Personification non-examples

Personification

2024.05.18 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
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2024.05.18 02:41 PickEmergency1493 Best examples of figurative language in Taylor’s songs?

I’m a middle school teacher and our final unit for the year happens to be poetry. Of course, I have already themed this unit for The Tortured Poets Department :) I would like to use some Taylor lyrics as examples of figurative language for students to identify. It could be from any Taylor album and it needs to be appropriate for middle schoolers. Any suggestions?
I’m specifically looking for: metaphor, simile, personification, alliteration, and symbolism (easy for a non-Swiftie middle schooler to understand). Thank you!!
submitted by PickEmergency1493 to TaylorSwift [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 03:39 Mania_Love I Might Have A Problem With Wanting My Jumper To Be "Good & Liked" xD

Frozen - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oF5N4q3ZtGj6ep2yChkNNsFzzh_iRtto/view?usp=sharing
Nice guys always get the girl. This is a fairy tale, you hear me? It’s not about just being cool or handsome. When you do nice things for people, they really do like you back just for doing nice things. Being a genuinely nice guy will really get the attention of people, both friends and romantic interests. The more good and nice things you do for people, genuinely good things, the more you’ll find them liking you. Of course, if they ask you to stop and you keep going, it might not count as nice things anymore.
There’s so much cuteness in you, one could honestly mistake you for a personification of a girl’s childhood memories of fun and innocence. No, really. You have an eternal wellspring of joy, happiness and innocence within you that allows you to continue those good feelings and experiences of wonder no matter what your life is like or how long you’ve been living. Other people can sense this wellspring too, making you both a lot easier to get along with and a lot harder to do nasty things to. A real bad guy could ignore this pretty easily but anyone not committed may find themselves hesitating for a few moments when they look into your eyes.
Cinderella - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T23kmAUPwcEZq12E2s6u33RvAFDPDVz2/view?usp=sharing
Snow White - https://drive.google.com/file/d/16RN70WP0h2KmhuvnTfuDrT7sF5H8WYZb/view?usp=sharing
You are exceedingly attractive, Jumper. On purchase, you may choose whether this manifests as beauty on par with Snow White or an equivalent handsomeness. Be warned, such beauty may draw the ire of the Evil Queen. Beyond this, you passively give off an aura of purity and innocence. In addition to the general impression that you give off, this aura provides two other benefits. First, it will sow doubt into the hearts of those who seek to kill you, causing them to hesitate at crucial moments or give up entirely. This effect is not absolute, and is far less effective against truly wicked individuals. Second, it will draw in nearby non-hostile animals, such as deer, squirrels, and small birds. Animals that are at a human-level of intelligence or greater are not affected. You will find that you can communicate with these animals in broad terms, and get them to help you out in various ways, such as getting them to bring you things or take you to a nearby residence. If you are in danger, they will try to help out, either by confronting the danger directly, or running off to someone that can help and trying to bring them back to you. You may toggle the impression, doubt, or animal effects of this aura on or off as you please without impacting the parts of the perk you would like to keep on.
You - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aNl5mEWXql6rM5uQRmeC5ZAdfekY3Wgh/view?usp=sharing
Smallville - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MgWLns0PxuzQRTGuXlN079QEbAGbosUa/view?usp=sharing
Marvel What If... - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KRapCcUTjN1pU1YquFAlx3X8aZstFi8_/view?usp=sharing
Puss in Boots - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E12U2dTGaFRoPIAmdeZAnJiQwyKfeIUk/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105828317742281725091&rtpof=true&sd=true
Perrito’s dream is to become a therapy dog and to help others. Doing this however, requires a number of skills which you have developed. These skills include being able to talk to others about their problems, being able to help people move past issues, and having them become comfortable with you. An example of this is that your presence seems to relax others. Even cold hearted and violent individuals will not be bothered by you. They might not be willing to open up immediately, but they will at least be willing to tolerate you and not harm you. Also touching you has a remarkably calming effect on others, draining them of all tension and stress. It might be less silly looking if you are a dog, but otherwise this means that you literally can solve virtually any mental issue with a hug. The more complex the problem the longer it will take. For example, curing someone of PTSD might take a few seconds, but curing complete insanity would take a full minute at least.
Perrito is a truly pure soul feeling no grief despite all that he has suffered. It is revealed that his family attempted to get rid of him multiple times and even attempted to murder him by drowning him in a lake. Even after everything all he wants in life is some friends who care about him. You share this spark and have been granted the kindness of the world. Even the most cold hearted beings will treat you favorably and your path will be one of leisure. Much like how Perrito’s path was one of simplicity, the challenges you face will be of a lower difficulty. For example, all of the other challenges posed by the Wishing Star were incredibly dangerous, but Perrito’s was simple as long as your heart was peaceful. The world will provide plenty of opportunities for you to grow personally and to build up your forces if you wish to claim them.
Virgil's Aeneid - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1meetJFhcvNBx94Tk19AIvo7tohV3u2xg/view?usp=sharing
The Umbrella Academy - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1trtHgBG-vxza5aq_7wurfc7MKQ-Doqg7u6fD2eZe2Mk/edit
No matter how you behave, people seem to like you, or at least have a begrudging respect for you. You might be irritating or clingy, but those around you will focus more on your positive traits than your negatives. This won’t work on outright malicious behavior, but so long as you generally mean well, those around you and those close to you will see you in a good light.
People seem to be drawn to you. Whether it’s your charm, your money and fame, or what you represent, those around you seem to be eager to get close to you or in your favor. Making friends is easy, even if you’re new in town, and the people around you seem slightly more inclined to like you. Of course, if you have a significantly bad reputation, this effect can be lessened, though people still won’t want to be on your bad side.
Riverdale - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n0OFka8A1ycV32tB2fFfE8MW8AjczfpX/edit
As a golden child you radiate an aura of wholesomeness that is difficult to ignore. When you channel this energy and behave in ways that are in line with it you can inspire people to think of classic American heroes and classic American iconography. You remind people of apple pie and baseball, and times that often seem impossibly long ago. This can inspire heroes and can even get villains to be a touch more merciful or reasonable, though how effective it is will depend on the villain in question, particularly how fundamentally empathetic or human they are. That said, this can be extremely strong against tragic villains and villains who are questioning themselves.
The Boys - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iAmuSv8zeemGE-E4YZpBk9E3P5ZTiWc7/view [Suggestion from Dragon-King-of-Death (Thank You)]]
Generic Harry Potter Fanfiction - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GX7oeYt88WKpYCTwbdE-s6ypNIvNkWw7/view?usp=sharing [Suggestion From Massive_Awareness_63 (Thank You)]
Exalted Outcast - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XgV07ZoFyIShkVruey8UW2W-G9IHIDT3/view?usp=sharing [Suggestion From Sundarapandiyan1 (Thank You)]
... for I do not understand what love means. If you wish to serve me and give me the things I desire, I am willing to tolerate your presence. Much like Valentin, you are as beautiful as longing itself. People will come to you, and compete for your attention. And when they don’t have it, when you invoke love in others and do not return it, it becomes devotion. Perhaps the lack of reciprocal feelings only makes it stronger, as the pursuit of you becomes an abstract ideal. Regardless, many will find themselves eager to please you with little expectation for you to care in return. Even those not bewitched will be touched by your queerly enchanting mien and grace. Truly few could refuse you or bar your way. Few is not none. While your enrapturing nature is even stronger than Valentin’s, don’t forget that his nature didn’t save him in the end.
Narnia - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1qb0_OLhDrDZ1lIUlBqa3A4azA/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-0B2v1IAAqocxpzk1r88_-A [Suggestion From Dragon-King-of-Death (Thank You)]
Once a friend to Narnia, always a friend to Narnia. You possess a sense of childlike wonder and excitement that can never be completely extinguished, no matter how many years you live or how many horrors you witness. No matter how much you may change over the years, there will always remain some core that is essentially you. This also improves your resistance to telepathic influence, magical curses of despair, and other similar effects.
Mark Antony - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xqV1SMWGoBxdZwsSkSRODHkScyMaeFHpfK1Hcp3-wAo/edit [Suggestion From Sundarapandiyan1 (Thank You)]
submitted by Mania_Love to JumpChain [link] [comments]

2024.05.13 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.05.11 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.05.06 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.05.05 16:05 FREEDOM55SIMS Life By You: its seems like Rod Humble is trying to create a single player Second Life RPG. Are Life sims RPGs?

As u/PinkFluffyUnikpop pointed out
Let me share something with y’all that cleared out a lot of questions for me: Rod talking about pre-alpha Second Life I think 🤔 not sure when that game come out tho.https://youtu.be/kwNCU3RGruE?si=HAtb\_ynIKniec4Xw
It’s 10 year old video of course but I see a lot of similarities in the animation and proportions.
TDLR: And I was so glad that I was not the only one who noticed. I decided to make separate post, its longer but I hope to start a discussion overall about life simulator games and RPGs (Role Playing Games) and what is expected and preferred in the genre
Identifying Life by You's(LBY) Target Audience. The Influnence of Second Life and RPGs on Rod Humble's Game Design.
