Twin Peaks School -Week 10 - The Return Part Ten "Laura Is The One" (Aired July 16, 2017)

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[Twin Peaks] Chapter 18 - Hour Ten "Laura Is The One"

Class Agenda Week 10

1. Watch Twin Peaks: The Return Part Ten: “Laura is the One.”

   1. Part Ten delves deep into themes of trauma, power dynamics, and the passage of time while continuing the fragmentation of moral and civil order in this Twin Peaks dream realm.

2. Key motifs include entrapment, communication breakdown, memory's power, and goodness's resilience in the face of darkness.

3. READ THE NEXT CHAPTER in your textbook: A Skeleton Key To Twin Peaks, 2nd Edition. by

   JB Minton 📺
   .

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Questions to Consider

• How do the layered narratives of Part Ten reflect the broader existential questions raised in The Return?

• What does "Laura is the one" signify within the narrative and for Cooper’s journey?

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Twin Peaks - Violence and Entrapment

• Key Scenes:

  • Richard Horne attacks Miriam (Scene 2).

  • Steven and Becky’s domestic violence, observed by Carl Rodd (Scene 2).

• Thematic Exploration:

  • Analyze how these acts of violence showcase entrapment, communication failures, and the disintegration of moral order.

  • Discuss Carl Rodd’s role as a witness and moral anchor in a decaying world.

• Discussion Questions:

  • What does Miriam’s reliance on outdated methods of communication (sending a letter) symbolize within The Return?

  • How does Steven’s violence reflect more extensive societal breakdowns in Twin Peaks?

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Las Vegas - Comedy, Lust, and Transformation

• Key Scenes:

  • Candie’s obsessive myopia leads to accidental violence (Scene 3).

  • Janey-E and Dougie’s intimacy and its transformative implications (Scenes 3–5).

• Thematic Exploration:

  • Examine the balance of slapstick comedy and emotional resonance, particularly in the Mitchum Brothers' and Dougie’s arcs.

  • Discuss Janey-E’s evolving relationship with Dougie and its symbolic implications for Cooper’s awakening.

• Discussion Questions:

  • How does Janey-E’s newfound love for Dougie signify a shift in Cooper’s dream narrative?

  • What does Candie’s overreaction to the fly tell us about the fragility of perception and unintended consequences?

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Horne Family Dynamics – Trauma and Consequences

• Key Scenes:

  • Richard Horne’s violent robbery of Sylvia and Johnny (Scene 6).

  • Ben Horne’s reaction to the attack (Scene 11).

• Thematic Exploration:

  • Explore the generational trauma within the Horne family and its ties to Ben’s past.

  • Juxtapose the love and despair seen in the Horne household with Janey-E and Dougie’s moments of intimacy.

• Discussion Questions:

  • How does Richard’s behavior mirror the suppressed darkness within the Horne family legacy?

  • What do Sylvia’s entrapment and Johnny’s helplessness reveal about the consequences of neglect?

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Cosmic Forces – Dreaming and Waking

• Key Scenes:

  • Margaret’s cryptic message to Hawk (Scene 12).

  • Gordon’s vision of Laura Palmer and the investigation’s revelations (Scene 10).

• Thematic Exploration:

  • Analyze Margaret’s description of energy, darkness, and Laura’s pivotal role in Cooper’s struggle.

  • Discuss Gordon’s awareness of the dream layer and its implications for Cooper’s awakening.

• Discussion Questions:

  • In Cooper's dream narrative, how does Laura’s image evolve from a victim to a beacon of resilience and purity?

  • What is the significance of Gordon’s vision in connecting Fire Walk With Me to The Return?

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Emotional Resolution – The Roadhouse and “No Stars”

• Key Scene:

  • Rebekah Del Rio’s performance at the Roadhouse (Scene 13).

• Thematic Exploration:

  • Discuss the emotional weight of “No Stars” and how it encapsulates the resignation and decline pervasive in Part Ten.

• Discussion Questions:

  • How does music function as a narrative and emotional device in The Return?

  • What role does the Roadhouse play in providing a space for reflection and emotional connection?

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Final Thoughts and Questions

• How does Part Ten advance the central themes of The Return?

• Reflect on the statement, “Laura is the one.” What does it mean in the context of this episode and the series as a whole?

• For Discussion in the Comments (open to all subscriber levels):

  • How do the themes of entrapment and transformation in Part Ten resonate with the broader moral and existential questions of Twin Peaks: The Return?

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Next class…"Part Eleven”

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