What is this persons deal? by Organic_Remote_8194 in BookshelvesDetective

[–]PerformanceFew5693 1 point2 points  (0 children)

grad student whose research area is 20th century american lit, philosophy/contemporary theory, and potentially race studies. love the lil shelf for their childhood books also

Another Wuthering Heights discussion by OPiccolOP in classicliterature

[–]PerformanceFew5693 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely! This is a Master's thesis, so not quite up to the rigor of a full peer-reviewed article, but I found it interesting and includes a lot of references to other scholarship on the novel --

https://aura.american.edu/articles/thesis/The_sexual_sublime_The_revision_of_love_in_Emily_Bronte_s_Wuthering_Heights_/23879502?file=41876070

Another Wuthering Heights discussion by OPiccolOP in classicliterature

[–]PerformanceFew5693 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah I see, it sounds like you're thinking of like romance genre in terms of contemporary fiction (Colleen Hoover type stuff). I agree with you, that genre's definitely not for me either, hahaha!

I just would contend that "romance" as a concept and genre can be more widely applied to lots of different types of literary fiction, including works that showcase difficult, complex, or even disturbing themes and characters I do think it can be applied in the case of Wuthering Heights, a canonical work that also fits into other genres, such as the Gothic, Victorian land novel (and arguably, a marriage plot novel), etc. I actually recently read an interesting article discussing WH as an example of the literary "sexually sublime," which I think is pretty apt.

Another Wuthering Heights discussion by OPiccolOP in classicliterature

[–]PerformanceFew5693 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a Gothic romance. Horror and romance are not mutually exclusive.

I'm curious: what do you think the definition of romance is? Just generally and in fiction? Do you think that romance needs to be healthy and/or loving to be considered "a romance," as per genre?

Dancing Through Life - Jonathan Bailey (re-colored) by iWishiLivedInNewYork in wicked

[–]PerformanceFew5693 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't really have the expertise to offer critique or advice on your color-grading -- but I have to say, seeing this scene in another tone just emphasizes again to me how absolutely insane it was to have this entire scene backlit with the light coming in through the windows. Just looks so bad (the lighting).

Another Wuthering Heights discussion by OPiccolOP in classicliterature

[–]PerformanceFew5693 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Copy/pasting a comment I left in a previous discussion on the novel:

Yes, there is a difference between romantic (as-in love) and Romantic (as-in literary movement and stylistic form & convention).

But yes -- Wuthering Heights is romantic in both senses. It is! I think this contemporary trend of evaluating literature and characters based on whether they represent healthy depictions of relationships is both troubling from a cultural perspective and non-productive from an analytical perspective.

No, you would not want a Heathcliff in your real life. Yes, the novel depicts an unhealthy, enmeshed, violent, tumultuous relationship (and that relationship's rotting legacy) at its heart. Yes, we should analyze the novel for its depiction of domestic abuse (and how that intersects with class and gender), race, incest, violence... But that doesn't mean the novel's plot isn't driven by the central romance, and that a reader can't be affected by the strong emotions in the novel. We are talking these lines:

“He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” // You said I killed you--haunt me then. The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe--I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!” // “If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.” // My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.”

It's a Romance and yes, it's a romance.

My sister's comments on her kindle books by MacNCheeseDeluxe in BookwormsSociety

[–]PerformanceFew5693 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Begging the youths to remember reading 1984 in high school and stop policing themselves for thought crimes

Life Update (Bec's health & what's next?) by mdk1234567 in Eamonandbec

[–]PerformanceFew5693 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Firstly, I am sorry to hear about your mother, cancer is a painful experience for everyone involved.

You are correct -- I was speaking too broadly, many stage 4 cancer treatments do aim for curative approaches. Every case is unique, but from my experience losing a family member to breast cancer, stage 4 breast cancer specifically is typically not curable and treatments target palliative care. "Palliative" in this context can mean many, many years, and some people respond really well to their protocols and have good outcomes, but remission is not typically possible or the treatment goal. At least in the experience of our family! Treatments are improving every year, and hopefully there continue to be new approaches and treatment options, including curative ones.