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/life-by-you-is-a-reality-show-you-can-play
Rod Humble is the Lead Developer, Producer and Creator of Life by You, an early access " Life Simulation" title that will be released on June 4th 2024 (So its coming soon!). His previous experiences include being the CEO of Linden Lab, who creator's of Second Life, he was part of MMORPG EverQuest, He most know for being one of lead producers of the sims from the original the way to the beginning of the sims 3. Executive Vice President and Head of The Sims Label of EA. See the epic store promotion article link above for further thoughts of his design philosophy for LBY. The Information and opinions below were based on couple of rambles in his videos & several interviews with Rod Humble, a few articles, Reddit, and LinkedIn.
My opinion:
I hope that LBY knows the type of player base they are catering to and what they are trying to do in life simulation. So far I have seen them focus heavy on RPG elements and take heavy influence from Second Life(SL) in a way that I do not like. RPG and second life player bases nearly have very little over lap and that is because the the gameplay is completely different than the sims. Let's see the LBY Team's different take is appealing to players.
I also hope LBY knows they are attracting a more hardcore player base than the majority casual player base Maxis usually targets. Naturally that base will WAY more critical and analytical in their expectations and response. I hope they are prepared.
We want deeper simulation. We expect smarter game AI. Simmers do not enjoy stats, badges, grinding, rewards mechanics they way Rod Humble thinks we do He has always had trouble as confirmed / admitted in his comments in old interviews ( check his interview at the time of the involvement of sims 2 free time), on truly understanding the majority of what simmers preferences. He is the one who started added RPG elements to the sims, and his legacy in design is what sims 4 players are complaining about even if they didn't know. They have all these menus and tasks to do but once compeleted they are bored. This is what causes them to feel a lack of depth no matter how much expansion and DLC. If the sims was the intended RPG the start , these complaints would be less or non existent because it would attract RPG players who want and expect to have a series of tasks to do.
Speaking as a hardcore simmer who stopped at the Sims 3, I am female, I am a veteran of the sims community and I mod the game. I AM their target audience. (I also use to work and intern in production in sims 3, references upon request ). I don't like RPGs. Rod Humble loves RPGs and in all his LBY walkthrough videos you can see this is his main focus. Life simulation gmaes is not a RPGs. When people complain about only collecting and gathering gameplay LBY videos for example, its because the majority of sim players do not like the grinding RPG mechanics or find little interest in it. It cannot be the main mechanic in the life simulation.
Rod's time as CEO at LindenLabs over seeing Second Life has harmed his objectivity. In the appearance of characters the second life influence is clear (see to first video link to see the resemblance). It is why he blind to see the ackward anatomy problems of the narrow hunched shoulders, pushed forward rib cage, short arms, and small hands. It is because Second Life avatars have the same proportions. No amount of paid mods fixed second life avatars from looking dated nor fixed their awkward proportions. LBY current animations as well resemble the second life avatars. Objectively, you cannot play and be immersed in second life without mods, especially paid mods, that was by design because this how they make money outside of selling land as server space.
I would also like to point out that Second Life is mostly used for fetish gameplay to the majority of the small leftover paying customers/players. That is no coiencidence, it is the result of their design choices. I am insulted the LBY team think that the appearance of the female characters is actually an accurate representation of what human women look like. When the characters they have shown us are very old porn game looking.
The design and response from the LBY team really seems to be that we will buy mods to improve the characters fundamental flaws or be stuck with unattractive ackward characters like the basic version of second life. They also expects us to go edit and adjust every generated character, npc, and townie, every time we load a new town or save.
Second Life and The Sims are very different games and its not just because its always online multi-player, It is a role-playing game based on player imagination and innovation. Not a life simulation game. However, The avatars use the players own voice or text boxes. The players had to mod everything except the land. Just l like LBY.
I don't think they are prioritizing the convienience, enjoyment, and comfort of players in their game design. Mods should be optional but instead its the main way to play.
Intrestingly, Rod Humble has a similar RPG background to Kjun Kim, who is the creator and lead producer of inZoi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCJWFlUB4II
In part one of the interview linked above. Kjun Kim discusses the parrellels between RPGs and Life Sims. Kim shares his motivation for creating "inZOI," which was inspired by simulation games he played with his son and his desire to translate his RPG knowledge into a new genre. The team emphasizes the importance of customization and world creation in both RPGs and life simulation games. Kjun Kim is one of the korean devs who pioneered the deep level of customization in korean MMORPG and "upload your MMORPG character preset" feature .He's also responsible for the character creation development in a game called AION (an MMORPG). Outside of both Humble's and Kim's creating a open world life simulation game to directly compete with the sims both were producers of RPGs with 25+ years of experience each and for both its their first life simulation game they have directly created. It will be interesting to see their different takes on the life genre from a RPG influence.
For those who have a hard time with the subtitles or don't want to watch the longer linked video. Here is the quoted, summary and translation to relative to the discussion:
My name is Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim I've been working 20+ years now as an RPG game developer and I am now creating a life simulation game for the very first time. A lot of Korean users were also confused as to what this even was but I was also nervous because it was my first time showcasing a game like this.
Why did you decide to create a life simulation game when you've only been doing RPGs? I played a lot of these games with my son as he was growing up Like 'The Sims'. It's always been a big thing for us to play these simulation games together and it just so happened that my most recent RPG game had failed.
Oh, it failed miserably Everything is so different now. Back then, you were able to do so much in an RPG. For example, chatting with people in itself was content You could make friends, and customizing characters was also a big part of that experience If you have all that in a modern RPG, it gives players way too many things to do, and people don't have time for that I was one of those who wasn't able to embrace that sort of change .So I wondered if there was a genre that still had those qualities I enjoyed in an RPG. I realized that it was the games that I was playing with my son that knew how to appreciate those simple moments and just watching characters live out their life. That's when I knew I had to create my own version of this. Now when I meet my former colleagues, I tell them "Try making a different genre game" .I learned that taking all this gained knowledge and experience, you can utilize them in other genres as well.
As I mentioned earlier, because my previous game had died so hard I was in a unique situation where I had to give up on making another RPG but that allowed me to realize how much of that RPG knowledge could be translated into making a life sim game.
What are some examples where creating an RPG is similar to life sim? Well, for one, customizing your character is vitally important. I was actually one of the first developers to implement the concept of 'customization' in an RPG.
We heard that you previously worked as the Art Director for 'Aion' That's one of the reasons why Aion had such a large female player base. We had a lot of female players, and because they loved the customization feature so much, we opened up a website where they could upload pictures of their characters. Life sim games naturally promote creativity from their players and allows them to write their own stories. They can equip characters with certain emotions and maybe have a married couple get in a fight or something. These games allow the creative individuals to explore their imaginations. That's why these customization systems we previously used for RPGs helped us in creating a life sim,
'The Sims 3' was created in a seamless open world, but when they released .'The Sims 4', they changed it to zone-based, which I was really sad about. But for 20 years, all we've been doing is creating playable open worlds We grew grass, made rivers flow, and raised up mountains, and I was thinking we can make this here, too. I told my team, "Let's try making a city," and they did that with unbelievable speed. I mean, this isn't their first rodeo.While the settings might been more Middle Age back then, these guys are masters at creating towns and cities. Customization and world creation were both very relatable when we were creating a life sim. Another similarity is with the 'NPC'. We always come up with a unique storyline for each of the roles we give them, such as a 'shopkeeper' who would ‘go to work’ every morning. While that personification isn’t as detailed in an RPG, if we were to expand on that idea, it starts to make a lot of sense for life sims. That's why in inZOI, our NPCs actually go to work, in companies and in convenience stores That’s how we find out that the way these aspects are designed for a life sim isn’t that different from an RPG. When we're talking about efficiency, that becomes incredibly helpful. With those similar components, I felt like this genre was going to be very compatible with Korean developers and having worked on it with my team, we found out that was indeed the case.
From a recruitment standpoint, it's important to address some misunderstandings It would be easy for a developer to dismiss this genre altogether because life sim isn't something they've ever worked on. Because they've only worked on RPGs and MMOs, they might say, "This isn't for me" But through today's video, they will now know that the things they learned through RPGs are actually going to help them in developing a life sim game
submitted by FREEDOM55SIMS to LifeSimulators [link] [comments]

