Is there still a role for Devil's Advocacy in the age of social media trolls? Adopting a contrary position for the sake of debate has its origins in the Catholic Church and has become institutionalized in it's use in refining academic writing as an "opposing view" or antithesis. But as social media trolling begins to have real-world consequences, from violence to criminal investigations, should we retire the Devil's Advocate role once and for all? Or is there an affirmative role for a new kind of digital demon?
I kind of see what point you have, but I think you need to be a bit more specific. Do you have a specific instance that shows how devil's advocacy has "real-world consequences" that could support this argument well?
– Suman8 years ago
I think an additional consideration for whoever writes this could also be how to handle trolls/Devil's Advocates in an academically sound and ethical matter in order to avoid whatever "real world consequences" you are referring to – Kevin8 years ago
I like the essence of this topic, but it seems too willing to dismiss the value of playing devil's advocate in an abstractly general sense simply because a very specific type of devil's advocate is exhausting its value. In other words, the topic seems too willing to dismiss the concept of contrarianism because there are people who misuse it. Suppose, hypothetically, that we got rid of all devil's advocates, what would happen then? Would people be prohibited from making opposing claims and arguments? – IsidoreIsou8 years ago
I think whoever writes this should be specific about *Where* they see these devil's advocates. As, echoing what Kevin said, the internet troll started out as a form of devil's advocacy but has since become something else. (There is a good PBS idea channel video about this topic). If we're talking about real life discussion though, there's potential for a useful form of this rousing. – Mariel8 years ago
Analyze and describe the techniques used by major studios (like Disney) with hot-button intellectual property (like Star Wars) in a variety of film marketing, including but not limited to exposés, interviews, behind-the-scenes features, and the hype surrounding trailers and the leakage of any footage/spoilers in general.
Look no further than Star Wars: The Force Awakens for the use of nostalgia in marketing. The entire campaign was based on the idea that Star Wars is reintroducing classic characters like Han, Leia, and Luke. The marketing for the film trumpeted the return of classic Star Wars elements like the Millennium Falcon, X-Wings, TIE fighters, stormtroopers and aliens. Disney used all of these elements well to bring fans back in. The trailers all spoke of how each generation has a story and how this was the next chapter in that story. I think they did a very good job of bringing in all of these elements that fans have been asking for for so long, and the crowning moment was in the first full trailer for the film. At the last second, Han Solo and Chewbacca stepped onto the screen for the first time in over 30 years and uttered one simple but effective line. "Chewie, we're home." – Sjdeliman8 years ago
Stranger Things is another example; many viewers from the 80s really like the show because of its nostalgic references. – seouljustice8 years ago
As a comic book character, few have garnered the notoriety that Superman has. This topic calls for an investigation into the character's history and an investigation into the symbols the character has come to represent over the years. Questions for investigation may include: How has Superman changed over the decades, and why did these changes occur? What type of ideology does Superman best represent?
This has been done. Exhaustively. – T. Palomino2 years ago
For writers who enjoy the challenge of writing flash or microfiction. Why do you enjoy it? Which format do you prefer? Hemingway's six-word stories? 100 word stories? Flash fiction format?
This is a very interesting and relevant topic to fictional writing, but I think I would steer away from questions that would prompt the writer to write in the first person such as "Why do you enjoy it?" because it may give the article a strong "blog" vibe. – Opaline8 years ago
I like this topic but I'm not sure that it has enough of a focus. Rather than writing generally about flash and microfiction, perhaps you could limit the topic to the rise of flash and microfiction in the literary scene or its ability to influence media due to its condensed capacity and a growing impatience for longer works due to the rise of social media. – luciahmiller8 years ago
I agree with luciahmiller; this is an interesting topic since flash fiction is growing within the writing commuinty, but I think it would be more focused, like luciahmiller says, if you focus on a specific part about flash fiction. – seouljustice8 years ago
Since their first appearance on the "Blink" episode of Doctor Who, the alien species known as the Weeping Angels have garnered a large popularity amongst the fanbase that rivals that of series mainstays like the Daleks and the Cyber Men. Instead of asking why the Weeping Angels have managed to acquire such popularity, this topic asks the writer to investigate the symbolism encoded into Weeping Angels. How can a viewer interpret these creatures? What can these interpretations reveal about the viewer's reality? In a sense the topic centers around two key concepts. What are at least some of the possible interpretations and how do these interpretations comment upon the viewers' reality?
