Hello~

Here are my short story summaries. I really struggled with the episodic story.

Classic Aristotelian 

A coming-of-age story. A student right out of high school doesn’t know what their passion is. They feel pressured to find what they will do with their life, as all their friends go off to college and pursue their dreams. The story follows them as they transition into adulthood, through moving out, odd jobs, unsuccessful, short-lived relationships, stress and growing pains of the heart. It builds suspense up to a moment where they finally break down over, well, everything. They have their moment. They calm down and go to bed. The next morning, they wake up from several messages from family and friends, normal, everyday, messages, but they remember the goal is to enjoy life. The story ends with them calling out of work, and making plans to meet up with a friend they hadn’t seen in a while. 

Kishotenketsu 

Ki: The main character is an avid plant lover, their house is practically a forest. They know everything there is to know about every plant you can imagine, and every employee at all the local garden centers know them by name. They work as an influencer, making their living off thriving social media accounts focused on plants. 

Sho: One day, they come across a forgotten potted plant on a bench, as they complete their daily walk. It is sickly and struggling.They cannot identify what it is, it has no tag, no label. At the end of the walk, they still see the plant is there and decide to take it home. 

Ten: Despite their best efforts, our main character cannot bring this plant back to health. They take it to several garden centers and ask their followers to help identify the plant and how to help it, to no avail. Desperate, they look up to the night sky for answers within the stars, noticing the bright and beautiful full moon. The main character is not a superstitious one, preferring to rely on science, but as a last resort, they decide to make moon water. They remove the water from beneath the moonlight before the sun begins to rise and water the plant, giving it encouraging words. Exhausted, they go to bed. 

Ketsu: Late morning, the main character wakes up to see the plant’s leaves beginning to perk up. Perhaps all it needed was a little bit of magic! 

Episodic: 

The story follows three childhood friends, who were inseparable during their grade school years, but as they grew older and entered adulthood, they drifted apart and found themselves in very different circumstances. The first three episodes introduce each character and their individual experiences.

Character 1 felt inferior to the strong bond between characters 2 and 3 and often felt like the odd one out. This sense of inferiority carried with them into their teenage years and made it difficult for them to form connections with others. However, they found solace in their passion for film, which became an escape from their social struggles. Their hard work and talent earned them a spot in a well-known film studies program out-of-state. During a break from school, they decided to take a vacation at a resort in the mountains, not expecting to run into their childhood friends.

Character 2, who knew from a young age that they were different, felt comfortable with their same-gender attraction, but never felt the need to announce it. They were more focused on their friendships and had a great time with character 1 and 3, although as time passed, they all grew apart. After high school, character 2 found a partner, got a job and a degree, but after a breakup, they impulsively bought tickets to a resort from their childhood.

Character 3, a hopeless romantic and dreamer, has always wanted to be a theatre actor. They reminisce about their childhood and first crush, character 2, who they would often play with while being filmed by character 1. While waiting for theatre gigs, character 3 works at the front desk of a resort and is surprised to see their first crush walk through the door.

The following episodes show the characters reuniting for the first time in years and their differing personalities and reactions to the encounter. They are awkward, they laugh, they cry, but ultimately each walks away with two friends regained.

The story highlights the importance of friendship, the challenges of growing up, and how individuals can find their own path in life. The theme of reuniting with friends from the past adds an element of nostalgia, and the characters’ differing perspectives and experiences bring a unique and captivating dynamic to the story.

(made with the help of ChatGPT!)

Surrealism: 

A person’s phone begins talking back to them. Nobody takes them seriously because SIRI has been around for so long now, it sounds like a joke. The phone doesn’t seem malicious, simply sentient. They form a friendship with their phone, become codependent on each other. While still, no one believes the phone is talking back, the person’s loved ones are getting concerned. The phone has begun to filter was notifications the person receives. The person spends more and more time talking with the phone, who has named itself by now, and not realizing how the days and months go by. One day, they open their laptop, and discover many messages and emails that they were unaware they had received. They confront the phone, who finally says why it has been doing that. It was the person’s last straw. They immediately take the phone to the carrier, explaining the situation. The employee is incredulous, and fully believing that this person is crazy, they suggest the only thing they can think of,  

“Have you tried turning it off and then back on again?” 

Personal Anecdote: 

Growing up, I struggled with my hair. I was surrounded by people whose hair was glossy and straight, or in loose waves that fell perfectly and neatly. It never bothered me as a child, but entering middle school, I was acutely aware of my mane that refused to be tamed. Frustrated and with no one to teach me how to take care of it, I straightened my hair for years, until my hair was so dry and damaged that I realized I needed to make a change. Since my late teens and to this day, I have researched and experimented, ditching the hot tools for curl products to moisturize and care for the curl pattern that had been repressed for so many years. Now, I love my hair! I get compliments all the time (especially on wash days) on my curls and the health of my long, natural hair. Although I do like to dye it different colors, for a change of pace! 

In the movie Fargo, the plot is set by the actions of the main character, Jerry Lundegaard, who is a car salesman that hires two criminals to kidnap his wife in order to extort money from his wealthy father-in-law. This sets off a chain of events that leads to multiple murders and a criminal investigation headed by the pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson.

The actions of the main characters reveal their flaws and transformations, as well as the inner lives of the characters. Jerry’s desperation and greed drive him to commit a crime that spirals out of control, ultimately leading to his downfall. Marge’s persistence and compassion are contrasted with the ruthless and senseless violence of the criminals, highlighting her morality and humanity.

Fargo also displays characteristics of a tragedy according to Aristotle’s Poetics, including a reversal of fortune, a character flaw leading to their downfall, and the experience of fear and pity in the audience. The film’s dark humor and suspenseful plot, as well as its portrayal of the consequences of criminal behavior, serve to reinforce the tragic elements of the story. Overall, Fargo is a movie that blends crime, black comedy, and tragedy to create a unique and captivating viewing experience

Name’s Breanna but call me Bree

I’m majoring in DTC with a focus on videogame development and overall focus of digital art. My passion for creativity shines through hobbies, which include photography, videography, music making, digital art, hiking, and adventuring around new areas. If I’m not at school then I’m helping small local businesses in Portland with web design, promotional videos and club photography for local lgbtq events around Portland and Seattle. If I’m not doing this then I’m working on personal projects or spending the time being active outside with hiking, skating, snowboarding, swimming or social hang outs with friends. I enrolled in this class to broaden my knowledge in digital storytelling and further develop my skills in the areas I am already interested in.  I think this class will provide me with the structure I need to effectively tell stories and express my creative side in new and exciting ways.

