Zora Neale Hurstons Development of Relationship Themes in...

Zora Neale Hurston’s theme is relationships because throughout the novel, Their Eyes Are Watching God, Janie goes through poor relationships until she finds her true love and Hurstons literary and stylistic elements in her writing helps develop this theme. In the beginning, a young Janie dreams to have a marriage like the bees and the blossoms, â€Å"She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight†(11). She hopes to find a man that complements and completes her. She wants to experiences the ups and downs in life. Her first relationship is with Logan, an old man she reluctantly married because of her grandma’s last wishes. Even though he pampers her and showers her praises, she lives a sad and lonely life. She doesn’t love him, even though she tries, â€Å"...You told me Ah mus gointer love him, and, and Ah don’t. Maybe if somebody was to tell me how, Ah could do it†(23). So, the first chance she gets, she runs off with Jody, the second man she marries. This shows that Janie’s and Logan’s relationship was not what she wanted. With Joe Starks, Janie hopes for a better life and relationship, and at first she was happy. New things begin to happen. Change. But soon Jody gets elected as mayor and settles down in the town. Eventually, the relationship starts fraying at the edges, and one day, JanieShow MoreRelatedTheir Eyes Were Watching God1571 Words   |  7 PagesZora Neale Hurston and her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans experience a cultural exposure in literature art. It was a period of great achievement in African-American art and literature during the 1920s and 1930s. This surge gave birth to several authors, playwrights and dramatists, such as Zora Neale Hurston. Zora Neale Hurston is now considered among the foremost authors of that period, having published four novels, three nonfiction works, andRead More Contrasting Native Son and Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay4128 Words   |  17 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper examines the drastic differences in literary themes and styles of Richard Wright and Zora Neale Hurston, two African--American writers from the early 1900s. The portrayals of African-American women by each author are contrasted based on specific examples from their two most prominent novels, Native Son by Wright, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Hurston. With the intent to explain this divergence, the autobiog raphies of both authors (Black Boy and Dust Tracks on a Road) areRead More Essay on Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God1123 Words   |  5 PagesThe Charater of Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie Crawford is the heroine. She helps women to deal with their own problems by dealing with hers. She deals with personal relationships as well as searches for self-awareness. Janie Crawford is more than a heroine, however, she is a woman who has overcome the restrictions placed on her by the oppressive forces and people in her life.    As a young woman, Janie had noRead MoreThe Story of a Black Woman Trying to Find her Inner Voice in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God 645 Words   |  3 Pages Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is a story about a black woman who tried to find her inner voice and the true self through three marriages. Her name is Jane Crawford. From age 16 to age 40, she spent days out to look for the perfect love that like the way she described a bee pollinating pear tree blossoms. She experiences no love rather than hard work during her first marriage with Logan; she finds the conflicts between power and conquest when she was married with Jody; sheRead MoreOprah Winfrey And The Half Made Movie1490 Words   |  6 Pagesadaptation of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oprah Winfrey fails to produce a film that remains authentic to the original work. Janie’s character converts into one that seems entirely different, and her relationships exhibit alte rations. Oprah’s fabricated love story completely shadows Zora Neale Hurston’s original theme, as well as her literary devices. The film parades falsified information, which degrades the original content of the novel. In the film version of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oprah shiftsRead MoreAnalysis of Relationships in Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay2186 Words   |  9 PagesZora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God tells the story of Janie’s journey towards spiritual enlightenment and her development of individuality, largely through Janie’s relationships with others. Hurston uses the themes of power, control, abuse, and respect, in Janie’s relationships with Nanny, Killicks, Starks, and Tea Cake, to effectively illustrate how relationships impact identity and self-growth.   It is Janie’s relationship with Nanny that first suppresses her self-growthRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God1136 Words   |  5 PagesGender Roles in Janie’s Marriages and Gender’s Role in Their Eyes Were Watching God Over the course of the novel, Janie is married three times to three drastically different people. First is Logan Killicks, whom she has no choice but to marry; soon Janie discovers that she could never have loved Logan because he treats her as less than him. She leaves Logan for Joe â€Å"Jody† Starks because initially, she believes that she loves him. However, after he gains power in their community and his true opinionRead MoreComparing Zora Neale Hurston And Jacob Lawrence1809 Words   |  8 PagesA Comparison of Zora Neale Hurston and Jacob Lawrence The Harlem Renaissance was a period most notably known for music and art regarding racial divides. Stemming from this broad observation, though, is a series of ideas, motifs, and influences that would construct the central theme of the era, making the period iconic for the development of African American culture. As this time was one of communication and collaboration, these themes readily overlapped between works. Zora Neale Hurston, in herRead More The Portrayal of Women in American