Shakespeare created so many words still used in English and he used language to build meanings behind words and sentences in a way that was revolutionary at its time. How did his manipulation of the English language shape modern speech, vocabulary or language norms? The focus would not be on the content of his plays, but how he used language within the plays.
Shakespeare has had a greater impact on the English language than most people are aware of. First of all, many of our modern idioms are derivative from Shakespeare's plays. For example, if you ever said there's a method to your madness, you were in fact quoting Hamlet,or if you've ever referred to jealousy as a "green-eyed monster" than you have quoted Othello, or perhaps your name is Jessica, your nomenclature is one of Shakespearian creation! Other sayings include, "in a pickle", "the mind's eye, "rhyme or reason", "woe is me" and many more. In addition to his common phrases that have withstood the sands of time, Shakespeare's heavy use of literary devices such as metaphor, alliteration, simile and personification have been incredibly influential to writers for the past 450 years. Shakespeare is the most iconic writer of all time and he is in no way overrated, he may even be underrated. Shakespeare is a catalyst for much of American language and culture and without him our language would perhaps be more dull not to mention The Lion King would never have been created, thus my childhood would have be deprived. – sastephens8 years ago
Shakespeare has had a greater impact on the English language than most people are aware of. First of all, many of our modern idioms are derivative from Shakespeare's plays. For example, if you ever said there's a method to your madness, you were in fact quoting Hamlet,or if you've ever referred to jealousy as a "green-eyed monster" than you have quoted Othello, or perhaps your name is Jessica, your nomenclature is one of Shakespearian creation! Other sayings include, "in a pickle", "the mind's eye, "rhyme or reason", "woe is me" and many more. In addition to his common phrases that have withstood the sands of time, Shakespeare's heavy use of literary devices such as metaphor, alliteration, simile and personification have been incredibly influential to writers for the past 450 years. Shakespeare is the most iconic writer of all time and he is in no way overrated, he may even be underrated. Shakespeare is a catalyst for much of American language and culture and without him our language would perhaps be more dull not to mention The Lion King would never have been created, thus my childhood would have be deprived. – sastephens8 years ago
Some people are hailing the character Pidge from Voltron: Legendary Defender(2016) as a win for transgender visibility. While the character certainly challenges gender stereotypes, Pidge probably isn't best described as transgender(at least in her current iteration). Not only does she "come out" as a girl half way through the series and start using female pronouns, the show treats her choice to embrace her assigned gender identity as a mature, positive decision: “Owning who you are is going to make you a better Paladin"- Shiro. Is having a cross-dressing character serve as a plot device a necessary baby-step on the road to trans visibility in media(especially children's media)? Or, is adhering to the "Sweet Polly Oliver" trope in this day and age really doing a disservice to trans men and cis women alike?
This is very interesting! As a fan of Voltron, I'd like to read more about this. You seem very interested and knowledgeable about this subject, so I think you would be able to provide a lot of insight for those who want to know more about this - like me! Pidge is an incredible character; and diving deep into her story throughout the episodes is a great way of going about answering your question. Please continue! – gabby9188 years ago
This is totally weird...in a good way. I think you should find more examples from other sci-fi movies, TV shows, etc. – alecflor118 years ago
I think remembering why Pidge became a Galaxy Garrison brings a new perception. – taviromakizuto8 years ago
Within the show itself, I don't think one could necessarily make the argument that Pidge is explicit trans* representation given her gender declaration as you mentioned. However, I do think an interesting point of analysis would be how the fandom has attached to Pidge as potential representation in the respect that she's often written as nonbinary within a significant proportion of fics. I think it could tie into the representation argument regarding fanfiction: when queer youth fail to see representation of their identity on popular television, they craft it themselves. – phaasch8 years ago
In the field of mythology, mermaids draw constant speculation. Their elusive nature adds to this element of mystery. However, film tends to polarize these mythical creatures into one of two categories: dangerous temptress or charming innocent. Identify specific films that assign mermaids to either of these two categories, and describe how this characterization helps to develop the film's plot line.
