making the novel mysterious and suspenseful.

“Escape”

Some of the characters in Neverwhere were seeking escape from where they were. Examples of this situation include:

In Chapter 1, Lady Door tried to escape from Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar.

In Chapter 4, Anesthesia explained that that she ran away from where she lived with her aunt and the man her aunt was with to escape all the pain she experienced from them and wounded up living with the rats from London Below.

In Chapter 17, Islington stated his intentions of escaping the prison he was sentenced to be in by planning to get the key from Door to unlock the door that he needed to escape.

In Chapter 20, Richard attempted to escape London Above by forming an outline of a door that could lead him back to London Below.                                                                                               

The more we see this situation, the more it becomes apparent that many of the characters are not satisfied with where they are. That helps the readers see that the novel is taking them in various directions, because of the various destinations that the characters have to get to.

Publish Post

Neverwhere: Post 2

Post 2

For awhile, the only modern adaptation of the BBC series of Neverwhere was the novel itself, Neverwhere. GMZOE, author of the Neil Gaiman Visual bibliography, wrote that the novel was published in September 16, 1996.  As stated in the Comic Book database, the first issue of Mike Carey’s comic book series, Neverwhere, was published in August 2005.

According to DarthSkeptical, an anonymous contributor to Comic Book Database, the reason that most of the content in the comic book series derives from the novel and not from the BBC series is due to the fact that the novel generated more fans worldwide than it did with “the British-made program.” The way this modern interpretation affects the work as a whole is that the modern interpretation is being retold from other ideas and thus the challenge is to redo what is already re-done. Furthermore, because it’s an interpretation, some images and scenes in the comic book series vary from what many readers perceive to be is the precise way a certain noun in the story should be. As Carey puts in his introduction of his comic book series, issue 1, “straight translation from one medium into another is undesirable and impossible.” Despite the fact that the reader is subject to a limited group of collaborative ideas set and defined by the artwork and text of Richard Horrie, Tanya Horrie, Tony Luke, Todd Klein, and Glenn Fabry,  Mike Carey’s attempt to re-tell the story of Neverwhere is successful, in terms of getting across the main idea of the story.

Lady Door  clearly stands out from the people of London Above.


Here’s an image of Richard Mayhew using
Hunter’s golden spear to slay the Beast.http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/84/10399_20060612123308_large.jpg

http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/132/65486_20061013075812_large.jpg 

According to the webpage entitled “Lifeline Theater::Neverwhere”, from Lifeline Theater’s, in April of 2010, Chicago’s Lifeline Theater performed Robert Kaulzaric’s stage adaptation of Neverwhere, the novel. It was directed by Paul S. Holquist.  

Here’s a link to the trailer to Lifeline Theatre’s production of Neverwhere:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks3slZx88hg

According to some critics, the cast was successful in portraying the same characters that a reader of Neil Gaiman’s novel could appreciate, such as the comic relief shared between Mr.Vandemar and Mr. Croup. All critic reviews can be found in the webpage entitled, “Lifeline Theater:: Neverwhere Press” from Lifeline Theater’s website.

Randall Colburn, from Gapers Block, wrote that in the performance by Sean Sinitski and Christopher M. Walsh, who played Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, they use “dry banter and garish demeanor, heightening a menace that’s nothing but playful,” which is exactly what the readers witnesses throughout the novel of Neverwhere.

For example, when Varney is confronted by Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, Mr. Croup warns Varney to not move or his friend Mr. Vandemar “ ‘might have a little accident’ ” by stabbing Varney.  Mr. Croup adds, “ ‘Most accidents do occur in the home’.” Then, he asks Mr. Vandemar for confirmation, to which Mr. Vandermar replies, “ ‘I don’t trust statistics.’ ” (Chapter 4, p.94, Gaiman.) They are so good at making each other look foolish, even in such a grave situation.

Also, critics such as Katy Walsh of Chicago Now and Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune remarked about what they saw in the scenery in Lifeline’s production of Neverwhere and stated that in terms of incorporating the crucial details of the story’s setting, the crew achieved their purpose.  

Katy Walsh asserted that Alan Donahue, the scenic and properties designer, “transformed the Lifeline Theater into below Gotham” and that with the help of Kevin D. Gawley, the lighting designer, the scenery, seemed, “authentically gothic.” Chris Jones mentioned that “there is a clear visual picture of London Below in Alan Donahue's very shrew design. ”

  Kevin D. Gwaley  

With precise character portrayals and well-designed scenery, Lifeline’s stage adaptation of Neverwhere does justice to the fans who read the novel, while at the same time, conserves Gaiman’s work, as a whole.---JC

 Alan Donahue 

 Image source: http://www.lifelinetheatre.com/performances/09-10/neverwhere/cast_and_crew.shtml  

Neverwhere: Post 1

I chose this novel as my topic, because of all the books I read in high school, this was the only novel that I enjoyed. This is how the cover looked like when I read it.

http://meerchant.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/year-2-complete-neverwhere/

I have seen the BBC series of Neverwhere.

http://www.list.co.uk/article/2230-comics-neverwhere-dvd/

Also, I  wrote a short parody of Neverwhere for an English class in high school. (Sorry---No image for that one. Ha-ha!)

 In my high school English class, I remember there was a poster with  a picture of Neil Gaiman on it. This is probably going to sound weird, but I remember that in the poster, he had a beard that was just like the one he has in this image.

http://www.neilgaiman.com/gallery/set.php?id=72157600301945104&title=Kimberly+Butler+%282005%29


When I think of Neverwhere, it reminds me of a picture I saw online, which is the one I have posted in the background. It is from:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/23/2499001.htm

I can't wait to arrive back to "London below" and remember of a time and place where memorable characters like Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, Islington, Hunter, The Marquis de Carabas, Door, and Richard Mayhew were all part of another world that I felt like I was a part of. It's novels just like this one, that I want to read more of. Neverwhere has inspired me to break all barriers, to imagine, and to create a world of my own with other people in it.  If it wasn't for my high school teacher, who chose to remain anonymous, I would not have come across this great book. Thank  you, high school teacher!---JC