Literature Essay2134 Words   |  9 Pagesa victim in the 1920’s, Zora Neale Hurston portrays hers as a strong, free-spirited, and independent woman only a decade later in the 1930’s. In F. Scott Fitzgeralds, The Great Gatsby, the main female character, Daisy Buchanan, is portrayed by, Nick, the narrator, only by her superficial qualities. â€Å"Guided only by Nick’s limited view of her, readers often judge Daisy solely on the basis of her superficial qualities† (Fryer 43). What the reader sees through the eyes of Nick only appears asRead MoreAnalysis Of Zora Neale Hurston s Their Eyes Were Watching God1429 Words   |  6 Pagesembedded within the basis of society is reflected in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston’s Reconstruction era tale centers on Janie, a character who attempts to find her own identity in a social structure that seeks to find it for her. The sexism underscores the struggles Janie must face in order to grow and prosper as she continues on her journey towards maturity. This demeaning social force helps the author develop the theme that the restriction of freedom affects the ability

The Causes And Trends Of Crime - 969 Words

Introduction Crime is a very prominent issue. Most of us know someone who has been a victim of a crime, has committed a crime or have committed a crime ourselves. News outlets are filled with crime stories. Television shows depict criminals and the agencies trying to bring criminals to justice. Being such a dominant part of life, it is essential that we take a deeper look into the causes and trends of crime. Discussion of Theory I believe there are many different motivating factors as to why people commit crimes. There are a few theories that I learned in criminology that coincide with my own personal beliefs. I believe components from â€Å"strain theory†, â€Å"differential association theory†, and â€Å"labeling theory† have valid points. â€Å"Strain theory†, points out that the social situation one is presented with dictates and molds the potential criminal they could become. I agree. For example, I think some people are inclined to commit crimes of stealing, due to limited funds. In many poverty-ridden areas, thieves are just trying to survive. Additionally, where there is poverty there is a lack of education. This leads to poor paying jobs, which also leads to the commission of crime for survival. It reveals a humanizing reason for these offenses. With â€Å"differential association†, I think many people are taught and often pressured by others as to how to be soc ially deviant. For example, many people who are involved in drug and alcohol related crimes socialize with people who alsoShow MoreRelatedTeen Delinquency : Is It A Conscious Choice? Teens And Crime?1165 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract What motivates teens to be delinquent? Is it a conscious choice? Teens and crime seem to be an unpredictable and ongoing problem. Teen crime rates rise and fall, but what is the cause of the increases and decreases in the rates? Experts are constantly doing studies and experiments to find patterns that hopefully explain it. If teen delinquency can be explained, then maybe it can be reduced through programs and other resources aimed at helping troubled teens and youth. Even withRead MoreThe Future of Policing1461 Words   |  6 Pagesfaced in policing today. There are also new trends that are prevalent, and these trends will continue to have lasting effects on the future of policing. Even though new trends improve policing overall, they can also cause more serious issues. It is crucial to continue making changes topolicing because it allows law enforcement officers to keep up with the rest of society, including the knowledge of new crime trends. This paper will describe the current trends and issues in policing and analyze possibleRead MoreA Comparative Analysis Of Official Crime Statistics And Unofficial Measures Essay1291 Words   |  6 Pagesclaim that crime is increasing or decreasing in New Zealand is a statement with various inbuilt assumptions. Crime is not a simple notion to define, nor is it easy to measure. This essay will perform a comparative analysis between ‘Official Crime Statistics’ and unofficial measures, hig hlighting that both methods are limited in reflecting the true nature and scope of crime, as the notion of crime is contested. Official crime statistics follow a positivist approach, assuming that crime is a staticRead MoreIndustrial Revolution and the Crime Conundrum Essay1616 Words   |  7 PagesIndustrial Revolution and the Crime Conundrum The Industrial Revolution was a period of great change; all through out the world people were flocking in hundreds upon thousands out of the villages and into the city. In Britain the population shot up from â€Å"10 million in 1750 to 42 million in 1900† (Crime and Punishment, par 1). Life in these cities was not only new, but also down right difficult to adjust to, people lived in overcrowded housing, disease was everywhere, and working conditions wereRead MoreCrime And The Criminal Justice System1561 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction: Over the past 30 years, crime has become a major issue of public concern, of political discussion and action, often intemperate and not likely to reduce crime, and of major public expenditure. Despite its salience in public arena, very little is known about the factors driving the crime trend, and the knowledge base is too limited to support intelligent forecasts of the direction in which crime rates are moving, especially when changing direction. DevelopingRead MoreAnalyzing The Crime Patterns Generated By The First Layer And Create A Trend Analysis967 Words   |  4 PagesTrend analysis can be executed in layers to transform crime data. The first layer incorporated identification of incidents and crime events that require further investigation. Analyze the crime patterns generated by the first layer and create a trend analysis. MVPD will use this analysis and share the information throughout the department. MVPD will implement a policy to combat the crime or public disorder identi fied in the first layer. The next layer will educate the community to detail the department’sRead MoreWhat Are The Factors Which Makes A Child Criminal?1298 Words   |  6 Pagescan include crime. The topical question that I want to explore is, â€Å"What are the factors which makes a child criminal?