Ethan Lau

Ethan Lau

Ethan is an enthusiast of literature and believes that the best of humankind has been documented in various works and strives to unearth and share this knowledge.

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    Latest Articles

    Latest Topics

    8

    The Role of Magical Realism in Contemporary Literature

    Magical realism is a literary genre that combines elements of the fantastical with the ordinary, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. When writing on this topic, one can explore the significance of magical realism in contemporary literature and its impact on storytelling, symbolism, and thematic exploration. Additionally, one can delve into how authors employ magical realism to convey deeper truths about the human condition, cultural identity and social issues.

    Perhaps consider discussing this topic in relation to well-known magical realism writers such as Haruki Murakami or Neil Gaiman. As a starting point, consider the following: how is this genre defined and how does it differ from other genres like fantasy/surrealism? How does magical realism challenge readers’ perceptions of reality and provoke them to question the nature of truth and existence? How can magical realism allow authors to explore complex themes and societal issues that might be difficult to address through realistic fiction?

    • All these questions have already been answered extensively. Magical realism is one of the most explored topics by literary critics in the last 50 years, especially after the publication of "One Hundred Years of Solitude." In fact, several studies have shown that there are more pressing and interesting questions than those presented here. – T. Palomino 9 months ago
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    The Role of Music in Enhancing the Emotional Impact of Film and TV

    This article will explore the ways in which music enhances the emotional impact of film and television, providing examples from various genres and styles of music. It will examine how music is used to convey emotions, create a sense of tension, and build atmosphere in storytelling.

    How do different genres and styles of music contribute to storytelling? What are some notable examples of music enhancing the emotional impact of film and TV? How has the use of music in film and TV evolved over time, maybe consider the role of music and sound effects in silent films.

    • Consider choosing a specific film or show and finding something more tangible about how music is used in that form of media, and what specific effect it has. Rather than just 'enhancing' the film, consider how leitmotifs serve particular characters' story arcs, or how music is used to foreshadow plot points. – Patrick 12 months ago
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    • What about instead of "enhance", to use "add to"? – Beatrix Kondo 12 months ago
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    • I like this topic and it's something I've thought of quite a bit myself. Would certain iconic film scenes still work if they had a different soundtrack, or no soundtrack? Maybe you can focus on a single filmmaker or composer, or even a small set of scenes and discuss how music elevates the scene. Depending on your knowledge of and experience with music theory you could really delve deep into the composer's choice of key, tempo, chords, etc. – Leo Panasyuk 12 months ago
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    • I really like this topic! But I agree it needs to be scaled down a bit. Targeting perhaps a single piece of media OR even comparing two different pieces in regards to their use of both diegetic and nondiegetic sound would be very interesting. – Harry P 11 months ago
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    Latest Comments

    Ethan Lau

    Great article! I do think it nearly crosses the line of being pretentious, which may cause some to dislike it, but in my opinion, it never crosses that line and only ever flirts with it. Comedic breaks help to break down the serious and uptight atmosphere of the film. Truly a beautiful and great piece of art.

    The Grand Budapest Hotel: The World Revolves Around M. Gustave H.
    Ethan Lau

    Living in such a fast-paced world can be overwhelming sometimes! I always struggle to understand how people can wind down by playing intense and competitive games…

    The Cozy Escapism of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley
    Ethan Lau

    Great article! I do think that BookTok and the usage of social media to spark more people into reading is a great idea. However, as others have mentioned, I have also noticed that many of the videos on BookTok seem to recommend the same few books that are already popular. There is a part of me that worries once the novelty of these books wear off, BookTok will die off.

    BookTok Influencers and Their Impact on the Publishing Industry