English 120: Reading and Composition Instructor: K. Sherlock Study Questions , Serenity

A. Choose one of the following themes in Joss Whedon's film and C. Divide your group into two teams. Using your interpret the film's position or argument about it. Be prepared to answer to Question 1, prepare a scripted debate select examples from the movie to support your interpretation: that focuses on two main positions or theses about acceptance of other the theme you interpreted in the film. (Note: a defining "good" scripted debate follows an outline of points, independence and free will instead of on-the-spot answers.) Organize your faith versus belief debate around the three stages of counter- media: "the news" versus "the truth" argument: Acknowledgment, Accommodation, and motive of anger (madness) v. the motive of love Refutation. Divide up these tasks fairly and the morality of torture equally among the members of each team. Each the roll of government stage of your counter-argument process should reference a relevant quotation and/or situation B. Play devil's advocate to your own arguments, and consider at least from the film. Use the list of quotations provided two opposing points or alternative interpretations that might on the Serenity Study Guide handout (attached) undermine your own. Again, be prepared to cite details from to help you accomplish this, or use other quotes Whedon's story to support your position. you have recorded while reviewing the film.

RECORD NOTES, RESPONSES OR INTERESTING QUOTES (or use a separate notebook)

English 120: Reading and Composition Instructor: K. Sherlock SERENITY Written and Directed by Joss Whedon released 2005 (Nebula Awards: Best Script, 2005) from the original TV series, Firefly (2002) Official Website: http://java.europe.yahoo.com/uk/uip/serenity/ Best Unofficial Fan Site: http://www.browncoats.com/

Themes acceptance of other defining "human" distinguishing "good" from "evil" independence and free will faith versus belief media: "the news" versus "the truth" the motive of anger (madness) versus the motive of love the morality of torture the role of government what is a hero?

Serenity Crew Other Major Characters Mal: Nathan Fillion Shepherd Book*: Ron Glass Zoë: Gina Torres The Operative: Chiwetel Ejiofor Wash: Alan Tudyk Mr. Universe: David Krumholtz Inara: Jayne: *former Serenity crew member Kaylee: Simon: River: Summer Glau

Secondary Characters Dr. Mathias: Michael Hitchcock Trade Agent: Weston Nathanson Dr. Caron: Sarah Paulson Young Female Intern: Carrie 'CeCe' Cline Mingo: Yan Feldman Vault Guard: Chuck O'Neil Fanty: Rafael Feldman Lilac Mom: Amy Wieczorek Lenore: Nectar Rose Lilac Son: Tristan Jarred Teacher: Tamara Taylor Fan Dancer: Elaine Mani Lee Lilac Young Tough: Glenn Howerton Mining Camp Boy: Terrence Hardy Jr. Young River: Hunter Ansley Wryn Alliance Pilot: Brian O'Hare Boy Student: Logan O'Brien Black Room Soldier: Ryan Tasz Boy Student: Erik Erotas Black Room Soldier: Colin Patrick Lynch Girl Student: Demetra Raven News Anchor: Terrell Tilford Girl Student: Jessica Huang Slovenly Beaumonde: Joshua Michael Kwiat Girl Student: Marley McClean Cornelia: Ani (not cr.) Ensign: Scott Kinworthy Bartender: Antonio Rufino (not cr.) Helmsman: Erik Weiner Chinese Snake Dancer: Linda Wang (not cr.) Lab Technician: Conor O'Brien Bar Guy: Rick Williamson (not cr.) Lab Technician: Peter James Smith Furturistic Worker: Mark Winn (not cr.)

English 120: Reading and Composition Instructor: K. Sherlock

Selected Bibliography of On-Line Resources Chocano, Carina. "Giddyup, Spaceman." Salon Magazine 03 Oct. 2002.

Murray, Rebecca. "Joss Whedon Talks About Serenity." About.com: Hollywood Movies 2010.

Nussbaum, Emily. "Must-See Metaphysics." New York Times Magazine 22 September 2002.

Russell, Mike. "Q & A with Joss Whedon." The CulturePulp 24 Sept. 2005.

Sanchez, Julian. "Out To the Black: The Existentialist Libertarianism of Joss Whedon's Space Western." Reason 30 September 2005.

Schmidt, Jakob. Rev. of The Existential Joss Whedon: Evil and Human Freedom in , Angel, Firefly and Serenity, by J. Michael Richardson and J. Douglas Rabb. SF Site (2007).

