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Upon This Pale Hill

494 statements
97 feature instances
4 referencing feature instances

Upon This Pale Hill	type	TVTItem
Upon This Pale Hill	label	Upon This Pale Hill
Upon This Pale Hill	page	UponThisPaleHill
Upon This Pale Hill	comment	Upon This Pale Hill is Patrick Ashe's debut novel, published in early 2020 (notably right as the COVID-19 pandemic of The New '20s began). Taking place in suburban North Carolina early in The New '10s, it's a Coming-of-Age story about Brandon Marcel, an anxious high-achiever who's nearing college graduation and unsure of what to do with his life. External pressures (friends, family, contacts, etc.) push him toward traditional and higher-paying careers, but internal pressures steer him toward public service. This might seem virtuous at first, but there's more going on beneath the surface (say, perhaps, the Devil in Disguise).This novel covers a wide-range of topics, such as college life, the nature of friendships, the loneliness of suburbia, the "sickness" of the developed world (thus the title), millennials, economics, politics, spirituality, romance, and a bunch of rock song references. While ostensibly a novel about this common awkward period in life, it also attempts to make many statements about these topics, and ends with a sense of uncertainty about its protagonist while conversely making a more certain statement about what "do good" means (in personal, political, and professional senses).
Upon This Pale Hill	fetched	2024-04-11T06:45:17Z
Upon This Pale Hill	parsed	2024-04-11T06:45:17Z
Upon This Pale Hill	processingComment	Dropped link to LeonardCohen: Not a Feature - IGNORE
Upon This Pale Hill	isPartOf	DBTropes
Upon This Pale Hill / int_135d58f9	type	Man of Wealth and Taste
Upon This Pale Hill / int_135d58f9	comment	Man of Wealth and Taste: The Morning Star, especially in the restaurant meeting.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_135d58f9	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_135d58f9	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_135d58f9
Upon This Pale Hill / int_141a6acb	type	Madness Mantra
Upon This Pale Hill / int_141a6acb	comment	Madness Mantra: Of the insults Brandon receives, "awkward" is the one that really gets to him, as his inner dialogue repeats it the most while thinking about Self-Harm, being egged on by the Morning Star.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_141a6acb	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_141a6acb	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_141a6acb
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1484dba1	type	Foreshadowing
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1484dba1	comment	Foreshadowing: Any interaction with the Morning Star. Also Sarah telling Brandon "you've never had a bad thing happen to you, and if you did, it would be your fault" shortly before The Reveal.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1484dba1	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1484dba1	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_1484dba1
Upon This Pale Hill / int_16dad7a7	type	It May Help You on Your Quest
Upon This Pale Hill / int_16dad7a7	comment	It May Help You on Your Quest: The early-mentioned Mapp App is crucial for the ending Redemption Quest.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_16dad7a7	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_16dad7a7	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_16dad7a7
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1779f10e	type	"Well Done, Son" Guy
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1779f10e	comment	"Well Done, Son" Guy: Played with. Brandon generally seeks approval, including by his parents, but for the first two acts, they seem overly demanding. But in the third act, a flashback reveals that he was a high-achieving kid that they already proud of, but the impact of The Reveal somehow ruined their relationship. The ending, with him accepting moving back home, implies this has been repaired.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1779f10e	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1779f10e	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_1779f10e
Upon This Pale Hill / int_188668f2	type	Redemption Quest
Upon This Pale Hill / int_188668f2	comment	Redemption Quest: How driving-adverse Brandon responds to The Reveal / Heel Realization.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_188668f2	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_188668f2	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_188668f2
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1b6f11d2	type	The Cutie
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1b6f11d2	comment	The Cutie: Essentially Janelle, albeit reluctantly. She's used to being Just Friends and hopes her kinship with Brandon will break this cycle. Mostly no, but their meeting does help lead her to greener pastures.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1b6f11d2	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1b6f11d2	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_1b6f11d2
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1fd2efc9	type	Byronic Hero
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1fd2efc9	comment	Byronic Hero: Brandon, albeit a dorky variant. His idealism is a front for inner turmoil and the usual markers.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1fd2efc9	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_1fd2efc9	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_1fd2efc9
Upon This Pale Hill / int_22a59b45	type	Self-Harm
Upon This Pale Hill / int_22a59b45	comment	Self-Harm: The suggested origin of Brandon's scars, left untold until the flashback toward the end.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_22a59b45	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_22a59b45	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_22a59b45
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2439b588	type	As the Good Book Says...