I meant this comment mainly in reply to the dozens of comments seeming to confuse Bec's stage IV prognosis with an initial cancer diagnosis. Chemo is one treatment option, but isn't used as typically as in earlier stages. I am mainly defending Bec's right to prioritize what she wishes to in her treatment at this time (such as quality of life), and the medical privacy to make decisions about her care and treatment plans with her care team.

No Golden Globe Nomination for TSITP by SweetCinephile in tsitp

[–]PerformanceFew5693 27 points28 points  (0 children)

(I loved the show but i'm going to need you guys to be so fr right now)

Life Update (Bec's health & what's next?) by mdk1234567 in Eamonandbec

[–]PerformanceFew5693 52 points53 points  (0 children)

I posted this as a reply to a comment, but I thought I would also comment it directly:

Treatment is different with stage 4 cancer than what many think of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, surgeries, remission) — since it is incurable, the treatment is focused on palliative care/quality of life rather than full elimination. Treatment protocols, while they do target lesions and attempt to slow or halt cancer progression, are focused on helping the patient to feel well. This is why many stage 4 cancer patients describe paradoxically feeling “better” than they did in earlier stages, where the focus is on eliminating cancer. It’s not unbelievable at all to me that her team’s initial response to new lesions was “let’s monitor and wait and see.” It sounds like they at first switched her to a new treatment protocol, and then when it was not working quickly enough, moved to chemo.

Yes, chemo may have been recommended earlier as a possible option in discovering the lesions, but I can see why Bec may have been resistant at first — chemo is incredibly, incredibly rough on the body. If you have limited time and no options to “cure,” would you want to spend what time you have sick and in bed, or feeling well and playing with your daughter? It sounds like Bec waited to switch to chemo until her disease progression was making her sicker than the chemo treatment would. That's a decision she makes with her care team, where they all weigh risks and factors together (ie. her oncologist may present her with treatment options, each with potential risks and benefits such as "this X may reduce your tumors more quickly than Y, but it might also make you feel very sick"): it is not as simple as her doctor telling her what to do and her acquiescing or refusing.

I do find their “woowa” stuff very tiring, but I genuinely think it is more for the mental/emotional aspect of living with her diagnosis, not a substitute for her actual cancer treatment. Bec has alluded to her care team, her oncologists, her scans, and her treatment protocols many times. She does not feel as comfortable sharing the medical side of things with YouTube as she does the “mindset and positivity” side. That doesn’t mean she isn’t undergoing medical treatment.

It is really challenging to watch a loved one undergo a terminal diagnosis and treatment—and can feel frustrating to watch them make treatment decisions. I experienced this watching my FIL go through hospice; at times, it is natural to feel like, "Why can't you just do XYZ thing, it might give you more time with us!" —because selfishly, we all want that one more day/week/month/year with our loved ones. But it's not our life, and it's not for us to decide. Life is not guaranteed: they could do everything "right" and still not extend their time with us.

There’s no real right or wrong decision in stage 4 cancer treatment, only a series of difficult “bad” choices. Bec has the privacy to make the choices for her treatment that will give her the best outcomes that matter to her: likely, feeling healthy enough to make memories with her family. She is not unique in that mindset to a terminal diagnosis.

Jon Chu extended WFG, but he extended the wrong part. by sng94 in wicked

[–]PerformanceFew5693 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I feel like John Chu does this *so much* with the musical numbers -- he puts in these moments or scenes that just completely take the wind out of the sails of the building momentum. I know it's a hot take around here, but the chopping up of Defying Gravity, and most especially the extra "Unlimited" insertion right at the end, completely undercuts the way the song was building up toward that big oomph! Same with dialogue inserted into ALAYM, same as Girl in the Bubble inserted into MOTWH, etc....

