For BA6 I’m going to develop an idea I have been toying with for a while. On the surface it’s a redemption story about a man who sells his soul to the devil and does what he can to earn back his right into heaven. Deeper than that though I want to explore a humans mortality and the legacy a man leaves behind.
The idea is based on the life of Robert Johnson, who is considered a master of the blues and influenced many of today’s modern rock stars. Allegedly he sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads to play guitar. it is also the time and setting that intrigues me.
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Robert Johnson
Image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bb/RobertJohson.png/220px-RobertJohson.png [accessed 16th april 2012] |
Johnsons story takes place during the 30’s in America, which at the time was in ‘the Great Depression’. During this period in time spirituality, especially Christianity, was operating at its highest. Atheism, although it existed, was considered bad and Christianity was almost forced upon society by the politicians and the education system.
I believe that I can exploit this religious potency and explore the effects a more hyper realised devil could have on the society.
With this in mind a possible idea is as follows:
Set during the 1930’s in a rural Mississippi, Robert Johnson is a man on the cusp of brilliance. He is considered legend among his peers as a highly talented guitarist however Johnson has never made it as a professional. Mortality is knocking on Johnson’s door as he is diagnosed with having a brain tumour therefore his dream may never be realised.
One night Johnson with nothing left to lose travels into the night alone and drunk, it is here he stumbles across the crossroads 5 miles from nowhere.
As If he had been waiting there forever, a man dressed head to toe in a white suit encounters Johnson, claiming to know what ails him and that he is able to give him whatever he wants. At this point Johnson will try anything and when the man offers his life back in return for his soul, Johnson believes him to be mad never the less he signs his soul away thinking it to be a meaningless gesture.
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Somewhat how the devil would look, perhaps more evil.
Image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/84/Harland_Sanders.jpg/200px-Harland_Sanders.jpg [accessed 16th april 2012] |
The next day Johnson awakes under an apple tree, he wanders back home where he goes to pick up some more medication for his condition less it do any good.
The doctor excited to see him explains that there was a mix up with the scans and a careless assistant had put a ‘smudge’ on them making the doctor believe it to be a tumour.
Johnson now having gained back his life runs to tell his brother the good news. To Johnson’s dismay he finds his brother lying motionless in his bed. The same doctor later performs an autopsy and exclaims the cause of death as an undiscovered brain tumour.
Johnson spends the next few days in a drunken rage and eventually lays down next to his brother’s grave attempting to speak to him. The ghost of his brother manages to make contact with Robert and asks that he help him move on by delivering a message to his wife that he had left a supply of money underneath the floor boards to support them if something were to happen.
Before crossing over his brother leaves him a warning that if he does not earn back his soul, he will be at the mercy of the devil for an eternity and never rejoin his brother in heaven.
Robert Johnson departs with his guitar in hand and on a road that will lead him to the damned and the needy.
His role will have him performing exorcism of those the devils minion have possessed, performing last rites for the deceased and helping the departed move on to the other side.
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