Ok, wow. I wondered about the 'finger' keychain. In SKAM there are lockers too (it is a high school) and the lockers signify one of the characters being closeted, not too hard to figure out. You've gone the distance and for that, I am very grateful. BTW, in the same scene where Felice is talking to Simon in front of the lockers after Jan-Olof shut Simon down and yanked his song, her keychain is a pride flag. That is something that stuck out to me. And after what you wrote about, the easy way is to assume she's an ally, but maybe I'm missing something more subtle.
I am also still pondering all the art in Simon's room, especially the side-ways equality painting, the two silver stripes. Ah well.
As for Sara sniffing Felice's perfume and then stroking August's photo, when she comes back into their shared room after her first hookup with August, Felice asked if she's going to shower before bed, assuming Sara was with Rousseau. Sara replies that she likes smelling like him. Felice thinks she is talking about the horse but we know Sara means August.
But now you have made me a little crazy. WHAT IS SIMON'S SECRET??? Do you have any idea how many times I have watched YR? Today I am on the couch after a 'birth storm' of 5 babies in a row. YR is, of course, cued up. Oh dear. I really need to sleep.
Really, my other comment is about the vitriol you've been receiving in your inbox. I am so very sorry. As I've said many times by now, I am so enjoying these posts, your obvious expertise and your "car mechanic"passion for taking things apart to see how they work. And then writing about it for nerds like me. Or maybe I'm the only nerd in the bunch, don't want to assume.
Your work is beautiful, carefully and thoughtfully written and I am so grateful to you for this film school. Thank you as ever.
Hey, thank you for your comment. And you're definitely not the only nerd around here: There's also yours truly. I definitely fall into that category, too.
As far as the horse smell thing is concerned, I had only briefly referenced it in the post about the 'nose' and the 'neck' metaphor (dream of the missing voice) because I want to go into Rousseau a bit more deeply in a later post. Felice's keychain, on the other hand, will come up soon-ish. I promise we will look into that.
This weekend there'll be a little post about something you had asked me about earlier, so I hope it's okay I've once again put you off when it comes the other things above. I promise I really do have a plan in what order I'm writing about things because everything on this show is connected.
Anyway, thank you again for your kind words. This blog is really not some weird project where I try to be mean or want to pretend to be cleverer than other people. God, no! I genuinely and quite sincerely believe that anyone can learn these things. I'm not any more brilliant or any cleverer than anyone who reads this. The only difference is that I know where to look. That's it. But that sometimes makes the difference between spotting a metaphor or not realizing it's there at all. If it's not pointed out to you, you simply don't know these things exist. I used to take films and television series completely literally for a long time. It's only once you know where to look, that you start to see things, and that's when you start to watch everything with completely new eyes, so to speak.
Take the 'baggage' metaphor, for example. Once you know these metaphors often appear on screen and often have a similar meaning, you go into a show with a different predisposition. The same is true for the lockers and for some of the other literary devices typically used in screenplays.
I never even saw it though I can only think of once scene it’s in. It’s the scene when she complains about her previous class being so boring and needing to get a coffee before she goes to her next class.
It's in episode five of season one, as Beth said above. After Jan-Olof vetoes Simon's song. Her keychain is a rainbow pride flag when she's supportive of Simon in that scene in front of the lockers.
And obviously I forgot to say how in awe I am when I hear 'five babies in a row'. You made a lot of parents very happy on that day, I gather. Wow. Now, that's a real job that is meaningful and so necessary! Congratulations to you and to those parents, of course.
I think I said in my very first post here was that with your analysis, I am learning so much about 'looking'. I've always loves film, especially thoughtful, sometimes weird and random films. I follow certain directors and sometimes actors. But my responses to the craft (which you are so cleverly fleshing out) are becoming clear to me. As you say, you are investigating the 'moving parts' of the story presented to us. You are literally giving voice to my inarticulate experience of beauty, tragedy, longing, all of it.
I've been cruising the internet for film schools. Really. Or if you have any pretensions in that direction, let me know :-)
Nooooo!!!! You didn’t tell us your thoughts on his secret. How dare you?! Haha. It’s a good way to get paying customers for his character analysis later though. No shade to that AT. ALL. You have a skill and are sharing it with the world and the labor behind these articles deserves monetary recognition.
Thank you for your insightful analysis as always. I basically drop everything to read your thoughts on this show.
Also, as Beth Coyote mentions, how awful people can be about your opinion on a show. I AM a true (obsessed) fan and value your opinion and mostly agree with everything you write. It deepens my understanding of the show so much more.
I keep thinking I don’t know what’s more impressive, the brilliance of the whole creative team behind this show or your ability to notice all of the effort they put into it.
It’s possible I won’t love a show more than this one because of your work in analyzing it. I literally gasp out loud when you uncover something I feel like I should have noticed that is integral to characters or plot.
Honest answer: I didn't write anything about Simon's secret because I have about half of it figured out to a degree that I'm really certain of what's going on. The other half I'm much less certain of.
Explaining which half is which would take laying out all the evidence for what is going on with him (and there's a lot of it) and for that we need to take a look at another narrative technique that we haven't discussed yet at all. I intend to basically explain the technique in one post (part 1 of the character-centred posts), talk about the sexual subtext (part 2), and then switch over to an evidence-gathering post (part 3), in which I address the half of his secret that I've really, properly worked out and am certain of. The other half will come in later installments of the character-centred series.
The article above is 16 pages long, and it looks like the character-centred posts will be more than 30 pages each. So, I decided to do it in this way. But obviously, the post above serves as a teaser, yes. (I'd just always planned to write something about analyzing props in the context of their shots, and this was perfect.)
There's also the fact that I really dislike Simon's secret if I'm honest, and I sort of hope I'm not right about it. I will lay out all the evidence I've found and then ask you folks to come up with alternative explanations, hoping to be disproved. That's how much I dislike it. So, yeah, pretty much a classroom approach, basically. If someone comes up with a different explanation for what I'm seeing, I'll be very happy.
Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words. And obviously, a team creating a show or movie is much, much more brilliant than anyone who just takes it apart. I'm just looking at something that already exists, and I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I'm not even seeing. To truly create ex nihilo must be a blood-sweat-and-tears kind of ordeal. I don't know how creative people 'birth' these things out of their brains, but it's just such a joy to admire the result afterwards.
But again, it's very important to look at props in the context of their respective shot and their respective scene:
Simon is opening his locker and then approaching his music teacher about his song. The stack of paper (or thin booklet) he is pulling out of his locker is almost certainly his song, the song he has written, the song that is still a secret at this point, but will soon be revealed to the world at the Valentine's Ball. He is revealing it to his music teacher a few minutes later, in fact.
And because that's not a secret the show is keeping from us, the audience, the locker is being filmed from the other direction. This shot is not about the big, dark secret in Simon's backstory (most likely the reason why he's not pulling his backpack out of the locker in that scene); it's about his song.
Anyway, thank you for your kind comments. It's because of you that I just rewatched that scene that had slipped my mind completely. So, thank you.
Thank you. I've finished writing Part 3 (Simon's secret) yesterday. So, you're definitely getting not just two posts, but three on the same day. And the one about Simon's secret is definitely part of the package.
I'm currently proofreading all three posts. (They're all very long, so it's possible I won't make the Sunday deadline. Might be Monday or Tuesday. But I hope they'll be worth the wait.)
You guys are all much, much more creative than the writers of the show. I'll post the thing in a few days, and then you can go check it out for yourselves, alright? I'm glad this has launched this whole discussion, though. You're all really great.
My mind will not stop working after your revelation he has a secret.