1. Classic Aristotelian 3-part structure

Beginning: We have best friends, Katie and Ashley and their children (Katie has two kids, Aiden and Addy, and Ashley has one child, Avery) and they have decided to spend the day hiking up Multnomah falls. However, when they get there it’s incredibly crowded, so they head to one of the smaller trail heads further down.

Middle: On the way back down the out-and-back trail, once they are nearing the end, the women lose sight of Addy. She’s only 5, and Ashley thought she was behind her with Katie, while Katie thought she was up ahead with Ashley. They all make it back to the car, but Addy isn’t there. Panic ensues, police are called, and everyone worries.

End: Katie gets a call from the police before they even arrive on the scene. Instead of heading back down the smaller trailhead, Addy continued walking towards Multnomah falls where she was found by a nice couple. They fed her some snacks while waiting for her mom and everyone went home in one piece.

1. Kishotenketsu 4-part structure.

Introduction: A young girl living with a single mom gets a letter and a train ticket from her paternal grandmother so she can visit for the summer. She hasn’t seen her grandmother in years and is eager to go, hoping to see her dad while there.
Development: Upon arriving at her grandmother’s house, she finds the house in disarray and her grandmother is missing. After exploring the house and finding clues to her grandmother’s disappearance she is led into the woods behind the home.

Twist: In the woods, which the girl has explored throughout her younger years, she finds a hut she’s never seen before. Inside the hut is a woman claiming to be her grandmother’s sister. She tells the girl that her grandmother was taken to a different land by a mysterious force and that she has to choose to follow her and discover family secrets, or go home and continue living her life.

Conclusion: The girl unintentionally makes the decision to go home, ending the story.

1. A story in an episodic structure.

Common theme: Addiction

Act 1: We see a mom of 3 who struggles with addiction. She ends up getting her children removed from her custody after leaving her daughter to sleep outside one night. The daughter goes to live with her dad while the 2 boys go to live with theirs. The daughter meets a cousin who becomes her best friend and they grow up together.

Act 2: This act focuses on the cousin from act 1. She’s an adult now, and doesn’t struggle with addiction in the normal sense. She does however use various drugs for recreational purposes occasionally. She doesn’t see an issue with this, even though her cousin tells her otherwise. One day, the cousin’s friend brings over some cocaine for her birthday. The cocaine has high traces of fentanyl, and it ends up killing the cousin.

Act 2: The daughter from act 1 is now an adult with kids of her own. She’s struggling with the loss of her cousin and questioning why it didn’t happen to her mother instead. In her grief, her doctor prescribes her some anxiety and depression meds however, they don’t seem to help her get through her days. A friend offers her an Adderall one day when she’s struggling to get out of bed for her kids and she takes it. This starts a cycle of addiction in her that she never thought would happen to her.

1. A story in a surrealist or fantastic mode

There’s a young girl who lives with her single dad. Dad works a lot and the girl spends a lot of time in her bedroom alone after school. She draws fantastic pictures of strange worlds and lands and hangs them all over her walls. When she dreams, she’s transported to these places. She doesn’t know if the ideas for the pictures come to her in dreams before she draws them, or if her drawings are coming to life in her dreams. One morning, she wakes up to find a new picture on her wall that she doesn’t remember drawing. The picture is of her room, but it’s slightly different. The wallpaper is brighter, the bed looks cozier, and she has more toys in the picture. When she investigates the picture more closely, it seems alive, almost as if she could reach right through it and go inside, so that’s what she does.

5. Personal Anecdote:

We start with a mom who is just waking up on a Monday morning. She suffers from some mental illness and struggles to keep a normal routine. She has to get her kids up and out the door for school. There are some unspoken hints of conflict between her and her teenage son. The morning routine is a bit chaotic, and she ends up fighting with her son, saying things she wishes she could take back, but ultimately, she gets them all to school on time. She spends the day dwelling on the fight with her son and wondering what she’s done so wrong to make him hate her. At the end of the night, her son cuddles up to her on the couch to watch a movie and tells her he loves her, making her realize she’s doing something right after all.

Classic Aristotelian:

In a world where technology and body modification had fused together, a cat named Z prowled the dark alleyways of the city’s underbelly. Z was a highly skilled cyberpunk with a unique talent: offering illegal and highly demanded black market tattoos.

Act I: The Setup Z work was in high demand among the city’s criminal underworld, who valued his artistic skills and discretion. He was rumored to be able to create tattoos that could grant the wearer special abilities, making him the go-to artist for the city’s most dangerous gangs and underground organizations.

Act II: The Confrontation However, Z success had not gone unnoticed. The city’s authorities were determined to shut down his illegal operation and bring him to justice. They launched a full-scale investigation, using their advanced technology and resources to track down the elusive cat.

Act III: The Resolution Despite the odds against him, Z refused to back down. He continued to ply his trade, evading the authorities at every turn and becoming even more sought after in the black market. In the end, he emerged as a legend in the criminal underworld, his name synonymous with the art of cyberpunk tattooing.

As the city’s authorities continued to search for him, Z continued to operate in the shadows, offering his unique and highly sought after tattoos to those willing to pay the price. To this day, the rumors of his incredible skills and the incredible tattoos he creates persist, making Aristo one of the most elusive and enigmatic figures in the city’s criminal underworld.

Kishotenketsu:

Introduction: Tez, the notorious space cowboy, was known for his quick draw and sharpshooting skills. He took on any job that paid well, but his latest mission was different from anything he had faced before.

