With the semester dwindling, my book bucket list likewise reaches a bittersweet culmination, forcing my mind to scour through the myriad novels I have yet to read, but so desperately wish to add to my list. Finalizing the list and emerging into summer ensues the intermixing of retrospection and enthusiasm simultaneously, thus requiring a novel entailing both diverse emotions.

Retrospection: the action, process, or faculty of looking back on things past. Amid reflecting on the year, I acknowledge my inevitable analysis on friends, classes, and the entirety of my experience. Therefore, a shockwave of additional thought manifests, prompting me to imagine the qualities I desire of next semester, whether it be new clubs, new classes, or similar endeavors from this year. Due to the immense contemplation of both the past and the future, incited by the conclusion of the semester, I decided on a novel that similarly sources a foundation of intellect and understanding.

Enthusiasm: absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest. Proceeding the colossal enjoyment from my first year at Penn State, I am eager to unearth the mysteries that my second year shields. However, before I accelerate into sophomore year, I am likewise enthralled at the concept of no school, home friends, beach weekends, and unique vacations, all of which that define summer. Therefore, although the novel I seek comprises of deep thinking, it must also uphold my interest and enthusiasm for the imminent summer months.

Based upon the written requirements for my final novel I wish to read, I believe that the dense, philosophical murder mystery, The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky weaves the perfect blend of captivation and deep, intellectual thought. Questioning the premise of human existence and morality, Dostoyevsky’s novel is said to be a “murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry,” based on its synopsis, but ultimately, a work of genius, claimed by many.

While many of the books reside on my bucket list as entertaining reads to ignite my past love of reading, I add this novel to push my limits and force an expansion of my mind. Perhaps the unique, Russian culture of the novel will perfectly juxtapose the historical beauty of the attractions I plan on viewing on my trip to Ireland this summer. Although maybe an odd vacation/plane read, its difference of culture and inevitable complexity may couple well with the diverse, Irish culture i’ll be incessantly exposed to during my 5-day expedition.  

Touring the Christ Church Cathedral, I will be exploring the ethical debates of religion within the novel; Exploring the Kilmainham Gaol, I will be evaluating the consequences of inhumanity from the novel’s murder convict; Analyzing Gospel passages and old Latin passages, I will be recognizing the differences between two unique languages and cultures. Within these differences also lies shared qualities that I believe will develop my reading ability, but also my growth as a person from acquiring new perspectives.

Clarice, the main character in both the film and book Silence of the Lambs, begins as a young, inexperienced FBI investigator trainee, attempting to unearth the details of a killer focused on following old serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s, heinous tactics and norm-violating methods of commiting crime. Although only having watched the film, I hope to make my way through my list quickly in order to reach the novel, anxious to conduct a comparison of the details presented in both the original work and the film adaptation. In spite of my current knowledge on the characters and storyline, it is imperative that I experience it again with more precise details.

“If you’re a fan of the film and you’ve never read the book, I would highly recommend doing so—it will reshape your understanding of Clarice as a character.” -Christopher Shultz, Lit Reactor

“Normally I watch the movie first. This time was different. I’m so glad I listened to the audio the book first before seeing the movie. The full story reveals meaningful details and motivations that never appeared in the movie. Reading the book first made my watching the movie more fun to follow.” – Chris Wilde, Goodreads Reviewer

Based on reading just a couple of reviews that exemplify the distinct comparisons between the novel and the movie, praising the book’s superior detail and character adaptation, it is evident that not only is the novel more complex and plot-driven, infused with more detail-oriented characters than the movie, but reading it would have made the movie more enjoyable.

Although some may say that the second review deems reading the novel useless at this point, it only ignites my intrigue even more; if reading makes the movie more enjoyable, I am eager to know why? Likewise, as a strong admirer of Clarice in the film, I would like to acquire a deeper understanding of her character by reading the book, as the first reviewer suggests.

