SYMBOLIC CONVERGENCE

THEORY (SCT) IN POP CULTURE

CLINT BROWN
COMM 4350 (SPRING 2018)
GAME OF THRONES
• John Snow and Sansa Stark meet
Lyanna Mormont
GAME OF THRONES
• Lyanna Mormont, king in the
north speech
GAME OF THRONES, EXPLAINED
• The concept of SCT is demonstrated across the two clips provided from Game of Thrones. In the first clip, Lady
Lyanna Mormont is meeting John Snow and Sansa Stark for the first time. John and Sansa are there to ask for help
from Lyanna. They explain that the White Walkers are the reason that they need help, but it isn’t the need that
convinces Lyanna to help. Rather, it is the fantasy theme she has developed in which honor is symbolized by
maintaining faith between the Mormont and Stark houses. In the second scene Lyanna is seen giving speech, in
which she is calling on her fellow noblemen to maintain their honor by supporting the Starks.

• These clips demonstrate the development of a fantasy theme by Lyanna Mormont and the subsequent chaining out
of that idea. This helps me to view a practical demonstration of the SCT. It demonstrates that a fantasy theme
doesn’t have to be new, rather it can be long held. It also helps that both scenes are very entertaining.
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
• Christmas is a frame of mind
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
• Susan Believes
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
• The One And Only
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, EXPLAINED
• In these three scenes you are able to see SCT move from person to person as a fantasy theme chains out. In the first
scene, Kris Kringle explains to Doris Walker that Christmas is a state of mind. Up to this point in the movie Kris
has expressed that he is Santa Claus and Doris has rejected his fantasy theme. However, it is at this point that Doris
starts the process of accepting the theme. Since it is reframed it becomes more plausible. In the second scene, Susan
Walker declares that she believes Kris. The actions that have taken place have led her to believe in Santa Claus. She
shows her mother, Doris, and Fred Gailey the house that Kris promised her. In the final scene, Fred is in court
defending Kris. He utilizes the postal service as a demonstration that the general public and the US Postal Service
believe in Kris. This leads the judge to declare the case closed and rule in favor of Kris. It is at this point that the
fantasy initially held by Kris is accepted by all of the other characters.

• This helps me to visualize the way that a fantasy theme chains out from person to person. Rather than everyone
accepting the fantasy theme at once, something has to change to allow the theme to be accepted by different people
at different times.
12 ANGRY MEN
• Their Type of People
12 ANGRY MEN, EXPLAINED
• In all of my other examples I have demonstrated how a fantasy theme is developed, chained out, and then accepted.
In this scene from 12 Angry Men the juror, out of frustration for how things are going in the deliberation, shares his
fantasy theme about “those type of people”. It is a fantasy theme based in hatred and prejudice. But, in this case the
other jurors aren’t willing to accept the fantasy theme that he is presenting. One juror stands up and turns his back
to the juror who is presenting his fantasy theme. Then one by one the idea of turning their back on this juror spreads
until most have done so. At this point the angry juror accepts that his theme has been rejected and stops his rant.

• This scene helps me to see that in SCT, not all themes will be accepted. A fantasy theme can be developed by one
person, but the small group that the theme is spread to may not accept it. If it doesn’t then the theme will not be
considered valid and there will be no convergence of symbolism.