Avid Brooks Paracosm Analysis

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avid Brooks describes paracosms as detailed imaginary worlds that encompasses landscapes, imaginary beasts, heroes and laws, characters we idolize that help people orient themselves into reality (NY Times). When Brooks followed Springsteen across France and Spain, he noticed something as he attended the Springsteen concerts in Europe. He used his observations to highlight a significant theme that he believed was central to Springsteen’s fame outside of America. He concluded that it was Springsteen’s method about holding close his core orientation and history that was always represented in his music. One instance in Madrid caught Brooks’ attention. Something occurred to Brooks as he stood in a packed football stadium with thousands of Spaniards and belted out one of Springsteen’s signature hits, “Born in the USA”. It seemed strikingly odd …show more content…

Brooks explores how a European, outwardly detached from Springsteen’s personal stories could possibly form that deep of a connection to his music and discusses a possible explanation. Brooks proposes that the answer can originate from the idea of “paracosms” – cognitive worlds one can generate in their head, like when people become enthralled in a book or a movie with captivating characters and landscapes. I believe Brooks’ presented a shrewd analysis on how and why there is such an allure to Springsteen abroad using paracosms. People produce their own universes of mental landmarks and cognitive observations to understand any story, whether it’s from a book, a song, or a movie, through their own unique view. As a result, the story becomes localized, people get invested as if it has always been ingrained in their innermost self. For example, people didn’t have to be British or wizards to identify with life in a boarding school like Hogwarts in the Harry Potter

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