The only thing that I can come up with is he truly is a dealer. His ability to even know how to acquire alcohol/drugs illegally is beyond my 42 year-old vanilla self. Then, get it delivered to said location and be bold enough to call August out for not paying!! So at his age having this ability on the fly in the context of the show seems unlikely.
Also, he wears ridiculously baggy clothes. At face value, baggy clothes could be hand-me-down clothes or less expensive options at thrift stores. (I still have this problem.) He might not even care much about what he wears. BUT, it could also be a method for hiding illegal substances.
However, I would think he would have contacts outside of his dad which we would have seen in the show.
Lastly, he’s quick to sign up for private lessons with his math teacher. As a relatively poor kid growing up, I would have never considered signing up for something like that because I knew my parents couldn’t afford it. But, he seemed to be confident that he could pay the bill somehow.
Don’t mind me going back to watch the whole series again to see if I can pin this theory down...or spot another completely different one.
I’ll add that we know Simon goes to Hillerska for the sake of Sara. But, he doesn’t have to go there. He has friends at Mariebel (sp?) and was not bullied there. We all think he’s going to this school out of the kindness of his heart for Sara (which I truly believe he has towards her). He also HATES the idea of this school and what types of students and families it caters towards. BUT, by going to Hillerska, if he’s a dealer, then he greatly widened his customer base.
In the dialogue between Ayub and Rosh after rowing practice he mentions making good grades to get out of his home town which they are surprised by. He may see his dealing as a dead end and want to find other outlets to make a better life for himself. If he stays home, he might continually be surrounded by the same people who will pull him back into the same dealing habits. He is trying to get away from that dead-end future. His music might get him out but that’s a long-shot.
He has plenty of time to partake in this illegal activity because Linda is often pulling double shifts as a nurse to help them live as comfortable a life she can for herself and her kids. She’s often not at home which is why he doesn’t get frantic phone calls from her when he’s not home at night times he should be (like S1 E4 when he rescues Wilhelm or the night of the Football date in S1 E2). As a parent, I would have lit up his phone!!
I could be WAY off. Im sticking to this theory for now though until something better comes up.
I am obsessed with Simon'd secret...what is it? I don't think he's a dealer but hey I could be wrong. What could it be??? Sara has pretensions of moving up in society, after comments she makes about losers in their previous school. I don't think Simon cares about that. Could it be he has a desire to be a famous musician? Argh...I will watch again tonight for the umteenth time. Gawd.
I don’t know that a desire to be a famous musician needs to be a secret. That’s nothing shameful. He’s obviously very talented and shows (doesn’t keep his talent a secret) that to his whole school. It’s a logical conclusion apparent to everyone he would/could follow that path after school for a living.
I agree that Simon doesn’t want to move up in the world (into high society) like Sara but he’s practical. One day he’ll have to be on his own and dealing is one possible future income source.
It’s not obvious he’s a dealer which is why it’s a secret and would be something to cover up. It’s not something he’s proud of either and would share with the world. He uses the word ‘dealer’ pretty quickly which isn’t a word I would have used right away at 15/16 to express the act he was propositioned.
I’m going to continue to look for clues and I hope I didn’t steal TVmicroscopes thunder if I’m right. But they put it out there! And, as a verbal processor I like talking about things to understand them.
You're right of course. My imagination goes to the most improbable options. I just don't WANT him to be a dealer. It seems like he hasn't procured booze or drugs before when he visits his dad. Like you, I'm going to continue to look for evidence of anything. Your comment about his baggy clothes is interesting but maybe that just what he likes.
Help me. I’m with you two. Here is a weird theory, could he be some sort of spy or terrorist recruited to get close to Wille? (Til now I thought my craziest idea was that Nils and Vincent are lovers).
I get how we could see the Nilcent ship through the series. They flirt soooo much. But, Wilhelm and Nils have a convo in S2E3 (?) where Wilhelm asks if Vincent and August know about Nils and he admits he doesn’t know. Nils might not want to out Vincent but this would have been an opportunity for that ship to emerge and be acknowledged.
Also, Nils can be actively seen covering for Wille in a couple of public interactions that might expose Simon’s and Wilhelm’s relationships. Vincent never does and is super toxic about class status and traditions. It might be a stretch for me to see Vincent participating in a gay relationship. BUT, it’s also a good cover and I’ve known plenty of closeted homophobes who were also awful to women.
Ok, after reading all these threads, I was laughing so much. We sound insane. However, this is so much fun.
A spy operation? In Sweden? Nah, why? What does the offending nation get out of it? Does Sweden have stockpiles of nukes? Or natural resources? And remember, the monarchy doesn't really have power. Radical group...hmmmm. No evidence of that that I can see. Although I do worry about Erik's accident and Wilhelm saying to August while he has a gun to his head (gulp) that the crown is good at covering up accidents.
Interesting, the comment from the math teacher. Hadn't thought about that before.
I've asked about the sideways double bars in the painting in Simon's room, like a sideways equality sign.
I think not telling Sara he's visiting Micke is plausible. I've thought for a while that there might be a sexual abuse component to the family fracture. Both Linda and Sara's reactions when Micke showed up a the St Lucia celebration was quite telling. He must have done something awful. And Simon is only visiting him to get booze and drugs, ick. Marcus reminding Simon that he's not like his father...Idk.
As for Nils and Vincent, ug. I guess they deserve each other but I have to agree with Erin on this one. They wouldn't expose each other, would they? I don't get queer vibes from Vincent, just asshole ones.
Alright, now it's officially very late. Good night, both of you.
PS I'm also lurking on tumblr and reddit but my heart belongs to TVM.
Hey, don't worry. Maybe you are right and I'm just wrong. That's totally possible with this show. There's a lot about Simon that we still have to uncover together. It's perfectly possible that I'm just not seeing the forest for all the trees at this point.
I'm starting to feel bad I even put this out there.
In my defence, it was the show that did it in the first place. The show's creators set up that whole locker shot (and even gave us the middle finger for looking). So, it drove me nuts as well when I first saw it. They're the ones responsible for making me sit up straight and going, "Hang on, what's with that shot? What are they implying there about Simon?" So...I'm basically just passing on the message.
It will be interesting to see if your theory pans out that he has a secret in Season 3. If my idea about him as a dealer is true, then I too am sad about it.
Thank you for pointing this out as it gave me another excuse to think about YR.
I’m starting to see some eerie parallels between Sara/Rousseau and Simon/Wilhelm that I hadn’t noticed before. Looking forward to seeing what your thoughts are on that in the future.
There is an interesting thread about Rousseau/Wille as thoroughbreds on Reddityoungroyals you might wanna dive into. I have recently been entertained by some of the posts there. I am obsessed but I do still get out sometimes. Honest. I don't need an intervention yet.
Hi! I wrote that Reddit post about the dialogue about Rousseau providing advice to Simon on Wille. Think about this, the HANDLER was providing advice. Just like a spy has a handler. Simon is a spy!! He was instructed to get close to Wille. 😱😱 Maybe?
Aaaggghhhh. Now I am so braced for the secret. The only hint I can think of is the math teacher saying “Simon your calculations are often correct, but your answers are not”. To me, that statement always foreshadowed something. I shall continue to think of Simon as an angelic character for now..
Okay. Since TVmicroscope won’t divulge their suspicions about Simone’s secret, I’m still thinking about it and gonna throw out another theory.
I think Simone’s secret is more aspirational and less concrete than my dealer idea. He wants to dismantle the monarchy with Wille’s help to make Sweden a more equitable and democratic society. Maybe he doesn’t know it yet or see how it can be possible at this moment. But, the seeds have been planted by his upbringing and Wille will/could help that become a reality.
