#college update

[abyssal-author-and-artist]

fuck today's a hard drafting day I can't fucking focus or make sense of this

[astrafiammante]

Your college reunion is coming up! Tell us what you've been up to!

Got a prompt that I had to tell my former classmates from college what I've """accomplished""" since graduation, so here it is.

Made my way to New York, Then on to Berlin. Spoke German, wore black did the whole drugs-n-rave thing. Saw the world, did TV, reported the news, Was told I was too big, (in weight and nose) to continue.

I’ve won no awards, Earned zero millions. Written some stuff for NYTimes and DW. I’m proud of this life some may call it “small,” but honestly fuck them. And fuck “giving it your all.”

What have I been up to?

“Failing,” and flailing, deferring my dreams, moving, losing, far too many memes, gaining gray hair, and wrinkles, arguing online, group chats, insta-reels, and becoming a punchline of “settling” when really I was falling in love with Less ambition, less grit Being less fast, less sweat; Learning to live life and abandon the pressure. Finding happiness is truly the simplest pleasure.

[teomuchtohandle]

School Update

The Grades Are In!

I finished Critical Approaches to Literature with an A-! It was a lot of fun, though I did three weeks of work in the last week since depression and the funeral made doing my work a non-starter.

I'm really excited for my new class! It's the first writing class I've taken so far for my degree. SUPER anxious though. I have to submit a piece of fiction or poem I've written every week to have my classmates critique.

Current grades: Mathematical Reasoning For Modern Problem Solving: B+ Diverse Historical Narratives: A Ethical Problem Solving: B+ Critical Approaches to Literature: A- Intro to Creative Writing: In Progress

[wanologic]

💅💅💅

[punkpsychologist]

i've been up to the uni twice in the last two days and i'm still a bit nervous. definitely better than last year but AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. had to go up today to help B because his dorm got TOTALLY fucked. we're not sure if he's going to be able to live in the dorm he wants but we're crossing out fingers hoping that a good spot opens up. likewise a spot thats not on my hall!!!!! because!!!!! us dating would then be against the rules of my job!!!!!!!!!!! im going to scream, maybe cry and throw up. idk man anxiety sucks. it was so fucking hot on campus today your girl got so fucking burned.

- my beloved B <3

LET HIM IN

[lavender-rroses]

dude…let’s kill the horse

[allieebobo]

CT:OS Halloween bonus

As promised, wrote like a fiend this month and banged out almost a full chapter's worth of content for spooky season!

The update is three-quarters of chapter 7 (about 40k words including code and variants), and picks up where Sam's visit left off.

Release dates:

It will be out to ko-fi supporters on 31 Oct, and a week after to the public :)

Features:

Deal with the aftermath of your decisions over the weekend (talk to G, Tobin or Rayyan) <True horror>

Attend a language fellow/exchange student dinner-gathering as G's plus one (and the only American in the group). <the G-only scene I promised! You don't have to be dating.>

Prep Halloween costumes with your hallmates (yes, chaotic), and go trick or treating! 🎃

Attend a party after with the team ... then stay for horror movie marathon + sleepover or head back to Haynes to end the night with G.

Yep, Halloween hookups (however ill-advised ;)) are possible.

You can end this chapter very much in a committed relationship with the RO of your choice.

More details on the rest of the chapter/plans for CT:OS for 2024 below the cut.

Note: The rest of chapter 7 will include midterms, a time-skip (with some training/a match) and some fall festival shenanigans (because I love fall festivals). It should add up to a pretty chunky chapter that pretty much seals Act 1 of CT:OS (the 'settling into Cargill' part - establishing most of MC's friendships, routines, and possibly romances, forming a solid base for Act 2.)

I'll start writing the rest of the chapter once I'm done with Merry Crisis, and hope to get it out by end-Dec. We'll see! :)

[collegetennisoriginstory]

Public release CT:OS Chapter 5 (Update No. 9)!

The new CT:OS chapter is available for everyone! :)

Added Wordcount: 98k words (we’v passed the milestone of 500k words for CT:OS total!)

Features:

Sam attends team dinner at Valentina's (a love song comes on. Of course.)

