Apocalypsering
Sokka 
I am the world's only BendyStrawBender!
Posts: 130
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Post by Apocalypsering on Dec 8, 2007 13:38:28 GMT -5
Zuko was never on his side. Not for a single second. (Unless you count the most recent of events) The closest Zuko ever came to being on Aang's side was freeing Appa, and that really doesn't mean he sided with Aang. It was just part of his whole conversion arc. Aang has yet to be betrayed by someone close to him that I know of.
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Astronomy
Avatar Yangchen 
Everyone loves a band geek.
Posts: 1,517
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Post by Astronomy on Dec 8, 2007 14:33:06 GMT -5
^He sided with Aang for about three seconds in CoD. He had originally aimed his fire blast at Azula, but when she glared at him, he changed his mind and went for Aang.
A very subtle betrayal, I'll admit, but it was still there.
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Post by astroanna on Dec 9, 2007 22:40:17 GMT -5
Hey, guys, can't we all just get along?   Let's just agree (or agree to disagree, as the case may be) that Aang's symbolism comes from a blending of the Western and Eastern traditions. There is, I believe, a kind of universal mythos (Joseph Campbell called it the monomyth) that can be found in Avatar. Basically the idea is that much of our symbolic language and literary symbolism is common to virtually all cultures, histories, and even religions. The fact is that A:TLA is written (brilliantly, IMO) in such a way that multiple symbolic languages and universal symbolism is used in layers. Because of this, people of different backgrounds, different religions, and different literary tastes and experiences interpret the symbols which are most familiar to them in the ways that are most familiar to them. Bottom line: you're both right!  |
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Gandalan
Casual Zuko 
Wavemaster
Posts: 979
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Post by Gandalan on Dec 21, 2007 23:16:03 GMT -5
I think that this is a spectacular theory, but keep in mind that symbols in media and books do not stand for one thing alone. They are symbols because they can mean many things. Otherwise, they would be allusions. |
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Post by astroanna on Dec 23, 2007 21:00:31 GMT -5
You are absolutely right, Gandalan... |
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Post by bagpipe turtle on Dec 24, 2007 15:22:26 GMT -5
This is a very interesting theory, it makes a lot of sense. Symbolism in Avatar seems very abundant, this was a good piecing together of it all. |
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Post by nexus on Jan 13, 2008 12:51:26 GMT -5
I'm sure there are all sorts of subtle symbolic references throughout the show
A not-so-subtle one is Katara parting the water in "The Serpent's Pass" so everyone can cross. That is PLAINLY a reference to Moses parting the Red Sea for the Jews to cross across.
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Post by astroanna on Jan 13, 2008 22:09:51 GMT -5
Right on, nexus, a definite visual symbol there...good call! |
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Post by nexus on Jan 15, 2008 12:13:06 GMT -5
I think that we all have realize that we're going overload with symbolism here. I doubt the writer's would put the...dozens of symbols you might have pointed out here or meant it. Sure it correlates with what you're trying to get across, but I think that you guys are trying to make too much of something. We can point to a random story and read it, and we can name possibly dozens of symbols around it, but the author probably never meant most of it. For example, we can say something like, Harry Potter's wand symbolizes his responsibilities as a growing person since he is still maturing, etc. You guys are just making too much out of the A:TLA universe. It's good you know what symbolism is, but I can say 100% that some of the symbolism you've covered so far, the writers did not do it intentionally. Well, yeah, but it's kinda funny looking through these symbols and trying to figure out if the writers leave any hints. I write a lot of stories myself (I'm not a published author, no. I'll aim for that when I'm a little older), I love leaving these little sneaky symbols as plot hints. And I'm an amateur writer, so professional writers will probably do it a lot more. Anyway, it is a good discussion point. I agree a lot of them were unintenional or meaningless. I mean, we're not exactly gonna find out that katara is Moses in disguise  |
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Post by nexus on Jan 17, 2008 16:08:47 GMT -5
^ You'd be surprised to see who Katara really is! It's like Rush Hour 3 when Geneviere takes off her wig. Just imagine if that was Aang. 0.0 Aang: Oh my God! I kissed a guy! I'm Brokeback Aang! Katara: And I told you this was just a wig Aang! So shut the hell up before I waterbend the crap out of you! Aang: But if you're a man, you're Waterbending fury won't be a strong as... *huge tsunami consumes Aang in a torrent of water and ice* Aang: AHHHHHHHHHH!!! major lolz!!!   though i can't actually imagine that  ;; anyway, if M&B ever decided to make katara a man... *hatemail alert* |
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Post by astroanna on Jan 25, 2008 15:20:08 GMT -5
Good point, guys, there may be a lot of symbolism the creators didn't intend, but it's still fun to speculate... BTW, LOL zerg! |
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outcast
Gran Gran 
makes me happy
Posts: 557
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Post by outcast on Jan 25, 2008 20:29:59 GMT -5
I'm sure there are all sorts of subtle symbolic references throughout the show A not-so-subtle one is Katara parting the water in "The Serpent's Pass" so everyone can cross. That is PLAINLY a reference to Moses parting the Red Sea for the Jews to cross across. Whether they meant that or not, it's really ironic. Moses led the Jews to freedom, while Katara led the Gaang to a city where they were basically prisoners. |
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Post by nexus on Jan 26, 2008 3:35:51 GMT -5
I'm sure there are all sorts of subtle symbolic references throughout the show A not-so-subtle one is Katara parting the water in "The Serpent's Pass" so everyone can cross. That is PLAINLY a reference to Moses parting the Red Sea for the Jews to cross across. Whether they meant that or not, it's really ironic. Moses led the Jews to freedom, while Katara led the Gaang to a city where they were basically prisoners. yeah that is ironic. Then again, they weren't headign to BSS for freedom. They were looking for Appa. |
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