Many of Hayao Miyazaki's works incorporate a spiritual element in order to put across to the viewer the ideas expressed within his films, but these ideas are never dependent on the structure of organized religion (Wright, L, 2005.), instead hearkening back to ancient times and the innocence of pre-intellectualism (Wright, L, 2005.). He deliberately goes against the notion of organized religion and instead asks the viewer to reach their own conclusions on the state of humanity and the world in which we live, forgoing the arbitrariness of religious tenets and concentrating on the innermost qualities of innate spiritualism that we have sacrificed in the pursuit of greater knowledge.
In many ways, Miyazaki's timeless tales of the conflict between nature and human expansion echo the 'Collective Consciousness' developed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, an ideological view of humanity as an interconnected family that derives all thought and experience from the same source, while utilizing the Japanese Shinto religion as a foundation on which to base the struggles of his characters as they attempt to rectify the unbalance between mankind and the natural world. Miyazaki seems to have an understanding of religion and spirituality as being rather distinct from one another, that religion is a human construct (Wright, L, 2005) that stems from the inherent spirituality within all peoples. The message at the heart of Miyazaki's works seems to be that religion, in a sense, obscures what is at the core of all human beings, a primal sense of right and wrong that should not be misconstrued by the mythology of gods and demons that modern religion often touts as the chief good and evil.
Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind are films that depict settings bearing little to no resemblance to our modern world, historically set within the distant past and the far future respectively, but the conflicts that take place in them are largely derived from the same source: humanity's struggle to live harmoniously alongside the natural world. The central figures at the crux of these films are female characters, Sen and Nausicaa, both of whom embody Miyazaki's perspective and the aforementioned innocence of pre-intellectual antiquity, who battle to enlighten the films' antagonists who seem to embody humanity's post-intellectual, pro-human survivalist modernity. As the protagonists journey through the events of the films, they aid in elevating the understanding of the natural world for greater humanity, proving to the films' antagonists that humanity and nature can achieve an equilibrium and live side-by-side.
Another thing about Miyazaki's films that I find noteworthy is that almost none of the antagonistic characters are depicted as being beyond hope of redemption, a quality that echoes the Shinto faith's perception of the human spirit as being like a fogged mirror that, when wiped clean, reveals the essential purity of the person's soul beneath (Wright, L, 2005.). Another area of the Shinto faith that Miyazaki draws parallels with is the idea that humanity is in search of a paradise beyond our current sphere of existence, the Earth, an Edenic world that is reserved for the chosen people of the gods should they resist the temptations of an earthly life; Miyazaki's films and the Shinto belief system tend to view the Earth, itself, as the mythical paradise that all humans are desperate to transcend to after death (Wright, L, 2005). According to Miyazaki and Shinto, we are living too much for the illusory next world and not bettering the one we already have, a system of thought that I can personally agree entirely with.
In Wright's examination of Miyazaki's film, Princess Mononoke, the central antagonist, Lady Eboshi, epitomises the perceptions of our modern world, that the sacrifice of natural resources is a worthy trade-off if we are to guarantee humanity's growth and survival as a species (Wright, L, 2005.), the notion that humanity's progression or technological evolution must take precedence over the preservation of the environment. Ultimately, this ideology will lead humanity to its undoing, and Miyazaki's films act as cursory reminders of the grim future that awaits us should we continue to do business without consideration for the life of our planet.
In summary, Miyazaki's films are tales of the conflict between advancement versus stagnation as a species, the divide between nature and urbanization, and the pursuit of knowledge at the expense of the simplicity provided by our hereditary "childlike" nostalgia (Wright, L, 2005.). This, however, does not mean that Miyazaki or his films are religiously or spiritually inclined by his and/or their nature; he simply communicates his ideas about what it means to be human in relation to the natural world by borrowing from various religious sources, not unlike Shinto itself, and wants to enlighten viewers to the spiritual core of their being without direct associations to any religion at all.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Week 5 - Animation and its Place in Asian Societies
Animation across many Asian demographics was, in its infancy, greatly inspired by the works produced by American animation powerhouse Disney (Lent, J.A., 2000), with Snow White, Felix the Cat, and Bambi being most eminent among them. In the year 1923, the four Wan brothers of China developed a strong interest in Western animation and its styling (Lent, J.A., 2000), later implementing the technical nature of foreign productions in order to create their own animations. However, it was decided by the brothers that imitating the totality of Western animated productions was not in the best interests of China's national identity, and so they strove to embellish their works with traditional elements of humour and sensibility at it pertains to Chinese culture (Lent, J.A., 2000).
In time, animation in China came to incorporate artistic techniques of an indigenous nature (Lent, J.A., 2000), moving farther and farther from commonplace Western forms of artistry, allowing for distinctive works independent of their Western counterparts that would later become classics (Lent, J.A., 2000). In Japan, where animation remains a much beloved medium, the renowned animator Tezuka Osamu, creator of Astro Boy and Jungle Emperor Leo, began his career in animation after viewing Bambi as a sixteen year-old, re-watching it no less than 100 times (Lent, J.A., 2000), and was so inspired by it that all his subsequent works came to embody the Disney style of animation. Many accredit Tezuka Osamu the title of 'God of Manga' and is credited with the creation of the 'large eyes' style that is now a requisite of all anime in Japan. Even famed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki has listed Disney as a major source of inspiration for his works, with many calling his production studio, Studio Ghibli, the 'Disney of the East', lending credence to Lent's theory that many Asian animators seemingly revel in the 'Disney of Asia' association (Lent, J.A., 2000).
But, as outlined by Lent in his article Animation in Asia: Appropriation, Reinterpretation, and Adoption or Adaptation (2000. AnimeResearch.com), there were many determining factors of the influence of Western animation on Asian demographics than first meets the eye. According to Lent, the sheer prevalence of Western-made animation (Lent, J.A., 2000) meant that to acquire the skills necessary to produce animation, one must imitate the only known source of its origin and reproduce it in order to propagate one's own visual style. In many ways, this is comparable to modern fanfiction writing: fanfiction writers take key aspects of the original story and re-purpose its structure so as to engineer the story in other ways or forms. At first, the author/artist follows the originating template established by the pioneers of writing/animation quite closely; but later, they move farther and farther from the established template and engineer their own. Even Shakespeare was considered to be somewhat of a plagiarist, retooling the classics that inspired him and re-purposing their fundamental components to create altogether unique and striking literary dramas.
It has been said that the people of Asia are hyper visual, particularly the Japanese, and it is not uncommon to see big name brands pushing their wares within the region in advertisements accompanied by cute animated mascots; perhaps this is a key indication of the success of animation in the East as opposed to the West. One need only look at the glittering metropolises of Shanghai or Tokyo to see the visual embellishments of architecture and neon-lit signage that permeates those world-renowned urban landscapes. As Lent describes it, animation has since been adapted to "fit" Asian culture and society (Lent, J.A., 2000), and has cropped up in countries like Vietnam and the Philippines as politically motivated propaganda (Lent, J.A., 2000), while the animation industry as a whole has served to generate foreign capital for countries within Asia (Lent, J.A., 2000).
