Beyound Imagination

I am near in completing my account of the personalities of Alan and Chris. When this is done, I shall apply this new-found wisdom and create a far more in-depth discussion of the two distinct characters in relation to the themes of Superosity. However, my account is still missing insight to one crucial area: the imaginations of Alan and Chris.

Now, my main concern here is Alan. So far, I seem to have given the impression that he doesn't have an imagination. This is not true. Although much of Alan is banal, I believe there is a crazy inventive side lurking deep below.

The 'Questions For Alan' storyline is the best resource for examining this most complex area. Here, we most evidently see Alan's creative side. In the very first strip, Alan displays an overwhelming enthusiasm for carrying out strange acts, such as counting cookies. Although this would be quite a banal activity, it does show some degree of creativity; unlike his other banal interests (also shown here). Why would someone count cookies? Where would someone get that idea? It seems to come from deep within Alan.

However, we are also shown Alan recount crazy and extremely inaccurate factual information, such as where babies come from or his twisted account of Big Momma's existence. And this seems to be the way in which his imagination really shines through.

I previously suggested that Alan cannot commit useless information to memory, due to his extremely short attention span. However, the second example also shows that he cannot remember information about his most beloved subject either. But does he want to? My initial reaction is that his crazy accounts are what he wants to believe. His hallucinations would complement this reading. An extreme amount of imagination is evident in this process.

I used to see Alan as attracted to the banal, but now I see that he actually takes it and transforms it into the sublime. I am beginning to wonder what Alan is seeing as he gazes at those Popsicles.

Could Alan's seemingly brain-dead demeanor really be a semi-catatonic state brought on by his inability to deal with reality? Alan's activities (cookie counting included) and obsessions show the mentality of a madman. Could Alan be intended as a comment on the banality of popular culture? Is the real Big Momma's House just too much to bear?

Now, I seem to have neglected Chris here. This is because Chris's imagination is far more easily grasped. It can be understood from revisiting what I have previously examined. As I have stated before, it seems to be fueled by his beloved popular culture icons. And of course he has Boardy who, due to an inability to say no, makes all Chris's demands come true.

It springs to mind that Alan and Chris could be viewed as bipolar opposites in respect to their imaginative responses to popular culture. Alan refuses it's true existence while Chris embraces it with all his heart. Both responses show an extreme and somewhat frightening variety of imagination.


To be continued...