In most video games, developers make use of the surroundings, or the environment in order to enhance the storyline of the game. Many games also rely on environments to weave in information about the narrative within the mise-en-scène. While, there are many video games which contain well-crafted environments, I wanted to highlight a game which had particularly memorable set dressings: The Last of Us. The game takes place in a post-pandemic, post-apocalyptic world in which a virus, known as the Cordyceps Brain Infection, has turned much of the population into fungal zombies known as the “Infected.” As the player, you follow co-protagonists, Joel and Ellie as they traverse across America.

The world of The Last of Us —  as expected of any post-apocalyptic world — is appropriately filled with overgrowth and decay and wreckage. However, that’s the norm for environments in games within this particular sub-genre. What sets the environments of The Last of Us apart are the minute, easily overlooked details which combine to deepen the worldbuilding of the game and make the world feel richer and almost lived in, in a way.

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Exhibit A:

These images depict pieces of graffiti that were located in areas that the player could easily skip through. However, as insignificant as these scribbles might seem, I believe that it does add depth to the narrative. It’s a reminder that people will be people while highlighting the human need to leave a mark; to be remembered, even during crises like a zombie apocalypse. Furthermore the fact that you could easily find the same words scrawled on any real life bathroom wall adds to the authenticity of the game and is an example of how the world of The Last of Us feels peopled.

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Exhibit B:

When it comes to environmental storytelling, the devil is in the details. In a game like this of course it’s important to show the large scale neglect and decay that would accompany a zombie outbreak, but the more minute aspects of such a world are equally important. In these pictures we have a clothing store in which the mannequins have been stripped bare and a toy shop with fully stocked display windows. It’s natural that anyone in such a situation would loot shops for supplies. What’s significant though is that the mannequins have been stripped bare, while the toy shop shelves are fully stocked. It’s a subtle detail but one which captures human behaviour in survivalist situations; people will be quick to stock up on necessities (i.e. clothing) and by and large ignore the more frivolous luxury items.

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Exhibit C:

Lastly, we have this shrine to the deceased. It’s yet another example of how human spirit can endure even in trying times. I think it’s a distinctly human urge to mourn, to remember, to celebrate life and I think this shrine captures just that. In apocalypse narratives, you might not think of such seemingly insignificant micro level details even though it’s such details that really flesh out a world and enhance the story. What The Last of Us, in particular, does so well via its environments, is peppering in minute details throughout which help juxtapose this deadly, violent world with the human spirit that lives on despite it.

(All gifs & images were made/taken by me)

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Questions for discussion:

1. Can you think of any storytelling mechanisms which are unique to a specific medium(s) of art?
2. Have you watched/played a video game, play, T.V show or film which had particularly memorable environments, backdrops or scenery? (E.g. Pillars of Argonath in Lord of the Rings or Central Perk in Friends)
3. How important do you think environments are in a piece of visual media?
4. Do you think environmental storytelling is more effective in an animated or live action format?

Who is MF DOOM?

MF DOOM, King Geedorah, and Viktor Vaughn are some of the alter egos of one artist. Daniel Dumile is a ‘British’ rapper who moved with his family to New York when he was a child with his family. In New York, he discovered the rap genre and became involved in the Hip-Hop culture.

Comics and MF DOOM.

MF DOOM is always sporting a metal mask, in fact, the MF in his name stands for Metal Face. MF DOOM’s comics influence is no secret, from his comic book references in his lines to his face mask everything about him is comic-like. Fans of MF DOOM are quick to point out that one of the reasons that he wears a mask is his operation for Doctor Doom, from the marvel comics. The second reason for his mask is that MF DOOM doesn’t want the spotlight as he leads a very private life.

MF DOOM Alter Egos.

