Author: Kristen Erasmus

Week 12: Can reality tv still be thought of as a genre given the high level of hybridity that exists

As I mentioned in previous blog Reality television has a wide range of areas which I cover from the competition today in the live shows. What I will be discussing in this blog I whether reality tv can still be thought of as a genre given the high level of hybridity that exists.

To begin one must first define the genre of reality television. However, as mentioned in my previous blog the definition of reality television is vague. Philippa smith “the only thing they have in common are the so-called “real people” doing real things. Rather than fictional people doing made-up stuff,” (Smith, 2020) at the same time Richard Kilborn’s definition of reality television “primary aim” was to showcase the shared experience or lived reality (Kilborn, 1994). If we focus on these definitions, then one can see very clear examples of this in the early years of reality television with shows like the early ’90s show real-world first few seasons. It followed regular people from different walks of life who moved into a house together and just lived their lives (Bunim, & Murray,1992) and in 1993 -1994 the series followed cast member Pedro Zamora an activist who opened up about his battle with HIV(Bunim, & Murray,1993). Zamora was a real person battling with a real disease, this was at the time the aids crisis was devastating America, having a person battling HIV and battling aids was something very educational as aids wasn’t a subject broached, the previous president of the US had slowly assisted in a time when fast action could save lives (Stack, 2018). So having an opening out a member of the LGBTQ community live his life allowed opportunity for education as well as providing empathy as it placed a face to the devastating crisis. Meaning it met the definition of Kilborn and Smith.

But as the years went by Reality television just as Philippa stated in the week 12 lecture “cannibalizing itself in order to survive” (Smith, 2020) and real word slowly lost its authenticity the later seasons being more criticised (Smith, 2020). Resulting in the almost spin-off show the challenge (Bunim, & Murray, 1998). An MTV series that would take cast members from other MTV series Like the real world. Something showing the cannibalization of reality television is the fact that many of the original members of the real world would then appear in the challenge series cast members to the point that the series second season title of the show title was Real World/ Road Rules where MTV stars from those two shows faced off against each other (Bunim, & Murray, 1999)  a complete example of hybridization. Blitvich and Lorenzo- Dus made a good point when they stated that “it started out as a genre, but it has certainly evolved into a discourse,” because of the differences between the shows catagorized under the genre reality television (Blitvich., & Lorenzo-Dus, 2013). It is reasonable to agree with this as while the real world began with the idea of people from varying background gathering together while living their semi-normal lives the challenge is a completely different environment far removed from the show that wanted to look at human interaction as contestants have admitted to being isolated from the real world and instead are in a compact space every couple of months with the same people, as often they rotate who participates in the season rather than introducing a new cast, with no real outside contact (Regalado, 2018). This isolating experience based around the idea of battling people you know for money is so different from the real world where quite a few of the cast members originated from. This difference provides an argument against the idea of reality television being a genre.

Yet at the very same time, a person can say the exact opposite. Because despite being so far apart in content each almost standing at opposites of its content is still very much adheres to the description of reality television. Both shows are different and yet both show real people doing real things most, both have a sense of relatability, the real world through the showing of humans awkwardly trying to live with strangers and the challenges this brings while the challenge depicts the struggles one goes through when trying to achieve the same goal.

It’s because of these points I find myself agreeing that reality television is vast with so much content to the point where cannibalization of content occurs resulting in programs that resemble little of what the origins were. However, I feel the core of reality television programs has not changed therefore it can still be a genuine genre.

Reference

Blitvich, P., & Lorenzo-Dus, N. (2013). Real Talk – Reality television and Discourse Analysis in Action. Basingstoke, UK; Palgrave Macmillan.

Bunim, M- E (creat), Murray, J (creat). (1999). Real-world/ road rules challenge [television]. The Challenge. United States: MTV

Bunim, M- E (creat), Murray, J (creat). (1992). Real world [Television]. United States: MTV

Bunim, M- E (creat), Murray, J (creat). (1993). Real-world: San Francisco [Television]. The Real World. United States: MTV

Regalado, M. (2018). 13 surprising things you never knew about myv’s ‘the challenge’ [Television]. retieved from https://www.insider.com/the-challenge-mtv-facts-2018-10

Smith, P (lec). (2020). Reality television part 2 [Lecture PowerPoint]. Retrieved from

Smith, P (lec). (2020). Reality television part 2 [Lecture recording]. Retrieved from

Stack, L. (2018). ‘He did not lead on aids’: with bush, activists see a mixed legacy. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/us/george-bush-hiv-aids.html

Week 11: How real is reality television.