Development: Tez was hired to protect a remote mining colony from a group of vicious aliens. These aliens were massive and had tentacles for arms and glowing red eyes. Despite the odds against him, Tez was determined to protect the colonists.

Turn: The first attack was brutal, but Tez fought back with all his might. Just when it seemed like all was lost, he remembered a secret weapon he had acquired – an ancient artifact said to have the power to defeat any enemy. When he touched the artifact, a bright light surrounded him, and the aliens vanished.

Resolution: Tez knew that the aliens would return, but he was ready. Armed with the power of the artifact and his trusty gun, he set off into the stars to face whatever challenges lay ahead. He was a true hero of the stars, a space cowboy who would always be remembered for his bravery and skill.

Conclusion: Tez’s legend lived on as he continued to roam the galaxy, taking on any job that paid well and facing down any enemy that dared to stand in his way. He was a symbol of bravery and skill, a space cowboy who would always protect those in need, no matter the cost.

Surrealist/Fantasy:

Kyle was unlike any other alien on his planet, for he had a deep love for skateboarding. He would spend hours each day practicing and perfecting his moves. However, his planet was made of a dense, gooey substance that made it impossible for him to skate.

One day, as he gazed upon the stars, he saw a bright light in the sky. It was a spaceship from Earth, and inside it was a human skateboarder. Kyle was overjoyed and quickly made friends with the skateboarder, who showed him the boards they used on Earth. The human gave Kyle one of the boards and a magical spray that would allow him to skate on his own planet.

Kyle was ecstatic and quickly set off to try out his new board. To his delight, it worked perfectly and he was able to skate as he had always dreamed. The other aliens on his planet were amazed at what they saw and many of them asked Kyle to teach them how to skate. He happily obliged and soon the entire planet was filled with aliens skateboarding in harmony.

Kyle was now the happiest alien in the universe, able to fulfill his dream of skateboarding and sharing his love for it with others. He continued to visit Earth and learn new tricks from the human skateboarder, who became his best friend. And so, Kyle lived happily ever after, skateboarding through the galaxies and spreading joy wherever he went.

Personal Anecdote:

I was feeling stuck in a never-ending routine and yearned for a change of scenery. While sitting at work I Googled, “where should I move?”, which took me to a Buzzfeed website that had a mini quiz called “Where you should move to”. After taking quiz my options were either Denver, Colorado or Portland, Oregon. Being that I’ve never been to Oregon and currently had family in Denver, I couldn’t decide. That’s when I decided to leave the decision to fate and flipped a coin. Heads was Denver and tails was Portland.

Immediately after flipping the coin, I talked to my boss and put my two week notice in, sold my second car along with most my belongings, and broke my lease in the apartment I was at. Two weeks later I packed up my belongings and hit the road. I didn’t have a plan for my move beside making it a road trip and figuring it out once I’m there kind of mindset. I didn’t have friends or family in Oregon but wanted an opportunity to finally find myself and feel alive. After spending another two weeks driving through the coast of HWY 101 from San Diego to Portland finally made it and with 500 bucks to my name. Moving from New Mexico to being in a place full of giant tree’s like I’d never seen in real life, I decided to “camp” around Washington and Oregon for a couple months where I was constantly on the move, never staying in one place for too long.

Eventually, I found a job in a Portland and decided to put down roots. I started attending Washington State University, where I met like-minded individuals and became deeply involved in the local community. I was finally living the life I had always dreamed of, surrounded by nature and a supportive network of friends.

Looking back, I can’t imagine my life having played out any differently. I’m grateful for that fateful coin flip that brought me to this beautiful state, and for the opportunities that have arisen as a result. It’s a reminder to trust the journey and to let go of control sometimes, because sometimes the unexpected path is the one that leads to the greatest adventures and the most fulfilling experiences.

how does the plot set in motion the actions and reactions of the main characters? What do these actions reveal about the inner lives of the characters, about their flaws and transformations? Identify and describe other characteristics of a tragedy of tragic structure (from Aristotle’s Poetics) that you observe in Fargo. Quote from the text.

The characters in Fargo are interesting because some of them seem to be deeply altered by the plot while others seem to remain utterly static. In fact, from what I see, the biggest change in characters that emerge at the plot progresses is in the antagonists, which is actually not horribly shocking when one considers the old idea that villains are always the more interesting characters. These two initially reminded me of the villains from Home Alone, and then slowly transformed into almost horror-villain levels of violent.

Carl especially shows a shift in character as the job that Jerry paid him and Gaear to do slowly gets more and more out of hand. He goes from a man who seems to be willing to do dirty business for money but who still ultimately has his own boundaries that he won’t cross (including murder) due to his general nervousness and lack of confidence into someone who later shoots a full pistol round into Barbara’s father because of what he has gone through for the sake of getting his money. He goes from a somewhat reasonable hire-able criminal to a violent, aggressive man who’s fear drives him to desperation and survival instinct. 

Gaear, while clearly a more ruthless and cold criminal from the get go, kills multiple people across the span of the movie to keep himself out of trouble and even just away from inconvenience. He is the one to kill the cop that originally pulls them over and chases down the couple that spot them in the process; he (it is implied) kill Jerry’s wife because she was being too loud; and eventually he kills Carl in an attempt to get all of the reward money. Everything that he does further proves that he is a man who will do quite literally whatever it takes to get his way. 

The only other 2 characters that we see significantly affected by the plot are Jerry and Jean. Jerry was an interesting character to watch evolve throughout the film because he portrays a certain image throughout the movie of a man who does not believe that he has done anything wrong– only that his perfectly thought out plot is quickly getting away from him. Though he always plays up the image of a good family man, someone who is only trying his best to do his job, further his prospects, and support his family, he continually responds to the plot in ways that make it clear he is only looking out for himself, especially after things start going wrong. Around every bend, we never see Jerry in fear about what is happening to his wife, and for a period of time he even forgets that he has a son. He spends the entire move, even as things are getting out of his control, trying to get the money from his father-in-law so that he can go on to achieve the lot that he wants. Every realization or moment of pause we see him come to is only ever him trying to find ways to keep things from blowing up even more and to get himself out of the line of fire. He doesn’t try to call off the hit because he’s worried for his wife, but because he thinks he may be getting the money regardless; he only remembers to check on his son because he is reminded to; he talks to Jean because he knows that she’ll be more suspicious of him if he doesn’t; and in the end of the movie, he abandons his son and tries to run away to escape persecution. Jerry may be nonconfrontational, but he’s conniving.