An example of the innocent lies in the Disney Classic The Little Mermaid, as an example of the temptress is in the fourth Harry Potter movie. – tombaumser8 years ago
Its amazing how we make something so scary absolutely innocent, to entertain kids. The question is whether this is destroying the old myths, creating new, or some weird mutant baby in between. – thesoaringmarlet8 years ago
The movie Mermaids is a good example of the innocence that mermaids evoke in popular media as all three of the main female characters in the film are representative of feminine innocence in one way or another. Although the characters never become mermaids for anything more than a Halloween costume, the idea and all of the literary and historical baggage is attached to them because of the titling. All three women have their own struggles, yet they are resilient, independent, and own their gender and/or sexuality in powerful ways. For an 'actual' mermaid--for whatever that term is worth--I would not overlook Daryl Hannah's mermaid character in "Splash." This character epitomizes innocence, ignorance and nativity in a very saccharine, painful and unrealistic way. This is an unintentionally loaded film, with many problematic characters and gendered themes. It is also interesting to note that this film was the first live action release of Walt Disney Studios' Touchstone Pictures label, from the same Walt Disney that released the animated classic, "The Little Mermaid," in 1989. "Splash" became such a hit that it even popularized the female name of Madison, being the self given name of Hannah's character, after it's release. In a nutshell, this film had a great influence on pop culture. – HeatherStratton8 years ago
On August 29, 2016, Gene Wilder passed away from complications from Alzheimer's disease. Whether playing Dr. Frankenstein in "Young Frankenstein," or Willie Wonka in "Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," Wilder's whimsical, gentle spirit drew smiles from people of all ages. Which performances are Wilder's finest? What makes his contribution to film especially memorable? In general, what is Gene Wilder's legacy?
Most of the time, Asians are portrayed as one of the four: Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Korean. This leads to inevitably neglecting other Asian nationalities as those from Southeast Asia (i.e. people from Thailand, Malaysia, and/or Philippines look very different from the first four nationalities cited, and are somehow unrepresented/do not have enough representation)
Yes! This is an important topic. I think Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Korean are the main four because of popular culture (e.g. Bollywood, anime, kpop). Other Asians should also be represented equally. You could possibly talk about how beauty standards of the four main Asian nationalities differ compared to other Asian nationalities. For example, from personal experience some Koreans taunt Filipinos because they tend to have darker skin (there's colorism within Korean beauty standards). – seouljustice8 years ago
Put this under the TV section because I think there are more TV show examples that can be used. One specific show that came to mind is The 100, which is a dystopian show that supposedly features all nations that survived the end of times as one group - the people of 'The Ark'. But you can only ever find Chinese people as representatives of Asians. There are quite a lot of shows that can be used. Basically, just pick a show that has an Asian character and more likely they will be any of the most common four I've mentioned. – Ruth8 years ago
This is an important topic! I agree with Ruth, I would put it in the TV sections. There are so many examples of misrepresentation of Asians in western culture in television.
-Lindsey – lindseyjane8 years ago
If you intend to look at writing/literature, especially Shakespeare, it would be worth exploring Jerry Brotton's book: This Orient Isle: Elizabethan England and The Islamic World (Milton Keynes: Penguin Random House, 2016) Concerning the representation of the East in Shakespeare's work. May spur some interesting thoughts for you?! – AngelicaHill8 years ago
Thank you, AngelicaHill! Should be really helpful. – Ruth8 years ago
It's also worth noting that Emily Kuroda and Keiko Agena, who played Mrs. Kim and Lane Kim (respectively) on "Gilmore Girls," are both Japanese, yet they were cast to play Koreans, and their Korean-ness was emphasized repeatedly throughout the series. Why, then, would you cast Japanese women (as great as Emily and Keiko both are)? Something to think about. – KKillian8 years ago
Yes! That is a very good point. Thank you, KKillian. – Ruth8 years ago
The character creation and storytelling features of video games are often interesting and compelling, but each game — by the very nature of its design and coding — doesn't allow a player always to do exactly what she wants in the game. What is a player to do?