Team party on Friday night (participate in a drinking game known as the Devil's Dozen (party edition). Partner Sam, Tobin, or Rayyan. If you play your cards right... you might also get to kiss 'em at the party.

Share a bed with Sam… pt. 1

Go out to a fancy Italian restaurant with Sam, then head to a bar afterward. Dance to old jukebox music.

Share a bed with Sam… pt. 2 (This one allows for some... intimacy.)

Have a tough (?) or happy (?) conversation with Sam before they leave on Sunday.

Author's note:

Thank you so much for supporting this game, I really really appreciate all the comments, the support, the beta-testing (honestly you guys are soo clutch! <3)

I'm always so humbled and amazed by all the love and the actual, constructive/concrete help I get, it means so much to me!

P.S. More G scenes will be coming right up VERY soon, I might do a mid-update release of just the G-scene.

P.P.S. Note on saves: They should work, actually. With the exception of strange 'readings' stats and strange 'photography_club' stats, because I think I revamped those.

[intotheelliwoods]

You guys wanted to see some Raph, heres some Raph!

Masterpost

[cardboardmoon]

Burger Saga part 17: Uncertainty

<- First Page

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[elryuse]

Pt. 3 About Him

BABEL'S CHAINS MASTERLIST : HERE

Wonyoung's Pov

A Breath Of Fresh Air

The warm sunlight bathed the pristine walkways of Babel University as I walked alongside my group. Yujin, our confident leader, led the conversation as usual, her sharp voice cutting through the air. Beside her, Gaeul and Liz giggled at something Rei had just said, while Leeseo scrolled on her phone, only half paying attention.

"Can you believe him?” Yujin scoffed, her expression one of disdain. “Bumping into Wonyoung like that and not even apologizing? It’s just pathetic. And Karina’s group didn’t even acknowledge it. They just walked off like they own the place.”

My heart tightened at the mention of him.

I knew who she was talking about—Y/n. The quiet scholarship student who had somehow, unintentionally, thrown my entire world into chaos.

“I mean, seriously,” Yujin continued, her arms crossing over her chest. “It’s one thing for some nobody to be clumsy, but for Aespa to not step in? Unacceptable.”

Gaeul nodded in agreement, her brows furrowing. “Karina and her group think they’re untouchable. Just because they’re gorgeous and rich doesn’t mean they can act like they’re above everyone else.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re just keeping him around for entertainment,” Rei added with a smirk. “Karina probably sees him as her newest plaything.”

Their words buzzed around me like static, but I barely registered them. My thoughts were somewhere else—on Y/n.

A Quiet Obsession

It had been a week since the incident. A week since Y/n had accidentally bumped into me in the crowded hallway, scattering my books across the floor. I’d been furious at first, glaring at him as he stumbled over his words, apologizing profusely.

But then… he had knelt down to pick up my books, his hands trembling slightly. His expression had been so earnest, so genuine.

“Sorry,” he’d said again, his voice soft and sincere. “I didn’t mean to…”

It was such a small moment, barely a blip in the chaos of Babel University, but for some reason, it had stuck with me.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

His quiet demeanor, the way he seemed so out of place among the arrogant and flashy students of Babel—it was intriguing. He wasn’t like the guys here, who spent their nights partying and their days bragging about their conquests. Y/n was… different.

Innocent.

Soft-spoken.

A breath of fresh air.

And that terrified me.

A Mask to Hide Behind

“Wonyoung?” Yujin’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I blinked, realizing the group had stopped walking. They were all looking at me expectantly.

“What?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

Yujin raised an eyebrow. “I said, what do you think about it? About him?”

My heart skipped a beat. “Who?”

“Y/n,” Yujin said, her tone laced with annoyance. “The guy who bumped into you. Or have you already forgotten?”

“Of course not,” I said quickly, forcing a nonchalant shrug. “He’s… just some random guy. Not worth talking about.”

Yujin smirked, clearly pleased with my response. “Exactly. He’s irrelevant. Let Karina’s group play with him if they want. It won’t end well for him anyway.”

The others laughed, and I forced myself to join in, even though my chest felt tight.