The demand for up-and-coming Asian artists with an eye for detail has risen sharply over the recent decades, with many being commissioned by major publishing houses such as Marvel Comics in the graphic novel/comic field, while animation production studios have established training programmes for budding artists to fine-tune their aesthetic talents (Lent, J.A., 2000). In the past, according to Lent, such training offered by foreign animation studios had imparted the Western sense of artistic merit and greatly influenced the popularity of the West's animation sensibility (Lent, J.A., 2000). Now, Asian artists are sought out deliberately to impart their own sense of aesthetic quality in order to promote Western animation in the East; popular children's cartoon, Ben 10, for expample, even employs the 'large eyes' style seen in Japanese anime. For once, it seems, Western animators are eager to imitate the style of popular Asian animations in spite of what was true in the reverse more than five decades ago.
But while animation today is largely regarded positively, it had not always been so. In Korea, Japanese anime was banned outright for fear that it promoted Japan's "imperialist culture" (Lent, J.A., 2000), and Disney's Aladdin managed to upset the entire Muslim community by sparking outcries of racism (Lent, J.A., 2000), or in the case of Singapore were heavily censored due to risque sexual innuendo or blatant themes of violence (Lent, J.A., 2000). Adding to this discontent is the dominance of Western animation pervading the television broadcasts of many Asian countries, most notably in Beijing, where 66% percent of children's television is comprised of foreign cartoons, half of that percentage belonging to the Disney Corporation (Lent, J.A., 2000). This market domination may impact upon the cultural identities of Asian national groups if allowed to escalate, which is perhaps an indication of Japan's resolute denial of foreign writers keen to try their hands at anime script writing, which they claim is beyond emulation by non-Japanese writers.
Overall, it appears that the balance between Western and Eastern animators remains rather skewed, but has levelled out in more equal terms during recent times; whether animation is colonial in nature, low-brow entertainment, or culturally stimulating art is left, largely, up to its viewers to decide.
In time, animation in China came to incorporate artistic techniques of an indigenous nature (Lent, J.A., 2000), moving farther and farther from commonplace Western forms of artistry, allowing for distinctive works independent of their Western counterparts that would later become classics (Lent, J.A., 2000). In Japan, where animation remains a much beloved medium, the renowned animator Tezuka Osamu, creator of Astro Boy and Jungle Emperor Leo, began his career in animation after viewing Bambi as a sixteen year-old, re-watching it no less than 100 times (Lent, J.A., 2000), and was so inspired by it that all his subsequent works came to embody the Disney style of animation. Many accredit Tezuka Osamu the title of 'God of Manga' and is credited with the creation of the 'large eyes' style that is now a requisite of all anime in Japan. Even famed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki has listed Disney as a major source of inspiration for his works, with many calling his production studio, Studio Ghibli, the 'Disney of the East', lending credence to Lent's theory that many Asian animators seemingly revel in the 'Disney of Asia' association (Lent, J.A., 2000).
But, as outlined by Lent in his article Animation in Asia: Appropriation, Reinterpretation, and Adoption or Adaptation (2000. AnimeResearch.com), there were many determining factors of the influence of Western animation on Asian demographics than first meets the eye. According to Lent, the sheer prevalence of Western-made animation (Lent, J.A., 2000) meant that to acquire the skills necessary to produce animation, one must imitate the only known source of its origin and reproduce it in order to propagate one's own visual style. In many ways, this is comparable to modern fanfiction writing: fanfiction writers take key aspects of the original story and re-purpose its structure so as to engineer the story in other ways or forms. At first, the author/artist follows the originating template established by the pioneers of writing/animation quite closely; but later, they move farther and farther from the established template and engineer their own. Even Shakespeare was considered to be somewhat of a plagiarist, retooling the classics that inspired him and re-purposing their fundamental components to create altogether unique and striking literary dramas.
It has been said that the people of Asia are hyper visual, particularly the Japanese, and it is not uncommon to see big name brands pushing their wares within the region in advertisements accompanied by cute animated mascots; perhaps this is a key indication of the success of animation in the East as opposed to the West. One need only look at the glittering metropolises of Shanghai or Tokyo to see the visual embellishments of architecture and neon-lit signage that permeates those world-renowned urban landscapes. As Lent describes it, animation has since been adapted to "fit" Asian culture and society (Lent, J.A., 2000), and has cropped up in countries like Vietnam and the Philippines as politically motivated propaganda (Lent, J.A., 2000), while the animation industry as a whole has served to generate foreign capital for countries within Asia (Lent, J.A., 2000).
The demand for up-and-coming Asian artists with an eye for detail has risen sharply over the recent decades, with many being commissioned by major publishing houses such as Marvel Comics in the graphic novel/comic field, while animation production studios have established training programmes for budding artists to fine-tune their aesthetic talents (Lent, J.A., 2000). In the past, according to Lent, such training offered by foreign animation studios had imparted the Western sense of artistic merit and greatly influenced the popularity of the West's animation sensibility (Lent, J.A., 2000). Now, Asian artists are sought out deliberately to impart their own sense of aesthetic quality in order to promote Western animation in the East; popular children's cartoon, Ben 10, for expample, even employs the 'large eyes' style seen in Japanese anime. For once, it seems, Western animators are eager to imitate the style of popular Asian animations in spite of what was true in the reverse more than five decades ago.
But while animation today is largely regarded positively, it had not always been so. In Korea, Japanese anime was banned outright for fear that it promoted Japan's "imperialist culture" (Lent, J.A., 2000), and Disney's Aladdin managed to upset the entire Muslim community by sparking outcries of racism (Lent, J.A., 2000), or in the case of Singapore were heavily censored due to risque sexual innuendo or blatant themes of violence (Lent, J.A., 2000). Adding to this discontent is the dominance of Western animation pervading the television broadcasts of many Asian countries, most notably in Beijing, where 66% percent of children's television is comprised of foreign cartoons, half of that percentage belonging to the Disney Corporation (Lent, J.A., 2000). This market domination may impact upon the cultural identities of Asian national groups if allowed to escalate, which is perhaps an indication of Japan's resolute denial of foreign writers keen to try their hands at anime script writing, which they claim is beyond emulation by non-Japanese writers.
Overall, it appears that the balance between Western and Eastern animators remains rather skewed, but has levelled out in more equal terms during recent times; whether animation is colonial in nature, low-brow entertainment, or culturally stimulating art is left, largely, up to its viewers to decide.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Week 6 (Rachel)
How do it and other Miyazaki films address the humanity/nature divide, according to Wright 2005)? Could Miyazaki’s vision be described as in some sense religious (in as much as it conveys a sense of the sacred)?