A question often asked when discussing the genre of reality television is, How real is reality television. In this blog, I will be considering this very question.

A note before I begin, what we now call reality television began a resemblance of documentaries (Smith, 2020) that eventually shifted to the new definition (Smith, 2020). The definition for reality television is vague Philippa Smith’s definition as a variety of shows “the only thing they have in common are the so-called “real people” doing real things. Rather than fictional people doing made-up stuff,” (Smith, 2020) Richard Kilborn ops to put aside the format of the show rather focussing on the filmmakers “primary aim” of showcasing the shared experience or lived reality (Kilborn, 1994). So on this basis, one could look at reality television being real simply because the audience watches real people in allegedly unscripted situations the focus for entertainment being their actions and experience during the situation rather than the situation itself.

A good example of this I feel is the Korean reality television series I Live Alone it is a program that’s entire basis is hosts, who are called members, who sit in a studio and watch pre-recorded and edited footage of each of them as they go about their daily life (Hwang, 2013). Not all of their videos are shown in the studio rather they take turns watching how each of them goes about their lives, ever so often they have guests who part take in the filming of their daily life, and the viewers watch as they react to it, it’s a combination of docudrama, video diary and reaction footage (Hwang, 2013). The base never changes as each week new footage is shown of a certain member or guest and how they go about a day and then they react to it (Hwang, 2013). the focus and draw of the show as Kilborn explains is the sharing of the experience (Kilborn, 1994) as each member and guest often express their relatability of the footage shown to their own lives, just as audiences get to see celebrities in their allegedly lived reality of day to day footage where they wake up without makeup and unkempt hair go about eating their favourite food and getting together with their friends. The second layer of reality television of course being the allegedly unscripted authentic reaction by the hosts and their guests to the footage being shown (Hwang, 2013).

Of course, as mentioned reality television varies a great deal in content so, while shows like I Live Alone’s format seems straight forward with no real desire from the audience to watch fast-paced action or large drama there are shows in the reality television section that involves activities such as the challenge show survivor where players, or castaways, spend around thirty-nine days in a camp eliminating each other, real people face real consequences for the decisions they make inside the secluded island as the players have the incentive of monetary gain (Parsons, 2000). We see Kilborn’s definition of reality television on display as yet again the overall scenario and goal of the players are the same, survive long enough to plead your case as to why you should win a million dollars (Parsons, 2000), but it is the player’s reaction to this challenge that draws audiences in because in one season the focus is on how much people will lie and cheat for a million dollars, another will focus on the complete opposite like Survivor all-stars where viewers watched players Boston Rob and Amber Brkich form a relationship through being allies eventually cumulating in Boston Rob proposing to Amber who then goes on to win the million dollars(Parsons, 2003).

These programs stand second to the more recognized reality television shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians a show that follows the Kardashian Jenner family as they get married, get divorced, have children, and the fights and drama in between (Seacrest, 2007). This show which contains what Philippa Smith calls ‘Reality bite’ where events are cut and sequenced for the audience in a way that captivates them through the perceived spontaneity of events (Smith, 2020). This version of alleged authentic reality is more doubted side of reality television as it stands at a larger distance from reality television beginnings of the documentary (Smith, 2020) to the point where an audience laughs when members of the Kardashian Jenner family described reality television as “real people just being themselves”( Shared News, 2019).

All of this to say that to the question How real is reality television, I can’t give a definitive answer and it seems no one else agrees either on the answer to this question. Are there real people? Yes. Is the general premise and situations of the show based in reality? Yes. Is this enough for it to be classified as real? Maybe. So how real is it, that depends on how much investment the audience members place on the shared experience or lived reality created by the filmmakers?

References

Hwang, J Y (Prod dir). (2013) I live alone [television]. Korea: MBC

Kilborn, R. (1994). ‘How real can you get?’: recent devolpments in ‘reality’ television [article]. European Journal of Communication. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/bbcswebdav/pid-5350847-dt-content-rid-13171289_4/institution/Papers/ENGL602/Publish/How%20Real%20Can%20you%20get%20%20Characteristics%20of%20RTV.pdf

Parsons, C (creat). (2000). Survivor [television]. United States: CBS

Parsons, C (creat). (2003). All-stars [television]. Survivor. United States: CBS

Seacrest, R (creat). (2007). Keeping up with the Kardashians [television]. United States: E!,

Shared News. (2019). Kim Kardashian & Kendall Jenner laughed at while presenting at 2019 emmys? [Youtube]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2Y7j5Q9tQs

Smith, P (lec). (2020). Reality television part 1 [Lecture PowerPoint]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5350843_1 Smith, P (lec). (2020). Reality television part 1 [Lecture recording]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5350843_1

Week 10: How does Dick use the I Ching and how did his views on the oracle and its role in the novel shift over time?

