Theos-Talk Archives (May 1994 Message tl00018)

Another Workshop from Daniel Hampson that may help those
interested in designing the Theosophy Game...

Many years ago I stumbled across an organizational structure that
helped me draw cartoon characters and symbolize their personas.  I call
it RATS and SNAKES and TURKEYS.  It works like this:

I. UNDERSTANDING INFINITY
   A. No Matter Where You Are
   B. You're always in the Middle

II. THE GOALS
   A. To Survive
   B. To Find That Special Something

III. THE LEVELS
   A. Above: Stars - To Be
   B. Below: Fools - Not To Be
   C. Center: Me, Myself and I

IV. THE SUPPORTING PLAYERS
   A. Rat: Ugly Truth
   B. Snake: Pretty Lie
   C: Turkey: Pathetic Ignorance

V. THE OFFSPRING
   A. RatSnake: HalfTruth
   B. RatTurkey: Dumb Truth
   C. TurkeySnake: Dumb Lie

VI. THE ENVIRONMENT
   A. Family & Friends
   B. School & Work
   C. Hobbies & Liesure
   D. Mass Media
   E. Maslow's Hierarchy

COMMENTARY:

Regardless of what kind of character is created, from Politician to
Celebrity to Playful Animal, there are certain visual conventions used
in the Business to depict certain characteristics.  These are often
filled with cultural, political and sexual bias, based upon looks
alone.  The Rats & Snakes & Turkeys structure, however, goes beyond
that, serving to avoid many such traps and getting down to the
invisible core symbolism of the inner beings of most creatures.

Example: Lucy tells Charlie Brown that she'll hold the football so he
can run up and kick it (a nice thing to do - Star Behavior).  Charlie
Brown runs and kicks...Lucy pulls the ball away (a nasty thing to do -
The Ugly Truth - Ratty Behavior) and Charlie Brown falls down
(embarrassing - feels like a Fool).  The entire situation is built upon
a Promise (I'll hold the ball for you) a secret (I'll pull the ball
away) and a Lie (purposeful construction of a false scenario).  So we
see that Lucy actually exhibits malice aforethought - Snake Behavior.
She always justifies it, year after year, because it's funny, to her,
to see Charlie Brown (a real Turkey) fall on his butt.  It is also
quite disgusting that Charlie Brown continues to believe her every time
she sets up the sting (Trusting Innocence, Pathetic Ignorance and Blind
Desire turned into Absolute Stupidity).