Wille does not want to be a monarch but does it out of his loyalty to his brother (and, more distantly, to his mom). If Wille could dismantle the monarchy in a way that is respectful to Erik, he would do it. He shares Simone’s ideas about the class system but is currently at the tippy top. It’s hard to dismantle something in which you gain so much. But, if he loses Simon because of the monarchy, there is not doubt he would douse it in lighter fluid and toss a match onto it.
That’s the only thing I can imagine. The drug dealer thing doesn’t pan out once I kept watching. Sigh.
Well, ok then. More plausible except our fearless leader doesn't like Simon's secret...but maybe that's neither here nor there. It is interesting as I have said elsewhere that Wille's admission on that fateful day was to take full responsibility. He only says it was a moment he didn't want to share and he laid none of the blame (for denying his presence in the video) on his mother or the Court. I think that's a bargaining chip for Wille when the sh*t hits the fan which it surely will. He didn't finger August either.
How does one dismantle a monarchy anyway??? Especially if you're 17? Or he becomes a
queer monarch eventually and divests himself of power and privilege. They live in a modest cottage with a cat and some chickens and Wille is seen as an ordinary person. Maybe he even gets a normal job. (Where does this happen? Spain? I read it somewhere)
The song "Revolution" must fit in here somewhere, right?
One more thing. Simon didn't know that Wille was going to show up at Hillerska. But he does and so Simon's wheels start turning? And lo and behold (as my mother would say), they have some ideological similarities, for different reasons, but there you have it. And mix in an attraction for one another, potent stuff.
Thank you Erin, for your efforts. As you saw above, my ideas were completely outlandish. How many times can I view YR anyway? Not enough apparently. I await our kind host to illuminate another slice of the YR pie.
Bugger - I forgot the secret was bad in their opinion. I’m so confused now. Haha.
In regards to your comment about how could Simone know he wanted to overthrow the monarchy, I don’t know that I think he knows it concretely at this moment. Just that he’s sick of the privileges granted to the privileged when all he and his class get are more suffering. He sees the monarchy as an unnecessary excess.
We shall see but you better bet I’m going to be paying soon to get those articles that are about to drop.
Oh yeah! Paid subscription for sure. And well, yes. We just have to wait for the big reveal. And TVM said it's the show itself that sprinkled the clues around. Since I began reading these posts, it's obvious I've missed so much. And season three isn't even on the horizon yet. Gawd.
Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it. And I can promise your money won't be used for anything nefarious - just books, sheet music and all the wine I'm going to consume while writing the next couple of posts.
This is more in line with what I think. Maybe Simon was part of a radical group and when Wille showed up at the school, they told Simon to try to get close to Wille. And it worked! And maybe he is faking his love for Wille, or maybe he fell in love. Maybe he was trying to break up with Wille because he felt remorseful using him. wille going public with their relationship will mess up Simon’s plans because of all the attention on him.
Plot thickener, Erik’s sports car was tampered with by the radical group that Simon belongs to.
THIS IS ALL CRAZY AND IT IS 2AM I. MY TIMEZONE. CURSE YOU OUR BELOVED TVMICROSCOPE! 😘🤣
Could it be he is slamming the welfare system somehow? He was quick to defend scammers versus tax evasion. The math teacher’s comment about the result being right but the means are wrong would fit.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯mind blown. Of course, I had made the straightforward “F authority” assumption about the keychain, but now that you mention the lockers, I can’t unsee it. The metaphor is crystal clear. (Side note: I share your admiration of the shot of Sara at the lockers retrieving her Lucia sash, scowling ay August while he commits misdeeds at the computer. That shot is a work of art. The entire Lucia segment is so beautifully filmed).
Now I am reenergized for Season 3. Dying to learn Simon’ s big secret.
So sorry about the angry subgroup. People on Reddit still mention your work with nothing but adoration and gratitude. Thank you for the deep analysis you poured into all 20 articles. The world has too much criticism and not enough analysis these days, and you are helping the rebalance. Glad I am a paid subscriber.
Thank you. And it's really a very, very common mistake. As I said, I used to make it all the time, and I probably still make it from time to time. It's just so tempting to look at a prop and go, "Ah...this must mean X about the character."
And I agree that that whole Lucia sequence is really beautiful. Beautifully shot, beautifully crosscut and the music choice is great for it, too.
Also, agree on the criticism vs. analysis front. There's definitely great, great film criticism out there, but I'd never felt tempted to venture into this field. I don't feel there's anything I could add to it. Everything has already been said. People also fail to realize how much of it comes and goes in waves, i.e. some type of it is 'in' today and will be 'out' tomorrow. The middle of the 20th century saw an enormous amount of Marxist criticism, in which even Shakespeare and other classics were read and interpreted through that lens. Then there was the big wave of psychological criticism (with a Freudian lens being applied to everything from Goethe's 'Faust' to Dostoyevsky). Right now, we have a lot of gender criticism and ethnic criticism, but I'm always wondering if there will be a point where we realize that this, too, is a thing that's currently en vogue and might not be forever.
Spotting metaphors and other literary devices is, in that sense, a more nose-to-the-grindstone, but also a more enduring kind of occupation: It's like baking bread; it'll never go out of fashion.
Anyway, I've finished writing Part 3 "Simon's secret" yesterday, so you'll all definitely get not just two but three posts on the same day. They're insanely long, too. I've managed to proofread 23 pages of the first one today, and I think I can't spell anything correctly right now, including my own name, so I doubt I'll make my self-imposed Sunday deadline. I think Monday or Tuesday is more realistic. I hope it will be worth the wait and apologize for my tardiness.
To a neophyte like me, who knew the difference between film criticism and film analysis. I came here initially and I'm still here because I'm learning so much.
I'm afraid I have to take my computer to Europe because I can't bear to read your trifecta on my phone. And the messages will start to fly, I'm sure. I'm so happy your readership has expanded. Your work richly deserves the attention (the right kind of attention).
And thank you for putting our SS (Simon's Secret) theories to rest. Maybe.
To my knowledge, different terms are used for it in different countries and different academic traditions: Sometimes the concepts are delineated as 'analysis vs. criticism'; sometimes as 'interpretation vs. critical analysis', etc. And there are about a dozen other different terms that are used; the overlap between them is defined differently, etc. But the thing that all of these different traditions seem to agree on is that there are, indeed, different ways to approach a 'text'.
(In some countries, this is actually taught at the high-school level at school, where you have to write one type of essay or the other type (analyzing a text) to show you've understood the difference.) Basically, they're all about the question: Do I work 'outside-in' or 'inside-out'? One of the character posts, that I'll hopefully finish proofreading soon, has a (longish) introduction where I go into this over a couple of paragraphs.
Anyway...what I'm doing here is basically the 'inside-out' approach (but not in a way that would stand up to academic scrutiny, obviously. For one, I'd have to censor my language way more for that to be the case (among other things), and where would be the fun in that?).
Boy, do I hope you don't schlep your computer across the Atlantic for no reason just to discover that I didn't get it all done before you had to fly back.
I know everyone is waiting, but it's really a lot of reading, proofreading and editing...Which reminds me: Back to work!
I just want to express my gratitude for what you are doing. It really amazes me how much more there is to it. I am so sorry you are facing hateful messages. Hearing that is both disappointing and baffling. I am happy to support your paid subscription. Please don't stop writing! And also what is Simon's secret?!?!?!
Thank you. I won't stop writing, I promise. I'm too far down the rabbit hole now.:)
Thank you very much for your subscription. That's very kind of you.
I have finished writing Part 3 of the character posts yesterday, entitled "Simon's secret". So, you're getting your answer very soon (well, at least the first half of the answer that I'm really certain about).