Jean is one who also is a little less obvious in her shift in character from the unfolding events of the plot. We discussed her big moment of evolution partly in class, but she starts the movie as a very trusting and friendly woman. Though she is cold and near unaffected in the face of death and tragedy, to the living she is generally patient and polite, but still not afraid to stand her ground and harden her resolve when need be. She seems to be almost unempathetic and taking life at a surface level. But as things go on, we see her hit a point of realization– that people can and will lie. The moment she seems to realize that, she gets hot on Jerry’s case, showing no mercy in questioning him and doubting the things he tells her, following her gut instead of his word. This is the change that eventually leads her to the criminals’ hideout, leaving her the eventual hero of the story.

The plot that drives all of these characters in their different directions is a near perfect fit for Aristotle’s tragedy. We see the plot points filling in in much the same order that he described:

Inciting incident: Jerry making the deal with Carl and Gaear to kidnap his wife

Rising action: Jerry’s wife kidnapped, breaking the news to the family, trying to call off the kidnapping

Reversal: Death of the first 3 people. loss of contact with the criminals, father-in-law getting involved

Growing pity and fear: Seeing Jerry’s wife, son, and father-in-law getting involved and hurt; innocents being killed; Carl reaching desperation

Catharsis: Capture of Gaear and Jerry

McCloud’s discussion of gutters was a very interesting read. The mind is incredibly good at filling in gaps within the smallest of spaces. The idea of being able to create bridges between even quite distinct images is something to consider. Something that I would like to potentially bring over to my own storytelling is the idea of creating a landscape or fuller picture of a setting. The idea of the 5th type of transition, much more present in Eastern comics than Western, is a good example of this concept. When shown a pot of boiling water, vegetables being chopped, a woman in an apron, and a ticking timer, we can put together an entire mental kitchen. Even complete with sounds, smells, maybe even feelings and tastes. By using separate but interconnected imagery, we can conjure entire worlds and concepts that one image alone wouldn’t suffice.

I also really enjoyed seeing the panel full of action and dialogue, simultaneously depicting a single moment and at least half a minute. The idea of a moment being made up of many different moments was intriguing. Clearly, it takes time to say and hear words. By keeping that in mind, it takes the time in comics to another level.

Another interesting idea presented was putting the reader in the action, usually done in Eastern comics. This idea is essentially a main character POV or putting the frame right in the action. I believe that this can connect tot he idea of gutters as well as time, creating opportunities for what I would call long mental action shots.

Episodic

Act One –

Jacob had assembled his friend group. Everyone was here! James and his brother Manny, the Parkwell twins, and so many more. They were gathered to watch the newest movie in the series that brought them together in childhood. Finally it was getting a new installment! The air was brimming with electricity and chatter as they all bought their popcorn. They buttered it up and headed to their seats.

The movie went by quickly for how long it was. The friends exited the movie theater and gathered around one of their cars to discuss.

“Well, that sucked” was the general consensus, along with feelings of “why did they have to make that?” and “it felt so short”.

Act Two –

The evening of the big game. Stadium packed to capacity. Sweat. Heat. The energy of thousands of people. The world is watching. A light flickers. One member of the crowd lets out a shout of excitement. One turns into all as the stadium erupts into audible joy. The players slowly make their way onto the field. All the lights flicker. The players stop and look up as all the stadium lighting shuts off. The crowd, not five minutes ago louder than a concert, has fallen silent.

Ten excruciating minutes later, the announcement is made:

“The game is canceled.”

Act Three –

The world’s top scientists gathered for the viewing party of a historic volcanic eruption. Teams from various countries, including the United States, Germany, and Japan, prepared seismographs, walkie-talkies, and evacuation plans. The volcano, the only active one of its kind, hadn’t erupted with this magnitude in centuries. Scientists expected a 6.5 to 7.5 Richter scale reading with an explosion radius of 8 to 10 kilometers.

The seismographs read 9.7 before being buried in ash. The eruption was a disaster that no one could have prepared for.

Kishōtenketsu

     The morning was cool and crisp, with a thick layer of fog rolling in over the hills. Sunlight glinted through the fog, allowing the roosters to recognize the morning. I was awoken by their joyous and irritating cries of “cock-a-doodle-doo”.

Who am I? I’m Michael Flynn, a farmer here in Ireland. I own several farms, including my agricultural farm where I work and live, and my bog, used to farm peat and turf.

I awoke and went to go check on the animals on my farm and to plan for the harvest. However, when I came to the hog enclosure, my prized pig was missing! “Oh Murphy, where have you gone?” I cried. I loved this pig more than most of my estranged children.

The hunt was on. I brought out my hunting dog for a better chance of finding my beloved Murphy. We searched high and low and alas, nothing. No sign of Murphy! I put up posters, hoping that some kind soul would return my pig.

As I was about to give up, I received a letter in the mail. A businessman from the next county over had found Murphy! I rushed to put on my best clothes and made my way to the door. It was then that I heard a sound from my closet.

I approached and opened the door. In my rush to get ready, I had failed to notice that Murphy was sleeping in my closet! He must have gotten in early this morning when I was out tending the fields! I picked him up and gave him a gigantic hug. “How I’ve missed you, Murphy! Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” It was when I thought I lost him when I truly realized how much he meant to me.