The theme of humanity/nature is very evident in the film Princess Mononoke and also Nausicaa. As Wright (2005) discusses in his piece. “The ancient Japanese did not strictly divide their world into the material and the spiritual, nor between this world and another perfect realm. Miyazaki is very much aware of this in his work saying in an interview about princess Mononoke that “I’ve come to the point where I can’t just make a movie without addressing the problem of humanity as part of an ecosystem.” (Wright, 2005, p5) We can see from this statement that he one of his motivation in making this film is to address the theme of humanity/nature. Miyazaki also choose to set this film in a in a time when the Japanese went through a period of drastic change in their relationship to nature, the Muromachi era. Although this is a fictional tale, there are aspects of this time period which resonate with in the film, as this was a time a shift changed and the Japanese started to cut down the forest for further development. We can see how it is a theme that has a long history, a theme which is constantly readdressed.
One of the stands out features of Miyazakis addressing of this theme, is that he shows the ambiguous nature that he uses for his characters, showing that they are two different ways of thinking, not wholly right or wrong. His character Eboshi, who is destroying the forest, also takes on the role as a humanitarian, looking after the men who were lepers, and the woman who used to work at the brothels. I think this is a key element in the success of Miyazaki’s addressing of the theme. He shows that an eco system has many factors to take into account.
Wright states that Miyazaki creates a ‘hybrid Japanese “modern myth”’. The word myth does portray a sense of the sacred; I interpret myth to as a timeless tale with some sort of lesson.
Miyazaki’s work is influenced by the Japanese religion Shinto. As Miyazaki uses spirits, it conveys a sense of spirituality and of sacredness.
Wright states that ‘he has infused his richly detailed worlds with an animistic ontology that references ancient Japanese beliefs, practises and myths.’ Wright emphasises Miyazaki work being spiritual but not outright religious. Wright explains that Miyazaki is more interested in spiritualism than organised religion, ‘the spiritualism of human history and how it can be lived today.’ Wright suggests that Miyazaki gives the audience a chance to read into spiritual message without the trapping of the religions, which he suggests, have caused hostility in the past contradicting the spiritual underpinnings.
References:
Wright, L. (2005). Nature Spirits Giant Insects and World Trees: the nature vision of Hayao Miyazaki. In the Journal of Religion of Popular Culture. Volume X: Summer 2005.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Week 4 - The Fantasy Genre and its Relation to Modern Media
The fantasy genre shares many commonalities with modern media, video games and fanfiction websites in particular, with user participation and interactivity featuring foremost among them. According to Burn in his exploration of the fantasy genre as a multi-modal entity, it is believed that J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings begat the role-playing genre of video games and popularized the art of role-play outside of musty old books and tomes (Burn, A, 2005. 'Potter-literacy - From Book to Game and Back Again; Literature, Film, Game and Cross-media Literacy', in 'Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature Vol. 14, No. 3.'). It can be theorized that the depth of the lore within Tolkien's works, including detailed histories and languages, allowed his readers to explore the underpinnings of the customs and cultures inherent within Middle-earth, thus giving rise to the phenomenon of role-playing.
Developing on Tolkien's model of fantasy fiction, character archetypes are constructed in a manner that affords the readership the opportunity to empathise, or resonate strongly, with selected characters within the fiction, which then provides a kind of 'platform' for interpreting the worlds created through the imagination of writers and their otherworldly settings.
In this way, readers are invited to participate within the fantastic goings-on in a work of fiction, making it feel as though the readers are experiencing the ebb and flow of dramatic prose alongside the heroes. This structure became the catalyst for what gamers recognize today as the RPG (abbreviation of 'Role-Playing Game'), digital worlds that invite gamers to customize their own avatars as they see fit for interaction with a foreign realm.
It should be noted, however, that not all RPGs allow for this level of customization, as some are more plot-driven than others, such as those of the Final Fantasy video game series, whose protagonists are crucial to the development of the story. This might explain the recent surge in popularity of the WRPG (abbreviation of 'Western Role-Playing Game') market over the more predefined JRPG (abbreviation of 'Japanese Role-Playing Game'), the former allowing players to mould their characters and stories to their own tastes, while the latter adheres to the fixed elements of traditional fantasy.
Likewise, fanfiction, as an extension of the proprietary fiction that generates it, operates in much the same way as a RPG, but instead of merely inviting the reader to participate in the fiction, fanfiction does away with the established structure of the proprietary fiction and lends the author the rule-set needed to make it anew, giving them the opportunity to alter the course of the story and events in whichever manner the author sees fit. It could be said that one type of role-play invariably leads to another.
Role-play in fanfiction allows readers/players to adopt the personas of as many or as little favoured characters as they wish, doing away with the conventions of the original plotline in favour of a new, possibly branching, storyline that may even feature new characters and events. Moreover, this suits Burn's description of the cross-pollination of proprietary works of fiction in new media as a source of literacy (Burn, A, 2005), providing fans with the means to exercise their creative capacity within the constructed worlds of literature and new media.
Developing on Tolkien's model of fantasy fiction, character archetypes are constructed in a manner that affords the readership the opportunity to empathise, or resonate strongly, with selected characters within the fiction, which then provides a kind of 'platform' for interpreting the worlds created through the imagination of writers and their otherworldly settings.
In this way, readers are invited to participate within the fantastic goings-on in a work of fiction, making it feel as though the readers are experiencing the ebb and flow of dramatic prose alongside the heroes. This structure became the catalyst for what gamers recognize today as the RPG (abbreviation of 'Role-Playing Game'), digital worlds that invite gamers to customize their own avatars as they see fit for interaction with a foreign realm.
It should be noted, however, that not all RPGs allow for this level of customization, as some are more plot-driven than others, such as those of the Final Fantasy video game series, whose protagonists are crucial to the development of the story. This might explain the recent surge in popularity of the WRPG (abbreviation of 'Western Role-Playing Game') market over the more predefined JRPG (abbreviation of 'Japanese Role-Playing Game'), the former allowing players to mould their characters and stories to their own tastes, while the latter adheres to the fixed elements of traditional fantasy.
Likewise, fanfiction, as an extension of the proprietary fiction that generates it, operates in much the same way as a RPG, but instead of merely inviting the reader to participate in the fiction, fanfiction does away with the established structure of the proprietary fiction and lends the author the rule-set needed to make it anew, giving them the opportunity to alter the course of the story and events in whichever manner the author sees fit. It could be said that one type of role-play invariably leads to another.
Role-play in fanfiction allows readers/players to adopt the personas of as many or as little favoured characters as they wish, doing away with the conventions of the original plotline in favour of a new, possibly branching, storyline that may even feature new characters and events. Moreover, this suits Burn's description of the cross-pollination of proprietary works of fiction in new media as a source of literacy (Burn, A, 2005), providing fans with the means to exercise their creative capacity within the constructed worlds of literature and new media.
(Week 4) How does the fantasy genre relate to modern media such as video games?
