Changes

The rejected anthropology master’s thesis of the author Kurt Vonnegut posited that all stories could be plotted on a two-dimensional graph, with two axes: the G-I axis and the B-E axis .<ref>This would do for literature what Descartes did for algebra, collapsing the study of stories into the study of the mathematical properties of their shapes, as Descartes merged algebra and geometry by collapsing the study of shapes into the study of their functions, and by collapsing the study of functions into the study of their shapes.</ref> One extreme of the G-I axis is “good fortune”; the other extreme is “ill fortune”. By the same logic, the B-E axis lies between “beginning” and “ending” . <ref>Note that this is different from the “plot arc” or “diagram” commonly taught in elementary literature classes: the “plot arc” merely measures the speed and excitement of the action, while the shape of a story measures the good and ill fortune of its (main) characters.</ref>

The rejected anthropology master’s thesis of the author Kurt Vonnegut posited that all stories could be plotted on a two-dimensional graph, with two axes: the G-I axis and the B-E axis<ref>This would do for literature what Descartes did for algebra, collapsing the study of stories into the study of the mathematical properties of their shapes, as Descartes merged algebra and geometry by collapsing the study of shapes into the study of their functions, and by collapsing the study of functions into the study of their shapes.</ref>. One extreme of the G-I axis is “good fortune”; the other extreme is “ill fortune”. By the same logic, the B-E axis lies between “beginning” and “ending”<ref>Note that this is different from the “plot arc” or “diagram” commonly taught in elementary literature classes: the “plot arc” merely measures the speed and excitement of the action, while the shape of a story measures the good and ill fortune of its (main) characters.</ref>.

Let us begin by drawing the two axes. Draw a sideways T, making the vertical axis the G-I axis, and the horizontal axis the B-E axis. We will call the intersection of the B-E and the G-I axes “Normality”. Let us start the plot at Normality.

Let us begin by drawing the two axes. Draw a sideways T, making the vertical axis the G-I axis, and the horizontal axis the B-E axis. We will call the intersection of the B-E and the G-I axes “Normality”. Let us start the plot at Normality.

Let us define “good” and “ill fortune” as those of Lain . And let us define happiness as inherently implying “good fortune” .  

Let us define “good” and “ill fortune” as those of Lain<ref>Inquisitive readers (spoiler alert!) might ask which version of Lain we are using. This is a completely reasonable question to ask, as a big part of the series focuses on the complex interplay between the different personalities of Lain. But since we are expected to view the world from her perspective, we will use the timid “real-world” Lain.</ref>. And let us define happiness as inherently implying “good fortune”<ref>It naturally follows that its loss, or the danger of its loss, is “ill fortune”. Also, the converse is not necessarily true. For that reason, the first few minutes of Layer 1 (depicting Chisa’s suicide) do not matter for our purposes, as Lain is not immediately revealed or known to the audience at that point.</ref>.  

We first see Lain walking to school (on strange ground!), taking the train , and arriving at school. Her only friend, Alice, tells her about Chisa’s suicide, and berates her about not checking her email regularly.

 

We first see Lain walking to school (on strange ground!), taking the train<ref>The train suddenly stops; this will be important later.</ref>, and arriving at school. Her only friend, Alice, tells her about Chisa’s suicide, and berates her about not checking her email regularly<ref>Is getting to know the Wired good or bad for Lain? This is a manifestation of the philosophical question “was civilization an improvement for mankind?”—one that is a main theme of the series. I suppose we shall have to act on the definition that happiness is always good (even if it is only in the short run) and plot it according to that.</ref>.

   

   

When Lain gets home, the first thing she does is turn on her computer, to find a message from Chisa. They exchange a few words. We see that Lain is expressionless—she is simply curious . In view of the later circumstances, however, I would definitely move the plot below Normality towards Ill-Fortune. Loss of control over one’s personal life is not a pleasant thing for anyone to experience, least of all when it is caused by a person who is supposed to be dead.

