Path to Freedom: an Amprule First Note analysis thingy
Due to popular demand (of my 3 friends), I've decided to type up another break down of an amprule illustration!!! yippee!!!!
Once again let's start simple!! the light composition!! There is a clear light/shadow duality happening in this illustration so here's a neat chart I made to show it:
Now you might notice the red/green tint I added, as well as how Chungsung is in the light meanwhile Dongha is in the dark. So let's break down the components of each side.
Dongha is surrounded by shadows. The shadows likely show how he feels trapped in the Yeon family. The paintings that surround him add even more pressure because he has the Yeon family name to live up to.
He is looked down by the paintings behind him (it's only Chungsung who's looking up at him) meanwhile Dongha doesn't look at anyone, he fears that he has failed the family (his father). He seems to be considering his choices between the two paths he could take.
What are his two paths exactly? Well, they're shown through the doors! The door next to him and the door below him.
The door next to him will possibly take him deeper into the mansion. The path is pitch-black and the darkness will make him feel even more lost. This path will probably keep him trapped in the mansion forever.
The door below him is lit up and will possibly lead him to the exit. The path is lit up and it all seems good, but there is yet another painting in the way. His fight for freedom won't be easy but we already know that he is determined to take that step forward.
The physical locations of the doors could also mean something. The one that leads inside the mansion is higher up, it means that if Dongha wants to keep his social status he's gonna have to give up his freedom. But if he wants to become free he'll have to "lower" himself and possibly lose his status. (It is worth pointing out how the positions of the characters show their imbalance as well.)
Now, everything I've mentioned to this point has been focusing on Dongha's struggles, so where's Chungsung in all of this?
I've talked about the role colors play in Amprule art in my previous post. Chungsung's red contrasts with the Yeon family green and gives Dongha a place to Be. There is no red in this illustration, Chungsung is as trapped in the family as Dongha is.
Just with the way he's positioned shows us that he is leaning toward the idea of freedom (is it his freedom, does he want Dongha to be free, or is it just his willingness to be a tool for Dongha's freedom). And if we take account of the light = freedom & shadow = restraint meanings, the light is practically shining upon him.
But at the end of the day, he is still only a butler and he is waiting for Dongha to make a decision. His loyalty to Dongha is not something to question, we all know that Chungsung will stand by his side no matter which path he chooses. However, if Dongha chooses to go deeper into the mansion he might end up being separated from Chungsung and their distance would become even bigger.
"To me Amprule means freedom." is something Dongha says to Hajun in the Showdown Aftermath drama track. Dongha forming Amprule is not only him choosing his freedom but choosing to get closer to Chungsung as well. Though I suppose neither of them are aware of how they've been closing the gap.
Considering how this is a bit of a "prequel to Amprule" type of image it gives us a decent look into just how suffocating their lives in the Yeon family were. They still haven't made it to equal footing, but we know that they're slowly getting there and setting themselves free.
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Dick halted before passing the living room entrance, taken aback by the scene he witnessed. When he left - and it's worth noting, only for a minute or two - his father and his fiance sat as far away from each other as sofas and armchairs arrangement allowed it. They weren't exactly engaged in even moderately polite conversation but /at least/ they weren't arguing as well. It wasn't that bad. Now although...
To be completely honest, Dick wasn't sure what happened. They were still sitting in the same places, still not talking, and still not even looking at each other. The atmosphere shifted a little, that was one of the signs that he missed something possibly important. There were more signs, probably way more giving, such as frozen meat Bruce held to the left side of his face, or smeared blood under Slade's nose and his beard that looked like he tried to wipe it quickly.
Of course.
"The fuck?" he asked pointedly looking at Alfred, the picture of elegance and composure, standing straight in the corner of the room.
"Master Bruce and Mister Wilson had a...disagreement" butler explained throwing one of his disapproving looks their way.
Of fucking course.
"It was quickly resolved" to that, Dick noted, Alfred seemed to look a little too self-satisfied "and I proposed something cold to cool gentlemen down. And for the damage, obviously. Mister Wilson refused."
