I Got No Strings: Pinocchio & Ideology

We’ve all got strings. We can all be influenced and persuaded and, here’s the rub, we don’t always know when it’s happening.

The Karate Kid & the Meritocracy Myth

The most obvious narrative arc in The Karate Kid (1984) is Daniel’s ascension from a novice martial arts student to a regional champion. This rise is paralleled on a slightly more subtle level by Daniel’s elevation on the ladder of social status.