What was wrong with me? Why did I care about him so much?

A Moment Alone

Later that evening, I found myself sitting alone in the campus gardens. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the perfectly manicured hedges and fountains.

I took a deep breath, trying to clear my mind. But no matter how hard I tried, Y/n’s face kept appearing in my thoughts.

I didn’t understand it. I barely knew him, yet there was something about him that drew me in. His innocence, his kindness—it was like a beacon in the darkness of Babel’s cutthroat world.

But I couldn’t let myself feel this way. I had a reputation to uphold. I was Jang Wonyoung, the princess of Babel University. I couldn’t let a scholarship student like Y/n derail my carefully constructed image.

And yet…

I found myself smiling at the memory of his awkward apology, the way his cheeks had flushed when he realized who I was.

“Maybe…” I whispered to myself, “just maybe…”

But I didn’t finish the thought.

The sound of footsteps approaching snapped me out of my reverie. I quickly composed myself, slipping my mask of indifference back on.

“Wonyoung,” Yujin called, her voice carrying across the garden. “What are you doing out here?”

“Nothing,” I said, standing up and brushing off my skirt. “Just enjoying the sunset.”

Yujin gave me a curious look but didn’t press further. “Come on. The others are waiting.”

I nodded, falling into step beside her. But as we walked away, I couldn’t help but glance back at the garden, my thoughts once again drifting to Y/n.

Y/n’s POV

The library was quieter than usual, the hum of whispers and the occasional rustling of papers filling the air. I sat across from Karina and Giselle, a project we’d been assigned in full swing. Despite the peaceful surroundings, my mind was elsewhere, wandering to the events of the day and the strange attention I’d been receiving since arriving at Babel.

“Y/n,” Giselle’s voice cut through my thoughts like a knife, “are you even paying attention?”

Before I could react, she snapped her fingers right in front of my eyes. I flinched, blinking rapidly as my focus returned to the table.

“Ah! Sorry!” I stammered, rubbing the back of my neck.

Giselle chuckled, her grin mischievous. “There you are. We’re supposed to be working on this together, remember?”

Karina, sitting beside her, let out a soft laugh as well, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Don’t be too hard on him, Giselle. He’s probably overwhelmed being in such prestigious company.”

I felt my face heat up at her teasing tone. “I’m not overwhelmed,” I muttered, looking down.

Karina smiled knowingly and slid a stack of papers toward me. “Here, this might help. And take this.” She handed me a sleek, expensive-looking pen.

“Thanks,” I murmured, taking the pen and quickly jotting down the notes they’d been discussing.

The atmosphere at the table was surprisingly light. Karina and Giselle seemed relaxed, chatting easily about the project and occasionally throwing in a teasing remark. For a moment, I almost felt comfortable.

But that moment didn’t last long.

Unwelcome Interruptions

The sound of heels clicking against the polished library floor drew my attention. I looked up just in time to see Yujin and Gaeul approaching our table, their expressions sharp and unyielding.

My heart sank.

“Here we go,” Giselle muttered under her breath, exchanging a glance with Karina.

“Y/n,” Yujin said, her tone clipped as she stopped beside the table. “We need to talk.”

“Now’s not really a good time,” Karina interjected, her voice cool and calm.

Yujin’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t address Karina. Instead, she focused on me. “You owe Wonyoung an apology,” she said bluntly.

I blinked, taken aback. “An apology? For what?”

“For bumping into her last week,” Gaeul added, crossing her arms. “And for not showing proper respect to her afterward.”

“Are you serious?” Giselle said, leaning back in her chair with an incredulous look. “It was an accident. Let it go.”

“It’s not your business, Giselle,” Yujin snapped, her gaze icy. “This is between him and us.”

Karina let out a low laugh, leaning forward slightly. “You’ve got some nerve barging in here and making demands.”

“Stay out of this, Karina,” Yujin said, her tone full of warning. “We’re not here for you.”

Caught in the Crossfire

I could feel the tension in the air thickening, like a storm about to break. My stomach churned as I glanced between the two groups, unsure of what to do or say.

“I… I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” I said finally, my voice hesitant.