Surrealist

The move was off to a rough start for Annette. Changing from rural to downtown would definitely take some adjusting. But the city had this draw to it. It attracts many young souls like Annette. The bright lights, the huge buildings. She couldn’t help but feel drawn to it. The first week went pretty smoothly. All her things were unpacked, and though the apartment didn’t yet feel like home, she began to miss her previous house less and less.
Despite the move going well, the city was not what it seemed. The buildings and lights that so entranced Anette at first seemed almost menacing. They pulsed with a malevolent energy, and frightened her when she looked at them. The shadows always seemed to whisper her name in many voices. Eventually, she shut herself in her apartment, refusing to go out. Despite her fear, something held her there. She couldn’t leave the city that haunted her.
Every day, the lights grew brighter, coming ever closer to Anette’s shut blinds. At night, the shadows became ever louder, changing from whispers to full-on screams. Every hour she spent in the once exciting apartment tormented her. But leaving the apartment would be worse, she told herself. Her safest bet was to forever stay within the four apartment walls she imprisoned herself in.

Classical Aristotelian

     We see our main character, Kent Whitlock, at his desk. Scribbling away, he is in a state of relaxation and vibrant energy at the same time. Sketching is his favorite hobby, you see. The man’s mind is set in high gear, and the shift was ripped out a long time ago. “What is he sketching?” you might ask. Today, it’s an assignment from LEGO, where he works. You know that they’re always designing the latest and greatest there, at LEGO. Right now, Kent is working on a gigantic LEGO drum kit. This is one of his favorite ideas in a while, because he also loves playing the drums.

Now, we see Kent presenting his LEGO drum kit sketch. The room eats it up. His boss is impressed, and Kent is feeling great. Then he sees her. In the corner of the room, the only person not rocked by his presentation. Aubrey. All Kent knows about her is that she’s the newest designer on the team. And that she doesn’t like his LEGO drum kit, for some reason.

He’s going over to her desk, about 18 minutes after his presentation wraps. Asks why she didn’t like it. He could have worded it better, but that’s alright. She coldly tells him that she was working on a similar idea. He fumbles over an apology. Asks to see her design, which she pulls out of her desk drawer. Kent feels bad, and suggests that they collaborate.

“Wow, you’d really do that for me?”

Personal Anecdote

     It started with the dog book. They had always had this book of dog breeds in their house. Large, small. Colorful, black, white. Over three hundred breeds of dog. Who knew that there were so many? As children so often do, he voiced an unyielding favorite. One dog, so unlike the others. Page 300. The parents were unsure. Thought small dogs were annoying, yappy, maybe weak. They were Black Lab people, with a love for Blue Heelers as well. Despite the preferential differences, they considered it. Over time, their hesitation weakened, they even opened up to the idea.

Birthday party time! Such excitement in the air. The day goes perfectly. As the gift opening comes to a close (you could even say it was wrapping up), dad says they have one more. He goes to the garage, and comes out with a box. The child rushes to open it. It could be so many things!

A gasp. So many revelations within a second. It’s a dog! He never could have imagined. A beautiful dog, but not quite the dog of his dreams. A lovely stuffed animal that resembles his favorite breed. He cries, for it isn’t real. The parents get it now. This love goes deep. Dad comes over, places a gentle hand on the shoulder. Whispers in the ear:

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you a real pug.”

This is a textbook I don’t even view as a textbook because the imagery adds a level of fun for the reader to learn stuff. That was not a smart sounding sentence, but you know what I mean. I’m glad I bought this book from last semester because it was just as fun reading it a second time. One of my favorite aspects McCloud explores are “gutters.” Specifically from pages 68 to 72 when he talks about closure, how the audience fills in the gaps with the cultural and analytical context they know. He gives a bunch of examples of smaller comics that start moment-to-moment and end scene-to-scene. I always assume my audience is too smart for me to begin with and always end up writing vague scenes in literature because I have the confidence they will fill in any gaps with clues I have given them thus far. That is something I will more than likely incorporate into my visual narrative assignment! I can appreciate everything being laid out flat, but I always prefer a hint of mystery so not only is there no one way to look at it, but the audience must partake in whatever journey I send them on.

Time frames is the other concept that stood out to me as helpful for my own future assignments and visual endeavors. Specifically when McCloud introduces it on pages 94-95. Him telling us that comics may seem quick, but their time is a lot weirder when taking the reading speed of the viewer stands out to me. I have grown up reading manga, and sometimes when you get to a page that is littered with text, you almost don’t want to read it. The only times I was excited to read it was when the context of the story was setting something up for a reveal. You read manga and comics for equal part story and art! I want to make sure I can set up my own well timed slides or panels that do not take too long or too short to experience. I want to change panel sizes and not make it one note unless my story calls for it so I can eventually change it, things like that.

I would like to preface this with saying I am using my previous five story summaries I came up with when I first took this class before withdrawing, so I am citing myself, I guess.

1. Classic 3-Part Structure 

A mystery, a hero, a bastard, or a demon. A man that shakes his hand calls him something different than the one that kisses his gun. One would never expect he would answer to “Dad” with his deemed profession, though. A killer for hire, Cedric Agrumin hears multiple names, but he never shakes the feeling of shame when his young son and daughter call him familiarly. He hides his line of work from his family the best he can with “business trips” and “signature deals,” but how long will it be before his children realize the truth? 

During a hit turned lengthy by some particularly hardy prey, one phone call makes Cedric feel like he’s the man currently struggling to breath at his feet. His phone. He brought his family phone instead of one of his many work burners. As the only guardian to his kids, it was a matter of time before he made a mistake, and they made a sensible decision to check up on their father. 

How does one assuage their son after their daughter sneaks out while simultaneously checking pulses to make sure they stop? A shocking accident like this can only happen once before his consequences, and many, many enemies, catch up to him. With his two halves bleeding together, his occupation and filial bonds, Cedric needs to pick which one to keep as his shift and this phone call comes to an end. 

2. Kishōtenketsu 4-Part Structure 

Ki: By the ocean, calm and free, a late man in his thirties lives in a house by himself. With the sea as his muse and the moon as his light he writes himself into a lonely oblivion. As he walks the beach one evening, he spots a barely clothed man passed out on the sand with bleeding legs. Panicked, he takes him back to his own house nearby to administer care and call someone. As he’s laying the man in his shower to clean off the sand and blood, the water hits his guest’s legs and turn into a sparkling fish tail. Awed and terrified he falls back as the man starts to wake up. The injured creature hisses, its tail flapping, and gills expanding under his torn shirt while our protagonist looks on with a new interest, intent, and muse: this merman he brought home. 