† Article 1 Violence, Crime, and Abuse Exposure in a National Sample of Children and Youth The importance of this article is the fact that it proved, when children are exposed to violence, crime and abuse as it affects their development and the policymakers need to pay special attention to this situation. The objectives of the study are to provide estimates and trends where childrenRead MoreWhat Is The Difference Between The Same States And The United States1042 Words   |  5 PagesCross-National Study of Crime Between the Nordic states and the United States Many similarities can be drawn between the way in which the United States and the Nordic countries set up their criminal justice systems and governments. Each has a democratic constitution with governmental power divided among the three branches seen in the United States. Coalition governments are standard, as each sees multiparty political systems. Nationally organized institutions govern the justice system in the UnitesRead MoreThe Crime Of Uniform Crime1427 Words   |  6 Pages Uniform Crime Report for 2014 states that there are four offenses in the Violent Crime category, they include Murder, Forcible Rape, Robbery and Aggravated Assault. They only collect their data from Law Enforcement Agencies from their arrest reports. According to The Uniform Crime Report, Property Crime includes these four offenses, Burglary, Larceny/ Theft, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson. The Uniform Crime Report reported that there were 402,470 violent crime arrests in 2014 compared to 1,275,315Read MoreTrends In Ala Essay1708 Words   |  7 Pagesallowing them to be more involved and have direct interaction with the citizens. Numerous trends and challenges have emerged in the recent years in Alberta, which continue to affect the way the police deal with the issues. In 2010, Frank Oberle, the Solicitor General, set out framework to guide police officers and other criminal justice agencies in order to overcome and deal with the recent emerging trends. Trends Overview The recent downfall in oil prices had a significant impact on Alberta’s economy

Amino Acid Chromatography Free Essays

In this experiment paper chromatography was used in order to identify two unknown amino acids using eight known amino ones. The two unknown ones were identified by comparing the distance they travelled up the chromatography paper and their Rf values to the corresponding values of the other eight known amino acids. The unknown amino acids identified were Glycine and Methionine. We will write a custom essay sample on Amino Acid Chromatography or any similar topic only for you Order Now Introduction Proteins in cells are important in many ways. There are different types of proteins such as contractile proteins, enzymes, hormonal proteins, structural proteins and transport proteins. They are vital to regular cell functioning. Proteins are made up of amino acids that are joined together by peptide bonds. When fewer than 50 amino acids are joined together, a polypeptide is formed. All proteins have two groups in common. They have a carboxylic group and an amino group. There are 20 types of amino acids that bond together in different combinations to perform different functions. The primary structure of proteins is the order and number of amino acids. Secondary, tertiary and quarternary structures are formed from chains of peptides that are folded into sheets, ribbons and coils so that they form a 3D shape and are more stable. Different weights of amino acid make them differ in polarity. This characteristic enables the separation of proteins by polarity using chromatography. Paper chromatography is an example of a chromatography technique called absorption chromatography. The paper is the adsorbent, which will bind the components of the mixture. The substance will be â€Å"spotted† onto the chromatography paper and put into a beaker filled with solvent. The solvent will then flow through the paper. The solvent chosen depends highly on its polarity as this will be the characteristic that will separate the different substances. Petroleum, ether, hexanes, cyclohexanes and toluene are some examples of solvents with different polarities as well as increasing polarities. In some cases, mixtures of solvents are made to reach a certain polarity. If substances that are needed to be separated are polar, then the solvent must be slightly less polar. Non-polar substances need a polar solvent to be separated. The solvent travels faster than the samples. The Rf value is the ratio of the distance traveled by the sample and the distance travelled by the sample. Rf = distance travelled by amino acid sample from the origin in mm distance travelled by the solvent from the origin in mm Factors affecting how far the amino acids travel depend on how high the solvent is allowed to rise on the paper, the type of absorbent, the type of concentration of the solvent, temperature and the distance of the origin from the solvent. One type of test to detect proteins is the Ninhydrin test. This test makes the amino acids spots visible. Ninhydrin is a pale yellow solid and it reacts with the amino group in the amino acids and proteins and produces a purple product. Heat must be used in order to speed up the reaction. Objective The objective of this experiment was to spot various amino acids and an unknown mixture on chromatography paper and run it with a chromatography solvent. The lab period following included treating the samples with Ninhydrin solution and heating it so that the amino acids could be visible. The distance of the samples were then measured in mm from the origin. The measurements were then used to calculate the Rf values for each sample and thus the unknown sample could be identified. Materials Alanine, 1% Solution Arginine, 1% Solution Asparagine, 1% Solution Aspartic acid, 1% Solution Glycine, 1% Solution Lysine, 1% Solution Methionine, 1% Solution Tyrosine, 1% Solution Unknown, 1% Solution Chromatography Solvent, 20mL Ninhydrin solution, 2%, 10mL Beaker, 600mL Chromatography paper, 20X10 cm Graduated Cylinder, 25-mL Heat source, drying over or hot plate Microtip pipets, 9 Pencil Ruler Spray bottle Stapler Watch glass or aluminum foil Procedure 1. On a 20cm wide by 10 cm high piece of chromatography paper, a pencil was used to draw a straight line (about 1 cm) from the bottom of the paper from the left to the right side 2. Nine pencil dots were placed 2cm apart on the line 3. The name of each amino acid was written under each dot in pencil. 