2024.05.04 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
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2024.05.02 01:59 midasgoldentouch [Discussion] Quarterly Non-Fiction: Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman, Introduction through Chapter 4

Hello everyone!
Welcome to our first discussion for our next quarterly non-fiction read, Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman. We're kicking things off by reading the Introduction through Chapter 4 this week. A summary is listed below.
Kahneman begins by telling us his ideal scenario for how readers will use the info in the book: to improve office gossip. Really, that's what he's most hoping readers will do. Kahneman points out that gossip in general is a chance for us to develop our decision making skills by evaluating others' decisions and the consequences. It's also generally a more powerful motivator for self-criticism than other sources, such as New Year's resolutions.
Kahneman notes that his book is intended to help readers develop a larger vocabulary and deeper understanding of the topic of decision-making similar to the type of knowledge that medical students develop about diseases. In particular, the book focuses on understanding biases related to intuition, which Kahneman believes we often fail to account for when evaluating our decisions. Ideally, by developing a greater understanding of intuition and potential biases, we can improve our decision making and offer better advice when gossiping with coworkers.
Kahneman explains that the central ideas of the book can be traced back to a guest lecture by a colleague, Amos Tversky, for a seminar he taught at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel in 1969. During the guest lecture, the two of them concluded that although most people intuitively pick up grammar rules for a language, most people cannot intuitively pick up statistical rules that affect decision-making. The two decided to embark on a study to see if this conclusion was correct for other researchers and discovered that even statisticians failed to intuitively understand statistical rules and phenomena. Kahneman and Tversky spent fourteen years running a series of experiments focused on trying to understand and analyze how intuition affects our thought processes and consequently decisions. He lists a few examples of some of the questions they tested for their experiments and notes the effect of their landmark article in Science magazine detailing their work on heuristics and biases in intuitive thinking. Afterwards, Kahneman and Tversky spent five more years running experiments focused on decision making under uncertainty, releasing another article in Science magazine that became one of the foundations of behavioral economics.
Kahneman reassures us that the book is not merely a rehash of the early research he and Tversky conducted. Instead, he wants to discuss how recent developments in cognitive and social psychology have deepened our understanding of how the mind works. In particular, Kahneman plans to focus on a psychological theory of two systems of thinking: a fast system, which relies on intuition, perception, and memory, and a slow system, which relies on deliberate evaluation. Most of the book focuses on the fast system and mutual influences between the two systems.
Chapter 1 starts Part 1, which is focused on developing an understanding and vocabulary about the two-systems approach to thinking and decision-making. Kahneman introduces us to a demonstration of the difference between fast thinking based on intuition and slow thinking right away. He also points out some of the ways that we might switch between fast and slow thinking based on the specifics of a problem and even some of the physical effects of slow thinking. We then learn a formal definition of fast thinking, which Kahneman will refer to as System 1, and slow thinking, which Kahneman will refer to as System 2, complete with examples. Kahneman also notes the general perceptions we often have of how Systems 1 and 2 play out in our lives and the actual reality of they work. In particular, System 2 uses voluntary actions on our part to engage in System 1 actions for a specific purpose - but, the effort to focus our attention on engaging System 1 actions to complete a task for System 2 comes at a cost. We often think of ourselves based on the results of System 2, but much of our thinking is actually governed by System 1, which is in charge the majority of the time, even though we don't realize it. Instead, System 2 is content to let System 1 take the lead and relies on its results, only coming into play when we specifically focus our attention on a task.
The rest of the book will largely focus on this arrangement between Systems 1 and 2 and the ways in which things can occasionally go wrong. Kahneman presents an example task that deliberately creates a conflict between System 1 and System 2, showing us how different aspects of the given task utilize System 1 and System 2 and how they work together, or not. Next, we learn about a famous visual illusion, the Mueller-Lyer illusion, and how we have to teach our System 2 to disregard System 1's intuition about the illusion and then rely on System 1's memory action to recognize the illusion in the future. This scenario can be applied not just to visual illusions but "cognitive illusions" as well, when System 2 has to consciously override our System 1 intuition about a given problem. Kahneman explains that trying to overcome cognitive illusions is difficult because the effort to be so critical of our thoughts is highly inefficient and exhausting. At best, we end up with a sort of compromise where we try to be aware of situations where mistakes are more likely and be more careful in high-stakes scenarios where mistakes would be costly. Kahneman ends chapter 1 by reminding readers that his descriptions of System 1 and System 2 will use intentional personifications of the concepts to more effectively make his points about how the two systems work. After all, as folktales, office gossip, and stories of all kinds show us, we tend to learn how to approach decisions more easily when evaluating other people's decisions, in a quirk that comes down to the two systems themselves.
We start Chapter 2 by focusing our effort on...effort. As we've read earlier, System 2 likes to think its the main star of the show. In fact, it's pretty lazy and only wants to kick in when absolutely necessary; therefore it relies a lot on the insights of System 1, who actually is the star of the show. However, that also means that it takes quite a bit of effort when System 2 needs to take over and overcome the limitations of System 1. How much effort? Well, we can learn that quickly with the Add-1 exercise, which is definitely more exhausting to actually do than it is to read about. Kahneman is very familiar with the Add-1 exercise and its more maddening cousin, Add-3; it was a primary mechanism for an experiment he conducted with a colleague Jackson Beatty at the University of Michigan.
The purpose of the study was to build upon the work of Eckhard Hess, who studied how pupil size and dilation occurs in response to various stimuli, such as emotional arousal and mental effort. Kahneman and Beatty set up experiments to measure pupil size in response to mental effort via the Add-1 and Add-3 exercises. They were able to accurately predict factors such as mental effort over the course of solving a problem and when a participant would quit the task due to overload. They were also able to replicate the symptoms of temporary blindness during a task that requires a high mental effort. Funnily enough, even outside of the exercises of the experiment, they discovered that a casual conversation seemed to require little effort at all comparatively.
Kahneman asserts that pupil size is a reliable indicator of mental effort, much in the same way that an electricity meter is (or is supposed to be) a reliable indicator of electricity use in a building. The two are quite similar until it comes to dealing with an overload. While drawing too much power normally trips a breaker and cuts off all devices on the circuit, System 2 focuses all effort on the most important task and allocates extra effort to other, lower-priority tasks as possible. As you become more skilled in a task, less effort is required to perform it; similarly, talent also reduces the effort required to perform a task. Generally speaking, our brains follow the law of least effort, where, given a variety of ways we can approach a task, we will tend to gravitate to the one that requires the least effort.
So what exactly defines the difference between behaviors and thinking for System 1 versus System 2? We've seen some examples earlier, but now we're presented with a more formal definition. System 1, as noted above, deals primarily with the automatic, involuntary actions of intuition, memory, and perception. It can detect simple relations and excels at integrating multiple pieces of information about one thing. System 2, which deals primarily with effortful, voluntary actions, handles cases where you need to maintain several ideas relating to separate actions simultaneously in memory, or when needing to combine several actions based on a rule. It's responsible for comparing options based on multiple attributes and making deliberate choices. It's also responsible for organizing task sets, which require overriding the automatic actions of System 1 to perform some type of task. Time pressure can often push a task into System 2 territory and, in the megazord of psychological research, we have learned that switching between tasks veers into System 2 territory, particularly during a time crunch. In our day-to-day lives, we do our best to avoid overloading System 2 by dividing tasks into multiple stages, allowing us to rely on tools or long-term memory to store intermediate results as savepoints.
Chapter 3 examines System 2, or the controller, in more details. We learn that System 2 has a natural speed, much like most people have a natural walking speed. And, just as trying to walk faster than your natural walking speed requires effort, so does completing tasks at a rate faster than your System 2 natural speed. In fact, trying to walk faster than your natural walking speed requires you to divert more of your attention to your walk and deliberately maintaining your faster pace - an act of self-control. As Kahneman states, "[self]-control and deliberate thought apparently draw on the same limited budget of effort." This maxim of course extends beyond just the example of Kahneman's leisurely strolls in Berkeley, California - most activities that require effortful thinking and/or a coherent train of thought also require some degree of self-control to stay on task. That effort of self-control to stay on task bumps up against the law of least effort and in short, is the reason why your room might be the cleanest it's been all semester during exam season. Now sometimes, you can manage to engage in effortful thinking without exerting too much effort by entering a state of flow, a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced six-cent-mihaly). A flow state can occur when engaging in any of a broad range of activities, where the effort to deliberately control your attention drops to zero and all of the effort can be focused on the task at hand.
Ok, so nowadays - as in May 2024 - we've established that self-control and cognitive effort are both forms of mental work. Research shows that people are more likely to yield to a temptation if presented during a challenging cognitive task. In fact, cognitive busyness can lead to a loss of self-control and all sorts of behaviors that are usually considered undesirable in a given situation (or any situation). System 2 is in charge of controlling thoughts and behaviors and all variants of voluntary effort - cognitive, emotional, or physical - draw on its singular pool of mental energy. In fact, repeated draws on that pool of mental energy in the form of successive tasks leads to a higher likelihood that you are unable or unwilling to exert self-control in subsequent tasks, a phenomenon known as ego depletion. Generally speaking, tasks that involve some level of conflict and suppressing automatic behaviors tends to deplete self-control and that in turn leads to all kinds of behaviors that are generally considered undesirable for one reason or another.
Kahneman does point out that there is a difference between high cognitive load on System 2 and ego depletion. Your System 2 has a hard limit, and when the cognitive load is too high for your capacity, the only solution is to reduce the cognitive load - there's no option to increase your capacity (yet). On the other hand, ego depletion is a loss of willpower or motivation to complete successive tasks over time. You could do that fifth and final problem on your hard homework assignment, you just don't want to. However, if it's due an hour, you'll push through somehow. One silver lining that has emerged from research on ego depletion is the link to glucose depletion in the body and the potential for glucose to mitigate the effects of ego depletion. This is particularly promising and worth investigating more, as that horrifying study of parole judges shows.
Earlier we read that System 2 is in charge of monitoring the thoughts and behaviors of System 1 and choosing when to let it proceed and when to kick in for a given task. Kahneman takes us through a few examples of experiments he conducted with a colleague, Shane Frederick, on a theory of judgement based on the two systems. The first two examples show how our intuition leads us to an incorrect answer that could have been avoided with a bit of effort by System 2. However, by and large people don't exert that effort and just rely on the answer that immediately comes to mind. This is, of course, concerning when you realize the sheer amount of thinking and decisions we make in our day-to-day lives. So long as we jump to the conclusion that we believe is true, we stick with it and favor supporting arguments, even when a more thorough review of the problem reveals the arguments and therefore conclusion to be unsound. Another example demonstrates the extent to which our memory can affect our thinking and cognitive performance, which depends on the type of information we commit to memory compared to the task at hand as well as our ability to recall that specific information when needed. Yet again, a more deliberate search through our memory via System 1 is something that is performed by System 2 and requires effort. Ultimately, the law of least effort often means that when a superficially plausible solution to problem comes to mind, we tend to run with it unless we're motivated to dig deeper. It takes more purposeful effort to engage with our System 2 to avoid these pitfalls and attain the classical definition of rational behavior.
Kahneman wraps up chapter 3 by reviewing the ways researchers have attempted to examine the connection between thinking and self-control in recent decades. The "Oreo" experiment conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel and his students is one of the most famous examples, showing the connection between an earlier understanding of the benefits of delayed gratification and later measurements of executive control in cognitive tasks, executive functioning, and intelligence. Another set of experiments at the University of Oregon explored the connection between cognitive control and intelligence, including if it was possible to increase intelligence by improving cognitive control of attention. Kahneman's colleague Shane Frederick developed a test that is a predictor of lazy thinking, teasing out a person's tendency to rely on System 1 versus System 2 and the common characteristics of each group compared to the other. Finally, Keith Stanovich, one of the duo that coined the terms System 1 and System 2, has continued to study what makes some people more susceptible to biases of judgement. He has proposed that System 2 is composed of two parts or "minds": one mind that deals with slow thinking and demanding computation and can be associated with intelligence and one mind that deals with choosing when to engage System 2 and can be associated with rationality. Stanovich argues that high intelligence does not preclude a person from falling into traps due to biases and that we should look to these tests as better measurements of when we are more susceptible to cognitive errors.
Chapter 4 opens with a striking example to demonstrate all of the involuntary actions your System 1 takes a moment's notice. As the example shows, anything and everything can trigger System 1's associative activation, in which one idea activating triggers a whole network of associated ideas to also activate, and then those trigger other associated ideas to activate, and so on. "Ideas" is maybe a bit of a misnomer here - a better term might be "thought," but that still carries a connotation of purposeful effort. With System 1 and associative activation, however, these are a set of cognitive, emotional, and physical responses to triggers that also trigger other responses, all of which happens automatically and involuntarily on your part. Moreover, System 1's associate activation triggers ideas/thoughts/responses that are associatively coherent and do their best to make sense of the situation, despite the wide variety of actions that occurred. And, as we see in the example, System 1 creates an imagined replica of the example that we physically and emotionally react to, even when the example in question represents two abstract concepts. As Kahneman notes, we think with our whole body, not just our brain.
The phenomenon of associative activation is fairly well-known. Eighteenth century Scottish philosopher David Hume first proposed that the association of ideas occurs according to the three principles of resemblance, contiguity in time and place, and causality. This is a good starting point, but we've had a few new ideas since then. For one thing, Kahneman, and likely many psychologists, take a more expansive view of what constitutes an "idea" besides a person, place or thing (wait a minute). Psychologists today have also moved away from the school of thought that associative activation happens as your mind navigates from one idea to the next in sequence. Instead, today's prevailing theory of associative memory holds that ideas are like nodes in a network, with links of all kinds between the nodes. Once you activate one node for an idea, all linked nodes and therefore ideas are activated simultaneously, and then their linked nodes and ideas are activated simultaneously, and ok you get the idea. One other important aspect of the associative memory theory is that most of this activation happens unconsciously. Only a small subset of them will actually be registered as conscious thoughts.
In recent decades, we've come to understand associative activation as it relates to the concept of "priming." Once an idea is activated, the associated ideas linked to the original are also activated and become easier to use if needed - or "primed for use", if you will. Priming, like associative activation, also operates like a network, although the second order effects - like a primed idea causing another idea to prime - are a bit weaker. And we're being pretty loose with our language by using "idea" here because priming applies to words, concepts, actions, and emotions, as Kahneman shows in various examples. Like associative activation, much of the act of priming occurs in System 1 automatically and unconsciously. We can also see reciprocal links occur quite a bit for both associative activation and priming. As Kahneman explains, several studies have demonstrated how particular actions will prime people for certain concepts and thoughts and how those same concepts and thoughts will prime people for the same particular actions, in a chicken-egg paradox.
Of course, priming and associative activation isn't all rainbows and sunshine. The fact that priming occurs so often automatically and unconsciously can be disturbing, given that we like to believe we're much more deliberate about who we are as a person. Kahneman refences two experiments regarding ballot initiatives for school funding and money that show that priming can induce us to create a culture of behaviors and beliefs that, if pondered, we wouldn't necessarily agree with, and that this can happen without us even realizing it. Given those experiments and other research, it begs the question of how other actions can prime us to perform certain behaviors and schools of thought that in turn prime us to those initial actions.
Kahneman wraps up chapter 4 with an unsettling breaking of the fourth wall. He asserts that, as readers complete the chapter, they often disbelieve that associative activation and priming have that much of an effect on our lives. Remember, System 2 likes to believe it is what determines the defining characteristics of our personality. Kahneman then proceeds to break down the questions the reader is likely contemplating as they read the chapter and assess if priming is that big of a deal or not. And, more importantly, Kahneman asserts that despite what System 2 wants to believe - you are subject to the effects of priming. We can see demonstrations of it in the world around us, including the final example of the chapter. The research done on priming and associative activation isn't the result of some extraordinary circumstance or statistical fluke. System 2 likes to construct a narrative for who we are, what we believe, and how we behave, but in reality, these things are heavily dictated by the automatic, involuntary, and often unconscious actions of System 1.
Discussion questions are listed below. Friendly reminder that we only covering the introduction to Chapter 4 this week, and all comments should be limited to that section. Any comments that include spoilers will be removed, regardless of whether they are hidden behind a spoiler tag!
Next week u/tomesandtea will cover Chapters 5 through 10. See you then!
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2024.04.29 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
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2024.04.27 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.04.22 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
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2024.04.21 15:21 Ok_Bullfrog_8491 Of Fingon and Maedhros

