I mean that Toons are wacky and humanity is "ordered". And yeah, I did not look at Nietzsche interpretation of the dichotomy - which I won't say is wrong, it just wasn't how I was looking at it. I do like the idea that the cartoon-logic of the Toons supercedes (or at least somehow becomes "more" logical) than the arbitrary rules and conduct assigned to human society. I suppose I am also thinking of the function of physics and physicality as an absolute deliminator to the sphere of human action, thought, etc. We can only act in limitation to the physical consequences of that action. Whereas the Toons can transcend our physical notions to condense action and intent to it's (il-)logical conclusion or ideal. It might not make "sense" to humanity, but given the set of logical premises upon which Toon Action is based, it is the most likely outcome. In the world of the toon, there is no such thing as a logical fallacy.
I think it might be better to say he wishes to medicate himself in order to bear the pain caused by his newfound perception of reality's horror.
Hmm. I think my point might have had more validity if we had seen Valiant lose control while under the influence of drink. If we had seen him become much more celebratory rather than self-destructive.
You mean at the end of the film? Because at the beginning he very clearly hates Toons. Remember how mad he gets when anyone suggests he worked for a Toon?
No, I think his rage is overcompensation and intended to camoflage what he feels is an irreconcible schism between what he saw as the innocent mania represented in Toontown and the absurd violence of his brother's death. Valiant is trying to convince everyone around him that he no longer approves of the Toon world, although everyone is pretty much knowledgeable that he's putting on an act. An act, of course, mostly to convince himself - but one that he requires other people to participate in and submit to. Valiant's grief has put his previous acceptance of Toonism into the closet, so to speak.
He seems attracted to her despite his better judgement.
True, and this is very much a trope of the mother-genre. However, what I'm speaking of is what that attraction stems from and what that judgement is telling him. She's a sexual cariacture, who obviously commands immense sensual attention in Toons and humans (As seen in the Ink & Paint club), and yet she's almost completely chaste when dealing with the actual (again) physics of sexuality. What I mean to say is that while Jessica would seem to be seductive to everyone around her, this is a function of her image alone (she's "just drawn that way") and never really backed up any declaration of intent or her actions. The only human to possibly connect with her (Acme) only participates in her physically to play a child's game. Of course, this parodic expression of sexuality is equated to the genuine article by Roger (which is the whole joke). When Valiant observes this he's dumbstruck by the absurd notion that all of the sexual signifiers are ultimately subverted by the fact that Jessica remains a Toon and cannot (or does not) participate in the kind of fantasy that she inspires in humanity.
In the world of the toon, there is no such thing as a logical fallacy.
It's more than this. By parodying human reality, Toons organise it and make it palatable to humans. Like in the cartoon that opens the film, we have a baby in apparent constant mortal danger, Roger's anxieties and hopeless inability to save the child. All this has both the shock of broaching the subjects and the pleasure of rendering them trivial through broad exaggeration.
Valiant's grief has put his previous acceptance of Toonism into the closet, so to speak.
I think this is true, which is of course what would have made the original ending so great. Valiant finally learns to embrace innocence again, the Apollonian, only to have it make him vulnerable when life gets Dionysian again.
and yet she's almost completely chaste when dealing with the actual (again) physics of sexuality.
I don't know if we can say for certain she never has sex, but it would of course make her intensely Apollonian.
I mean that Toons are wacky and humanity is "ordered". And yeah, I did not look at Nietzsche interpretation of the dichotomy - which I won't say is wrong, it just wasn't how I was looking at it. I do like the idea that the cartoon-logic of the Toons supercedes (or at least somehow becomes "more" logical) than the arbitrary rules and conduct assigned to human society. I suppose I am also thinking of the function of physics and physicality as an absolute deliminator to the sphere of human action, thought, etc. We can only act in limitation to the physical consequences of that action. Whereas the Toons can transcend our physical notions to condense action and intent to it's (il-)logical conclusion or ideal. It might not make "sense" to humanity, but given the set of logical premises upon which Toon Action is based, it is the most likely outcome. In the world of the toon, there is no such thing as a logical fallacy.
I think it might be better to say he wishes to medicate himself in order to bear the pain caused by his newfound perception of reality's horror.
Hmm. I think my point might have had more validity if we had seen Valiant lose control while under the influence of drink. If we had seen him become much more celebratory rather than self-destructive.
You mean at the end of the film? Because at the beginning he very clearly hates Toons. Remember how mad he gets when anyone suggests he worked for a Toon?
No, I think his rage is overcompensation and intended to camoflage what he feels is an irreconcible schism between what he saw as the innocent mania represented in Toontown and the absurd violence of his brother's death. Valiant is trying to convince everyone around him that he no longer approves of the Toon world, although everyone is pretty much knowledgeable that he's putting on an act. An act, of course, mostly to convince himself - but one that he requires other people to participate in and submit to. Valiant's grief has put his previous acceptance of Toonism into the closet, so to speak.
He seems attracted to her despite his better judgement.
True, and this is very much a trope of the mother-genre. However, what I'm speaking of is what that attraction stems from and what that judgement is telling him. She's a sexual cariacture, who obviously commands immense sensual attention in Toons and humans (As seen in the Ink & Paint club), and yet she's almost completely chaste when dealing with the actual (again) physics of sexuality. What I mean to say is that while Jessica would seem to be seductive to everyone around her, this is a function of her image alone (she's "just drawn that way") and never really backed up any declaration of intent or her actions. The only human to possibly connect with her (Acme) only participates in her physically to play a child's game. Of course, this parodic expression of sexuality is equated to the genuine article by Roger (which is the whole joke). When Valiant observes this he's dumbstruck by the absurd notion that all of the sexual signifiers are ultimately subverted by the fact that Jessica remains a Toon and cannot (or does not) participate in the kind of fantasy that she inspires in humanity.
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It's more than this. By parodying human reality, Toons organise it and make it palatable to humans. Like in the cartoon that opens the film, we have a baby in apparent constant mortal danger, Roger's anxieties and hopeless inability to save the child. All this has both the shock of broaching the subjects and the pleasure of rendering them trivial through broad exaggeration.
Valiant's grief has put his previous acceptance of Toonism into the closet, so to speak.
I think this is true, which is of course what would have made the original ending so great. Valiant finally learns to embrace innocence again, the Apollonian, only to have it make him vulnerable when life gets Dionysian again.
and yet she's almost completely chaste when dealing with the actual (again) physics of sexuality.
I don't know if we can say for certain she never has sex, but it would of course make her intensely Apollonian.
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