Persevering in a male-dominant field at the time, incessantly evaluated by the men while performing her duties as an FBI trainee, Clarice undoubtedly succeeds at portraying a strong female lead. Questioned by Dr. Hannibal Lecter on several occasions about her position as a woman represents merely one circumstance of gender inequity, but she’s frequently shown in rooms with all men and even in an elevator, blended in a sea of males, all of whom are shown practically looking down on her. In effect to the obvious gender distinction the film attempts to depict, Clarice breaks those gender barriers, unflagging in her efforts to complete her mission.

Due to Clarice’s unceasing determination to solve the case assigned to her, battling not only words, but physically superior, violent murderers, the novel’s representation of her must be supremely glaring. If the novel holds the capability of crafting a fiercer Clarice than hard-hitting, dynamic film Clarice, then it is on my bucket list to explore that.

Reminiscing on my book bucket-list introduction blog post, I’ve come to realize that springing into binge reading takes a newfound passion of reading to manifest; not only reading, but a manifestation of curiosity of unknown stories. Prior to my reading slump, my pastimes not only consisted of reading (obviously), but of ransacking pinterest pages dedicated to posting the next best reads, seeking the highest Goodreads reviews, and inquiring about people’s favorite book recommendations.

Reading hadn’t just been about the exciting story, but rather what the story could teach me, prompting a different way of viewing a particular feeling. In fact, in addition to opening my mind, reading likewise evokes a unique feeling at the end of each story whether it be sadness, disappointment, surprise, excitement, or frustration; each represents an integral aspect of growing and thinking differently. On the basis thereof, I brilliantly decided to add The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins to my book bucket list to propel my dwindling interest in tearing apart synopses, eager to select a new story to devour.

I believe that Suzanne Collins’ most acclaimed books can induce my desired love for reading by going back to what started it, The Hunger Games. Although reading had been immensely important to me in elementary school as well, this trilogy affected me distinctively in that succeeding its end, I had prayed for a time machine to take me back to the beginning, I had refused to seize thinking about it, I had the inability to go a day without a new novel in an attempt to move on from the dystopian world I got lost in. I was seriously obsessed with every part of it– the story, the characters, and the world they had lived in. I may not love it as much as I had exploring it initially, but I can try to utilize its profound creativity to make reading a part of my schedule again.

Admist inspiring strength in a corrupt, crumbling government, I couldn’t help but withdraw from the real world and delve into main character, Katniss Everdeen’s, mind as she overcame extreme hardships in a world where it was do or die. So intrigued by how she was going to manage to survive among older, stronger, and more qualified fighters, I tore through the trilogy in just three days (one book per day) due to its thrilling plot, filled with shocking twists despite its predictable ending. However, although I succumbed to the gripping story (as did everyone), I learned to appreciate it more as I got older and how relatable it is in today’s society. Although the games weren’t established due to overpopulation, it is a big problem in today’s world, making the possibility of real-life games extremely far-fetched, but not impossible. Well, pretty much impossible, but not an extreme fantasy. Additionally, reality tv, social media, and entertainment dominating the world connects today’s audience to the intrigue of the games as they were a form of reality television in their dystopian society.

Similar to how seeing “based on a true story” before the start of a horror movie is terrifying yet fascinating simultaneously, reading a seemingly fictive, extraordinary story and then acknowledging the parallels to reality ensues the same effects. For instance, Sheknows.com outlined 7 different obvious parallels that heighten the trilogy’s significance:

• Starving children
  • The story divides the country into different “districts,” with some extremely rich and others extremely poor. Katniss’s strength originates from providing for her family as they battle starvation every day of their lives. In effect to their hardships, Katniss not only wants to fight for her life in the games, but for the life of her family. Like Katniss, many kids are forced to seek out their own food and fight for their lives every day.
• Crumbling World
  • The book evidently showcases a corrupt world and while ours isn’t nearly as detrimental, we still have a myriad of issues to find solutions to.
• Dangers of coal mines
• Promotion of entertainment
  • Due to the games representing a highly-reviewed television show, the participants and winners experience press tours promoting the games.
• Enormous division between rich and poor
• Exploitation of children
  • This one is obvious even without reading the books. 
• Gestures as a sign of protest
  • The article explains how symbolic gestures are becoming in Thailand to portray protest, leading to arrest.

