This is the first of a four part series on glitches and trauma.
There is a cute animated movie called “Wreck It Ralph.[i]”
Thereare many stories, many deep themes of relationship within this film.The
story develops from the characters in various videogames and their interactions.
I am going to use characters from three video games within the movie.
The Video
games and characters within “Wreck It Ralph” are:
Penelope
–– she is a Princess in the game “Sugar Rush” but when the King (aka: Turbo)
messed with her “computer code[ii]”
traumatizing her, she became a “glitch.”
Turbo – a
racing man from “TurboTime” (aka the King,
in Sugar Rush) – who when his game closed became jealous of the other
successful games. He took over “Sugar Rush” by messing up Princess Penelope’s
computer code, which causes her to “glitch[iii],
[iv]”
Ralph a
character in the “Fix it Felix” game – His job was to wreck the building so Felix can fix the building. Ralph is
unsatisfied with his role as a wrecker and wants to transform his life and
become a hero[v].
When Penelope emerges in the film she is identified as the glitch, i.e.
a hiccup in the game. She became a “glitch” when King (aka Turbo) tampered with
her computer code. As a glitch, she is mocked, excluded and otherwise a person
non-grata.
Despite functioning as a glitch, Penelope had spirit and kept trying to
prove herself.[vi]