“An apology isn’t just about meaning well,” Yujin shot back. “It’s about showing respect. Do you even understand who Wonyoung is?”

“Enough,” Karina said sharply, cutting Yujin off. “You don’t get to lecture him like he’s beneath you.”

“Because he is beneath us,” Gaeul said, her tone dripping with disdain.

My hands clenched into fists under the table, frustration bubbling up inside me. “I don’t think anyone’s beneath anyone,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “And I didn’t mean to bump into her. It was an accident.”

Yujin scoffed. “Accidents don’t excuse rudeness.”

“Rudeness?” Giselle said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re the ones barging in here and causing a scene.”

Gaeul ignored her, stepping closer to the table. “We’re not leaving until you apologize properly.”

“Then you’ll be here for a while,” Karina said coolly, folding her arms.

Unexpected Words

I felt trapped, my mind racing for a way to diffuse the situation. Just as I opened my mouth to say something, a new voice cut through the tension.

“Enough.”

We all turned to see Wonyoung standing a few feet away, her expression unreadable.

“Wonyoung?” Yujin said, surprised.

“Let it go,” Wonyoung said, her voice calm but firm. “He doesn’t need to apologize.”

“But—” Yujin began, only for Wonyoung to hold up a hand to silence her.

“It was an accident,” Wonyoung continued, her gaze briefly meeting mine before shifting away. “And I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

The room fell silent, the tension slowly dissipating as Wonyoung’s words sank in.

“Fine,” Yujin said reluctantly, though her glare made it clear she wasn’t happy about it. “Let’s go.”

With one last look at me, she turned and walked away, Gaeul following close behind.

Aftermath

As the door to the library closed behind them, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Well,” Giselle said, breaking the silence, “that was… dramatic.”

Karina chuckled, her smirk returning. “You’re handling the chaos of Babel better than I expected, Y/n.”

“Thanks, I guess,” I said, my voice shaky.

Karina’s smirk softened into a smile as she slid the papers back toward me. “Come on. Let’s finish this project.”

And just like that, the tension was gone, replaced by the comforting rhythm of work. But even as I focused on the task at hand, I couldn’t shake the image of Wonyoung standing there, her voice calm and commanding.

What was going on in this university?

The streets outside Babel University buzzed with life as I followed Karina toward her apartment. She’d insisted I come over to help cook for Winter, who was down with a nasty cold. It wasn’t exactly how I imagined ending my day, but I couldn’t refuse her request—especially after she mentioned she didn’t know how to cook.

“Do you cook often?” Karina asked, glancing at me with a curious smile as we walked.

“Not often, but I know the basics,” I replied. “Enough to get by.”

Karina nodded approvingly. “Good. Winter’s picky, but I’m sure she’ll appreciate a home-cooked meal.”

As we continued through the quiet streets, I noticed a small minimarket nestled between apartment complexes. “I’ll need to grab some groceries if we’re cooking,” I said, pointing to the store.

“Good idea,” Karina agreed. “I’ll wait outside.”

A Heated Argument

The minimarket was surprisingly empty, save for the faint hum of a fridge and a heated argument near the counter. As I moved toward the produce section, the sharp voice of a young woman caught my attention.

“What do you mean this store doesn’t accept black cards? Do you even know how much money I have on this card?”

The cashier, a middle-aged man, looked exasperated but stood his ground. “I’m sorry, lady, but we only accept cash. It’s store policy.”

“Aishh…” The girl groaned, rubbing her temples. “I don’t carry cash. And I’m thirsty as hell. Are you seriously telling me I can’t get this stupid bottle of water?”

I paused, watching the scene unfold. The girl was tall and striking, her dyed blonde hair tied in a messy bun. She wore a designer tracksuit, and the way she spoke made it clear she was used to getting her way.

The cashier shrugged. “I don’t make the rules.”

The girl sighed dramatically, muttering under her breath. She looked genuinely frustrated, and for some reason, I felt compelled to step in.

“Excuse me,” I said, walking up to the counter. “I can pay for it.”

She turned to me, her eyes wide with surprise. “Huh? No, you don’t have to do that.”

“It’s fine,” I insisted, already pulling out a few bills. “It’s just water.”

