another draft 3/30/08

A trope is a figure of speech applied to a word that is used to describe an object or action, which is not literally appropriate. The revelation trope appears over and over again as a repetitive theme in a story, movie, song, or any context. The Revelation trope is apparent in many texts and films for example Foxfire, the Matrix, The Book of Mark, and The Emperor’s New Clothes.
The elements of a revelation trope are the prophet, who is the reveler, a leader, or an activist. The oppressor is the dumb/ignorant masses or the silent majority. There are also obstacles to the revelation, the message, and the promise redemption. So basically in a story these elements would come in order like so: The ignorant/dumb masses are in an unacceptable/oppressive situation when a Prophet/reveler tries to shared the message that connects the dots in a new way and offers a version of a redeemed world but there is opposition to the message/Prophet and drama occurs.
One example of a revelation trope is in the film Foxfire, Legs is new to school and she seems very rebellious and empowering. She is mysterious and every different from the other students. Right away she rebels against the teacher by not listening to his orders and talking back with a negative attitude. Meanwhile the teacher was teasing a girl because she refused to cooperate with the class dissection. As the class watched in amazement, Legs walked over, took the girl’s frog off the table and let it go out the window. That was when the teacher became really upset and yelled at Legs and said she would be going to detention. But she responded by saying: "I don't even go here." And laughs in a careless manner. The students in the classroom realize they do not have to listen to the teacher, they can rebel at will and do whatever they want, the teacher cannot stop them.
So it is apparent here that Legs, is the Prophet and brings the message to the dumb/ignorant masses, the students, that they do not have to listen to the teacher and to stick together, look out for each other. Although later when this message is being discussed by a few girls and Legs. The girl who is refused to dissect the frog has detention and tells the girls that the teacher sexually harasses her when they are alone. The oppressor, cheerleaders, get involved in the oppressive situation, they disagree with Legs's message, that they should stop the teacher from touching girls inappropriately. They turn down the message and do not care about problem; they try to ignore it, pretending it never happens, to make them selves’ feel better. The obstacle is stopping the teacher from sexually harassing the girl.
Another example of a film with a revelation trope is the Matrix. In the beginning Neo meets Trinity at a club after he follows the clues sent to him on the computer. At the club Trinity warns Neo of the danger to come. Neo was then a little concerned about what is going on. Neo was interested because there was question that had been driving him crazy and he wanted an answer, what is the Matrix?
Throughout the movie that is used repetitively is the trope of birth or rebirth. For example when Neo has the bug inside him, Trinity removes the bug. This is a sign of an abortion. Again in another scene Neo is being reborn, except this time he is born into the real world. Where his is encased in liquid and is connected to a cord that most likely feeds him nutrients to stay alive. He is disconnected from his cord and then is sent down a large tube with more fluid. Neo a then landed in a pool of fluid and a light appears above him and a crane like structure pulls him out of the liquid. Hence Neo is reborn. Later on Neo is told by Morphius what the matrix is and about the current condition of the real world, about the fake life he has been mentally living and how where he is now is the real world. Neo then freaks out because he is in denial. After he accepts the turth, the message, he begins his training because he is believed to be “the one.”
In the French film, Amelie, the revelation trope is shown throughout the whole story. The fist part of revelation- Amelie believes the man in the photo album is a ghost who has been taking his picture around town. One day she meets him face to face and realizes he is a real person and his job is to repair the photo booth. Amilie’s whole theory of this ghost man has changed. She now understands that things in life may not be how they first appear.
The second part of revelation- Nino wants to know who the mystery man is in the photos and why he takes his picture and then throws them away. When Amelie sends Nino a note telling him to be in the train station and Amelie will reveal herself. Although she plans on having Nino come face to face with the mystery man and then will show herself to Nino. Once Nino sees the red converses from underneath the curtains of the photo booth, he knows the mystery man in all of the photos from the album is standing in there and pulls back the curtains. (the camera frame moves in slow motion as the mystery man’s face is revealed) Nino sees his tool box and the repair man takes his photo and says the machine is fixed. Nino had his revelation and his idea of who this mystery man is was changed. All of his questions were answered.
The third and final part of revelation- Amelie, throughout the film had been helping other people understand and discover missing elements of their lives and making them happy. She had spent all her time spreading a message to other people that she did not follow herself. Until the day The Glass man, a neighbor and developing friend, in her building sent her a video saying they message she needed to hear for herself. The message was about how she needed to stop worrying and helping other people, all she was doing was using other problems to occupy her time so she would not be figuring out her own life. After he said that to her she realized that she needed to do something good for herself, to make herself happy.
So sometimes the “prophet in training,” Amelie or like in the Matrix with Neo, they do not completely understand the message because they are occupied with other obstacles or challenges in their lives. Or for example how Amelie keeps herself occupied by helping others with their love lives or life in general, instead of focusing on her own. Even when she finds herself in situation where she feels a bit of discomfort she will easily back away, physically and mentally, so she is not immersed in something like her own feelings. Which causes the revelation to extent over the entire story line.
A wonderful text called The Book of Mark (The Gospel of Mark) tells the story of Jesus, from his baptism to his death (crucifixion). Throughout his life, Jesus, heals people and sends (attempts to send) a message to those who need the advice or help. Jesus becomes a healer and helps all the people who are ill or have an evil demon or spirit inside them.
The people are amazed at the power Jesus possesses to heal people and they tend to be the people that listen to the messages Jesus brings. Although many do not understand his messages so Jesus explains them through parables. Parables are simple stories used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. (Jesus uses a parable about a seed)
The revelation starts to occur in the story as the people begin to understand the messages from Jesus and when they learn from his teachings and lessons. To spread his healing powers to more people, Jesus appoints 12 disciples to travel to other cities and towns to help people in need.
The tropes of this revelation: Jesus is the prophet-he brings the message to the people. The dumb/ignorant masses-are the people in need and those who may doubt the power of Jesus and or lessons/teachings. The oppressor(s) is the Pharisees. The Pharisees are a group of people who want to kill Jesus because he broke the traditional rules of Sabbath and healed on the day of rest. Sabbath is a day of rest where people do not harvest or take any thing from the earth. Jesus did not care what day it was he knew that the people needed help and he was the one who could heal this ill person. To Jesus the people were more important than the rules.

