We were asked to make a mind map about our impending research. From the word ‘Research,’ we branched out in many ways. We began with: words, journals, essays, key words, paper. Soon enough we began to think deeper into the components: books, essays, structure, draft, conclusion, introduction and graphics. Into themes like: passion, critical thinking, theory and analysis. If we had kept going, I think we might have come to places like: philosophy, opinion, method, ethics and morals. We began with the big ideas about essays, journals and literature and their structures and we continued through the critical thinking, theory, case study—finally ending with morals and ethics. The map we made that class was to be the map for the whole semester. 

 

We were asked to brainstorm about relevant interest within our area. We made another mind map, this time in the area of Publishing and Diversity. We toyed with ideas like ratio of racial diversity in publishing, the current issues on point of view. The question we came up with was: Do we have the right to write characters of minority in our work? Do I have the right to make a character who is Indigenous? Sensitivity is big in Creative Writing these days. The slightest liberty may offend. There was a scandal around Justine Larbalestier’s Liar, because the book was entirely about an African American girl, but the girl on the cover was white. In the end I believe that you should write what you know. If you think you know enough to write a character from another community, do so. But you really have to become an expert on that community. 

As an activity we were given a form to fill out classifying our Area of Interest, Research Problem, Possible Research Questions, Methods and Tools, and Contribution. At this early stage my plans we of writing an epic poem in the style of Beowulf, The Edda and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. My Research Problem was ‘Creative’. An epic poem of a Viking Warrior. ‘Hjiro of Ragnarok’ features the rise of Hjiro Wulfbludd, a Viking who rises to mythological proportions, only to fight with the great armies of the world against the storm giants and the Viking apocalypse ‘Ragnarok.’ Written in the style of the epic poem, an homage to the anonymous poems of the Viking age. Also deriving from the novels of R.A Salvatore, and Weiss and Hickman. A Tolkien-inspired work of historical fantasy.

 

We made our way over to Melbourne Central with papers about focus groups, journey mapping, audit checklists, content analysis check list, customer discussion guidelines, ethnography check lists and digital ethnography check lists. For a pantry audit check list I interviewed my friend. Most of the ingredients on the list were not in his pantry, especially the herbs and spices.

I spent time observing how people behaved while purchasing food. Before they chose, they all seemed to hover about, and worked out what they were going to buy. They were younger couples. The young kids present went for the pizza, the older Chinese and hamburgers. Everybody ping-paid or used their phones. They seemed lost in a cloud of hunger, thinly, needy. While they waited they stared at the food, then took it back to tables to consume.

                I have worked out that I will interview lecturers in Psychology and Philosophy departments from RMIT, Latrobe University and Monash University for my thesis.

 

Concerning the ‘From Topic to Research Problem.’ I had just chosen to go with my Batman-Joker essay. My work would be in Psychoanalysis and related schools, with Freud and Jung as my main theorists. There would be psychological and philosophical theory on Batman. There is much conjecture. I would have a great amount of secondary resources.

                In ‘Managing the Beast,’ I was able to start along the psychological lines, outlining work about the ‘unconscious.’ I would also need to look at the reflections of comic book authors and editors. Psychology has always been an interest. As a teenager I read about Jung, Freud, von Franz and Skinner. In my essay writing it has remained an area of interest. I have also kept up with both the iconic and miscellaneous tales of Batman, as he changes with the times.

                My elevator pitch: Batman and the Joker enjoy ongoing popularity—this will be an essay that explores the roots, and their psychological and social relevance.

I went straight into the library databases, Jstor and Google Scholar, convinced that I could find some articles likening comic books with theoretical psychology. My idea relates to a lot of pre-existing work. My articles were How to Read Superheroes Comics and Why, by Geoff Klock and Heroes and Superheroes: from myth to the American Comic book, by Hougaard Winterbach. Both related to the Jungian school of thought. The latter mapped vicarious living, a reader’s escape, a way to beat up your boss without doing it; the earlier talked of ‘soul images’ and ‘anima.’ It discussed that in Jungian terms we have an animal that represents us. Batman’s is of course the bat. Batman has externalised his anima and uses it to deal with crooks and villains. The truth is Batman is more than sane and in complete control. He is not some flailing neurosis, but a stern deliberated man in charge of his sanity and compassion.