Noir Unit

Existential

having to do with existence

Pessimistic

a tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable.

Protagonist

Main character in a story

Flaw

a slight fault, defect, crack

Bleak

Bare, dreary, dismal

Nihilistic

rejecting all religious and moral principles in the belief that life is meaningless

Alienation

Feeling isolated and separated from everyone else

Scheme

A pattern of words or sentence construction used for rhetorical effect.

Inevitably

impossible to avoid or prevent

Awry

off course; twisted to one side

Motivation

A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

Machinations

plots or schemes

Relentless

unyielding, harsh, without pity

Entangle

To involve in difficulties, confusion, or complications.

Resolution

End of the story where loose ends are tied up

Disorder

chaos

Disaffection

a state or feeling of being dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer willing to support them

Dissatisfaction

discontent

Jaundice

a state of feeling in which views are prejudiced or judgment is distorted, as by envy or resentment; yellowing of skin and whiteness of eyes from certain illnesses.

Cynical

believing that people act only out of selfish motives

Idealist

someone guided more by ideals than by practical considerations
someone guided more by ideals than by practical considerations

Bankrupt

unable to pay debts

Inherent

Existing as a natural part

Depiction

portrayal

Locale

where a story takes place

Pronzini

-The Three "D"s: a crime story that deals with disorder, disaffection, and dissatisfaction.
-Typical noir character is a loner.
-If a character is on the side of good he believes that society is corrupt but that there is justice.
-Extremes are the norm.
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Penzler

-Noir characters are seriously flawed and morally questionable.
-Characters doomed to hopelessness.
-The characters caught in prisons of their own construction.
-The 'Femme Fatal' is a common, common, although not essential, character in noir writing.

Bansky

-Graffiti artist.
-British.
-Makes politically challenging art.
-Featured on 'Good Morning America'.
-For a show of his work at a gallery, he had 200 live rats as part of the art-viewing experience.
-He lives anonymously, incognito.

Roy Lichtenstein

-Pop Art.
-Comic Strip Paintings.
-Worked at Rutgers University, NJ.
-Master of stereotype.
-Used Ben-Day dots to make his paintings.

Edward Munch

-Artist of the famous painting, 'The Scream'.
-Viewed his life as dominated by the "twin black angels of insanity and disease".
-Norwegian.
-Influenced the expressionist movement.
-Suffered a nervous break-down.

Bill Watterson

-Calvin and Hobbes.
-Working a math problem on a math quiz.
-His answer: "Mr Billion".