CLUSTER 6

TEXT: THE SENTINEL

MOVIE: 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

INTRODUCTION

My biggest question to this Cluster 6 is "How come this cluster is the most difficult for me to comprehend and give my idea?". Science fiction is the result of people perception and prediction. It is the thought and the ideas of those futurist; to think and predict what will happen in the future- to the human beings, environment,the world, the universe and to the outer space. The Sentinel" is a five pages short story written by Arthur C. Clarke and later in 1967 it was a basis for Stanley Kubrick to direct and produce a motion film entitled "2001: A Space Odyssey". The text even though is short, it is difficult to understand. "The Sentinel" is a about the mission of people to the moon. I think this idea was brought up by Clarke due to the exploration of Russia to the outer space. Russia has become the first nation to send men to outer space, to the orbit. I see "The Sentinel" as an avenge. Therefore, to satisfy themselves, the Americans try to see themselves more advance than the Russian. They don't just orbiting the earth but they are going to explore the moon. This idea has become a reality in 1969 when the first capsule of American landed on the moon (At least that what they believe.

After saw the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" I wonder whether the film or the video of the first man landed on moon in 1969, which was telecasted the whole nation, was true. It possibly was done with the help of Stanley Kubrick. It was done the same as the movie (probably) .

There are three major sections of the movie and the subtitles are:

1. The Dawn of Man A primeval ape man makes a breakthrough - becoming endowed with intelligence after experiencing a mysterious black monolith.

2. Jupiter Mission, 18 Months Later [(in 2001 or 2002)] A futuristic, 18-month journey to Jupiter.

3. Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite. A mystical experience in another time and dimension.

THEME REVIEW

Main theme of the short story "The Sentinel" is dealing with extraterrestrial. Is there anyone out there? Arthur Clarke predicted one day may be in million of years, human will encounter with the aliens. My question "Will there be any more human on the earth at that time or will the earth be there as it is at that time?" I strongly believe there is no other living things especially in the outer space. As a Muslim, in the Quran already stated God has created Human as the most perfect creature. How come there will be another creation which will be more advance in technology than human?

In the "2001; A Space Odyssey", one the main themes that I could think of is man versus machine. This is especially between HAL (Heuristic ALgorithm), the computer that controlling and operating the ship and the men in the space ship. HAL was programmed to be knowledgeable about the mission to the Jupiter but the men were sceptical about the mission. As a result there is a misunderstanding between HAL and Dave. HAL tries to take over and control the ship. HAL has develop feelings of fear. He is afraid that Dave Will destroy him by stopping his operational system. This is where the machine tries to desroy human in order to save itself. He killed three out of people in the space craft and did not allow Dave to board the ship. But human is destined by god with brain to think. In this, human is the creator of the machine, therefore, as a creator human should be able to diminish and destroy its creation whenever it already threatens human's life even though it will destroy his own life.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, machine is a machine. They are created by man. Things that are created are subject to be destroyed one day. There is no such thing that one day man will be taken over by machine.