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2439b588	comment	As the Good Book Says...: There are thinly-veiled, setting-meaningful references to James 4:4, Matthew 10:16, Matthew 22:21, 1 John 4:18, Ecclesiastes 1:9, Matthew 23:27, 1 Corinthians 13:13, 2 Corinthians 11:14, and (most hauntingly) Luke 8:30.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2439b588	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2439b588	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_2439b588
Upon This Pale Hill / int_29292e6d	type	Walking the Earth
Upon This Pale Hill / int_29292e6d	comment	Walking the Earth: Essentially Brandon's fate. When tested at the Climax, he realizes he craves romance and stability ("home") so much that they corrupt his highest goal, to simply contribute to others in whatever small ways he can. Thus, he resigns both love and career to the winds.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_29292e6d	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_29292e6d	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_29292e6d
Upon This Pale Hill / int_294ed981	type	Bilingual Bonus
Upon This Pale Hill / int_294ed981	comment	Bilingual Bonus: The prestigious firm Vazio (Portuguese for "empty") & Leer (German for "empty")!
Upon This Pale Hill / int_294ed981	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_294ed981	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_294ed981
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2a6a8e89	type	Sadist Teacher
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2a6a8e89	comment	Sadist Teacher: Miss Helen. The fit, young, and married-wealthy teacher not only doesn't believe Brandon when he tries to speak about The Reveal, she threatens him, deepening the damage.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2a6a8e89	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2a6a8e89	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_2a6a8e89
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2adc858b	type	In the End, You Are on Your Own
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2adc858b	comment	In the End, You Are on Your Own: Zig-Zagged. In the Third Act, Brandon loses contact with his friends (atop rejection from others) one-by-one until he faces a moral dilemma and the Morning Star by himself. Germy even seems to have some kind of prescience that this will happen in their last conversation. But Brandon, aided by the mysterious Aisling, realizes he isn't truly alone, in the deepest sense, as he previously felt because of what happened in The Reveal. He defeats the Morning Star through his Redemption Quest so that neither he nor Janelle are alone, physically and otherwise.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2adc858b	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2adc858b	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_2adc858b
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2d92c43c	type	Little "No"
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2d92c43c	comment	Little "No": Germy's response when his parents badger him about not being successful like his twin brother and ask him if he even wants success (in a traditional material sense).
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2d92c43c	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_2d92c43c	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_2d92c43c
Upon This Pale Hill / int_34a9299c	type	It Was with You All Along
Upon This Pale Hill / int_34a9299c	comment	It Was with You All Along: Brandon's journey ends with accepting that Germy's recommendation from the beginning (i.e. small charity) was the solution to being unsure of what to do with his life.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_34a9299c	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_34a9299c	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_34a9299c
Upon This Pale Hill / int_351e7cf9	type	Romanticism Versus Enlightenment
Upon This Pale Hill / int_351e7cf9	comment	Romanticism Versus Enlightenment: Played with between Brandon and Germy. Germy's dark epicurean surface masks stoic acceptance of his abuse while Brandon's uptight ideals obscure his chaotic emotions around The Reveal.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_351e7cf9	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_351e7cf9	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_351e7cf9
Upon This Pale Hill / int_363f94c9	type	Awful Truth
Upon This Pale Hill / int_363f94c9	comment	Awful Truth: In The Reveal. Cue the Freak Out, Despair Event Horizon, and...something better.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_363f94c9	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_363f94c9	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_363f94c9
Upon This Pale Hill / int_372bc105	type	Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism
Upon This Pale Hill / int_372bc105	comment	Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: All over in terms of both characters and messages.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_372bc105	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_372bc105	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_372bc105
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3d4d3dc9	type	Humans Are Bastards
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3d4d3dc9	comment	Humans Are Bastards: Played with. While kind idealists exist and prevail in small ways, this is the default.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3d4d3dc9	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3d4d3dc9	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_3d4d3dc9
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3ed17fe0	type	Wide-Eyed Idealist
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3ed17fe0	comment	Wide-Eyed Idealist: Along with Woobie, how Brandon presents to most people, even himself. But like Good Samaritan above, there's more going on beneath the surface.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3ed17fe0	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_3ed17fe0	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_3ed17fe0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40bb59d0	type	Blatant Lies
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40bb59d0	comment	Blatant Lies: Sarah preaches "compassion, understanding, and forgiveness" an awful lot for someone who almost never practices these things. She doesn't hear herself being dismissive of people with disabilities and mental health issues, especially depression. She fools the ever-eager Brandon (while treating him with suspicion for his "grumpy" side and being contemptuous when she gets him to admit his crush) while his friends are consistently skeptical of her.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40bb59d0	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40bb59d0	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_40bb59d0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40cc0c7e	type	Bittersweet Ending