She hesitated, her pride warring with her obvious need for the drink. Finally, she relented, crossing her arms with a small huff. “Fine. But just this once.”

The cashier rang up the water, and I handed over the cash. The girl grabbed the bottle, taking a long sip before turning back to me.

An Unexpected Introduction

“Thanks,” she said, her voice softer now. “I was about to lose it back there.”

“No problem,” I replied, feeling a bit awkward under her intense gaze.

She straightened up and gave me a small bow, her expression shifting to something more genuine. “I’m Yuna. Thanks for helping me out.”

“Y/n,” I replied.

She tilted her head, studying me for a moment. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Uh, no. I’m a scholarship student at Babel,” I explained.

Her eyes widened slightly. “Babel? Huh. You don’t look like the type to survive there.”

I chuckled nervously. “Yeah, I’ve heard that a lot.”

“Well, Y/n,” she said, her tone turning playful, “I guess you’re alright. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and sauntered out of the store, leaving me standing there in a daze.

Groceries and Questions

I quickly grabbed the ingredients I needed—some chicken, vegetables, and a few seasonings—and headed back outside, where Karina was waiting.

“What took you so long?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“There was… a situation,” I said vaguely, not sure how to explain the encounter with Yuna.

Karina gave me a knowing smile. “Let me guess. You got caught up helping someone again?”

“Maybe,” I admitted.

She laughed, shaking her head. “You’re too nice for your own good, Y/n.”

Cooking with Karina

Back at their apartment, I got to work in the small but well-equipped kitchen. Karina hovered nearby, watching curiously as I chopped vegetables and seasoned the chicken.

“You’re surprisingly good at this,” she remarked, leaning against the counter.

“Thanks,” I said, focusing on the task. “I had to learn a bit growing up.”

As the aroma of the food filled the apartment, Karina’s phone buzzed. She checked it and frowned.

“Winter’s asking if it’s ready yet,” she said with a sigh.

“Almost,” I replied, plating the food carefully.

When it was done, Karina helped me carry the dishes to Winter’s room. The sick girl looked up from her bed, her face lighting up at the sight of the meal.

“You actually cooked?” Winter asked, her voice hoarse but teasing.

“Don’t get used to it,” Karina shot back with a smirk. “It’s all thanks to Y/n.”

“Thanks, Y/n,” Winter said with a small smile.

As I sat down to eat with Karina and Giselle in the living room, my thoughts drifted back to Yuna. Something about her stuck with me, and I had a feeling our paths would cross again.

The warm glow of the apartment lights felt cozy as we finished the meal together. Winter, now looking much more energetic, leaned back against the cushions with a satisfied sigh.

“This was amazing,” she said, looking at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You’ve got some serious cooking skills, Y/n.”

“Thanks,” I replied, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

Out of nowhere, Winter leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. My body froze, and I felt my face heat up instantly.

“Winter!” Karina and Giselle exclaimed simultaneously, their voices a mix of surprise and disbelief.

Winter just smirked, leaning back and crossing her arms confidently. “What? I can’t kiss the man who cooked this wonderful meal for me?”

I stammered, completely caught off guard, while Karina and Giselle exchanged an unspoken look. It was quick, but there was an undeniable tension in their gazes—something between annoyance and amusement.

“Don’t scare him off, Winter,” Giselle finally said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

“Scare him off?” Winter chuckled, making a funny face as she watched how red my face had become. “Come on, he’s fine. Look, he’s blushing like crazy!”

I sighed in defeat, shaking my head. “You’re impossible.”

Karina and Giselle burst into laughter, and Winter joined in, clearly enjoying the chaos she’d stirred up.

Where’s Ningning?

As the laughter settled, I glanced around the apartment. “By the way, where’s Ningning?” I asked.

“She had a family dinner tonight,” Karina explained, brushing her hair back casually. “Otherwise, she’d be here causing even more trouble.”

“Lucky me, I guess,” I said with a small smile, earning a playful nudge from Giselle.

“She’d probably make you cook for her too,” Giselle teased. “You’d never get out of here."