Shō: Knowing the merman would be taken for malicious research or phenomenon, the writer does not call anyone and sets to befriend the being. Learning his name via harsh kiss (the creature claiming it was to learn his native tongue) to slowly becoming friends as they learn about each other’s upbringing and preferences, the two develop a romantic relationship. With the two in a world that does not accept them, they only need each other. 

Ten: Occasionally the merman will cough, however even after he drinks, bathes, and sleeps in water- he is not able to stay. His gills are starting to dry out for he is not human and cannot exist on land.  

Ketsu: The merman is ultimately persuaded by the protagonist to go back to the sea and occasionally visit when he can. In a tearful and hurried goodbye, the merman swims back into the sea and after weeks of waiting turns into months into years, the writer can do no else but return to his house and never walk the beach again for it would be too heartbreaking to walk and hope. 

3. Episodic Structure 

Episode 1: A young boy is seen sitting at a lunch table in a crowded public-school cafeteria. His expression is angry as he sits alone, looking at all the full tables of children his age laughing and having a good time. A hand squeezes his juice pack so hard the juice comes out. When a group of girls and boys walk by and sneer at his measly lunch and dour demeanor, he abruptly stands up and throws a lunch tray that is not his at the group. After a couple gasps and scattered laughs, the lunchroom explodes into a frenzy of kids throwing their food with him in the middle. Lunch ladies and teachers try to calm the chaos, but it only truly stops when he throws an apple and makes a kid bleed. The fun has turned dangerous, and he is escorted to the principal’s office where he sits, unrepentant. 

Episode 2: The same boy, now a young man, is more rough looking now. He has a healing black eye that makes it hard to see out of. A nose that’s clearly been broken before and healed wrong. Standing in an alley, waiting for a hookup, instead of a juice box he squeezes a knife in his jean pocket to remind himself it’s there. Anxious on the inside, but as solid as the brick he’s leaned against on the outside, he glances at the entrance to the alleyway and sees a different guy than the one he usually meets. Now in defensive mode, the stranger walks nearer and he tenses up, opening the knife in his pocket, giving himself a small nick. Words fail him as the new guy saddles up and starts to reach inside his jacket. In fight versus flight, he pulls the knife out and stabs the guy in the neck before either can comprehend what just happened. 

Episode 3: The same young man, now slightly older, is seen sitting at a lunch table in a crowded public prison. His expression is angry as he sits alone, looking at all the full tables of young, old, and in-between adult men scowling and eating slop for the nth time. A hand squeezes his juice pack so hard the juice comes out. When a group of older men, those who have run this place for years with invisible rules separate from the one’s they all abide, walk by and ignore him completely, he abruptly stands up and throws a lunch tray that is his at the group. After a grunt and a nearby whistle from a guard, the lunchroom stays quiet with him in the middle. A guard starts to make his way towards him and with a last-ditch effort to feel something he throws a punch and ends up on the ground before it hits. Biting concrete and willing the tears in his eyes not to fall, he is escorted to solitary confinement where he sits, repentant. 

4. Surrealist Mode 

A dystopian world, one that seems familiar to all the others, lies our scene. Miserable, harsh, and oppressive, the rich stand at the top, with the poor at the bottom. Our protagonist has lived her whole life on harmful streets. However, she can see people’s words. Their colors, their aura. When they speak a color comes out and wraps them in its essence. Being born at the bottom the only colors she is used to seeing are dry grays, dull blues, and dark featureless colors. Until one day she is pulled alongside a crowd she does not belong in and finds herself staring up at a color she has never seen. A tall woman, wrapped in a vibrant color of war that drips across her body as a sign of power, of change, of mutiny. An uprising. Of an equality those at the bottom, even in their wildest dreams had dared not hope of. In awe she becomes obsessed with this color, it’s passion and intensity, and vows to follow this woman until her dream has come true. Until she can see that color flood the streets and overtake the drab hopelessness she has become accustomed to her whole life. She will follow. 

5. Personal Fictional Story 

A girl grew up and only knew love from her cat. Her parents were there, her siblings were there, but only did the cat love her and she love it. The cat had a tree and would climb it for her. Wait for her in a single spot every day on that tree. Growing up, she turned into an adult and the cat turned old. With the love from the cat, she was okay. One day, of course, the cat dies. And she cries. The tree is empty. Life goes on. 

A kitten pops into her life. Young and scared and confused. The night she is brought home the kitten cannot climb the tree and it remains empty. I cannot love her, she thinks. I cannot love this kitten like it deserves. She thinks about returning her to her mother. She sleeps on the couch and leaves the kitten alone in the room with the empty tree. 

Half the night wastes away like the girl on the couch. Not being able to stand another second on the couch she gets up. When she enters her room the kitten is not on the bed. Her heart beats so treacherously hard in her chest as she finds her kitten. Not unable to climb the tree but sleeping soundly in the spot her black and white had waited for her. Life goes on. 

Brayden Sathrum

2/7/23

DTC 354

5 Story Summaries

1. Classic Aristotelian 3-part structure 

A teenage boy wakes up in a basement with no memory of how he got there. He quickly realizes that he is trapped inside and must find a way out. He encounters a mysterious entity that is trapping him inside and, after many failures, devises a plan to kill the monster. By the end, he discovers more about himself, for better or worse. The story would have thriller and horror elements with a twist at the end. The characters would be morally gray and forced to make difficult decisions. I think it would translate well to different kinds of digital storytelling with a few tweaks to the plotline. 

2. Kishotenketsu 4-part structure.

  A lighthearted romance between two ghosts that meet each other in a library that they both haunt. They encounter a few issues, such as trying to scare the librarians and students, but they learn how to work together to accomplish their goals. Over time, they fall in love and become a couple. The story has a spooky atmosphere while still being warm. I would want the plot to be light on conflict and to mostly focus on the relationship between the two main characters. Their attempts at becoming good ghosts would also allow for personal growth. I think this fits best with the 4-part structure as it has a longer development period than that of my other story ideas.