In this blog post, I will be discussing Philip K Dicks and his use of the I Ching and how his views on the oracle and its role in the novel shift over time.

In writing the novel the man on the high castle Philip K Dicks used the I Ching to create and advance the plot for his character (Mountfort, 2020). In doing so he placed an importance on the I Ching that was unlike anyone else had when using other oracle typed mechanisms in their work (Mountfort, 2020). Unlike people like Sylvia Plath used this oracle, the I Ching in his case as oppose to the more western taro cards, as an engine to create a story rather than a plot device (Mountfort, 2020). In Dicks own words “I used [the I Ching] in The Man in the High Castle because a number of characters used it. In each case when they asked a question, I threw the coins and wrote the hexagram lines they got…” (Mountfort, 2020). Through this quote and through the information on how Philip K Dicks used the I Ching one can reasonably state that Dicks viewed of the oracle, the I Ching, as important and revolutionary in the context of storytelling.

In regards to Dicks shifting view of the oracle, I Ching, and its role as part of his novel one can note that while individual like Paul Williams describes the oracles contributions and “not extensive,” (Mountfort, 2016)  it does seem that Dicks himself had a differing opinion on this. Writing later in Schizophrenia & the Book of Changes “I speak from experience. The Oracle—the I Ching—told me to write this piece” (Mountfort, 2020). So we can see that while before the oracle, I Ching, had a role of service to Dicks in creating storyline he now seemed to place the oracle even before his control in general. Whereas before he described it as taking some creative control from himself as it randomized these playthrough of his characters’ stories stating “I’ve used it to develop the direction of a novel”, the man in the high castle being the said novel(Mountfort, 2020), he now seemed to imply that it had influence over him the writer.

Now Philip K Dicks wrote and won the 1962 Hugo award, though science fiction as a genre had not yet garnered large respect and was still seen as low brow works (Mountfort, 2020). Despite this Dicks won awards and recognition in a time of this view of science fiction as the pulp fiction of the 1940s to ’60s. It still holds large respect from the writing community and is seen as a pioneer in the area of alternat history fiction (Mountfort, 2020). It kind of makes sense that as a writer his view of the I Ching did evolve as there was a benefit in him using this oracle in a way that in his own words to developed plot (Mountfort, 2020). It cannot be confirmed if it truly told him to write it but the prediction of its success (Mountfort, 2020) even after he passed holds. In any case, it’s clear that Philip K Dicks view of the oracle shifted to one of more dependence on it as time progressed.

Reference

Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). The man in the high castle, uchronie and the I ching [Lecture powerpoint]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). The man in the high castle, uchronie and the I ching [Lecture recording]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

Mountfort, P. (2016). The I ching and philip k. dick’s the man in the high castle. Science Fiction Studies, 43(2), 287-309. https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/bbcswebdav/pid-5348349-dt-content-rid-13108728_4/institution/Papers/ENGL602/Publish/Mountfort%202016_High%20Castle%281%29.pdf

Week 9: 1. According to Mountfort et al. (2018), what are the three main genres of cosphotography, and how did they historically develop?

Cosphotography refers to the videoing and photographing of a person participating in cosplay and can act as a way for the cosplayer to gain capital through promotion which allows recognition (). Paul Mountfort believes “photography pays a crucial role in contemporary cosplay,( Mountfort, 2020) as it  “as long as it is not of the invasive variety can thus provide cosers not only with tokens pf private value but fan capital that circulates within wider, largely online networks of exchange operating in the cosphere,”(Mountfort, 2020). Meaning cosplaying through cosphotography creates a new space for the cosplayer not only space for expression but offers a chance for them to gain capital from the labour they have put into their costuming.

Of the three main genres of cosphotography as outlined by Paul Mountfort the most formal of the three would have to be the runway cosphotography. This is where cosplayers could be gathered usually in a competition event where preparations for these cosplayers are made before the photos and videos are taken (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). It is here where cosplayers are directly rewarded for their hard work as often, they gain monetary capital for the creations of their cosplay. This type of cosphotography is narrated as occurring in 1941 we have photographs of these cosplay competitions creating the earliest moments of the formal runway cosphotography despite these cosplayers entering costumed competitions as early as 1910 when a young woman won first prize at a masquerade ball as she went in cosplay in a  skyjack costume(Mountfort, 2020).