In fan-created works, Maedhros and Fingon are often depicted as a couple. Here I’ll argue why this is a—although not the only—possible interpretation of the text. I will begin by giving a short overview over their characters (1.). Then I will argue that characters in the Legendarium in general need not be straight, including Elves (2.), and that in particular, Maedhros and Fingon likely aren’t (3.). In (4.) I will discuss why they make most sense as a couple, both (a) in terms of character choices and actions and (b) in terms of parallels to Beren and Lúthien, followed by (c) a discussion of a potential Ancient Greek parallel. Of course, there are (5.) counter-arguments. However, I will (6.) conclude that despite these, reading Maedhros and Fingon as a romantic couple in the tragedy that is the Silmarillion is a valid interpretation of the text and fully in the tradition of the epics. This is a substantially reworked version of an essay I posted over a year ago here and here.
1. The Characters: Maedhros and Fingon
2. Characters in the Legendarium Need Not Be Straight
There are several characters in the Legendarium who are explicitly said never to have married for reasons that can very well be read as something other than heterosexuality. Several characters remain unmarried because they are not interested in marriage; instead, they much prefer to spend their entire lives in military environments populated entirely by men, for instance:
Concerning Elves, we are told that “it is contrary to the nature of the Eldar to live unwedded” (HoME X, p. 255), and the Elves tended to marry young, just after reaching majority (HoME X, p. 210). However, not every Elf actually marries. LACE specifies: “Marriage, save for rare ill chances and strange fates, was the natural course of life for all the Eldar” (HoME X, p. 210), which would account of Aegnor, who loved a human woman, never marrying. (More specifically, some 10% in each later generation do not marry (NoME, p. 111).) I would argue that these strange fates—as LACE terms it, I wouldn’t call it that—can include Elves being gay.
3. Maedhros and Fingon Might Not Be
Fingon was born in Y.T. 1260 (NoME, p. 164) and Maedhros would very likely have been older. This means Fingon was some 2280 sun years old when he reached Beleriand (I’m going with the HoME version of calculating years and ages because I really have trouble with squaring the NoME version with the Annals, the Silmarillion and LOTR).
Turgon, Fingon’s younger brother, is married and has a daughter before the Noldor leave Valinor. Curufin, Fëanor’s fifth son, and Angrod, Finarfin’s second son, are married and have sons. Maglor and Caranthir, Fëanor’s second and fourth sons respectively, also seem to be married (HoME XII, p. 318).
Maedhros and Fingon are definitely the two most eligible bachelors among the Noldor. Quite apart from the political desirability for anyone to bind their family to Fëanor’s eldest son (and heir: the Noldor seem to follow primogeniture, as the Shibboleth speaks of Fëanor’s “position and rights as his eldest son”, HoME XII, p. 343), Maedhros is explicitly said to be beautiful: his mother-name Maitimo means the “well-shaped one”, and “he was of beautiful bodily form” (HoME XII, p. 353). Fingon is the first son and heir of Fingolfin, the only other person who seems to have been as important as Fëanor among the Noldor: “High princes were Fëanor and Fingolfin, the elder sons of Finwë, honoured by all in Aman” (The Silmarillion, p. 70). While we never get much of a description, Fingon is given a name beginning with the element fin for hair, and “In the case of Fingon it was suitable; he wore his long dark hair in great plaits braided with gold.” (HoME XII, p. 345) We know that Elves find “hair of exceptional loveliness” attractive (HoME XII, p. 340). So we have two attractive and politically highly desirable princes here.
Yet Fingon has “no wife or child” (HoME XII, p. 345), while “Maedros the eldest [son of Fëanor] appears to have been unwedded” (HoME XII, p. 318).
Would it really be so surprising if these two princes, quite certainly among the most eligible bachelors in Valinor for any parents looking for a political match for their daughters, over two millennia old by the time we meet them and with a lot of married much younger siblings and cousins, but still unmarried, might not be straight?
4. Why I See Them as a Couple
(a) The Plot
We don’t know anything about what Maedhros and Fingon were doing in Valinor, apart from the facts that they were friends, that Morgoth’s lies came between them, and that Maedhros went into exile in Formenos with Fëanor (and Finwë) after Fëanor had drawn a sword on Fingolfin.
In Beleriand, Maedhros runs a military from his icy fortress on the Hill of Himring, while his younger brothers run kingdoms as his vassals. Meanwhile, Fingon spends most of his time in Beleriand fighting Morgoth; the driving political force of the non-Fëanorian side of the Noldor seems to be Fingolfin.
I would argue that a lot of Fingon’s and Maedhros’s actions and reactions make a lot more sense if seen through the lens of love for each other and a partnership that was broken in Valinor by Morgoth’s lies but was rekindled after Thangorodrim.
(i) Fingon
Fingon’s stated reasons for wanting to go to Middle-earth—exploring Middle-earth and building a kingdom there—don’t make sense. Fingon never does anything even remotely connected with building his own kingdom from the moment he sets foot on Beleriand—and yet he’s the driving force behind Fingolfin leaving Aman. He jumps in at Alqualondë, (probably) thinking that the Noldor under Fëanor were attacked. Afterwards he keeps driving the Noldor forwards, even after the Doom of Mandos. He is one of the leaders across the Helcaraxë. Yet the first thing we are told he does upon reaching Beleriand is going after his father’s main political rival—who Fingon thinks abandoned him to the Helcaraxë. Maedhros has been a captive of Morgoth for thirty years, and even his brothers apparently never tried to rescue him. But Fingon decides to do it anyway and succeeds through sheer stubbornness with some very convenient divine help. He then proceeds to fight Morgoth’s armies and monsters for four hundred years. When Fingolfin gives Fingon’s fiefdom to the House of Hador, Fingon doesn’t have a problem with it. When Fingolfin dies, Fingon becomes High King and Maedhros immediately starts acting as the new High King, organising an alliance against Morgoth called the Union of Maedhros. Maedhros does all of the planning and even appoints the day of the Fifth Battle (HoME XI, p. 165). (See also here.)
However, Fingon is involved in all of this: “Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros, took counsel with Himring” (The Silmarillion, p. 224). Fingon doesn’t seem to have the slightest problem with Maedhros apparently usurping him, exactly like he doesn’t have a problem with Fingolfin handing Dor-lómin to his human vassal.
I would argue that all of this makes sense if we assume that Fingon’s primary motivation is Maedhros. Maedhros has sworn the Oath, he will go to Beleriand, so Fingon has to follow. Fëanor’s army is fighting and it isn’t looking good for them, so Fingon has to jump in. Maybe he saw Maedhros in the fray. He follows Maedhros to Middle-earth. Once in Middle-earth, he follows Maedhros to literal hell on Earth and gets him out. And when he becomes High King, he and Maedhros seem to run the office with an arrangement where Fingon, the beloved hero, is the figurehead and Maedhros, who, unlike Fingon, is unlikely to be popular anywhere outside of East Beleriand due to his own and his brothers’ actions but is a politician born and bred, does the planning. But then, in a battle orchestrated by Maedhros, Fingon is brutally killed.
(ii) Maedhros
Maedhros confronts his obviously dangerous and mad father about returning for Fingon and is the only son of Fëanor to break through whatever hold Fëanor has on them at that point to stand aside at Losgar (note that Celegorm and Curufin don’t request that Aredhel be given passage and don’t refuse to burn the ships), even though “Morgoth’s lies came between” Fingon and Maedhros in the past (The Silmarillion, p. 97).
After being rescued by Fingon, Maedhros recovers from his decades of torment at Morgoth’s hands, returns to politics and keeps his brothers under control. Importantly, Maedhros renounces his claim to the crown and hands the kingship to Fingolfin, Fingon’s father. He also gives Fingolfin horses “in atonement of his losses” on the Helcaraxë (The Silmarillion, p. 135), which seems strange because it’s not like Fingolfin fought in the theft of the ships that he was later denied passage on by Fëanor—only Fingon would have had a moral “right” to be allowed on the ships. But maybe it’s of interest that the commander in Fingolfin’s army whose fighting style relies on horses is Fingon (“Then Fingon prince of Hithlum rode against [Glaurung] with archers on horseback, and hemmed him round with a ring of swift riders”, The Silmarillion, p. 132).
[Note: The question whether Maedhros had to “atone” for anything he did to Fingolfin is a thorny one. As Fëanor’s heir, Maedhros did inherit a responsibility for Fëanor’s actions (as well as the privileges coming with being the eldest son of the eldest son of Finwë). On the other hand, Maedhros himself had nothing to do with the burning of the ships by Fëanor; he openly opposed it. Moreover, Fingon, not Fingolfin, had fought in the battle where the Fëanorians won the ships, and Fingolfin had already begun to call himself “Finwë Nolofinwë” before Fëanor burned the ships: “Fingolfin had prefixed the name Finwë to Nolofinwë before the Exiles reached Middle-earth. This was in pursuance of his claim to be the chieftain of all the Ñoldor after the death of Finwë, and so enraged Fëanor that it was no doubt one of the reasons for his treachery in abandoning Fingolfin and stealing away with all the ships.” (HoME XII, p. 344, fn omitted) Neither Fëanor not Fingolfin was entirely blameless in this mess between them, but Fingon had nothing to do with this.]
When Fingolfin dies and Fingon becomes High King, Maedhros and Fingon seem to work perfectly in tandem. Maedhros orchestrates and plans the Fifth Battle—but the field is lost because of treachery in his own army. And then, Fingon is brutally killed in this battle which Maedhros had planned.
After the Nirnaeth Maedhros completely shatters. He retreats to a hill in Beleriand named Amon Ereb (The Silmarillion, p. 140), which reminded me of another character who retreats to a hill after a grave loss. After Aragorn’s death, a mourning Arwen lies down on a hill, Cerin Amroth, to die (LOTR, p. 1063).
But of course Maedhros doesn’t die yet. This story isn’t kind enough for that. Instead, he falls deeper and deeper into a cycle of blood-shedding: first Doriath, then the Havens of Sirion, and then the guards of Eonwë. And then Maedhros becomes the first and only Elf to successfully kill himself.
(iii) Some Descriptions Of Their Relationship
We know that Fingon and Maedhros used to be very close in Aman, but that they were estranged through lies—and that despite the estrangement and his belief that Maedhros callously abandoned him in Araman, Fingon can’t forget their bond: “Long before, in the bliss of Valinor, before Melkor was unchained, or lies came between them, Fingon had been close in friendship with Maedhros; and though he knew not yet that Maedhros had not forgotten him at the burning of the ships, the thought of their ancient friendship stung his heart.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124)
Yet they manage to overcome their estrangement: “Thus he rescued his friend of old from torment, and their love was renewed; and the hatred between the houses of Fingolfin and Fëanor was assuaged.” (HoME XI, p. 32)
In the LQ2, Tolkien inserted a new subheading for this story of Fingon’s rescue of Maedhros from Thangorodrim: “Of Fingon and Maedros” (HoME XI, p. 177). This is reminiscent of three other titles in the Silmarillion: “Of Aulë and Yavanna”, “Of Thingol and Melian”, “Of Beren and Lúthien”—three married couples.
Then there are the gifts. Gifts of jewellery are an important part of the marriage rituals of the Noldor; for instance, the bridegroom’s father would give a jewel to the bride (HoME X, p. 211).
In one version, Fëanor gives Maedhros the Elessar and Maedhros gives it to Fingon: “at the top of the page my father pencilled: ‘The Green Stone of Fëanor given by Maidros to Fingon.’ This can hardly be other than a reference to the Elessar that came in the end to Aragorn” (HoME XI, p. 176–177). The Elessar was later used as a (pre-)marriage gift by Galadriel, taking the role of Arwen’s mother, to Arwen’s future husband Aragorn (HoME X, p. 211). Meanwhile, in another origin story of the Elessar, Celebrimbor, who in this version is in love with Galadriel, creates the (second) Elessar for her and gives it to her as a gift (UT, p. 324–325). The Elessar seems to be associated with the concept of being given as a gift for reasons of romantic love.
Moreover, during the siege of Angband, Maedhros and Fingon would regularly send each other valuable gifts, such as the Dragon-helm forged by Telchar: “Maedhros afterwards sent it as a gift to Fingon, with whom he often exchanged tokens of friendship, remembering how Fingon had driven Glaurung back to Angband.” (UT, p. 98) This seems to have been such a regular occurrence that it wasn’t a problem for Fingon, who wasn’t strong enough to properly use the Dragon-helm, which had not been made for an Elf, to give it to the human Hador (see UT, p. 98).
Here it’s also important to discuss just how little material we have about Maedhros and Fingon. They don’t get any dialogue together apart from the rescue scene, and both appear far less often in the Silmarillion overall than Celegorm and Curufin, purely because they aren’t protagonists of one of the three Great Tales, but the protagonists of the frame narrative, the War of the Jewels. There’s also the fact that in-universe, the narrator of the Quenta Silmarillion is Pengolodh, a subject of Turgon who was born in Nevrast and spent most of his life in Gondolin (HoME XI, p. 396–397). Turgon, his king, notoriously hates the Sons of Fëanor because his wife Elenwë died on the Ice (HoME XII, p. 345). Turgon wouldn’t have liked any chatter concerning his brother’s close relationship with the chief son of Fëanor, obviously, as u/xi-feng points out. And yet, their affection shines through anyway, even though the narrator clearly hates the sons of Fëanor.
Here I think it’s also important to discuss the meaning of the word “friend”. Maedhros and Fingon are always referred to as friends, not as lovers, of course. But in the early 20th century, language was different. “Friend” could be used by a man for his male lover. In Maurice, the title character says this to Alec—upon waking up after spending the night together: “‘Did you ever dream you’d a friend, Alec? Nothing else but just “my friend”, he trying to help you and you him. A friend’, he repeated, sentimental suddenly. ‘Someone to last your whole life and you his. I suppose such a thing can’t really happen outside sleep.’” (Maurice, ch. 38, p. 175) Or later, when Maurice is discussing the Code Napoleon with Mr Lasker Jones, Maurice asks, hopefully: “You mean that a Frenchman could share with a friend and yet not go to prison?” (“share” in this context means, to quote Mr Jones, “unite”) (Maurice, ch. 41, p. 188). As such, the use of the word “friend” does not mean that they can’t have been lovers.
(b) The Shared Motif With Beren and Lúthien
Apart from the titles (“Of Fingon and Maedros”, “Of Beren and Lúthien”), there’s a very impactful parallel between the stories of Maedhros and Fingon and of Beren and Lúthien: the motif of “rescue with singing”.
The motif of a rescuer singing a song to ascertain where a prisoner is being kept is inspired by the story of Richard the Lionheart, who’d gotten himself kidnapped in Europe on his return from a crusade, and his minstrel Blondel de Nesle, who “went from castle to castle, searching for the king who was held in an unknown location, and singing one of Richard’s favourite songs. When he came to where Richard was imprisoned, the king joined in, revealing his presence.” (Wayne & Scull, A Reader’s Companion, p. 603–604)
Tolkien uses the motif twice in the Silmarillion: for Lúthien’s rescue of Beren from Sauron, and for Fingon’s rescue of Maedhros from Morgoth (Wayne & Scull, A Reader’s Companion, p. 604). [And once in LOTR, for Sam’s rescue of Frodo from the Orcs of the Tower of Cirith Ungol—but my argument here is not about Frodo and Sam.]