Star Wars is another film with a revelation trope. The revelation trope does not always ask politely. In Star Wars many people die because they do not accept the message offered by the prophet. For example Han Solo makes fun of the revelation and ends up dying. So who ever makes fun of or does not agree with the revelation ends up getting killed. Luke is the prophet in training and is very inexperienced in battle. When learning the message he is confused but agrees that he needs the help fight the dark side. When Luke is training with Yoda he rejects the truth at first because he does not believe in the force until he realizes he has the power to make a difference and wants to save the galaxy, has to fight the evil or the dark side.
The revelation trope of Star Wars goes like this: Luke and his family are in a unacceptable/oppressive situation. Obi Won Kenobi tries to share the message that connects the dots in a new way. And offers a vision of a redeemed world. But there is an opposition to the message and drama occurs. Obi Won Kenobi’s message is that Luke is… (Yoda’s message for Luke is: “mystical force, release your mind, let go of your consciousness.” He also warns Luke because “your eyes can decisive you… do not trust them.”)
In Star Wars the hero’s journey archetype is used. The Star Wars revelation trope is basically that horror and or conflict causes the main character (i.e. Neo) Luke to decide to “want to” leave their old world for the new and unknown. Right of passage/hero’s journey- the “call”, the beginning of separation from life as they know it, crossing the abyss into unknown land, overcoming obstacles learning to survive on their own, the return.
The revelation in Star Wars has its similarities and differences with the revelation in the Matrix. For example both revelations show elements of the Hero’s Journey. Both Neo and Luke experience their own journey into the new and revealed worlds.
Neo and Luke first have trouble understanding each of their revelations and in some way experience shock, retreat and anger. That is the first step of their journey, this unknown and unfamiliar world is exposed to them and they do not know how to handle the situation, do they take the opportunity to escape into this new world of knowledge or do they retreat and deny the fact that there is another world unlike the one they live and exist.
People fight against having a revelation because they fare afraid of change. Or maybe they don’t want change because it may lead to the truth of reality or life. Revelations are life changing or they change the way you look at reality.
Some people may like they way their life is and the reality they line in, causing them to fight revelation in order to avoid the message. But can people really be satisfied with their lives’? Maybe people are ignorant and do not accept the opinions from others. They do not accept the Prophet and the message he or she brings the ignorant masses. If I had the chance to offer a revelation message it would be: Do not let other people control you, judge you, or make you feel inferior to them. You control your own life and what you want to do.


Notes:

Have you ever been offered a revelation and rejected it because life would be easier with out it?


Extra Thoughts:
Freedom vs. Control

Simulations > reflections, representations of representations (Bildom Toma – German saying)
Continued from simulations- looking through the glass window, reflection in glasses, reflection in (bike) mirror, through a tv screen, dream vs. reality

Morphius: lord of the dreams in Greek mythology male pregnancy > trope, Trinity is removing the bug from Neo’s body > giving him an abortion.
I would take the red pill only if my life was really confusing and I wanted the answer for my existence for purpose in life.

Birth > metaphor--rebirth > into new world, Neo’s encased in liquid > connected to a cord spiritual connection > to God/Jesus “The Matrix is everywhere, it is all around us, even now in this very room when you look

Notes from Star Wars Revelation:
-revelation doesn’t always ask politely
-connections to Vietnam war-> Napalm
-The Hero’s Journey
Han Solo- makes fun of revelation (ends up dying), who ever makes fun of or does not believe in revelation gets hurt or dies

-many references to the womb/sexually related organs/body parts
Army in the end of the movie, lined up straight, all matching uniforms in respectable areas in line, orderly, seems fascist and militaristic

Narrative of Fredrick Douglass
-after witnessing his aunt being beaten he realized this was his introduction into a hellish world of slavery.
-he lives Colonel Lloyd’s plantation at age 7 or 8, has no problem leaving, has no sense of home or family, goes to Hugh Auld
-Religion makes Thomas Auld cruel and mean
Fredrick Douglass had to witness a horrible punishment to a loved once to be awakened by his revelation and to learn the message.
His separation from his home