“We can no longer afford to see literature as an entirely distinct mode and culture”(Burn, A, 2005. 'Potter-literacy - From Book to Game and Back Again; Literature, Film, Game and Cross-media Literacy', in 'Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature Vol. 14, No. 3.'); it has grown into a cross-media craze involving comic books, board and media games, internet etc. However, “cross-media cultures are not by any means a new phenomenon” (Burn, A, 2005. 'Potter-literacy - From Book to Game and Back Again; Literature, Film, Game and Cross-media Literacy', in 'Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature Vol. 14, No. 3.') and this process was used even 100 years with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). In those days, the media available were limited only to plays, fanfiction, comic strips, trading cards and related merchandise. This piece of literature inspired other media that was available at that time. I believe that it was particularly attractive for use in cross-media of that period because it belonged to the fantasy genre.
However, in the current context there is a wide range of possibilities including facebook, twitter, blogging websites etc. The beauty of the fantasy genre is that the characters and situations are so complex and “out of the world” that they are easily replicated in video games and it is possible to bring them to life by modern technology. In fact this genre is most ideal for being reproduced in media games. For example in the media games of Alice In Wonderland, based on the story by Lewis Carroll, an ordinary person is whisked away to a fantasy world where she encounters strange and marvellous beings and Animals and actually interacts with them while finding a way to return home in the end.
The nature of fantasy genre is such that it has a special place in video games. These days, most media games are based on adventure stories and in turn they are based on our childhood fantasies and aspirations. For example most of us as children have always wanted to be brave and strong heroes and most of what is featured in stories and media games are basically a reflection of our aspirations in life. Characters are modelled after certain people who we are familiar with, (like we tend to see bullies as villains) in life and the events in games are based on events we may have gone through at some point in time. The 1996 PC game ‘Darby the Dragon’ is a collection of mysteries and puzzles that the player encounters and is challenged to solve with the help of clues provided in the game. While doing that, the player needs to make difficult choices in order to be victorious
I believe that the reason why the fantasy genre is so easily related to video games is because inside all of us when it comes to both reading and playing the fantasy genre, there is a hero who is always shrouded and reading a story or playing a media game is actually awakening the hero inside us, and our excitement out of living out that certain adventure is thus created, almost as if we are playing out that particular role. In the end we are living out the journey of the hero inside all of us. This is clearly revealed in Disney’s version of the Greek Hero Hercules’ media game where the player takes him through all his ordeals towards achieving his desire and ultimate goal
When it comes to a media game, the purpose is to give the player a variety of options in playing out different scenarios and almost allowing the player to write their own story. As suggested by Burns. A (2005) “In ideal terms, it might seem that the player has the power to ‘write’ the story – but of course, there are limits and a series of tradeoffs between the need to maintain a relatively fixed narrative structure......and the need to offer the player some control over the sequence of events”. The player may already know what to expect at certain points in the game if they are familiar with an original work which the game is based on or if we draw parallels with what we already are familiar with. However, it may come out as an element of surprise when a new step is created instead of the expected point, in order to provide us with the thrill of adventure and further develop our thinking skills
In my opinion, the fantasy genre is endowed with all the elements that can be manipulated to come up with the most wide-ranging and extensive possibilities in creating media games
References
Burn, A, 2005. 'Potter-literacy - From Book to Game and Back Again; Literature, Film, Game and Cross-media Literacy', in 'Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature Vol. 14, No. 3.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Week 5 (Rachel)
Is it high or low culture genre/media, according to Napier (2005)? What are some of the subgenres?
Napier expresses a desire not to examine Anime within the constraints of high or low culture, but that it should be examined in terms of its cultural and commercial significance.
Napier shows that more traditional Japanese forms of art such as Kabuki and woodblock print, were once considered pop culture themselves, indicating that art forms often take time to move from low culture to high culture. He also argues that Anime reaches a wider audience, (not just in Japan but also in internationally), than some of the more traditional forms of Japanese art, therefore should be taken into serious consideration.
“Anime is simply accepted by virtually all the younger generation of Japanese as cultural staple.”
Napier also argues that anime brings aesthetics from more traditional Japanese art forms and mixes them into contemporary culture; Anime manages to keep its Japanese difference in the international market, which Napier argues contributes to its success
Napier argues that being such a contemporary form it also deals with issues in society most prevalent today. Such as gender identity which is currently shifting, and also, “the shifting nature of identity in a constantly changing society.’ P 12.
Some of the subgenres of Anime include:
Mecha genre (short for Mechanical). - science fiction, is popular and relevant to our contempory society as it deals with themes of coping with the advances in technology.
One subgenre of Anime is apocalyptic. ‘The apocalyptic is perhaps the most obvious mode, since a vision of worldwide destruction seems to be a staple across all cultures ,’ (Napier, 2005, 12)
Another subgenre is ‘festival’. Napier suggests that comedies are the most obvious example of the festival genre, as they ‘norms are transgressed or actually inverted. (Napier, 2005)
Finally the elegiac subgenre, which Napier so eloquently describes ‘in terms of a lyrical sense of Mourning often connected with an acute consciousness of a waning traditional culture.’ ( Napier, 2005, 13)
References:
Napier, S. (2005). Why anime? In Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle (pp.3-14). Hampshire: Palgrave/ Macmillan.
Week 6: Cavallaro (2006)
With reference to Cavallaro (2006), what distinguishes Mononoke technically as being – it is generally agreed – a great work of anime?
In ‘The Art of Hayao Miyazaki,’ author Cavallaro wrote a review about the works of a story called ‘Princess Mononoke,’ that turned into an animation film. In this piece, Cavallaro divides the distinctions that uniquely separate Mononoke’s style from other animation styles into three different divisions: financial costs, thematic style, and operational performance.
First, the author states that the “production costs incurred by Princess Mononoke ultimately amounted to a record-breaking figure in the history of Japanese animation overall.” In any business operation, the most important aspect that will help facilitate the production of a project is the financial capabilities that are available for funding. After the gathering of funds, the total amounted to $19.6 million for a production of an anime. For an anime to have such a high price tag for production only reinforces the notion that this unusual amount is curiously appealing. In terms of financial costs, Mononoke’s price tag has definitely caught the eye of many, even before its completion.
The next important aspect in which distinguishes Mononoke as a great work of anime, is the thematic style that Miyazaki uses to familiarize the audience he is targeting, and also the stress on the issues that fascinate Japanese society, such as: legend, mythology, and folklore. Cavallaro states that “Mononoke effectively paints an alternative version of Japanese history to the one commonly promulgated by the many stories that unquestioningly celebrate the mythical notion of Japan as a homogeneous country, proposing instead a scenario of dissonance and strife populated by the sorts of character that rarely – if at all – appear on the state of history.
Furthermore, Miyazaki’s ability to avoid stereotypical characterizations is still one of the most important aspects that distinguish Mononoke’s style as being a great work of anime. He does not use the usual style of having an individual that represents the antagonist, but rather describes “the complexity in the relationship between humans and nature” by using the underlying theme of “environmental destruction” issues, as the antagonist.