As an admirer of her witty repartee, I’ve wondered how main character, Rory Gilmore, of the show, Gilmore Girls, acquired the intellect to spit out impressive facts on pop culture and literature or her ability to respond with swift comebacks during confrontation with either her old-fashioned grandparents or snobby classmates. Although genetics is predominantly the reason behind these skills, her books make up the remaining influence of her knowledge of innumerable facets of life.

Undoubtedly, Rory Gilmore’s most prominent character quirk is her unceasing love for books. Not only is this quality admired by many viewers of the show, but many have pondered which books she reads, anxious to know how they have shaped her into the cultured intellect the show portrays her as from the very first episode to the last. In fact, many fans of the show have gone as far as rewatching each episode of the show with enough precision to conduct a list of the 339 books read or referenced by Rory Gilmore. Now, not only do fans have access to her superb reading list, but it has actually developed into the “Rory Gilmore Book Challenge” as people attempt to be as well read as Rory herself.

As a fan of the show (like I previously mentioned), I have scoured the list, reading synopses and reviews of each book, unflagging in my efforts to compare my literary interests to Rory’s. Unfortunately, there aren’t many books that I can cross off the list, but after rigorous evaluating, I concluded that I would love to read Rory’s favorite novel, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Yes, it is 864 pages so between that and The Stand by Stephen King, I won’t be doing much else but delving into worlds of both ruin and contemporary life in Russia– very different, but both highly praised.

Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina was not only considered his best novel, but many authors believe it to be the world’s greatest novel to date and Rory would most certainly attest to that claim. After her boyfriend deems it too long, confusing, and depressing, Rory implores that he give it a second chance, claiming that it was a story written for everyone, not geniuses. On the basis thereof, Dean agrees and ultimately admits his admiration of the book. 

Although centered around an ill-fated love affair with a tragic ending due to the negative consequences of betrayal and guilt, the haunting, psychological themes interest me greatly. Rated 4.04/5 stars on Goodreads and being highly praised by one of my fictional characters is enough for me to want to submerge myself into Anna Karenina’s world.    

Melodramatic with her lyrical prose, mysterious plot, and unconventional characters, Donna Tartt creates The Secret History, showcasing a group of students of whom she presents as misfits, at a small, New England college. At this school, it is common for the students to have the same classmates in majority of their classes with the same professor teaching all of them, thus leading them to develop commonality in their ideas and perspectives. However, Goodreads explains that this leads to a loss of morality that ultimately spawns evil acts.

Based on a relatable setting at a university with an interesting group of college students, Donna Tartt’s novel contains relatableness coupled with an evocation of immorality and corruption. Not only is this presented in the blurb, but by reading solely the first page of the novel, it is evident that a murder of one of the group members has occurred yet the “how’s,” “why’s,” and “who’s” remain a mystery. On the basis thereof, I am eager to propel into what the New York Times named the “ferociously, well-paced environment” of Tartt’s novel that enthralls its readers on each page until its “terrible conclusion.”

Publisher’s weekly: “writing is powerful and evocative… richly detailed story told by a talented writer.”

The Guardian: “It is as if her every reader is the first and only one to read it… The novel notices how important beauty is to us.”

Although there are some reviews recognizing the novel’s controversial and triggering content, there are many others advocating for its exquisite prose and unconventional plot that leaves a mark on its readers once they reach the end. Additionally, the book emphasizes beauty and defines it in unique ways, provoking my curiosity in the characters and how they perceive beauty:

• “Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it.”

• “Beauty is rarely soft or consolatory. Quite the contrary. Genuine beauty is always quite alarming.”

