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Week 12 Question

Can reality TV still be thought of as a genre given the high level of hybridity that exists?

Reality TV has been considered to cover a range of popular factual programming, sometimes with comedic, theatrical and fictional elements. The various styles and approaches to reality TV has made it difficult to pin down as a singular genre that encompasses the spectrum of programmes it features (Hill, 2005). In fact, the last several decades has seen an increase in ‘hybridization’ of varying styles in reality tv.

In Wood’s (2004) analysis of the hybridization of reality tv, it is recounted that television used to be largely concerned with the realm of normal, however, the last century has proved that reality tv can be anything but the mundane. The emergence of this was encouraged by the advent of hybridization across stylistic categories in which tv programming was divided. The cultural forms of reality tv has more or less lost their formal rigidity and have become increasingly shaken. A common way of approaching media was through the distinct types and genres, however, reality tv’s hybridization has showed that it can be more flexible and cut across different styles at once. If reality tv has become extremely intertextual, it would be difficult to describe in one unique definition.

Given that, reality tv still is a unique field of its own, and can be counted as a distinct genre, but only with credit and critical analysis to its hybridization. Wood (2004) further explains that if hybridized content goes beyond the confines of one category, then one can analyze the distinctive qualities of these categories. All media aims to produce a worldliness that can be distinguished according to the different ways it accomplishes the sense of the real, and tv can be divided into four main modes. This includes factual programming, which consists of daily news, current affairs, documentaries, practical advice shows, religious broadcasts, and attempts to portray the state of affairs in a historical or natural world itself – over an imaginative one. Fictional programming tries to convey the sense of a world that is imaginatively constructed, including dramas, feature films, comedy, with contents trying to internalize reality, where the people and events depicted are not in the external world. Furthermore, entertainment programming presents people who exist farther than the confines of the content that is being shown, this consists of game shows, musical acts, talk shows, variety programmes, sports, and provide a more theatrical way of performance. Lastly, advertisements are also considered part of the reality tv hybridization, as they market products in 30-60 second segments, however these commercials are less about the product and instead images of desire and pleasure that it associated with the product. The four categories are significant when trying to divide the hybridized networks of reality tv.

Overall, reality tv does mesh many different elements of tv production into one, and the hybridization of it has made many analysts confused on how to define this genre. But regardless of this, reality tv still stands as its own genre as it combines the ultimate sense of portraying some kind of the ‘real’ using different stylistic methods.

References

Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.

Wood, B. (2004). A world in retreat: the reconfiguration of hybridity in 20^th-century New Zealand television. Media, Culture & Society, 26(1), 45-62.

Week 11 Question

How real is reality tv?

Reality TV as Hill (2005) explains, is a relatively common umbrella term used to describe a variety of popular and factual tv programming. There is a broad range of techniques and styles used in reality tv, from non-professional actors, unscripted dialogues, surveillance footage, as well as seeing events occur just as they happen in real time. In fact, in the early days of the genre, most of reality programming consisted of live footage of law and order, or emergency services. However, throughout the years, this genre has developed immensely and can be associated with almost anything from people, pets, and even sports.

The evolution of reality tv has enabled a sense of ‘hybridization’ of different successful genres to increase its market value. Although traditionally, reality tv does consider itself a form of factual programming, it also merges with entertainment-based programs, thus becoming a hybrid genre with varying styles. Another useful term is, popular factual programming, which connects popular audiences with a range of factual television genres and formats. Evidently, the reality tv genre is made up of a range of distinct and historically significant other genres like ‘lifestyle shows,’ or documentaries. Through merging these genres, new hybrid genres such as the reality tv we know today have been created. Moreover, one of the defining aspects that brings the groups of reality tv programs together is the extent to which they let the audience ‘see for themselves.’ The viewers then get to judge the ‘reality’ of reality tv, which its initial purpose is to capture the ‘reality’ of everyday lives.

Furthermore, many different television networks around the world produce their own reality programmes and have been successful on the television market, however the term ‘reality tv,’ has gained some criticisms (Kilborn, 1994). Regarding the beginnings of film and tv, one of the main goals of moving image producers was to persuade their viewers that they are watching something that is directly connected to the ‘real world.’ This idea led to many debates on how to present reality in a more genuine way, and how changing the onscreen representations may affect the attitudes of the viewers. More importantly, all notions of ‘realism’ differs based on history and culture and it can be difficult to set a standard for what is considered ‘real’ in reality tv.