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40cc0c7e	comment	Bittersweet Ending: After the careening Third Act of getting rejected by his new friend Randall for being too politically left and by his love interest Sarah for being too politically right (among other reasons), culminating with The Reveal and averted suicide attempts by both Brandon and Janelle with The Power of Love, Brandon gets fired from his cushy job for correcting their dishonest data (in a professional way, even taking the blame). He lands a meager one with the kind-hearted Conrad and Vicki, accepting Germy's advice from the beginning that something like this was the way to do good, albeit without a family of his own. Janelle starts a wounded vet nonprofit and meets a future mate, Germy quits his office job but finds one he enjoys in construction and also finds more permanent love, and Marianne struggles but raises two successful kids. Ends with a Heartwarming Moment on connectedness of all people of goodwill.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40cc0c7e	featureApplicability	-1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_40cc0c7e	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_40cc0c7e
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4557702e	type	The Conscience
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4557702e	comment	The Conscience: Aisling is this (and thought of as more, perhaps a Divine Date) for Brandon.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4557702e	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4557702e	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_4557702e
Upon This Pale Hill / int_45f0bb2d	type	Hope Is Scary
Upon This Pale Hill / int_45f0bb2d	comment	Hope Is Scary: A theme, even in the Arc Words about hope being a four-letter word. Ultimately, it isn't hope that gets Brandon and Janelle through the Darkest Hour, but rather love.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_45f0bb2d	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_45f0bb2d	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_45f0bb2d
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4ad4b2b	type	Guardian Angel
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4ad4b2b	comment	Guardian Angel: Aisling, although Brandon seems to see her face and think of her as an idealized love interest, even fooling himself to think Sarah looks like her and Janelle doesn't.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4ad4b2b	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4ad4b2b	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_4ad4b2b
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4d865a0f	type	Your Heart's Desire
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4d865a0f	comment	Your Heart's Desire: Brandon's seems to be I Just Want to Be Normal with approval from authority as a close second. The Reveal shows both why he's not (i.e. a traumatic experience of rape mere months after a traumatic medical experience of meningitis when he was already socially awkward) and desires approval (i.e. the Sadist Teacher's response to said traumas). But by responding with the personal charge to "do good" in this vicious world, it's paradoxically I Just Want to Be Special and Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4d865a0f	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_4d865a0f	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_4d865a0f
Upon This Pale Hill / int_507ac08d	type	Blunt "No"
Upon This Pale Hill / int_507ac08d	comment	Blunt "No": From Germy as his wealthy parents berate his grungier lifestyle. "Don't you want to live like this?" "Not particularly."
Upon This Pale Hill / int_507ac08d	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_507ac08d	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_507ac08d
Upon This Pale Hill / int_515ae094	type	Introverted Cat Person
Upon This Pale Hill / int_515ae094	comment	Introverted Cat Person: Brandon's "hard time making friends" personality, even in childhood.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_515ae094	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_515ae094	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_515ae094
Upon This Pale Hill / int_51ed5fb9	type	Straw Hypocrite
Upon This Pale Hill / int_51ed5fb9	comment	Straw Hypocrite: Sarah exudes this for her progressive feminism and smug "compassion" while materialistic Randall is too much of a believer in "prosperity" ideals.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_51ed5fb9	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_51ed5fb9	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_51ed5fb9
Upon This Pale Hill / int_524f94d3	type	Rape as Backstory
Upon This Pale Hill / int_524f94d3	comment	Rape as Backstory: The Reveal of Brandon's turmoil, acerbated by how the Sadist Teacher treated it.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_524f94d3	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_524f94d3	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_524f94d3
Upon This Pale Hill / int_5313c266	type	Bookends
Upon This Pale Hill / int_5313c266	comment	Book Ends: A few. The book starts with the number two and ends with the number one. The first thing Brandon does is send a text message (a commonly one-way interaction for him), and the last is receiving one from Janelle. The first chapter ends and the last chapter begins with Brandon playing his old acoustic guitar alone.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_5313c266	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_5313c266	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_5313c266
Upon This Pale Hill / int_553aaabe	type	Safety in Indifference
Upon This Pale Hill / int_553aaabe	comment	Safety in Indifference: Brandon knows that just letting his bosses and Sarah to BS with impunity will bring him closer to his personal goals, but Aisling keeps reminding him that this is not okay.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_553aaabe	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_553aaabe	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_553aaabe
Upon This Pale Hill / int_575fd5e2	type	Dark Is Not Evil
Upon This Pale Hill / int_575fd5e2	comment	Dark Is Not Evil: A theme, especially around Germy, who is an irreligious, philandering, drinking, Deadpan Snarker goth who cares about others (albeit in a stingy, stoic way) and has the very answer Brandon evades. Given his hateful Stepford Smiler family, it's a miracle he's this good.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_575fd5e2	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_575fd5e2	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_575fd5e2
Upon This Pale Hill / int_66755d29	type	Author Avatar
Upon This Pale Hill / int_66755d29	comment	Author Avatar: According to the author's main inspiration of the Composite Character Germy, this book should have been entitled, "Patrick Ashe: The Patrick Ashe Story, by Patrick Ashe."