20 mL of chromatography solvent was then added to the 600-mL beaker 4. A micropipette was used to obtain a small amount of the first amino acid 5. The tip of the pipette was placed above the chromatography paper directly above the pencil dot and a spot of the amino acid was dropped on the dot 6. Steps 4 and 5 were repeated for the eight amino acid solutions 7. With the sample side facing outwards the chromatography paper was turned into a cylinder and the top and bottom edges of the paper were stapled. . The paper cylinder was then placed into a beaker with the chromatography solvent. 9. The beaker was then covered with a watch glass 10. The samples were then allowed to run till the solvent level was about 1 cm from the top of the paper. 11. The chromatography paper was then removed from the beaker. The solvent height was then marked with a pencil line and the staples were removed 12. The chromatography paper was then left to dry During the following lab 13. The chromatography paper was sprayed with a spray bottle containing 10mL of 2 % Ninhydrin solution 14. The chromatography paper was left to dry for 10-20 minutes 15. The paper was then put in a drying oven or held 10 cm above a hot plate to heat so that the color could develop 16. A dot was placed with a pencil at the centermost point of each amino acid 17. The distance in mm of the solvent traveled from the pencil line till the where the solved stopped traveling was measured. 18. The distance in mm from the origin till where each amino acid traveled was measured 19. The Rf value for each amino acid was calculated Results Table 1: Distance and Rf values of the amino acids and unknowns Amino Distance(mm)452427223015574235/60 Rf Value0. 50. 270. 30. 240. 330. 170. 630. 470. 39/0. 67 The distance traveled by the solvent from the pencil line drawn was 90mm. The unknown samples were found to be Glycine and Methionine by comparing their Rf and distances values to those amino acids with Rf and distance values that were calculated. Discussion Paper Chromatography is used to separate a mixture of compounds into its components. Pens and markers are not used as their ink will be separated too. Instead, pencils are utilized as they are made from graphite which does not separate. Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without any help from external forces. This flow is against gravity as well. This happens because of the intermolecular attractive forces between the liquid and the solid surrounding surfaces. Surface tension and adhesive forces between the liquid and solid also help the liquid rise through the solid. The Rf value is defined as the ratio of the distance travelled by the amino acid sample from the origin to the distance travelled by the solvent. The ratios, therefore, stay the same regardless of the solvent used. Ninhydrin is used in paper chromatography to identify amino acids. Ninhydrin solution turns the amino acid fingerprints to the color purple, therefore making them visible. For this reason we take care when touching the chromatography paper. The least polar amino acid was alanine as the distance it moved up the paper was the least. How to cite Amino Acid Chromatography, Papers

Satoshi Kon’s Critique on Society’s free essay sample

Desire for Escapism in Paranoia Agent Candidate No: Word Count: 3964 Abstract Satoshi Kon is an important figure in Japanese cinema. In many of his works, he analyzes the concept of society’s desire for escapism due to stress and anxiety which addresses the question of this essay—what is Kon’s perspective upon the nature of escapism and its impact upon society? This essay will examine a television series he directed called Paranoia Agent in order to explore Kon’s theme of escapism and its impact on society. Mainly episodes 1-5 and 9-13 will be covered in the essay. Sources ranging from interviews with Kon, reviews and news articles were researched to better understand Kon’s style of animation, thus understand Kon’s messages in Paranoia Agent. Through consulting these sources, we fully appreciate Kon’s techniques of framed narrative structuring, detailed and realistic art styles, diverse animation styles, sound effects and so forth which emphasize Kon’s critical portrayal of society’s escapism. We will write a custom essay sample on Satoshi Kon’s Critique on Society’s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Through examining characters and their interactions with one another, we understand the fearsome influence of escapism on society. Characters succumb to the temporary relief of escapism, represented by the character Shonen Bat. As we examine character motivations and actions, the absurdity of escapism is established. Kon depicts society as vulnerable, desperate to avoid reality, thus suffers the consequences which include lost of identity, hallucinations or even death. Through escapism, the fragility of human nature is revealed. However, through development of certain characters, society redeems itself in the show. In the end, we realize that we can relate to these characters and the desire for escapism is inevitable as Kon admits. We conclude that escapism is necessary in order to preserve our sanity in this stress-driven society; however we must ensure that we still hold the courage to face reality to avoid slipping too deeply into the world of escapism and consequently, lose our sanity. Word Count: 299 Table of Contents Title Page1 Abstract2 Introduction4 An Overview of Kon’s Art Style4-5 Plot Summary of Paranoia Agent5-6 The Beginning of Escapism—Stress from Society6-7 The Growing Influence