The third and final distinction is the effort put into the operational production of Mononoke. Cavallaro explains this by stating,
“Ultimately, however, what is the most distinctive about the film is Miyazaki’s unfaltering commitment to the animation of its setting by recourse to an aesthetic that prioritizes the evocation of atmosphere. This is achieved through the consistent juxtaposition of pastoral landscapes and outbreaks of violence endowed with eminently visceral connotations, as well as through the use of recurring images.”
Mononoke’s makers also put the extra effort of asking Microsoft to help develop a custom made computer graphics software that could “mimic the feel of cel animation.” The filmmaker’s aim was to find that balance between reality and anime, to help make the audience feel that sense of truthfulness that such a made up anime can have. Cavallro points this out when stating that the most remarkable use of computer graphics in Mononoke, “is that it never exhibits the dubious quality of an add-on but is fully synthesized into the overall action.”
To conclude, the use of technology and the progression of digitalization have both played a major role in Mononoke’s development as a great work of anime. Miyazaki’s ability to incorporate all these different elements into one work of art clearly differentiates Mononoke as a matchless great work of anime that deserves to be recognized for its exclusive style and formation of production.
Reference:
- Cavallaro, D. (2006). The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki. London: McFarland & Company.
Week 5: Lent (2000)
According to Lent (2000), what place does animation occupy in Asian societies? How different is this across Asia (ie comparing China and Japan)?
According to Lent, the Animation genre has played a major role in the Asian media industry. Heavily influenced from Western forms of media, Asian anime was initially thought of in China. The four Wan brothers were the first who were credited with their first piece of work ‘Uproar in an art studio’ (1929), which was heavily influenced from American style cartoons at the time.
In order to understand what the status of animations are in Asian societies, western societies must be included. On the one hand, you have Western capitalistic democratic societies, where most of genres in media are mainly for entertainment purposes, with a wide variety of selections to choose from. On the other hand, you have a closed communist society such as China where censorship laws and strict government approval is needed before anything is produced. Not only are the forms of media strictly monitored, but also used as a political tool to influence certain groups or ages within the population.
Many of today’s cartoons/anime’s/comics were one way or another the products of socio-political events that were created in order to target and affect the psyche of peoples minds. For example, Lent mentions the dynamics of Asian politics and their use of Anime to counter the Anti-Communist sentiment that the West was campaigning post-WWII and throughout the 1950s:
“Writing in 1959, one of the two originators of the post-1949 animation studio, Jin Xi, said that Chinese animation must be educational, technically sound using characters with human traits, and varied in subject matter expressing a national character and the originality of Chinese culture.[5] Jin Xi's article was a reaction to the influence of the many American cartoons shown before 1949 and Soviet ones in the 1950s.”
Nations are constantly in one way or another in a state of war against each other. Not in actual literal war with physical weapons, but in a state of psychological war and the use of media is their weapon. Throughout the 1950s, the psychological war between the West and the Communist threat was at its highest. During this time, governments from both sides used all forms of media to fight this psychological war. Lent states, “Anime was banned in Korea and Taiwan for decades because of the fear of Japanese cultural imperialism, understandable as both countries had been occupied by Japan.”
Furthermore, Lent continues on to explain the shift in politics when both Western and Asian media markets realized how this new asset can benefit both economies if tapped properly. More specifically, Lent explains how many foreign media companies competed frantically for the anime/cartoon market of Asia. Some Asian governments were not mainly seeking revenues; which is why they were against the importation/adoption of animation from America and Japan, because of their “depicting of violent or sexually explicit content” as Lent described.
For example, Lent believes that China is the most insisting Asian animator to adapt elements that fit their culture, instead of full adoption. Other Authorities such as Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia have also complained about the immorality of Western and Japanese animations. Such as that of Malaysia’s complaint about this particular issues, which lead to the development of “more culturally appropriate local animation.”
Finally, throughout the years, animations in Asia has taken many forms and used to accomplish different goals. Most governments realized the power of animations, and have taken steps to offset the negative affects it may cause on its society or younger populations. Politically, anime has fulfilled many goals that serve the numerous agendas of governments. However, after realizing the economic benefits that the media industry may bring, some states such as Japan took the capitalistic stance to maximize on profits. Nevertheless, the Asian powerhouse of anime, China, still remains to campaign for animations that benefit “morals, such as wholehearted service to the people; promoted campaigns, or exposed enemies of the states.” In other words, China supports a conservative view to have full control of media with many restrictions, while Japan supports a regulated open free media market with not restrictions. In summary, economically and politically, both countries have different ways of operating the production and sale of animation, however, more generally speaking, media still holds a very high position as a form of sociopolitical tool in Asian societies as a whole.
Reference:
- Lent, J. A. (2000, November 01). Animation in Asia: appropriation, reinterpretation, and adoption or adaptation. La Trobe University, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/firstrelease/fr1100/jlfr11c.htm
Monday, August 15, 2011
week four [rhian]
Why does the religious right in the US condemn fantasy, according to Cockrell (2004)?
Cockrell (2004) doesn't say that it condemns all fantasy, he claims that it's primarily Harry Potter and that is what he is trying to discern. He aims to answer the question "what makes a fundamentalist American reading public, who never got upset over the magic godmother in Cinderella... or Gandalf the Grey, complete with magic staff and wizard's hat, in the Lord of the Rings, book and films, draw the line at Harry Potter?" Some of his answers include:
- Popularity. "Harry is everywhere". It's easier to find a problem with something when it is everywhere, and people are more likely to listen to you if they've heard about the problem a lot. Also, because of its originally children readership, the popularity grew with the generation, spreading far and wide.
- Focus. "A recent shift in the focus of censorship efforts from sex to the occult." However there's a problem with this because the definition of fantasy differs from person to person, religion to religion, culture to culture.
- Easy to relate to. "Harry lives in our world, making him more of a threat." Because Harry Potter is low fantasy, it has it's scenes where it's set in everyday London, with normal "muggles" walking around, being subjected to witchcraft and wizardry.
All of these add up to making them scared and frightened. Harry Potter frightens the religious extremists and causes them to lash out and stop something that challenges their beliefs and ways of life.
On what grounds does Cockrell defend fantasy literature, using Harry Potter as an example?
"Harry frightens only those who want the answers to be the same every time the question is asked," Cockrell (2004). Cockrell says that Harry Potter isn't demonic as the American religious extremists suggest, but more like a science, which I suppose is something that some religious people are afraid of. At the center of it all is a mystery, which frightens people. But Cockrell also says that Rowling points out at the beginning "this may look like your world, but do not count on it being what you thought it was." Fantasy is meant to make you think of a completely new world and if it contains scenes that seem familiar, you need to remember that it is made up and meant to be unrealistic so if it doesn't seem that way - just wait, it's coming.