• “If we are strong enough in our souls we can rip away the veil and look that naked, terrible beauty right in the face; let God consume us, devour us, unstring our bones. Then spit us out reborn.”

• “There is nothing wrong with the love of Beauty. But Beauty – unless she is wed to something more meaningful – is always superficial.”
• “Death is the mother of beauty,”

Beauty is often perceived positively, yet the characters address it with negative connotation by describing it as terror, a terrible concept, superficial, and an entity of death. The idea that something “beautiful” can also be alarming is alarming to me as a reader and the concept seems quite disturbing, however I construct this book bucket list with an intention to learn new things and to expand the mind, therefore, I am determined to learn about Donna Tartt’s newfound definition of beauty in her bestselling novel, The Secret History.

Ignoring my previous post, recently I have been determined to read more books. Throughout school, I found myself constantly scouring through book aisles, searching for my next read. It was a thrilling and exciting experience for me as I knew there were so many stories I haven’t heard that could possibly teach me or alter my perspective on certain topics and ideas.

Getting into books was especially easy in middle school. Sure, everyone claims they hate reading, but there was commonality in students’ love for reading during “reading time” in past english classes. At home it’s easy to hate to read due to the limitless entertainment sources infused with the freedom of not following strict guidelines set out by intimidating teachers. However, it was during these reading times when students were given an escapade from boring lectures and tedious worksheets to dive into a book and clear their mind from the school’s humdrum atmosphere.

As a college student now, far past “reading times” and torn from my comfortable couch accompanied by the perfect reading lamp, I’m finding myself following a routine completely void of reading. Therefore, to help motivate not only myself, but others who are experiencing this as well, I decided I will start to compose a book bucket list and explain my reasons for wanting to read the book to keep it fresh in my mind, pushing myself to read it and hopefully it can help you too.

Firstly, I want to begin by presenting a book I have attempted multiple times, yet fail to complete each time. This book is highly rated and has grasped my attention at each attempt, however, during my hectic schedule during senior year and from then transitioning into college, it has been too ambitious to embark upon the comprehensive, yet harrowing, apocalyptic tale that Stephen King has weaved in The Stand. Ranked #1 out of all of King’s novels on the vox.com and The Rolling Stone, it still continues to be ranked within the top 10 on a number of other websites.

Writing of the mass contamination that is a deadly virus across America, an apocalyptic world emerges from the destruction and the survivors must choose sides: good or evil. Although I haven’t gotten to the apocalyptic portion of the novel due to its extreme content of 1,153 pages, I feel confident that not only does it captivate readers, but also educates them on important themes as The New York Times describes it as “processed through a gigantic American meat grinder,” explaining that literary icons such as The Grapes of Wrath, On the Road, and a number of other best sellers are reflected through different parts of the novel. With this and an emphasis on its dynamic characters and diverse genre presentation, I am ecstatic to know that I own the book and can devour it at anytime in the future.

Influencing my beliefs, altering my perspective of the world, and creating an entertainment that can be shared with many are all integral factors that led to my decision to write about my favorite songs for my passion blog last semester. While I was certainly passionate about the aspects of music that affect my daily thoughts, emotions, and behavior, I decided I would have more fun with my passion blog this semester.

As someone who has read all of the components of a virgo’s personality, scoured through innumerable buzzfeed quizzes that analyze why the type of food I am relates to my personality, and has been forced to complete professional trait tests for my personality psychology class, I am likewise thrilled to continue my personality analysis throughout this blog, yet infused with another love of mine: Harry Potter. However, I am narrowing my focus on the Harry Potter sorting hat and the unique characteristics each Hogwarts house has.

Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin make up the four different Hogwarts houses, all representing different values, while also showcasing the famous wizards belonging to each house and how their values and traits coincide with those of their house. While it is interesting to view the characters getting sorted into their destined houses, I have been more intrigued with how myself and my friends have been sorted based on a personality test. Although it is simple to take a Buzzfeed quiz and be sorted into a house, I preferred to take the official sorting hat test created by J.K. Rowling herself.