of Escapism7-10 The Indirect Influence of Escapism10 A Symbolic Representation on the Theme of Escapism 11 Truth of Escapism Revealed11-12 Escapism at Its Utmost Absurdity12-13 Solution to Escapism13 Conclusion13-14 Biblography15 Introduction Satoshi Kon is a director of Japanese animated films and TV series. In many of his works, he provides commentary on society, seen in television series Paranoia Agent. Paranoia Agent is a story of a hit-and-run assailant whose attacks strangely seem to bring relief to his victims rather than suffering. He places emphasis upon the portrayal of the human psyche as a fragile target of an assortment of societal flaws. Humans develop a natural instinct to avoid confronting reality to conjure a proper resolution to their problems whether it is pressure from work, bullying or family; instead they refuge in their own internal world. The act of retreating to an illusionary world comes in the form of escapism, becoming unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy due to their intensive anxiety and stress. This idea is developed through the characters of Paranoia Agent whom which the audience is able to empathize with. The internal world of characters appears to materialize into the real world as a result of their delusions. Kon expands upon the fearsomeness of the internal world by proposing that these illusions can â€Å"possess† others or provide a catalyst to the delusions of others. Through Paranoia Agent, we ask: â€Å"What is the nature of escapism and its impact upon society? Therefore, through this theme of escapism from society’s demons, Kon explores humanity’s weak nature with great realism and fictional elements as powerful metaphors. An Overview of Kon’s Art Style Kon uses a realistic animation style to engage his audience. He rejects the conventional doe-eyed, abnormally haired character designs of anime. Many characters appear unattractive: â€Å"Unlike with most anime titles, the artists arent shy about using unattractive and unappealing designs even for protagonist roles† (Theron) and â€Å"drawn with such attention to detail †¦ its a rejection of animes traditional subject matter and a celebration of everything that people watch anime to escape†¦ humdrum reality. (Hendrix) This serves to both reflect society’s own cast of characters (being not all beautiful) and reflect the ugliness of human nature. He also includes realistic background scenery depicting common everyday occurrences which he emphasizes in his interviews: â€Å"Even in different worlds, solid everyday lives must exist. †(Hendrix). Kon describes how he makes careful observations of everyday scenes and cond enses them so that they are precise in conveying certain elements in his animation: â€Å"Observing what is around us in real life and animating them as you say makes me observe them in even more depth. Recreating them as drawings/anime is totally different from cutting out the scene as a photograph†¦You reduce the amount of unnecessary information and gather what is necessary on one screen. †(Hendrix) Kon’s portrayal of society is articulate so that it effectively represents reality yet is concise enough that viewers do not become distracted by other unrelated factors occurring in the scene. This animation style allows the audience to become engulfed in the plotline, creating the effect of magic realism—supernatural events occurring in reality. Realism draws in his audience and subtly weaves the fantasy world with the â€Å"reality† of the characters and in turn the viewer. Richard Pena, the Film Society program director of the Film Society of Lincoln Centre, commented that Kon’s films â€Å"develop a contextual fluidity that allows people†¦to inhabit several different planes of meaning at the same time. The visual style is deceptively simple; its only over the course of a film that its depths, layers and traps are revealed. † (Pena). Kon’s animation style creates seamless transitions from reality to fantasy, thus allowing the audience to interpret his scenes as a multifaceted representation of society. A plot overview: The main plot of Paranoia Agent involves characters seeking escapism from the accumulated stress from society. The story begins with mascot designer, Tsukiko Sagi, who is responsible for creating the popular dog character ‘Maromi’ in Japan. Consequently, her fans eagerly expect her to create another equally likeable character despite her struggles to do so. However, conveniently, just as the deadline of her new creation approaches; she is attacked by a mysterious boy with a bent bat. This assault results in a chain of mysteries detectives Maniwa and Ikari are called to investigate. The mysterious assailant, known as ‘Shonen Bat’ according to the media, begins a string of seemingly random attacks. Nevertheless, as the story unravels, there is an evident connection between the victims of his attacks. They all share a common trait—the desire to escape from reality due to hardships in life. As the story progresses, there is a growing absurdity in characters’ motivations to find escapism in Shonen Bat. The growing desire to escape from reality fuels Shonen Bats’ power so greatly that he transforms into a colossal black entity which consumes all of Tokyo. Fortunately, as characters learn to accept reality, Shonen Bat disappears and order returns to society. The Beginning of Escapism—Stress from Society The theme of escapism begins with a person experiencing the hardships of society, bringing anxiety and stress. This is the source of permeability between the internal and external world of a person thus showing our weak human nature. Paranoia Agent begins with streets of Tokyo where only complaints and excuses are filtered through crowds pessimistically portraying a stress driven society. We hear complaining: â€Å"I feel really tired and all, so†¦I’ll have to pass this time. Sorry. †, a truck driver relaxing in a near-empty street telling his employer â€Å"†¦it’s a terrible gridlelock I’m sorry but I think I’ll be a bit late today. †, a businessman claiming â€Å"It wasn’t my fault†¦management told me to do that†. These excuses soon overlap one another and this sound effect creates an overwhelming