What causes the lump in your throat when you're trying hard not to cry?
Probably explains the lip bite.
"In the case of crying, which is the autonomic response to sorrow or grief, most of these effects are easily recognized.
An important part of opening the throat to allow the lungs to get more air involves expanding the glottis - the muscle which controls the opening from the back of the throat (pharynx) into the voice box (larynx) - so that more air can pass through it. So part of the autonomic response of crying is to use throat muscles to open the glottis as wide as possible. This doesn't pose a problem until you want to swallow; swallowing involves closing the glottis, so that food doesn't get into your larynx. So if you try to swallow while you are crying, the muscles for swallowing are fighting against the muscles for crying, and this tug-of-war over the glottis is perceived as a lump behind your larynx which makes it difficult to swallow.
As an aside, the autonomic nervous system has two parts: sympathetic and parasympathetic. These function together much like the gas and brake pedals in a car. The sympathetic nervous system activate the heightened response to stress, and the parasympathetic nervous system reduces stress activity and promotes more recouperative activities. One of the chief purposes of the parasympathetic nervous system is to coordinate and run digestion, which includes swallowing. So the lump in your throat is caused by both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves of the throat being activated at the same time."
Are there any med students in the SS tag? Because I have no authority to back this up. Although yeah... the lip bite wasn't in the manga. That was a nice addition by the anime team.
"Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water." - Kurt Vonnegut
Karin has to see Sasuke smile before the manga ends. Whether or not the smile is caused by romantic feelings for her or for another person, it doesn't matter. She just has to see him smile again.
This is the third essay I am working on. It's for the July 30th prompt "Losing Hope". I know that sasukarin stands as one of the strongest rival ships to sasusaku and I have to admit that at one point I was swayed and almost "lost hope" so I thought that this essay might be fitting for that particular prompt.
This is a reading on Karin's character and her role in the manga. I will be writing about the possible resolution to her character. I don't want to think of this as an anti-sasukarin post... although I think some fans might classify it to be. If anything, I'd like for this to be treated as, just like my other essays, a close reading of a literary piece [Naruto] that pays the respect and consideration that is due the literary elements. So again, I'm going to try to be objective about this.
I am compelled to put this up because an anti-sasusaku post made my morning. I don't know about you guys but that last post actually made me laugh. Chill, bro. To each his own.
Happy ss month shippers!
How old are the Naruto fans by the way? Because I'm starting to feel... old.
**I was never able to post my review for 634. Probably because I was never able to finish it. My bad. I'll be including some of the lines I wrote for 634. From the notes I left sitting in the drafts folder, I had the following:
Once again, the great Masashi Kishimoto has shaken the fandom with his new chapter by rousing suspicions against characters and putting particular characters' lives in danger.
While there are a lot of formidable theories, I stand by the following:
1) If any big shot character from Konoha will die to fulfil Kishimoto's spoiler from the RTN DVD (2 characters from Konoha will die; note that the first one was Neji), I'm betting on Kakashi. I don't think Tsunade's going to die just yet.
2) Sasuke has something up his sleeve. While I want to believe that Sasuke is sincere about joining the alliance and protecting Konoha (and perhaps I do), I can't help but feel uneasy because of the panels that I will post below.--suspicions that were confirmed in 635 On this, I will very briefly discuss Sasuke's redemption.
3) On SasuSaku, Sakura's fake smile, and the possibility of Sakura dying: I can see the possibility of Sakura getting stabbed by Sasuke BUT she will survive… somehow. And I have a feeling that this has something to do with why I think Tsunade won't die.
I'll try to be as objective as possible but I'll also try to be entertaining. My bases are the basic rules of writing fiction. Kindly click "Read More" for the explanation and manga citations.
1) On the subject of death:
There has been so much talk about the spoilers that Masashi Kishimoto released in the RTN DVD. One of the spoilers indicate that two characters from Konoha will die. Note that the first one was Neji. If any one of the characters from Konoha will die, I'm betting on Kakashi.
