Propaganda Poster and Compare and Contrast of The Machine Stops and Wall-E

Published by Jericho on June 5, 2023

This is my propaganda poster for the story “The Machine Stops” by E.M Forster. The websites i used to create this poster are Pixomatic and Canva.

Reflection

The poster presents a visual representation of the resistance against the machine, the main antagonist in the story “The Machine Stops.” In the center is a brain and within the brain is a room from the story which shows the rooms in which the people of “The Machine Stops” live in. This is a metaphor for the machine’s control over their lives. The most striking element of the poster is the eye-shape that in the background of the design. This eye represents the control of the machine, as described by the character Vashti in the story. It gives a sense of constant surveillance and the feeling of the machine’s influence. To emphasize the emotional impact of the poster, logos and pathos are employed effectively. Logos is incorporated through the thought-provoking image of the brain and the room, conveying the message that individuality is being controlled by the machine. Pathos is evoked through the choice of colors, which bring a feeling of fear, oppression, and subjugation. Text accompanies the visual elements, specifically placed to show a powerful message of resistance. The words “DOWN WITH THE MACHINE” are boldly displayed, urging viewers to challenge the machine’s control and reclaim their freedom. The text above says that “YOU ARE IN ITS CONTROL” This is pathos, invoking a sense of fear and caution while emphasizing the constant surveillance and control by the machine. Overall, the poster shows the struggle of Kuno and those who resist the machine’s power. It aims to show contemplation and inspire viewers to question authority, encouraging them to break free from the chains of conformity and reclaim their individuality from the machine.

The Machine Stops Wall-E synthesis

The Machine Stops is a dystopian story written in 1909 by author E.M Forster. What’s interesting about this story is that some people may believe it to be telling the story of where humanity is currently headed, which makes it an important piece of literature even to this day. With all the new technology in the world, some may say that the worlds current society may end up like the one in The Machine Stops, or much similarly, like the story of Wall-E by Andrew Stanton. Both stories portray humanity being so reliant on technology, that they cannot live normally without it. In both societies, each individual person relies on technology for simple things such as, food, communication, transportation and much more. The living status in the machine stops is that there are these cell-like rooms, “and in each room there sat a human being. (P. 8).” Much like this in Wall-E, each person gets around in a hover chair, completely unaware of their surroundings, completely consumed in what is in front of them. This is evident when one of the people is knocked out of the chair that they were sitting in, and then says that they were not aware of a pool being present on board of the ship, even though they had been on that ship for their entire life. In both The Machine Stops and Wall-E, there is a character that seeks out information even though they have everything they could possibly need. In the machine stops this character is Kuno. Kuno seeks out to rebel against the machine and go to the surface of the earth to have a firsthand experience, as in the story, firsthand ideas and experiences are prohibited by the machine. In the story Wall-e, there are multiple characters with this trait, such as Wall-E and the captain of the ship. The captain in particular wishes to see the earth and have the people on board the ship return to the earth. With that in mind, retuning to earth is against the autopilots programming, as it has been tasked with keeping the humans away from the planet. Both Kuno and the captain can be explained with Plato’s cave allegory. The Allegory shows how one could free themselves from the lack of knowledge by exploring new ideas for themselves; but after doing so and returning with this new information, others who have not experienced this information for themselves would be in disbelief. As seen in Forsters The Machine Stops, when Kuno learns of the truth of their society, his mother, Vashti is in disbelief of what Kuno has to say as she counters his talk stating that “Ferns and a little grass may survive, but all higher forms have perished. (P. 20)” The reality is that the surface on the earth is bearable, but since Vashti is so consumed in the ideas of the machine, she is to believe that Kuno is in the wrong. The main insight to gain from these pieces is a warning that if humanity continues to be too reliant on technology, today’s society may end up in the position of the machine stops or Wall-E. Whether that may be being under the control of an artificial intelligence, not having any original thoughts, or even not being able to function properly as a human being. The Machine Stops satirizes the risks of blindly following rules and not pausing to think for yourself. Although it exaggerates the situation where everyone is brainwashed for their individuality, it also plays a strong message on why it is so important. If not careful while using technology, the human race at large may be victims of slavery to our own creations.