Each post will highlight the unique traits of each individual house, but I encourage everyone to take the test just for fun. Lastly, at the end I will reveal my own result, but for now I will list the basic traits that each house emphasizes.

Hufflepuff: hard working, patient, loyal, and fair.

Gryffindor: daring, brave, adventurous, chivalrous and courageous.

Ravenclaw: wise, intelligent, creative, and clever.

Slytherin: cunning, ambitious, intelligent, resourceful, and prideful.

Overthinking, self-regulation, and indecision all represent the qualities responsible for panic and insecurity in the midst of an important decision. We’ve all been there despite the magnitude of the situation. Whether it has been making a tough diet decision, choosing one option over another, or it can be a struggle in realizing the fate of a relationship with a person. As a person known for over analyzing situations, reading too far into things, and having the tendency to sometimes be a little over dramatic, this week I present another one of my favorite songs, “Treacherous” by Taylor Swift which details an individual’s inability to refrain from pursuing a harmful relationship.

This theme of struggling to decide between realism and a desired fantasy is extremely prevalent in current pop music today, but the song’s coupling of country and pop and the poetic lyricism capture my admiration. I admit, there’s a great number of songs I often listen to voluntarily over Taylor Swift’s “Treacherous” for the mere catchy vibe, however, the detailed symbolism transcending throughout the song is the reason for my unceasing love for it.

Fighting to refrain from anything serious, she sings “put your lips close to mine, as long as they don’t touch” to make it known that she wants something, but nothing that could hurt her. By not touching, she knows she won’t be able to blame herself for any downfall that may occur and to avoid anything that may be “treacherous.” Although she seems to uphold awareness about the dangers of this specific relationship, she quickly contradicts it by admitting that the “gravity’s too much” and even though she tries to run from it, she defeatedly justifies that “you’re quicksand,” alluding to the inability to escape it.

Not only does the song contain qualities of relatability to an audience, but the metaphor in which she conveys her feelings is strikingly insightful as the strong pull of gravity and panic of getting abolished by quicksand translates into a deep conflict between right and wrong. The only example of relatability off of the top of my head would be deciding between two outfits, whether or not to eat the cookies I told myself I wouldn’t eat, or between two different invites for plans. Therefore, the immense decision she details embellished with subtle signs of hope are intriguing to hear as my decisions seem mediocre in comparison.

Succeeding the accumulation of indecision and being pulled by the gravity and quicksand, she acknowledges that the slope is treacherous, yet brings the chorus to a roaring end with an “I, I, I like it,” dragging out the “like” by singing “likeeeee” to emphasize how although its treacherous and may be destructive in the long run, for the moment she enjoys it. Afterwards, she tries to eliminate her feelings by dehumanizing both of them and changing her perspective to the actual anatomy of the two of them, stating that “all we are is skin and bone, trained to get along” to make herself feel better by looking at their relationship as two pieces of anatomy rather than two human beings consumed by their emotions. She continues by explaining how she wishes to just go through the motions rather than think too deeply about it, but she can’t because he’s “friction,” immobilizing her from moving on to something right.

Although I had admired her ability to recognize the relationship’s destructive nature, she progressively humanizes herself as she completely disregards the danger by justifying to herself that “nothing safe is worth the drive,” finally concluding that “i will follow you home,” meaning she feels safe with him and doesn’t want to risk losing that security.

Analyzing the songs i’ve written about on my blog thus far, all share a common quality responsible for its likeability: relatability. Whether its meaning directly parallels with my experiences or if they utilize rhetoric to connect to the audience, each rely on specific tactics to draw in their audience. Certainly, I don’t share the same intensity of heartbreak as presented in Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well,” Post Malone’s “I Fall Apart,” or Katy Perry’s “Part of Me,” but each song successfully induces emotion from its audience to allow them connect even in the most miniscule form. For me, the craft of the song intermixed with supporting melodies ensued admirability and that likewise goes for this week’s analysis of “Car Radio” by Twenty One Pilots.

