#another round of: in depth character analysis

[snowangeldotmp3]

in what ways do robin and nancy help each other???? like what do they give to each other, like new perspectives etc etc. im interested in hearing what u have to say abt it :)

ooo okay okay i have been thinking about this for a whole day and i have Thoughts. they may not be super coherent but pls bear with me.

ok so i think the scene in pennhurst is probably the best example of their relationship. robin's outburst + nancy's surprise at it. even just in a platonic way, not necessarily romantic, robin picks nancy's side. she doesn't crumble. she knows from the get go that nancy is right. and even if she doesn't fully believe it, robin knows what it's like to not be listened to just because they’re women. jonathan did not. (i am not going to get into the jancy argument of s3 becausee they were both right, just in different ways. i'm Not getting into that rn)

i think for nancy, not only does she have a friend again, but it's a friend she can have a genuine connection with? they both have shared trauma, so nancy doesn't have to hide anything from robin. and a friend that believes her. which i think is even more important. nancy is so, so used to not being believed, and here comes robin, who, even though she wasn't 100% sure about nancy's shot in the dark, still believed her enough to trust her hunch in the first place. to have even an ounce of trust in her theories, to not be mockingly called "Nancy Drew," to have someone believe her. i think having that person to say "no, actually, you were right, and you've been right. no, this asshole is not going to undermine you, screw. that." is so incredibly important to nancy. that "we ask forgiveness, not permission," attitude. (robin says that in the rebel robin podcast. it's canon to me.)

i think ultimately, robin is a step in the right direction for nancy healing over the loss of barb. she's letting herself become friends with someone again, she doesn't have to close herself off from friendships anymore. and no, robin can't shoot a gun, but we know she can take care of herself. she's not completely defenseless. but robin is that key, that first step in the right direction, to heal from barb.

and even in case of (hopeful) s5 predictions and whatnot, i think robin is a completely new perspective for nancy in general, and will continue to be. robin is someone who exists outside the boxes that most people fit into, the ones that nancy is actively trying to avoid. i do hope we get a robin coming out to nancy scene in s5, just as a bridge of trust between the two, ya know? (this is just wishful thinking for me, but i also personally would love to see robin come out to nancy and then force nancy to reflect on her own self, too, ya know?)

ultimately i think it's about robin and nancy being/bringing a balance to one another. they balance each other out in a way that neither of them have probably had for a while. AND i think that's what's made them so entertaining as a dynamic, they aren't one thing or the other, they're both way too complicated for that. instead, they bring a balance to each other that either one has likely not had for a long time.

[jrwi-most-nd]

Round 5/Final Poll:

Pictures and propaganda are under the cut!

Gillion Tidestrider (Riptide)

(Submitted for Autism, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and Dyslexia)

do i really need to say anything. do i really.  ~ Autism he has,,,,,,, an issue with textures and social interaction and just yknow gives off those v i b es  ~ Autism He misses social cues, mostly black and white thinking, especially towards the beginning of the series, strong morals, has stated he doesn’t like/struggles with change, etc etc  ~ Autism HE CANONICALLY DOESN’T LIKE VELVET HE CANONICALLY HAS TEXTURE/SENSORY ISSUES. His whole arc with the oversea is so autism coded (with not understanding things everybody else around him thinks is common knowledge even if it’s never been explained to him before). But ALSO HE TOTALLY HAS INTRUSIVE/IMPULISVE THOUGHTS he canonically has ‘blasphemous’ type thoughts (wanting to steal lemons with his friends even if it’s against his oath), plus there’s NO WAY he doesn’t have violent type intrusive thoughts about hurting his loved ones NO WAY. plus his overall stubbornness of not letting go of his oath and general struggles with change is so so so autism coded of him.  ~ Autism and OCD Gillion is literally so autistic. He misses social cues and is easily deceived. He also hates lying and is overall a very honest guy! he repeats certain phrases like ‘it is my destiny!’ which are actually vocal stims cause i said so. Could all of this be explained by him not having a childhood and never learning anythning other than fight? yup! Am i saying all of this cause im like that? yeah! and im autistic :D also hes very cool and thats also a sign of autism  ~ Autism being put through years of (training) torture can cause anxiety especially at the young age he was ive also seen him just do random shit which gives off the idea that he’s not reliant on social cues, for example; jumping out windows, kissing a man (chip), or just going off to do his own thing which is a thing i do alot,,not kissing men,,,or jumping out winows yet but hes not reliant on social cues, he also ties his hair up, and i know he didnt do it in the first design but sometimes my sensory issues go away and come back randomly like a vacation for those bastards anyway another thing with the anxiety autism and anxiety are both very common together like autism and adhd! thats all i got but i can go way more in depth  ~ Autism and Anxiety Gillion fishman nuerospicy asf and I need ppl to share in my hc that he has ocd look at him. Insert cool character analysis I don’t do words. Fish. ~ Autism, ADHD, and OCD

Peter Sqloint (Apotheosis)

(Submitted for Autism and AVPD)

Struggles with eye contact, misses social cues, special interest in rocks  ~ Autism literally changed the course of the story with his autism swag. with the power of rocks and lizard. killed god and pulled a bad bitch.  ~ Autism You cannot tell me he isn’t autistic, he literally hyperfixates on rocks he doesn’t even want children he will just raise lizards, he is so silly he just want rocks and logs for his lizard hhhhhhhhhh his magic can change rock colors  ~ Autism ROCKS  ~ Autism FUCKUNG LOOK AT HIM  ~ Autism

[alien-til-i-stage]

TBH ID LVOE TO SEE U. LIKE. DO A FULL ANALYSIS ON ROUND 3 FOR IVAN?? if not thats okay ur js so cool bro...

AHHH I LOVE THIS QUESTION ROUND 3 IS ONE OF TOP FAVORITES RIFHT BEHIND EOUND 6

and even better yet I already did a pretty in depth analysis that i will break down for you rn. I wont analyze the song this post but if you want id be willing to in a later post heheh

(Ok so, this wouldve been done like yesterday but when i finished this analysis i forgot to save it and went to do smth else and when i came back IT WAS ALL GONE soooo there thats…..)

Round three starts off with Ivan and an unnamed character going on stage, from this episode we can see Ivan’s character being displayed throughout the song.

Some things that are displayed clearly is Ivan’s love for Till and his lack of rebellious spirit. However even this has layers of complexity I think needs to be explored.

Above, we see Ivan hanging off the building by an alien, while the other kids walking away or turning their backs to them. While he hangs off the cliff he looks up at the sky, staring at the stars instead of the alien himself. Next we see a closeup of his face as a shadow passes over him, however the stars still reflecting in his eyes.

Because it seems like Ivan is the only kid being hung off the building, we can assume this is because he did something that the aliens considered wrong. Perhaps either disobeying them aggressively or just not listening, this results in him being punished.

