Month: December 2019

Ambiguity: the Emotional effect of Memory in La La Land

First, let me ask: have you seen La La Land? If not, do NOT read any further or you will forever rue the day that you let me spoil it for you. Last week we talked about the role of “reflecting” or “recalling” in… Continue Reading “Ambiguity: the Emotional effect of Memory in La La Land”

Triggered: the Power of Memory in Stories

Do you ever think about how much of our lives we spend reflecting? I don’t mean staring into a mirror. And I don’t necessarily mean long, soul-searching contemplations on our inner being. I simply mean pausing to acknowledge or recall the past and its… Continue Reading “Triggered: the Power of Memory in Stories”

How Many Faces Can One Figure Have?

Have you ever seen multiple iterations of the same historical figure? I don’t mean simply multiple appearances of said person in a variety of different hist-fic books, shows, or movies. I mean different works both devoted to that person, whose portrayals clash in some… Continue Reading “How Many Faces Can One Figure Have?”

What the Author Hoped You Wouldn’t Notice

It’s funny how much of an author’s character we read into his works. We’ve all done it, and often with good reason. Knowing Mark Twain believed in racial equality helps us understand The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a satire. Knowing Arthur Miller’s purpose… Continue Reading “What the Author Hoped You Wouldn’t Notice”