Cockrell (2004) doesn't say that it condemns all fantasy, he claims that it's primarily Harry Potter and that is what he is trying to discern. He aims to answer the question "what makes a fundamentalist American reading public, who never got upset over the magic godmother in Cinderella... or Gandalf the Grey, complete with magic staff and wizard's hat, in the Lord of the Rings, book and films, draw the line at Harry Potter?" Some of his answers include:
- Popularity. "Harry is everywhere". It's easier to find a problem with something when it is everywhere, and people are more likely to listen to you if they've heard about the problem a lot. Also, because of its originally children readership, the popularity grew with the generation, spreading far and wide.
- Focus. "A recent shift in the focus of censorship efforts from sex to the occult." However there's a problem with this because the definition of fantasy differs from person to person, religion to religion, culture to culture.
- Easy to relate to. "Harry lives in our world, making him more of a threat." Because Harry Potter is low fantasy, it has it's scenes where it's set in everyday London, with normal "muggles" walking around, being subjected to witchcraft and wizardry.
All of these add up to making them scared and frightened. Harry Potter frightens the religious extremists and causes them to lash out and stop something that challenges their beliefs and ways of life.
On what grounds does Cockrell defend fantasy literature, using Harry Potter as an example?
"Harry frightens only those who want the answers to be the same every time the question is asked," Cockrell (2004). Cockrell says that Harry Potter isn't demonic as the American religious extremists suggest, but more like a science, which I suppose is something that some religious people are afraid of. At the center of it all is a mystery, which frightens people. But Cockrell also says that Rowling points out at the beginning "this may look like your world, but do not count on it being what you thought it was." Fantasy is meant to make you think of a completely new world and if it contains scenes that seem familiar, you need to remember that it is made up and meant to be unrealistic so if it doesn't seem that way - just wait, it's coming.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
WK 4: How does the fantasy genre relate to modern media such as video games?
In the past, fantasy, as a genre in traditional forms of media, were very limited in their capabilities of presenting their imaginative creativity. The two types of representations that was available to people, were the basic narrative and image forms of representations. Now, it seems that with the help of technological advances, we are able to evolve in representing our ways/forms of modern media. There are many characteristics that would make anyone believe that video games in their entirety would most likely fall under the category of modern media fantasy.
For example, fantasy generally means a creative imaginary idea or thought by which the unthinkable or illogical is accepted as actual truth or logic in the context of that certain thought. The fantasy ideas or thoughts are usually represented in many forms of art, such as, paintings, novels, or even a theatrical play. When Tax writes about fantasy and says that it lets “the wind into our imagination, and help to set us free,” could not have been a better description when relating it to the intricate set of forms that it may take. Though when playing a video game, a person unconsciously becomes the character in the game, and accepts everything as true at that time, and assumes that all the responsibility that the characters in the video game is responsible for.
When any person plays a soccer game, they feel as if they become the soccer player scoring the goal all the way from half field. Most would probably not be able to do this in real life, but in the game anyone can, which is why people play video games to start with; to be able to do things that they are not able to do in real life. Its something different and imaginary, which is why anyone would be interested in this because it exposes an individuals mind to something uniquely new. (Tax, M. - Pg. 16)
Another characteristic that might relate the fantasy genre to video games, is the ability to have social interaction in the majority of game consoles. The virtual social interactions with the networking capabilities, only strengthens the gamers view on playing the role of the character they assume. Justifying the overall perception about video games and how they may or may not relate to the fantasy genre can be won only when accepting that video games are one way or another a form of art. Smuts breaks down this perception in a study about how video games are a form of art, by saying,
“All feature integrated narratives, graphics nearing photo-realism and elaborate three-dimensional worlds with rich and detailed textures. I do not claim that any of these games are great art, but they are all adept at achieving the goals they set for themselves, goals of provoking specific emotions that are typical of similar genres in other art forms.”
To conclude, even though Smuts may believe that video games are not “great art,” he also points out how with their characteristics; they meet the requirements as a form of art, such as fantasy. In the end, it is safe to say that video games are products of the fantasy commodification industry, and with their every new product comes a wave of new clients eager to get their fix.
References:
- Smuts, A. (2005, November 2). Are video games art? Contemporary Aesthetics Is an International, Interdisciplinary, Peer- and Blind-reviewed Online Journal of Contemporary Theory, Research, and Application in Aesthetics. Retrieved August 16, 2011, from http://www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/article.php?articleID=299
- Tax, M. (Jan 28, 2002). In the Year of Harry Potter, Enter the Dragon. In The Nation.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Week 3 - How does Attebery (1980) define Fantasy? Find at least five definitions
Attebery (1980) uses the writings of fantasy authors such as J.R.R Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), C.S Lewis (Narnia), Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland) and Kenneth Grahame (The Wind in the Willows) to determine and decide what includes fantasy. He finds such works to have a variety of themes ranging from Gothicism to Science Fiction and uses their characteristics to define Fantasy.
Something that seems very ordinary and mundane however once we go deeper into it, it is distorted or exploited to create a fictional world. It contradicts the reality that we are used to and brings out situations which seem impossible to our minds as intellectual human beings. To the extent that the reader is made to believe that “these impossibilities can come true”. “Any narrative which includes, as a significant part of its make-up, some violation of what the author clearly believes to be natural law”
The reader and writer are committed to maintaining the illusion during the entire course of the fiction. The creator shows the reader, circumstances, events and other related elements in constant view throughout the story in such a way that the reader is kept attached to the vision of it until the very end. For example throughout Bram Stoker’s Horror Novel, The Jewel of Seven Stars, he has retained a very descriptive tone to nearly every event or situation which extends the concept of the title character (The Mummy) coming to life.
“Fantasy is a game of sorts and it demands that one play whole-heartedly , accepting for the moment, all rules and turns of the game and the reward for this is the overall experience of wonder for the reader” (Attebery, B. 1980). The reader does not question the rules of the game which are issues or unacceptable points to a certain part in the piece because the reader is anticipating the outcome of that plot in wonder. Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park Novels keeps readers guessing what may happen to the main characters at nearly every point, whether or not they may survive major situations
“Fantasy invokes wonder by making the impossible seem familiar and the familiar seem new and strange”. Fantasy is sometimes loosely based off many real-life events, mostly historical or important in our world. For example, The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle was based on the legends and (occasionally) sightings of Black Dogs which haunted the English countryside; or the Novel Jaws by Peter Benchley drew inspiration from the Jersey Shore Shark Attacks of 1916. Sometimes fantasy works may also take inspiration from other fantasy like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum has themes and lines which are evident in Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland
“More than realistic fiction, it (fantasy) can clarify philosophical and moral conflicts embodying them in storylines that may not be directly applicable to our own complex and muddled lives but which can please or inspire because of their open and evident design”. Fantasies like C.S Lewis’ Narnia or J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan show that even the most ordinary characters are able to transcend the most difficult situations and come out victorious.