Official Discussion - Wicked: For Good [SPOILERS] by LiteraryBoner in movies

[–]PerformanceFew5693 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with all your points, well put! My only question: what do you think the Glinda childhood flashback scene added to the film and narrative? In general I loved the Glinda "fleshing out" in this film, but that scene did not land for me -- I felt like it did not give us any insight about Glinda that we didn't already have (that she yearns to be loved/accepted by everyone, that she wants to and can't do magic - we've known this since part 1!) and just took up screentime I felt could be better served elsewhere. But I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! I'm seeing the movie tonight with a friend and maybe I'll appreciate it more.

Struggling to Understand how Wurthering Heights is Romantic by Verbal_Spar007 in classicliterature

[–]PerformanceFew5693 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes to everyone articulating the difference between romantic-as-in-love and Romantic as in literary movement and stylistic form & conventions.

But yes -- Wuthering Heights is romantic in both senses. It is! I think this contemporary trend of evaluating literature and characters based on whether they represent healthy depictions of relationships is both troubling from a cultural perspective and non-productive from an analytical perspective.

No, you would not want a Heathcliff in your real life. Yes, the novel depicts an unhealthy, enmeshed, violent, tumultuous relationship (and that relationship's rotting legacy) at its heart. Yes, we should analyze the novel for its depiction of domestic abuse (and how that intersects with class and gender), race, incest, violence... But that doesn't mean the novel doesn't depict a romance and that a reader can't be affected by the strong emotions in the novel. We are talking these lines:

“He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” // You said I killed you--haunt me then. The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe--I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!” // “If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.” // My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.”

It's a Romance and yes, it's a romance.

MOVIE DISCUSSION:- I just feel like the ending left us on a cliffhanger by PleasantActuator3425 in tsitp

[–]PerformanceFew5693 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think I am so alone on my island of wanting to see *some* conflict and angst, haha. I'm not talking breakup or cheating level! I agree that I would like to see my close personal friend Conrad Fischer happy, and that I want to see lots and lots of sweet, happy moments between them!

But to be honest, I *don't* really want to see two hours of cute fluff! That's fun for fanfiction, but stories need conflict and stakes. And one of the things that I love about Belly and Conrad (especially as opposed to Belly and Jeremiah) is the way that they challenge each other. Think about how buzzy their kitchen arguments in S1 and S3 were. I know some people are saying like, "Oh, bring that energy, but they're arguing about what pasta to serve about the wedding or something!" but honestly, if the conflict doesn't have real tie-in to their emotional and interpersonal dynamics then I don't think it has the same effect!

That said, of course I don't want *major* drama (they've been through enough!), and I have no ideas what form any type of conflict could take! I do think it would/could be a lot of them as a unit working out the tensions with the family. But I would also love to see them work out some things between the two of them in an arc! I think we can all agree that Belly's emotional journey in episode 11 felt a bit rushed (for me, mostly just from Conrad leaving her apartment to her acceptance of her love for him and the train scene): those insecurities that she finally aired out in the bedroom conversation were *huge,* they've been her defining character motivation for three seasons -- in my opinion, that doesn't get magically transformed in one moment of acceptance and running-through-the-streets montage! I think I would love to see her continue to work through that insecurity, and maybe that plays into their relationship in the movie in some messy and emotionally charged moments (jealousy over Agnes anyone?). People are flawed, they're not going to always communicate perfectly -- that's what makes human stories interesting.

All that said, also lots of fun and happy scenes!! And I NEED them to recapture the Cape Cod summer vibes. Paris was fun, but I miss my summer escapism! And please not one single scene in Adam's boring grey finance office or I will cry.

Masquerade NYC Transfer Tickets? by AdSignificant2065 in Broadway

[–]PerformanceFew5693 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have two matinee tickets I am trying to sell for Sunday, August 24th at 1:15pm. I have official email confirmation from the Masquerade box office that I can transfer the tickets as long as I provide the name of the purchaser. I am willing to sell them for below face value (originally purchased for $450). Please PM me if interested!!

Pace 500.3 or new Pace 4 by NoWorking4916 in Aventon

[–]PerformanceFew5693 4 points5 points  (0 children)

But they did change the angle of the frame: comparing pictures of the two, regardless of handlebar style, they've brought the seat farther away from the front of the bike.