Henry Kathman

The Nihilism of Thimbleweed Park (Patreon)

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2021-08-28 23:50:15

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2026-06

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In 2017, Thimbleweed Park was released as an effort to recapture the glory of the point-and-click adventure game of the 1990s. In addition to recapturing the mechanics of the genre, it greatly exemplified the genre's relationship to Absurdism. Though with the story's end, many fans were left unsure of the game's potential messages, which this video seeks to analyze.

Music by Molly Noise

Bibliography:

Camu, Albert. “Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays (Audiobook).” YouTube, 22 June 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jf6cGbNVt8.

Camu, Albert. “The Myth of Sysiphus.” University of Hawaii, Oct. 1942, https://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf.

Danskin, Ian. “Three Short Arguments on the Secret of Monkey Island.” Innuendo Studio, YouTube, 28 Feb. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJcJevvWGP8.

“From Maniac Mansion TO Thimbleweed Park | Ron GILBERT.” Talks at Google, YouTube, 9 Mar. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgzWorfLjeE.

Kevin. “Thimbleweed Park: They're Not in a Video Game... until They Are. (4500 Words).” Alternative Readings, 3 Mar. 2021, https://www.lecturesalternatives.fr/2017/07/thimbleweed-park-they-re-not-in-a-video-game.4500-words.html.

Miessler, Daniel. “The Difference Between Existentialism, Nihilism, and Absurdism.” Daniel Miessler, 17 Nov. 2020, https://danielmiessler.com/blog/difference-existentialism-nihilism-absurdism/.

Posner, Sam. “Arcade of the Absurd.” Nightmare Mode [Archived], Wordpress, 24 June 2011, https://nightmaremode.thegamerstrust.com/2011/06/24/arcade-of-the-absurd/.

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The Nihilism of Thimbleweed Park | Ending Analysis

Spoiler Warning for the Ending of Thimbleweed Park Content Warning for mention of suicide In 2017, Thimbleweed Park was released as an effort to recapture the glory of the point-and-click adventure game of the 1990s. In addition to recapturing the mechanics of the genre, it greatly exemplified the genre's relationship to Absurdism. Though with the story's end, many fans were left unsure of the game's potential messages, which this video seeks to analyze. Music by Molly Noise: https://linktr.ee/MollyNoise Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kathmanhenry Tumblr: http://henrykathman.tumblr.com Podcast: https://pinkaisle.podbean.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Henrykathman Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 2:06 - Adventure Game & Theatre of the Absurd 6:57 - The Mystery of Thimbleweed Park 10:30 - That's a Loadbearing 4th Wall 14:31 - The Absurd 18:43 - Meaning out of Absurdity Games Featured: Thimbleweed Park The Secret of Monkey Island (Original and Remastered) King's Quest Deponia Grim Fandango Undertale Doki Doki Literature Club Whispers of a Machine Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo Bibliography: Camu, Albert. “Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays (Audiobook).” YouTube, 22 June 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jf6cGbNVt8. Camu, Albert. “The Myth of Sysiphus.” University of Hawaii, Oct. 1942, https://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf. Danskin, Ian. “Three Short Arguments on the Secret of Monkey Island.” Innuendo Studio, YouTube, 28 Feb. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJcJevvWGP8. “From Maniac Mansion TO Thimbleweed Park | Ron GILBERT.” Talks at Google, YouTube, 9 Mar. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgzWorfLjeE. Kevin. “Thimbleweed Park: They're Not in a Video Game... until They Are. (4500 Words).” Alternative Readings, 3 Mar. 2021, https://www.lecturesalternatives.fr/2017/07/thimbleweed-park-they-re-not-in-a-video-game.4500-words.html. Miessler, Daniel. “The Difference Between Existentialism, Nihilism, and Absurdism.” Daniel Miessler, 17 Nov. 2020, https://danielmiessler.com/blog/difference-existentialism-nihilism-absurdism/. Posner, Sam. “Arcade of the Absurd.” Nightmare Mode [Archived], Wordpress, 24 June 2011, https://nightmaremode.thegamerstrust.com/2011/06/24/arcade-of-the-absurd/. #Thimbleweedpark