A Late Night Departure

After the meal, I insisted on helping clean up. Karina handed me a dish towel while Giselle worked on packing away leftovers. Winter sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone but occasionally tossing in snarky comments.

“You’re really something, Y/n,” Karina said as I scrubbed a plate. “Most guys wouldn’t bother helping.”

“I’m just doing what’s right,” I replied, trying to keep my focus on the task.

When the dishes were done and the living room tidied up, I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting late, and the thought of cycling home in the dark didn’t exactly thrill me.

“Well, I think I should head out,” I said, grabbing my jacket.

“What? Already?” Winter asked, pouting dramatically.

“You could stay a little longer,” Karina suggested, her voice light but her eyes almost hopeful.

“I’m pretty tired,” I admitted. “And I still have an early class tomorrow.”

The girls exchanged looks before reluctantly agreeing.

“Fine,” Giselle said, leaning against the counter. “But next time, you’re staying longer. No excuses.”

Winter made another funny face. “And cooking for all of us again.”

I laughed softly. “We’ll see.”

The Reluctant Goodbye

As I moved toward the door, Karina walked me out, her hands resting casually in her pockets.

“Thanks again for helping out tonight,” she said, her tone more sincere now. “It really means a lot.”

“Anytime,” I replied, smiling. “Take care of Winter. And yourself.”

She nodded, giving me a small wave as I stepped out into the cool night air. The city streets were quiet, save for the distant hum of cars. As I pedaled home, my mind replayed the events of the night.

Winter’s unexpected kiss, Karina’s subtle glances, and Giselle’s teasing comments all swirled in my thoughts. It felt like I was stepping into something I didn’t fully understand—something dangerous yet oddly enticing.

I shook my head, focusing on the road ahead. Whatever it was, I’d have to figure it out one step at a time.

To be continued

[metanarrates]

Hello. Sorry if this a stupid question u can ignore if u want.

How can someone get better at media analysis? Besides obviously reading a lot.

Im asking this bc im in a point where im aware of my own lack of tools to analyze stories, but i don't know where to get them or how to get better in general. How did you learn to analyze media? There's any specific book, essay, author, etc that you recommend? Somewhere to start?

I'm asking you because you are genuinely the person who has the best takes on this site. Thank you for you work!

it sounds like a cop-out answer but it's always felt like a skill I acquired mostly thru reading a ton, and by paying a lot of attention in high school literature classes. because of that I can't promise that I'm necessarily equipped to be a good teacher or that i know good resources. HOWEVER! let me run some potential advice to you based on the shit i get a lot of mileage out of

first off, a lot of literary analysis is about pattern recognition! not just pattern recognition in-text, but out-of-text as well. how does this work relate to its genre? real-world history? does it have parallels between real-life situations? that kind of thing.

which is a big concept to just describe off the bat, so let me break it down further!

in literature, there is the concept of something called literary devices - they are some of the basic building blocks in how a story is delivered mechanically and via subtext. have you ever heard of a motif? that is a literary device. it's a pattern established in the text in order to further the storytelling! and here is a list of a ton of common literary devices - I'd recommend reading the article. it breaks down a lot of commonly used ones in prose and poetry and explains their usage.

personally, I don't find all the literary devices I've learned about in school to be the most useful to my analytical hobbies online. motifs, themes, and metaphors are useful and dissecting them can bring a lot to the table, but a lot of other devices are mostly like fun bonus trivia for me to notice when reading. however, memorizing those terms and trying to notice them in the things you read does have a distinct benefit - it encourages you to start noticing patterns, and to start thinking of the mechanical way a story is built. sure, thinking about how the prose is constructed might not help you understand the story much more, but it does make you start thinking about how things like prose contribute to the greater feeling of a piece, or how the formatting of a piece contributes to its overall narrative. you'll start developing this habit of picking out little things about a text, which is useful.

other forms of in-text pattern recognition can be about things like characterization! how does a character react to a certain situation? is it consistent with how they usually behave? what might that tell you about how they think? do they have tells that show when they're not being trustworthy? does their viewpoint always match what is happening on screen? what ideas do they have about how the world works? how are they influenced by other people in their lives? by social contexts that might exist? by situations that have affected them? (on that note, how do situations affect other situations?)

another one is just straight-up noticing themes in a work. is there a certain idea that keeps getting brought up? what is the work trying to say about that idea? if it's being brought up often, it's probably worth paying attention to!

that goes for any pattern, actually. if you notice something, it's worth thinking about why it might be there. try considering things like potential subtext, or what a technique might be trying to convey to a reader. even if you can't explain why every element of a text is there, you'll often gain something by trying to think about why something exists in a story.