I would argue that this element, which is central to the love story of Beren and Lúthien, who went against everyone she knew to search and find Beren against terrible odds, invites seeing the other story in the Silmarillion where exactly the same happens—and which in fact happens before the story of Beren and Lúthien—as a romance, even more so since Tolkien gave this element to Beren and Lúthien first and then, ten years later, to Maedhros and Fingon. In other words, this powerful element can double as a tertium comparationis.
(i) Beren and Lúthien
“In that hour Lúthien came, and standing upon the bridge that led to Sauron’s isle she sang a song that no walls of stone could hinder. Beren heard, and he thought that he dreamed; for the stars shone above him, and in the trees nightingales were singing. And in answer he sang a song of challenge that he had made in praise of the Seven Stars, the Sickle of the Valar that Varda hung above the North as a sign for the fall of Morgoth. Then all strength left him and he fell down into darkness.” (The Silmarillion, p. 204–205)
(ii) Maedhros and Fingon
“Therefore [Fingon] dared a deed which is justly renowned among the feats of the princes of the Noldor: alone, and without the counsel of any, he set forth in search of Maedhros; and aided by the very darkness that Morgoth had made he came unseen into the fastness of his foes. High spoon the shoulders of Thangorodrim he climbed, and looked in despair upon the desolation of the land; but no passage or crevice could he find though which he might come within Morgoth’s stronghold. Then in defiance of the Orcs, who cowered still in the dark vaults beneath the earth, he took his harp and sang a song of Valinor that the Noldor made of old, before strife was born among the sons of Finwë; and his voice rang in the mournful hollows that had never heard before aught save cries of fear and woe. Thus Fingon found what he sought. For suddenly above him far and faint his song was taken up, and a voice answering called to him. Maedhros it was that sang amid his torment.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124)
(iii) Parallels
There are several parallels between the stories of Beren and Lúthien and of Maedhros and Fingon. There is the parallel of the titles. There is the element of a rescuer going into incredible danger in lands controlled by a Dark Lord (Sauron’s fortress and Morgoth’s realm respectively). There is the element of the song sung by the rescuer and taken up by the captive. There is the element of some very helpful divine intervention through animal-shaped followers of the Valar: Huan, the hound that Oromë gave to Celegorm in Aman, who takes Lúthien to Beren’s dungeon and fights Sauron and his wolves (The Silmarillion, p. 202, 204–205), and Thorondor, the Eagle of Manwë who stays Fingon’s hand and takes him up to where Maedhros hangs (The Silmarillion, p. 124–125). (Tolkien considered Huan and Thorondor as beings of the same order, although what exactly, Maiar or animals “raised to a higher level”, see HoME X, p. 410–411, isn’t consistent throughout his writings.)
Since the tale of Beren and Lúthien is the love story of the Legendarium and it’s the couple that others are compared to and held up against—the references in the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen (LOTR, p. 1058–1059) are not subtle—I argue that reading Maedhros and Fingon, whose story contains the same very distinct elements, as a romantic couple too does not go against canon.
c) Ancient Greece and the Influence of the Classics
The Silmarillion, despite all the Germanic and other Northern influences and Catholic elements, reminds me of nothing so much as a Greek tragedy or epic. There is a Greek influence throughout the Legendarium, both in terms of plot and themes, especially in the War of the Jewels, and in terms of small linguistic elements. Lúthien before Mandos reads like a gender-swapped Orpheus and Eurydice before Hades with a somewhat better ending. Tolkien himself calls the tale of Beren and Lúthien “a kind of Orpheus-legend in reverse, but one of Pity not of Inexorability” (Letters, Letter 153, p. 193).
If Lúthien and Beren are Orpheus and Eurydice, based on Lúthien’s song moving Mandos to pity and making him return Beren (and her) to life, I posit that Maedhros and Fingon are Orestes and Pylades, who were considered lovers in Antiquity: see (Pseudo-)Lucian’s Amores, at [47]. This is not an exact parallel, of course, but when reading the Silmarillion, I was reminded of them, with elements from both Euripides’s Iphigenia in Tauris and Goethe’s Iphigenie auf Tauris:
A drama of kinslayings and curses and torment and an eventual escape with the help of divine intervention—but it’s also a tragedy about two warriors who love each other. Because they did love each other, as lovers: Goethe has Orestes liken Pylades to a butterfly, and Pylades respond with “Da fing mein Leben an, als ich dich liebte”—“My life began when I loved you” (Goethe’s Iphigenie, Act II, Scene 1).
In fact, in the 19th century, saying that two men were like Orestes and Pylades became a way of saying that they were gay (see Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, Vol. III (Marius), Book Fourth—The Friends of the A B C, ch. 1; moreover, Lord Byron uses “Orestes and Pylades” to describe his relationship with a male lover in his Letter 75—credit to u/Mastermaid).
Certainly, there are also many differences, but then there are also many differences between Orpheus and Eurydice and Beren and Lúthien, and yet, the inspiration is there. I would say that comparing Maedhros and Fingon to Orestes and Pylades is valid, and it’s certainly one element of why I read them as a couple.
5. Counter-arguments
Of course, there are many reasons not to read Maedhros and Fingon as a couple.
a) Elves and marriages between (half-)cousins
Maedhros and Fingon are half-cousins, and there’s a statement in the Silmarillion which could be read as a definitive statement on whether Elves would marry among first cousins: “The Eldar wedded not with kin so near, nor ever before had any desired to do so.” (The Silmarillion, p. 161) However, this is repeatedly contradicted in the text, including in LACE, which states that first cousins “might marry, but seldom did so, or desired to do so, unless one of the parents of each were far-sundered in kin” (HoME X, p. 234), and in one version, Galadriel and Celeborn are (full) first cousins (UT, p. 299) (see also here).
b) Fingon’s motivation was to heal the feud
You could also point to the statement in the Silmarillion that Fingon’s motivation was at least partly to avoid a civil war between the two hosts of the Noldor: “Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor, before their Enemy should be ready for war; for the earth trembled in the Northlands with the thunder of the forges of Melkor underground.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124) However, I would point to the sentence immediately following this one, which is: “Long before, in the bliss of Valinor, before Melkor was unchained, or lies came between them, Fingon had been close in friendship with Maedhros; and though he knew not yet that Maedhros had not forgotten him at the burning of the ships, the thought of their ancient friendship stung his heart.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124) Fingon certainly seems to have been more motivated by emotions than logic or politics in this scene. The politics side of the equation certainly goes out of the window when Fingon agrees to mercy-kill Maedhros, or when he prays to Manwë to help him kill Maedhros. Also, rescuing your father’s main political rival who everyone on your side thinks is as much of a traitor as Fëanor doesn’t seem like a great way to deflate tensions between two trigger-happy armies. This point also doesn’t take away from the parallels with Beren and Lúthien.
c) Fingon is Gil-galad’s father in the published Silmarillion
Christopher Tolkien says that he himself inserted the “son of Fingon” into the passage in Aldarion and Erendis in UT (HoME XII, p. 351) as well as in the Silmarillion (“in the published text […] Fingon is an editorial alteration of Felagund”, HoME XII, p. 349). He further says that Gil-galad son of Orodreth was JRR Tolkien’s “last word on the subject”, that it “would […] have been much better to have left Gil-galad’s parentage obscure” in the Silmarillion published by Christopher Tolkien, and that JRR Tolkien’s idea of Gil-galad son of Fingon was “ephemeral” (HoME, p. 351). Tolkien’s last words on the issue were that Fingon has “no wife or child” (HoME XII, p. 345). It’s also really important plot-wise that Fingon has no heir, and Fingon’s lieutenant Húrin, just before making an accurate prophecy concerning Eärendil, says to Turgon: “For you are the last of the House of Fingolfin, and in you lives the last hope of the Eldar.” (CoH, p. 58) (See also here.)
d) Maedhros and Fingon were melotorni and not romantic lovers
Carl Hostetter (u/cfhostetter) argues that Maedhros and Fingon would have been melotorni. The term melotorni comes from the following passage about love: “In this matter the Elven-tongues make distinctions. To speak of Quenya: Love, which Men might call “friendship” (but for the greater strength and warmth and permanency with which it was felt by the Quendi) was represented by √mel. This was primarily a motion or inclination of the fëa, and therefore could occur between persons of the same sex or different sexes. It included no sexual or procreative desire, though naturally in Incarnates the difference of sex altered the emotion, since “sex” is held by the Eldar to belong also to the fëa and not solely to the hröa, and is therefore not wholly included in procreation. Such persons were often called melotorni ‘love-brothers’ and meletheldi ‘love-sisters’.” (NoME, p. 20)
However, I don’t argue that given the textual evidence, Maedhros and Fingon can’t have been melotorni. I don’t argue that they can’t share philia (the friend bond), using C.S. Lewis’s terms for similar concepts from The Four Loves, and that eros (romantic love) is the only possible interpretation. I argue that the text points in the direction of a romantic relationship for reasons I have already mentioned: in particular, the surprising fact that both of them, the oldest of the third generation of the House of Finwë, were unmarried and never showed interest in marrying (unlike Finrod, for example); the gift of the Elessar, which has romantic connotations when Celebrimbor gives it to Galadriel and is in fact used as a marriage gift between Aragorn and Arwen; the parallels with Beren and Lúthien, the preeminent romantic relationship in the Legendarium; and the Greek influences.
By the way, again about the Elessar: it seems that everyone accepts that Celebrimbor is in love with Galadriel in that one version in UT, p. 324. And yet, all we know of what Celebrimbor feels for Galadriel is this: “But you know that I love you (though you turned to Celeborn of the Trees), and for that love I will do what I can, if haply by my art your grief can be lessened.” (UT, p. 324) The term used is “love”, not “in love with”. Still, no-one would doubt that this is romantic love, given the circumstances (that is, Celebrimbor mentioning Celeborn and giving Galadriel the Elessar). But love is also the term used for Maedhros and Fingon’s relationship (HoME XI, p. 32). So why, given the term and the circumstances (the Elessar and the parallel with Beren and Lúthien) can’t this be romantic—and in this case, requited—love too?
e) Elves don’t experience sexual desire without a concomitant desire to have children
Concerning marriage among the Elves, we are told that “The ‘desire’ for marriage and bodily union was represented by √yer; but this never in the uncorrupted occurred without ‘love’ √mel, nor without the desire for children.” (NoME, p. 20)
This seems quite definitive, doesn’t it? But it’s clear that this isn’t how things were in practice: note the term “in the uncorrupted”. By any interpretation, the Kinslayers of Alqualondë would not fall under “the uncorrupted”. This is confirmed by HoME X, p. 210: “Even when in after days, as the histories reveal, many of the Eldar in Middle-earth became corrupted, and their hearts darkened by shadow that lies upon Arda, seldom is any tale told of deeds of lust among them.”
And many, many expressions of innocuous free will among Elves are stated to be products of Arda Marred, the Shadow, corruption and the like. Indis loving Finwë while he was married to Míriel? “The Shadow” (HoME X, p. 247). Finwë accepting the severance of his marriage to Míriel through his second marriage to Indis? Accepting (and implicitly furthering) “the marring”, as Manwë tells Finwë: “For the severance cometh from the marring of Arda; and those who accept this permission accept the marring, whereas the bereaved who remain steadfast belong in spirit and will to Arda Unmarred.” (HoME X, p. 260). Míriel’s wish to remain unhoused? “The Shadow” (HoME X, p. 222). The Noldor leaving Aman, and the Sindar never getting there? “[T]he effort to preserve the Elves incorrupt there had proved a failure if they were to be left free: many had refused to come to the Blessed Realm, many had revolted and left it.” (HoME X, p. 401) For some of the Valar, even all unrequited love among Elves is part of Arda Marred/the Shadow (while for other Valar it’s part of free will) (HoME X, p. 211). That is, many, many natural and innocuous expressions of free will are expressions of “corruption”/Arda Marred/the Shadow.
In this context it’s also important to say that the term “corrupted” doesn’t necessarily mean evil in the Legendarium. It’s not always a moral statement, but can simply denote that something—or someone—is part of Arda Marred. Basically everything is part of Arda Marred, especially Elves and Men (see e.g. HoME X, p. 244, 254–255). And importantly, this “corruption” is necessary for the Third Theme, with Eru taking notes from the Discord of Melkor and weaving them into his own music, and saying, “And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.’” (The Silmarillion, p. 5–6) (See in general here.)
f) As a Catholic born in the 19th century, Tolkien would never have countenanced a romantic relationship between two male characters
Tolkien greatly appreciated Mary Renault’s writings (Letters, Letter 294, p. 377, “I was recently deeply engaged in the books of Mary Renault; especially the two about Theseus, The King Must Die, and The Bull from the Sea. A few days ago I actually received a card of appreciation from her; perhaps the piece of ‘Fan-mail’ that gives me the most pleasure.”), nominated E.M. Forster for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 (see Dennis Wilson Wise, Mythlore), and was close with W.H. Auden (Letters, Letter 327, p. 411–412, “I regard him as one of my great friends”, credit to elethiomel on AO3). So I wouldn’t say that Tolkien being a Catholic is a major obstacle.
And it’s not like Tolkien had to personally agree with everything he wrote his characters, even his heroes and protagonists, as doing. Tolkien wrote Túrin marrying his sister and both Túrin and Nienor killing themselves, none of which is very Catholic either. The argument that Tolkien had to approve of homosexual relationships for Maedhros and Fingon to be in love is strange anyway—Maedhros in particular is a murderer many times over, and a suicide. But Maedhros loving Fingon romantically would be beyond the pale and impossible for a Catholic to write?
6. Conclusion
Maybe I’m too influenced by classical literature. In the Silmarillion, which I read as a Northern Iliad or Aeneid, maybe I expected to also find the element of the couple who are princes and warriors at war and who will die awful deaths in service of the tragedy. Maybe it’s because I knew of Achilles and Patroclus from Homer’s Iliad (who were seen as a couple even in English literature in the early modern period, see for instance Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, Act I, or William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida, Act V, Scene 1), and of Nisus and Euryalus from Virgil’s Aeneid. So maybe I was subconsciously looking for two princely warriors who would stand in this literary tradition. But then Tolkien himself was greatly impacted by Ancient Greek and Latin literature: “I was brought up in the Classics, and first discovered the sensation of literary pleasure in Homer.” (Letters, Letter 142, p. 172) We can refer to the classics to interpret Tolkien’s works. And I would argue that the text lends itself to my interpretation. I hope that they’ll meet again in Mandos or afterwards, without the burden of the Oath and the Doom, and that they can be happy despite the tragedy that was the First Age.
Sources in the comments due to character limit. Highlights in bold in quotes are mine.
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2024.04.20 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
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2024.04.18 20:42 IndigoTellus Teyvat is a Knot in the Tree and a Pearl in the Sea