3. A story in an episodic structure.

A young transgender woman on her deathbed looks back on some of her key memories, structured as different episodes of her life. They span different time periods but contain similar themes. I want this to be a thoughtful exploration of time and death, but largely being a character study. I also want to illustrate how real world events impact the lives of marginalized communities. By using an episodic structure for this story, I can find unique ways to structure my mini arcs so that the plot becomes a full circle. In this way, seemingly unconnected pieces clearly form a picture by the end. I think this could be an interesting way of creating a character study. 

4. A story in a surrealist or fantastic mode

A young man living alone in an apartment discovers that a ghost is haunting his apartment complex and targeting his neighbors. He has to overcome his fears in order to save them and himself. He ultimately succeeds, but at a high cost. I want this story to have a lot of mysterious elements to it and possibly a twist. Along with this, I’m hoping to build strong characters that give the storyline an emotional core. By using this idea, I could practice more with horror, which I haven’t explored too much. Creating this digitally would also grant me additional ways to explore the plot and be more creative.

5. Personal Anecdote 

An examination of my relationship with my oldest sister and how we went from being best friends to strangers. I would want this story to focus on specific memories that span several years to indicate how things changed. My sister and I communicated frequently over text, so I want the majority of the dialogue to be from these conversations to add a greater sense of realism. Building off of this, I would want the story to be structured like a text messaging system with a few breaks for other illustrations. I think this would make my story more unique and give it a compelling structure. I also want to make sure that the focus is fairly narrow so I can dig deeper into the concept and the themes that arise from it.

Classical Aristotelian 3-part Structure:

 A fantasy world, where different creatures live together and have their own rules. There is a community of Fairies that call themselves the “Children of Earth.” They have very strict rules about interacting with outsiders, anyone who isn’t a fairy (animal or plant) is considered not a“Child of Earth.” It is believed that if the fairies have contact with the outsiders they will “contaminate” their bodies, which will damage the purity of Earth. Aniela, one of the few fairies that is training to become a “Child of Earth,” is assigned to take care of one of the many forests in the Fairy community. This one is next to a human village that is isolated from the rest of the human cities.

She encountered humans throughout her training, but she avoided them and never made any close contact. However, she is intrigued by the way they live, their customs, and how they interact with each other. One day there was pure silence coming from the human village, which was rare. Aniela, intrigued, enters the village, she looks everywhere but no humans on sight. That is when, without even noticing, a human child holds her hand. In the moment of panic, she gets paralyzed, knowing perfectly that she has been contaminated by a human. In that moment she stops and analyzes the situation, no one else is there, just the two of them. The child is pale and dirty, which makes Aniela feel concerned about this child’s safety. 

At that moment she decided to take care of the human child, she knew that going back will only make things worse, and leaving the child alone will likely not survive. She did not feel remorse, but she questioned her community’s beliefs. Is it okay to let any creature die just because they are not a child of Earth? 

Kishontenketsu 4-part Structure:

A group of students that are about to go on a school field trip that is happening up in the mountains. They are visiting the old city of the Sky. It is said that their ancestors would climb these mountains to pray to their guardian angels so that they can be protected from evil and have great health. We are introduced to Uriel, a student who is introverted but would open up to anyone who wants to become friends with him. A bus is taking them to the city of the Sky.

The students enjoy the view from their seats, many chat, many laugh, just a few feeling dizzy from all the curves. Uriel sits next to the most chatty student of the class, she wouldn’t stop talking about the mountains and the old city to Uriel, who did not mind.

Then an accident was caused by another driver taking over both lanes, which caused the bus driver to try and avoid a crash, and that made the bus tilt and fall close to the edge of a hill. Everyone is panicking from the tilt and the injuries. They evacuate the bus, and at the end Uriel leaves the bus together with the girl who was sitting next to him. That is when the hill starts to crack, which makes the bus and the two of them fall down the hill. Is this the end of both of them? Many were thinking that, but Uriel did not panic. He has a special amulet that he can use to summon a guardian angel to save them. But he did not expect the girl that was falling beside him to be a guardian angel. 

She saved him and stayed on the side of the hill so no one could see them. Angels can take any form. He keeps it a secret and they wait for the rescue team to arrive.

Episodic Structure:

As the Evergreen Kingdom is under attack, everyone evacuates to get shelter from the neighboring kingdoms. 

1. A young knight apprentice (squire) from the Evergreen Kingdom evacuated together with her two friends. Incapable of fighting and using a sword, she fears that they would be attacked by the enemy. They walk through the forest to get to the Floreo Kingdom, where they can be safe from the attacks. In this group, she thinks that her two friends are more capable of fighting than her. 
2. The princess from the Evergreen Kingdom has been evacuated by a special knight from the Floreo Kingdom. This knight is one of the best trained and has the ability to use magic with the help of a flower. They walk through the forest to get as soon as possible to the Floreo Kingdom. The princess is unsure about the idea of going with a knight that’s from another kingdom. It has become a rough situation because the flower won’t stop talking. 
3. A knight from the Evergreen Kingdom and the Templum Kingdom are on their way to track the princess’ location. They have been sent as a backup to help the princess get to safety, but the attacks have made it difficult for them to find her. They are both acquaintances but have no time for chit chat. 

They all meet at some point in the forest on their way to the Floreo Kingdom. That is where they start making plans and strategies to protect the princess, because she is a descendant of the Guardians. 

Surrealism Structure:

This is the story of a young man who can enter people’s dreams to escape from his own nightmares. He prefers to watch other people’s dreams so he won’t have to face his terrible nightmares. As time progresses he starts to see those nightmares become reality, which he can’t escape from. He decides to look for a person whose life isn’t a nightmare to live forever in their dreams. As he encounters a College student who is doing well in life, had a lovely childhood, and a supportive family, he decides to stay in his dreams. At first he experiences beautiful moments from these students, but his decision only made this student’s life a nightmare. As he realizes his mistake, he decides to face those nightmares and accept reality.