I'm going to post all three posts on the same day. They're very long though (34 pages + 28 pages + 33 pages). I'm currently in the proofreading stage, and I don't know if I'll make my usual weekend deadline. Could be Monday or Tuesday.
I hope it'll be worth the wait, though.
Thank you again for your comments and for your kind words, of course. They're very much appreciated.
I mentioned this in a reply that has gotten lost in the thread, but I wanted to add to it. Is his father scamming the welfare system? That would fit with him defending welfare scammers versus tax evaders AND fit with Henry's comment - What does your father do? And it would reflect poorly on him in the media, even though at 16 I don't think it is his fault. But if not drug dealing or previous relationship (which I don't think happened) I just can't image anything else that was hinted at in the show and that would be a big secret at 16.
Hey, thank you for your comment and so sorry for losing it in the replies. I'm really sorry; I didn't see it.
Personally, I don't think welfare scamming is his secret. But I do agree that that's a very odd scene. I'm still mulling it over, as well.
I have a very, very vague idea how it could mean something more than just the literal things being said in it and how it could all be about yet another metaphor, but this whole idea is still very much half-baked, so I have to ponder it some more before I dare to write about it. (This would also definitely be after the character posts)
Thanks for responding! Could it be his father scamming the system? Henry even says What does your father do? In that scene. As someone on Reddit pointed out, it’s hard to see how a 16 year old would scam welfare. But his father scamming would still reflect badly on him in the media. Mostly I’m having trouble imagining what dark secret a 16 year would have that isn’t relationship related or drugs, which I don’t think is it. I will be anxiously awaiting your post next week.
But I do have a suspicion that this whole scene is neither about money nor about welfare scamming at all, but yet another metaphor, so that we don't have to read the whole exchange literally, but entirely metaphorically. (Just like the 'water' references that don't actually mean real water or the 'baggage' references that don't actually mean real suitcases and backpacks.) I have to admit that I'm still working on that, though; it's mostly just a hunch right now, and I could totally be wrong, so I don't want to speculate before I haven't understood it properly.
As far as Simon's secret is concerned, it's really just a question of where to look for it and how. I'll tell you how to look and you will all see it instantly, I promise. It's not difficult once you know where to look. It's just that if it's not pointed out to you, you don't know where to look for it.
So sorry for running a bit late. I'm currently proofreading Part 3 (Simon's secret). Part 1 (The Romance edition) and Part 2 (The Sex edition) are completely proofread now.
As far as Part 3 is concerned: I'm on page 14 of 34 right now and I keep finding dumb stuff that I have to look up or change. It drives me up the wall.
But anyway...there's light at the end of the tunnel.:D Not long now.
!! The excitement !! I have been frantically hitting refresh all day to see if it's finally published, even though I know I will be getting an e-mail 🙃😂
Even though I am broke as a church rat (Swedish expression) paid subscription is on the Horizon! (do I actually need to be a paying subscriber to get notifications about locked posts?)
Oof. This is the last post in your series that I've read and what a doozy.
All those camera angles on lockers definitely stood out to me, and I'd worked out they had something to do with secrets, but the middle finger keychain! I had no clue. This makes sense given my "gut feeling" (subconscious, maybe, from all the metaphors) that Simon hides a LOT from the world. Like 2 seasons in and I don't trust the kid. It's an interesting paradox the fact he so freely shares his voice with the world but that's about it. And Wille's voice is so stifled but he's more of an open book. I won't speculate on the secret but I have a bad feeling about it.
To your other fans here, many thanks to whoever posted about TVM on Reddit! I never would have found it otherwise, and for the past few weeks it's been a part of my morning coffee routine.
And finally, I'm sorry to hear you've received so much hate mail about something that, let's be real, isn't even real. The things people decide to get worked up about amaze me. I fully support your decision to make future posts subscriber-only and if I hadn't already done so I'd subscribe right now.
Oh! Lastly. What a wonderful gift to me that the first of the character posts are due to be released on my birthday!
First of first: Happy Birthday! (I hope I got the date right.)
Now, I'm feeling extra, extra bad that I probably won't make the deadline. I hope you can forgive me and accept the little gift-wrapped parcel containing the character posts somewhat belatedly, as well?
I have finished writing Part 3 yesterday, so you're all getting three posts on the same day.
They're all very long (Part 1: The Romance edition 34 pages, Part 2: The Sex edition 28 pages, Part 3: Simon's secret 33 pages). I'm currently proofreading them all. I've managed to proofread 23 pages of Part 1 today, and my eyes are falling shut, so I doubt I'll make the deadline.
I hope nobody's too disappointed if it all comes out on Monday or Tuesday, but I promise I'm working as fast as I can.
As for the juxtaposition of Simon and Wilhelm as characters...that's just so brilliantly written, right? It would have been so boring to make Wilhelm the one with the problem (being closeted and forced to lie about himself, never able to raise his voice) and to make Simon just this goody-two-shoes type of character who is, like, this totally out and proud and completely open guy. I love the fact that the show found a way to make them both complex and to give them both a journey and a character arc. And the most brilliant fact is obviously that they are each, in a sense, the solution to other's problem.
Anyway, thank you very much again for commenting. I'm glad you liked it. And I hope you have great birthday. I wish you all the best!
P.S. I, too, am very grateful to the kind person who first posted a link to my blog on reddit. Up until then I hadn't had the first idea about what reddit even was. They did that, and people suddenly started to show up and read what I was writing. So, I'm very grateful to this person.
All three parts of the character analysis series are now proofread in their entirety; I'm currently in the process of uploading them all to substack, which (with all the pics, the links and bells and whistles) will take a few hours. Because, all in all, we're talking more than 100 pages.
But the wait will soon be over. I'm going to hit that post button soon. Thank you all for your patience.
this is mind-blowing. I've just read this and your clementine post and, as a blossoming Film Studies student, I am awed by your meticulous analysis. This was wonderful to read <3
Thank you for your lovely comment. What a kind thing to say. This just made me smile. I hope you can forgive the fact that this was written in a rather non-academic style. This is just a passion project and a hobby of mine.
I can definitely feel your passion from across the screen! I'm certainly looking forward to picking up on all these metaphors in Season 3 (and when I rewatch). Thank you!
The middle finger keychain has made another appearance in S3. A still photo was released of Simon and Wilhelm holding hands in the library. Wrapped around his right hand that is holding Wille’s right hand is that prop/ keychain. It is in plain sight, dangling directly under his outstretch hand. We don’t see into in conjunction with the locker and Simon doesn’t have on his backpack. We will have to see what happened at the beginning of that scene to get the context for it on his hand while holding Wilhelm’s hand. This still is definitely a thought/speculation provoking image. Will Simon tell Wille about the abuse? Are they going to share the burden of his secret? The keychain has told us don’t look too closely but we know his secret will be revealed in the future. Oh my, I’m not sure I’m ready for the reveal and its consequences. Poor Simon and Wilhelm…
Ok, wow. I wondered about the 'finger' keychain. In SKAM there are lockers too (it is a high school) and the lockers signify one of the characters being closeted, not too hard to figure out. You've gone the distance and for that, I am very grateful. BTW, in the same scene where Felice is talking to Simon in front of the lockers after Jan-Olof shut Simon down and yanked his song, her keychain is a pride flag. That is something that stuck out to me. And after what you wrote about, the easy way is to assume she's an ally, but maybe I'm missing something more subtle.
I am also still pondering all the art in Simon's room, especially the side-ways equality painting, the two silver stripes. Ah well.
As for Sara sniffing Felice's perfume and then stroking August's photo, when she comes back into their shared room after her first hookup with August, Felice asked if she's going to shower before bed, assuming Sara was with Rousseau. Sara replies that she likes smelling like him. Felice thinks she is talking about the horse but we know Sara means August.