sense of anxiety: â€Å"I have a really bad stomache, so I won’t be able to come in today†, â€Å"There wasn’t really anything I could do†, â€Å"It wasn’t my fault! It was his fault! †(Minakami) and so forth. Episode 1 focuses on Tsukiko, designer of the dog character â€Å"Maromi†. Her psyche weakens from expectations from her fans and superiors. It is established in the beginning that Tsukiko seeks refuge in escapism through her personification of Maromi. Her hallucinations of Maromi can be interpreted as schizophrenic episodes. When she becomes dejected by slanders on her website, her doll of Maromi comes to life and stops her from reading anymore of the cruel comments. Sound effects are used to emphasize her delusions as Maromi is even given a voice, coaxing Tsukiko â€Å"Everyone is just jealous†¦[You are] not the bad one. † (Minakami) However, Maromi’s eyes are animated pitch-black creating a sense of emptiness, reminding us of its true lifelessness. Furthermore, her withdrawal from society is shown through her preference to converse with lifeless objects rather than real people. Tsukiko decides to inflict injury upon herself in a desperate attempt to delay the deadline for her new creation. Her resulting internal conflict of guilt accrues to the creation of the illusionary character â€Å"Shonen Bat†. In her intense anxiety, she becomes so absorbed in her lie that she truly believes a boy with a bat had attacked her. Shonen Bat becomes the primary figure and catalyst in the theme of escapism from society’s oppression. His existence depicts of the weak side of humanity through his role as an anthropomorphic representation of stress. His interactions with other characters invoke the fragile part of human nature. Shonen Bat becomes a destructive force that affects others despite being born from the internal world of Tsukiko, thus emphasizing Kon’s depiction of stress from society as a force to be feared. Growing influence of Ecapism: Episode 2, 3 5 Although Shonen Bat was formed from Tsukiko’s own wish to escape from reality, Shonen Bat can affect the lives of others. A review at Anime News Network mentioned â€Å"[Paranoia Agent] manages to focus on someone new each time, but weaves such an intricate net of character relationships and psychological bridges that it never feels episodic. † (Theron). Kon uses a disjointed narrative for the story. Rather than confusing the audience, this narrative style is used to illustrate the overall sheer power of anxiety and the fragility of society. He includes many episodes featuring side characters that are indirectly related to Tsukiko—they find themselves cornered by the pressure of society and find escapism in an illusionary character. Through the media, the word of Shonen Bat’s existence spread, illustrating society’s tendency to spread chaos. Episode 2 involves a popular boy named Taira. His popularity becomes short-lived with the new student Ushiyama. His situation becomes worse as rumors spread claiming that he is in fact Shonen Bat. He becomes critical of everyone around him, especially Ushiyama despite his genuine desire to be friends. In order to reflect characters’ lost of identity and place in society due to their refusal to face reality, Kon sometimes animates the story with a minimalistic art style. One reviewer commented on this change of art style: â€Å"The overriding artistic style of the series, a sort of minimalist realism†¦frequently gives way to more distorted visuals presenting the world from [characters’] emotional viewpoint†. (Slavek) This distortion of visuals is seen in episode 2 where the frustrated Taira Yuichi descends into insanity as he blames others for his problems, he along with other characters is drawn in an amorphous state, constantly warping into deformed shapes. Voices are altered to unnatural low-pitch tones to illustrate his deteriorating mind due to escapism. This builds the idea of humans becoming so weak at the thought of facing reality; they succumb to delusions and struggle to break free from these hallucinatory worlds. In episode 3, Chouno suffers from a mental illness which is denoted through her name. ‘Chouno’, meaning butterfly (Campbell), signifies transformation—parallel to her dissociative identity disorder. As she loses significant control over her identity as well as the pressure of hiding this secret from her fiance, she calls out for Shonen Bat to â€Å"relieve† her of her problems (she desired to be attacked to delay the marriage) to which he complies. Society’s fervent embracement of Shonen Bat’s existence highlights the fragility of human nature. This collective desire to accept escapism earns disapproval from the audience. The use of music enhances the dangers of escapism which depicts the weakness of humans to face reality. As a review mentioned: â€Å"Musical scoring and sound effects are very well-done, with the director knowing exactly when to let a scene pass without accompaniment or spruce it up with appropriate – or in some cases diametrically inappropriate ditties. (Theron) When Chouno discovers that her alter-ego returns to sabotage her life, haunting calls from crows flood the audio to emphasize the sense of horror and desperation. Kon uses music to sometimes emphasize the horrifying fate that awaits those who seek escapism, but also uses â€Å"diametrically inappropriate ditties† of music in order to emphasize the underlying meaning of the scene. In the ending song where they show the cha racters sleeping, in the background there is a nursery-like tune consisting of minor chords. These conflicting elements suggest the sinister effects of escapism despite its pretty facade. We appreciate the ominous mood created through the music as commented by a reviewer: â€Å"itll be the stream of dark instrumental†¦that will sink into your subconscious. † (ANN) Lighting is another cinematic technique used to show characters being blinded by their weakness, consequently desiring escapism. Kon uses darkness as a method of blinding the perception of characters. When Chouno Harumi is attacked by Shonen Bat upon her request, he is represented as a dark shadow. Therefore, darkness blinds her from perceiving escapism’s obscure