Another important factor to consider in the making of reality tv, is the entertainment value. Factual programming can only be factual if it concerns representing what is real, but if there is no entertainment factor, then it can be difficult to keep the viewer’s attention. Kilborn (1994) also explains that whatever the format of the reality program (whether it is a docu-soap, or dramatic fiction), the aim of the creator is to highlight the effect of shared experience or a lived in reality. The events that cover reality tv involve a wide range of human activities, from the mundane to the most dynamic. A key requirement, is that no matter what the subject matter, the audience must easily find a way to relate to what is shown on screen. Nonetheless, this can be a skewed notion at times, as some shows may over-dramatize the real-life events, or the depiction might be different to increase entertainment value.

Ultimately, reality tv does feature real-life people and depicts factual information/events, however it can be over-sensationalized to an extent which makes it seem fairly ‘unreal.’

References

Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.

Kilborn, R. (1994). ‘How Real Can You Get?’: Recent Developments in ‘Reality’ Television. European Journal of Communication, 9, 421-439. Doi: 10.1177/0267323194009004003

Week 10 Questions

What distinctions are there between alternate history, postmodern alternate history, and uchronie genres?

Alternate history, postmodern alternate history, and uchronie genres all fall under the specific literary, fictional genre, that involves the concepts of parallel worlds and timelines. The alternate history genre can be seen as an overarching genre which involves narratives where one or multiple historical events may occur differently. The uchronie genres, derived from a French term, includes an ‘alternative history,’ where a story occurs in a similar world to ours until a specific event is altered to what we believe is true. In Mountfort’s (2016) research, subgenres of the uchronie genres are identified, and there appears to be three different variations such as ‘pure uchronie,’ involving a singular alternative world, ‘plural uchronia,’ consisting the existence of an alternative world in parallel, and ‘infinite uchronia,’ where there is the possibility of many or infinite parallel worlds.

In addition, the term uchronie mostly emphasizes a less causal or ‘diachronic’ form of history, but rather a ‘synchronic’ one. Mountfort (2016) explains the relevance of Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle (TMITHC), as one of the most critically acclaimed, and a prime expample of the uchronie or alternative history genre. TMITHC was primarily inspired by the I Ching, which is an ancient, Chinese literary device also known as a text of divination, or the ‘Book of Changes.’ Dick’s novel inspires the use of this in it’s main plot, and figuratively uses it and gives the reader a sophisticated postmodern fiction that examines the extremities of the text and the world in which it occurs. In fact, many academic sources have studies TMINHC as a formative example of alternate history, but specifically as a novel of the uchronie genre. However, Dick uses a more synchronic view of history than diachronic in TMINHC.

Moreover, other scholars such as Carl Jung have also tried to explain theories behind the concept of ‘synchronicity,’ which is a major element in the alternative history genre, as it involves the altering of certain events in history. Jung describes synchronicity as something related with the ‘postmodern,’ which was objectively true, but a distinct factor of Jung’s understandings were that he was concerned with the simultaneities between the objective events of the genre and the related subjective states (which often had a psychological or spiritual quality to them). Jung addressed synchronicity as an ‘acausal connecting principle,’ and as a ‘meaningful coincidence.’ Where, the critical disjunctions found in the linear timeline is a factor of the uchronie genre.

Overall, alternate history, postmodern alternate history, and uchronie genres all involve the existence of an alternate world, where although it is similar to our world, events may occur differently to what we believe. The major distinguishing features between these three concepts is whether they involve a more synchronic or diachronic narrative to them.

Week 9 Question

In what ways can cosphotography be understood as a form of ‘fan capital’?

Photography has played a significant role in contemporary cosplay as well as costuming in the 20th century. Over the decades, fan conventions have progressed the development of different styles of cosphotography, and photography and videos have not only been used as memorable pieces of media but also acts as shaping agents for how cosplay is performed (Mountfort et al., 2018).

As creating a cosplay requires a lot of skill and effort, cosplayers also hope to seek some form of capital in return. Photography and videos helped provide cosplayers with tokens of private value, as well as fan capital that has the opportunity to circulate to a wider, online community that engages in the cosplay community. However, as long as these photographs and videos are not invasive of the cosplayer’s privacy. In addition, the specific photographs that are taken are considered a token of ‘subcultural or fan capital’ or trendiness, which heightens the popularity of the cosplayer and cosphotography and can guarantee some fame.

Some issues also arise within cosphotography as there can be tensions between fan-directed and commercial cosplay-spheres. For example, the heterotopian and hegemonic control of certain cosplaying spaces, as well as supportive or exploitative audiences. There is a fair amount of discourse regarding vicious body-shaming and flaming of cosplayers in the community, and can create a negative space.