Teyvat is a Knot in the Tree and a Pearl in the Sea
I've been exploring the I Ching, Chinese history, and MiHoYo as a company and I don’t have anyone to geek out about this stuff with, so I genuinely appreciate everyone who reads this post. Unfortunately, I have to focus on other priorities and put this aside.
Fair warning this super speculative, just in case that’s not your cup of tea.
TLDR
I think the world of Teyvat takes place within a singularity that formed when a bough (main branch) of an Imaginary Tree was impacted by an “intruder”, which formed a knot. To isolate the intruder an artificial False Sky was created forming a Pearl that adds layers with each samsara. Being an imaginary world within a Tree makes sense because it’s a world of gods, dragons, and knights, which are also architypes used throughout history to depict common themes. This could also be why Teyvat is a world of different mythologies, philosophies, theologies, literary works, because they are all part of the collective body of knowledge, the collective “truth” of the Tree.
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Creators of Hoyoverse
Franz Kafka said, “The Kafka paradox: art depends on truth, but truth, being indivisible, cannot know itself: to tell the truth is to lie. Thus the writer is the truth, and yet when he speaks he lies.” Each region represents one aspect of the “truth” of the world, because no one thing can fully embody it. So, if the “truth” is lies told by the ones telling the story, then what can we learn from the creators?
We know they studied computer science and that they are fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion. NGE is an anime that creates a world where the characters “are called upon to understand the ultimate cause of events and the motives behind human action”. NGE draws inspiration from Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Kabbalah, and Freud and Jung. Their first game FlyMe2theMoon used NGE theme song as it’s ending credit.
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Carl Jung
Carl Jung is known for his exploration of the psyche. He used the I Ching as a basis for his archetypes and argued that Alchemy is the basis for the psychoanalytical process. Jung's journey of Self is the process of individuation, where one integrates the aspects of personality. “Jung recognized many dream images as representing the Self, including a stone, the world tree...and the Christ.”
Jung is famous for his theory of the collective unconscious, which is a sea surrounding the conscious Self that houses the architypes. “Archetypes are universal organizing themes or patterns that appear regardless of space, time, or person. Appearing in all existential realms"..."they are organized as themes in the unus mundus".
Genshin: I think Teyvat is a singularity, the unus mundus, the world outside of time, a world of architypes, where our collective dreams come to life through our imagination. It’s a world like a Pearl that’s being cultivated through each generation as humanity collectively grows and learns, like a living book of stories that continues to add chapters.
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Jung’s Allegory for Truth
“Jung believed that we are ALL fragmented and divided, and knowingly or not, we’re all searching for our souls.”
Jung used an allegory for Truth as rays of light, where white light in its diversity of colors symbolized a common Truth and common property of mankind. The allegory is of a gigantic prism in front of the sun that breaks up the rays of light. A person living under the blue ray perceives the sun sends only blue light, but this is only a fragment of the truth. The same goes for other regions. “And they will all scourge and slay one another to force their fragmentary truth on the others–until, grown wiser through traveling in each other’s regions, they come to the unanimous view that the sun sends out light of different colors. That is a more comprehensive truth, but it is still not the truth. Only when a giant lens has recombined the split-up rays…will a view arise more in accordance with the truth, and men will perceive that the sun emits white light which is split up by the prism.”
Genshin: This feels very applicable with the Colors of the Rainbow achievement and our journey to find the “truth of this world”, which does appear to be a journey of the Self that is a universal process of discovery echoed in all epic tales, represented by a figurative Tree. The Traveler mentions that they are regaining their power and in FlyMe2theMoon Kiana is collecting soul stones in search of the Truth.
Makoto says to Ei that she should have “imparted these ideas to you a little at a time, to dissuade you from your pursuit of stillness”. Makoto and Ei may be foreshadowing what is happening as we walk through the worlds to the region of stillness, Snezhnaya.
“The Giant Voice Inside the Head”, the Sinner is a giant prism in the shape of a mandorla, the almond (vesica piscis), the philosopher's stone, the Pearl/Heart. The Sinner speaks to people in their mind and might force their fragment of truth on people. After bestowing the powers of the abyss to Chlothar, he returns to the Unknown Sanctuary to discover the Sinner is gone, but feels this "awesome and wondrous power flowing through his mind and body". Rhinedottir also found the Heart of Naberius and disappeared. This could mean that the Sinner is quite literally growing wiser by walking in other people’s shoes.
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Sigmund Freud
Freud’s Wolf Man dreamt of 6-7 wolves in a Tree which Freud interpreted as manifestations of a primal past trauma (fear of castration). In Greek/Roman mythology Saturn was castrated by Jupiter symbolically cut off the sky. So, wolves may represent nightmares stemming from when the Heavens were cut off. The riftwolves are described as “echoes left from the battles fought so many years ago”.
“The universe has no beginning and no end, and so it was with the land that once was. But this matters not to us, for the land that bears us no longer has anything to do with that eternity without start or ceasing." — So said the lone sage, Aberaku, to the first Sunchild (Abrax/God)
Freud also defined “delusions” as ‘applied like a patch over the place where originally a rent had appeared”. So, delusions are the minds attempts to repair gaps within itself, missing information…like about a God perhaps…maybe an Unknown one? Guizhong tells Zhongli to forget about the dumbbell and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata says “world…forget me…”. This could be the same event from two different perspectives.
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Tree of Imaginary Numbers
If Teyvat is a knot in the Tree, then what exactly is the Tree? The Tree of Life is a figurative representation of the cosmic process of creation in cultures all over world. They are directly comparable, and many have related them including Carl Jung and Aleister Crowley the beast himself.
The Confucianist Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate is one of these trees that has two paths: 1) Zhou Dunyi's Taijitu is the natural process of creation and destruction, and 2) Chen Tuan's Wujitu describes the internal alchemic process of achieving immortality (neidan).
The Tree is an archetype, so it is echoed from the microcosm to the macrocosm, meaning it’s a replicated process of creating a universe, a person, a fruit, etc. So, we as people are also universes and “Trees” of life and death, and our bodies are “cauldrons” for internal alchemy.
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https://preview.redd.it/4pfmy8sdg9vc1.png?width=1987&format=png&auto=webp&s=b4ab7e95b407ffe5d7dedeeb879d689cf8e89820
Genshin: This same idea is reflected in the game when Araja gave his body to become the Tree of Dreams to continue to sustain the dream for everyone. Each of the Vasara Trees have their own Trees of Dreams inside their consciousness, like inception trees. This could also imply Teyvat requires sacrifices to maintain the world.
In the Confucianist Diagram North is at the bottom of the Tree, while South is at the top. Have you ever noticed that the map of Teyvat does not have a compass? If Mondstadt is the “Crown of the North”, then this puts the Tsaritsa in the West. Her being in the West is significant, because that’s the home of the Icy Queen Mother who is a central figure in China and the one who stole the Pearl.
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A Knot in the Tree
Knots are formed when a dead branch and new growth on a tree mix together, which reanimates the dead branch. It’s possible that Teyvat is a dead “bough” reanimated, a world between life and death, where the two are mixing together.
Carl Jung's The Seven Sermons to the Dead: “Man is a portal through which one enters from the outer world of the gods, demons and souls, into the inner world, from the greater world into the smaller world...In this world, man is Abraxas [God], who gives birth to and devours his own world.”
The Primordial One created four “Shining Shades” of themself and shades are undead. The lone sage has sinshades. The Archons have demon names and could be the seven Po (shen/spirits), the angels the hypostases (jing/essence). Genies and Jinn are also spirits. Seelies in Scottish ballads are wights which are undead. Foxes are also believed to be transmigrated souls of deceased human beings.
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Dragon Spirits of the Tree
Dragons are “Spirits of the Way”, the way being the Path of Tao, the Tree of Life. They are also Guardians of the Flaming Pearl, which is another description for the philosopher's stone as cold fire.
Genshin: If dragons are spirits of the Tree then this could mean Teyvat is a microcosmic world…within a person…maybe even the one we are ultimately supposed to help in the Trevail Trailer. The threads of fate may be the ley lines as the meridians in the body, and the “her” we are supposed to rescue could be actually be Teyvat itself, but as a fractured person?
“This body is the noblest and most eminent of all in this world. It should hold absolute control over this world. It once promised its people a dream: the never-changing ‘eternity.’” —Beelzebul, Vajrada Amethyst Gemstone
“My body is my power, my power is my life!” – Kiana Kaslana, FlyMe2theMoon
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A Pearl in the Sea
The Pearl is a symbol for the Philosophers Stone, the final product of alchemy, and it is also a symbol for the Divine Child, the Magnum Opus. There are many symbols for the philosopher’s stone including a grain of gold, a seed of life, a Golden Flower, the almond, the Third Eye, the hexagram, the Seal of Solomon.
Pearl creation is a unique process where “the mineral and organic parts go together like bricks and mortar.” Mollusks make pearls by putting layers of nacre around intruders, such as grains of sand or parasitic worms, to isolate and provide protection from them. So, if someone succeeded in creating the philosophers stone through internal alchemy, then it’s entirely possible that the “false sky” was created to isolate them resulting in the bottle world of Teyvat.
The trigrams mandala look like a layered Pearl and a Tree. The representation of the Taoist Tree as a toroidal process looks like a singularity between a white and a black hole, so possibly three singularities or Dantians (elixir fields). King Deshret’s Mausoleum also resembles the Torus shape and is a representation of an incomplete Merkabah. To complete the process Heaven and Earth unite to form a light body, the Merkabah. With Deshret’s Mausoleum it appears heaven and earth are not united and the process is incomplete.
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https://preview.redd.it/iurfej0t6avc1.png?width=1911&format=png&auto=webp&s=4dc05a7913fd080bf6e42bcab59fd02998591d3d
Time: Eonothem and Eon
The interesting thing about both pearls and Trees is their relation to “time”. Pearls and Tree rings both have layers of “time” captured within them. Dendrochronology for example is the science of Tree Ring dating.
This brings to mind the Artifact set with Eonothem and Eon, but both of these are in geologic time, like layers of a Pearl. The Goblet of Eonothem is the whole Pearl, or if going by Mondstadt’s analogy, it’s the library, our collective body of knowledge. The Sands of Eon are books written by previous generations, layers of history, bodies of work that nurture and inspire new dreams. The circlet of logos is the current author writing their story. The plume of death is that which is eternal, like a quill that is set down and picked back up again. The Flower of Life is the Magnum Opus, the completed work that gets added to the library, seeding life and inspiring the next generation of authors.
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What is the Process of the Tree?
Wuji (zero, void) → Taiji (one supreme ultimate) → Yin and Yang (two polarities, heaven/Shen and earth/Jing) → Gateway of the Mysterious Female (spiral portal of creation, heaven/earth/void) → Sixiang (four faces of God and Four Symbols) → Wuxing (five agents of change) → Bagua (eight trigrams, the building blocks of life) → Yin-Yang (balance, Taijitu)
I cannot explain all this well with relation to Genshin and HSR together, so I would recommend reading Mitternachts Waltz and Imbibitor Lunae’s Character Story.
Wuji (without pole, non-self) is the limitless void described as a Sea of Qi. “Wuji is synonymous with Qi” and is home to all images including the Great Mother Wujimu, the unborn ancient mother. Likely the Sea of Quanta as dreams, memories, and potential, the origin and end.
“Life that came from the primordial sea is inevitably fated to return to it. But there are infinite possibilities for humans to transcend, and even the waters of the primordial sea cannot completely dissolve them...” —Boethius, Sublimation of Pure Sacred Dewdrop
Taiji (supreme pole, highest self): “Taiji is the process between Wuji and Yin Yang. It is the hidden force (the creative energy) which is able to lead Wuji into the division of Yin Yang and also lead the divided Yin Yang back into the unity of Wuji.”
Precious Scripture of the Dragon-Flower: “After the emergence of the Ancient Awakened, heaven and earth were established; after the rise of the Eternal Venerable Mother, Former Heaven was established. The Eternal Venerable Mother [wujimu] conceives from herself and begets yin and yang. The yin is the daughter and the yang is the son. Their names are Fuxi and Nüwa respectively.”
Genshin: How does a mother begets children of herself? I think this played out with Makoto and Ei, which is why Inazuma was such a tricky story to tell.
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The Three Treasures
The analogy for understanding the three treasures is of a candle. The wax and wick are the energy of Jing that is consumed during life, the flame is Qi the life-force that animates the body, and Shen is the rainbow aura of light (mendorla) surrounding the flame.
Jing is material essence, ousia, hypostasis, seed/egg containing blueprints, DNA from the ancestors, "god's mouthpiece", one's fate/destiny, and Heaven’s command. Kanji for Jing is uncooked rice in the Dantian (cauldron).
Qi is cosmic breath, pneuma, consciousness units, stars, the divine spark, the material-energy needed for movement. Kanji for Qi is cooked rice with vapors.
Shen is the basis for all existence, it's the psyche, true self, divine spirit, mind-heart, our eyes, awareness, consciousness. Kanji for Shen has a symbol for lightning and rock. Shen has a chord connecting us to the divine and descends into the body upon birth.
Genshin: Aether is an essence medium (Jing) for consciousness units (Qi) and Lumine means to sparkle or flash brightly (Shen). Paimon is our mouthpiece, described like a star, and is “a little rainbow balloon floating in the air, and her string seems to extend upward, to somewhere above the sky itself.” Paimon may be the personification of the Pearl as a person (she is always hungry like a black hole). This makes the reference to “emergency food” make way more sense since the boy ate the pearl.
The Treasure's colors in art are blue-Qi, red-Shen, and yellow-Jing. The Unknown God uses all of these, and she separates the twins as Yin and Yang. She is also wearing White for Heaven and death. So, is the Unknown God the Mother from the Heavens, the driving force of change? She did kickstart our journey through Teyvat.
https://preview.redd.it/scdwqscig9vc1.png?width=1403&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f0952f44e05171f44edf873d35bfbb64d9225b4
Wuxing
The Wuxing are the five processes or agents of change, the five heavenly beasts, that generate the eight Trigrams, which are the building blocks of life. They may be associated with the five Egyptian souls, five kosha, five types of spirit Shen, Freud’s analytical theory, and the Jungian architypes.
In addition to Shen (phoenix) there are Hun and Po which are dual souls, the eyes of Yin-Yang. Hun is the dark etheric, cloud soul and Po is the light animal, corporal, instinctual soul, "dregs". There are three Hun (three treasures) of the mind and seven Po spirits that govern the body. Yi is logos and intellect. Zhi is willpower “the light of consciousness buried in darkness of the waters of the unconscious”. “Water is the turning point, the end that is also the beginning. When the water turns, the cycle begins—and without water, there is no turning.”