In Twenty One Pilots’ “Car Radio,” they metaphorically assemble lyrics detailing the consequences of silence and its ability to bear harmful thinking. Constructing their song in the form of a poem, the band hopes to appeal to their audience by highlighting their words rather than crafting a catchy rhythm. Consequently, they encircle their message around a symbolic car radio that is ultimately responsible for distracting us from our negative thoughts. However, when the car radio is stolen, as is the noise, only leaving silence to remain.

Contrasting deep epiphanies commonly defined as “shower thoughts,” the “car thoughts” that Twenty One Pilots conversely defines, exploits the danger of them– “sometimes quiet is violent” lead singer, Tyler Joseph, implores. Experiencing an existential crisis, the silence refuses to immobilize his thoughts, leading to his demise throughout the song.

So far this sounds dark, I know, but it is innocent on the surface for the most part. By utilizing the car radio as a mask to hide their darker meaning, the song contains relatability in that individuals often get distracted by their thoughts. In fact, majority of people consider themselves “over-thinkers” (this isn’t a real statistic), but in spite of that, the term is prevalent for a reason, everyone experiences it.

However, unlike most people, Tyler Joseph sings about how the deterioration of his car radio leads to the deterioration of his mind, and ultimately to himself. Although this isn’t a theme I enjoy exploring, the craft of the song is undeniably fascinating, not only in the lyrics, but in the production.

A soft, piano melody institutes the beginning of the song followed by an intermixing of instruments that create a sound resembling the ripples in water as if to create the feeling of reflection and immense contemplation. With 14 seconds of this melody, they allow the audience to ponder as they foreshadow the entailments of the song. Interestingly, they follow this long introduction with the first two words being “I ponder” to explicitly state what they implicitly attempted to convey.

Relying on the car radio to act as a shield from his thoughts, Joseph sings “there is no hiding for me” in effect to its absence. Thus, admitting his vulnerability to the silence in “i’m forced to deal with what is real” which expresses his inability to hide. Succeeding this revelation is a long drum solo to elevate the song’s intensity, as if to allow the reader to visualize the car speeding as his mind continues to race. On the basis thereof, even an individual void of similarity has the ability to admire the brilliance of the song. Similar to the fascination of reading, escaping in a fictional world by creating a movie image, the song likewise showcases an image of a man rooted solely to his car and his mind.  

Progressing through the song, the music builds as does his words–Tyler Joseph may as well be an actor in addition to a singer, beyond doubt. Not only does he write “oh my, too deep, please stop thinking,” but he yells it, attempting to conquer the noise within himself. Subsequently, they implement multiple echoes of “woah” in the background before ascending into repeated yelling of “and now I just sit in silence!” If you don’t believe that he is legitimately yelling, please listen to the song. He yells. Confirmed in their official video is Tyler Joseph maddeningly pounding the stage, simultaneously attempting to rip off the mask that is symbolically representing the silence responsible for driving his madness.  

Finally, after a whirlwind of anxiety, the intense music ceases to continue as it dwindles into the softness of the opening melody. Coming full circle, Tyler Joseph removes his mask, signaling an end to his craze as he finishes by following backwards off the stage.

In spite of its supreme darkness, the message catches the audience’s attention by its small quality of relatability in expressing the negative consequences of thought. Although fictive to my personal experience, its ability to alter my perspective by enhancing its reality represents its brilliance as it details the complexity of the mind, making it one of my most admired songs.

With a swift, heart-pounding beat accompanied by a deterministic search for self-worth, I present Katy Perry’s empowering revival from toxic love, “Part of Me” which showcases Perry’s unflagging proclamation of ease following a bad breakup. Although I recognize it for its strength and unwillingness to succumb to self-alteration that often occurs after a breakup, it still contains some elements of deterioration and supreme anger; however, the juxtaposition of a colossal breakdown and an unparalleled complacency weaves an influential message that deems comparable to myriad situations that individuals experience. Thereby, it secures a position within my favorite songs as it concurrently alters the consistent theme of depressing songs that have and will be analyzed on this blog by also conveying personal growth.

