In English, our next book is a book of our choice, as long as it is over 150 pages and has literary merit, and can't have a movie. Well my initial idea was "hells yeah, gonna read some manga!" And being rather fond of Pokemon, I wanted to read Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Adventures
. I initially proposed the idea to my English teacher, and she said "No, there can't be literary merit in Pokemon." So I took on the challenge. I would have just pointed out literary merit on the spot because first she asked "is there literary merit?" to which I had no answer except, "uh..yeah?"The reason that idea crossed my mind is because I remember Electric Tale of Pikachu having more depth than Catcher in the rye (worst book ever.) Anyways, I took out my copy of Pokemon DP Adventures Vol. 1 and started analysing it. I pulled 4 solid examples out of the first chapter. Those involved "a commentary on how man is out of touch with nature," "how man has a need to control nature," "role reversals," and "a hero's journey." All those are literary devices we talk about in English class. And I did it all in 5 paragraph persuasive essay format, they format used in English class.
After writing it I was amazed at my own genius. I was laughing some because it was such an outrageous concept to read manga, and Pokemon manga at that, in a formal English class. Well I showed it to my teacher, and she is letting me read Pokemon DP Adventures for my assignment. Finally we get to read something good for a change. And this may change the English curriculum if I'm lucky. I may do such a stellar job that the English world will take another look at manga and see the depth it has, and that there is serious things to be learned from it.
I do plan to one day make this into an Internet series, but that is for a later time. Now enjoy an excerpt from my paper, but no steeling. Proper MLA sighting if you are to use this as an example.
Hareta, the main protagonist, demonstrates how out of touch man is with nature. On pages 11 through 12, Hareta is challenged to a race against a fish Pokemon by that same fish Pokemon and on the lower panel on page 12 Hareta is seen climbing trees with monkey like Pokemon and cutting a tree down with his teeth the same way a beaver like Pokemon is doing right next to him. Mitsumi, the other protagonist, watches in aw as Hareta does this acts stating, “What’s with this kid? He is practically a Pokemon himself.” (12) This is a commentary on how man is detached from nature. Hareta is one with the Pokemon. He does what they do, and understands what they say. Hareta shows what man would be like if he stayed one with nature. Mitsumi on the other hand, represents modern man from the modern world. She watches Hareta in disbelief as he does these acts and feels he himself is almost a Pokemon. A commentary on man’s detachment from nature surely has literary merit.
I hope you enjoyed. This has been Pokemoatic, and bu-bye.
