Cameron Bourquein
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cameronbourquein.bsky.social
Cameron Bourquein
@cameronbourquein.bsky.social
730 followers 520 following 160 posts
Tolkien fan and scholar with a focus on Sauron, his development, and his intersections with Legendarium metaphysics | artist, designer, writer | fandom old | (she/her) | CameronBourquein.com | TheRoadToArdaHealed.substack.com | SauronProject.com |
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cameronbourquein.bsky.social
"Perceiving the Perceiver: 'Viewing' Sauron Through the Gestalt Theory of Perception" uses Gestalt theory, the Gestalt laws of perception, & the reception theory of Wolfgang Iser to elucidate #Sauron as he appears in #LotR, #RoP, & #Tolkien 's wider legendarium. 🧵/

scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftol...
The words "Perceiving the Perceiver "Viewing" Sauron Through the Gestalt Theory of Perception are overlaid in white on a slightly manipulated image of the star Fomalhaut and its debris ring as photographed by Hubble (NASA). The image appears to show red and orange lines of light radiating from a central point. The center is cut through with a dark "slit" which looks like a slitted pupil. The light brightens and forms an oval ring (actually the star's debris ring) around the slit and central point. The effect of this is to make it appear as if we are seeing a flaming eye like the Eye of Sauron.
May 19, 2025 at 6:16 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
My #Tolkien paper from Oxonmoot 2023 is published in JTR: "Wizard, Demon, Cat; Reformer, Satanist, Bureaucrat." I argue Sauron is present in 3 modes in the Legendarium, each reflecting three abandoned characters from The Book of Lost Tales (Tevildo + 2). scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftol...
A landscape oriented image. The background is a screenshot from Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" depicting Sauron as the flaming eye. In front of this, and obscuring much of it, is centered a black rectangle in which a title is written in uppercase: Wizard, Demon, Cat; Reformer, Satanist, Bureaucrat:". Below but overlapping the black rectangle along its bottom edge is a second rectangle, this one orange, in which a subtitle is written: "A Diachronic Analysis of Three 'Modes' of Sauron in the Legendarium in Light of The Book of Lost Tales."
March 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
A gradient background suggesting a night time starry sky. On it are the words “Thank You For Playing.”
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
For more on indeterminacy and neuroaesthetics check out the citations for Cavanagh and Pepperell. And of course the “diorama” POV is not only theatrical (view from a balcony seat anyone?), but is evocative of forms of imaginative play in ways cinematic conventions are not.
A black background on which are arranged 4 images and the text “Imaginative Play-Space.” The images include two screenshots from Final Fantasy VI showcasing the game’s top down view with small character sprites moving against overworld and location maps. The other two images are stock photos of children sitting on the floor or at tables and playing with toys, suggesting the game viewpoint mimics that of a child playing imagination games with small toys like dolls or action figures.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
“If it speaks of bread or wine or stone or tree, it appeals to the whole of these things, to their ideas; yet each hearer will give to them a peculiar personal embodiment in his imagination.”
A diagram. On the left is a photo of Tolkien inside a circle. From it extends a thought bubble containing the image of a willow tree which is labeled: “imagined willow tree.” Also extending from the image of Tolkien is a speech bubble. In it are the words “willow tree.” Arrows point from the thought bubble to the speech bubble; these arrows are labeled: “Imagined willow tree translated through Art by Subcreator.” A further set of arrows passes from the speech bubble to another circle in which is a symbol of a generic person. These arrows are labeled: “recipient receives ‘willow tree’.” From the person symbol a second thought bubble extends to the right and fills the entire rest of the background. Inside this bubble are the words “'Willow Tree’ as Object/Idea” as well as a series of circles each containing the words “Associated concept or sense experience” and another large circle containing another but different image of a willow tree labeled “Personal memory or exemplar willow tree.”
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
“In human art Fantasy is a thing best left to words, to true literature. […] Literature works from mind to mind and is thus more progenitive. It is at once more universal and more poignantly particular. [...]
A gradient background suggesting a night time starry sky. On it are superimposed a heading of text and a paragraph. The heading reads: “In human art Fantasy is a thing best left to words, to true literature.” The paragraph reads: “Literature works from mind to mind and is thus more progenitive. It is at once more universal and more poignantly particular. [...] If it speaks of bread or wine or stone or tree, it appeals to the whole of these things, to their ideas; yet each hearer will give to them a peculiar personal embodiment in his imagination.” Tolkien, “On-Fairy Stories” 61 & 82.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
Fundamental to effective Fantasy is participation on the part of the recipient who imaginatively constructs the Secondary World in their mind in response to cues provided by the subcreator. Hence Tolkien calls the author and receiver of Fantasy “partners in making and delight.”
