How to Analyse Stories: With Philip Chase Ep.08 Themes

[@Lostboy811]

When you are learning more about literature from a KZbin channel than you have from a college education.

[@ACriticalDragon]

Did we forget to assign reading and assignments? Drat. We will cover that in the next video 😂 I hope that you are getting something useful and enjoyable from the videos. Happy reading to you.

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

I'm enjoying the theme of friendly antagonism. 😁

[@ACriticalDragon]

Dr. Theme is nefarious and must be stopped. 😂

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

@@ACriticalDragon Dr. Theme is quite apt, it may overtake Dr. Fantasy in staying power. Besides, it's just wrong to choose your own nickname. EDIT: Shame Dr. Nefarious is too close to the character in Despicable Me...

[@valliyarnl]

Like I said on Dr Phillip’s channel, these videos are amazing. Wish I had something like this back in high school 😊

[@ACriticalDragon]

I am glad that you found us and are enjoying the videos. Thanks for watching.

[@thedrownedkingdomsaga7847]

Another great video! Story (blurb) entices me to read, prose keeps me reading, but characters and themes are what ultimately leave the most lasting impression. Further on themes, I want to learn from what I read, and when an author is adept with how the explore thematics, those coinncidentally tend to be the books I learn the most from.

[@ACriticalDragon]

When the elements of the narrative come together that is when I think we get the greatest stories.

[@mrbasement4904]

Question: Previously you guys mentioned a possible connection between symbolism and theme, saying the former is a step at the direction of the latter - how so? Specifically, if I've noticed a recurring usage of a symbol - what's the process for me to develop a theme out of it? Thanks for your time and effort putting this great video series together, among other wonderful videos you two contribute to this sphere 😊

[@ACriticalDragon]

I will add this question to the ever growing list. Thanks for asking it.

[@valliyarnl]

Also still hoping selfishly for the diegetic levels episode :) Also still only 1/5 thru the episode but it reminded me of Sanderson’s quote of “the role of a good author is not to give answers but to give you questions to think upon” (paraphrased)

[@ACriticalDragon]

We will discuss diegesis and diegetic levels in the last episode 😁

[@ACriticalDragon]

@valliyarnl unless there are a lot of questions we will probably have just one more.

[@valliyarnl]

@@ACriticalDragon sorry i had 10ish minutes left in the video and got too excited 🙈

[@EricMcLuen]

The original discussion on multiple themes reminded me a lot of the difference between allegory and symbolism. If you focus too much, you lose sight of the forest for the trees. Erickson and Bakker also challenge their readers with how their themes are presented. In your talking about Gollum, Boromir and Isildur were tempted to use the power. Gandalf and others were afraid they could not resist the temptation. Conversely, Gollum was driven mad as he refused to succumb to use the power. He did not have any external desire or ambition to use it. (Even though what it actually could do is open to debate.) His only desire was to possess it.

[@ACriticalDragon]

Gollum used the ring all the time to murder and kill things... He wanted to both possess it and use it, but he wasn't capable of claiming mastery over it, or even realising what its full potential was.

[@thestudentofdhandho5302]

AP, as a long-time fan of your channel, I implore you to finish your Malazan discussion with Phillip! I know you’ve been especially busy with your move across the pond and other projects. Many of your long-term viewers would be delighted to hear you conclude the main book series with a discussion of the Crippled God. Your reflections and insights on the series have made my reading experience that much richer and more enjoyable. Please don’t leave me hanging like George RR Martin! 😅

[@ACriticalDragon]

I promise I will get back to the Malazan stuff, but all my books are in storage and have been for some time. Once I have the new place sorted out I will be able to unpack my books and get back to those types of videos.

[@ericF-17]

"Dr. Theme." Ah, yes, what an evil-sounding nickname. Great video!

[@ACriticalDragon]

Should I have gone with Dr. Know? 😂

[@Altruismisreal27]

These videos have been highly informative and entertaining! I have enjoyed them all so far 😊🙏

[@ACriticalDragon]

I am glad that you have enjoyed them. Thanks for watching.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

And what is the theme of this video series? Beware of a fireball-wielding Nemesis!

[@ACriticalDragon]

Listen Dr. Theme, don't you be starting trouble. 😂

[@darthandy6161]

Great series of videos! How do you recommend practicing and exploring these concepts? Think ahead and hope things strike you while reading? Take notes while reading? Intentionally pause and reflect every so many pages? Just wait until the end and think back on the whole book?

[@ACriticalDragon]

This is a great question. I think that Philip and I can come up with some useful responses.

[@francoisbouchart4050]

Question: With all these concepts at our disposal to explore a story, where do we start? BTW, thanks for a great series of videos 🙏

[@ACriticalDragon]

Great question. Thanks. I am glad that you enjoyed the videos.

[@annemusselman8002]

QUESTION: In a world where access to authors and their opinions about the works they created is extensive, how much consideration would you recommend stated authorial intent be given in a literary analysis? Thank you again for this wonderful series of videos. I'm already hoping for another one!

[@ACriticalDragon]

Ooooooh great question. I think this would be fun to discuss with Philip, now that he is a high and mighty author now.

[@blessthegood1404]

Question: If a book has no intentional theme can it still be a quality book? Also how much of the theme is reader inferred?

[@ACriticalDragon]

Good questions. We will add them to the list for the final video. Thank you.

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

Wait, lord of the rings is not about a desperate attempt to file for divorce? Dang...

[@ACriticalDragon]

Of course not, it is about a Best Man's duty to make sure he doesn't lose the rings before a wedding ceremony.

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

@@ACriticalDragon Poor Sam...

[@ACriticalDragon]

Sauron as jilted bride... the untold Lord of the Rings adaptation.

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

@@ACriticalDragon A hobbit and an evil dark lord? Sounds like a sit-com to me...

[@ACriticalDragon]

Will they, won't they? Gandalf as the kooky neighbour, Sam as the long suffering friend, Galadriel shows up as the ex... This stuff writes itself. Quick, get Hollywood on the phone... this is gold I tells ya.

[@plagalcadence1138]

Question! I’m a bit awkward so I apologize if this is the wrong place for it, but I have a question about what is sometimes the “next step” in analysis. Which is writing, presenting or talking about what we found. I love to examine and pick apart narratives but I never feel like my analysis is complete if it has only happened in my head - unless I record, organize, synthesize, and share the information and discoveries I made, it feels incomplete (this might just be a me thing). I’m a poor speaker, so for me this is almost always in written form. But there’s so much to examine and find, even in a short work, that I struggle with the gargantuan task of putting organization and structure to my thoughts so that they can be comprehensible to someone else (and without becoming longer than the work I was analyzing itself, haha). Do you have any recommendations or tips for how to start that process of organizing and communicating what you’ve found in your analysis of a narrative? Thank you, I’ve really enjoyed this series of videos.

[@ACriticalDragon]

Great question. I am sure that Philip and I can tackle this one.

[@petervandeweyer517]

Is theme always intentional or are there themes that creep in?

[@ACriticalDragon]

I think we answered that in one of the Q&A videos.

[@petervandeweyer517]

@@ACriticalDragon True, you did in the first Q&A video.

[@praetorxyn]

Only one more of these? I still say you should don monocles and posh accents before this series is over 🤣