RheaRG

RheaRG

Rhea is twenty six and holds a Bachelor's in English Literature and Religions and Cultures. She loves to read, write, watch movies, and take care of her husband and cat.

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    Latest Articles

    Latest Topics

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    Published

    Exploring The Villian

    The notion of the villain or the "bad guy" is a theme that often appears in many films, particularly superhero narratives, or similar films. However, as a viewer, sometimes questioning the way in which someone is depicted could be interesting as well. Is the villain entirely bad? Or are they in some ways victims as well? Do you think the hero is always right? Or do they have a past that could have easily made them the villain? How much of the villainization is inherent and how much of it is fed to us?

    • Villains are always interesting. I think Magneto was a sympathetic villain. Could you correct the spelling? Thanks! – Munjeera 4 years ago
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    • Interesting topic! Though it is not the central theme of the article, perhaps one paragraph could focus on villains turned heroes later on? For instance, Zuko, from Avatar the Last Air Bender, or Root, from Person Of Interest. Do such (not-so-)villains differ from “true” villains? If so, how? If not, why? What impact it may have on the viewer? – Gavroche 4 years ago
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    • Interesting. I think you should look at superheroes or Disney films. The villains are quite interesting. You could compare different types of villains to see what makes them a villain, why they are villain. Most of the time it’s because of the hero. – zazu 4 years ago
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    • I agree with zazu's suggestion about exploring superhero films, particularly films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (while we're on the subject of Disney and superheroes). The MCU started off with villains that were basically just dark mirrors of the heroes (Iron Man 1 had Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger, The Incredible Hulk had The Abomination). Villains like Loki and Killmonger, however, have been praised as some of the more interesting of MCU villains due to their sympathetic motivations. Both of them are still tied to the heroes' origins in some way, yet they represent the outcome of a different upbrining than the hero in the same environment. You could either explore how MCU's potrayal of villains changed from Iron Man to a film like Black Panther or the ways in which the MCU has designated certain characters as 'villains.' – CharlieSimmons 4 years ago
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    • This brings to mind the 2003 film, Monster, where the heroine can be both viewed as good as well as a villain. Just one small error fix, change villian to villain. This would be an interesting topic for me to write except I'm not a fan of superheroes. Whoever decided to write this can use the character, AIllen Wournos, in Monster as a stepping stone. – Montayj79 2 years ago
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    • I absolutely think a villain with sympathetic qualities, or one who is more complex than simply being the "big bad" of any given book/show/film, is far more interesting than a two-dimensional "evil" character! I think of Lord of the Rings, and the fact that for me, it is the Witch Kings who are far more ominous adversaries than Sauron himself. They're "fallen" men, corrupted by power, and are far more dynamic than the evil eye in distant Mordor... also "villains" like Denethor, or even Boromir to an extent when he's influenced by the ring (before he overcomes it, and dies a hero). Their humanity, flaws and pitfalls, and the fact you can map their trajectory toward their "villainy", makes them all the more fascinating! And think of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire... the white walkers and Night King are terrifying, yes, but it's villainous characters like Cersei, Littlefinger, and Ramsay Bolton who make for more interesting storylines. Once again it's the humanity in them that fascinates and compels. – elizheff 2 years ago
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    • I think an important character to consider when examining villains is Walter White from Breaking Bad. A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with terminal cancer turns to manufacturing and selling meth to be able to leave money for his family after he passes. However, as the story progresses, an Walter becomes more evil and is enamored with power, control and greed. He becomes the villain of his own story, yet the viewer still emphasizes with him – greenturnedblue 2 years ago
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    • Very interesting topic. I definitely like flawed heros and villains with good reasons to be evil, and I love when morality wavers and falters. Think of a so-called hero in a science fantasy that would bomb an entire city of civilians just for a show of power, but at the same time freaks out if the foes do the same to his country. In this regard, Erikson's Malazan series gives us the perfect example of moral ambiguity in fiction. – mnorman 2 years ago
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    Religious Symbolism in Anime

    Anime has such a wide variety of subjects that it explores. There are two animes, Deathnote and Neon Genesis Evangelion that have both subtle and obvious allusions to religion/spirituality. They both posses theological elements, which can be interesting to write about.

