Just like most people I’ve spent my quarantine on TikTok. Mostly observing and not actually making any because I’m far too anxious to throw-it-back to a song addressing how much of a ‘savage’ I am. No disrespect. The people who do make TikTok's are obviously more confident than me and look amazing dancing. A recent stubble on TikTok is if you’re the main character or not. I used to believe that we are all the main character of our own television shows that is life but as I watched Hulu's adaptation of John Green’s famous, 'Looking for Alaska', I have come to the conclusion that I am not the main character but maybe the Manic Pixie Dream Girl instead.
I first learnt the term Manic Pixie Dream Girl from a Youtube video talking about the movies 500 Days of Summer and Elizabethtown. Nathan Rabin said the MPDG "exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach brooding soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures." I realised as I watched the show that Alaska Young is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, which is funny as she is also displayed as a third wave feminist throughout the show. I don't think Alaska Young would be very proud to know that her character was made make the male protagonist technically live his best life. Instead of being the main character, I have decided I am the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Of course, I think my existence goes beyond improving someone else's life and I’m not saying one day I’m going to disappear like Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns or that I’ll die like Alaska Young. However, I will probably start saying ominous ambiguous things like these MPDG. (My favourites being, “Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die” and "I go to seek a great perhaps".)
I wouldn't mind being a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, improving peoples lives and leaving as soon as I've left an impact so big, they would still be thinking about me till their old age. I sound like a morbid narcissist. I will probably be writing more about the manic pixie dream girl. I guess just like the protagonist of a story, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl fascinates me.
Arabelle Akinfe
insta; ar.4belle
twitter; arabelleakinfex
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