I used to have a FEAR of boats, but that ship has sailed.

Ted Talk

Karen Thompson Walker is a fiction writer. In her TED talk she discusses the thin line between fear and imagination. She speaks of the whaleship essex situation back in 1819. This is to lead into her purpose of her talk, to argue that fear and imagination are connected and we could use that imagination to fuel our stories. Walker elaborates her argument by saying that fear leads to unintentional storytelling. Our fears create scenarios in our heads of how they can play out in our lives. It helps us predict an event that will impact every event after. It's like an everyday clairvoyance that humans have the privledge to be able to experience. Then if one could harness this power and imagination, they could create a wonderful story out of it. Ultimately, Walker wanted to communicate that fear isn't something to be afraid of. It's a stepping stone to a whole new world.

One method that Walker uses to get her point across is pathos. This is arguably Walker's main concept she uses, because fear is an emotion. Walker tugs at the heartstrings when she speaks of her childhood in California. Walker discusses her fears to the audience that she had as a child. For example: Walker feared for earthquakes and what would happen to her family if one would occur.

Another example of pathos in her talk is telling the tale of the whaleship essex. Walker recounts about the sailors who were hit by a sperm whale and stranded thousands of miles away from any piece of land. This story is referenced serval times throughout her talk, always talking about the fears that the sailors had when trying to figure out what to do in order to survive.

Both of these uses of pathos have one purpose. To make the audience feel sympathetic. Walker tells these stories in order to get her audience to experience, or just think about, the fear laced within. She wants them to feel empathetic for the characters she tells about. The purpose of that is so they can experience the fear that Walker keeps mentioning. Walker wants the audience to experience the fear and think about the scenarios they would choose on their own. The purpose of this is, so that they can get a real inside look at her point.

I chose this ted talk, because I was curious as to what fear could teach me. (The talk is entitled: "What fear can teach us"). I was ultimately just curious as to what I could learn storytelling wise what fear could do to help, because fear is typically seen as something that hinders you. One thing that really resonated with me is the fear of the future. That's definitely something I can relate to right now, fearful for all the events coming up in my life (random example: college decisions).

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

A hero is defined by the google dictionary "a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities." One person who fits these qualities is Lola Dietrichson, you know besides the 'typically a man' part. Lola is the daughter of Mr. Dietrichson and the step-daughter to Phyllis Dietrichson. Lol herself does not play a huge role for the first half of the movie, only being seen once when Neff pitches to Mr. Dietrichson life insurance. In this scene, Lola begs to go out with her friend. However, Phyllis accuses her (Lola's) boyfriend, Nino. Lola denies it, causing Phyllis to reluctantly agree. Lola then gets a ride from Neff, to find that she is going to see Nino and not her friends. That's the only part Lola plays for the moment.

Lola plays a bigger role after the death of her father. She visits Neff's office in tears. In this moment, she confesses to him just how vile of a women Phyllis really is. Lola explains that she suspects Phyllis killed her mother and she had something to do with her father's death as well. This story is what turns Neff around. Lola's experiences with Phyllis is what makes Neff begin to doubt his lover. If Lola had not done this, then Neff would still be under Phyllis' control and would have never seen what a manipulative person she really is. If it wasn't for Lola's courage to confide in her secrets with Neff, Phyllis might have won and Lola would be in danger. This makes Lola one of the heroes of Double Indemnity.

Another hero in this film is Walter Neff. I consider Neff a hero to this film. He made the mistake of falling for Phyllis' trap and killing Mr. Dietrichson, but he did redeem himself in the end. After The other hero, Lola, bravely confess to him, Neff has an epiphany. That, on top of the fact that he also finds out that Phyllis has been seeing Lola's boyfriend, Nino, behind his back the entire time. These two events are what make Neff complete his 180. Neff chooses himself and what's right over the femme fatal. Him being able to kill Phyllis in the end is what truly makes him a hero, the person who takes down the villain. It's okay that Neff had made some mistakes for the duration of the film, as long as in the end he is able to redeem himself. That's what makes him a hero.