    Think about these questions:
    How do they use various theological elements to add to the overall meaning of the anime?

    What seem to be the most interesting symbols and why would you consider them as such?

    Does one anime use the symbols in a more effective manner?

    • I was going to add as a suggestion. There's an older anime by Shinichirō Watanabe, the creator of Samurai Champloo, called Kids on the Slope. It doesn't suggest anything religious until the end. You find out that one of the kids becomes a Catholic Priest. It might be worth analyzing as well as the anime you've already mentioned. – Passerby 4 years ago
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    • Death Note's scene where L washes Light's feet is one of those scenes that actually is a great reference to Bible showing Light as a God. – eeshasharma 4 years ago
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    Should Chick Lit Be Taken More Seriously?

    The genre of "Chick Lit" is often seen as nothing other than feel good and fluffy. However, can the argument be made where this genre can be seen as anything more? Should it be seen as more? Should those who read this genre feel shame?

    Choose a few books that support your position on the topic, and explain why you think it is one way or the other.

    • An important thing an article on this should consider is the term "Chick-Lit" itself, and the negative connotations of that. As far as I am aware, there is no such demeaning term for male-oriented literature (I could be incorrect?). It seems the entire 'genre' is set back by this name alone. If it merely fell under the banner of romance, or romantic comedy, would these books be treated differently? It could be argued, then, that this 'genre' has been dismissed in part due to societal perceptions, rather than any notion of literary merit. – Samantha Leersen 4 years ago
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    • I actually really like what you have mentioned about this, and that is something that could be explored to make the argument a little more complex! – RheaRG 4 years ago
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    • Although I haven't read this book myself, I have come across Janice Radway's work, Reading the Romance (1984) which, as the title suggests, critically examines romance novels as a subject of serious inquiry. Could be a useful resource! – the.liquid.kid 4 years ago
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    Latest Comments

    RheaRG

    English is my first language. And the piece was edited and I addressed all the comments that were left. So while I appreciate the feedback, calling an article clumsy doesn’t really help.

    Books That Will Leave A Lasting Impression on Its Reader
    RheaRG

    Oh yes! It’s why the book made this list. It’s truly a tough book with the amount of reflection you end up doing, but such a worthwhile read.

    Books That Will Leave A Lasting Impression on Its Reader
    RheaRG

    Overall, I think this article is really well written. I will say, I am not sure if including the supposed answer is actually beneficial for this type of piece. I say this because I think that providing an answer makes it too clear cut. I understand, I think, what you were going for. However, I think leaving it more open-ended would allow the reader to really reflect on the issue at hand, and make their own conclusions.

    Problematic Creators: How Do We Interact With Their Work?
    RheaRG

    This article raises an interesting question, and I think it is one that some might see as controversial. I think to the notion of book banning in general, and how that has lead to many amazing books not being able to read by kids for a whole number of reasons. I think you did a good job!

    Scary Stories: In Defense of Horror for Children
    RheaRG

    I love this article because it captures how important it is for children to have exposure to diversity. I am about to be a new mom, and this article was so important for me honestly. I think this is something that we often do not focus on. We talk about diversity amongst adults, but seem to forget our kids in the conversation. I think that you captured the essence of what good the exposure can do for younger people as well.

    The Long-Term Positivity of Multi-Cultural Children's Books
    RheaRG

    I think the way in which food crosses and connects with various points of culture is an interesting topic. I think you cover it well. I have studied some Indian religions, and have actually studied Puja and I always thought it so fascinating. I think this article has a solid grasp of just how important food is to a given culture.

    Indian Food: A Multicultural Enterprise