nature—self-destruction Escapism’s absurd distortion of reality is emphasized in episode 5 where detectives interrogate the fake Shonen Bat, Makoto. It is revealed that his attacks were part of his delusional role-play-gaming world. He juxtaposes his persona as the hero of his games in real life, thus attacking others in the name of ‘defeating the monsters’. The animation style changes to reflect that of a role-play-gaming world. This change in visuals creates confusion between reality and illusions to emphasize the distorted emotional perspective of the boy. Game-like music is used in the background, called â€Å"Dream Island Daytime. † (ANN) Evidently, Makoto finds escapism in his games. The idea of living in a hallucinatory world of false heroism is absurd. Makoto meets unsought ends due to his escapism—he is punished with confinement and he is later murdered by Shonen Bat. His demise illustrates potential fatality of escapism. As one review had described: â€Å"Kon wouldnt be his genres supreme self-reflexivist if he didnt insist on revealing frames within the frame† (Nelson). Kon’s noteworthy technique is imposing a narrative within a narrative. This framed structuring of plot produces confusion to reflect the character’s plummet into escapism. This technique is seen where Makoto is retells the episode in his perspective; the whole episode takes place in an RPG setting—the detectives and Makoto are transported to a fantasy world. This narrative blurs the borderline between reality and fantasy. Kon states: â€Å"My aim was to have the audience experience the protagonists internal confusion instead of the thrill or suspense on the exterior. We who were involved in the creation of this film called this feeling a sense of intoxication†¦ (Hendrix) in regards to his movie Perfect Blue. We can see Kon replicating this style in Paranoia Agent, too. The audience also experiences â€Å"intoxication† through escapism of characters. Their blurred vision of reality is Kon’s method of fully depicting the struggles of humanity as they battle their anxieties, thus illustrating the fragile and dark aspect of society. The Indirect Influence of Escapism—episode 9 Kon uses his narrative style to introduce other side-stories which in turn contribute to the general idea of society’s desperate struggle against pressure. Continuing with the idea of other characters developing Shonen Bat, the cartoon shows that while he can affect others directly (assaulting victims), Shonen Bat still influences others indirectly. Kon demonstrates it ironically in episode 9 where Shonen Bat affects others indirectly through causing hysteria in the public. Irony is created through the setting of gossiping housewives. We first obtain the illusion that they are spectators of the phenomenon. However, the episode reveals that they too are consumed by the existence of Shonen Bat through their desire to spread news of his existence to others. The ending of the episode provides a disturbing explanation of their role when the neglected housewife returns home to find her dying husband, attacked by Shonen Bat. She becomes so ensnarled by her desire to become a part of the Shonen Bat phenomenon, she loses her sanity seen by how her husband desperately cries â€Å"Call an ambulance! † admist her strangled demands of â€Å"Tell me how you were attacked! Tell me! † (Minakami) Instead of compelling her to face her inner psychic struggle, the attack fuels her delusional mind as she becomes ecstatic at the thought of being involved in the phenomenon. The episode ends with her demented gleeful expression and sounds of her strained voice to create a haunting atmosphere, especially as the screen fades to black. The wide of influence of these illusionary characters on others directly and indirectly further illustrate Kon’s emphasis on the power of anxiety caused by society invokes its pitiful weak nature. A Symbolic Representation on the Theme of Escapism—episode 10 The character Maromi develops the idea of humanity’s vulnerability to escapism. In episode 10, Kon features a symbolic representation of escapism. Maromi is referred to as an icon of peace. Nevertheless, she is another false bringer of relief like Shonen Bat. Due to the popularity of Maromi, a TV show was created featuring her adventures with a young baseball player. We are subjected to another framed narrative as the story is told in the narrative of Maromi’s show through the conversation between Maromi and the boy. His baseball bat, unlike Shonen Bat’s, is not warped, signifying reality. The baseball player explains his frustration with the sport. Maromi coaxes him to put down the bat and â€Å"take a break†(Yoshino). Letting go of the bat would represent letting go of reality and â€Å"taking a break† simply means avoiding one’s problem. This idea is emphasized with the setting of the ending theme. Everyone is sprawled on the peaceful field of grass and sleeping with Maromi sitting in the centre. The characters appear to be peaceful without worry which illustrates ignorance of their problems. They are laid on the ground to form a question mark. This poses the inquiry if seeking fantasy by the means of â€Å"sleeping† is truly the best solution. The Truth of Escapism Revealed—episode 11 In episode 11, the truth of Shonen Bat’s existence is voiced by the character Misae, Ikari’s wife—he is an ad-hoc relief. Contrastingly, Shonen Bat cannot hurt Misae although she is faced with a hopeless future—she suffers from a terminal disease and her husband struggles to pay for her operations—because of her strength to face reality. Consequently, she understands that Shonen Bat’s existence is an illusion given that he can only feel euphoria over simple things like hitting people and how this offers only false salvation. She declares: â€Å"No matter how harsh reality is, [humans] can confront it. (Minakami)Misae demonstrates the true strong and noble mind a human potentially holds. She becomes the embodiment of courage to face reality. This episode foreshadows the character development in others, particularly Ikari and Tsukiko. As Misae had predicted, Shonen Bat being an ad-hoc relief, invokes a temporary solution to one’s