Bruce only murmured something unhappily but Slade was rather stubborn about getting on Alfred's bad side, like refusing his polite act of mercy wasn't enough. "I'll heal in an hour, no need for that sh-"
It's going to be a long evening.
Anon this is BRILLIANT!! Amazing writing too!! Ahhh its so good!!
Bruce and Slade are trying their best to not fight each other but only when Dick is in the same room 😂 They don't even mind Alfred there lmao I love it, I wonder what they were thinking when they started that fight - they had to know that Dick will be back soon 🤣 It's "We'll act like nothing happened, maybe he won't notice" kinda thing 😂💕💕 amazing
I love the idea so much, let me add a bit to that 👀
"I swear to God, you are worse than children." Dick let a sigh escape his lips as he sat down on the sofa, right in the middle of the room. That way he was sitting evenly in between both Bruce and Slade, and they both looked conflicted whether to move closer to him or stay where they are, as far away from the other man as possible.
"He started it." Bruce complained under his breath and Dick sent him a pointed look.
"I really don't care who started, Bruce. And it's not like it matters anyway, you both are way too old to act like this."
Slade crossed his arms over his chest with a mumbled complain and leaned back against the armchair he was sitting on. Dick glanced at the blood still smeared over his face and stood up again with another sigh.
"I can't believe you two, I literally left for three minutes!"
"A lot can happen in that time."
"Yeah, I can see that." Dick remarked, bitter. "Fighting, making a mess of yourselves-"
He reached for a tissue to gently clean up Slade's face. The blood stopped running already thanks to the man's healing factor but his nose still was fractured if not broken from the punch. It would take a while to heal and while Slade got way more serious injuries on daily basis, it still must've hurt like hell.
Dick looked down at the button-down shirt Slade was wearing, at a few drops of blood that got on it and let a small pout enter his face.
"My favorite shirt too..." he lamented quietly.
Bruce looked away. Slade shifted a bit in his place, uncomfortable. Good, they should feel bad about it!
"I can wash it out, it's just some blood." Slade assured him with a half-shrug. His rough fingers found Dick's wrist and squeezed gently. "Or I can buy another one like this."
"I don't want you to buy another stupid shirt, I want you both to stop fighting!"
"Dick-"
"Little bird-"
"No! Shut up, I don't want to hear it!" Dick snapped, taking a step back to glare at both of them. "You're both important to me and I'm so fed up with all your stupid fighting! You are going to start acting like adults and learn how to live around each other without trying to kill each other!"
Bruce ran his hand down his face, suddenly looking tired.
"You know it's not that easy, chum."
"It is! You're my dad and Slade is my fiance, I'm not going to give up on either of you because you don't like each other!"
"It's Deathstroke, Dick! This has nothing to do with disliking, this man killed thousands-"
"I love it when you're calling me your fiance." Slade hummed with an easy smirk as if Bruce didn't speak at all. He sent Bruce a look over Dick's shoulder and enjoyed the way Wayne tensed. "Can't wait until we change it to 'husband' though."
Bruce clenched his jaw with so much force that Dick worried about his teeth. He hated being reminded that Deathstroke would soon become a part of his family and Slade knew it far too well.
"You're not helping, Slade!" Dick hissed.
Slade looked back to him and pressed his lips to Dick's wrist before pulling him onto his laps. Bruce leapt up from his place.
"Not really trying to."
Dick screamed.
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that last post reminded me that last week i wad thinking a lot about my grandma, and how her last words to me had been through the phone over thousands of miles apart. she'd been intubated, and i couldn't understand anything she said. i was 10 going on 11, and we'd been in the US for a few years by then, so when we spoke for that last time, it'd been a few years since we'd been in the same room together.
and so i kept thinking about how i never got the chance to get know her as an adult person, just as my grandma. everything new i've learned about her since has been through the people in my life who knew her. when i got my promotion at work, when i went to kansas for a work conference, i wish i could've told her about it.
i remember lying to her, that last time we spoke on the phone, saying "yes grandma" as if i knew what she was saying. i can't remember what her voice sounded like anymore. the last thing i ever said to her was how much i loved her.
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