The Princess and her Knight

[divineduckling]

Well, hopefully you know why you're here.

If not - you might wanna check out the rest of the essay. This is the third part.
As it stands - this is the part about Sora and Kairi - and why their relationship is borderline nonexistent to me.

• Introduction
• Kairi
  
• Namine
• Sora/Kairi (You are Here)
• Sora/Namine

Comments

[crysiana]

The misuse of "Death of the Author" is one of the most distressing things about modern literary teachings. Though Barthes would probably agree with you that limiting yourself to a certain meaning based on authorial intent defeats the purpose of engaging with a text. I have the most fun when people interpret Kairi's name as "beaver" - it is after all the first iteration of the word based on kana in the dictionary, and the symbolism around a beaver - hardworking and dedicated, applies to the virtues of a character such as Kairi. It's probably not the author's intended meaning, but there are endless possibilities of discussion - does Kairi build dams between others, that Sora and Riku have to bridge the gap in their relationship? She does, and that interpretation, too, can apply.

The problem I have with your assertion is that in your Kairi and Namine essays in particular, you don't ascribe wholly to the idea of separating the work in its entirety from it's context. You are, of course, free to ignore what you like of the context and accept what you like of the context of the game, but you make numerous references to Disney's influences on the game, such as the fate of Namine. In addition, you reference other possible princesses that Square-Enix might have brought to bear that would have been better in the work.

Certainly an interpretation of "separation" is as valid as "sea" if you ascribe to Barthes' "Death of the Author" theory. Unfortunately, it becomes more difficult when you only take the work halfway out of context - one must then relate to you on a case to case basis as to what extra-canon content applies and does not apply to your analysis.

Thank you for the clarification, though. It was quite kind of you.

[divineduckling]

The problem I have with your assertion is that in your Kairi and Namine essays in particular, you don't ascribe wholly to the idea of separating the work in its entirety from it's context

I didn't really get what you were trying to get at. Would you mind explaining it? ^^;;

one must then relate to you on a case to case basis as to what extra-canon content applies and does not apply to your analysis.

I personally don't see anything wrong with that, seeing how I basically did the same thing only to my point of view. The issue is that since I believe in this view, I can see little to no relevance in what many other canon facts would claim - as shown throughout the debates this essay part induced.
It's like people come and tell me so many more things Kairi's done that support SoKai, called D, and use A B and C as basis.
Seeing how I already said why I disagree with A, B and C, I don't see the reason why I should bother explain why I didn't even mention D - I do not trust the basing of it, thus - why should I accept the conclusion?

I'm not quite sure what I clarified but I'll blame it to having woken up not too long ago. I hope my posts are making enough sense ^^;;;
You're welcome either way XD

[crysiana]

Ah. It's fine; you're using the principles outlined in Barthes' "Death of the Author" to say you don't accept that "Kairi" means "sea" even though the creator has said as much. Barthes wrote that in order to fully engage a work, one had to remove it entirely from its context - in other words, anything outside the work itself, any outside knowledge, was irrelevant to the interpretation of the work. That's probably what they taught you in high school, but we all forget a bit after a while. I merely stated that if you are going to be consistent, you cannot both accept, say, that Disney had a role in ousting Namine, and reject that Kairi's name means sea.

You can be inconsistent, of course - most people are in regards to most things, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Since that is what you're doing - regarding extra-canon facts when it suits you and not regarding them when it doesn't - that answers my question. My comment was that it's hard to have a discussion when I'm not sure when you aren't including information from outside of canon and when you are.

[divineduckling]

Well, seeing how I never got to learn "Death of the Author" to such an extent as you have (just the basic concept as I stated above), I can't really claim to be following it.
Also, as far as Disney canceling Namine out is concerned, I already explained thoroughly why I disagree with that certain plot happening - Namine being the Nobody, and thus - disappearing, holds very small plot relevance to me. It could've worked just as well without it.
Disney was just someone to vent my frustrations at.

Also, I never rejected that Kairi's name means 'sea'. I do understand the threesome structure they attempted to form there and the 'sea' as well can be used to describe 'separation' - after all, had there been no sea, once you looked over the horizon you would have Land and Sky meeting. Instead, the Land is cut off from the Sky because the ocean spreads up wider to connect with the Sky.
There're enough such folk-stories with a similar concept of how the Land and Sky were lovers (not saying this is the case in SoRiku's case XD or that it isn't ;) just making a point) but were separated. Kairi meaning Ocean doesn't contradict this.

My comment was that it's hard to have a discussion when I'm not sure when you aren't including information from outside of canon and when you are.

Well, I already stated at the Introduction what I consider as canon - being the games and the manga. I at least think I said whenever I was refering to anything outside of it... at least in the essay itself.
I will take to Heart to try and be more mindful of it :) thank you for your wonderful criticism.

[crysiana]

You're welcome! I appreciated the chance to discuss it.

[divineduckling]

Discussions like this are what made it worth while writing this :)

...not that getting a bunch of angry fangirls screaming bloody murder at the lecture I put wasn't... but this is another kind of fun XD