a) link to original post
b) what circumstance do I believe lead to this post being written?
The way I see it, there can be several reasons to prompt a post like this. The way that Disney makes things and turn symbolism into a tool for the patriarchy, how women with a power, will and intellect is shunned and sometimes ostracised, how Beatrice herself feel she’s been judged and treated because she possessed traits that wasn’t deemed “easy” or “pretty” enough. I think it is perhaps a combination of these things.
c)whatβs the central idea or message?
the central message that is spoken here is that it is okay to not be the little, white girl. It is okay to want more, that is okay to look or be different. Too many people don’t look within a person, but simply falls for the “first girl who smiles at them” – to paraphrase the post a bit. Another important part is that ones wither isn’t determined by what other thinks about you. That you shouldn’t have to change crucial parts about you to be loved. That it is important to find one selves first, before looking for approval or love from others.
d) whatβs the tone of the post (The author’s attitude toward the subject)?
The tone of the post is not exactly one of irritation or frustration. Perhaps it is more of exasperation towards how women and girls are told what they should do and how they should act. Im not saying frustration can’t be a part of the reasons behind this post, but I don’t think it’s the primary part. Another part can be how the author has been hurt for being the “fabulous, powerful witch” that has been shunned and mistreated because she didn’t buy into the literal fairytales that girls are being sold and told.
e) whatβs the mood of the post? (The overall atmosphere or feeling the post creates)?
But even if she’s been hurt, and that is one of the reasons behind this post, it doesn’t come off like it. It comes more off as a reclaiming of ones power. Reclaiming something that was attempted to be taken from her. It feels fierce and strong. Emotional, but not pitiful.
f) how does the post make you feel?
And that is something that I am left with reading this post. I am left feeling a rise in my vigour. I want to stand up and shout “go get it”, or some other silly slogans I am feeling that I want to support and help in this, and not be one of the oppressors (as I have been in my treatment of the women in my life). I was one that tried to take these things. And I am left feeling incredibly embarrassed, regretful and very sorry for having acted towards what was “simple and easy” instead of what I had to show some effort in.
g) what do you like about the post?
I like the wording and the “humour” – if it can be called that – in the language. I also like how the information is relayed and made accessible. Im not calling it simple, but it is made out so that a somewhat difficult subject is made understandable.
h) what do you dislike about the post?
but what I don’t like is how I have evoked these feeling in the author. How I have made her feel about herself for being more. That she had a precedes and a power within her – a radiance. She glowed and was so magnificent. And I had to bring her down because it made me feel small. I broke her down instead of using her light tot allow me to grow
i) what questions does the post leave you with?
I am not entirely sure if I am able to express or explain the feelings I have. There are regrets and sorrow. Both for what I have done, but also for what I threw away.Β I threw shooting wonderful away. I believe that had I been honest with her and myself, we could have built a relationship stronger than the foundation of the world. We could have made something grander and better than what any of us had known before. Safety, compassion, love, sexuality… Everything could have flourished in our relationship if I had listened, seen and choses better.
j) do you connect with the post? Why or why not?
Again, I feel that I do. But I am not really sure that I am able to pinpoint it properly. I am afraid that I connect to it in the “wrong” way and use it for self-pity. But I feel the power in this post. I feel her passions and emotions, though I am perhaps not able to really describe them as I want to. I feel the force in it, but it is a bit confusing to me, and I fear that I turn that confusion into insecurity and self-pity instead.
a- link to original post
b-what circumstance do I believe lead to this post being written?
The circumstances behind this post is how my “quest” for redemption for my behaviour towards her and others I have harmed, got turned into “The Audun Show”. How I was incapable of changing my point of view, making thing harder and worse for the people around me, and how I claimed victimhood instead of helping the people I hurt.
c-whatβs the central idea or message?
I don’t think there is really much speculation to be done here. This is about two things. Or rather, it’s about one thing, but done in two ways: Redemption. It is about what redemption is, how it works. and how to achieve it. On the other side, it’s about my inability to redeem myself, but instead uses it as a way to whine about my own suffering, about how I have been a victim, and that the victims of my wrongdoing should helpΒ meΒ in making things better. Mainly for myself…. It tells what redemption is and looks like, and it tells how I made a “performance” out of it, not doing the work nor making things better for anyone involved. Myself included. for that matter.
d-whatβs the tone of the post (The author’s attitude toward the subject)?
I am not entirely sure on how to explain that. It is not cruel or unfair. It is perhaps some judgement in it, but nothing that I find to be wrong in any way or too much of. It is constructive and written out from a more explanatory point of view than a blaming one.
e-whatβs the mood of the post? (The overall atmosphere or feeling the post creates)?
I sense some frustration or even perhaps exasperation. I also feel some sense of discouragement (if that’s the word I’m looking for. Perhaps resigned?) She has had to deal with my bullshit for a long time, and I have shown little to no proper effort of trying to do the work or even understanding what I’ve been doing wrong. I think she tries to talk about some of these things here. How I only focuses on myself instead of her and how I uses the opportunity to bring the spotlight on my “suffering” and how I have felt instead of what I have done.
f-how does the post make you feel?
Embarrassed, I would say is the first feeling that comes up. From not being able to understand something that is supposedly a rather “simple” matter to understand. I’m not saying to seek redemption is easy or that it should be taken lightly, but it seems that I should have been able to understand and do more than I have done. Especially with all the help and guidance I have been given. I also feel stupid, partly for the same reason. I feel stupid because I don’t get these things and can’t seem to grasp what I am to do – even with step-by-step guidance. I also feel a tiny speck of fear inside of me somewhere. Fear of actually being stupid, being emotionally incapable of understanding things like these. I feel as if the things I feel are always wrong, and I don’t know how to properly express it.
g-what do you like about the post?
I like the structure of it. How she makes this list that is easy to understand. I like how I am not judged to hell and back, and that she is still trying to help me understand things, despite all the horrible shit I have done to her.
h-what do you dislike about the post?
That I am confused about the subject and the concept. I don’t like how difficult this is for me. It shouldn’t be. I should be able to do this as easily as I have caused the harm.
I-what questions does the post leave you with?
How do I change this mindset and the way I see things? How do I seek redemption and how do I do it right? And why is it so hard for me to understand these things, when the explanation of what they are, are made so elegant and easy to follow?
j-do you connect with the post? Why or why not?
Yes and no? I understand the feeling and frustration behind the post. I see what I have done and how I have done it. I get her point and I understand what I have done wrong. The part I don’t connect with as well is how to follow the first list. How to the things properly and “correct”.
