Writer's Commentary: Sleep to Dream
On Post: Sleep to Dream
Date: January 3
Find it here
Sometimes the order of these things can mess me up. In this case, since I had done a dream related piece only two days earlier ( Wake Up Bomb) I did not want to replicate that. If I had drawn this song a couple of weeks later, I probably would have done it as a companion piece to that first entry from the perspective of one of the Reverii; a piece that revealed how not good it was to be one of the people fueling the city with your dreams. Alas, the randomness of this is part of the “fun” and certainly challenge of it so I had to suck it up and let that idea go. I just didn’t feel it was right to go back to that well so quickly…nothing against the rules about it but it was not really in the spirit of things.
So instead I focused on the obvious breakup aspect of Apple’s song. In her piece, she is sort of playing both sides of what we have happening here. She is almost arguing with herself, presenting herself lyrically as calm, cool, and collected while simultaneously taking on an angry tone that makes it clear she is anything but. The piece has that angry scream aspect embodied by the devastated Ginny and the “hey calm down, it’s over but you don’t have to be so reactive” lyrics personified by Cassandra.
Because it was Fiona Apple arguing with herself, I wanted to make it a same sex relationship. It was not until afterwards that I thought about the stereotypes regarding gay and lesbian relationships involving overly emotional outbursts. I think/hope that Cassie obvious detachment is enough to balance out Ginny’s explosiveness, but I am not sure. That might just be my privilege talking there. In any case, I did think about it post, did not intend it to promote such stereotypes, and ultimately decided that my intent was not to do that, I do not believe these stereotypes, and that I presented the other side of that same sex dyad as different enough as to make it clear that Ginny’s outburst was not “typical” or “normal” for lesbians in the world of the story.
Date: January 3
Find it here
Sometimes the order of these things can mess me up. In this case, since I had done a dream related piece only two days earlier ( Wake Up Bomb) I did not want to replicate that. If I had drawn this song a couple of weeks later, I probably would have done it as a companion piece to that first entry from the perspective of one of the Reverii; a piece that revealed how not good it was to be one of the people fueling the city with your dreams. Alas, the randomness of this is part of the “fun” and certainly challenge of it so I had to suck it up and let that idea go. I just didn’t feel it was right to go back to that well so quickly…nothing against the rules about it but it was not really in the spirit of things.
So instead I focused on the obvious breakup aspect of Apple’s song. In her piece, she is sort of playing both sides of what we have happening here. She is almost arguing with herself, presenting herself lyrically as calm, cool, and collected while simultaneously taking on an angry tone that makes it clear she is anything but. The piece has that angry scream aspect embodied by the devastated Ginny and the “hey calm down, it’s over but you don’t have to be so reactive” lyrics personified by Cassandra.
Because it was Fiona Apple arguing with herself, I wanted to make it a same sex relationship. It was not until afterwards that I thought about the stereotypes regarding gay and lesbian relationships involving overly emotional outbursts. I think/hope that Cassie obvious detachment is enough to balance out Ginny’s explosiveness, but I am not sure. That might just be my privilege talking there. In any case, I did think about it post, did not intend it to promote such stereotypes, and ultimately decided that my intent was not to do that, I do not believe these stereotypes, and that I presented the other side of that same sex dyad as different enough as to make it clear that Ginny’s outburst was not “typical” or “normal” for lesbians in the world of the story.
My explanation not ring true? Do you have questions that this piece left unanswered? Reach out and touch me at tim.g.stevens@gmail.com or @ungajje on the Twitter. And, as always, spread the word.