But now you have made me a little crazy. WHAT IS SIMON'S SECRET??? Do you have any idea how many times I have watched YR? Today I am on the couch after a 'birth storm' of 5 babies in a row. YR is, of course, cued up. Oh dear. I really need to sleep.
Really, my other comment is about the vitriol you've been receiving in your inbox. I am so very sorry. As I've said many times by now, I am so enjoying these posts, your obvious expertise and your "car mechanic"passion for taking things apart to see how they work. And then writing about it for nerds like me. Or maybe I'm the only nerd in the bunch, don't want to assume.
Your work is beautiful, carefully and thoughtfully written and I am so grateful to you for this film school. Thank you as ever.
Gratefully yours
Hey, thank you for your comment. And you're definitely not the only nerd around here: There's also yours truly. I definitely fall into that category, too.
As far as the horse smell thing is concerned, I had only briefly referenced it in the post about the 'nose' and the 'neck' metaphor (dream of the missing voice) because I want to go into Rousseau a bit more deeply in a later post. Felice's keychain, on the other hand, will come up soon-ish. I promise we will look into that.
This weekend there'll be a little post about something you had asked me about earlier, so I hope it's okay I've once again put you off when it comes the other things above. I promise I really do have a plan in what order I'm writing about things because everything on this show is connected.
Anyway, thank you again for your kind words. This blog is really not some weird project where I try to be mean or want to pretend to be cleverer than other people. God, no! I genuinely and quite sincerely believe that anyone can learn these things. I'm not any more brilliant or any cleverer than anyone who reads this. The only difference is that I know where to look. That's it. But that sometimes makes the difference between spotting a metaphor or not realizing it's there at all. If it's not pointed out to you, you simply don't know these things exist. I used to take films and television series completely literally for a long time. It's only once you know where to look, that you start to see things, and that's when you start to watch everything with completely new eyes, so to speak.
Take the 'baggage' metaphor, for example. Once you know these metaphors often appear on screen and often have a similar meaning, you go into a show with a different predisposition. The same is true for the lockers and for some of the other literary devices typically used in screenplays.
Now I have to go see what Felice’s
Key chain is! Haha.
I never even saw it though I can only think of once scene it’s in. It’s the scene when she complains about her previous class being so boring and needing to get a coffee before she goes to her next class.
It's in episode five of season one, as Beth said above. After Jan-Olof vetoes Simon's song. Her keychain is a rainbow pride flag when she's supportive of Simon in that scene in front of the lockers.
Season two. Sorry. Typo.
And obviously I forgot to say how in awe I am when I hear 'five babies in a row'. You made a lot of parents very happy on that day, I gather. Wow. Now, that's a real job that is meaningful and so necessary! Congratulations to you and to those parents, of course.
Yes, lots of happy (and tired) parents.
I think I said in my very first post here was that with your analysis, I am learning so much about 'looking'. I've always loves film, especially thoughtful, sometimes weird and random films. I follow certain directors and sometimes actors. But my responses to the craft (which you are so cleverly fleshing out) are becoming clear to me. As you say, you are investigating the 'moving parts' of the story presented to us. You are literally giving voice to my inarticulate experience of beauty, tragedy, longing, all of it.
I've been cruising the internet for film schools. Really. Or if you have any pretensions in that direction, let me know :-)
Nooooo!!!! You didn’t tell us your thoughts on his secret. How dare you?! Haha. It’s a good way to get paying customers for his character analysis later though. No shade to that AT. ALL. You have a skill and are sharing it with the world and the labor behind these articles deserves monetary recognition.
Thank you for your insightful analysis as always. I basically drop everything to read your thoughts on this show.
Also, as Beth Coyote mentions, how awful people can be about your opinion on a show. I AM a true (obsessed) fan and value your opinion and mostly agree with everything you write. It deepens my understanding of the show so much more.
I keep thinking I don’t know what’s more impressive, the brilliance of the whole creative team behind this show or your ability to notice all of the effort they put into it.
It’s possible I won’t love a show more than this one because of your work in analyzing it. I literally gasp out loud when you uncover something I feel like I should have noticed that is integral to characters or plot.
Thank you!!!
Honest answer: I didn't write anything about Simon's secret because I have about half of it figured out to a degree that I'm really certain of what's going on. The other half I'm much less certain of.
Explaining which half is which would take laying out all the evidence for what is going on with him (and there's a lot of it) and for that we need to take a look at another narrative technique that we haven't discussed yet at all. I intend to basically explain the technique in one post (part 1 of the character-centred posts), talk about the sexual subtext (part 2), and then switch over to an evidence-gathering post (part 3), in which I address the half of his secret that I've really, properly worked out and am certain of. The other half will come in later installments of the character-centred series.
The article above is 16 pages long, and it looks like the character-centred posts will be more than 30 pages each. So, I decided to do it in this way. But obviously, the post above serves as a teaser, yes. (I'd just always planned to write something about analyzing props in the context of their shots, and this was perfect.)
There's also the fact that I really dislike Simon's secret if I'm honest, and I sort of hope I'm not right about it. I will lay out all the evidence I've found and then ask you folks to come up with alternative explanations, hoping to be disproved. That's how much I dislike it. So, yeah, pretty much a classroom approach, basically. If someone comes up with a different explanation for what I'm seeing, I'll be very happy.
Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words. And obviously, a team creating a show or movie is much, much more brilliant than anyone who just takes it apart. I'm just looking at something that already exists, and I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I'm not even seeing. To truly create ex nihilo must be a blood-sweat-and-tears kind of ordeal. I don't know how creative people 'birth' these things out of their brains, but it's just such a joy to admire the result afterwards.
I hear you. I promise, I do.
But again, it's very important to look at props in the context of their respective shot and their respective scene:
Simon is opening his locker and then approaching his music teacher about his song. The stack of paper (or thin booklet) he is pulling out of his locker is almost certainly his song, the song he has written, the song that is still a secret at this point, but will soon be revealed to the world at the Valentine's Ball. He is revealing it to his music teacher a few minutes later, in fact.
And because that's not a secret the show is keeping from us, the audience, the locker is being filmed from the other direction. This shot is not about the big, dark secret in Simon's backstory (most likely the reason why he's not pulling his backpack out of the locker in that scene); it's about his song.
Anyway, thank you for your kind comments. It's because of you that I just rewatched that scene that had slipped my mind completely. So, thank you.
Thank you. I've finished writing Part 3 (Simon's secret) yesterday. So, you're definitely getting not just two posts, but three on the same day. And the one about Simon's secret is definitely part of the package.
I'm currently proofreading all three posts. (They're all very long, so it's possible I won't make the Sunday deadline. Might be Monday or Tuesday. But I hope they'll be worth the wait.)
You guys are all much, much more creative than the writers of the show. I'll post the thing in a few days, and then you can go check it out for yourselves, alright? I'm glad this has launched this whole discussion, though. You're all really great.
My mind will not stop working after your revelation he has a secret.
The only thing that I can come up with is he truly is a dealer. His ability to even know how to acquire alcohol/drugs illegally is beyond my 42 year-old vanilla self. Then, get it delivered to said location and be bold enough to call August out for not paying!! So at his age having this ability on the fly in the context of the show seems unlikely.
Also, he wears ridiculously baggy clothes. At face value, baggy clothes could be hand-me-down clothes or less expensive options at thrift stores. (I still have this problem.) He might not even care much about what he wears. BUT, it could also be a method for hiding illegal substances.
However, I would think he would have contacts outside of his dad which we would have seen in the show.