I think that there is something deeply philosophical in this topic. Concepts like the rhetorical situation and determinism can also be of use here. – Matt Sautman8 years ago
They can submit new ideas to the developer, but things that people think they want is not always the best idea. – dff50888 years ago
Critique the Presidential Debates like an episode of House of Cards. Additional areas to explore: plot, writing, review of characters, suggested improvements to next seasons…
This is almost too close to home! I've heard that in fiction, only trouble is interesting, so if you approach the election like it's a TV show, won't that make you root for disaster? (And is one of the main candidates already the star of a TV show...?) I think you could make the case that "winning" the TV show of the election by being the most entertaining is essentially the opposite strategy for winning the actual election. – tmatteson8 years ago
This is a wonderful suggestion! I have little to add beside that it could be worthwhile to critique the 'cinematographic' aspects of the show. How has it been staged? How have camera angles been used to emphasise certain aspects of the show? How have ads been parallels of tv show trailers? I really like this. – IsidoreIsou8 years ago
This sounds like it could be incredibly entertaining. I'd love to see plot suggestions. Writer could also mention the candidates' followers as opposing sides of fandom. There are a ton of ways they could take this and I love it. – Emily Schiemann8 years ago
Having done some 250-300 appearances as a political analyst on local TV stations (but addressing primarily Presidential and Congressional elections), I have come to approach the issue of TV media coverage as, perhaps, much like old computers where there was no hard drive (Tandy TRS-80), so programs had to be reloaded every time the computer was turned back on. It is not really possible to build upon foundation information and then develop more complicated ways of looking at political or public policy issues. To talk about a significant Supreme Court case (McCulloch v Maryland from 1819) and explain the importance of one word (expressly) that existed in the Articles of Confederation but was left out of the US Constitution and how the Opinion written by then Chief Justice John Marshall matters to Constitutional interpretation in the present, cannot be easily addressed on TV news. As a result, simplicity dominates where it is believed by, perhaps, too many viewers that there is some truth to the notion that Conservatives are strictly adhering to the Constitution, while Liberals are broadly interpreting it. In real terms, both sides are practicing Constitutional interpretation and there are some ways to understanding a conservative approach (or approaches) to Constitutional interpretation versus more liberal ones. TV news by not bringing this complexity to the small screen fosters, unfortunately, a reality TV show approach to liberal versus conservative, which ends up not helping a broad based public understand complex policy issues. Shows like PBS's Frontline or listening to a lengthy dialogue on CSPAN, can show a contrast with the more popular cable TV news shows, but TV news shows need to generate a profit so hope for improvement (enlightenment?) is debatable. – Joseph Cernik6 years ago
This year film has seen an increase in the release of movies that draw inspiration from video games. World of Warcraft, Assassins Creed, Angry Birds, and Hardcore Henry (though not based on a video game it's cinematic style is to tell a narrative in the way video games do) are four such examples of this interest in adapting video games to the big screen. Why such a rise in this style? Does this style have a place in cinema?
This is a really interesting topic. There was also a Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time film with Jake Gyllenhaal that was released in 2010. Additionally, an Uncharted film has been in development since 2009, with a variety of stops and starts. Also, most intriguingly to me, was Gore Verbinski's Bioshock film, which never got out of the planning stage. I also think that it would be interesting to examine how gamers view these adaptions and how film fans view video game adaptions. Great, very relevant topic in today's pop culture landscape. – SeanGadus8 years ago
If we want to consider older adaptations, too, we could talk about Tomb Raider, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Resident Evil. We might also want to think about machinima (using video games to create one's own animated films). Video games and adventure films certainly have a lot in common. I'm not sure how far back we can find cut scenes in video games, but their presence shows a strong and lasting connection between the two genres. – JamesBKelley8 years ago
Another thing to consider is how much more creative control the creators of the video games sometimes have with their film adaptations. In the past video game adaptations were made with little to no creative input from the creators, but more recent adaptations such as Warcraft, Ratchet & Clank, and the upcoming Assassin's Creed movie are being co-developed with the people who made the games. Going off of this, it might be interesting to look into how game developers view the movie industry and why they would see the potential into adapting their properties into films. – Seth Childers8 years ago
I've been thinking a lot about this. It's sad to me that many of these movies are poorly adapted. In some ways, it seems that producers are still figuring out how to do this in the same way that films have been adapted from lengthy novels; the main challenge is capturing the story and the spirit of the game. It seems like a different challenge to choose what to include or cut from a game rather than a novel--which is generally more straightforward and follows a clearer story arc. These game adaptations don't necessarily retell the same story in a new format, but rather they use familiar characters to tell parts of the metanarrative not covered in the games or they mash together the important moments into one hodgepodge film. The Resident Evil movies were relatively good compared to other game adaptations. They also seemed to draw a broader fan-base because the films take time to tell the origins story, which is important for new people to establish a connection to the franchise without experiencing the games first. World of Warcraft tried to explore origins in its first installment, but I think it lacked focus and failed to establish a solid emotional connection with any one character. The movie was lackluster unfortunately, and I hope that they can learn from their mistakes and make a much-improved second installment. – Breezy8 years ago
