Annarasumanara

1. What is your reaction to the text you just read? 

I enjoyed how the life struggle perspective that is introduced is slowly altered by the existence of the musician. This story uses it’s devices effectively to bring about a change in our character. The pivotal moment for me is when the musician chants “Annarasumanara” and the amusement park and the world seems to shift upside down and brings with it life and color. Seeing the growth of her mental state is my biggest take away from Annarasumanara.

2. What connections did you make with the story? Discuss what elements of the story with which you were able to connect?

Of course being poor is an easy thing for me to connect with, but even deeper than that, I can relate to the struggle she believes that poverty has caused her indirectly. There is a bit about the girl’s father being “an adult, and also a child..He didn't become an adult when he got old”, and the other notes she makes of her classmate, saying how he’s got all the qualities to become a proper adult. Whereas our main character lacks those abilities causing her to be envious of those who have what she lacks and desires. The way she is able to overcome these burdens is to learn how to view the misfortunes in her life from a different angle, and dig into what her perspective is as well as what it could or should be.

3. What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? What medium would you choose; what changes would you make?

Well if this were to be adapted into another medium other than animation, the first thing that would change is the visual aesthetic of drawing and collage. And those elements give the story its current identity. As to maintain that identity, the medium I would consider most is animation. As for changes to consider, Again, the collage elements could be retained, however, these elements might require their own footage for motion and animation.

4. In what ways does this story seem more adapted to an online environment?

The way that elements seem to just be “photoshopped” or somewhat collaged into the panels. There is no attempt to blend or desaturate the photograph to make it flow into the grayscale artwork. The online environment allows the work to express itself with less restriction. Selective use of color is something that may not have even been possible with paperback print.