Furthermore, there are many online galleries dedicated to the visual discourse of cosphotography, as well as books, prints, ‘coscards’, and many newer forms of moving image media like cosplay music videos, indie documentaries, and even reality television programs. This helps expedite the emergence of cosplayer’s fan capital as their photographs can be accessed throughout many forms of media.

The concept of cosphotography is a rather newer phenomenon, however, photographing people who are engaged in costumed play of media characters has existed for many years. Dating back to older fan conventions in the 20th century, or even earlier when the public would dress up as outlandish characters. With these costuming acts, they were different from current cosplay as the outfits were crafted from imaginative projections of potential future fashion trends, instead of media references like today. Cosphotography along with costuming can be impressionable on the public, for example, Morojo’s futuristic costumes were a turning point for many costume trends and women costumers. This enabled her to appear in different sci-fi fanzines through the 1940’s and 50’s. In fact, early Worldcon costuming supported important models that the cosplay community would come to accept universally, with their costumes being presented in both formal and informal convention settings.

Week 8 Question

Referring to Mountfort et al. (2018), in what ways is cosplay analogous to citation?

The term cosplay refers to the popularized, and revered contemporary phenomenon of ‘costume play.’ With roots based in both American and Japanese culture, it involves the act of dressing up as a character separate from the individual, in respect to performing as the character from a popular media franchise (e.g. comics, animated/live action films, television, games, etc.). Mountfort et al. (2018), explain that cosplay in the present day is a form of mass cultural engagement, seen both off and online, and especially in events like manga/anime conventions, as well as within their own cosplay communities. It is mostly considered a type of performance art, as the individual attempts to shift their identity to the character they are ‘cosplaying’ through the use of costumes, accessories, even gestures and attitudes in a way to adopt the persona of the character. It can be considered that the individual inhabits the role of this character both physically and mentally.

Moreover, a distinguishing feature of cosplay from previous costuming practices such as those in carnivals, masquerades and theatrical performances, is that cosplay largely depends on source texts from new popular media, both in the east and west. As newer forms of media (e.g. comics) did not exist before the twentieth century, cosplay can be acknowledged as a result of modernity or postmodernity.

On the topic of citation, cosplay usually requires a source or reference text (known as a parent text), this is where the main inspiration for a cosplay begins, and mostly depends on a source of narrative text for its purpose, and for performing its citational act. This implies that through the use of cosplay, the cosplayer can actively produce or manipulate the canonical text. Cosplay can be citational as the image of the character is often detached from the original narrative of the text, converting the two-dimensional fantasies of a character to a three-dimensional living character, performed in real time. With that, cosplayers take these characters into their own narratives which is acted out using their own bodies. Some argue that cosplay is a kind of ‘static live performance adaptation’ of the iconic qualities of popular narratives found in some medieval European histories (like Shakespearean plays). This also involves the knowledge of the audience, as they are also aware of what is being cited (e.g. knowledge of who these characters are).

In some ways, cosplay’s citationality has similarities with referencing, as the familiarity of a cosplay audience with the original narratives when subjected to a cosplay performance, can prompt them to recall the original source narrative. The audience is just as important in the citational act as without them, the performance of cosplay cannot be carried out to its full extent. The three elements, the cosplayer, the text, and the audience all make up the experience of cosplay and adhere to its citational qualities.

References

Mountfort, P., Peirson-Smith, A., & Geczy, A. ( 2018). Planet Cosplay. Intellect Books.

Week 7 Questions

Carroll (2003) and King (2010) discuss how the “monster” is really 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.

Monsters have been a prevalent theme and feature of the horror genre long before the horror genre was even clearly defined. Ghosts and ghost stories alike have been around even prior to civilisation. Using monsters as a mark of horror can be useful, however, the term can be broad as many different genres incorporate their own sense of a supernatural being. An article by Bell (2017) identifies four broad categories of monsters found in films, plays, novels, and other media, such as monsters from nature, which embodies the human fear of an uncontrollable force in the natural world (e.g. King Kong, the Loch Ness Monster), they are often elusive and mysterious. Monsters associated with the fear of science are also prominent, such as Frankenstein’s monster. The Jekyll and Hide type monster eludes to a psychological aspect which presents that people have double lives or selves, and their monstrous qualities are of one’s repressed self. Lastly, there are monsters from the past, such as Dracula, which take revenge on modern living and progress and provide unconventional ideas (e.g. promise of immortality).