Can't forget about the actors and actresses that portray our favorite characters in these movies. Some take the time to do their research and properly portray the character they are playing. Most go off of the adapted script and actually have no clue as to how to bring the character to the big screen. Hopeful that AC is good. – antsteve8 years ago
I think a large part of why adaptations generally don't do well is because their narratives are formatted for game play rather than character development. The game series format doesn't allow for an overarching story line that can fit nicely into one film, and since most main characters in video games are stripped down to allow the player to assume their role, we often don't start with a true character to get emotionally attached to. Though some of the iconic games like The Legend of Zelda have a strong story line, Link is a blank slate, and therefore would need a contrived personality just for film. We want something completely different from a game than we want from a movie. – wtardieu8 years ago
A lot of it has to do with two main things. The first is that, for awhile now, Hollywood has been remaking films left and right because they are losing creativity. As I got older, I noticed more and more movies from the 70's and 80's being remade. Now in 2016, there is at least one movie a month that is a 1980's remake, and usually not a good one. The second reason is because of the tremendous growth in the video game industry over the past two decades. The video game industry has surpassed Hollywood, and Hollywood execs are now jumping on the bandwagon. Keep in mind that Generation X and Millenials are now grown up, with families of their own. And like all generations, we have nostalgia for movies and shows when we were kids. The video game and movie industries know this, which is why you have so many sequels to video games and remakes of classic movies. – MikeySheff8 years ago
Curtis is one of my favourite documentary filmmakers. However, I often find it hard to point to exactly where he is on the political spectrum and wondered if anyone had thoughts on the subject? Although he professes to be "neutral" he has to say that in public due to his affiliation with the BBC, often his work can swing wildly from revolutionary Anarchist to militant socialist to uncompromisingly hard right Libertarian… Sometimes when he is making the same point!
Films and the production is constantly changing. With new technologies, it is often deemed as a good progression throughout time, but what are the cons? I wonder if film has perhaps lost its level of value in the growing world of technology.
Interesting topic. An interesting point to bring up would be the making of Young Frankenstein. Mel Brooks had to bring back people who had worked on films from the 30s and 40s because no one at the time knew how to film in black and white. And this was in the 70s. Could tackle film vs digital, the sound design aspect, the effects of relying on CGI... – CoolishMarrow908 years ago
In comic books, character traditionally stay young forever. However, in the past 30 or so years, several important and critically acclaimed stories have focused on aging super hero characters. Stories like the Dark Knight Returns (Batman) and Old Man Logan (Wolverine) have aged their respective characters well into middle age. These stories are considered some of the best for their respective characters (DKR is a landmark title) but how are these characters different than their younger counterparts. What is the impact of aging super heroes, who are traditionally portrayed as eternally young. How does the reader's perception of these characters change when they grow old or advance in age?
Interesting topic. It could be interesting to also discuss why Spiderman hasn't aged much in his comics, since many have already made fascinating commentary on that (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1dO462ufLc; worth watching the whole thing, but relevant content begins at 4:22). – ProtoCanon8 years ago
Another interesting affect this has on characters is the sliding time line of their back stories. Sometimes the writers can retcon this sort of stuff with little fuss, i.e. punisher fighting in Vietnam is changed to Iraq. But for a character like Magneto, whose origin story and, by extension, entire world view stem from his experience of the Holocaust, it's very hard to explain why he's not dead at this point. I don't know if you want to touch on this also, but related to this issue is the fact that characters who never age never die(and if they do, comic book death is cheap). So we have golden age, silver age, bonze age, and modern age heroes all occupying the same stage, all very nearly the same age. This presents especially interesting problems for legacy characters with large families. Take the bat family, that has something like four robins, three batgirls, and a bat-woman in it right now. And I think all four people who've held the flash mantel are alive now too. Not to mention the 6(?) green lanterns currently inhabiting sector 2814. Crises only keep these characters dead for so long. – ealohr8 years ago
Also worth noting is how lack of aging can be tied to lack of development in characters, so writers often reuse the same story tropes instead of letting the characters progress (i.e. the reversal of Peter and MJ's marriage leaving Peter as a single guy again, or bringing Aunt May back to life). – jnardone8 years ago
An analysis of how stand-up comedy bits deemed "offensive" by many can have positive and progressive effects on society. This could include humor as a method for minorities to gain acceptance, easing tensions between conflicting groups, and necessary questioning of social norms. Distinctions should also be made over helpful, value neutral, or harmful humor. For example, George Carlin's 7 words bit or any number of Dave Chappelle's bits on race as opposed to Michael Richard's racist rant at the Laugh Factory or numerous bits done by Bernard Manning.