Attebery defines fantasy to be made up of impossible events blended into realistic features which are continuously built into interweaving situations and events which keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The reader in turn is rewarded with wonder and inspiration by clarifying philosophical and moral conflicts
References
Attebery, B (1980). The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guin. In B. Attebery, (pp. 1-10). Indiana: University Press
Something that seems very ordinary and mundane however once we go deeper into it, it is distorted or exploited to create a fictional world. It contradicts the reality that we are used to and brings out situations which seem impossible to our minds as intellectual human beings. To the extent that the reader is made to believe that “these impossibilities can come true”. “Any narrative which includes, as a significant part of its make-up, some violation of what the author clearly believes to be natural law”
The reader and writer are committed to maintaining the illusion during the entire course of the fiction. The creator shows the reader, circumstances, events and other related elements in constant view throughout the story in such a way that the reader is kept attached to the vision of it until the very end. For example throughout Bram Stoker’s Horror Novel, The Jewel of Seven Stars, he has retained a very descriptive tone to nearly every event or situation which extends the concept of the title character (The Mummy) coming to life.
“Fantasy is a game of sorts and it demands that one play whole-heartedly , accepting for the moment, all rules and turns of the game and the reward for this is the overall experience of wonder for the reader” (Attebery, B. 1980). The reader does not question the rules of the game which are issues or unacceptable points to a certain part in the piece because the reader is anticipating the outcome of that plot in wonder. Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park Novels keeps readers guessing what may happen to the main characters at nearly every point, whether or not they may survive major situations
“Fantasy invokes wonder by making the impossible seem familiar and the familiar seem new and strange”. Fantasy is sometimes loosely based off many real-life events, mostly historical or important in our world. For example, The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle was based on the legends and (occasionally) sightings of Black Dogs which haunted the English countryside; or the Novel Jaws by Peter Benchley drew inspiration from the Jersey Shore Shark Attacks of 1916. Sometimes fantasy works may also take inspiration from other fantasy like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum has themes and lines which are evident in Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland
Attebery defines fantasy to be made up of impossible events blended into realistic features which are continuously built into interweaving situations and events which keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The reader in turn is rewarded with wonder and inspiration by clarifying philosophical and moral conflicts
References
Attebery, B (1980). The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guin. In B. Attebery, (pp. 1-10). Indiana: University Press
Week 2 - How Perceptions of Comics as a Media Have Changed
It seems that whenever a new media-driven art-form emerges on the world stage, the pedants of our society will find some means of scrutinizing it, as was the case with film and television; now, with the popularity of video games, it seems that the decency watchdogs are on the prowl yet again. Comics, like video games, were once on the receiving end of the very same critical barbs employed by politicians seeking an easy target and platform for their political agendas, and as outlined by Dylan Horricks in his dissertation on the subject in 'The Perfect Planet: Comics, Games and World-building' (2004, University of Canterbury Press), campaigns of this sort have been leveled at many such forms of media in the past.
In the early 1950s, mounting concerns due to the degree of influence comics are said to have on developing adolescent minds galvanized parents within the general public, whose opinions were swayed by wild allegations that comics heightened violent tendencies in young people, or would bring about the decay of the delicate moral fibre of our society, and, laughably, that they could increase the risk of open warfare between nations (D, Horricks, 2004). As outlandish as some of these claims were, what is even more bewildering is the fact that many of the advocates for this anti-comic movement were those of the intellectual, socially liberal Left, as opposed to the customarily more outspoken and assertive Right (D, Horricks, 2004).
Perhaps elitism is to blame for the Leftists' negative reaction towards comics and their readers, perhaps they saw comics and their production as a kind of domestication of the English language, that the comic medium could hardly extrapolate - or do justice to - the underlying beauty and technicality of formal linguistics. Or perhaps they are merely fearful of change. As Horricks puts it, many within the academic community felt that comics were "unworthy of serious consideration", yet according to Mr Horricks again, this seems more an "unwillingness" to attempt to understand a medium that utilizes a different kind of narration tool-set, as it were, as a guide for storytelling (D, Horricks, 2004).
Going deeper still, and using Horricks' keen observational sense as our light in the dark, perhaps it is due to older minds adhering to an established template - or "paradigm", as Horricks phrases it - rigidly coiled intellectually about the staid and repetitive methods of crafting a functional story, disallowing any real innovation in the field of storytelling (D, Horricks, 2004). Consider how the education standards of our modern times demand that we, as students, repetitively mentally negotiate boring textbooks that we struggle to understand even when sober, and consider how much more we could absorb if lectures and readings were digitized and allowed for a greater degree of interaction. I daresay, we'd all be certified geniuses! Unfortunately, most of us will likely be pushing up daisies by the time education providers finally embrace new media as a viable teaching resource (apart from AUT, obviously), so we'll have to make do with our archaic comics and video games in the meanwhile.
Of course, comics are practically commonplace throughout our society today, and some are even adapted into Hollywood blockbusters, an achievement video games are yet to refine as the Mortal Kombat film remains a grim testament to. Yet I cannot help but find that comics are still very much an 'underground' kind of hobby, more forgotten or ignored as opposed to accepted or embraced; no one cares very much about comics anymore, they are a staple of any self-respecting nerd's diet of popular culture, but the general Average Joe has no real need nor care for comic books in this Age of the Internet.
However, Mr Horricks' thoughts on the moral panic of decades past helps clarify why this is so: those who had so vehemently contested the comic book industry hadn't simply vanished from the face of the earth as the popularity of comics began to wane, but rather popular opinion was simply diverted elsewhere, to scrutinize the new kids on the block: video games, films, and gangsta rap (D, Horricks, 2004). You see, the opinions and scrutiny of personality-free politicians regarding new media never changed at all, they only got older and angrier, and a little technophobic in the process, following wherever those aforementioned Average Joes happen to devote their time, eyeballing those idle votes . . .
In the early 1950s, mounting concerns due to the degree of influence comics are said to have on developing adolescent minds galvanized parents within the general public, whose opinions were swayed by wild allegations that comics heightened violent tendencies in young people, or would bring about the decay of the delicate moral fibre of our society, and, laughably, that they could increase the risk of open warfare between nations (D, Horricks, 2004). As outlandish as some of these claims were, what is even more bewildering is the fact that many of the advocates for this anti-comic movement were those of the intellectual, socially liberal Left, as opposed to the customarily more outspoken and assertive Right (D, Horricks, 2004).
Perhaps elitism is to blame for the Leftists' negative reaction towards comics and their readers, perhaps they saw comics and their production as a kind of domestication of the English language, that the comic medium could hardly extrapolate - or do justice to - the underlying beauty and technicality of formal linguistics. Or perhaps they are merely fearful of change. As Horricks puts it, many within the academic community felt that comics were "unworthy of serious consideration", yet according to Mr Horricks again, this seems more an "unwillingness" to attempt to understand a medium that utilizes a different kind of narration tool-set, as it were, as a guide for storytelling (D, Horricks, 2004).
