Fire and Ice in Asterios Polyp

            I quickly noticed all the geometrical shapes and objects illustrated in the graphic novel and related them back to the main character being an architect. His personality is very calculating. He must always be right, and his answers always seem like they are planned or scripted. I also noticed the amount of changes in color schemes in the Graphic novel. One example that really caught my eye was the blending of blue and hot pink when Asterios and Hana meet. Asterios is usually colored blue when he is around her (he is blue for the most part, anyway). I think the color shows how cold and mechanical he is. In contrast, she is more like fire. She is often drawn with very dynamic lines, especially when she is mad at Asterios. And, when Hana is mad at him, he is usually drawn in simple geometrical blue shapes. Once again, this adds to his lack of warmth and his motorized and often emotionless attitude.

            The scene when Hana is trying to explain how Mother Nature is the perfect creator by using a pine cone also points out the contrast between Hana and Asterios. He is sitting down smoking his cigarette in the park. He looks like he doesn’t belong. He is kind of at odds with nature. His apartment building is struck by lightning and goes up in flames. Apparently, it sounds like it has happened more than once. His life kind revolves around numbers and precise measurements. Hana, on the other hand, is an artist, who enjoys nature for its seemingly effortless ability to create perfectly symmetrical and beautiful objects.

One thought on “Fire and Ice in Asterios Polyp”

  1. I like this phrasing: Asterios is “at odds with nature.” That’s a really interesting idea to explore. I wonder how far we can push this characterization, and at what point it begins to break down (e.g. is the comet at the end the ultimate way to make Asterios one with nature?).

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