By Maria Cook
On Oct. 15, the Carmel Clay Public Library will host a literary talk by Cassandra Bausman, an assistant professor and director of the Writing Center at Trine University, to explore the similarities in theme between author Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” and author Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.”
Subjects, including the ethics of the scientific process and the commercialization of scientific achievement as they relate to both novels and the real world, will be discussed.
The talk is part of the statewide “One State/One Story” initiative by Indiana Humanities and the Indiana State Library. The initiative celebrates the 200th anniversary of “Frankenstein” by sponsoring readings, literary talks, art shows and more throughout Indiana.
According to CCPL Reference Services Manager Christine Owens, Bausman was selected because of her previous “Frankenstein” talks.
“’Frankenstein’ is also on the ‘Great American Read List’ that PBS is doing,” Owens said. “I saw that this speaker talks about ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Jurassic Park’, so that was a great fit.”
The presentation is funded through an Indiana Humanities grant.
Bausman’s talk will be at 7 p.m. in the library’s program room. Movie adaptations of both films will be shown at the library prior to the talk. “Jurassic Park” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and “Frankenstein” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11.
Owens said young children may not enjoy the complex themes of the talk as much as older kids and adults.
“I’m thinking it’s geared for high schoolers on up,” she said.
The library will host a child-friendly Halloween event Oct. 4 with candy and a scavenger hunt.
