The Ocelot Clubhouse discussion

Want to discuss the latest Classic Alice happenings? This is the place!

SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk. Anything that has aired is fair game.

I'm curious what you guys thought about Book 8. It was 'different', obviously, because the source material is non fiction. Did you like it? Did you hate it? I have my own feelings on this particular book - and the first episode I admit I found weak (it was originally part of the 2nd episode & I split it), but I'd love to know yours.

Disclaimer: I haven't yet read Walden. That being said, every time someone gushes about it, the message of simplicity and minimalism and questioning the status quo resonates with me. To me Alice didn't explore those themes, instead going for getting back to nature and being challenged on what the purpose of life is by Marcus. It was fun to see them outside, but it didn't really connect with me. Idk, I wasn't paying much attention to those bits anyway, more focused on the A+ dynamics, plus I'm still getting back in the swing of CA's new season!

Kate wrote: "I'm curious what you guys thought about Book 8. It was 'different', obviously, because the source material is non fiction. Did you like it? Did you hate it? I have my own feelings on this particula..."

Personally, I think the way this arc came across was hurt a bit by the reputation of Walden ("Thoreau isolates himself and is self-sufficient and perfectly at one with nature!") being very different from the reality of Walden (he doesn't actually do... any of that). And I think the non-fiction aspect played into that, as it made it harder for viewers who didn't have the time or inclination to read the source material to understand how the show was using it, since it's harder to look up a plot summary or watch a movie or whatever for this than it is with a novel or play. Every time I saw someone say Alice wasn't really living Thoreau I wanted to say "No, SHE is. THOREAU wasn't really living Thoreau." :)