Norgard Contributes Chapter to Oxford University Press
Amy Norgard, associate professor of classics and interim chair of communication arts, recently published a chapter in the volume "Animation and the Ancient World" from Oxford University Press.
Norgard's chapter, entitled "Utopias and Cloud Cuckoo Land in Coming-of-Age Animated Fantasy," explores how YA animated film and TV reimagine ancient utopic fantasy worlds, particularly Aristophanes' Cloud Cuckoo Land, to interrogate the interplay between fantasy, escapism and coming-of-age narratives. Discussion in the chapter centers on the animated short "Porky in Wackyland” and various animation from the 2010s, including: “The LEGO Movie,” “Adventure Time” and “Gravity Falls.”
Norgard developed portions of this paper through teaching her film and mythology classes at Truman — she thanks her students who were receptive to the ideas and helped her hone them over several years.
Norgard's chapter, entitled "Utopias and Cloud Cuckoo Land in Coming-of-Age Animated Fantasy," explores how YA animated film and TV reimagine ancient utopic fantasy worlds, particularly Aristophanes' Cloud Cuckoo Land, to interrogate the interplay between fantasy, escapism and coming-of-age narratives. Discussion in the chapter centers on the animated short "Porky in Wackyland” and various animation from the 2010s, including: “The LEGO Movie,” “Adventure Time” and “Gravity Falls.”
Norgard developed portions of this paper through teaching her film and mythology classes at Truman — she thanks her students who were receptive to the ideas and helped her hone them over several years.