We can also see the other kids standing away from Ivan, almost as if trying to seperate themselves and turning their backs to him. Perhaps out of the guilt that they cannot help him.

This all leads Ivan to the lesson he learns this day. Rebellion will get him punished, he will be hurt if he doesn’t listen. In fact, this is the only time we see him being punished in his youth, showing how Ivan was able to escape punishment and physical abuse by listening to what the aliens wanted of him.

Another detail to point out is the way the shadow falls over his face. We see him bruised and crying, most likely to previous physical abuse we did not see, implying that this isn’t the only time he’s been punished.

I believe the shadow falling over his face is supposed to represent the mask Ivan wears his entire life. After this scene we constantly see Ivan being “perfect” and up to the alien’s standards. The shadow represents the mask he put on and the lesson he learned, in order to survive he must obey.

However he continues to look at the stars, something that is correlated with freedom to Ivan. I believe this is supposed to represent Ivan’s inner desires of freedom. How, despite putting on the mask and valuing his life over desires, he still has the want for freedom. He doesn’t want to be chained and masked his entire life, the desire is never taken out of him, despite him losing his own person by putting on the mask, the desire to be free is never lost.

After this scene, we continue onto these four shots that happen right after the other. He stands in the same position in each scene and doesn’t move unless he must do something. I believe this isn’t literal but rather metaphorical, instead representing his mask. He stands there, dull, and adapting to whatever sitaution he’s in, sitting at the table if needed, holding a trophy when he must, singing with everyone else, this scene is supposed to show how he does not do anything other then what he must.

Its hard to read him because he stands there with the same look on his face, as if his face itself is the mask as it never changes. This would also go to show how well this mask is for Ivan, how good he is at masking himself. He does not express his inner thoughts, he does not do what he wants, he does not move however he desires, instead he only does what the aliens want, shown by his unmoving stance in all of scenes above, he does not make any unnecessary moves, standing in place instead.

It can also be noted that despite the location changing in each picture, Ivan still holds the same position no matter what. I believe this is supposed to represent how, again, he believes no matter what he cannot take off his mask. In the auction, after he’s been bought, after he’s in Anakt Garden, he has banned himself from taking off the mask, continuing to be the perfect person that is demanded of him in order to survive, even if he won’t be punished for simply living in Anakt Garden, seen by Mizi and Sua. This shows how deeply the scene of him hanging off the building has impacted him, it influenced his entire life.

Right after this, we see Ivan standing alone in Anakt Garden, he is standing in the same position as always and he is alone. Next the red flowers pass by his face and Till runs past him. Till continues to chase the flowers into the dark corridor and Ivan watches, before following Till into the corridor.

This scene can perfectly describe their relationship and dynamic. Ivan, as we can, is alone and standing still. As already stated, him standing still is symbolic of his mask. Him standing alone is also symbolic of how alone Ivan truly is. Because of his mask he is unable to make those connections, as there will always be a wall seperating him from that.

However the only to get close to Ivan is Till. He brushes past him and that’s when he suddenly moves. He only looks at him at first, standing from afar, before following him. This is most likely symbolic of how the only person that was able to get the mask off of Ivan was Till. We know this because it was stated before that he seems to become immature and childish around Till, showing how it’s only around Till that he is able to remove said mask. He moves from his position and follows Till, something he never had to do, but something he chose to do. A decision that was finally his. I also think Ivan first watching Till from afar, then following is supposed to mirror how, later, Ivan watches both Till and Mizi stand against the guard dog. How he just simply watches first.

We commonly see Till with red flowers. These red flowers are representative of Till’s love and admiration for Mizi. When we see Till brushing past Ivan and chasing the flowers, not even paying attention to Ivan, this represents how Till continues to follow and chase after Mizi, ignoring the others around him, even if they are right next to him.

Till following the flowers to the corridor, ignoring the darkness of the path, is symbolic of how far he is willing to go for Mizi. It’s similar to the scene of Till rejecting Ivan and running back to Anakt Garden, despite it being the darkest route he could go. He continues to follow Mizi no matter where she is, even if it’s dangerous. And while Till follows Mizi, Ivan will follow Till. He also follows Till down the hall, similar to how, despite not having to, he goes back to Anakt Garden.

Right after this scene, we cut to a room thats assumed to be where the hallway lead them to. We see Mizi and Till in front of what looks to be a massive guard dog like alien. Ivan stands far away, where he isn’t seen as he watches on. Mizi is scared, seen by how she holds herself and stands in shock and Till looks hurt. He’s sitting on the ground as if he was just struck and Ivan continues to watch on.

As Till stands up, we see flashes of falling stars suddenly appearing while Ivan continues to watch Till, and once he fully stands up we can see as Ivan’s pupils dilate.

We can see, in later offical art, that this alien might not be a guard dog but rather a pet or companion given to Ivan. While it isn’t clear, we commonly see pictures of Ivan getting close to the alien or even in its mouth. The relationship between Ivan and this alien is unclear, in fact the entire existence of this alien is unclear. Such as, why is the alien attacking or scaring both Mizi and Till? If it’s supposed to be something related to Ivan, why is it hurting other humans?

The existence of this alien dog cannot be disputed, because this is the moment Ivan fell in love with Till. But it is curious about the entire situation. So let me try and break it down.

I mentioned before that Ivan seems to have a relationship with the guard dog, but I don’t think it’s a literal relationship. The guard dog is most likely trying to keep the kids out of something, however it is unclear what. If thats the case, then it would be strange that Ivan is friendly with this guard dog. I think, instead, Ivan sees himself in this guard dog.

He sees Till fighting, or trying to at least, against the dog. Something that *does* happen between him and Till during this point. The two of them get into fights because Ivan instigates to grab Till’s attention to him. He sees Till being hostile with this alien, something he believes Till is with him. Not to mention, this alien must be alone often. It’s job is to guard something, meaning it must be kept seperate from other aliens and humans and it must keep it up. It’s job is to keep others away. Ivan can relate to this as to him, his job is surviving, which indirectly results in him being alone. I believe the art of Ivan with the alien is not to say he has a relationship with the alien, but because he sees himself in him.

I also think that this is also symbolic of their relationship. How Ivan is there watching and observing Till, just seeing him in general, however Till does not notice him. He doesn’t look back at where Ivan is, because he doesn’t know he’s there. Instead he’s focused on whats in front of him right now. An alien and Mizi, similar to him focusing on his hatred for aliens and his love for Mizi.

I believe after Ivan sees this with Till and falls in love with him, he recreates this scene in his mind. We can see this with the scene above where Ivan looks at whats happening, instead this time he looks different. Before he looked with a curious gaze and intrigue, not too worried or emotionally invested. However now he’s shown with a gripped hand on the wall, with the wall showing obvious signs of damage due to someone gripping it repeatedly. We also see the eyes of Ivan, how it’s focused and this looking much more crazed then last time.

