Alicia and Sarah take a walk on the wild side through their environmental analysis of the movie Avatar. They talk allusions, hubris, colonialism, and care for the planet. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom.
And Sarah’s dogs apologize for their barking ten minutes into the conversation and the tiny amount of echo/feedback in the beginning of the episode.
Literary terms of the week: sophrosyne, hubris, Pandora, avatar, and barbarian/savage
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Music by Craig Harmann
Cover art by Matt Holman
Show Notes:
30-second summary
Disney+
Literary terms of the week (plus historical context):
Sophrosyne - temperance, self-control, prudence (Jakesully)
Hubris - excessive pride - Colonel Miles Quaritch demonstrates tremendous hubris to a cartoonish level
Pandora - Greek goddess (all-giving) - opens jar or box, releasing evil into the world
Avatar - an incarnation in human form, an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person (vs NPC)
Barbarian/Savage - a person from an alien land, culture, or group believed to be inferior, uncivilized, or violent —used chiefly in historical references
Theme Development:
Environmentalism
Students, regardless of their political upbringing, care very deeply about the planet and the future of their home.
They are looking for answers and solutions. While Avatar doesn’t give them solutions, it open up discussion
What are we enjoying right now?
Alicia: Queen of the Universe (TV on Paramount+), The Dictionary of Lost Words (Pip Williams)
Sarah: I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Neiquist (book), Rosaline (movie - Hulu)
Last episode of 2022. Spend the rest of the year getting caught up on previous episodes and sharing with your friends.
Please “like” by clicking on the ❤ and share this post with your friends, colleagues, and fellow lit thinkers.
Chapter 3.8 - Learning From Pandora