^ sometimes the answer to that question is not always "because it's intentional" or even "because it was a good choice for the storytelling." authors frequently make choices that suck shit (I am a known complainer about choices that suck shit.) that's also worth thinking about. english classes won't encourage this line of thinking, because they're trying to get you to approach texts with intentional thought instead of writing them off. I appreciate that goal, genuinely, but I do think it hampers people's enthusiasm for analysis if they're not also being encouraged to analyze why they think something doesn't work well in a story. sometimes something sucks and it makes new students mad if they're not allowed to talk about it sucking! I'll get into that later - knowing how and why something doesn't work is also a valuable skill. being an informed and analytical hater will get you far in life.

so that's in-work literary analysis. id also recommend annotating your pages/pdfs or keeping a notebook if you want to close-read a work. keeping track of your thoughts while reading even if they're not "clever" or whatever encourages you to pay attention to a text and to draw patterns. it's very useful!

now, for out-of-work literary analysis! it's worth synthesizing something within its context. what social settings did this work come from? was it commenting on something in real life? is it responding to some aspects of history or current events? how does it relate to its genre? does it deviate from genre trends, commentate on them, or overall conform to its genre? where did the literary techniques it's using come from - does it have any big stylistic influences? is it referencing any other texts?

and if you don't know the answer to a bunch of these questions and want to know, RESEARCH IS YOUR FRIEND! look up historical events and social movements if you're reading a work from a place or time you're not familiar with. if you don't know much about a genre, look into what are considered common genre elements! see if you can find anyone talking about artistic movements, or read the texts that a work might be referencing! all of these things will give you a far more holistic view of a work.

as for your own personal reaction to & understanding of a work... so I've given the advice before that it's good to think about your own personal reactions to a story, and what you enjoy or dislike about it. while this is true that a lot of this is a baseline jumping-off point on how I personally conduct analysis, it's incomplete advice. you should not just be thinking about what you enjoy or dislike - you should also be thinking about why it works or doesn't work for you. if you've gotten a better grasp on story mechanics by practicing the types of pattern recognition i recognized above, you can start digging into how those storytelling techniques have affected you. did you enjoy this part of a story? what made it work well? what techniques built tension, or delivered well on conflict? what about if you thought it sucked? what aspects of storytelling might have failed?

sometimes the answer to this is highly subjective and personal. I'm slightly romance-averse because I am aromantic, so a lot of romance plots will simply bore me or actively annoy me. I try not to let that personal taste factor too much into serious critiques, though of course I will talk about why I find something boring and lament it wasn't done better lol. we're only human. just be aware of those personal taste quirks and factor them into analysis because it will help you be a bit more objective lol

but if it's not fully influenced by personal taste, you should get in the habit of building little theses about why a story affected you in a certain way. for example, "I felt bored and tired at this point in a plot, which may be due to poor pacing & handling of conflict." or "I felt excited at this point in the plot, because established tensions continued to get more complex and captured my interest." or "I liked this plot point because it iterated on an established theme in a way that brought interesting angles to how the story handled the theme." again, it's just a good way to think about how and why storytelling functions.

uh let's see what else. analysis is a collaborative activity! you can learn a lot from seeing how other people analyze! if you enjoy something a lot, try looking into scholarly articles on it, or youtube videos, or essays online! develop opinions also about how THOSE articles and essays etc conduct analysis, and why you might think those analyses are correct or incorrect! sometimes analyses suck shit and developing a counterargument will help you think harder about the topic in question! think about audience reactions and how those are created by the text! talk to friends! send asks to meta blogs you really like maybe sometimes

find angles of analysis that interest and excite you! if you're interested in feminist lenses on a work, or racial lenses, or philosophical lenses, look into how people conduct those sort of analyses on other works. (eg. search feminist analysis of hamlet, or something similar so you can learn how that style of analysis generally functions) and then try applying those lenses to the story you're looking at. a lot of analysts have a toolkit of lenses they tend to cycle through when approaching a new text - it might not be a bad idea to acquire a few favored lenses of your own.