Russell Peters is another example of this type of humor but he has always stated that he is challenging stereotypes. – Munjeera8 years ago
I'll admit that Glee could be a fairly problematic show, but why do people (especially those who talk about LGBTQ representation) seem happy to forget about the major steps that Glee took in this area. Why is the message of being yourself, embracing what makes you stand out, and finding family in what you love always forgotten about, even when Glee is mentioned?
I didn't watch the show, but many people I know said that they didn't like the show after the first season due to homophobic, sexist, and racist shows. Even though Glee does communicate an important theme, like you said, viewers were still frustrated with how the show handled LGBTQIA and other types of representation. If a show has LGBTQIA characters, they should at least attempt to represent them properly. Having a diverse range of characters meets the minimum standard. People expect better than a problematic representation of their communities. – seouljustice8 years ago
A deeper look into different cultures' perception of beauty and how they can affect one's inclination to watch a movie or film
The article resulting from this would be compelling if it succeeded in saying anything other than "films with more attractive actors are also more popular." – IsidoreIsou8 years ago
Are there any films where more grotesque main characters actually make the film more appealing and thus more popular? Will there be a distinction between the actor's beauty and that of the character? Will the article resulting from this prompt consider exploring non-physical components of attractiveness and beauty? – IsidoreIsou8 years ago
What about frankenstein? Does that count? – dandeliaon8 years ago
Really interesting idea for an article. I would say that its kind of a difficult topic because its hard to really "prove" anything definitely in terms of popularity due to beauty. But the idea is very provocative and I think that looking at beauty and how it plays a role in cinema - esp modern cinema - is a really great idea. Maybe focus less on the popularity and more on just the role beauty plays. – SDale428 years ago
This is a really cool idea but I think you have to be careful because you could end up going down a rabbit hole of ideas that branch off of this one; such as beauty standards in America, beauty standards in media, etc. I think also it's important to have a thesis with this, like should we not see movies because the leads are attractive? What is the point of writing this? – hannahb8 years ago
Why do so many books and movies come in threes? Blade, Austin Powers, Scream, The Hunger Games Trilogy… the list goes on for ages, regardless of genre. Is this just the perfect number of books or movies that are needed to wrap something up?
Nice topic. The writer should also consider looking beyond the formal and technical aspects of trilogies and examine the historical antecedents of contemporary trilogies. There might even be some value in discussing ancient Greek plays that came in three and ancient Indian epics whose three-part structures were prototypical versions of modern books and films. – IsidoreIsou8 years ago
There's an opportunity to take this topic in a number of interesting directions. The writer may consider exploring "omne trium perfectum" or the "rule of three" used in writing, comedy, fairy tales, rhetoric, poems etc... Why is it that things that come in three are more satisfying? Does this have any connection with trilogies being as common as they are? On a different note, maybe trilogies are created by certain economic demands–maybe they represent the perfect balance between "maximum number of works required to generate maximum profit" and "artistic quality and integrity." These are just random ideas. – IsidoreIsou8 years ago
Three has been such a significant number throughout history (the 3 major gods, the holy trinity, etc), that I think we are hardwired to find appeal in the number 3. It's fascinating, and could be a very interesting psychological investigation – MHayman8 years ago
Would love to read about this. Three is used everywhere and sometimes we don't even realize it. Is it just visually or mentally appealing? Or [enter your question] is it just the perfect number? – madigoldman8 years ago
Historical and symbolic reasons aside, there also has to be a modern day marketing reason behind the rise of the YA trilogy in particular, at this point. Trilogies are hot, they sell, and they sell more than one book. I bet if you looked, you could find sources supporting the fact that publishers are looking for trilogies and pushing authors to use a three book format. – ealohr8 years ago
Could it be that it's rooted in three-act structure? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-act_structure — I've never thought about it before, but that comes to mind. – Benjamin Brandall8 years ago