Doom alter egos are described in his albums. MF DOOM is a 40-year-old supervillain trying to reach world domination. Viktor Vaughn is a young Doom wanna be, who wants to take over the world as well; however, he thinks he can do a better job than MF DOOM. King Geedorah is a three-headed snake that has the same goals as MF DOOM and Vaughn, but he tries to reach it using the power of mind control. Every Doom album tries to tell a story, from world domination to food, MF DOOM does it all. His albums have characters, backstory, setting, plot, and conflict which makes his album a unique experience.

MF DOOM’s influence.

Although MF DOOM is an obscure rapper, a lot of mainstream rappers credit him as one of the most influential figures in rap music. He’s often referred to as your favorite rapper, favorite rapper, because of his unique style and his ability to rap about whatever he wants and gain success at the same time. A lot of rappers feel constrained within the genre to talk about drugs, money, women; however, Doom proved to many that if you tell a good story success is possible.

Additional Information, and questions.

Do you think that genres restrict artists?

Can you think of other artists—it doesn’t have to be musicians— that create a universe of characters and alter egos?

Why do you think that MF DOOM and many other artists, don’t want to be in the spotlight and prefer a private life?

Song and Album recommendations.

My favorite MF DOOM song is Figaro from his alter ego Madvillain.

*Explicit language.

My favorite albums from Doom is Madvillainy and Born like this.

Cairo Class is a Kuwaiti historical drama set in 50’s Egypt during Gamal Abdel Nasser’s rule. It follows the lives of university students in Cairo who deal with friendship trouble, romance, morals, societal pressure, and politics. In the beginning of the show, the Ministry of Education in Kuwait announces that it will be providing more scholarships to females in order to give them more opportunities to complete their education. We follow the characters Nozha, Dalal, Luluah, Iqbal and Sabikah on their way to Cairo University, and there we meet the rest of the characters.

I have never attentively watched an Arab show before, so everything in this drama felt so new to me, yet so familiar. I felt represented in this show even though it followed Kuwaiti people in the 50’s. I felt the sense of Arab identity which is quite befitting, considering that Nasser wanted to unite all Arabs under this identity. While Kuwaitis have a very different culture from Egyptians, I loved watching them interact and I laughed at how accurate the show’s depiction of Arabs is. However, what stood out the most in this show is the characters.

All the characters in this show are so morally complex that I gave up trying to place them on the ethical scale. Whether it was how they spoke to each other to how physically violent they can be, these characters are not your typical archetypes of good and bad. I am also pleased to say that every character has surprised me in this show with his or her actions, and I loved the range of emotions I went through. I was angry, I was scared, I was provoked, I was jealous, I was miserable, I was happy, I was hopeful…the list goes on.

This made me realize what made literature and stories so engaging — it’s never the knight in shining armor, or the kind-hearted princess. It was the realistic, raw, rough characters who’ve been through so much, struggle to cope well, and hurt other people. These are the characters we love and relate to because we see our biggest fears and doubts represented before our eyes. Stories ask the question “What if this happened to me?” and then they attempt to answer the question, and this comforts us because it helps us make decisions in our lives.

The characters that stood out to me when it came to moral complexity are Yousef and Dalal. Without giving much away, we learn from the start that the two are in love. However, Yousef is married to a woman named Latifa, and Dalal has recently had a divorce with a man named Suleiman. The things these two do out of their suppressed love and frustration never cease to shock me, and sometimes they go as far as putting people in danger out of their jealousy. Despite their actions, I never found it in my heart to hate them; I have sympathy for every single character in this show despite their flaws. Someone who writes a story like this is a truly empathic and wise person. I can only dream to write characters such as those in Cairo Class.

Literature at its best is about understanding one another and learning to feel for each other. And this show made me connect to the characters and their worlds so deeply, thanks to the use of color, the music, the plot’s complexity, the costumes, the problems Muslims and Arabs face in life, the politics of the time — all of it, I was living it. Cairo Class also made me reconnect with my part-Egyptian heritage. The show pays a great homage to the Golden era of black-and-white Egyptian movies by comparing the lives of the characters to those in the movies.