The less formal version of cosphotography compared to the other main genre of cosphotography would have to be hallway cosphotography. This refers to the photographs and videos which are taken of cosplayers in a more natural none planed space (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). Oftentimes these photographs are done without the cosplayer’s consent (Mountfort, 2020) this type of cosphotography began to occur around the same time technology developed in a way allowing people to become cosphotographers, technology like the handheld camera (Mountfort, 2020). In doing this everyday people gained access to recording events as such cosplay can spread more easily and

The slightly less formal, when compared to runway cosphotography, is the studio portrait. This involves yet again planning and the complete consent of the cosplayer as time is put in for selecting lighting and backdrops and occurs in a private location (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). They are in a sense taking steps to ensure that they are gaining capital by sharing and distributing these photographs. In 1969 we see one of the first examples of studio portrait through the image of Angelique Trouvere in cosplay as Vampirella (Mountfort, 2020). Studio portrait, in the end, can be described as a combination of the formal runway and informal hallway cosphotography ().

Looking at these main genres of cosphotography one will not that as they developed through history it does seem that the less formal hallway cosphotography has developed into a much larger medium of the three and one could attribute this to the development of technology such as the handheld cameras.

Reference

Geczy, A., Mountfort, P., Peirson- Smith, A. (2018). Planet cosplay. United Kingdom: Bristol, United States: Chicago. Interlect

Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). [Lecture powerpoint]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). [Lecture recording]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

Week 8: What does the term détournement mean and how is it applicable to cosplay.

In the blog, I will be discussing the term détournement and how exactly it applies to cosplay. I will be mentioning the definition of détournement, the origins of it, the death of the author, and how this helps connect the critical theory of détournement and cosplay.

The word détournement in the literal translation means to hijack (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018) as a literary term it involves the deliberate plagiarism of a text (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). The history of détournement involves situations International, a group of revolutionary artists and intellectuals in the 1950s (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). Détournement refers to where “authoritative books, maps, and other text were cut and pasted along the polemical and aesthetic line,” (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). This hijack was a form of rebellion as it used the playfulness of these pranks to undermine these authoritative social hierarchy’s, political and aesthetic lines (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018) by reclaiming and expressing things the original work may not have intended. Détournement today is seen as a critical theory as reuse and imitation of the original work.

Cosplay Involves the audience of the original text “dressing up and performing as characters from popular media texts, e.g. comics, animated or live-action films and tv, games, and other popular culture media including music videos.” (Mountfort, 2020) in other words the audience of a certain text is taking the text into their own hands and from that creating new meaning through their design and expression of these characters that differ from the original text meaning the audience then become the author. As Paul Mountfort states “Fanfiction and parodies, cosplay is part of the feedback loop that allows fans to enter into a text and transform it, turning readers into authors and blurring the distinction between fan and critic, as well as reader and text” (Mountfort, 2020). In doing this there is a sense of rebellion from the audience as they are removing the large authority originally held by the author often described as the death of the author (Mountfort, 2020). It is through this process that the critical theory of détournement finds itself situated in.

By the text becoming a “negotiation between the readers, you guys, us and the texts themselves,” (Mountfort, 2020) the audience is given more control of its expression they form their understanding of the text based on their own experience thus they are from a critical theory standpoint participating in détournement. Cosplay is the three-dimensional version of taking text and physically representing their understanding or interpretation of it (Mountfort, 2020). As such one can look at it as a physical hijacking of the text is an example in the marvel cinematic universe a section of the audience began shipping title character Captain America and his best friend the winter soldier forming the ship Stucky (Tracy 2016), for the couple to occur the fans have taken the text hijacked its canonical work and placed within it their reading that Steve, Captain America, and Bucky, winter soldier, are romantically involved. they then through cosplay take it a step further and allow themselves to embody these characters allowing the roleplay of them being a couple (Tracy, 2016).

In conclusion, détournement involves the reuse and imitation of the original text, hijacking, and placing within its new meaning as the original author’s authority is reduced allowing for a new interpretation of a text. Cosplay in all its forms involves the removal of an author’s original meaning as those who cosplay as these characters add new meaning to said characters through their experiences and understanding of the character which now resides outside of the original text. Therefore détournement is applicable to cosplay as the very act of cosplay is the expression of détournement.

