15 episodes
Decomposing Worm Clarence Brooks and Matias Masson
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4.6 • 11 Ratings
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In Decomposing Worm, Matias and Clarence take a higher level approach to analysis of Wildbow’s original wonderful web serial. After dividing Worm into six 300,000 word chunks, each week four-time Worm veteran Matias and literary extraordinaire Clarence cover one of Worm’s ‘books’, alternating between Close Reading and Essay episodes. Because a single hundred hour Worm analysis podcast wasn’t enough.
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Announcing Decomposing Worm
In this, we describe what the Decomposing Worm, a new Doof Media Worm analysis series, will be.
Matias and Clarence will take a higher level approach to analysis of Wildbow’s original wonderful web serial with a twist on the We've got Worm formula. After dividing Worm into six 300,000 word chunks, each week four-time Worm veteran Matias and literary extraordinaire Clarence cover one of Worm’s ‘books’, alternating between Overview and Perspectives episodes. Because a single hundred hour Worm analysis podcast wasn’t enough.
Next week we'll be covering Arcs One through Eight.
Post your questions for Clarence, or your themes and theories for the next book here. -
Overview of Arcs 1-8
In this episode, Matias guides Clarence as he wanders into Wildbow's wonderful Web-Serial for the first time. This is the Overview episode for Arcs 1-8, so they covered the most key points and paid attention to the most textual of themes.
Next week is the Perspective episode, where they'll use critical theory to examine angles and characters from this part of the story.
Discuss Discuss the episode and leave your Questions for Clarence and Themes and Theories for Arcs 9-14 here! https://www.reddit.com/r/Parahumans/comments/gohfzc/decomposing_worm_ep_1_overview_of_arcs_18/? -
Perspectives on Arcs 1-8
In this episode, Matias guides Clarence as he wanders throughWildbow's wonderful Web-Serial for the first time. This is the Perspectives episode for Arcs 1-8, so here they brought several literary theories to look at these arcs with, focusing mostly on Foucault and Marx.
Next week is the Overview episode for Arcs 9-14, where they'll cover the most key moments and themes from that section.
Discuss the episode and leave your Questions for Clarence and Themes and Theories for Arcs 9-14 here! https://www.reddit.com/r/Parahumans/comments/gsr7hs/decomposing_worm_episode_2_perspectives_on_arcs_18/?
Primary Citations
Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: an Introduction. University of Minnesota Press, 2008.
Foucault, Michel. DISCIPLINE AND PUNISH: the Birth of the Prison. PENGUIN BOOKS, 2020.
Marx, Karl, and Frederick Engels. “Manifesto of the Communist Party.” Manifesto of the Communist Party, The Communist Party, 1848, www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/.
McCrae, J. C. “Worm.” Worm, Wildbow, 2011, parahumans.wordpress.com/. -
Overview of Arcs 9-14
In this episode, Matias guides Clarence as he saunters into a serious slew of savage scenes with the Slaughterhouse Nine. This is the Overview episode for Arcs 9-14, so they covered the most key points and paid attention to the most textual of themes.
Next week is the Perspective episode, where they'll use critical theory to examine angles and characters from this part of the story.
Discuss the episode and leave your Questions for Clarence and Themes and Theories for Arcs 15-17 here! -
Perspectives on Arcs 9-14
In this episode, Matias guides Clarence as he wanders through Wildbow’s wonderful Web-Serial for the first time. This was a Perspectives episode so we explored these seven arcs, 9-14, using a few literary theories.
We focused on Allthusar's understanding of interpolation and hailing, basically the way ideologies make us subjects and enforce will on us by addressing us, and Derrida's conception of Deconstruction and the Structuralist and Post-Structuralist ideas that form the background of the concept. We also studied the characters of Labyrinth and Cherish, and did some other small bits.
Next week is the Overview episode for Arcs 15-17, where they’ll cover the most key moments and themes from that section.
Discuss the episode and leave your Questions for Clarence and Themes and Theories for Arcs 15-17 here!
Primary Citations
Althusser, Louis. "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation)". Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays, 1971.
Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: an Introduction. University of Minnesota Press, 2008.
McCrae, J. C. “Worm.” Worm, Wildbow, 2011, parahumans.wordpress.com/. -
Overview of Arcs 15-17
In this episode, Matias guides Clarence as the story tiptoes around the terrible tempers of two teams of torpulent teens. This is the Overview episode for Arcs 15-17, so they covered the most key points and paid attention to the most textual of themes.
Next week is the Perspective episode, where they’ll use critical theory to examine angles and characters from this part of the story.
Discuss the episode and leave your Questions for Clarence and Themes and Theories for Arcs 18-22 here!
Customer Reviews
I love it!
I read Worm alongside the We’ve Got Worm podcast, currently only partway through Ward in both... And then...!!!!... This! I’m so very happy Doof is making a second one of these! Next we need one with at least 2 people that have both read the whole book once, then one for people that have read it multiple times and analysed it, then one for after reading all of Worm and Ward and everything else Parahuman, and re-evaluating everything.
The whole Marxist theory explanation segment was way too long. People listening to this podcast have at the very least already listened to We’ve got Worm and read the book... who reads a 1.6 million page book, listens to over 60 hours of literary analysis, comes here for more analysis... and can’t look into terms without a long lecture. It’s fine to look at this book through any lens. We don’t need the full specifications and details on the lens.
Wildbow trusts their readers.
Trust us. More time discussing the book is time well spent. 5 stars, don’t be unfair to Taylor.
Matias
Please pay more attention to how many um’s and uh’s you’re saying, it’s excruciating to listen to
Great recap!
As someone who has read worm fully through once but has not been able to revisit it since, Matias and Clarence take me back through Wildbow’s wonderful world one book at a time. While I would recommend listening to Scott and Matt’s “we’ve got worm” for first time readers after each arc, “decomposing worm” is great way to relive the world for those who have finished the story and are looking to revisit it again. They provide a knowledgeable summary of the story book by book. More excitingly, they release a deep dive literary analysis after each recap episode. I find myself eagerly awaiting every Friday to tune in with these great guys. Thanks for all the work you guys put into this and I’m really loving it so far!