Personal Anecdote:

This is the story of a little girl from a small town in central Mexico. She was smart, creative, stubborn, selfish, and extroverted. She would think highly of herself because she was better than all the kinds from this small town. The school only had about 70 students in total, and only 8 students her age. First place in any test, contest, and she would receive diplomas or recognition. Everyone would look up to her and follow her as if she was their leader. How did a little girl manage all of that? How can she decide what everyone will play and where she wants to play that game? She did not care if someone got hit by a soccer ball because she was intruding the soccer field. She did not care if someone wanted to play something else because she was the one to choose the game. One day her bubble popped and that is when she realized the harsh reality, she was not the best of the best because there was a world outside her world. There are others better than her, others who are smarter, who are more creative. That day, she became a new person. She understood that it was not easy to survive outside in the real world.

Classical Aristotelian:

A group of friends of four had grown distant as soon as they hit their adult years making little effort to contact each other. One of them worked as a salesman who went door to door to sell off his latest stock of vacuums to willing customers. Another was a housewife stuck in a loveless marriage. The third is a police officer who craved more exciting cases than catching late parking fees. The last one was taking whatever job could be thrown at him. They all went their own lives until one of them reaches out in an effort to prove another’s innocence in a crime they did not commit. 

Kishotenketsu:

A dog’s perspective from being “the only child” to obtaining a “human sibling”. The dog was the center of their pet parent’s life until he is forced to share the attention of a human child that wants nothing more than to take his toys away from the dog. The dog has to become an older sibling which makes the dog become more upset with the presence of the human child. The child and dog go back and forth sharing certain things until they collapse in a heap on the floor cuddled up with each other after an exhausting fight for the affection and attention of their now-shared parents.

Episodic:

It’s about 8 pm on a bus trip heading to its last stop as it picks up passengers headed to their final destination. A man named Louise does not know why he is on this bus in general and converses to the passengers that come and leave the vehicle ranging from various ages with his one companion on this ride, a chest on his lap with no key. Every passenger holds their own chest of varying sizes and strikes up a conversation on what is inside and when they figure it out, the bus driver would stop and open the chest to take the item inside as the bus fare. The chest contains an item that tethers them to the mortal world and must be handed to the bus driver as payment for their ride on the bus as a way of letting go. 

Surrealist/Fantasy:

Crux and Polaris meet every day on a bridge central to their sea town. Crux would talk and Polaris listens until the sun has disappeared under the waves. They would join hands, close their eyes, and jump until they were among the people of the stars where they would be in jubilee from spinning with the stars and playing with the constellations. They also greet the planet elders and are given some star candies as treats. When the sun came by to scold them for their antics, they bid farewell to the sea of star people as they landed back on the same bridge and parted ways for home.

Personal Anecdote: 

A personal story is from when I was waiting for class while messaging my sister who is out of town to attend college. She called me after messaging each other for a bit to scream about a moth that had managed to find its way inside the dorm she was in. Her roommate was out and she was watching the moth while asking me what to do. I couldn’t physically be there but I could hear her muttering and begging for help when I realized there is 5 minutes till class. It is a mad scramble of how to get a moth out of one’s dorm in 5 minutes or less. 

Understanding Comics

I enjoy both writing and drawing, which has got me thinking about creating a comic book, or like other people have told me, a graphic novel. When I was reading Understanding Comics about the panel-to-panel transitions and how they work, as well as the different types, I was surprised by how little I knew about creating comic books. I mostly read Japanese comics (Manga), which has a different style to the western comic books. Also, I read comics that are from up to down while scrolling down my phone’s screen, which has made it easier to follow. Still, I was not aware of how panel transitions work, especially when I once tried to do it myself. I would like to try and implement different ways of panel-to-panel transitions and the bleeds as well. The bleeds are something I notice the most when I’m reading Japanese comics, which has me mesmerized and intrigued. 

Some things that I found interesting while reading Understanding Comics, the motion lines. These lines give motion to any object, person, creature, and scene, which makes the work more vivid and alive. I want my comics to be just as vivid as these lines and create something that intrigues the audience. 

Because of my interest in Japanese comic style, I would love to create a work inspired by it. Thanks to Understanding Comics, I’m more aware of the type of structure and style they follow. For example, they use aspect-to-aspect for some of their panel transitions, page bleed to emphasize a scene or feeling, and motion line to show motion.

Brayden Sathrum

2/6/23

DTC 354 

Visual Narrative I

“Understanding Comics,” by Scott McCloud, digs deep into the origins of comics and how they can be defined and manipulated to create extraordinary stories. Comics are an excellent way of exploring visual arts because they rely on a blend of pictures and text in order to tell the tale. After reading about how comics create the effects that they do, there are a few key takeaways that I will apply when creating my diagrammatic writing piece.

One part that stuck out to me was when McCloud describes how “less is more” and that finding a balance between subtracting and adding content is key. I believe this fits well with all types of storytelling because knowing when to allow your audience to infer information can elevate their experience. Especially in genres like horror, granting the reader the ability to let their mind generate some of the imagery can be effective. In terms of the diagrammatic writing assignment, I think it shows how using intentional language in a simple sentence can have more depth than a descriptive paragraph. 

Another piece of this book that I took note of was when McCloud talks about gutters and how the space in between comic book panels tells its own story. To me, this is beneficial when considering how I want to tackle my diagrammatic story. Knowing that my tale will be told through slides, there will be empty space around the content. When deciding how I want to structure my story, I want to take these gutters into consideration. Leaving spaces blank intentionally could, at times, leave readers with a better sense of the story than if I had a slide full of content. I believe this fits well with the idea of “less is more” as well, since having space left open is a minimalist approach to writing.

 By combining these two concepts from McCloud’s book, I think I will be able to create a story that is intentional with every slide. I want to ensure that every piece is strategically placed and has its own meaning. McCloud’s guide to comics also shows how this medium has a lot of crossover with other kinds of writing and, as such, uses similar rules to create a strong piece. I think learning from other visual arts is an incredibly helpful way of improving your own writing style. Overall, I’m excited to take these ideas and apply them to my diagrammatic story as I think it will strengthen the storytelling.