Reference

Geczy, A., Mountfort, P., Peirson- Smith, A. (2018). Planet cosplay. United Kingdom: Bristol, United States: Chicago. Interlect

Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). [Lecture powerpoint]. Retrieved from

Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). [Lecture recording]. Retrieved from

Tracy, J (writ). (2016). Chris evans and sebastian stan meet stucky cosplayers at wizard world philadelphia. retrieved from https://www.outerplaces.com/science-fiction/item/12369-chris-evans-and-sebastian-stan-meet-stucky-cosplayers-at-wizard-world-philadelphia

Week 7: Carroll (2003) and King (2010) discuss how the “monster” is a defining feature of a horror story. Using references, explain in your own words how a monster in horror differentiates from monsters in other popular genres.

In this blog post, I will be discussing Carroll (2003) and King (2010) and how the “monster” is a defining feature of a horror story. And how the monster in horror differentiates from monsters in other popular genres.

Monsters in horror go hand in hand with the horror stories they occupy as they often represent the embodiment of the other that the author expects their audience to fear. As Stephen King writes about when horror is most popular “these periods almost always seem to coincide with periods of serious economic and/or political strain, and the books and films seem to reflect those free-floating anxieties,” (king,1981). As horror uses the monster as a defining feature it only makes sense that the monster reflects the strain in the population. We see this during the inquisition where those early horror stories reflected the Vatican imagery of the horned devil and witches as they “used it as a tool to scare the masses into submission, or as propaganda to perpetuate various inquisitions,” (Jones, 2020). It is seen again as the monster evolves to fit a less tangible enemy as it evolves into a haunted house during the American 70’s mortgage, class and equity crisis (Jones, 2020) and expands its terrifying reach as it evolved into whole villages as the folk horror as Christian societies expressed their fear of Christianity losing its grip on the population (Jones,2020).

 The monster in horror never becomes anything other than their fear-inducing otherness to those who fear them. This is because the fear they represent is a fear that followed its audience out of the viewing of the text (King, 1981). A good example of this I believe is the Addams family tv run (Lanfield, 1964) they appeared in a time of America’s history when the equal rights movement was seeing clear changes and the idea of having a neighbour that was different to you became ever more of a reality as the fair housing act was seen as the follow-up to the civil rights act (History.com editors, last updated July 10 2020). The Addams family expressed those fears, with each episode of the Addams family usually containing a new guest star, whether neighbour, teacher or salesman, interacting with them usually for the first time only to be frightened out of their wits (Lanfield, 1964). The Addams were the monsters and the protagonist so usually, you laugh at the thought that anyone could find them anything other than kind neighbours with some eccentricity. Yet throughout this horror-comedy at no point does a guest, apart from those already apart of their eccentricity, ever see them as you the viewer. They remain monsters to the point that in one episode the traditional sitcom villains, the robbers, would rather luck their chances outside at being caught by the cops than stay any longer in the Addams mansion (Lanfield, 1964). This is where I believe monsters in horror and monsters in other popular genres begin to differentiate.

In the film franchise the terminator one could make an argument that the T-800 is a great example of a monster his unfeeling he is honestly near unstoppable and indestructible and yet terminator 2 has him change sides and fight to protect the child he attempted to stop from being born in the first one(Cameron, & Wisher, 1991). The monster changing sides is something that can’t occur in horror because in the outside world for the audience that is something that can’t occur. Rather horror movies often reveal that what you thought was the monster wasn’t that all along. We see this in the tv series Lovecraft country’s episode  Holy Ghost main characters Leti and Atticus confront the haunted house Leti has bought believing the murdered black victims are expressing their agony of not being able to leave only for the ghosts to help them in the end. But as the episode occurs the monster is revealed to be the white scientist who experimented on them, not themselves (Green, & Sackheim, 2020).

I conclude my post by saying the monster in horror differentiates itself from monsters in other genres because they never become anything other than their otherness to those who fear them.

References

Cameron, J (Dir, writ), & Wisher, W (Writ). (1991). Terminator 2: judgment day [Film; cinimas]. Carolco Pictures, Pacific Western, Lightstorm Entertainment, Le Studio Canal+.

Green, M (writ), Sackheim, D (writ). (2020). Holy ghost [Television]. Lovecraft Country. HBO.

History.com editors. (last updated July 10 2020). Black history milestones: timeline [Archive]. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-milestones

Jones ,N(Lect). (2020). A history of horror [lecture recording]. Auckland University of technology. https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

Jones ,N(Lect). (2020). A history of horror [lecture powerpiont]. Auckland University of technology. https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

King, S. (1981). Danse Macabre. New York: Everest House.

Lanfield, S (Dir). (1964). Halloween with the adams family [television]. The Adams Family. Metro-Golden-Mayer.