This has just begun. [Chapter 635: A New Wind]
I think that it's likely to be Kakashi than anybody else because his character is essentially done. (1) The mystery behind Rin's story has been revealed. (2) He is about to get the resolution to his conflict with Obito. (3) He needs no further character development.
[Note that characters who have (1) already received their resolution, (2) no need for further development, and (3) have no important role to play later on/ can be done away, are vulnerable to being killed off by the writer e.g. Hyuuga Neji.]
With all of this out for Kakashi, he has nothing left to reveal except maybe his face but he could very well do that dead. He also has nothing left to witness. He doesn't need to grow up. He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. He is done. He can die in peace.
Those who have yet to receive their resolution won't die just yet.
A lot of people thought it was going to be Tsunade. We all know she's safe now but the war hasn't ended and Tsunade has yet to get her resolution.
[Chapter 171: Inherit the Dreams]
Tsunade has linked Naruto with Nawaki, her younger brother who wanted to become Hokage.
In this chapter [and the title sort of backs it up: Inherit the Dreams] Tsunade gives Naruto the necklace--the necklace that once belonged to the first Hokage, the necklace she gave Nawaki. She sees Nawaki in Naruto. It's pretty clear that Tsunade kept Nawaki's dream to heart and since Nawaki died not having realised that dream, it's only natural for Tsunade to want to see Naruto, the boy whom she has linked to her beloved little brother, realise his dreams. Only then will she receive her resolution.
If Naruto doesn't become the Hokage or is not placed as a candidate, Kishimoto has to replace it with something that is equivalent for Naruto's character cannot go without a resolution. Tsunade has to witness this as well.
I don't think it's important that Kakashi sees Naruto become the Hokage. [I think he very well knows that Naruto will.] It's not that he doesn't care. It's just that it was never tied up to his overall character unlike Tsunade.
2) On the subject of Sasuke's intentions and his eventual redemption:
"Sasuke has something up his sleeve. While I want to believe that Sasuke is sincere about joining the alliance and protecting Konoha (and perhaps I do), I can't help but feel uneasy because of the following panels"
[Chapter 633: Going Forward]
[I still haven't let go of that person who asked me if I seriously read chapter 627 almost implying that I was crazy to think that Sasuke would turn on the Konoha ninjas eventually. Well, okay. So he won't turn on the Konoha ninjas… just Naruto who is, in fact, a Konoha ninja.]
True that Sasuke kept his brother's ideas to heart. True that Sasuke wants to protect Konoha. True that Sasuke only wants what is good… rephrase: Sasuke wants what he thinks is good which may not necessarily be the good that Kishimoto wants to point out as good. [Did I make sense?]
Walking in and telling everyone that he just decided to protect Konoha doesn't bring him the redemption he needs as a character.
In chapter 635, we are given some clue as to how he thinks he will change the system:
Perhaps he wants to annihilate all those "monsters" even if it means murdering people? That ain't good news for Naruto, clearly.
Like what I said in a previous post, the manga shouldn't end without Sasuke repenting for all he had done. Sasuke's redemption involves him surrendering to humility, realising that what he did was wrong, choosing the right path which Kishimoto is pointing to be the path Naruto is on: People as ends not as means, the universal truth that Naruto has been shoving into our faces since the first part of the manga. Sasuke has to understand and live by that idea. He has to see people as human beings and also has to see himself as a human being. Only then will he be able to redeem himself.
3) On SasuSaku, Sakura's fake smile, and the possibility of Sakura dying:
I won't reiterate what has already been pointed out. Nobusaki has a good explanation for Sakura's role in Sasuke's redemption here. I wouldn't have explained it in another way, to say the least.
I also think that it's pretty clear that Sakura still loves Sasuke. Appleinks explains it here. If I may add... it is possible to love somebody even if you don't like what they're doing. [x]
I think this scene from "One Day" starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess best describes the state of SasuSaku now.
It's called care. Sakura cares about Sasuke.
It's not exactly about changing Sasuke, perse. It's about redirecting him to the right end.