Lastly, he’s quick to sign up for private lessons with his math teacher. As a relatively poor kid growing up, I would have never considered signing up for something like that because I knew my parents couldn’t afford it. But, he seemed to be confident that he could pay the bill somehow.
Don’t mind me going back to watch the whole series again to see if I can pin this theory down...or spot another completely different one.
I’ll add that we know Simon goes to Hillerska for the sake of Sara. But, he doesn’t have to go there. He has friends at Mariebel (sp?) and was not bullied there. We all think he’s going to this school out of the kindness of his heart for Sara (which I truly believe he has towards her). He also HATES the idea of this school and what types of students and families it caters towards. BUT, by going to Hillerska, if he’s a dealer, then he greatly widened his customer base.
In the dialogue between Ayub and Rosh after rowing practice he mentions making good grades to get out of his home town which they are surprised by. He may see his dealing as a dead end and want to find other outlets to make a better life for himself. If he stays home, he might continually be surrounded by the same people who will pull him back into the same dealing habits. He is trying to get away from that dead-end future. His music might get him out but that’s a long-shot.
He has plenty of time to partake in this illegal activity because Linda is often pulling double shifts as a nurse to help them live as comfortable a life she can for herself and her kids. She’s often not at home which is why he doesn’t get frantic phone calls from her when he’s not home at night times he should be (like S1 E4 when he rescues Wilhelm or the night of the Football date in S1 E2). As a parent, I would have lit up his phone!!
I could be WAY off. Im sticking to this theory for now though until something better comes up.
I am obsessed with Simon'd secret...what is it? I don't think he's a dealer but hey I could be wrong. What could it be??? Sara has pretensions of moving up in society, after comments she makes about losers in their previous school. I don't think Simon cares about that. Could it be he has a desire to be a famous musician? Argh...I will watch again tonight for the umteenth time. Gawd.
I don’t know that a desire to be a famous musician needs to be a secret. That’s nothing shameful. He’s obviously very talented and shows (doesn’t keep his talent a secret) that to his whole school. It’s a logical conclusion apparent to everyone he would/could follow that path after school for a living.
I agree that Simon doesn’t want to move up in the world (into high society) like Sara but he’s practical. One day he’ll have to be on his own and dealing is one possible future income source.
It’s not obvious he’s a dealer which is why it’s a secret and would be something to cover up. It’s not something he’s proud of either and would share with the world. He uses the word ‘dealer’ pretty quickly which isn’t a word I would have used right away at 15/16 to express the act he was propositioned.
I’m going to continue to look for clues and I hope I didn’t steal TVmicroscopes thunder if I’m right. But they put it out there! And, as a verbal processor I like talking about things to understand them.
You're right of course. My imagination goes to the most improbable options. I just don't WANT him to be a dealer. It seems like he hasn't procured booze or drugs before when he visits his dad. Like you, I'm going to continue to look for evidence of anything. Your comment about his baggy clothes is interesting but maybe that just what he likes.
Help me. I’m with you two. Here is a weird theory, could he be some sort of spy or terrorist recruited to get close to Wille? (Til now I thought my craziest idea was that Nils and Vincent are lovers).
I get how we could see the Nilcent ship through the series. They flirt soooo much. But, Wilhelm and Nils have a convo in S2E3 (?) where Wilhelm asks if Vincent and August know about Nils and he admits he doesn’t know. Nils might not want to out Vincent but this would have been an opportunity for that ship to emerge and be acknowledged.
Also, Nils can be actively seen covering for Wille in a couple of public interactions that might expose Simon’s and Wilhelm’s relationships. Vincent never does and is super toxic about class status and traditions. It might be a stretch for me to see Vincent participating in a gay relationship. BUT, it’s also a good cover and I’ve known plenty of closeted homophobes who were also awful to women.
The spy theory never crossed my radar.
Ok, after reading all these threads, I was laughing so much. We sound insane. However, this is so much fun.
A spy operation? In Sweden? Nah, why? What does the offending nation get out of it? Does Sweden have stockpiles of nukes? Or natural resources? And remember, the monarchy doesn't really have power. Radical group...hmmmm. No evidence of that that I can see. Although I do worry about Erik's accident and Wilhelm saying to August while he has a gun to his head (gulp) that the crown is good at covering up accidents.
Interesting, the comment from the math teacher. Hadn't thought about that before.
I've asked about the sideways double bars in the painting in Simon's room, like a sideways equality sign.
I think not telling Sara he's visiting Micke is plausible. I've thought for a while that there might be a sexual abuse component to the family fracture. Both Linda and Sara's reactions when Micke showed up a the St Lucia celebration was quite telling. He must have done something awful. And Simon is only visiting him to get booze and drugs, ick. Marcus reminding Simon that he's not like his father...Idk.
As for Nils and Vincent, ug. I guess they deserve each other but I have to agree with Erin on this one. They wouldn't expose each other, would they? I don't get queer vibes from Vincent, just asshole ones.
Alright, now it's officially very late. Good night, both of you.
PS I'm also lurking on tumblr and reddit but my heart belongs to TVM.
To my knowledge, he's not a dealer. (At least outside of what we're shown on this show.) But I could, of course, be wrong.
This is torture. 😖. I was hoping your lack of comment earlier meant I was on the right path. Dang it. Back to the drawing board. Sigh.
Hey, don't worry. Maybe you are right and I'm just wrong. That's totally possible with this show. There's a lot about Simon that we still have to uncover together. It's perfectly possible that I'm just not seeing the forest for all the trees at this point.
I'm starting to feel bad I even put this out there.
In my defence, it was the show that did it in the first place. The show's creators set up that whole locker shot (and even gave us the middle finger for looking). So, it drove me nuts as well when I first saw it. They're the ones responsible for making me sit up straight and going, "Hang on, what's with that shot? What are they implying there about Simon?" So...I'm basically just passing on the message.
It will be interesting to see if your theory pans out that he has a secret in Season 3. If my idea about him as a dealer is true, then I too am sad about it.
Thank you for pointing this out as it gave me another excuse to think about YR.
I’m starting to see some eerie parallels between Sara/Rousseau and Simon/Wilhelm that I hadn’t noticed before. Looking forward to seeing what your thoughts are on that in the future.
There is an interesting thread about Rousseau/Wille as thoroughbreds on Reddityoungroyals you might wanna dive into. I have recently been entertained by some of the posts there. I am obsessed but I do still get out sometimes. Honest. I don't need an intervention yet.
Girl, some of the most recent comments are from me!! I’ll look for more though. Love connecting with equally curious folks!
Hi! I wrote that Reddit post about the dialogue about Rousseau providing advice to Simon on Wille. Think about this, the HANDLER was providing advice. Just like a spy has a handler. Simon is a spy!! He was instructed to get close to Wille. 😱😱 Maybe?
Aaaggghhhh. Now I am so braced for the secret. The only hint I can think of is the math teacher saying “Simon your calculations are often correct, but your answers are not”. To me, that statement always foreshadowed something. I shall continue to think of Simon as an angelic character for now..
That’s fascinating!! That statement always seemed out of place as well as the ‘how did the Vasa sink? Bottoms up!’ until TVM explained it.
That’ll make me think all day!
Okay. Since TVmicroscope won’t divulge their suspicions about Simone’s secret, I’m still thinking about it and gonna throw out another theory.
I think Simone’s secret is more aspirational and less concrete than my dealer idea. He wants to dismantle the monarchy with Wille’s help to make Sweden a more equitable and democratic society. Maybe he doesn’t know it yet or see how it can be possible at this moment. But, the seeds have been planted by his upbringing and Wille will/could help that become a reality.