Week 6: How does The Colour out of Space and Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth make use Reyes definition of body horror to explore themes of the unknown?

In this blog, I will be discussing Reyes’s description of body horror as being a “fictional representation of the body exceeding itself or falling apart, either opening up or being altered past the point where it would be recognised by normative understandings of human corporeality.” (Reyes, 2014) And how they do The Colour out of Space and Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth make use of this definition to explore themes of the unknown?

H.P. Lovecraft was in clear terms a bigot who held bigoted views against those different to him (Jones, 2020). As a writer like most, he brought those views within his works. So, when looking at body horror as described by Reyes in regard to the story The Colour out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft one could say it was used to express Lovecraft’s bigotry as the story does depict the fear of the other and its effects. Within the story, the meteorite is immediately different from other meteorites as it still glows unlike the scientifically factual meteorite (Lovecraft, 1927) the never seen before colours of the meteorite further shows its difference (Lovecraft, 1927). Initially thought of as a possible blessing this other seems to be dispersing of possible fears “The pears and apples slowly ripened, and Nahum vowed that his orchards were prospering as never before. The fruit was growing to phenomenal size and unwonted gloss, and in such abundance, those extra barrels were ordered to handle the future crop.” (Lovecraft, 1927) however right after this the other once again reveals itself to be a poison as the literal fruits it bares are thought of as poisonous (Lovecraft, 1927). From a body horror perspective, the humans affected by the meteorite become much like the fruits and animals and become altered until they are nothing but grey ash (Lovecraft, 1927). By introducing the meteorite as the other H.P. Lovecraft depicts what he expects would occur if the other is allowed to continue to exist, far worse situations could occur as explained by his expectation of what would occur if promiscuity were to become less judged by the public. His escalation goes from sodomy, or homosexuality, as he calls it being slowly accepted until finally bestiality is allowed (Jones, 2020). In H.P. Lovecraft’s words he is drawing out the steps of escalations which he expects will occur if others are welcomed into the fold it starts with fruits and escalates towards humans. Thus, I believe the theme of the unknown within the colour of out of space is that of fear for the unknown.

In The Shadow Over Innsmouth, Lovecraft creates body horror through the depiction of characters degenerating until their humanity if stripped and they resemble fish creatures rather than humans. This body horror though getting a different reaction from its character as in the end the narrator accepts these half human half fish creatures and accepts himself as one of them (Lovecraft, 1936) still depicts the acceptance of the status quo because at the beginning the narrator is the other and because of this he is hunted however as the story progresses it is revealed he is, in fact, a descendant of the Innsmouth residences and as such when he embraces them all his passed decisions he made as another is nearly all but a few forgiven(Lovecraft, 1936). To the narrator, the humans are the other as they are not like him and the deep ones are now the ones who make sense (Lovecraft, 1936).

 This is what I feel describes bigotry and to an extent Lovecraft’s bigotry the other is that which the narrator is not connected to and as such, there is always another and there is always a place where bigots can fit in.

References

Jones, N. (lect). (2020). Lovecraftian horror and weird fiction. retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/bbcswebdav/pid-5273120-dt-content-rid-12699658_4/institution/Papers/ENGL602/Publish/Lovecraftian%20Horror%20Lecture.mp4

Lovecraft, H.P (Auth). (1927). The colour of out of space. United States: Amazing Stories

Lovecraft, H.P (Auth). (1936). The shadow over innsmouth. United States: Visionary Publishing Company

Reyes, X. (2014). Body Gothic: Corporeal Transgression in Contemporary Literature and Horror Film. University of Wales Press.

week 5: What is the ‘shōjo’ and how does it often function in anime?

Within this blog I will be discussing what exactly is ‘shōjo’ and how does it function in anime. I will be mentioning Princess Mononke, Sasameki Koto, and Slow Start.

As mentioned in the previous blog anime contains a multitude of genres specifically directed at an audience. ‘shōjo’ or Shoujo refers to target teenage female readers and viewers “the transitional stage between infancy and maturity, and its admixture of sexlessness and budding eroticism” (Cavallaro, 2006).

However, at the same time, Shojo manga and anime’s main appeal is the teenage female as Dani Cavallaro points out that Japanese males are a significant number among the shojo audience (Cavallaro, 2006). It is through this, once again, an individual realises the vast expanse of the anime and manga medium.

