The Case Against the Trauma Plot

Plus: the comeback of for-profit colleges; remembering a master doll-maker; and the lives of indigenous Arctic hunters. View in browser | Update your preferences Tuesday, December 28, 2021 A Critic at Large The Case Against the Trauma Plot Fiction writers love it. Filmmakers can’t resist it. But does this trope deepen characters, or flatten them into a set of symptoms? By Parul Sehgal Daily Comment Honoring the Legacy of E. O. Wilson and Tom Lovejoy The two naturalists helped to pioneer the field of conservation biology and remained determinedly hopeful that humanity would make better choices. By Elizabeth Kolbert Daily Comment For-Profit Colleges Have Made a COVID-Fuelled Comeback The Trump Administration trashed a rule that protected students—the Biden Administration can fix that. By James Lardner Afterword A Master Doll-Maker in the Valley How Kumiko Serizawa brought a Japanese tradition to California. By Susan Orlean The Year in Review 2021 in Review The Best Podcasts of 2021 The shows about music, family, crime, and more that pushed the medium forward. By Sarah Larson 2021 in Review The Escapist Sounds of 2021 In a challenging year, this was the best audio for creating a barrier between my brain and reality. By Carrie Battan Culture and More Photo Booth The Fading Ways of Indigenous Arctic Hunters Ragnar Axelsson’s portraits from Greenland reveal the effects of climate change on ice floes, sled dogs, and a traditional culture. By Ben Taub The Front Row “Parallel Mothers”: A Breathless Romance Sparked by a Fight for Truth Pedro Almodóvar’s film is full of extravagant twists that play out with the relentless confidence of logic. By Richard Brody Family Business How Smithers Came Out The father-son writing duo Rob and Johnny LaZebnik teamed up (with an assist from Christine Baranski) to at last create an openly gay romantic life for Waylon Smithers on “The Simpsons.” By Andrew Marantz Humor and Games Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Will Nediger Daily Cartoon Tuesday, December 28th By Mort Gerberg Crossword The Holiday Crossword: 2021 in Movies Action authorized by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in October, 2021: six letters. By Kameron Austin Collins Daily Shouts How Dare You Steal My Soaps and Mints? Your stay with us was temporary; the shame lasts forever. By Nate Odenkirk You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for The Daily from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2021. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.