Going deeper still, and using Horricks' keen observational sense as our light in the dark, perhaps it is due to older minds adhering to an established template - or "paradigm", as Horricks phrases it - rigidly coiled intellectually about the staid and repetitive methods of crafting a functional story, disallowing any real innovation in the field of storytelling (D, Horricks, 2004). Consider how the education standards of our modern times demand that we, as students, repetitively mentally negotiate boring textbooks that we struggle to understand even when sober, and consider how much more we could absorb if lectures and readings were digitized and allowed for a greater degree of interaction. I daresay, we'd all be certified geniuses! Unfortunately, most of us will likely be pushing up daisies by the time education providers finally embrace new media as a viable teaching resource (apart from AUT, obviously), so we'll have to make do with our archaic comics and video games in the meanwhile.
Of course, comics are practically commonplace throughout our society today, and some are even adapted into Hollywood blockbusters, an achievement video games are yet to refine as the Mortal Kombat film remains a grim testament to. Yet I cannot help but find that comics are still very much an 'underground' kind of hobby, more forgotten or ignored as opposed to accepted or embraced; no one cares very much about comics anymore, they are a staple of any self-respecting nerd's diet of popular culture, but the general Average Joe has no real need nor care for comic books in this Age of the Internet.
However, Mr Horricks' thoughts on the moral panic of decades past helps clarify why this is so: those who had so vehemently contested the comic book industry hadn't simply vanished from the face of the earth as the popularity of comics began to wane, but rather popular opinion was simply diverted elsewhere, to scrutinize the new kids on the block: video games, films, and gangsta rap (D, Horricks, 2004). You see, the opinions and scrutiny of personality-free politicians regarding new media never changed at all, they only got older and angrier, and a little technophobic in the process, following wherever those aforementioned Average Joes happen to devote their time, eyeballing those idle votes . . .
Friday, August 12, 2011
Week 3: Tax (2002)
In what ways does Tax (2002) suggest Earthsea may still be relevant today?
Author Meredith Tax, writes a detailed description about Le Guin’s three books, and also describes the unpredictable style she uses. Tax relates Le Guin’s ‘Earthsea’ and how it is still relevant today by pointing out two main themes that the reader is intended to ponder on: “the boundary between life and death, terror from the sky and how hard it is for male-dominant societies to listen to women.” Tax goes further to mention that “for the ruling principle of Le Guin’s world is not Tolkien’s struggle between good and evil, but equilibrium, balance.” (Tax, M. - Pg. 11)
Tax also refers to Le Guin’s work, and how it can be relevant today when concerning gender politics. She states,
“These books seem to me a true symbolic picture of where we are now, with no untainted source of male power, no mature authoritative leadership of any kind, caught midway in our evolution as social beings, still trying to struggle up out of the ooze onto the land, no longer tadpoles and not yet frogs.”
From a sociological and psychological standpoint, Tax makes a valid point about Le Guin's books. By depicting us as "not yet tadpoles, and not yet frogs," is in clear relation to our primitive evolution of gender politics. Le Guin suggests that the elements of duplicity that concern the female gender and how they are usually depicted, can also be similar in relation to the many patriarchal societies that are still alive today. (Tax, M. - Pg. 14)
Tax mentions Le Guin’s unpredictable style and scattered ideas. She also suggests how ‘Earthsea’ may still be relevant today by pointing this out in the foreword that she wrote in, ‘Tales From Earthsea.’ The Foreword is an unusual mixture of various thoughts about “commodification and why we read fantasy.” Le Guin states, “people turn to the realms of fantasy for stability, ancient truths, immutable simplicities. And the mills of capitalism provide them. Supply meets demand. Fantasy becomes commodity, an industry.” (Tax, M. - Pg. 16)
Le Guin wrote her foreword as if she spoke before her time, knowing what capitalism would do to fantasy. Transforming it into a profiteering machine seeking to capitalize on every commodity it can produce. This can be clearly noticed today when recalling on all the Disney/Pixar depictions, and their commodification of their characters and accessories.
Tax then goes on to state that “every successful writer is faced with this choice: Do you stay faithful to the inner voice or turn yourself into a marketable commodity, producing a new product of the same kind every year or two?” Tax then reminds the reader that, “There are great social and economic rewards for the commodity production of the self.” (Tax, M. - Pg. 15)
If Harry Potter is used as an example, it is noticeable that Le Guin’s suggestion of ‘commodification’ is very much relevant and alive today, and is in its full swing of production of new commodities on a continuous basis.
In the end, Tax raises many relevant issues that Le Guin writes about, and how they may relate to us today. From thematic ideas to commodity production, capitalism, like fantasy, is able to give many readers a feeling outside of reality with their "commodified products," so that “they let the wind into our imagination, and help to set us free.” (Tax, M. - Pg. 16)
Reference:Tax, M. (Jan 28, 2002). In the Year of Harry Potter, Enter the Dragon. In The Nation.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
week three [rhian]
How does Attebery (1980) define Fantasy? Find at least five definitions.
Attebery asks, "how can the word be precisely and usefully defined without falling into the vague, the arbitrary or the ponderous?" He then goes on to say we "have to decide just what characteristics were the essential, the defining ones." This is a list of five of the different characteristics Attebery picks out.
1. "Any narrative which includes as a significant part of it's make-up some violation of what the author clearly believes to be natural law - that is fantasy."
2. "By demanding a straightforward treatment of impossible characters objects or events, we can distinguish between fantasy and related genres."
3. "The most important thing [works of fantasy] share is [a] sense of wonder... fantasy invokes by making the impossible seems familiar and the familiar seem new and strange."
4. Fantasy must "explore the unknown."
5. "Fantasy will have the"preponderance of the marvelous."
Attebery mentions other peoples' explanations, but doesn't hold much stock in them, such as Todorov and Rabkin, so I felt it more important to mention his specific ideals that he wrote down. (Although, his explanations could be considered not good enough by someone else.) It's all dependent upon how you see the literature, and how you understand it, as to how you define it.
Attebery asks, "how can the word be precisely and usefully defined without falling into the vague, the arbitrary or the ponderous?" He then goes on to say we "have to decide just what characteristics were the essential, the defining ones." This is a list of five of the different characteristics Attebery picks out.
1. "Any narrative which includes as a significant part of it's make-up some violation of what the author clearly believes to be natural law - that is fantasy."
2. "By demanding a straightforward treatment of impossible characters objects or events, we can distinguish between fantasy and related genres."
3. "The most important thing [works of fantasy] share is [a] sense of wonder... fantasy invokes by making the impossible seems familiar and the familiar seem new and strange."
4. Fantasy must "explore the unknown."
5. "Fantasy will have the"preponderance of the marvelous."
Attebery mentions other peoples' explanations, but doesn't hold much stock in them, such as Todorov and Rabkin, so I felt it more important to mention his specific ideals that he wrote down. (Although, his explanations could be considered not good enough by someone else.) It's all dependent upon how you see the literature, and how you understand it, as to how you define it.
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