Primarily, the song begins with a portrayal of madness, accompanied by confrontation, yelling, throwing, and a dramatic drive away scene in the music video. I admit, the opening scene depicts an awkward interaction due to the unsettling silence of the background. Although after, while walking away and unquestionably throwing herself into her car, the rhythm of eight pounding beats of the instruments embellishes her hurt, albeit tenacious spirit, notably with the unanticipated sequence of a few rapid pounds of the beat that catapult her flight and drive her anger.

Succeeding the revelation of her cheating boyfriend, Perry descends into madness as she transforms her anger into positive growth by pursuing her own desires rather than surrendering to her demise. Although I can’t relate to her experience and the hasty dread that overtook her, her way of rebounding after the incident by searching for self-gratification allows her audience to not only appreciate her character, but follow her lead.

The persisting fast-paced beats that i’ve mentioned earlier craft her anger at the start of the song as she describes how he had not only chewed her up, but spit her out as well to completely attempt to destroy her–she remains unbreakable to his surprise, however, by admitting that although he chewed her up, “that was then and this is now,” thus making this breakup anthem not only an anthem for moving on, but a deterministic anthem for anyone willing to pursue after hard times.

Rather than wallowing in her room with ice cream, junk food, and sad movies that are often depicted in movies in effect to a bad breakup or any other troubling occurrence, Perry flees to the restroom in the video to cut off all of her hair to reject her femininity and prove to herself that she could be anyone she wanted to be. On the basis thereof, she signifies the death of her “old self” and introduces her “new self” as she slowly pulls up her hood and carefully observes herself in the mirror, proclaiming “this is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no” to symbolize her newfound epiphany of finding herself.

To gain a better understanding of her motifs, I found the parallel to Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” extremely interesting. The fact that Katy Perry’s song compares to situations beyond breakups is supported by Swift’s song in that she alludes to the death of her old self and implores caution of her new self due to the inaccuracies portrayed in the media. Hence, this synchroneity embellishes Perry’s song in that it better validates its relatableness. In fact, not only are the themes the same, but the presentment of them are similar as well despite the slight differing in reason for changing. Similar to the scornful, yet observant look she gives watching herself in the mirror after dramatically placing her hood on, Swift likewise removes a mask, but is showed with her hood on after as she storms toward the camera with a bat.

It may mean nothing, but in my opinion, I symbolized the hood and sneering look as the ignition for some purposeful mission. Just as Swift purposefully struts at the camera with the hood back on, Perry instinctively joins the marines after the scene with her hood.

After, she continues to reminisce on their prior relationship, explaining how it was toxic, yet how she “fell deep” for him, but he ultimately let her down. Following, she exclaims another “look at me now” accompanied by the same pouding beats from the beginning of the song and a striking blow of her gun at marine training to expel her into her newfound expedition. Motivating and inspiring, she springs into action as she sings “throw your sticks and stones, throw your bombs and your blows” to urge him to try to break her, saying “but you won’t break my soul,” thereby telling him that you may try to hurt me physically, but you’ll never change me.

Although the cutting of her hair and the symbol of the hood convey change, the purpose was to depict a change in mindset rather than personality. Perry agrees to stay true to who she is, yet she tackles the challenge of the marines to push her limits to improve herself. And once she does, she proudly urges him to look at her now as she is glowing, “a firework, a dancing flame” who can never be put out or destroyed. Because this message is imperative for anyone going through an experience that can potentially change who they are, Perry utilizes the pounding beats with her determination to convey strength and power to the audience. Finally, at the end of the song, the beats end abruptly and continue to fade out before finally signaling the end. The video showcases this as she stares at the audience in hopes of educating them on her message while disguising herself with camouflage paint to protect herself from getting hurt.