A gradient background suggesting a night time starry sky. On it are superimposed a heading of text and two columns of paragraphs. The heading reads “Fantasy” with a subheading of “Via ‘On Fairy-stories.’” The paragraphs read: Fairy-stories are told in the mode of Fantasy, which refers to both an act of subcreation and the result of said act of subcreation. Fantasy utilizes the imaginative and artistic faculties of the subcreator in the production of a Secondary World that includes the fantastic. Fantasy requires participation on the part of the recipient: they must imaginatively construct the Secondary World in their own mind in response to cues provided by the subcreator. This is why Tolkien calls the creator and receiver ‘partners in making and delight’ (64).
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
The paper I presented explored all this through the lens of #Tolkien 's famous essay “On Fairy-stories” which outlines his theory of Fantasy and includes his thoughts on its appropriate medium.
A gradient background suggesting a night time starry sky. On the left is superimposed a black and white photograph of J. R. R. Tolkien as seen from the shoulders up. On the left is white text. The heading says “On Fairy-stories.” Below it is a series of bullet points that reads: Originally Presented: 1939 (12th annual Andrew Lang Lecture at St. Andrews). Publication: 1947, significant editing and additions (Essays Presented to Charles Williams), 1983, minor edits (The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays), 2008, expanded edition with notes and drafts (Tolkien On Fairy-stories). Summary: “If it were nothing else, ‘On Fairy-stories’ would have a primary place in Tolkien scholarship as Tolkien’s definitive statement about his art — which he called ‘Sub-creation’ — and the concept that lies behind it — the power of words to create a Secondary World.” – Verlyn Flieger, “On Fairy-stories,” www.TolkienEstate.com.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
When I think of the intro to #FinalFantasyXVI I see… the intro to #FFXVI (more or less). It is beautifully executed but, importantly, it is not MINE. This doesn’t make it bad or mean it can’t be enjoyed, but it does make it a different KIND of experience.
Side by side screenshots from the first and sixteenth installments of the Final Fantasy series, each showing a typical battle. On the left is a battle from the first game in which enemies, player characters, and various stats are contained in a user interface made up of boxes with black backgrounds and white outlines. Sprites depicting the four Heroes of Light are in a box on the right, lined up top to bottom, while a box on the left contains three sprites depicting imps, also lined up top to bottom. The screenshot on the right shows Clive in the foreground, turned away from the camera and holding a sword. Across from him, facing Clive in a battle posture is an Imperial Dragoon. The characters are standing outdoors in a clearing surrounded by rocks and trees through which sunlight is spilling. The lighting and camera angles are very cinematic.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
I saw the set *as Celes saw it*. I saw the look on Locke’s face as he watched her sing. His expression exists only in my mind; no one has ever seen it—that *particular* expression—but me.
A gif captured from the opera scene in Final Fantasy VI. It loops for about 3 seconds and depicts the dance of Maria and the figment of Draco across the ramparts of the castle.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
When I think back to the famous opera scene from FFVI I remember two things: the scene as it played out on the screen and the simultaneous and unique evocation of these events in my head: full of additional emotion, smells, and even touch (I could feel the velvet curtains).
A gif captured from the opera scene in Final Fantasy VI. The gif is a loop lasting a little over 1 second and depicts pixel art of the orchestra pit sitting in front of the opera house stage (which is draped in elaborate red curtains fringed in gold. The conductor (roughly centered) raises and lowers his baton while musicians to either side him move their hands up and down the necks of their instruments.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
But is that all it is? The meme below suggests it’s a common experience to respond to these earlier games in much the same way we respond to books. We “read” the space, the icon-like characters, the action, and we picture something “more.”
Two screenshots side-by-side showing social media accounts posting the same meme. The meme is made of two images. The bottom one is a screenshot from the game The Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past; it shows the character Link escorting the character Zelda across a narrow pathway. The vantage point is like most top down Zelda titles of the time and the characters are represented by small sprites moving against a pixel art background. The top image is an illustration that depicts the same scene from ground level. Link and Zelda are drawn in an anime style that evokes their depiction in the game’s manual. Zelda holds Link’s hand as he peeks around a corner, seeing an armored enemy in the distance. The illustration suggests the danger they are in and their need to remain hidden. The account on the left has commented “how I remembered it” over the meme while the account on the right has commented “How it feels to how it actually looks.”