Monsters are typically found dispersed in more than just the horror genre, and where it is a very large aspect of horror content, it also plays a big role in sci-fi, fairy tales, myths, and odysseys (Carroll, 2003). However, many sci-fi experts explain that monsters in this genre are secondary to the imagination and fantasy of alternate universes/technologies. Monsters can either be supernatural beings or have sci-fi origins, this often distinguishes horror from other stories which are called tales of terror, for example, William Maginn’s ‘The Man in the Bell.’ The presence of monsters helps clarify what is horror from terror – which can incorporate other features like abnormal psychologies. In relation to fairy tales and myths, monsters also inhabit these worlds greatly, however they are not considered horror. This often has to do with the attitudes of the surrounding characters and their encounters with the monsters. Horror fiction depicts that humans find the monsters abnormal and unnatural, but in fairy tales, monsters are an ordinary characteristic of their universe. For example, in Star Wars, the beast-like character Chewbaca is regarded as one of the ordinary characters, but in a film like The Howling, a similar beast-like character that resembles a wolf would be regarded as a dangerous monster by the human characters. In myths, creatures like griffins, chimeras, dragons, and satyrs are common and bothersome creatures in their worlds, but are not implied to be unnatural, instead they are explained by the metaphysics and cosmology that creates them. Carroll (2003) simplifies this argument by demonstrating that monsters are extraordinary characters in our ordinary worlds, and in contrast, monsters in fairy tales are ordinary creatures in extraordinary worlds.

Moreover, prior to horror becoming a more prolific genre for books and movies from the 80’s, there was a thread of gothic tales that were prevalent in the 1960-1974. One of its defining features was the usual terrified women running away from a dark, brooding house, and the genre was known as “gothic romances,” that were mainly adult-based fairy tales. These paperback novels took inspiration from the 18-19th century gothic literature, and involved themes of murder, confinement, and ancient curses, with the major plot of a young woman falling in love with a dark, handsome, but brooding master (Hendrix, 2018).

Overall, horror movies and novels have always been popular to some extent, and sees a cycle of increased popularity and visibility every couple of decades (King, 2010). These periods often coincide with serious, real-life events of economic or political strain, and the fictional narratives often reflect those anxieties. The over-arching theme of a ‘monster’ takes on a different shape according to the anxieties felt by the people during these periods, and are often symbolic and allegorical. The idea of escapism thrives on the horror genre as the grotesque and scary features of the genre can be appealing to the public, and provides a space to indulge dark fantasies. Monsters are almost always prevalent in these horror stories, and depending on the genre, have differing encounters with the human characters.

References

Bell, S. (2017, October 30). Monsters on our minds: What our fascination with frightful creatures says about us. https://news.usc.edu/130364/monsters-on-our-minds-what-our-fascination-with-frightful-creatures-says-about-us/

Carroll, N. (2003). The Nature of Horror. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Hendrix, G. (2018) Paperbacks from Hell.

King, S. (2010) Danse Macabre.

Week 6 Question

What is the philosophy of cosmicism an how is it used to convey a sense of dread in both The Shadow Over Innsmouth and The Color Out of Space?

In Stableford’s (2007) article, it is defined that “cosmic horror” is a term closely associated with H. P. Lovecraft and his work involving weird fiction and horror. Lovecraft’s fascination with the concept of the cosmos and supernatural fiction has been apparent throughout his work, and regarding his essay on supernatural horror literature (written between 1924-1926), the philosophy of cosmicism can be further understood.

In his essay, when describing his own work, Lovecraft differentiates the “literature of cosmic fear” from the literature regarding “physical fear and the mundanely gruesome.” The term “cosmic” adds onto the supernatural themes portrayed in his stories in a more psychological way. Lovecraftian fiction has been known to have an essence of horror that originates from the idea that knowledge is too much to bear, and that the ultimate kind of knowledge is related to “unplumbed space,” in his terms, over the common concepts of horror such as ghosts, curses, and human evil. In ways to go beyond the limitations of supernatural horror, Lovecraft attempted elements of “cosmic horror,” which would be carefully concentrated and regarded as a type of over-arching kind of entity.