When Lain gets home, the first thing she does is turn on her computer, to find a message from Chisa. They exchange a few words. We see that Lain is expressionless—she is simply curious<ref>It is impossible to tell just from her face whether she is apprehensive about the future or any other emotion that could help us determine to which direction to depart from the B-E axis. But we must diverge from it, because it is abnormal to receive an e-mail from a dead person.</ref>. In view of the later circumstances, however, I would definitely ''move the plot below Normality towards Ill-Fortune''. Loss of control over one’s personal life is not a pleasant thing for anyone to experience, least of all when it is caused by a person who is supposed to be dead.

 

 

 

 

When Lain arrives at Cyberia, the girls tease her for not wearing “grown-up” clothes<ref>This will either not produce an effect viewed at this scale or appear only as a minute jog. Depending on the width of your graphing tool, you may or may not choose to graph this downward shift.</ref>.  Immediately after, the sound of glass shattering is heard, and Juri falls after a second gunshot<ref>As there is no blood, she is presumably simply in shock.</ref>.  As Reika struggles to carry Juri, Alice rushes to help Lain. Thinking that Lain is immobilized by terror, Alice tries to pull Lain away. Instead, Lain confronts the shooter, says “Everyone is connected,” and he shoots himself<ref>Admittedly it is possible for normally timid people to become assertive when their lives are threatened, but judging by the reactions of her friends, this is not the “real-world” Lain.</ref>.  I would ''raise the plot'', because Lain has gained power, which she can use to make herself happy. While this power may later prove disastrous, it is only when Lain discovers it that it, so to speak “goes south”.

The police detain and interrogate Lain, but upon finding that Lain is too shaken to offer any useful information, they call her house and allow her to go home.  

The police detain and interrogate Lain, but upon finding that Lain is too shaken to offer any useful information, they call her house and allow her to go home.  

The next morning she wakes up having overslept. When she gets to school, she finds that the whole school is curious about Reika, Alice, and Juri because they witnessed the incident in Cyberia. Lain opens her locker, but is accosted by Juri, who spies an envelope in the locker. Without asking Lain, Juri opens the envelope and what seems like a computer chip falls out. She is disinterested (she was expecting a love note) and walks away.  

The next morning she wakes up having overslept. When she gets to school, she finds that the whole school is curious about Reika, Alice, and Juri because they witnessed the incident in Cyberia. Lain opens her locker, but is accosted by Juri, who spies an envelope in the locker. Without asking Lain, Juri opens the envelope and what seems like a computer chip falls out. She is disinterested (she was expecting a love note) and walks away.  

That evening, Lain asks her father if he knows what the chip is. He does not, although Lain believes he does and presses him about it. Lain goes to Cyberia, where some children tell her that it is a very powerful processor that will allow full access to the Wired for every device to which it is mounted. Raise the plot.

 

That evening, Lain asks her father if he knows what the chip is. He does not, although Lain believes he does and presses him about it. Lain goes to Cyberia, where some children tell her that it is a very powerful processor that will allow full access to the Wired for every device to which it is mounted. ''Raise the plot.''

 

After a scene showing a person running from a little girl, we once again see Lain in her room. She has upgraded her computer into an intricate system with multiple monitors. She receives a new message from her father. He tells her that he has asked some of his colleagues about the chip, and gives her instructions as to how to install it. Lain also investigates a game that children have been playing, and in the process is warned about the dangers of letting the Wired become mixed up with the real world.  

After a scene showing a person running from a little girl, we once again see Lain in her room. She has upgraded her computer into an intricate system with multiple monitors. She receives a new message from her father. He tells her that he has asked some of his colleagues about the chip, and gives her instructions as to how to install it. Lain also investigates a game that children have been playing, and in the process is warned about the dangers of letting the Wired become mixed up with the real world.  

We see two dots on Lain’s face. Suspicious, Lain gets up and looks out the window, seeing two people with laser pointer headsets near a car. She shouts “Go away”. Their headsets break and they are pushed away by the force, and they drive away crestfallen. Raise the plot.

We see two dots on Lain’s face. Suspicious, Lain gets up and looks out the window, seeing two people with laser pointer headsets near a car. She shouts “Go away”. Their headsets break and they are pushed away by the force, and they drive away crestfallen. Raise the plot.