I have screen-recorded part of the show from Netflix and attached it here. This was one of the best filming techniques I’ve seen in this show and I loved the layering of the music and Nasser’s speech, and the characters frozen in their spot in a black-and-white filter.

Though I haven’t finished watching the show, I am already deeply in love and invested, and I curious to see if anyone has heard of or watched this show (please no spoilers if you did, hahahaha!).

Questions for discussion:

1. Have you ever read or watched something that brought out strong emotions in you?
2. Are there characters you’ve met who frustrate you? And if so, why?
3. What’s the importance of representation in stories? Representation of race, religion, gender, sexuality?
4. What are you thoughts of dramas? How accurately do they depict lives? What do they exaggerate?
5. Are there any film techniques that you find fascinating and powerful?

Growing up, I have always had a fascination for criminal investigations, whether it was staying up watching ‘Discovery ID’ shows with my father or looking up stories in the newspaper. The thrill and emotional roller coaster you experience when you indulge in every investigation further intensified my interest in the crime world. I was introduced to various crime-related shows and stories that I have grown attached to involuntarily through this interest.

What is criminal investigation?

The authorial figures’ attempt, such as the police, to collect as much information and evidence found in a crime scene to solve the case. Evidence could include any trail the culprit might have left, with which the police would string together using forensic science, including carrying out interrogations, to identify the person responsible.

Crime Investigation Shows

Many shows helped increase my knowledge and interest in the world of criminal investigation; however, the following left a deep print on me as an enthusiast of the field.

Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds is a crime-drama television show that offers a view of the American scene in crimes. It revolves around a dynamic team primarily consisting of Spencer, Hotch, JJ, David Rossi, and Garcia, who works at the FBI’S Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). They join their forces and skills to solve crimes committed by serial killers across the country. Each character can analyze horrific scenes, dismembered bodies, and the culprit’s actions to create a profile that distinguishes the killer. The way the characters work together, each serving a purpose in the team, whether physically or mentally, to restore justice. The show sucked me into the world of criminal investigations, and I was fascinated by the work and effort it takes to solve a crime.

“I know what it’s like to be afraid of your own mind.”

― Dr. Spencer Reid

Mundy, C. (writer), & Horder-Payton, G. (director).(2006) Sex, Birth, Death [Television series episode]. Criminal Minds California, USA: CBS.

Unsolved Mysteries

Unsolved Mysteries is a binge-worthy Netflix documentary series; it reveals atrocious murders, as well as disappearances that are yet to be solved. The show takes you through the investigation process, showcasing the different stages of trying to solve a case. Each case leaves you horrified by the offender’s power to execute such crimes and be able to escape undetected; you are overwhelmed by the emotions overtaking you from sadness to rage. To put yourself in the victim’s shoes, it is baffling and impossible to express the terror of such events. Not to mention how hard it is for the families to revive the emotions contained, especially when no justice was served. You can also not help but make your assumptions on who committed the crimes and try to justify your decisions with the given evidence.

Criminal investigation will always be a growing interest to me, and exploring the different cases leaves a mental impact, which is both fascinating and horrific, and it feeds my knowledge of forensic science. Each crime introduces you to the criminals’ sinister minds and the many ways they have been brought to justice. Seeing the efforts needed to close a case makes me crave participating in a criminal investigation; it is a dream I hope to achieve eventually. With all the binge-watching I have done, I believe I have acquired the necessary skills to become an investigator.

If you ever want to start exploring the world of criminal investigation, here is a little introduction on how it is done.

Questions to discuss:

• If you were to join an investigating team, what role interests you the most (interrogating , analyzing evidence, arresting, etc.)?
• Is there a case that left an impact on you?

Over time, writing advances in different ways that we may not expect. Stories that we have never thought of being created thanks to the creation of new writing methods, styles, and genres change how we can convey stories. One of the many prominent changes that story writing has gone through recently is the use of interactive stories in mediums such as online videos, shows on streaming services and video games. In this blog post, I explore various known forms of interactive story telling and why they offer new possibilities for the future of immersive story writing.