Furthermore in Lovecraft’s essay, he argues that the roots of “cosmic terror” are very ancient. Using references from varying ancient folklore, he associated it with a hypothetical pagan cult of “nocturnal worshipers,” whose ideas had been driven out by organized religions. The fundamental and central argument that Lovecraft created in the making of cosmic horror is that it it looks at the universe outside of the associations to humanistic activities, that the classical times had often overlooked the repression of awareness of the magnitude and horrors of the universe in which humans only resided in. Lovecraft’s philosophy also disregarded most organized religions as part of the process, as cosmicism mostly stemmed from the presence of the unknown over concepts such as gods, and divine beings that were present in religious literature. Another one of Lovecraft’s arguments explained that the most artistic and effective works of modern weird fiction cannot be found in the form of an absolute belief but in the form of an “aesthetic response.” An example of a kind of aesthetic sensation is often regarded as “the Sublime,” in his works.

In both “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” and “The Colour Out of Space,” Lovecraft’s cosmic horror is portrayed through the over-arching and atmospheric gloom and dread that is apparent in the narrative. Joshi (2007) describes the atmosphere of The Shadow Over Innsmouth as a claustrophobic sense of doom and decay which can be seen through his evocative prose. The Colour Out of Space also expands on the theme of cosmicism as for the entirety of the film, there is no exact “monster” or evil in a physical form but instead, the distress and outcomes of the unknown evil is shown as it takes its effect and toll on the family. Going back to Lovecraft’s note on the “aesthetic response” in cosmic horror, much of that can be experienced in the Colour Out of Space as it is a very visually appealing film and the overall sensation you get from the visuals can be unnerving and mysterious. Because it is hard to know what the exact horror is, there is a constant feeling of dread from not knowing. The meteorite that crashed on the family’s farm in the film is the only clue to the haunting evil, and the horrific creatures it induced, but overall you do not see what the exact terror was, only the result of it.

References

Joshi, S. T. (2007). The Cthulhu Mythos. Icons of Horror and the Supernatural, 98-128.

Stableford, B. (2007). The Cosmic Horror. Icons of Horror and the Supernatural, 66-96.

Week Five Questions

What is the ‘Shojo’ and how does it often function in anime?

The Japanese term ‘shoujo’ means “little female” and is typically used to specify girls that are aged from 12-13 years. Cavallaro (2006) also explains that on a metaphorical level, this term implies the transitional period between infancy and maturity with a combination of sexlessness and “budding eroticism.” The narratives that are found in shoujo stories are often dreamy and serene, with a magical atmosphere which contrasts the bleaker plots of other anime that center around war and science fiction. Critics have pointed out that shoujo anime is often found in a middle ground between adulthood and childhood, exploring notions of power, innocence as well as masculinity and femininity. Overall, shoujo anime can symbolize several different ideas, Susan Napier claims that shoujo characters could “embody the potential for unfettered change” which is less accessible to Japanese males who have their busy, daily demands of life to keep up with. On that note, shoujo stories have a broad audience not only consisting of young female teenagers, but even older males.

In addition to shoujo’s themes of being cute and magical in anime, there is also other functions and components involved. Looking at Miyazaki’s work, his female protagonists have been pointed out to be “unquestionably shoujo” in regards to their age and physical appearances. Although, where a typical shoujo character would be shown as passive and suspended in something similar to a “timeless dreamland,” Miyazaki’s female characters are proven to be quite active and independent, adventurous as well as inquisitive. Some commentators have claimed that they are “youths wearing shoujo masks.” Miyazaki has further stated that he is determined to avoid representing his female characters as simple “play toys for Lolita complex guys,” as the typical attributes of shoujo characters may encourage that kind of portrayal. Moreover, Miyazaki’s films stay redefining anime genres as the themes and characters deal with a variety of issues in imaginative ways, including the depictions of his shoujo characters.

Overall, shoujo is a defining term for characters that are little girls in their preteen stages of life, often in a world that is dreamlike and mystifying. Shoujo in anime offer a form of visual design for their youthful characters along with general traits which many shoujo characters possess. Miyazaki’s characters prove to be a little different on that matter as his shoujo protagonists may look youthful and cute, but their personalities and narratives suggest a broader sense of being than the typical shoujo character.

References

Cavallaro, D. (2006). Introduction. In the Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki (pp.5-13). London: McFarland & Company.

Week Four Questions

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

According to Susan Napier (2005), anime is considered a popular and dominating culture in Japan, however, in America it is seen as a “sub” culture. Often, anime is seen as a type of low culture depending where you are in the world, but at its roots, anime is a popular cultural phenomenon that inspires from previous high cultural Japanese traditions. Traditions such as Kabuki, woodblock prints, and martial arts can be seen as significant influences on a range of genres found in anime, as well as insights from worldwide twentieth century cinema and photography. The complex issues and narratives in high culture literature are also explored in anime, while entertaining the audience with its provocative visuals, as well as provoking viewers on a range of real-life contemporary issues. For instance, the ecological issues that can be seen influenced in Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke and much of his other work.