While this could also be literal, showing Ivan might be leading Till here and watching him, replaying the scene in reality, but I believe this is more then likely a scene he replays in his head, for multiple reasons.

Till would stop believing what Ivan says after a while, in fact its most likely that it was Mizi who got him in that corridor. Perhaps he followed her in there and got in that situation. Unless it was about Mizi, its more then likely that Till wouldn’t have even listened to anything Ivan says. I think the change in looks, like the hand gripping the wall and his eyes are supposed to represent how much he repeats this scene in his mind.

And as always, for every Ivan analysis we must talk about this scene.

We see as Ivan takes Till out of his restrains, showing him out of Anakt Garden. The two of them are shown running away from the building, getting far away from Anakt Garden. Yet, Till stops. He lets go of Ivan’s hand and stops in his tracks, suddenly he is scared and realizing that by leaving, he is leaving Mizi. Ivan is hurt as he watches Till running back to Anakt Garden, and he smiles. His smile is full of hurt but he is still smiling. We cut back to the stage where we see Ivan, now he is taking off his mask and finally showing his true feelings, the memories are making him emotional. However he quickly put the mask back on and finishes his song.

This whole scene is very literal, but it’s still worth analysizing. This goes back to the idea Till would follow Mizi anywhere. Just as he follows the red flowers down a dark corridor, he follows Mizi in Anakt Garden. This is a very confliciting for Till to do, it’s not as easy as it seems for him. In that moment when he lets go of Ivan’s hands, thats when the realiziation of everything suddenly hits him. He realizes that by leaving Anakt Garden, he is leaving Mizi. He looks up at Ivan in fear and guilt as he turns around and leaves him, not looking back. This shows that Till is aware of the weight of the decision he made. He knows what he lost, you can see him debating and struggling with this as he stands away from Ivan.

In the scene above, we can see both Ivan and Till running away together, they are holding hands and laughing together. This shows that while Till did reject Ivan and being free with him, the problem was never being with Ivan, in fact it seems he was excited for it. But the problem was leaving Mizi.

Speaking of this, we can see as the two of them are leaving, it’s important to note what they are specifically doing. Till is watching the skys, rushing forward in order to reach freedom, while Ivan watches Till, he is not looking towards the skies but focusing on Till and his reaction, this shows their priorities.

Till would’ve loved to be free, if it was with Mizi and not Ivan. Ivan would’ve loved to be with Till, even if it meant to be enslaved.

We see this pan out as Till runs back to be with Mizi. He wanted freedom, just not with Ivan. This hurts Ivan, now fully knowing his love is unrequited and as he watches Till leave him, he continues back. He is fully aware at this point that he is not loved back, and most likely will never be. But that isn’t what matters to Ivan, what matters to him is Till. He would be willing to be enslaved if it meant to be with him.

[phlurrii]

In my search for more ways to add Big Cat Energy to Mews to up the intimation factor, I have made more discoveries that I thought I’d share (purely for funsies, not asking you to draw new characters lol).

So! You’ve already implemented some by adding facial marks to the sqooshy round face! (Most notably the snoot boop button) Indeed, adding depth to their features helps a LOT, but also I have found that the big predators tend to share certain facial features!

One that I hadn’t considered were muzzle marks!

You can see, on the upper muzzle that there are prominent streaks and/or darkened areas around the area where you see those kitty whiskers. Lynxes, Caracals, Cougars, Leopards, Tigers, etc. all have these marks which could probably up the edge to the Mew’s round nose/muzzle a bit. While I was doing my research, I’ve noticed you’ve already got some of that dark muzzle stuff going on with Flurry, Deca, and Ody! (Haven’t seen anyone implementing the muzzle stripes or darkened edges yet tho, so anyone wanting to try it out plz go for it!)

Another, common facial marking are the tear lines

Which are quite common in the Big Zoomie cats and Floppas.

Lastly…eyebrows??? Eyebrows. I think that’s what they are????

Some of these wild feline predators apparently rock these eyebrow spots…idk why. I just found that interesting. Tho…a Mew rocking eyebrows would certainly look…interesting. Not too sure how to pull it off without it looking goofy yet but I’m working on it.

(Honorable mention goes to the manes and face framing fur tufts that some wild predator kitties have)

You will be very pleased to know that I do have a major character coming up with tear lines! You won’t be pleased with how, probably, by they are a design I love very much and I’m excited to introduce.

Granted, like I did with Noe, Circe and this mystery character are post Missingno. Arc, just set up for story after we tackle the stuff front end center!!

But I am also very happy to get goofy cat marking analysis in my inbox, welcome fellow cat nerds. Let us stare at large cats for mew inspiration… I might test out some striped muzzle stuff for Circe, it could be cute ;3

[lewmagoo]

ohh, gosh i have so many! i really want to highlight @roosterforme - she never misses and is so consistent with uploading content and creating stories that has you hooked! I also want to say I adore everything @jupitercomet puts out? how on earth are they so creative? I don't know, but her ideas literally never miss? and they're also a goose babe so like I gotta stan!! no but seriously, their under the hard deck universe is incredible, and the way they world-build and uses the environment to flesh out their characters is so!!! talented and amazing! @hangmanssunnies - y'all know i'm such a sap for their stories. their bradley fic "inconcievable!" had me in tears for days on end. and you all know i've never been the same since i read their incredible "house we share" featuring my baby boy neurodivergent!jake! another person who really delves deep into the emotional aspects of their characters and stories is @sebsxphia! reading their stories will awaken so many feelings, if it's horror, angst, smut, fluff - they do it all and they do it so so so well!! always raising the bar for all of us <3 @laracrofted crafts the most vivid original characters, and they are so interesting and well rounded it makes you yearn for more in the best way!! @seresinsweetie always has creative ideas, well thought out storylines, and just writes both bradley and jake in a way that makes me want to sob because they're not mine??? @delopsia never fails to make you gasp with their intricate stories, their well thought out plot and their originality and creativity - they are one of the few i trust my darling rhett with wholeheartedly - and i'm always amazed by their character analysis and how they mould and shape the slutty cowboy into a man of depth!!! amazing!! @ryebecca always blesses us with the most beautiful moodboards and visuals<33 they're so talented and you can tell a lot of thought and time goes into their craft! and of course my darling - you! you who write such vivid stories, full of lore, details, world building and incredible character studies. every time i think "wow, leah can't top this!" and then you do!!! every time!!! i am so blessed i get to take part in your creative process, and get to spitball ideas so regularly<3 i treasure it so much!

oh alex my beloved 🥺 this community would not be the same without you

[minrish]

It's sad that people are so insecure that they think a character poll is the only mesure to value and like a character. That happen when you don't have a personality and you based your taste on the flow of the moment, on what others think. It's not so weird to like both Gojo and Levi, even if they are not in a popularity poll.