Because while shojo can contain deeper more philosophical theories about the nature of life itself such as the anime Princess Mononoke, which attempts to depict humanities relationship with nature, and the difficulty of finding a balance between the two, as they battle each other the humans can be seen as honourable through the character Ashitaka who stands out as a human who wants to rebuild while at the same time as greedy seen through the depiction of jigo a character who would even blaspheme as he poses as a monk to gain an opportunity(Miyazaki, 1997). While nature can be majestic yet kind as we see Moro the wolf god who acts as an adoptive mother to the human San while at the same time not immune to corruption as seen through the boar god Nago (Miyazaki, 1997).

You can also find the kawaii sub-genre depicting female characters as cutely innocent and often shy in Slow Start the anime the main character Ichinose Hana is shy and along with other characters is cute, wears school uniforms, and just go about their day in a way that is cute (Hashimoto,2018). That’s the basis of the anime. No large growth no deeper meaning.

Still in the shojo subgenre one will also find shojo-ai a genre showing the “girls love” trope in which romance starts to form between female characters (Cheeky Kid, updated January 2018) like in the anime series Sasameki Koto or Whispered Words where main characters Sumika and Ushio evolve their longstanding friendship into a relationship (Suganuma, 2009). The audience watches the relationship evolve and imagines a world where two female characters love can be accepted in 2009 japan when in 2019 the OECD society at a glance still shows japan as having an overall low acceptance of LGBT people (OECD, 2019).

To bring this blog to a close shojo refers to young females in regards to anime and manga it refers to the target audience of young females and they do attempt to appeal to their audience however connected to the targeted young female is also a large group of male consumers. I believe one could probably conclude this can be both true because the shojo subgenre has many branching subgenres from it such as kawaii, shoujo-ai, and many more not mentioned in my blog.

References

Cavallaro, D. (2006). Introduction. in the anime art of hayao miyazaki (pp.5-13). London: McFarland & Company

Hashimoto, Y(dir). (2018). Slow start. Japan: Tokyo MX, GYT, GTV, BS11, TVA, KTV

McFarland & Company.Cheeky Kid (auth). (updated January 2018). A complete list of anime genres with explanations. Retrieved from https://reelrundown.com/animation/Anime-Genre-List

Miyazaki, H (dir). (1997). Princess Mononoke. Japan: Toho

OECD. (2019). Society at a glance 2019: how does japan compare?. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/japan/sag2019-japan-en.pdf

Suganuma, E (dir). (2009).  Whispered Words. Japan: TV Tokyo

Week 4: Is anime a high or low cultural medium, according to Susan Napier (2005), and what are some of its sub-genres?

In this blog, I will be discussing Susan Napier’s opinion on anime as well as mentioning some of the anime subgenres. I will mention Dragon Ball, Pokemon and Akira.

Anime refers to Japanese animation has a long-standing history in japan having been established in 1960 to 1970 (Mountfort, 2020) and according to Susan Napier also has a wide-ranging public perception. Susan Napier describes the medium as a “complex and fascinating medium,” Napier believes there is value in studying it (Napier, 2005). Going further Napier makes a point in discussing the deeper messages that can be discussed through the anime medium such as social and political issues (Napier,2005). Susan Napier doesn’t make a direct verbal call on whether or not Anime is a high or low cultural medium but it is clear throughout her reading that she holds the medium to the high regard and as such, I believe I can comfortably say that Susan Napier holds anime to be a high medium. Something I can’t argue with on a personal level just because of the sheer number of sub-genre within the anime medium.

As mentioned in the above paragraph Anime contains a multitude of sub-genres with the target audiences for each genre often finding little in common in the text they consume.

For example, there is the action genre within anime that in itself has varying degrees of sub-genres directed at specifically different audiences. You have the Kids actions such as dragon ball an action where the characters don’t die despite their earth-shattering battles and when they do die often it is not for the long term as they are revived (Raymond, 2020). Similar is the action-adventure kid’s subgenre where you find characters belonging to the series Pokemon (Webb, 2019). Going on an adventure with friends the main character ash not aging out of his tenth year of life despite being that age in 1997(Webb, 2019). The targeted audience of these two action subgenres differ from the target audience of the anime Akira (Otomo, 1988) a film seeped in action it is better fitted into the cyberpunk subgenre this film rather imagines its heroes in a cynical light where consequences not only occur but have a lasting impact with one of the characters, Yamagata, literally dying but unlike in the previously mentioned subgenres there is no revival rather a makeshift fun real is held, Kaneda destroys his motorbike in attempt to send it to the afterlife with him,(Otomo, 1988). Viewers of the kid’s action subgenres would have a different viewing experience compared to the more adult-targeted cyberpunk action.