proble ms. Revisiting episode 1, before Tsukiko is attacked, there is a soft sound of chimes as though signaling danger. This is to suggest that despite characters’ belief that Shonen Bat is a form of relief; he is a dangerous solution to one’s problems. This music reappears as a leimotif whenever other character desires to escape reality. Past problems of characters resurface after Shonen Bat’s attack in episode 12. Through Shonen Bat’s attack, Tsukiko managed to be excused from designing her new character. However, as the commotion of the assault had settled, the demands of her new creation returned. She finds herself in the same position beforehand and even more stressed as her assistant is frustrated with her lack of results and even inflicts harm upon her: â€Å"How long are you going to be on your high horse? what do you think you are? The sun? How long has it been since you said you’d draw a new design? † (Minakami). Furthermore, Chouno’s alter-ego returns after the attack. Kon outlines the futility of escapism, only a temporary relief from stress. The absurdity of society, desperately relying on Shonen Bat in order to find a solution to their problems, voices the weak side of humanity Kon critiques. Escapism at its Utmost Absurdity—Episode 13 The climatic point is reached at episode 13 where Ikari and Tsukiko delve into escapism to its utmost absurdity. They are transported to a surreal world. The irrationality of escapism and humanity’s weakness are emphasized through changes in animation style. In this escapist world, the animation contains a flat, two-dimensional art style, suggesting characters live in a world where they do not experience the full range of human emotions. The 2-D townspeople have simple, superficial reactions to situations. They lack in emotional complexity in comparison to Ikari and Tsukiko who are animated in a 3-D style. The animation style changes to the traditional, comic drawing style of Japan post WWII, providing a nostalgic atmosphere which reflects Ikari’s desire to escape to the past. The choice to escape to a 2-D world emphasizes weakness of human nature in all its absurdity. Meanwhile, with the growing population of people influenced by Shonen Bat directly and indirectly, he transforms into an enormous monster. Maromi attempts to â€Å"shield† Tsukiko from reality had led to Shonen Bat transforming into an amorphous entity that consumes all of Tokyo, illustrating how accumulating, unresolved stress culminated into a self-destructive force. Solution to Escapism—episode 13 However, Misae appears briefly in the hallucinatory world of Ikari. Being the embodiment of courage, she inspires him to face reality during her last moments alive (in reality she is undergoing surgery and at the verge of death). He recalls his vow: â€Å"No matter how difficult life becomes, let’s not turn away from it, and overcome difficulties together. † (Minakami), thus Ikari frees himself from the 2-D world. He breaks the walls of his hallucinatory world with a straight bat which shatter into dolls of Maromi—a reference to episode 10. When Maromi pleads him to stop: â€Å"This is your world! † he states: â€Å"I lost my place in the world a long time ago. And that reality that I don’t have anywhere I belong†¦is where I truly belong! † (Minakami) demonstrating his desire to face reality. Tsukiko also breaks free and revisits her past memory of the death of her dog where she blames Shonen Bat despite it being her fault. As her younger-self blames Shonen Bat, special effects are used to illustrate her shadow transforming into the silhouette of Shonen Bat. However, her present-self intervenes and acknowledges the truth through apologizing to her dog. This acceptance of reality destroys Shonen Bat, signified by his phrase of â€Å"Goodbye†. Therefore, the black being disappears and Tokyo is able to recover from the attack and Tsukiko appears to obtain the peaceful life she desired for. Despite the depiction of human nature being weak in the face of adversity and pressure, Kon also provides an optimistic outlook. Society is redeemed with the characters’ acceptance of reality. Conclusion—The Nature of Escapism and its Consequences Kon critiques society for its weak nature, willing to devise various forms of escapism to protect itself from the harshness of reality. The pressure of modern life causes self-victimization which only contributes to growing problems in society. Kon stresses the importance of realizing the need to identify the truth of one’s problems and solve it directly rather than seek false salvation such as in Paranoia Agent. However, the ending suggests a rather cynical view of this process of losing reality and regaining reality. In Paranoia Agent, Maniwa takes the role of the prophet and performs a tedious calculation only to come to a shocking answer—the desire for escapism will never cease to end and the whole event with Shonen Bat will only repeat in time. This is confirmed by Kon who states that Shonen Bat’s â€Å"Goodbye† was a sarcastic remark and he’d soon return (Kon). Relating the Theme of Escapism with Our respective Lives The audience becomes disturbed by the desire of characters to resort to escapism. However, they realize that they are just like the characters. We seek entertainment in the media to escape our own realities. People watch shows like â€Å"CSI†, â€Å"So you think you can dance† or â€Å"Law and Order† to fantasize about being detectives or idols, thus we identify with characters in the Paranoia Agent. Kon conveys the enticement to escape to media: â€Å"On television and through the Internet people are being seduced by the sweetness of illusion and †. In fact, the audience even finds escapism by watching Paranoia Agent. We are lured by the temptations of deceptive relief from reality. This desire for escapism is understandable nevertheless. It becomes the solace of our tired minds from pressure from society: â€Å"It is necessary to have that relief, because without it life is too difficult†(Kehr) as Kon admits. However, Kon illustrates â€Å"the amount of fantasy that people are being fed through the media has become disproportionate† through the hysteria shown in Paranoia Agent.