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
It’s not hard to see how. It’s the player’s imagination that has to interpolate the pixel art of skilled artists like Kazuko Shibuya, extrapolating from a handful of colored rectangles things like complex emotions or the living history of various locations.
A collage of screenshots from Final Fantasy I for the NES. The pixel graphics are very brightly colored. From left to right along the top row: screenshot of a castle surrounded by a town and forest; a character sprite (Warrior) showing a humanoid figure in red with red hair; a battle image showing eight “boxes” in which enemies, player characters, names, actions, and HP are displayed; an enemy sprite showing a green and purple dragon with several heads; and a screenshot of a town showing several tiled houses against a field of green representing grass. From left to right along the bottom row the first, third, and fifth images are repeated at a larger scale. Along the top is written “Final Fantasy (1987)” in a blocky pixelated font. A collage of screenshots from Final Fantasy VI for the SNES. The pixel graphics are much more subtly colored and evoke more detail and painterly qualities. From left to right and top to bottom are: screenshot of the character Sabin posed against a dark and moody forest setting looking at the ghostly outline of the Phantom Train; a screenshot showing a background with beige cliffs and water rapids; a screenshot showing a background for the inside of a cave, beams of light traveling vertically down from the ceiling; screenshot of one of the towns showing elaborate houses; screenshot of a cliffside in front of an orange sunset; image of a series of character sprites laughing; screenshot of another town background with a prominent walking path; screenshot of a scene in which the character Cyan confronts several soldiers of the Empire—a blue text box fills the upper third of the screen and in it are written “Cyan: I am the warrior Cyan of Doma. I challenge thee to honorable combat.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
I want to give a shout out to a recent episode of @resonantarc.bsky.social's podcast for touching on something I talked about at PCA National Conference last year: how the evolution of #FinalFantasy graphics from pixel art to near photo-real 3D changed a LITERARY experience into a CINEMATIC one. 🧵
Pixel art landscape with a low horizon. The sky is a brilliant blue gradient with fluffy white and pink pixel clouds. A band of brown dirt topped with green grass sits at the bottom of the image as if in a section view. Atop the grass on the left is a low grey rock wall, a tree in leaf with a twisted trunk and pink pixels sprinkled through it—likely fruit—and a low shrub with similar pink “fruit.” On the right side a grey mountain range fades into the distance. Most of the middle-top of the image is open sky and in it is centered the words “From Mind to Mind: The Graphical Evolution of Final Fantasy Through Tolkien’s ‘On Fairy-stories.’’” Below the title is a yellow button with a black outline with the word “start” in it.
January 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
The paper that @njspolk.bsky.social and I presented at @mythsoc.bsky.social OMS 3 last year has been published as a part of the conference proceedings! "Reading, Rending, and Queering the Web of Story with the Lenses of 'Con-creation' and Process Theology." Link and abstract in 🧵. #Tolkien
January 13, 2025 at 10:42 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
My #Mairon paper is published (link in 🧵). It was presented at Tolkien@UVM and GIFCon in 2023, and at Oxonmoot in 2024. “Mairon” is what got me back into #Tolkien fandom and scholarship, because what are you supposed to do when you learn #Sauron might have been called “precious”?
January 6, 2025 at 9:06 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
If you listened to and enjoyed yesterday’s episode of the Athrabeth podcast where I talk about my #Tolkien (mostly #Sauron) work, check out my new Substack. Working on some #RingsOfPower related pieces.

theroadtoardahealed.substack.com
Screenshot from the substack “The Road to Arda Healed” showing the featured photo, title, and subtitle of the first post.
January 2, 2025 at 4:18 PM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
The Lord of Gifts sees you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake. The Twelve Days of Sauron. Like the Twelve Days of Christmas but with fewer birds and more deception and torture. A revised 2 year anniversary version in the lead up to The Rings Of Power season two. Link in thread.
Annatar from The Rings of Power wearing a Santa hat.
August 26, 2024 at 11:14 AM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
This Saturday evening I'll be virtually presenting my Sauron-centric paper "The Nameless Enemy: How Do You Solve a Problem Like 'Mairon'" at the Tolkien Society's Oxonmoot '51—one last time before I work on producing a draft for possible publication. 🤞
August 26, 2024 at 8:55 AM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
Anyway, as this has sat in Google docs since 2021, I figure I should at least get it out there while I work on figuring out how to turn the good parts of it into something new. 5/5
November 16, 2023 at 8:02 AM
cameronbourquein.bsky.social
5 #Tolkien presentations focused on #Sauron in 5 months. “Exhausted” does not even begin to cover how tired I am, but I would absolutely do it again.
September 3, 2023 at 5:32 PM