Symbols, Kurt, & an archetype in transition

[misqueue]

Very quick meta because I was thinking about the ram statue in Kurt & Rachel's apartment. It adds to the changing symbols surrounding Kurt in NYC. He's not getting the wings and flying things so much; he's getting symbols of power and virility and aggression (shark [teeth], the wolf, and now the ram).

The ram is definitely a rebirth symbol associated with Spring and the Sun. The sun, of course, in Jungian terms is the actualization of Self. Which means, I think, Kurt is in transition from being an Animus archetype into his full self. Which makes sense given how much he is flourishing in NYC (the meltdown with Blaine aside).

So yay, Kurt!

We see the ram behind Finn though, so maybe we're meant to be associating its implicit virility with Finn's continuing quest To Be A Man. Or, it could be both.

Comments

[frumiousme.livejournal.com]

I find this kind of meta really fascinating and I wonder if it's consciously integrated into the costume and set or if its incidental (not knowing a lot about the skills or job of costume and set design).

[misqueue.livejournal.com]

I can't really say, but if it were my job, I would. :) I really like thinking about stories this way. Some of the things for Kurt especially are so consistent, it's hard to think it's all by happy accident. There's also stuff like Blaine wearing gingham when he's not coping well, or the consistency of needsmoregreen's color theory meta.

But since symbols function at an unconscious level (at least in the way I blather about them, drawing on Jungian ideas) I don't think that it matters very much if it's done on purpose. The choices of the people working on Glee are informed by the same collective shared mythology and symbols, so when they choose to pin a hippo on Kurt or have Blaine form a circle with the cups, or put a ram in the background, or put a phoenix around Isabelle's neck, or even (in the realm of allusion rather than symbolism) name a character Cassandra, there are ways these things resonate at a deeper level. I hope that made sense. i.e., symbols, in this sense, don't denote concrete things, they are abstractions that evoke particular feelings and psychological atmospherics due to humanity's shared evolutionary & cultural history. (God, I hope that didn't sound horribly pompous. I really just do this for fun & giggles.)

You might enjoy reading Jung's Man and His Symbols if you're keen on this sort of meta. Also Joseph Campbell's stuff; The Power of Myth is a good place to start. It's mostly about Star Wars.

[frumiousme.livejournal.com]

thanks for the reply and the other things to check out - i definitely will. (it makes me feel more legit about (admitting to) enjoying the show if it has actual things to analyse lol)

[misqueue.livejournal.com]

No problem! FWIW, I think Glee's actually a pretty smart show. I started out just enjoying it, but as I kept watching, I started noticing more and more interesting details. Over time it all starts to form interesting patterns. :)