Akira is a key animated film that brought a new perspective to the culture of anime when it first appeared outside of Japan in 1990. During the time of its release in the west, animation was typically viewed as a minor art form, reserved for children or abstract art-house films, and Japanese animation was further marginalized in comparison. With the popularity of Akira, it spurred the culture of Japanese anime into the more mainstream field of entertainment, and anime became an important figure in the global cultural economy. Akira even became a top selling video in the year after it was released in the UK, while also heightening its popularity in other European countries as well. Furthermore, Japan has been known for many of its “high cultural” products like haiku poems, Zen, and martial arts, however, animated films and videos became a bigger product in the 1990’s and remains as a big export. Thus, propelling anime from being a topic of smaller subgroups to a bigger marginal niche audience in mainstream media.

Moreover, unlike cartoon animations in the west, which has a larger focus on an audience encompassing mostly children, anime in Japan has viewers that vary from both children, to college students, and young adults. Napier (2005) describes anime’s pop cultural phenomenon in Japan as cutting across “generational lines to be embraced by everyone.” With different anime’s catering to different age groups, it also appeals to different contemporary issues and visual factors in the form of sub-genres. Cyberpunk is a popular anime genre with works like Akira, and Ghost in the Shell. Another popular sub-genre is Shoujo anime, which is targeted at an audience for younger girls, and often has a young, female protagonist. As can be seen, anime as a medium holds many different visual elements of generic, thematic, philosophical and psychological components to create a distinct and aesthetic world.

References

Napier, S. (2005). Why anime? In Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle (pp.3-14). Hampshire: Palgrave/ Macmillan.

Week Three Questions

How and why have Tintin’s gender and sexuality been questioned?

There has been much debate over the course of Tintin’s adventures, about his gender and sexuality by many different readers and critics alike. In Mountfort’s (2020) article on topics of gender and desire in relation to Tintin, many critics have proposed several considerations on Tintin’s supposed gender and sexuality, including psychoanalytic criticisms to point out oedipal subtexts from different Tintin stories.

Objectively, Tintin’s sexuality has remained ambiguous, but has been criticized to exist somewhere outside of the heteronormative contexts. For example, one critic Mountfort (2020) cites, compares Tintin to Joan of Arc, as he exhibits feminine-like qualities of tenderness, being silent, as well as observant, and especially after meeting Haddock which, results in Tintin taking on a more passive role. These inferences consider whether Tintin is in a closeted relationship with Haddock, proposing ideas for Tintin’s sexuality. Furthermore, there is little to no female roles in Tintin’s stories, and women are visually scene as part of the background as bystanders, or part of a crowd, which leaves little romantic interests for Tintin in the heteronormative perspective.

Another point that is considered among Tintin’s ambiguous identity is that his stories are primarily fictional adventures for children, with Tintin supposedly being between 14 to 15 years of age. Although, his design was based on an actual journalist, Albert Londres, who was an adult rather than an adolescent. Overall, as Tintin is a fictional cartoon character, he does not have an actual biological age, which leaves many arguments about his gender and sexuality still up for debate.

In terms of sexuality, an example of Tintin’s homoerotic subtext can be found in Tintin’s The Crab with the Golden Claws, where Tintin and Haddock are both suffering from dehydration in the Sahara. Tintin has a hallucination of being stuck in a bottle of Burgundy with his head sticking out, signifying a cork. Then, Haddock bends over him with a raised corkscrew and the allotted speech bubble reads, “I’ll uncork it…”. Critics read this as Haddock symbolically penetrating and screwing Tintin in this scene, questioning the interchangeable gender roles, and whether Tintin could symbolically be bi- or pansexual. These criticisms along with many others show that Tintin is a more feminized character in comparison to Haddock. Mountfort (2020) also suggests that the term ‘male’ seems incidental to Tintin’s identity, as envisioning him as either a boy or a girl in his canon would make little difference to his depiction in the adventures.

Ultimately, Tintin’s gender and sexuality are quite enigmatic as he can be read as a boy or a girl, or as bi- or pansexual. Most of these criticisms come from the observations made on Tintin’s lack of ‘normative desires.’ His feminine qualities, and interesting relationship with Haddock also raise questions to Tintin’s persona.

References

Mountfort, P. (2020). Tintin, gender and desire. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics. Doi: 10.1080/21504857.2020.1729829