The Day of the Triffids expresses concern towards the consequences of corporate greed onto a society. Wyndham portrays this through the Arctic and European Fish-oil company who use the Triffids oil for capitalistic gain even after knowing that ‘“it will be dangerous, very dangerous,”’ if they don’t ‘dock’ the stingers beforehand. The company selfishly only aim to gain profits, without consideration for the people or environment it may harm. This issue extends the idea of newfound land, showing how greed can bring out a negative found land from within a person.
Wyndham challenges public concerns of the mid 20th century, that over-experimentation in science is man’s biggest error where interference with nature is to an extent that self destructive objects are created. The Triffids represent human’s experimentation with genetics where the repercussions are of devastation and calamity to humankind itself. Wyndham utilises the idea of the Triffids to question moral and ethical values by reflecting upon the prior nuclear bombing of Hiroshima at the time, where like the Triffids, science was no longer used to benefit the nation but to conversely destroy it, “sometimes it [an invention] cannot be allowed to occur”. Wyndham focuses on man’s degradation of humanity where the determination for success and power becomes the sole purpose of life, blindly harming humans and nature in the process. This insight to human behaviour when tempted by vice choices has extended my understanding of new found land.
Similarly to The Day of the Triffids, the setting of the film Alien is immediately revealed to be unnerving and foreign to what we are normally accustomed to. The opening panoramic shots of Alien, relocates the audience into the new geographical world of outer space, slowly panning across the enormity of the region. The silence in the background adds to the overwhelming sensation of the scene, and is effective in creating a sense of fear and isolation towards the unfamiliar realm. The camera slowly focuses into the interiors of the spaceship where in an overlapping montage of shots, we see figures awakening from sleeping pods. The white lighting and the figure’s nappy-like clothes gives the idea of a rebirth into a new world or concept. These symbolic attributes enhance the perception of a new and strange world.
In Alien, the idea of corporate greed is introduced early in the film when a shot captures the space ship, ‘Nostromo’ into the scene, providing an intertextual illusion to the novel titled ‘Nostromous’, in which a man disregards the welfare of people for means of capitalist gain. This deliberate choice of name for the space ship gives an undertone to the corporate greed aspect of the film. This idea is later reviewed in the film when the crew get a realisation of the inhumane motives of ‘The Company’, when ‘mother’ commands, ‘Priority one insure return of organism for analysis... crew expendable”. We see ‘The Company’s’ indifference towards the people who work for them, and are led into the new world where ethics has been replaced by greed.
Alien examines the issue of ‘The Company’s’ over concern with science contrasted by their apathy towards the crew members. ‘The Company’s’ science officer and android Ash, is a representation of the type of audacity that is evident in the corporation world where science is placed above humanity. Like the Triffids, Ash is shown to be a monstrous aspect of science where the human race becomes inferior as a cause of it. Ash’s superiority and aberrance is captured by upshots and dutch-tilt shots that depict his differentially from the humans. The alien, a biomechanical creature is admired by Ash as a “perfect organism” that doesn’t have human “fragilities” such as emotions. This showcases the ‘The Company’s’ inner callousness aims to build a future land where people are mere emotionless robots.
The similar concepts presented by the two texts allow us to consider parallel issues through different perspectives. My understanding of new found lands has been expanded by the reflection of the emotional and physical explorations of a new world.
The Day of the Triffids explores the human nature of confronting the unknown, through the reactions of the various characters towards the problem of blindness. Wyndham depicts how humans have a tendency to form groups, such as Torrent’s, Ivan’s and Miss Durrant’s communities, for a sense of moral consolation from threat and fear. Wyndham conveys how humans suddenly become vulnerable and weak when they are faced by a superior form. In this case, human’s had an advantage over the Triffids only till they had their sight, but “take away our vision, and the superiority is gone. Worse than that our position becomes inferior to theirs because they are adapted to a sightless existence, and we are not”.
Wyndham considers how a flexibility to adapt to new ways of thinking is necessary for human survival. He has constructed conversations and philosophical discussions involving Bill, airing the different opinions and perspectives of people when placed in a newfound world. Wyndham contrasts the idea presented by Professor Vorless in the forum discussion that, “communities who continue to follow them [old values] blindly without heed to changed circumstances do so to their ultimate destruction”, against the opinions of groups such as Miss Durrant’s who believe “there is still god’s law and the law of decency”. Wyndham focuses on how the groups unwilling to discard values and ethics to adopt new ones are the one whose lives eventually lead to demise. Wyndham continually raises ideas to us through comments such as the one made by Michael Beadley that “self pity and a sense of high tragedy are going to build nothing at all”, and Coker’s statement that, “decent intentions seem to be the most dangerous things around just now”. These viewpoints become a significant aspect of the novel, and are presented for the audience to contemplate over, and become a part of the discussion. The text has effectively left an inconclusive ending that allows us the freedom to continue our thoughts on the issue. Considering different perspectives of this issue has broadened my understanding of new found land.
Likewise, Ridley Scott’s Alien illustrates the idea of how powerful figures can bring out the frailness and inferiority within the human class. When Dallas is confronted by the alien, his fear is echoed by the strong breathing and heartbeat music in the background, against Lambert’s uncontrollable sobs. The crew tends to face fear by wanting to “stick together”, in a group
Between The Day of the Triffids and Alien, there are many similar concepts presented, that have allowed my understanding of new found lands to broaden.
