One instance of
foreshadowing in Lumberjanes is the crystal found in the camp
director’s cabin. It is first shown in a scene in which Ripley, a
happy-go-lucky, careless character, is split from the group while using the
restroom, and is seen again when the group falls into the magical cave. In the
first scene, the inclusion of the gem simply signals the reader that adventure
may await because an entire panel is dedicated to Ripley staring at it. Then,
when the crystals reappear in the cave, something more sinister is implied. The
connection, ignored by Ripley due to her aforementioned carelessness, signals that
something is wrong with the camp director to the reader because it implies a
connection between the director and the underground cave. What the connection
is, however, is left unknown.
This decision
works primarily to elevate the tension within the story. Because of the power
that the camp director is assumed to hold, having her as an ally would make the
girls seem less responsible for solving the overarching mystery. Like a parent
or Dumbledore in the earlier books of the Harry Potter series, having her
around lightens everyone else’s burden because it feels like she can, at any
time, jump in and solve any problem. However, since she is not guaranteed to be
an ally, the reader is allowed to suspend disbelief and not wonder why the
girls don’t seek the director’s help. Even though the girls don’t know of the
director’s suspicious activities, the reader knows, and thus the girls’
independent activities seem more reasonable.
Furthermore, the
existence of the crystals also generate uncertainty regarding the plot. Without
them, the director of the boys’ camp seems like the obvious villain. If that
were the case, the narrative would feel linear or unjustified. Either the male
director is truly the antagonist and the story is predictable, or another
character is revealed to be a puppetmaster and the reveal feels like a deus ex
plot point. By casting suspicion on the female director, the reader is thus
forced onto more interesting ground. Even if the male director turns out to be
the antagonist, the connection between the directors would have to be explored.
Overall,
including the crystals generates more options for the story to choose from,
creating a more interesting reading experience.
I think you did an excellent job raising up the purpose of the gem. It's something I want to look into more as I read this comic again.
ReplyDeleteHi Liren,
ReplyDeleteYour response thoughtfully explores one of the open-ended mysteries in Vol. 1. I have not read beyond this volume yet, so I do not know what is going on with the camp director, but I do agree that her potential complicity in all of this both grants the Lumberjanes more agency and juxtaposes the two camp directors. Since we already know the male director to be sinister and controlling, it casts even further doubts on our female leader. If she does turn out to be compromised, that would grant even further power to the girl scouts. If she is a hero, then it might suggest something about female vs. male leadership, but we can't know which it is yet.