Good, Bad and Important: How to Write an Essay on Steampunk
If you haven't study steampunk, then this is a good time to suggest it to your professor. The box-office failure of "Mortal Engines" didn't surprise you at all, as you've been following this genre for some time. Steampunk (genre) has a loyal following, yet popular culture reveals a different picture. It's an intriguing argument, where your professor would be interested to know your thoughts. And he (or she) won't look at you the same way again. Ever. But how?
Millions of readers are familiar with steampunk, which is notable for the steam-powered machinery that defined the 19th century. Some should cite the Industrial Revolution, but not quite. It's rather the Victorian era, and steampunk reveals the monstrosity that happened during Queen Victoria's reign. The Kingdom of Great Britain was the most powerful nation during the 1800s, her empire reaching as far as the Pacific (if you're looking to the east). You were aware that this era marked a turning point in literature. (It was time for a change, as Ezra Pound put it.) Queen Victoria's reign may be a forgotten era, but many would remember the good things that came out of it. You might be thinking of a Neo-Victorian movement, but hold that thought. Steampunk doesn't reveal on the downside, but it's not hard to see the parallelism with the Gothic (genre).
Philip Reeve could be thinking of it when making that huge leap from a premise that Britons were too familiar about. Municipal Darwinism might have existed for centuries, but the native of Brighton would put a horrific spin into it. Some readers would look at it as another form of escapism, which Peter Jackson thought of. The box-office results proved otherwise. It won't be the first. (If you have seen "Wild, Wild West", then you could skip this part. It should be the same thing if you haven't watched, if not heard, of this remake of this popular TV series.) You may be tempted to write about it, but there are other topics. They are more interesting, thus they deserve your time and attention. If you're insistent about it, then you can look at it from a different angle. (You're foolish to hope for a big-screen adaptation of "Predator's Gold".) You're about to read a few sample topics, which should help you in your attempt to come up with a short list of (interesting) essay topics. It doesn't mean that you can't follow the ones that you're about to read.
Steampunk to the Rescue
What makes steampunk special? You might deny that you're a huge fan of steampunk, yet it won't take you a second to give a lengthy response. You can cite fashion, which you can wear during a Halloween party. (You’ve been dreaming of impersonating Dr. Loveless.) You get excited when Jules Verne is the topic of conversation, having read "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" a number of times. You believe that the Nautilus would inspire the steampunk, if not start the trend. And then H.G. Wells came along. The pulsating works of the Englishman revolved around science and technology (or what could happen if something has gone wrong). There won't be any doubts about the (high) entertainment value, but steampunk could be an ominous warning in disguise. It doesn't matter if you agree or now, as the result should impress your professor. If you put the right words into it.
Why put the blame on steampunk? You wonder if the audience were too dumb to appreciate Alan Moore's graphic novels. It should be a harsh judgment, as an adapted work must prompt viewers to read the written material that was based from. You might be naive to think that way, as many, if not most, moviegoers don't have the time for it. Don't kick yourself. (Your professors would admire your passion, even support you on what you can do with it.) The same argument might apply to the (box-office) catastrophe of "Mortal Engines", as the novel wasn't published yesterday. (You've been aware of it long before the release of the trailer.) The answer to the question depends on where you come from; Hayao Miyazaki's "Castle in the Sky" is a critical and commercial success in the filmmaker's native Japan. You wonder if it would be the same with British humor. Don't think about Monty Python until you read the next one.
Do you see the (public) waning on steampunk? You should be on the right track if you think otherwise. You could discuss an author's specialization on a particular genre. Don't go too far with Hollywood's fixation on trends. (It wouldn't help if you state the obvious. It has something to do with audience preference.) You could start a discussion if you would make a bold prediction. There are no wrong answers on this one, so think long and hard about it.
How to End It
J.K. Rowling mastered this technique, and you could say the same thing to the Young-adult authors. The subject is steampunk, though. You have to read your draft over (and over) again, as you might be missing some vital information that could bolster your argument. It could be overlooking. It could be a perspective that had been thought before. Nothing wrong if you repeat it, but time should put a unique perspective into it. Your turn.