I swear, there's a severe lack of individuality and personal preferences today. Hive mind at its finest 💀

Imagine liking Levi just because others like him and not for the wonderful character he is. It couldn't be me. The same goes for Gojo.

sorry for late response, but i agree with everything you have said above.

Characters are like meals. They can be beautifully crafted dishes that tantalize your taste buds, or bland, forgettable gruel.

Gojo, in my opinion, falls into the latter category. He strikes me as a one-note character, lacking depth or complexity.

But that doesn't mean I'll trash talk his admirers.

Honestly, it is a cultural epidemic, this blind worship of popularity polls and fleeting trends when it comes to something as personal and subjective as taste in fictional characters (basically succumbing to a hivemind mentality, surrendering your individuality to the whims of the crowd).

Disliking a character doesn't make you wrong, and vice versa.

It boils down to perspective, to that unique lens through which we experience stories. Characters can be a feast for the senses, a symphony of well-developed traits and motivations, or they can be bland, forgettable gruel. There's room for both on the table.

The beauty lies in the "why."

Why does this character resonate with you?

Why does another leave you cold?

Here's where the true conversation begins. Ditch the shallow pronouncements, the "Gojo's cool" or "Levi's the best" proclamations.

Back it up.

Think of it like building a case in court. You wouldn't walk in and declare the defendant guilty without evidence, would you? The same principle applies to character analysis.

Gather your proof – textual evidence from the story itself (canon), dissect their development arcs, their backstories, their internal conflicts.

Are they a well-rounded individual, a character who feels like they could exist in our world?

Or are they a flimsy caricature, a plot device rather than a living, breathing personality?

There's no objective "good" or "bad" character, in my opinion.

It's all about the execution.

A masterfully written character, even a villain you despise with every fiber of your being, will leave a mark. They'll be complex, believable, and linger in your thoughts long after you've finished the story. A poorly written character, on the other hand, is the literary equivalent of fast food – instantly forgettable, devoid of any real substance.

[theprogrockbstheorist]

BS Analysis no. 1: “Tarkus” as an Allegory for the Vietnam War

TW: Mentions of warfare and imperialism

Hello beloved progblr, today I am back with my first BS analysis, which is going to be on Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s (ELP) 1971 prog epic “Tarkus”. For the unfamiliar, this is what I do on my blog: I primarily write essays analyzing progressive rock, or writing fan essays. Occasionally, I’ll make some shitposts and reblog cool shit, but if you like stupidly in-depth analyses on prog bands that reached their peak in popularity 50 years ago or stupid fan theories about those same bands, then you’ll like it here! 

Now, for those unfamiliar with ELP (which I can’t imagine there are very many of you, as this is a prog blog), I’ll do my best to explain, however they aren’t my very favorite band, (I like them a lot, obviously, but I’m still kinda new to them) so if I make any mistakes, let me know! Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (more commonly called ELP) was basically prog’s first supergroup: all three members came from other bands prior to forming ELP in 1970. The only reason why I’m bringing this up is because their prior work, specifically Emerson’s (with The Nice) and Lake’s (with King Crimson), are going to be relevant in this essay. 

Tarkus is the second album released by the group in 1971, following the live debut of the group in 1970, and the whirlwind success of their eponymous debut album released that same year. The album begins with a ~20 minute long Level Two Prog Epic, and one of the first prog epics, also titled “Tarkus”. This epic is what I’ll be focusing on, and is divided into 7 sub-sections, each with their own title: 

i. “Eruption”,

ii. “Stones of Years”, 

iii. “Iconoclast”, 

iv. “Mass”, 

vi. “Battlefield”,

and vii. “Aquatarkus”. 

This helps to organize the events of “Tarkus” into something resembling a plot structure. Now, “Tarkus” (the song) doesn’t really have a plot itself, however, the inside cover of the album suggests something of a plot. Notably, the cover of the album contains an armadillo on tank treads, with the inside of the cover also containing a manticore and some sort of mechanized pterodactyl being destroyed by Tarkus (the creature). There are also several scenes depicting this plot: there is a volcano eruption out of which Tarkus is hatched (“Eruption”), a depiction of Tarkus destroying several animals, and then a scene depicting the Manticore challenging Tarkus, then a scene depicting the Manticore injuring Tarkus, causing it to retreat back into the water (“Aquatarkus”). Clearly, Tarkus is not meant to be the hero of the story: it is depicted as going on a rampage against innocent creatures, only to be stopped by the Manticore (side note: when ELP created their own label, they called it Manticore). On the surface, it appears to be a sci-fi/fantasy song about an evil creature, forged by fire, that is eventually quelled by an unlikely, organic hero, and forced to retreat. Sound familiar? An evil, mechanized creature that goes around, subjugating smaller creatures, until it is eventually forced to withdraw by an unlikely hero? 

From the illustrations, one can infer that Tarkus is meant to symbolize the United States and their imperialist actions in Southeastern Asia, and the Manticore, Vietnam. As depicted in the album artwork, Tarkus is a high-tech character (noted by the use of guns and the tank treads) that is defeated by an unlikely hero, the Manticore. Furthermore, Tarkus is based on an armadillo, an animal unique to North America, whereas the Manticore comes from Old World mythology, with similar creatures being found everywhere from Greece to East Asia. When the album was released in 1971, the U.S. was still embroiled in Vietnam, and began an operation into Cambodia, further destabilizing the region, and causing another round of protests against these actions. 

"Tarkus" being an allegory for the Vietnam War is further exemplified by the lyrics, which begin after the instrumental “Eruption” section, which questions whether “the days have made you so unwise” and whether the listener “can hear anything at all”. The song goes on to criticize religious institutions during a section called “Mass”, during which the phrase “the weaver in the web that he made” is repeated several times, and finally criticizes the futility of warfare in general during “Battlefield”, during which Lake sings the lyrics “You talk of freedom/starving children fall”. Section by section, it appears that “Stones of Years” is a direct address to those in power, questioning if they have learned anything from history, and whether they care to learn, “Mass” is criticizing those in power who have got themselves into a situation they cannot back out of without damaging their already ruined reputations, and “Battlefield” talks of the horrors of war. If the lyrics recorded on the studio version weren’t enough proof, when ELP performed the “Tarkus” epic live, they would often include “Epitaph” by King Crimson, which was written while Lake was still in King Crimson, in the “Battlefield” section. “Epitaph” is also an anti-war protest song that criticizes the leadership of humanity, with lyrics that state: “The fate of all mankind, I see/Is in/The hands of fools”, a pretty harrowing addition to the piece.

Speaking of careers before ELP, during his work with The Nice, Emerson was involved in an incident during The Nice’s performance at the Royal Albert Hall during their cover of “America” from West Side Story involving the American flag being defaced in some way. According to Jay Keister and Jeremy L. Smith in their work “Musical Ambition, Cultural Accreditation and the Nasty Side of Progressive Rock” (2008), he “repeatedly stabbed an American flag and burnt it onstage,” whereas according to Emerson himself, he only set light to it, and it was only an image of the American flag that was burnt without being stabbed. However, The Nice did intend for “America” to be “the world’s first instrumental protest song." Either way, The Nice did this intentionally while the American ambassador was present, leading to Emerson and The Nice receiving a lifetime ban from the venue (later revoked). In the aforementioned article as well, the authors also believe that “Tarkus” was indeed meant to be a protest piece due to Emerson's previous actions, as well as the actual content of the song and album.

When looked at holistically, it becomes evident that what appears to be a peculiar piece of progressive rock with a rather quirky cover of an armadillo on tank tracks is actually a defiant statement against the horrific actions taken by the US military in the name of “freedom”.  Was ELP alone in making such statements during the late 1960s and early 1970s? Not at all, many artists protested against the Vietnam War in the form of songs. However, what makes "Tarkus" stand out is that it's meant to be digested as a package: without the album illustrations, the song becomes a lot more vague and unconnected, however without the song, "Tarkus" is merely the creature on the cover of the album, without any further depth.

I feel that one thing that people tend to forget about progressive rock, in general, is that it's never simply just music about wizards and shit. All these long suites and epics portray something deeper than just their plots, and that is especially poignant for something like "Tarkus" to get the respect it deserves.

.

.

.

If anyone is interested, please look up that paper I mentioned! It’s an excellent, short read. The interview in which Emerson gives his perspective on the Royal Albert Hall incident is here, around  11:31 to 12:23. 

[lemmingsunday]

Okay, so most of you wanted this. Here is the in depth analysis of how the bright eyes scene in watership down 1978 manages to evoke so many emotions.

(Under the cut)

So this analysis is mostly practice to improve my grade in english, so dont expect anything good.

So the scene starts out with hazels "death". I think the reason so many people thought he was dead to start with is because of how richard adams presents death within the book and by extension the film. In all cases of death in watership down, it is sudden. It starts off with violet in the cornfield, and fivers short statement of "violets gone". There is no greiving for her, no remembrance. The group keeps moving on. The same is with hollys memory of the warren, the rabbit whos throat is ripped out by woundwort (i think he was blackavar, but i cant be sure) and eventually hazel himself at the end of the film. The exception to this pattern is bigwig when he was caught in the snare, but he wasnt dead, and that scene wasnt as such a deception, but a way to keep the stakes high and further illustrate the corruption of man and the land. Hazels false death follows the trend of swift sudden death (and i could talk for hours about how this is to reflect the true fate of many animals and how the 2018 remake just couldnt capture that, but i cant rn), and so because the viewer already associates this with final death, they think hazel is gone (also causing a shit ton of childhood trauma but anyway). Another reason the death feels genuine is because the film isnt afraid to kill off characters (violet, the warren ect) while other films are, and so this already deviates from status quo.

Anyway, ramble over, on to the actual scene. So we have all these emotions and shock built up from this moment. Fiver (the moral heart of the story) is in shock. He doesnt believe it, hes in denial and begins to look for his brother. Then the animation begins to shift. It gently flows into that sort of abstract, pale style of fivers visions, the first hint to hazels life, and the first section of bright eyes starts to play. Now there is hope. This is different to every other framing of death, and is so beautiful/heartbreaking. Then the lyrics kick in. This really cements this scenes deviation from the tone of the film (but not in an way that feels out of place) and the viewer gets hope. If you really listen, the lyrics "how could a light that burned so brightly suddenly burn so pale" and "down the river of death" allude to hazels death, however this is juxtaposed to the imagery of fiver chasing the black rabbit/vision of hazel (they both appear at times). Both of these things represent the conflicting emotions within the viewer, and just fit in really beautifully, while showing that it isnt hazels time. The other rabbits dont get this, they dont get death leading a rescuer to them.The scene flits between fiver searching for hazel and younger, simpler version of the pair playing together, which reminds the audience that the two are indeed brothers and have the closest friendship in the group, which further adds to the pile of emotions going on and just ties everything together perfectly.

Forgot to add, but the fact that this song has lyrics is another deviation. Sorry for missing that and not having time to develope it.

Anyway, the ending. The music dies down and fiver approaches the farm. He rounds on to the pipe and we hear this deep, echoing heartbeat. Hazel is alive. I cant express just how perfect this ending is for that scene. There is just nothing to add. We dont need to see hazel or hear fiver say "hazels alive!" It is the perfect example of show not tell. The remake could only dream of being that good. The impact of that ending is just too good and satisfies the audience, while also keeping that sense of suspense and apprehension.

Thats going to be it, since i have to eat now, but i hope this satisfied the people who wanted this, especially you @kazbrekkerfast

Bye

[asknarashikari]

Goodness, the more I actually think about this, the more I actually wish Kekera wasn't just another sadistic DGP enjoyer like Beroba. Hell, I even once pointed out in an old submission that he and berobitch aren't that much different in terms of character as villains, with the only difference being Kekera has the goal of having an "ideal kamen rider"....in which, now I actually think about this, there's actually a flaw with this idea. Why did it take until KEIWA specifically to come along for Kekera to finally have this sort of character to shape up into his ideal kamen rider? Seriously, it couldn't have been any other nobody we don't know about from previous rounds? Seriously? We don't even know how old he is and how long he's been watching the DGP anyways.

Looking back at my submission on the Kekera analysis...I still completely agree with the points I made, both the villain and supporting ally route can still work for Kekera IF DONE RIGHT. However, by this point, I definitely prefer for the supporting ally route than the villain route for my take on Geats (especially the really flawed latter portion) by this point. Among the sea of bored lowlife DGP audience from the future who watch the DGP for the sake of entertainment...I think Kekera would've stood out more if he was that one supporter that saw the flaws of the DGP/JGP/DR from the get go. Like maybe long before the start of Kamen Rider Geats, he USED to be like the others who watch the DGP for entertainment because of his mundane life only to then become more metacognitive and realize how fucked up the DGP, it's audience, and even a lot of the riders participating is in general and detest it but knows there's realistically nothing he can do about it at the moment, not by himself anyways...and then seemingly mundane average Keiwa shows up and happens to resonate with him, not only because of his well-meant goals, but he also seemed to understood how fucked up the DGP is from the start and is not entirely okay with it. Something he could EMPHATHIZE Keiwa with. Yeah, just coming up with these ideas alone definitely make me appreciate the ideas I had for that submission for the conniving yet sincere Kekera route even more, because this not only makes him stand out from the other supporters (Hell, objectively speaking, I think Ziin and Kyuun stood out more from Beroba and Kekera) but it has much more depth and maybe complexity than the multiple generic boring sadistic DGP enjoyers. (No offense, how am I able to come up with better ideas that could give Kekera more depth and complexity than the writer himself? That said, executing them is still a different story but I digress. Like we really didn't need another Berobitch-esque major character with a different notable quirk to make them stand out.

Tbf, the whole "why did it take until KEIWA specifically to come along" thing kinda applies to all the supporters (except maybe Ace, 'coz Ziin actually explained the reason he felt drawn to him pretty well). Why did Kyuun fall for Neon out of all the pretty girls that would've joined the DGP at any point? Why did Berobitch decide Buffabutt was the one she decided was most fun to enact her plan with??

I mean, we don't even know what about Ace's dad made his mom fall for him to the point that she defied the DGP to have Ace with him. (And Ace doesn't seem to find him that important either given that he focused all his efforts on Mitsume, but finding out his father had been unpersoned by the DGP had no similar effect...)

But yeah, I agree that it would've been much more fascinating if Kekera was a benevolent supporter who was more aware of how fucked up the DGP was and was working within its system to take it down.

[thesketchyheartist]

01/22

Otsuka-Unholy Alliance and Seo-Momotaro and the Divine Warriors

In Unholy Alliance, the author describes their take on the origins of Japanese manga. They describe the emergence of Disney's Mickey Mouse and Felix the Cat as well as the rise of fascism were the main influences of manga; in addition, the author denounces giving sole credit to ancient Japanese art forms as the "ancestors", since they compared the similarities early manga characters shared with popular Western characters at that time and contrasted with pre-manga drawings to indicate the features were too significant to prove the assumptions. This article gave an in-depth analysis of the history behind manga by describing art historical movements at the time, tying in other historical events. Overall, the author was well-rounded in their writing. Also worth noting: before the author went into their analysis, they gave an introduction to the readers. Describing their personal experience establishes a credibility, or if not credibility at least the writer seeks to connect with the reader to reach out, so the author can create a mood the reader understands the writer wants to set before they make their argument. In this article, the writer also gives an example of early Japanese film, Momotaro and the Divine Warriors. This film uses a monochromatic medium. In the film, the characters are anthropomorphized, as expected as the characters. For the most part, this film did not had a main storyline plot. While it did feature multiple characters and animals, as well as some human characters, not much can be said about complexity. But, looking into the film, while the characters do not have extremely well-defined details (the hair/furs are not as well as modern hair/fur), backgrounds and weaponry like airplanes are well drawn out. Another thing that stood out was the lyrics when the animals would sing. To summarize, they are joyous to help each other for tasks, like the tigers chop wood, the monkeys move fast, and the elephants and rhinoceri would lug the lumber. What's the big deal? Maybe it is nothing, since the film was only an hour long, but it does show what Japanese watch domestically at that time. They idealize unity and cooperation, as well as individuals' dedication. They also praise the individuals, like when the brave captain (a human) negotiated with the foolish enemy (Western forces). **I do not have a strong background in the arts (as seen in the non-artistic and literary analysis), the political sciences, and history. Looking deeper later on, I have come to realize my knowledge is lacking more than it is having, even less than for-giving.

-01/21/2024

So I'm going to be that person, but monkeys do not look like that. But Mickey Mouse might be related, right? Also look at the Japanese flag symbol on Santa [the little one]. bye

[ya-boiiiii]

The differences between character appearances in Madame Goncharov (1971) and Goncharov (1973).

So, I'm a huge fan of both and love to compare and contrast so behold the second of hopefully many Goncharov analysis posts to come!

The timelines of the book and movie aren't set in stone but based on certain lines in the book such as "Plus de dix ans de loyauté et c’est ce que tu me fais?" I'm going to assume the story takes place in between ten to twenty years and as a result will also be covering how accurately to the book the characters aged.

Goncharov

Played by Robert de Niro, Goncharov is shockingly the least accurate to the books!

Described as "semblable à un loup", Goncharov is consistently mentioned with distinctively sharp wolf-like features, something that - while De Niro doesn't necessarily lack - does not have in abundance.

Another detail that gets left out is that (book) Goncharov is quite tall - over 6', being only rivalled by Ice Pick Joe in the main cast. De Niro on the other hand was 5'9 at the time of filming.

I stand by the casting of De Niro nevertheless, as Goncharov's most touched upon quality - his youthfulness - was the one thing that De Niro had in spades. Roughly 40 at the beginning of the story, Goncharov is described as looking nearly a decade his junior, this trait continues throughout with the only sign of Goncharov's advancing age being a few grey hairs (something included in the film).

Mario Ambrosini

Following the least accurate appearance we have the most (with only one major exception) with Al Pacino as Mario Ambrosini!

Al Pacino has every single feature mentioned in the book, the only difference being that Mario is described as unattractive while Pacino is most certainly not. Pacino is also slightly taller than Mario who is constantly mocked for being "petit" and "à peine la hauteur des épaules".

However, while this is not about the casting, I feel it's important to mention that Mario during the later stages of the movie looks nothing like his book counterpart.

While Goncharov barely ages, Mario is the opposite. Though the movie definitely showcases the depths of just how tired and depressed he is, it would have been impossible to portray an older Mario without the filming taking forever or casting another actor for the second half.

Mario is said to have gained a substantial amount of weight due to overeating thanks to the stress of working as Goncharov's consigliere, as well as having grown out his hair. He's also described as looking in his mid-fifties which Al Pacino was definitely not.

I'm honestly thankful they didn't use prosthetics or cast another actor though, because despite this one nitpick, Mario honestly felt like he was wrenched straight out of the book and I think only Al Pacino could have pulled him off.

Katya Goncharova

Portrayed by Cybil Shepherd, Katya is fairly accurate to the books with a few key differences.

In the books, Katya is not a real blonde and stops dyeing her roots in later chapters as her dark "true colours" begin to shine. In the movie she stays fully blonde throughout and there is no allusion made to Katya dyeing her hair at all.

Katya also has much softer features in the film than the book, having been described as the fox to her husband's wolf. She is mentioned to have a very pointy chin and triangular nose as opposed to Shepherd's more rounded features.

Like Goncharov, Katya is said to have not really aged all that much save for her eyes. I think a little makeup to accentuate her eyebags could have gone a long way, as she looks the same at the end of the movie as she did in the beginning.

Her performance more than makes up for all this though, so 10/10 in my book regardless.

Andrey (Andrei) Daddano

I know some people have mixed feelings on Harvey Keitel as Andrey (spelt Andrei in the books) but I think, in terms of appearance, the casting was pretty accurate.

In the beginning, Andrei is said to look more like Katya's brother than Valery - their similarities being a constant point of comparison (Goncharov has a type). He's described as having a "visage de renard" but I think Harvey Keitel fits this description very well.

He's mentioned to have dirty copper hair (something Keitel lacks), and is the most "pâle" of the ensemble in terms of skin. He is also supposed to have a punchable face according to Goncharov himself and I do not want to punch Keitel so there is that as well.

In terms of aging, I think the eye patch, facial hair and streaks of grey caused Keitel to age accurately to the books, however he is mentioned in certain passages to have lost quite a bit of weight (Cassius parallels what up), but I don't think it would have been ethical to force Keitel to do the same.

Joe Morelli and Sofia Ambrosini

We're doing a two for one here for Sofia (played by Sophia Loren) and Joe (played by the late, great John Cazale).

The differences for these two are pretty inconsequential, Sofia is said to have a longer face and rounder eyes (resembling Mario) whereas Joe is supposed to be 6'4 and "jaunâtre". However this is bordering nitpicky and I can't think of anyone more suited to playing these two.

An interesting detail I want to point out is that it seems Loren was cast based on her resemblance to an older Sofia as opposed to everyone else (sans Ice Pick Joe, my man died before everything went to shit).

But yeah, these two were very good choices and I do not have much else to say. Thank you for bearing with me and I will be back with another essay soon.

[antvnger]

// OKAY. portrayal notes *kicks down the door of your inbox*. i know i've said this before, but it bears repeating: i literally feel like i'm friends with scott lang.

when all the quantumania promos were out, i was pointing at the TV like 'i know that dude!! i talk to him on the internet every day!!' you have absolutely nailed his energy, vibe, speech patterns, humor, you name it.

from his playful, comedic replies to asks to the intense heart-to-hearts he has, you've done such an exceptional job of rounding out his character and giving us a degree of depth and nuance that the mcu just doesn't have space for. scott lang's memoir is this blog, imo.

you're exceptional at knowing scott's strengths, insecurities, and limitations and how these would all impact his life and relationships. and from a meta perspective, it's always a joy to write with you because while we all LOVE scott lang in this house, it doesn't feel like you write him in a way that's to put him on a pedestal or just to push his agenda. he's so grounded and real, which is yet another expression of your inherent scott-isms.

i always love to see how YOU come through in your scott portrayal and how scott comes through in you with our own interactions, too. you both have the best traits of each other, and it's my greatest honor and pleasure to call you both friend and get to share creative space with you. you were one of the first RP blogs i interacted with personally and ic, and i am eternally proud of that fact.

can't wait to see everything that we'll continue to create together for our boys. mun and bros forever! <33333

((IRON MUN!!))

((This is what you’ve done to me ☝🏻 I’ve been hit with ALL the good feels))

((This is honestly such a sweet and very perceptive analysis of my portrayal like wow I am blown away by it! Thank you so much! I’m very humbled. I took screenshots of this so I can keep it.))

((You’re just the best. Thank you so much for this!))

ASK MEME :   HOW’S MY PORTRAYAL? 

[jrwi-most-nd]

Round 4/Semi-Final Poll:

Pictures and propaganda are under the cut!

Gillion Tidestrider (Riptide)

(Submitted for Autism, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and Dyslexia)

do i really need to say anything. do i really.  ~ Autism he has,,,,,,, an issue with textures and social interaction and just yknow gives off those v i b es  ~ Autism He misses social cues, mostly black and white thinking, especially towards the beginning of the series, strong morals, has stated he doesn’t like/struggles with change, etc etc  ~ Autism HE CANONICALLY DOESN’T LIKE VELVET HE CANONICALLY HAS TEXTURE/SENSORY ISSUES. His whole arc with the oversea is so autism coded (with not understanding things everybody else around him thinks is common knowledge even if it’s never been explained to him before). But ALSO HE TOTALLY HAS INTRUSIVE/IMPULISVE THOUGHTS he canonically has ‘blasphemous’ type thoughts (wanting to steal lemons with his friends even if it’s against his oath), plus there’s NO WAY he doesn’t have violent type intrusive thoughts about hurting his loved ones NO WAY. plus his overall stubbornness of not letting go of his oath and general struggles with change is so so so autism coded of him.  ~ Autism and OCD Gillion is literally so autistic. He misses social cues and is easily deceived. He also hates lying and is overall a very honest guy! he repeats certain phrases like ‘it is my destiny!’ which are actually vocal stims cause i said so. Could all of this be explained by him not having a childhood and never learning anythning other than fight? yup! Am i saying all of this cause im like that? yeah! and im autistic :D also hes very cool and thats also a sign of autism  ~ Autism being put through years of (training) torture can cause anxiety especially at the young age he was ive also seen him just do random shit which gives off the idea that he’s not reliant on social cues, for example; jumping out windows, kissing a man (chip), or just going off to do his own thing which is a thing i do alot,,not kissing men,,,or jumping out winows yet but hes not reliant on social cues, he also ties his hair up, and i know he didnt do it in the first design but sometimes my sensory issues go away and come back randomly like a vacation for those bastards anyway another thing with the anxiety autism and anxiety are both very common together like autism and adhd! thats all i got but i can go way more in depth  ~ Autism and Anxiety Gillion fishman nuerospicy asf and I need ppl to share in my hc that he has ocd look at him. Insert cool character analysis I don’t do words. Fish. ~ Autism, ADHD, and OCD

Dakota Cole (Prime Defenders)

(Submitted for Autism, ADHD, OCD, OSDD, PTSD, Dissociative Disorder, and Dyslexia)

Dakota Cole  ~ Autism and ADHD Misses social cues, high sense of justice, pretty black and white morals, stims, struggles with change, special interest in superheroes, struggles to process his emotions, wears noise cancelling headphones, gets overstimulated, need I go on?  ~ Autism Tends to jump into things without thinking, pretty short attention span especially with stuff he doesn’t like, very AuDHD vibes ~ ADHD Come on, now. Be honest with yourself. ~ Autism and ADHD LOOK AT THAT CREATURE OF A MAN. Sensitive to loud noise/generally gets overwhelmed at chaotic situations, cannot fucking keep a thought straight, uiwrehfgpiouwygehfiu LOOK AT HIM. He’s my little chaos boy and he needs to be kept safe and cozy please. dont let him down. protecc. win.  ~ Autism and ADHD Grizzly has stated both in PD episodes and in the rolled that Dakota does not know how to process complex emotions. Like, at all. He is also constantly flirting from one idea to the next in a way that is common in ADHD. I would like to spin him around in a microwave  ~ Autism and ADHD I like them a lot :333  ~ Autism and OCD super hero hyperfixation, canonically has sensory issues, tendency to have black and white morality (and also sticks to that moral code strictly). also you can argue that when he went feral due to overstimulation, that was just a meltdown that got supercharged by his heart.  ~ Autism Dakota has repeatedly had trouble/stated that he can’t read. While this could be to the vision loss that he needs glasses for in season two, it could just as easily be attributed to dyslexia  ~ Dyslexia

[yesterdanereviews]

3ft Ball & Souls (2018)

Film review #596

Director: Yoshio Kato

SYNOPSIS: Four people arrange in an online chat room to undertake a group suicide. They meet in an isolated shed where one of them has brought a huge ball of fireworks to explode along with them. When the last person arrives, they realise that she is just a high school student, and the three other adults try to talk her out of it. She refuses and sets off the fireworks, but this sends the other three back in time as they all arrive at the shed. They deduce that the reason they are being sent back is because that Tsukiko, the schoolgirl, is there, and so they try and persuade her to leave before they can end their own lives...

THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: 3ft Ball & Souls is a 2018 film. The setup of the film is fairly simple: four people, who meet in an online chat room, and agree to commit suicide together. Meeting up in a shed, one of the participants brings with him a huge fireworks ball, which he intends to explode with them all inside the shed. One by one the people arrive, until the final person arrives: a schoolgirl named Tsukiko. Uncomfortable with her joining their plan, the other three try to convince her to leave, but she is adamant she wants to go through with it, taking the detonator and setting it off. This, however, causes time to go back to before everyone gathers. As time loops at this point again and again, the three people believe that the loop is being caused by the schoolgirl's presence, and try to convince her to leave so they can break the loop. The premise of the film is fairly simple: taking place almost entirely in this small shed, the three participants try to convince the schoolgirl to leave, with each participant recognising they are in a loop at different points of the film. The story takes an in-depth look at it's topic of suicide that is serious and frank, with a sprinkle of light-humour to round out the characters. The sparse and limited setting supports the tone by proving few distractions, and setting the four characters around this giant ball of fireworks, which leaves them little room to hide.

As the film progresses, we learn a little about each of the characters and the reasons which have led them to this point. The story is well paced and provides enough insight into each of the characters to get you into their state of mind. The irony of these three people so willing to end their own lives trying to convince Tsukiko to not do it herself is not lost on the film, and even though everyone is the same position, they are still there for vastly different reasons, so their words don't necessarily resonate with one another.

The film's weaknesses are that while the film does have an in-depth dive into the topic of suicide, it lacks a kind of profound emotional depth that I think it wants to go for. It has it's moments for sure, but overall it's missing something to tie everything together. maybe it's because the characters all have these very distinct personalities and reasons for being there with no overlap, which makes it obvious they are actual scripted characters. There's also a very cultural aspect of how suicide is perceived and dealt with in japan, so you might miss a certain element of the film if you're not well-versed in it. I think the weakest aspect of the film is the ending. Without spoiling, it ties everything together a bit too neatly, and it is one of those rare films where it would have been better if the film ended about five minutes earlier in a more ambiguous way that was still positive, but without over indulging the point. The strongest moment of the film comes near the end, when the three participants have run out of reasons and arguments to dissuade Tsukiko from going through with it, being left with the sole reason that they don't want her to.

Overall, I thought 3ft Ball & Souls was a good film that has a good story that is well told and set up; dealing with a topic that is hard to deal with. The characters play well off of each other, and have a decent amount of depth too. The ending is a bit too simplistic and well-rounded to really gel with the rest of the film, but it doesn't detract too much from the net positive of the film's story, pacing and characters.

[melliejellybellybean]

The Swift Lineage: evermore (Rey's Version)

Rounding out this analysis on female characters through Taylor Swift music, I really think that Rey would love evermore.

Going back to my weird timeline, if Midnights is around Leia's early years, Taylor is probably dead (rip) by the time the sequels come around... I think. I'm putting minimal thought process into this timeline because I don't want a headache. But anyways, also by the sequel era, I think her music has become another relic of the Old Republic era in a way.

So I think that Rey happens to find evermore by chance. She's never heard of Taylor Swift, she has no one to give her any background information, she's got nothing other than the 17 songs that are on the album.

I think she's so enraptured by it. She analyzes each song in depth, of course, but because she doesn't have any background information, a lot of her interpretation is uniquely her own. dorothea is about her parents, cowboy like me is about Ben Solo, marjorie is about Leia, long story short is an ode to her whole life.

The album becomes a part of her as she makes herself a part of the album.

Swift Lineage "Masterlist"

[maciesportfolio-blog]

End of Unit Sample Lesson Plan

Standards:

RL. 11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RL. 11-12.2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. 

RL 11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

Objectives:

Students will be able to peer edit their character analysis essays.

Students will be able to turn in a final copy of their character analysis essays. 

Materials:

Student books

Essay outline sheet

Computer cart/1-1 devices

Introduction (first 5 minutes):

Students will be asked to get out their computers and open up their rough drafts of their essays. If students would like to edit their essays on a printed copy, they can. Otherwise they will need to share their drafts with two different partners. 

Activities:

The teacher will quickly go over what partner edits should look like. (5 min)

Grammar and punctuation

If any sentences are confusing (clarity)

Structure/flow of the essay

Etc.

Each student will peer edit 2 other students' papers, making sure to have a conference with them about the edits that they have made. (20 min)

After every student has had their papers looked at by two others and have talked to their peers about the edits,  they can go through and tweak their papers. (15 min)

Closure (last 5 minutes):

If students are confident in their papers, they may turn them in during class. Otherwise the final draft of the paper will be due that day at 11:59 PM. 

Assessment:

Students will be graded on their ability to peer edit their classmate’s papers. While the edits themselves will not be viewed for a grade, the teacher will make sure to walk around the room in order to assess students on the quality of their edits. Students will also be assessed on their turning in of their final drafts on time, as well as on the paper itself.

Foreseen problems and solutions:

Students run out of time to peer edit

If this happens, the teacher should ask the students how confident they are in their papers. If the students are confident, the final paper will still be due at 11:59 PM. If there is a lack of confidence by even a small majority, the due date will be pushed back to Day 11. 

If the due date is pushed back, Day 11 will be another round of peer edits. The paper would then be due Day 11 at 11:59 PM.

Students have never peer edited a paper before. 

While there is a short review of peer editing, some students may not have peer edited someone else's paper before. In this case, the teacher should go over peer reviewing a bit more in depth. Specifics in terms of grammar, clarity, and flow should be projected on the board for students to refer back to.

Run on sentences, proper punctuation, capitalization, spelling errors

Introduction, bodies, and conclusions are clear, have enough sentences in each

Major points of the essay are connected, the thesis is supported in each paragraph

If students have any questions, make sure to be available to answer them.