The U.S. office was actually a recreation of a British show from the past. It is based around office worker going through hilarious misadventures at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. As I binge-watched it for the first time in quarantine it came to me the Michael Scott is the true Protagonist of the show. From season 1 to season 7 Michael serves as the Regional Manager of Paper Company. As much as the show tries to center the attention on all the characters of the show, Michael Scott is who the show mainly revolves around.

After the pilot was aired, the show was meant to come to an end. Though, after season 2 the whole dynamic of the show changes, the main reason being the character of Michael Scott is modified. The initial role didn’t really fit as they were trying to mimic the British original. As you can see from the picture the appearance change of his character is extreme. For example, the receding hairline to the new hair, baggy clothes to more proper wear, and a tight collar that would make his double chin apparent to a less overweight look. Also, his inner personality was changed as well. The character was initially torturous to everyone around for comedian purposes. Through the seasons the character was changed to a more likable person after the pilot. The show runs on this idea of an unlovable character evolving over the seasons as he, makes friendships, becomes a better human, finds love and comes to understanding. I, as an audience mostly empathized with Michael Scott’s character development which is the heart of the show. His obsession with being a people-pleaser is another reason he really connects to the audience, as it’s human nature for us to be liked by others. As well, the fan’s love for Michael Scott comes from the relatability factor. 

Sadly, the show lost its touch after Steve Carell left the show at season 7. The episode where Michal leaves is one of the saddest moments of television history personally. I couldn’t bring myself to not cry throughout the episode. In good-nature, here are some of the best moments of Michael Scott:

Some questions to discuss:

Can you think of any shows that came to an end and how you’d make adjustments in order for it to keep airing?

Imagine your favorite movie/ tv show/ book and so on were to remove the protagonist, how would that make you feel?

For The Office fans, What are your predictions on to why Steve Carell left The Office? 🙁

The genre of horror has become popular in recent times mainly due to the increasing popularity of horror films. While horror is often portrayed as a means of giving goosebumps and sending shivers down the spine, it is much…much more than that. In fact, horror is so broad that it in itself contains several interesting subgenres. Let us explore some of them…

Horrorstör– Grandy Hendrix

This Book Is Full of Spiders– David Wong

you can check out a full list of spookish-comedy novels from here

If you are looking for a more frightening and deadly experience with a touch of reality, I would prefer you go with Gothic horror. This subgenre of horror plays with the different emotional spectrums of the reader and leaves him/her hungry for more. Some good recommendations for this genre are-

Dracula– Bram Stoker

Frankenstein– Mary Shelley

To discover more of gothic novels tap here

Love space and technology? yes, me too. Now combine that with aliens, extraterrestrial life and monsters. Even better right? this subgenre is called Sci-Fi horror which blends elements of science fiction and horror fiction to give a perfect byproduct. My favorite novels from this genre are-

Infected– Scott Sigler

Carrion Comfort– Dan Simmons

To dive in deeper into some of the other novels from this genre click here

Hopefully these fascinating subgenres of horror can keep you busy and encourage you to dig deeper into the world of horror. Here are some more underrated subgenres that you can explore-

• Post- Apocalyptical horror
• Lovecraftian horror
• Noir horror
• Media tie-in horror

binge read away 🙂

here are some questions to ponder on-

• Which subgenre of horror did you like the most and why?
• Have you ever had a real life horror experience? if yes, could it be classified under one of the subgenres?

“When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers. ’tis near Halloween.” As Halloween is approaching there is nothing better to talk about than horror. But what triggers people to love horror to an extent to make a whole season to celebrate it?

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Since I was 9 years old, I fell in love with horror, and the rush it gave me. Ever since, this genre made a loving home within my horror-loving heart. However, I never asked myself why I love horror so much, and what is so entertaining about horror movies, shows, books, and video games? So, I went and asked myself, family, and friends. This is what I got:

Horror has been identified in Cambridge Dictionary as “an extremely strong feeling of fear and shock, or the frightening and shocking character of something”.