You can also find hentai, strictly adult content based around sex (Cheeky Kid, updated January 2018), you’ll at the same time find harem anime focussing on many female characters fighting for the affections of a single male (Cheeky Kid, updated January 2018) Historical anime focussed on events I Japanese history (Cheeky Kid, updated January 2018) and just to top it off parody anime within which references are made to various anime which vary in the sub-genre.

All to say yes anime is wide-ranging containing a multitude of subgenres which then allows for Susan Napier to state that anime is a high medium.

References

Cheeky Kid (auth). (updated January 2018). A complete list of anime genres with explanations. Retrieved from https://reelrundown.com/animation/Anime-Genre-List

Mountfort, P. (lect) (2020). Pop genres anime 1 Akira [PowerPoint]. Blackboard. https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/ 

Napier, S. J. (auth). (2005). Anime from Akira to Howl’s moving castle: Experiencing contemporary Japanese animation. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Otomo, K (dir). (1988). Akira. Japan: Toho

Raymond, N (writ). (2020). Dragon ball: every time the main characters have died. Retrieved from https://screenrant.com/dragon-ball-main-characters-heroes-deaths/

Webb, K (writ). (2019). After more than 1,000 episodes and 22 films, ash ketchum is finally a pokémon master. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com.au/ash-ketchum-pokemon-master-alola-league-champion-anime-series-2019-9?r=US&IR=T#:~:text=Despite%20being%20on%20the%20air,10%20years%20old%20since%201997.

Week 3: How and why have Tintin’s gender and sexuality been questioned.

Before any further discussion can commence, I would be out of line not to mention the fact that Herge himself was against this interpretation of Tintin (Mountfort,2020). This however has not stopped the reader of the Tintin text from view Tintin in such a light and so we must ask the question of how Tintin’s gender and sexuality have been questioned. A clear example of how the analysis of Tintins closest relationships within the comics would be. Herge relegates the female characters to the role of seen but not heard as Herge believed “Women have nothing to do in a world like Tintin’s. I like women far too much to caricature them. And, besides, pretty or not, young or not, women are rarely comic characters,” (Mountfort, 2020), in Tintin in America we see women as carers with one being a member of Americans association of animal admirers, we see a woman taking action only because her beloved dog was placed in danger and we see a woman seemingly rocking a crying child (Herge,1973) in all these depictions women are providing care, care for animals care for children they do not stand alone but stand in relation to that which they care about. these are Herge depictions of women even Tintin’s closest female companion Castafiore, though development with a voice and opinions however there are barriers between her and Tintin firstly she is frequently depicted as a nuisance bursting into the Tintin comics often uninvited (Mountfort, 2020) secondly she is the love interest of captain haddock () these barriers mean the strongest and only fleshed out relationship between Tintin and a female character is one that will not progress further than friendship. Leaving the primary relationships in Tintin to be between other male characters and himself. We see this clearly through Tintins relationships with captain haddock, unlike Castafiore captain haddock’s friendship is framed outside of his relationship with Castafiore rather it was built upon the many adventures they partake in throughout the comics (Mountfort, 2020). We never see such a relationship being built between Tintin and female characters and as such Tintin is isolated from any possibility of a relationship with a woman. Thus, allowing space in which Tintins sexuality and gender can be analysed and thus questioned.

The why of the question, how and why Herge character Tintin’s gender and sexuality have been questioned, can be seen throughout the character of Tintin himself. I say this because despite being a comic without many fleshed-out roles the traditional depiction of the female and her attributes can still be seen throughout these comics. The character Tintin carries the traditionally depicted female role as Paul Mountfort states “envisaging Tintin as a girl or young woman would make little material difference to his depiction in the series, other than perhaps to raise eyebrows at his living arrangements” (Mountfort, 2020). It is kind of true, Tintin carries within his character traits traditionally given to female characters and we can see this in The crab with the golden claw when Tintin consoles a drunk haddock after he discovers his crew is diamond smugglers(Herge, 1951).

So overall despite Herge himself being against the reading of Tintin as a possibly queer character one can’t deny that the how and why Tintins gender and sexuality are questioned has a high possibility of stemming from Herge’s decisions when creating the Tintin comic series.

REFERENCES

Herge (auth). (1973). Tintin in America, London, England: Methuen

Herge (auth). (1958). Tintin and the crab with the golden claw, London, England: Methuen

Mountfort, P. (2020). Tintin, gender and desire[powerpoint]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset

Mountfort, P. (2020). Tintin and gender part 2[powerpoint]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset