In both its historical and contemporary manifestations, fantasy as a narrative element has operated predominantly within the domain of childhood. Whether we discuss Alice in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, or Harry Potter, fantasy stories typically feature child protagonists in order to target a child audience. Fantasy narratives can vary considerably: they can create … [Read more...] about Teens, Toddlers, and Totoro
Humanities
Hearing is Believing
By Cody Marion In 1927, sound and image became forever linked with the production of The Jazz Singer, the very first feature film to synchronize dialogue with visuals. While some proclaimed it to be the death of filmmaking, others championed it, arguing that the medium was progressing and evolving into something much more engrossing than what had already been an undeniably … [Read more...] about Hearing is Believing
Confronting the Cat
By Brenda Yang Suffering proves to be a ubiquitous presence in both Tony Kushner’s Angels in America and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov (Rebellion). Both pieces—one a play, the other a novel—demonstrate the futility of using grand systems and theories as a means to supplant or justify instances of profound individual suffering. In denying the details of suffering … [Read more...] about Confronting the Cat
Dueling with Censorship: Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series’ Pastiche of Dubbing
By Charlie Furman In 2006, two years after the end of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, a YouTube user known as LittleKuriboh (LK) uploaded a parodic version of the first episode of Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series. In it, he takes the first episode of the series, adds more ellipses to the narrative, and re-records the dialogue to bring out different reactions to the same scenarios. … [Read more...] about Dueling with Censorship: Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series’ Pastiche of Dubbing
Games of Choice and Consequence
By David Harrison Thurpin Games are communication. The very act of playing to win prompts us to understand a game’s rules and potential strategies; we cannot proceed to successfully play without simultaneously learning from our in-game experiences. The new chess player quickly learns to guard his knights and rooks with pawns, or he will lose his more valuable pieces first. … [Read more...] about Games of Choice and Consequence