The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Because that novel isn't going to delay itself
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Regan Leigh
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The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Regan Leigh » June 15th, 2010, 7:57 am

Here are a couple of articles to help you procrastinate. :)

Fictional Stars, Real Problems - A look into the psychology and disorders behind fictional characters. ;)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 42376.html
Pooh is a bundle of comorbidities that may include cognitive impairment, as he is often described as a "bear of very little brain." "Early on, we see Pooh being dragged downstairs bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head," the authors write. "Could his later cognitive struggle be the result of a type of Shaken Bear Syndrome?"
The Three Most Common Uses for Irony - A funny way to discuss irony. (Be warned, you must share my warped sense of humor. ;))
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/irony
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Mira
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Mira » June 15th, 2010, 10:49 am

Regan - loved the article! (I couldn't see the Irony link at work). As someone in the counseling field, it both made total sense and was pretty funny.

I loved the idea that Edward Cullen had Pica because he drank blood (Pica is where kids eat inappropriate things - grass, dirt, lint). That was pretty funny. But I especially liked that the Pooh characters were a mass of psychological disorders. Lol. Thanks for sharing it.

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Regan Leigh
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Regan Leigh » June 15th, 2010, 10:41 pm

I'm in the same field. ;) Glad you enjoyed it. It makes me want to dissect more characters. :D
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by HillaryJ » June 16th, 2010, 12:57 am

Oh, too funny. And the illustrations for irony are delightful.
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Mira » June 16th, 2010, 1:13 am

I liked the graph on the Irony link. Funny.

So, let's do it. Let's dissect characters. How fun is that. Ummm......ooooo. How about the Wizard of Oz? The Lion: generalized anxiety/panic attacks. Poor thing. Maybe he's suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Josin
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Josin » June 16th, 2010, 12:37 pm

The Pooh comments must come from the same people who have decided that early Sesame Street episodes are detrimental to young children because Big Bird has an imaginary friend that he interacts with and the kids are regularly shown hanging around adults to whom they aren't related.

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Regan Leigh
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Regan Leigh » June 16th, 2010, 3:55 pm

Mira wrote:I liked the graph on the Irony link. Funny.

So, let's do it. Let's dissect characters. How fun is that. Ummm......ooooo. How about the Wizard of Oz? The Lion: generalized anxiety/panic attacks. Poor thing. Maybe he's suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Lion? Agreed. :) Catherine Earnshaw? Histrionic Personality? ;)

Josin wrote:The Pooh comments must come from the same people who have decided that early Sesame Street episodes are detrimental to young children because Big Bird has an imaginary friend that he interacts with and the kids are regularly shown hanging around adults to whom they aren't related.
And Bert and Earnie. You know what they're all about. ;)
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Mira
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Mira » June 16th, 2010, 5:34 pm

Oh what about the purple tele-tubbie? I forget his name, but wasn't there a big CONTROVERSY about him? Oh my goodness!

Catherine - Histrionic - CHECK, CHECK, CHECK. (Can I say that with more flair?)

Peter Pan - Narcissistic? Can you diagnose a child with that? And what's with the flying? Is he hallucinating, on a substance or does he have some weird medical abnormality that allows him to defy gravity and fly from London to islands in the middle of nowhere?

This is fun, and I could do this forever and ever. :)

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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by abc » June 18th, 2010, 1:38 pm

I always wanted to be the kind of therapist Judd Hirsch was in Ordinary People. Except without the smoking.

This article is awesome, because I do this all the time. I diagnose characters in books and movies. For example, I'm pretty sure that Alaska Young has Bi-Polar disorder. Roger Greenberg in Noah Baumbach's film has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. It's a fun hobby.

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Regan Leigh
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Regan Leigh » June 18th, 2010, 9:08 pm

Peter Pan? Alaska? Yep, yep... I can see it. :)

Mad Hatter - Schizophrenic? ;)

He-Man - Gender Identity Disorder? :)
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Mira » June 21st, 2010, 3:14 pm

abc - I think Ordinary People is one of the few movies where they actually got a therapist right. Have you read the book? It's even better than the movie.

Alaska - Bi-polar- check. (haven't seen the other film, but I'll take your word it.)

He-Man - Gender Identity? That's funny. Mad Hatter - schizphrenic? Totally.

So, Alice in Wonderland. Let's do more!

Dormouse - narcolepsy!

Caterpillar - Substance abuse or dependency. Probably multiple.

Cheshire Cat - my goodness. Some type of dissociative disorder? What's with leaving his grin behind? Depersonalization?

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Heather B
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Heather B » June 22nd, 2010, 9:36 am

HA!

And let's not forget the Red Queen. Control freak, anyone?
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Mira » June 22nd, 2010, 11:14 am

Heather - I know! And what's with always wanting to chop off everyone's head? Freud would have a field day.

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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Heather B » June 22nd, 2010, 10:16 pm

Hmm... I sense some deep seated anxiety and a severe case of narcissism...
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Mira
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Re: The Psychology of Fictional Characters and Some Irony

Post by Mira » June 23rd, 2010, 11:21 am

Yeah - and what's up with Alice? She runs around eating and drinking things just because they are labeled: Eat me and Drink me.

Impluse control issues here.

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