Wille does not want to be a monarch but does it out of his loyalty to his brother (and, more distantly, to his mom). If Wille could dismantle the monarchy in a way that is respectful to Erik, he would do it. He shares Simone’s ideas about the class system but is currently at the tippy top. It’s hard to dismantle something in which you gain so much. But, if he loses Simon because of the monarchy, there is not doubt he would douse it in lighter fluid and toss a match onto it.
That’s the only thing I can imagine. The drug dealer thing doesn’t pan out once I kept watching. Sigh.
Well, ok then. More plausible except our fearless leader doesn't like Simon's secret...but maybe that's neither here nor there. It is interesting as I have said elsewhere that Wille's admission on that fateful day was to take full responsibility. He only says it was a moment he didn't want to share and he laid none of the blame (for denying his presence in the video) on his mother or the Court. I think that's a bargaining chip for Wille when the sh*t hits the fan which it surely will. He didn't finger August either.
How does one dismantle a monarchy anyway??? Especially if you're 17? Or he becomes a
queer monarch eventually and divests himself of power and privilege. They live in a modest cottage with a cat and some chickens and Wille is seen as an ordinary person. Maybe he even gets a normal job. (Where does this happen? Spain? I read it somewhere)
The song "Revolution" must fit in here somewhere, right?
One more thing. Simon didn't know that Wille was going to show up at Hillerska. But he does and so Simon's wheels start turning? And lo and behold (as my mother would say), they have some ideological similarities, for different reasons, but there you have it. And mix in an attraction for one another, potent stuff.
Thank you Erin, for your efforts. As you saw above, my ideas were completely outlandish. How many times can I view YR anyway? Not enough apparently. I await our kind host to illuminate another slice of the YR pie.
Bugger - I forgot the secret was bad in their opinion. I’m so confused now. Haha.
In regards to your comment about how could Simone know he wanted to overthrow the monarchy, I don’t know that I think he knows it concretely at this moment. Just that he’s sick of the privileges granted to the privileged when all he and his class get are more suffering. He sees the monarchy as an unnecessary excess.
We shall see but you better bet I’m going to be paying soon to get those articles that are about to drop.
Oh yeah! Paid subscription for sure. And well, yes. We just have to wait for the big reveal. And TVM said it's the show itself that sprinkled the clues around. Since I began reading these posts, it's obvious I've missed so much. And season three isn't even on the horizon yet. Gawd.
Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it. And I can promise your money won't be used for anything nefarious - just books, sheet music and all the wine I'm going to consume while writing the next couple of posts.
You don’t have to justify how you spend your money!
I know. Just joking.:) (Well, not really...)
But that's very kind of you to say, in any case.
This is more in line with what I think. Maybe Simon was part of a radical group and when Wille showed up at the school, they told Simon to try to get close to Wille. And it worked! And maybe he is faking his love for Wille, or maybe he fell in love. Maybe he was trying to break up with Wille because he felt remorseful using him. wille going public with their relationship will mess up Simon’s plans because of all the attention on him.
Plot thickener, Erik’s sports car was tampered with by the radical group that Simon belongs to.
THIS IS ALL CRAZY AND IT IS 2AM I. MY TIMEZONE. CURSE YOU OUR BELOVED TVMICROSCOPE! 😘🤣
Could it be he is slamming the welfare system somehow? He was quick to defend scammers versus tax evasion. The math teacher’s comment about the result being right but the means are wrong would fit.
Ah, now I found your comment. Sorry again. Cf. my other reply.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯mind blown. Of course, I had made the straightforward “F authority” assumption about the keychain, but now that you mention the lockers, I can’t unsee it. The metaphor is crystal clear. (Side note: I share your admiration of the shot of Sara at the lockers retrieving her Lucia sash, scowling ay August while he commits misdeeds at the computer. That shot is a work of art. The entire Lucia segment is so beautifully filmed).
Now I am reenergized for Season 3. Dying to learn Simon’ s big secret.
So sorry about the angry subgroup. People on Reddit still mention your work with nothing but adoration and gratitude. Thank you for the deep analysis you poured into all 20 articles. The world has too much criticism and not enough analysis these days, and you are helping the rebalance. Glad I am a paid subscriber.
Thank you. And it's really a very, very common mistake. As I said, I used to make it all the time, and I probably still make it from time to time. It's just so tempting to look at a prop and go, "Ah...this must mean X about the character."
And I agree that that whole Lucia sequence is really beautiful. Beautifully shot, beautifully crosscut and the music choice is great for it, too.
Also, agree on the criticism vs. analysis front. There's definitely great, great film criticism out there, but I'd never felt tempted to venture into this field. I don't feel there's anything I could add to it. Everything has already been said. People also fail to realize how much of it comes and goes in waves, i.e. some type of it is 'in' today and will be 'out' tomorrow. The middle of the 20th century saw an enormous amount of Marxist criticism, in which even Shakespeare and other classics were read and interpreted through that lens. Then there was the big wave of psychological criticism (with a Freudian lens being applied to everything from Goethe's 'Faust' to Dostoyevsky). Right now, we have a lot of gender criticism and ethnic criticism, but I'm always wondering if there will be a point where we realize that this, too, is a thing that's currently en vogue and might not be forever.
Spotting metaphors and other literary devices is, in that sense, a more nose-to-the-grindstone, but also a more enduring kind of occupation: It's like baking bread; it'll never go out of fashion.
Anyway, I've finished writing Part 3 "Simon's secret" yesterday, so you'll all definitely get not just two but three posts on the same day. They're insanely long, too. I've managed to proofread 23 pages of the first one today, and I think I can't spell anything correctly right now, including my own name, so I doubt I'll make my self-imposed Sunday deadline. I think Monday or Tuesday is more realistic. I hope it will be worth the wait and apologize for my tardiness.
To a neophyte like me, who knew the difference between film criticism and film analysis. I came here initially and I'm still here because I'm learning so much.
I'm afraid I have to take my computer to Europe because I can't bear to read your trifecta on my phone. And the messages will start to fly, I'm sure. I'm so happy your readership has expanded. Your work richly deserves the attention (the right kind of attention).
And thank you for putting our SS (Simon's Secret) theories to rest. Maybe.
Hey again,
To my knowledge, different terms are used for it in different countries and different academic traditions: Sometimes the concepts are delineated as 'analysis vs. criticism'; sometimes as 'interpretation vs. critical analysis', etc. And there are about a dozen other different terms that are used; the overlap between them is defined differently, etc. But the thing that all of these different traditions seem to agree on is that there are, indeed, different ways to approach a 'text'.
(In some countries, this is actually taught at the high-school level at school, where you have to write one type of essay or the other type (analyzing a text) to show you've understood the difference.) Basically, they're all about the question: Do I work 'outside-in' or 'inside-out'? One of the character posts, that I'll hopefully finish proofreading soon, has a (longish) introduction where I go into this over a couple of paragraphs.
Anyway...what I'm doing here is basically the 'inside-out' approach (but not in a way that would stand up to academic scrutiny, obviously. For one, I'd have to censor my language way more for that to be the case (among other things), and where would be the fun in that?).
Boy, do I hope you don't schlep your computer across the Atlantic for no reason just to discover that I didn't get it all done before you had to fly back.
I know everyone is waiting, but it's really a lot of reading, proofreading and editing...Which reminds me: Back to work!
I love that high school writing project. Now that chatGPT can write student essays, teachers need new ideas to get students thinking.
Looking forward to the next essay. But no pressure. We hope you keep it a labor of 💗 love.
Europe—that’s right. Enjoy the concert!🥳
I will. :-)
I just want to express my gratitude for what you are doing. It really amazes me how much more there is to it. I am so sorry you are facing hateful messages. Hearing that is both disappointing and baffling. I am happy to support your paid subscription. Please don't stop writing! And also what is Simon's secret?!?!?!