Genshin: Venti may represent Hun and the Tsaritsa Po, he arrives like a bird spirit, is deathly allergic to cats, and has his Gnosis stolen from his heart by La Signora, who may represent the Queen Mother.
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The Secret of the Golden Flower
The motto of alchemists is V.I.T.R.I.O.L. which stands for "Visit the interior of the earth and [by] purifying [yourself] you will find the hidden stone". “Outer alchemy refers to the concoction of an elixir of immortality,” while neidan, “inner alchemy…uses the energies of the human body as the ingredients.”
Through meditation inner alchemy undergoes three stages: 1) Root - Jing to Qi: Jing is the Yin that gives birth to an immortal embryo, a mysterious pearl, or golden flower. 2) Heart - Qi to Shen: Gestation of immortal embryo. 3) Third-Eye reunites Shen with Void: Through meditation Yin is transformed into a pure yang body and luminous spirit (Yuan Shen) that merges with cosmic energy.
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The Bright Pearl and The Dragon Pearl
There are two folktales: 1) the Bright Pearl made by the Dragon and the Phoenix that was stolen by the Queen Mother of the West and locked behind 9 gates, and 2) the Dragon Pearl eaten by a boy who becomes a Dragon.
I think these are dual aspects of the same story in two parts: Genshin and HSR. They may also take inspiration from Faust: A Tragedy in two parts. Part one is at a microcosmic level, the internal world with Mephisto and Faust, and Part two is the macrocosmic level and society. Both stories together are considered to be the magnum opus.
HSR may be the macrocosm where live worlds are “dead” inside (broken mirroHeart). Stellarons sound like Pearls and the Tree is an archetypal process that gets replicated, so if someone altered the architype...it might make a cancer of all worlds.
On the Jewelry Shop in Mondstadt there is what looks to be the Pearl, like the HSR loading screen, and a book representing our story. We have maybe…an inception thing, where the numbers of the clock represent the cosmic egg shell as a moon, then the sleeping/dead moon is also a seed of life with four shades, and then the three circles cut off by the hands are the three treasures within the sleeping moon, like a “dream within a dream” or an eclipse. The clock is frozen at 12:45am which may be Hexagram 12 Standstill and Hexagram 45 Gathering Together. The arrow potentially represents stopping time and a pierced heart.
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https://preview.redd.it/9g92brifh9vc1.png?width=2202&format=png&auto=webp&s=846eb78dc89c59c8753a53b24154d54ddc541bc1
Knots: Seal of Solomon and the Ark of the Covenant
Zhongli’s meatball is Solomon’s knot, also called a lover’s knot, or the Seal of Solomon. Despite being called a knot, it is actually a link of four rings and its symbol is a hexagram. The ring gave Solomon the power to command shedim (demons) and jinn (spirits). According to Wen’s book, the Trigrams of Heaven and Earth combined are the equivalent to the Seal of Solomon (Merkabah).
Teyvat means “Ark” in Hebrew and a covenant is a written contract with God for protection of the people. The Ark of the Covenant was an acacia wood chest, maybe Egyptian in origin, said to house YHWH (demiurge). The Ark collected sins that needed to be cleansed through ritual. There were four rings fastened to four feet and two poles through them. The golden lid or mercy seat had two cherubim symbolizing the two becoming one, their wings stretched out to form a complete circle.
The Ark contained what seems like alchemical ingredients?
1) Two sacred stone tablets of the law endowed with life (betyles) and two statues of YHWH and Ashera, the Demiurge and Goddess of the tree and the almond flower.
2) A golden pot of “hidden” Manna: "A fine flaky substance"..."which became a coriander seed in size but white in color."
3) Aaron's rod, a walking stick that “miraculously sprouted blossoms and almonds" that Moses parted the Red Sea with.
Solar Pearl: “legendary orb of Liyue. It once absorbed all the light in the world, but was kept inside a wooden box for millennia…the master craftsman Kunwu once took the light of the heavenly bodies and sealed it in a wooden box. Kunwu then buried that box deep inside a dark rocky chamber, where it remained in pitch blackness"..."till finally the pearl within had absorbed the shine of the sun and moon. Just as Kunwu finished polishing the Solar Pearl, the splendor of the heavens shone down and a crimson moon filled the sky.”
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Genshin Trees
Let's look at some (not all) of the trees in Genshin and the hypostases. Apologies, I did not finish analysis here, but it paints an interesting picture along with the Trevail trailer.
Mondstadt
Mondstadt has an unnamed Tree in Windrise where Vanessa (phanes) ascended to godhood, next to a stream connecting it to the Sea. At the coast, there is a knight named “Mack” (son of) watching over two kids named “Will” (resolute protector) and “Jill” (child of the gods) who are near a crashed ship. There is a statue of seven surrounded by four pedestals, anemo crystal flies (almonds), windwheel asters (wisdom), and snapdragons (deception). Here we get the commission Leaves on the Wind, from Edith, who is the unnamed wife of Lot in Genesis who turns to salt. Vanessa may be analogous to Phanes as the Unknown God.
There’s also the Frostbearing Tree (frozen movement), “The ancient tree that should have slumbered forever under the ice and snow has sprouted scarlet sprouts anew.” We offer crimson agate (dragon’s blood) which brings life back to the dead tree.
Anemo Hypostasis: Beth, The Magician
Beth is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but the first letter of the Hebrew bible, symbolic of man not knowing about the first principles of creation. Beth is the breath of life (Qi) as spirit (Shen). It represents paradox, creation, the vine, the universe, and a dwelling in lower reality (Jing). In tarot Beth is “The Magician” representing “man as the director of the force by which he transforms his consciousness”, symbolized by a house, yellow, Mercury, and three in one (dove, blood, water).
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Liyue
The Wangshu Inn (Moon Goddess Guest House) tree is emerging from a rock, where it is rumored to house a secret and Zhongli says is to be protected. The Dragon Queller (Hidden Dragon) had the earth dragon Azhdaha (Dragon King) imprisoned underneath where he and the tree became merged. The Chinese name for the Dragon Queller is Fúlóng-shù, which could be a reference to the idiom fú lóng fèng chú (fortune, dragon, wind/phoenix, cook) meaning “hidden genius”, but with the fèng (wind/phoenix) removed.
Geo Hypostasis: Gimel, The High Priestess (The Moon)
Gimel is the third letter representing the holy spirit (Shen), man’s free choice, and God as the redeemer of mankind. In tarot Gimel is “the High Priestess” who represents union of opposites, connecting the two pillars of light and darkness. It is symbolic of the universal substance of mental energy representing water and the stone cube representing union of wisdom and life. It is also a camel, blue, the book of knowledge, and the scroll TORA of the law.
Notes: Zhong means “rice” and “Li” means reason. Zhongli is one of the eight Drunken Immortals known for Alchemy, making gold, and shapeshifting. Rex Incognito talks about his female form. He tested humanity to see if they could make it without him and does not appear to be affected by Irminsul changes. He fights and conquers Osial, who has five heads (Wuxing). He calls a knot from the sky from the same portal wishes come from, and he made a contract to end all contracts. Sus.
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Inazuma Trees
Inazuma has the Sacred Sakura Tree which is a quaking aspen (world’s largest living organism) that was grafted to five side branches. The Sakura started as a seed of consciousness that was planted in the past from the future. The Sakura also collects filth that then has to be cleansed through ritual. The Sacred Sakura has five Thunder Sakura side branches (Wuxing) that are guarding or suppressing something under them.
Electro Hypostasis: Aleph, The Fool
Aleph is the first letter, zero, that is silent. It represents the bridge between the hidden aspect of God ein sof/void and mankind. Aleph also represents the paradoxical nature of experiencing God as both hidden and close, far and near. In tarot Aleph is “The Fool” or "bag of wind” represents the cosmic egg filled with pneuma (qi, breath) and is symbolized by the ox. It is also yellow, Uranus, white sun, a feather, and a white rose.
Notes: Inazuma could represent the mother who begets Yin and Yang of herself. Ei tried to make a puppet and give it a Gnosis but “failed”. Makoto gave a piece of her own essence and “succeeded”.
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Sumeru Trees
Sumeru has the Divine Tree in the Avidya, or “ignorance”, forest that holds up the Sumeru Akademia. There are three levels where the hierarchy implies social status and people seek knowledge at the top. There is the Tree of Dreams which Araja gave his body to create, and of course there is Irminsul.
Sumeru Hypostasis: Zayin, The Lovers
Dendro Hypostasis is Zayin, the seventh letter meaning returning to light and understanding, or the sword of war that cuts up and separates to provide nourishment. In Tarot it is “the Lovers”, which represents discrimination, separation, and disposing intelligence between pairs of opposites (Adam and Eve) because it bears the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. It is symbolized by orange and Gemini.
Notes: Sumeru seemingly represents the Tree with three different Dantians or cinnabaelixir fields. The bottom of the Divine Tree is the market, the roots. The middle, the Heart of the city, houses knowledge. Then there is the Sanctuary of Surasthana (God) where you get the achievement “summit of wisdom” by climbing a branch near a bird.
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Fontaine
Fontaine has the Wilting Weeping Willow that is sick and it is guarded by a Vishap (dragon-like) that is unaware of others like them, whose name is spelled backwards (inverted). To cleanse the Tree we need three Pearl keys.
Hydro Hypostasis: He, the Emperor
He the fifth letter means “behold” or “look”. It represents revelation, light, the five senses, the five levels of the soul, the god within the human heart. In tarot Heh is “the Emperor” representing reason and vision, the one who oversees and controls. It is red, a window, an orb, the key of life, Aries.
Notes: I think Fontaine represents “cutting the cord” and letting go the sins of the past. This symbolically sheds the crown of thorns, which falls to the floor in the cutscene with Furina and Egeria.
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Pyro Hypostasis: Ayin, the Devil
Ayin is the sixteenth letter, representing the eye, primeval will, and means the choice of the will, or the heart. An evil eye, ayin ra, becomes a slave to the purposes of sin. In tarot “the Devil” represents bondage, mental inversion, and the delusion of outward figure that bestializes human consciousness. It is blue-violet, the black cube, Capricorn.
Cryo Hypostasis: Daleth, the Empress
Daleth is the fourth letter representing broken humanity and a door, or a choice to open ourselves up to hope and dreaming, or remaining closed off and alienated. In tarot it is “the Empress” who represents the Great Mother, divine love, and creative imagination. It is also symbolized by green, Venus, a star crown, the planets, the zodiac, wheat, and the forest.
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Journey through the Hilinigmatic Terain
Let’s walk through one of the more recent events. Another event to revisit would be the Alchemical Ascension Event. For example, Lisa says that Jean secured initial funds, Jean) (American for Jing), Albedo and Sucrose provided the ingredients and equipment. Albedo is the light reflected off a surface (Shen). Sucrose is sugar, the body’s energy (Qi). Also, Paimon says to Lisa “you’ve been doing things behind the scenes this whole time?! Paimon just thought you were slacking off.” Lisa responds saying that she’s always been here and she’s “helpful when it counts”.
The Eclipse Tribe, one rock (Eon 1)
Mask (Outer world): “Nini movo muhe yoyo!” or “Storm to move love yoyo”. The love yoyo being Yin-Yang, the eclipse tribe is celebrating, and we must get to the bottom of what’s going on (descend?). I’m assuming the Mask is akin to the Persona, the person we become in each cycle.
Two Swords (Inner world): “Mi muhe ye!” or “I love you”. The description mentions a “named master within”, but it never names them. We battle what Paimon names the Mystifying Megachurl. There are five sunsettias, five wuxing. Two swords represent in the egg because “the rules of war are woven in the womb”. Maybe the creation of the immortal embryo.
The Meaty Tribe, two rocks (Eon 2)
Mask: “Nini movo mimi tomo!” or “Storm to move we friend”. The description says we need to “find the Truth”, so we explore the terrain. Moving a we friend…birth of the Primordial One?
Two Swords: “Domu a dada!” or “Dance of Dada”. Bears similarity to the Divine Ingenuity domain; the Hilichurl must have found its way in by mistake before discovering a way to use the domain’s power. Paimon feels bad that it’s all alone with cabbages while other hilichurls revel outside. The domain drops five cabbages, one is golden. One Primordial One and four shades?
The Sleepy Tribe, three rocks (Eon 3)
Mask: “Lata movo mosi yoyo!” or “Ice moves to eat yoyo!” The sleepy camp is filled with noise and we need to determine if this poses any danger before they complete their objective. This references both the Pearl stolen by the Icy Queen Mother and the Pearl eaten by the boy.
Two Swords: “la la la”. We can’t tell how this works, but the megachurl is using wind currents. This could represent the actions of the Sinner creating the pearl. Which…how could we know how this works?
Present, four rocks (Eon 4)
Two Swords: “Muhe dada!” or “Triumph Dada!” The hilichurl is getting stronger and gained control over the Divine Ingenuity features. “It’s best if we win quick to snap it out of its delusions” Eon 4 is absent the Mask, which could indicate a world cut off from reality, outside of time where the yoyo no longer moves.
​
Other Interesting Things
The creators made MiHoYo from their names, but additionally Mi means “secret” or “rice”, Ho means “phoenix”, and “yo” means “sunlight”. HoYo together also means "mother" or "hole" in Spanish (like a void mother?). So, rice, phoenix, sunlight, and secret mother. Yin-Yang: the circle surrounding the whole is the Hidden Tiger, Yin and Yang represent the wings of the phoenix, the two dots represent the triangle eyes of yin-yang, and between them is the square third-eye of Wuji.
The MiHoYo also logo looks like Wuji There is a circle representing the cosmic egg, the icy moon surrounded by a rainbow aura containing a seed of life. This is similar to the Treasure Hoarders symbol who were founded by “Reed Miller”, someone who harvests and grinds grains into flour. There’s the Sea of Quanta and the Tree of Imaginary Numbers, and in quantum physics the first empty shell (void) is called the “K shell” and Shen is also known as the force that generates numbers.
Genshin is translated as “yuan shen”, meaning “original spirit”, where yuan means "headspring; source; root” and Shen “means ‘deep thinker’, ‘deep thought’, or ‘spirit’”. Impact means “the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another”. Yuan is yuán qì, primordial or ancestral Qi, DNA, and karma of past lives, Jing. So, Jing Shen impact.
​
https://preview.redd.it/4p4xi4a4o9vc1.png?width=1310&format=png&auto=webp&s=72d9d5c807e550155a38b66fbbc26472718a8b06
Hexagram 30: Clarity
In the Records of Jueyin Volume 4 “At a far-flung moment in the distant past, the ancestor of the seelie met a traveler from afar, with whom they swore an oath of union witnessed by the three sisters of the Lunar Palace. Just thirty days later, a sudden disaster struck.”
Hexagram 30 “Clarity” describes what one achieves through meditation and Yi, logos. Hexagram 30 brings a message of “When you can appreciate nature’s power to break through all barriers, you will discover that this same power is inside of you.” It is accompanied by the quote “Life is a pure flame and we live by an invisible sun within us.” The Hidden Influence is Hexagram 28 “Critical Mass” and if we look at the underlying cause it’s Hexagram 29 “Abyss”. This could be interpreted as someone responding to the Abyss (death) by using their own innate power within, a critical mass, to break through all barriers (spacetime, life-death).
​
Final Thoughts
I have nothing but incredible respect for Mihoyo as a company. This reads like a love letter to humanity, it’s our collective story, our history. It’s our journey, where we get to explore and adventure through time to experience different cultures and perspectives. A world within a singularity, a world of our collective architypes and memories. A world outside of time that is both a knot in the Tree and a Pearl in the Sea. And it’s absolutely a gem.
submitted by IndigoTellus to Genshin_Lore [link] [comments]

