Outline of the First Term Paper

Edited on Oct 04, 2016


I. Introduction

A. FILM: Kung Fu Panda (2008)
B. Thesis - Kung Fu takes its characters to varying stages from physics to spiritual levels.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Characters master their own bodies and physical abilities, allowing super strength and going beyond their limits
- Furious Five training with Po
- The bridge battle
- Tai Lung's escape

B. Body vs practicality vs probability vs physics - characters control physics around them to highly implausible levels
- Blows out candles with wave of hand
- Shifu standing on a cane
- Oogway taps peach tree, peach falls to Po's hand
- Shifu takes dragon scroll with a flower pedal

C. Spiritualism - Characters obtain spiritual abilities and properties
- Po becomes the Dragon Warrior. Destiny? Or physical intervention?
- Master Oogway ascends to nirvana, disappears into flower pedals
- The Wuxi Finger Hold and the spiritual realm

III. Conclusion

A. Adapted Chinese mythology, includes a physical world as well as divinity and spiritualism.
B. Laws of physics remain mostly realistic and consistent, but use of Kung Fu is exaggerated in this film.
C. When not demonstrating spiritual properties, character interactions with the laws of physics range from mostly realistic to highly implausible.