Selected Quotes RIVER: We meddle... People don't like to be meddled with. We tell them what to do, what to think, don't run, don't walk. We're in their homes and in their heads, and we haven't the right. We're meddlesome. ———<•>——— ALLIANCE SCIENTIST: Gave up a brilliant future in medicine as well. It's madness. OPERATIVE: Madness? Have you looked at this scan carefully, doctor? At his face? It's love, in point of fact-- something a good deal more dangerous. ———<•>——— OPERATIVE: Secrets are not my concern. Keeping them is. ———<•>——— OPERATIVE: Would you be killed in your sleep like an ailing pet? This is a good death. There's no shame in this--in a man's death, a man who has done fine works. We're making a better world. All of them. Better worlds. ———<•>——— ZOE: You know what the definition of a hero is? Someone who gets other people killed. You can look it up later. ———<•>——— TRADE AGENT: Hey! You all are Browncoats, hey? Fought for independence? Petty thieving ain't exactly soldiers work. MAL: War's long done. We're all just folk now. ———<•>——— SHEPHERD BOOK: Why is it every time I mention belief, you think I'm talking about faith. . . . ———<•>——— MAL: I stake my crew's life on the theory that you're a person. ———<•>——— MAL: Half of writing history is hiding the truth. ———<•>——— MR. UNIVERSE: There is no news. There is only the truth of the signal. What I see. And, there's the puppet theater the Parliament jesters foist on the somnambulant [sleepwalking] public. ———<•>——— SHEPHERD BOOK: I killed the ship that killed us. Not very Christian of me. MAL: You did what's right. ———<•>——— SHEPHERD BOOK: I don't care what you believe. Just believe it. ———<•>——— OPERATIVE: It's not my place to ask. I believe in something greater than myself. A better world; a world without sin. . . . what I do is evil . . . there's no place for me there. English 120: Reading and Composition Instructor: K. Sherlock

———<•>——— OPERATIVE: I'm sorry. If your quarry goes to ground, leave no ground to go to. You should have taken my offer. Or did you think none of this was your fault? MAL: I don't murder children. OPERATIVE: I do. If I have to. MAL: Why? Do you even know why they sent you? OPERATIVE: It's not my place to ask. I believe in something greater than myself. A better world. A world without sin. MAL: So me and mine gotta lay down and die... so you can live in your better world? OPERATIVE: I'm not going to live there. There's no place for me there... any more than there is for you. Malcolm... I'm a monster. What I do is evil. I have no illusions about it, but it must be done. ———<•>——— DR. CARON [Miranda scientist]: These are just a few of the images we've recorded. And you can see, it wasn't what we thought. There's been no war here and no terraforming event. The environment is stable. It's the Pax. The G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate that we added to the air processors. It was supposed to calm the population, weed out aggression. Well, it works. The people here stopped fighting. And then they stopped everything else. They stopped going to work, they stopped breeding, talking, eating. There's 30 million people here, and they all just let themselves die. ———<•>——— MAL: [RE: What they found on Miranda] This record here's about twelve years old. Parliament buried it and it stayed buried until River here dug it up. This is what they were afraid she knew. And they were right to fear. There's a universe of folk who're gonna know it, too. Someone *has to* speak for these people. [pause] Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all come to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave. ———<•>——— JAYNE quoting SHEPHERD BOOK: If you can't do something smart, do something right. ———<•>——— WASH: I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I sore. . . . It's okay. I'm a leaf on the wind. MAL: What does that mean?! ———<•>——— ZOE: Do you really think any of us are going to get through this? JAYNE: Well I might. ———<•>——— MR. UNIVERSE (via his "femmebot"): They can't stop the signal, Mal. They can never stop the signal. ———<•>——— MAL: The rest of the 'verse is going to know that, too. Because they need to. OPERATIVE: Do you really believe that? MAL: I do. OPERATIVE: Are you willing to die for that? MAL: I am. . . . 'Course that ain't exactly Plan A. ———<•>——— OPERATIVE: Do you know what your sin is, Mal? MAL: I'm a fan of all seven . . . but right now, I'm going to have to go with wrath. ———<•>——— OPERATIVE: I think they know I'm no longer . . . their man. ———<•>——— MAL: I'm likely to kill you, myself, if I see you again. OPERATIVE: You won't. There is nothing left to see. ———<•>——— MAL: You know what the first rule of flyin' is? Well I suppose you do, since you already know what I'm about to say. RIVER: I do. But I like to hear you say it. MAL: Love. You can know all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as a turn in the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells ya she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.