2024.04.15 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.04.13 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.04.10 04:09 Cult_ofCola ER Theory; The Pale Horseman

ER Theory; The Pale Horseman

What is the Pale Horseman?

In the trailer for Elden Ring; Shadow of the Erdtree, we can briefly see a large skeletal creature riding atop a pale-sickly horse. Since we don’t have an official name for the horse or its rider yet, I will refer to both as the Pale Horseman, or just the Horseman to make it easier to talk about them. I’ve closely analyzed the Horseman's; anatomy, location, and themes from these few frames these creatures are pictured within, and I believe I have figured out what these lil weirdos are and their potential lore.

General Observations:

https://preview.redd.it/1e9rblls3ktc1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=75c0b7221469753fe599cff0c117049447da34d8

Anatomy:

From observing the Horseman’s anatomy; I am nearly convinced both the Horseman and its steed are Albinaurics or at the very least are heavily related to them based on my prior observations. This idea is further supported by looking specifically at the rider’s design, which draws many parallels with the anatomy of First Generation Albinaurics. To better demonstrate this, here are images of both of them side by side:
https://preview.redd.it/rpp4o2574ktc1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=58efccd2b3c2562e2d95fda084b2951ad4717629
Similarities:
  • A dropped head
  • Barrel-shaped chest
  • Silver flesh
  • Hunched back
  • Long, 4-jointed arms (as shown above)
  • Short, (Seemingly) Non-functional Legs
​
Differences:
  • The Horseman’s “head”:
The “head” to me is the most peculiar and interesting part of the horseman’s design, to which I have a theory as to what it could be:
The object that is connected to the Horseman’s spine might in fact be what the “brain” of an Ablinauric looks like, as the Horseman’s skull was removed somehow. This “brain” appears to be a crystal carved in the shape of an orb, perhaps even made with the dark blue Glinstone seen on Master Lusat and the Crystalians. Which would make a lot of sense if we were to believe the Albinaurics are created by the Carians and Glinstone sorcerers. This better explains why the Albinaurics are denoted as “heretical” by the Academy similarly to Sellen and the study of the Primeval Current. Sellen, Lusat, and Azur all replace parts of their body with Glinstone to house their souls within them. Following that and what little we know about the creation of Albinaurics; we can assume that to create their soul requires a Primordial Drop of Dew and that soul is then housed within a piece of Glinstone, or perhaps the Primordial Drop of Dew is already a part of Glinstone itself. Lastly, this also explains why Albinaurics can cast spells with their Occult stat; using an innate magic within them rather than a skill learned. Their “brains” being made of Glinstone fuels their spells and thus they don’t need as much Intelligence to perform spellcasting.
Another much less crackpot theory: Is that the Horseman willingly severed its own head similar to the Mausoleum Knight’s in order to prevent itself from experiencing proper death. Hence why the horseman is still animate despite its flesh almost completely rotted off aside from a few spots around its stomach and ribcage. Whatever is now in place of its head could be its spirit physically manifesting or an object fashioned as a replacement.
​
  • The Horseman’s size:
The only solid explanation I have for the Horseman’s quite large size comes purely from an artistic and gameplay perspective:
Something Miyazaki often does in his games, especially the Souls series; is he makes the bosses much larger and exaggerates their features more than other enemies. This is for a lot of reasons. Artistically speaking, the player can better see and appreciate the boss's design details, as well as emphasize the importance of the boss within the world and story over regular enemies that are smaller and less of note. Gameplay-wise, this just helps the player have an easier time seeing and tracking the boss in contrast to the background. I could go on but in short; there are many reasons for this practice, far beyond just Miyazaki’s games. Outside of that explanation, I don't have a good idea as to the reasons behind the size discrepancies, however, that will likely be something explained in the boss’s lore.
​
  • The Horseman’s neck
I believe the length of the neck is for more or less the same reasons as prior:
The game devs elongated the neck to make the design look and feel a certain way and to aid with the animation. If I had to guess why they specifically made this change while assuming they used the Albinauric’s anatomy as a base for the design; It is because the Horseman’s torso is facing upright to give it more of a towering appearance instead of the usual angle we get of the Albinauric enemies. So to still create the look of a hunched back without making the boss actually hunched and more difficult to animate and visually less imposing; they elongate the neck so it can hang lower than the torso. Thus recreating the desired effect of the head being beneath the shoulder blades as seen in the base Albinauric enemy designs.

Location:

Looking at the background of the Horseman’s arena, we can tell that this area most likely takes place in the same cave area seen in the trailer. I came to this conclusion by closely examining both together and noticing how both have; white flowers, glowing lilies, flooding, and blueish-purple lighting- all taking place inside a cave:
https://preview.redd.it/x1pcr6zw5ktc1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=baf4bd167604befb667bd205dd7f33d074234364
We can safely assume that the lilies shown in both images are Trina’s Lilies; they are a pale white with a bright glow and are the only type of lily we can find in the Land’s Between outside of Miquella’s Lilies which are more of a yellowish color. From this, we can surmise that the Horseman has a strong connection to St. Trina, Miquilla, and Sleep. Considering my hypothesis that the Horseman is an Albinauric this isn't that hard to believe from what we can already observe about Albinaurics.
There are multiple instances of Albinaurics revering Miquella and seeking the Haligtree, to which he welcomes them with open arms. Some have even been granted to transcend their form alongside Miquella as they slumber within cacoons in the Haligtree. Not to mention most Albinaurics can drop St. Trina arrows, which according to their description says they are used by priests of St. Trina to spread their teachings. It's not exactly clear if the Albinaurics are the priests themselves or those that the priests spread their teachings to, I’d wager it's most likely the latter.
Some more evidence for the connection between the Albinaurics and sleep are the Silver Crabs found at the Raya Lucaria Courtyard and the Concecrated Snow Field. These crabs are currently the only enemies in Elden Ring that can inflict the Sleep status effect with a slumber-inducing breath. It is implied these crabs are in some way Albinauric by appearing to be composed of silver, and their presence in areas that Albinaurics congregate around. Something potentially worth noting is that the Elden Wiki states these crabs' original Japanese names refer to them as “homunculi” but I cannot verify this myself. You could argue that the sleep mist the Silver Crabs possess might have less to do with them being Albinaurics and more to do with them feasting upon Trina Lilies, which granted a couple can be found in the Raya Lucaria courtyard. This would be more in line with the other crabs’ breath attacks; having them spit up the contents of what they’ve been eating according to the area they’re found in. However, I don’t think this is the case here, as the Silver Crabs found in the Consecrated Snow Field are not near any Trina Lilies and still exhibit the same sleep-breath attack. It is quite strange to note that none of the other Albinaurics possess this ability outside of the Second Generation Albinaurics but their breath inflicts Frostbite and not Sleep, what this could mean exactly I’m not sure.
If we had to speculate why the Horseman is within this cave it could be that it is a loyal servant of Miquella, perhaps tasked with protecting something of value to him even in death. This could be a reason why we fight the Horseman; to gain this treasured item it protects to give to an NPC to progress their questline. If we are to assume the Horseman is an Albinauric, maybe the sorcerer NPC we see in the trailer might want it dead due to its heretical nature according to the Cuckoo Knight’s beliefs.

Themes:

It's pretty evident when looking at the Horseman’s design is that it's meant to invoke themes of death and decay. The rider and its steed are very visibly undead. The rider is practically a skeleton at this point with its last bit of flesh stored within its ribcage and stomach, while the horse’s complete bottom half is nothing more than a gory paste. Something else about the Horseman’s design that could connect it with death is its distinct eyes. The only other creatures that we’ve seen that have white glowing orbs for eyes are the cemetery shades, who themselves are emblematic of death being undead grave keepers:
https://preview.redd.it/7p3e6bf07ktc1.png?width=1056&format=png&auto=webp&s=8689c45dcc0dd7e7a2be167bf717fe8cb7b84e98
The last thing that is super important to mention about the Horseman’s design concerning its theme is its potential influence; being that of the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse, the Pale Horseman; Death. Death in the Book of Revelation is depicted as a skeleton riding atop an ashy-pale horse, the color meant to resemble that of a corpse, extremely similar to the creature pictured in the DLC trailer:
https://preview.redd.it/bgq32f1a7ktc1.jpg?width=305&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd25e73f8b3ad2b306ad9440971fa4482af34d20
If this is indeed a reference to Death as a Horseman of the Apocalypse, this could have large implications considering Death’s role in this context. Being a bringer of judgment and doom, while accompanied by Hades, or the afterlife which contains the souls of the dead. Interestingly, the arena the Horseman fights within takes place on a flat plane of water, which in Elden Ring; water is heavily associated with the afterlife and death.
We can observe this association through the Tibia Mariners, who are seen riding aboard a spectral boat and are an obvious reference to the character of Greek Mythology; Charon, who guided those across the River Styx and into Hades. Other examples come from Godwyn, as in his current state he has many design elements that relate to creatures of the sea he gained as the Prince of Death. Firstly he has spined fin structures that go across his arms, appearing very similar to dorsal fins. His lower body looks to be a tail of a fish, which ends in a caudal fin. Lastly and most striking of all; his head being that of a clam shell. While the area Godwyn is found within itself is flooded with water, ranging from white to purple in coloration, seeming to emanate from his presence. This too is shown by the clusters of Deathroot that grow in his visage which are almost exclusively found within flooded areas, usually burial sites. Wherever there is the Prince of the Death there is water.
I believe knowing that the Horseman has some tie to Miquella and being a literal personification of death and doom, it could perhaps have a role in bringing about the Eclipse, invoking its power to cast judgment. Eclipses are often symbols of doom and an end to an era, which is exactly what the Four Horseman are, which may imply that Miquella’s goal in the DLC might not just be to put an end to Those Who Live in Death but so too will put an end to the Erdtree and allow it to finally die, setting the stage for a new age to come forth; the Age of the Haligtree.
In conclusion, I believe the three main things we can take away from the Horseman based on the evidence I have provided here; is that for one its anatomy suggests a kinship with Albinaurics. Two; Its placement within the DLC suggests an allegiance to Miquilla. And last but not least; its thematic ties suggest it is a bringer of death and doom to the Lands Between. Regardless, thank so much you for reading my ramblings :)
submitted by Cult_ofCola to Eldenring [link] [comments]

2024.04.08 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.04.06 06:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]

2024.04.01 10:34 adulting4kids Figures of Speech

1. Simile:
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: The night sky was like a vast canvas, scattered with stars as bright as diamonds.
2. Metaphor:
Definition: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one thing is another.
Example: Time is a thief, silently stealing moments from our lives.
3. Hyperbole:
Definition: A figure of speech involving exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
Example: The suitcase weighed a ton, making it nearly impossible to carry.
4. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The storm brought a bit of rain; nothing too major, just a small flood in the living room.
5. Personification:
Definition: A figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities.
Example: The wind whispered secrets through the ancient trees.
6. Assonance:
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence.
Example: The melody of the evening breeze gently swept through the fields of wheat.
7. Onomatopoeia:
Definition: The use of words that imitate the sound they describe.
Example: The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
8. Alliteration:
Definition: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Example: The playful puppy pranced through the park, chasing butterflies.
*9. Oxymoron:
Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
Example: The comedian's humor was both dark and lighthearted, creating an unsettling joy.
10. Irony:
Definition: A figure of speech in which words express a meaning opposite to their literal interpretation.
Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were on vacation—what a twist of irony.
11. Pun:
Definition: A play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings.
Example: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
12. Juxtaposition:
Definition: Placing two elements side by side to present a contrast.
Example: In the bustling city, the serene park offered a juxtaposition of tranquility amid the urban chaos.
13. Synecdoche:
Definition: A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: "All hands on deck" implies the need for the assistance of the entire crew.
14. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech where one term is substituted with another closely related term.
Example: The White House issued a statement on the recent policy changes.
15. Zeugma:
Definition: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Example: She stole both his wallet and his heart that fateful night.
16. Epiphora:
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Example: The forest was mysterious, the mountains were majestic, and the rivers were enchanting.
17. Euphemism:
Definition: Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or blunt one.
Example: She passed away peacefully in her sleep, euphemizing the concept of death.
18. Anthimeria:
Definition: The use of a word in a grammatical form it doesn't usually take.
Example: She bookmarked the page to return to the thrilling story later.
19. Chiasmus:
Definition: A figure of speech in which the order of terms in one of the clauses is inverted in the other.
Example: "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" - Cinderella
20. Allusion:
Definition: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Example: His ambition was Caesar-like; he aimed to conquer not only Rome but the hearts of its people.
21. Allegory:
Definition: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities . Example: Orwell's "Animal Farm" serves as an allegory for political corruption and the abuse of power.
22. Metonymy:
Definition: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely associated with it.
Example: The pen is mightier than the sword, emphasizing the power of the written word over physical force.
23. Sarcasm:
Definition: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: "Nice job on the presentation," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as the audience chuckled.
24. Understatement:
Definition: A figure of speech where a writer deliberately represents something as much less than it actually is.
Example: The mountain climber faced a slight challenge as he ascended Everest, navigating only a few treacherous crevices.
25. Cliché:
Definition: An expression or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning.
Example: The detective followed the suspect's trail like a bloodhound, relying on the cliché methods of his trade. *
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2024.03.30 05:27 adulting4kids Personification

Term: Personification

Definition: Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to non-human things, animals, or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Freewrite Prompt: The night sky beckoned with its twinkling eyes, each star a guardian watching over the slumbering world below.
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