The adrenaline rush you feel when a horror movie goes complete pin-drop silent for a few moments, only to reveal a loud jump scare is one of the reasons people turn to horror. Other than mere jump scares, the plot of the supernatural and psychological abnormal topics fuels the hunger for excitement and intensity. We can say it is almost similar to waiting in line for a thrilling roller-coaster. Only in horror movies, the thrill creeps deep in your mind. Moreover, when watching a slasher movie, some like to play the detective and find out: Who is the killer? And others like to play the psychologist and find out: Why they did it? Furthermore, another reason to love such a frightening genre is because, horror illustrates a variety of characters. This is beneficial, because some people like to detach themselves from reality. Thus, they watch a horror movie/show or read a book. This allows them to enter the realm of witches/warlocks, vampires/werewolves, and ghosts/genies. At the end, the reasons on why people love horror varies from one to another, but what unifies us as horror-fans is the love we have to keep our minds occupied for a new thrill.

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Here is a list of horror movies/shows recommendation, categorized based on the type of horror, which I find to be perfectly splendid!

• Supernatural
  • All 6 paranormal activities movies: Individual movies seem to be boring, but when viewers understand the storyline of possessed and missing young boy, the mind gets hungry for more.
  • Devil: When stuck in an elevator, the devil choose who to punish.
  • The Haunting of Bly Manor: This series is a (perfectly splendid) way to thrill the mind with wild jump scares, and an even wilder plot.
• Psychological Thrillers
  • The Boy: The fact that a boy is trapped by his own parents showcase the severity of the loss of mental control people have other their lives
  • Ratched: With a nurse out to save a serial killer, the gruesome plot makes the viewers want more.
  • American Mary: A feminist horror film, depicts the true power women hold, when tested by the harshness of society.
• Werewolves and Vampires:
  • Underworld Franchise: When a vampire that’s professional at killing werewolves falls in love with one, be ready for the plot-twist.
  • Blade: A half-vampire and half-mortal becomes a vampire hunter to protect human beings.
  • Van Helsing: The most famous vampire hunter is on a mission, is there anything more intense?

• Here are a bunch of questions to discuss with your friends:
  • What makes you love/hate horror?
  • If you get to be on a horror movie, which character would you play?
  • Does horror negatively influence the way people perceive the world?

“Oh My God! Look at that girl being loud, I bet she’s latina!” Stereotypes, stereotypes, stereotypes… We’ve all been there at least once in our life. 

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In social psychology, stereotypes are defined as general beliefs about a certain group or a class of people. Even though some stereotypes might sound funny, they usually are a racist way to describe a group of people or a way for categorizing people. This leads to worldwide problems such as discrimination. 

Around the world, there are countless stereotypes about different ethnicities, different genders, you name it. I am sure you’ve already been judged or even judged someone based on a stereotype, discriminated against because of it. Did you not get the job you want because you belong to a specific ethnic group or from a specific gender? Were you treated differently in a restaurant, shop, in public because of a physical trait or your accent? I can go on and on. Just take a second and think about it. 

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“Sit straight, you’re a woman,” “you don’t know how to cook? How do you expect to keep a man?” Does that bring back memories, Ladies? Or to all my Asian friends, have you ever been criticized for not being good at maths because the world says “Asians are good at maths.” Or my Arab natives, we’ve all heard ridiculous terrorist jokes or even worse been looked at with a dirty look for having arabic physical traits. 

That’s the sad truth. We’ve seen it on TV, we’ve seen it in real life, we’ve experienced it. It’s all over the world, all around us. Stereotypes are here, they are a huge influence on what we get or what we have and especially how we get treated in certain situations. 

Your turn:

• Did you ever experience a situation where you were judged/judged someone because of a popular stereotype? 

• Can you think of stereotypes you heard over and over again about a specific ethnic group or gender?