Thank you. I won't stop writing, I promise. I'm too far down the rabbit hole now.:)
Thank you very much for your subscription. That's very kind of you.
I have finished writing Part 3 of the character posts yesterday, entitled "Simon's secret". So, you're getting your answer very soon (well, at least the first half of the answer that I'm really certain about).
I'm going to post all three posts on the same day. They're very long though (34 pages + 28 pages + 33 pages). I'm currently in the proofreading stage, and I don't know if I'll make my usual weekend deadline. Could be Monday or Tuesday.
I hope it'll be worth the wait, though.
Thank you again for your comments and for your kind words, of course. They're very much appreciated.
!!!!!!!!
I mentioned this in a reply that has gotten lost in the thread, but I wanted to add to it. Is his father scamming the welfare system? That would fit with him defending welfare scammers versus tax evaders AND fit with Henry's comment - What does your father do? And it would reflect poorly on him in the media, even though at 16 I don't think it is his fault. But if not drug dealing or previous relationship (which I don't think happened) I just can't image anything else that was hinted at in the show and that would be a big secret at 16.
Hey, thank you for your comment and so sorry for losing it in the replies. I'm really sorry; I didn't see it.
Personally, I don't think welfare scamming is his secret. But I do agree that that's a very odd scene. I'm still mulling it over, as well.
I have a very, very vague idea how it could mean something more than just the literal things being said in it and how it could all be about yet another metaphor, but this whole idea is still very much half-baked, so I have to ponder it some more before I dare to write about it. (This would also definitely be after the character posts)
Thanks for responding! Could it be his father scamming the system? Henry even says What does your father do? In that scene. As someone on Reddit pointed out, it’s hard to see how a 16 year old would scam welfare. But his father scamming would still reflect badly on him in the media. Mostly I’m having trouble imagining what dark secret a 16 year would have that isn’t relationship related or drugs, which I don’t think is it. I will be anxiously awaiting your post next week.
Well, I don't think that's his secret.
But I do have a suspicion that this whole scene is neither about money nor about welfare scamming at all, but yet another metaphor, so that we don't have to read the whole exchange literally, but entirely metaphorically. (Just like the 'water' references that don't actually mean real water or the 'baggage' references that don't actually mean real suitcases and backpacks.) I have to admit that I'm still working on that, though; it's mostly just a hunch right now, and I could totally be wrong, so I don't want to speculate before I haven't understood it properly.
As far as Simon's secret is concerned, it's really just a question of where to look for it and how. I'll tell you how to look and you will all see it instantly, I promise. It's not difficult once you know where to look. It's just that if it's not pointed out to you, you don't know where to look for it.
I can not wait!!
So sorry for running a bit late. I'm currently proofreading Part 3 (Simon's secret). Part 1 (The Romance edition) and Part 2 (The Sex edition) are completely proofread now.
As far as Part 3 is concerned: I'm on page 14 of 34 right now and I keep finding dumb stuff that I have to look up or change. It drives me up the wall.
But anyway...there's light at the end of the tunnel.:D Not long now.
!! The excitement !! I have been frantically hitting refresh all day to see if it's finally published, even though I know I will be getting an e-mail 🙃😂
Even though I am broke as a church rat (Swedish expression) paid subscription is on the Horizon! (do I actually need to be a paying subscriber to get notifications about locked posts?)
Oof. This is the last post in your series that I've read and what a doozy.
All those camera angles on lockers definitely stood out to me, and I'd worked out they had something to do with secrets, but the middle finger keychain! I had no clue. This makes sense given my "gut feeling" (subconscious, maybe, from all the metaphors) that Simon hides a LOT from the world. Like 2 seasons in and I don't trust the kid. It's an interesting paradox the fact he so freely shares his voice with the world but that's about it. And Wille's voice is so stifled but he's more of an open book. I won't speculate on the secret but I have a bad feeling about it.
To your other fans here, many thanks to whoever posted about TVM on Reddit! I never would have found it otherwise, and for the past few weeks it's been a part of my morning coffee routine.
And finally, I'm sorry to hear you've received so much hate mail about something that, let's be real, isn't even real. The things people decide to get worked up about amaze me. I fully support your decision to make future posts subscriber-only and if I hadn't already done so I'd subscribe right now.
Oh! Lastly. What a wonderful gift to me that the first of the character posts are due to be released on my birthday!
First of first: Happy Birthday! (I hope I got the date right.)
Now, I'm feeling extra, extra bad that I probably won't make the deadline. I hope you can forgive me and accept the little gift-wrapped parcel containing the character posts somewhat belatedly, as well?
I have finished writing Part 3 yesterday, so you're all getting three posts on the same day.
They're all very long (Part 1: The Romance edition 34 pages, Part 2: The Sex edition 28 pages, Part 3: Simon's secret 33 pages). I'm currently proofreading them all. I've managed to proofread 23 pages of Part 1 today, and my eyes are falling shut, so I doubt I'll make the deadline.
I hope nobody's too disappointed if it all comes out on Monday or Tuesday, but I promise I'm working as fast as I can.
As for the juxtaposition of Simon and Wilhelm as characters...that's just so brilliantly written, right? It would have been so boring to make Wilhelm the one with the problem (being closeted and forced to lie about himself, never able to raise his voice) and to make Simon just this goody-two-shoes type of character who is, like, this totally out and proud and completely open guy. I love the fact that the show found a way to make them both complex and to give them both a journey and a character arc. And the most brilliant fact is obviously that they are each, in a sense, the solution to other's problem.
Anyway, thank you very much again for commenting. I'm glad you liked it. And I hope you have great birthday. I wish you all the best!
P.S. I, too, am very grateful to the kind person who first posted a link to my blog on reddit. Up until then I hadn't had the first idea about what reddit even was. They did that, and people suddenly started to show up and read what I was writing. So, I'm very grateful to this person.
Oh gosh, you've just given me an excuse to extend my bday celebrations in to next week!
Many thanks. And likely yes, my birthday is today where you are and tomorrow where I am. Thanks and looking forward to the trifecta!
Putting this here in case anyone is waiting:
All three parts of the character analysis series are now proofread in their entirety; I'm currently in the process of uploading them all to substack, which (with all the pics, the links and bells and whistles) will take a few hours. Because, all in all, we're talking more than 100 pages.
But the wait will soon be over. I'm going to hit that post button soon. Thank you all for your patience.
this is mind-blowing. I've just read this and your clementine post and, as a blossoming Film Studies student, I am awed by your meticulous analysis. This was wonderful to read <3
Thank you for your lovely comment. What a kind thing to say. This just made me smile. I hope you can forgive the fact that this was written in a rather non-academic style. This is just a passion project and a hobby of mine.
I can definitely feel your passion from across the screen! I'm certainly looking forward to picking up on all these metaphors in Season 3 (and when I rewatch). Thank you!
The middle finger keychain has made another appearance in S3. A still photo was released of Simon and Wilhelm holding hands in the library. Wrapped around his right hand that is holding Wille’s right hand is that prop/ keychain. It is in plain sight, dangling directly under his outstretch hand. We don’t see into in conjunction with the locker and Simon doesn’t have on his backpack. We will have to see what happened at the beginning of that scene to get the context for it on his hand while holding Wilhelm’s hand. This still is definitely a thought/speculation provoking image. Will Simon tell Wille about the abuse? Are they going to share the burden of his secret? The keychain has told us don’t look too closely but we know his secret will be revealed in the future. Oh my, I’m not sure I’m ready for the reveal and its consequences. Poor Simon and Wilhelm…