Now on the possibility of Sakura dying:
I can see the possibility of Sakura getting stabbed by Sasuke BUT she will survive…somehow. And I have a feeling that this has something to do with why I think Tsunade won't die.
(1) As in my previous post, I don't think Sakura's going to try to kill Sasuke. I think if she did, her efforts would be futile. Besides, I think she has learned her lesson already.
[Chapter 487: The Battle Begins]
Sasuke's death isn't the resolution to this story. One of the major plots of Naruto has always been Naruto pulling Sasuke out from darkness. He said so himself: how can he prove himself worthy of becoming Hokage if he can't save his friend? He has to be able to pull Sasuke out from darkness. Killing him won't do it. Just like killing Hitler won't kill evil.
Of course, Sasuke could die an honourable death--much like sacrificing himself for Konoha. There's that possibility. I won't deny that and I'm hoping Kishi won't go to that direction because in my head, Sasuke's redemption won't be complete unless he is given the chance to live his life with the new perspective that he will eventually acquire from Naruto.
There's the possibility of both Naruto and Sasuke dying. Masashi Kishimoto said it himself: Naruto and Sasuke are yin and yang. Take them as characters and you'll learn that neither can die while the other lives.
I'm not saying that some time in the future, they will die at the same time. At the moment, they have their lives tied to each other. Ironically, that chain will only break once Sasuke chooses to take the path Naruto has taken… because then they wouldn't be yin and yang. They would be yin and yin or yang and yang. Therefore, if Sasuke dies before he redeems himself, Naruto will die/ has to be dead as well.
But if the two of them will die, it would be over Sakura's dead body. Sakura's not going to let them die. They could be brutally injured, but not dead. She still has to prove herself. That's one of the resolutions to her character. She has to prove that she is capable of doing something that is close to impossible. So please revive Neji and save Kakashi? JK. I think I've already discussed how their death is integral to the completion of their characters.
The probability of Team 7 dying isn't as likely though precisely because of (1) the statement that it would make which I think isn't what Kishimoto is going for, and (2) the lack of a resolution. Also remember that we're working under the idea that this generation will surpass the previous and by surpass I do mean that they will be able to do this in both mental and physical strength. Or at least I hope.
She did say that she was going to trust the two of them in resolving whatever conflict they have with each other, right? But I also don't think she'll sit there and allow one of them to die. She'll intervene when the scene gets… well, dangerous.
(2) Reason for me to expect a scene that is somewhat parallel to Kakashi-Rin. [from previous post]
There's a reason why Kishi decided to kill Rin off that way. There's also a reason why Kishi decided to reveal Rin's story now of all times that he could have.
I know that it might not make sense but like I posted: in writing, filmmaking, storytelling— transitions and cuts matter. The story underneath are in the cut and in the order in which the images are put together.
It's not unlikely for Sakura to jump in. We've already seen her do that. Twice, if I haven't forgotten any other scene:
[Chapter 56: Granted Power]
[Chapter 176: Bitter Rivalry]
It's also essential that Itachi said "I will love you forever" to Sasuke. What Sasuke needs is to see Itachi's last words again.
[Chapter 590: I Will Love You Forever]
This probably merits a post of its own. I'll leave it out there for you to think about... and an idea for prompts perhaps.
(3) And I have to point this out because there were people who posted. I don't think Sakura's going to die. Keep in mind that Masashi Kishimoto very well reiterated that this generation will surpass the previous.
Good Lord. My brain is all mushed. I'm sorry but I'll have to end my post here. I can't give a summary of my points. >.<
Right now, it's not safe to assume that we already know what's going to happen at the end. Kishimoto has his ways after all but it's good to at least have the probable endings sorted out.
Of course, I understand that I might be wrong. To be honest, I've just recently started catching up because college happened and I couldn't get myself to look up Naruto while I was at it so I might be missing something. These are just my thoughts. I might have just rambled but I hope I was able to deliver my point. I apologise.
If you have any questions/ opinions, I would be more than happy to discuss with you. Drop me a message here!
[PS: Sorry if there are any grammatical errors >.<]