also, most of my advice is literary advice, since you can broadly apply many skills you learn in literary analysis to any other form of storytelling, but if you're looking at another medium, like a game or cartoon, maybe look up some stuff about things like ludonarrative storytelling or visual storytelling! familiarizing yourself with the specific techniques common to a certain medium will only help you get better at understanding what you're seeing.

above all else, approach everything with intellectual curiosity and sincerity. even if you're sincerely curious about why something sucks, letting yourself gain information and potentially learning something new or being humbled in the process will help you grow. it's okay to not have all the answers, or to just be flat-out wrong sometimes. continuing to practice is a valuable intellectual pursuit even if it can mean feeling a tad stupid sometimes. don't be scared to ask questions. get comfortable sometimes with the fact that the answer you'll arrive at after a lot of thought and effort will be "I don't fully know." sometimes you don't know and that can be valuable in its own right!

thank you for the ask, and I hope you find this helpful!

[darkmagic-s]

#gethimback, part five.

How lovely things are when it's just you and him.

Previous: Part four. │ Masterlist. │ Next: Part six (soon!).

content: social media au, fem!reader, no-curses!au, college!au, cursing, slight dark humour, pathetic gojo, comedy, manga ref to a scene but not a big spoiler or anything.

Previous: Part four. │ Masterlist. │ Next: Part six (soon!).

photo credits: ridotomoji for hajime's coloured profile photo.

taglist: @moonchhu @yoimiya-m

[genshin-impact-updates]

Happy Birthday, Yaoyao!

"*whistle* Thanks, little finches~ Today is indeed my birthday!"

[favoure]

a lifetime of indentured servitude

used this frame from the mv of "femme fatale" by kedarui as ref for this piece ! just thought that it fit them perfectly orz

[punkpsychologist]

i am so full of anxiety

i'm an RA now

i move into the dorm in less than a week

i have not even scratched the surface of packing

the anxiety has been fucking insidious but i've been trying to talk myself down to understand and get it through my thick ass skull that everything is going to be ok

i might be stuck with a fucking roommate for a couple of weeks which completely negates the wanting of me taking that job

it is very late and i am very tired and stressed out, oh hwell

b and i are doing beautifully, we're talking about how we want to get married and its really nice making plans and stuff

i've spend many days staying over at his mother's house with him and his siblings to bond this summer and he's stayed over at mine a couple of times which was really cool

he and i have been helping each other so much i love him so fucking much

i need to get myself into the academia mindset again

learning for the sake of knowledge and doing my best to live up to my standard of "no hack doctors"

but i also need to relax and have fun, RA training scares the shit out of me. i have some baggage from a previous situation thats made me like scared of stuff like this so i'm really hoping that this job helps that part of my brain

its so late, and im feeling very frustrated with the situation i am expericing right now, and i am not going to talk about it here because it's petty. but i feel like playing totk and drinking a mudslide or something fun as a dionysian treat while i vibe in my own energies. i want to do my own thing

i've been making macrame necklaces to focus my energy onto something. i brought a couple to b's house today and i let him wear one when we went to the movies and it looked so perfect on him. he's so beautiful :)

he worse the necklace to his dnd session and apparently

ok it's the next morning now and i'm feeling much better lol. it's all fine. i'm going to try and start being a little more active on here just to get my mind back to the better habits i had from last august.

i hope all of you are doing well and i genuinely wish the best for all of you this year :)

a couple of actual school things

taking a course on human sexuality which will be interesting

taking another one on cognitive processes

i need to start getting closer to some of my professors so i can have more bonds and connections and be able to get letters of reference and actually feel good about it

additionally, two of my psych classes this semester are from the same professor i had last semester and i'm hoping to get a lot closer to her and show myself as a promising student