Upon This Pale Hill / int_66755d29	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_66755d29	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_66755d29
Upon This Pale Hill / int_67d90683	type	Fictional Political Party
Upon This Pale Hill / int_67d90683	comment	Fictional Political Party: The Campus Progressives and Young Capitalists. Each are stand-ins for liberal and libertarian ideologies, respectively. Each initially appeal to the protagonist's idealism and have kindly members, but leave him disappointed when his closer friends within them show character flaws related to the ideologies. Also Strawman Political for Author Tract.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_67d90683	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_67d90683	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_67d90683
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6a6c1f35	type	The Power of Rock
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6a6c1f35	comment	The Power of Rock: A theme, given the 30 songs mentioned by name (a de facto soundtrack) and many bands, as well. Rock and guitar are shown as ways to get through daily life and process emotions from it.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6a6c1f35	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6a6c1f35	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_6a6c1f35
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b05b601	type	Jerkass Has a Point
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b05b601	comment	Jerkass Has a Point: The World of Jackasses usually have points. True to the genre, everyone's parents come across as condescending and sometimes clueless (and cruel, in Germy's case), although they're right that the 20's are about the time their kids' lives that they have to figure out what they're doing, as no viable (even Bohemian) alternatives are seen. The internet trolls and Sarah are correct that Brandon's background is mostly sheltered and privileged. Mostly. (See The Reveal.) Sarah's is still hypocritical. Anyone who criticizes Brandon's nervous demeanor and self-destructive habits. Brandon's parents and friends might sound like jerkasses when they question his motives, but given the inner fight with the Morning Star, they're onto something.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b05b601	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b05b601	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b05b601
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b2b3b59	type	The Reveal
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b2b3b59	comment	The Reveal: After reluctantly correcting his boss's data, thus doing the right thing when he had everything to lose (and did), the Morning Star reveals to Brandon that he was raped as a child (during a math test, fittingly) and the one adult he tried to tell made the PTSD worse by accusing him of wrongdoing and threatening to expel the model student. Also Caleb's cheating on Janelle, who had placed all her hopes in him after Brandon turned away from her.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b2b3b59	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b2b3b59	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_6b2b3b59
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6bda9a30	type	Meaningful Name
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6bda9a30	comment	Meaningful Name: Brandon means "hill" in Old English. Germy is obviously indicative of his "dirty" nature (while Jeremy would be an ironic Biblical name, as Germy isn't religious). Both Marcel and Kuhn surnames refer to thinkers with similar philosophies as the characters. Indeed, Brandon's "Manna Gainst" username refers to Gabriel Marcel's Man Against Mass Society. Thus, the title could refer to Brandon, but other symbolism suggests his town, country, or the western world in general. Aisling means a dream or a vision. Narration confirms her existence, but this is all she is in Brandon's mind (presumably to give him a sense of company over lonely years). Marianne's relationship to Brandon is similar to the object of her namesake song "So Long, Marianne" to its writer Leonard Cohen (who is also one of the many musicians referenced). Sarah Shea-Trivette seems innocuous until you think about her initials (with an odd kinship with Brandon Marcel; public service can be crappy work!). Janelle (merciful) Leora (possessing light). Chris's big brother status is akin to St. Christopher, known for carrying Christ. Randall Hunt is a fitting name for a card-carrying libertarian. Take one guess what Dick's personality is like. Or what Rob's business ethics are like. Miss Helen is the one adult who could have helped Brandon after his trauma and only made it worse. He's felt like he's been stuck there ever since. Syandene, Germy's eventual steady partner, is a Tanzanian name meaning "arriving on time".
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6bda9a30	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_6bda9a30	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_6bda9a30
Upon This Pale Hill / int_71105dfc	type	Everybody Smokes
Upon This Pale Hill / int_71105dfc	comment	Everybody Smokes: The protagonist and two of the main characters (i.e. Germy and Marianne) do. This shows their self-destructive natures, as 2011 was shortly before American smoking rates bottomed-out, so they're true addicts. This also fits North Carolina's tobacco history.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_71105dfc	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_71105dfc	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_71105dfc
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7130202a	type	Jewish Mother
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7130202a	comment	Jewish Mother: Of Jewish Smartass Marianne, directly stated when the former nags the wisecracking latter.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7130202a	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7130202a	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7130202a
Upon This Pale Hill / int_72b0dfd2	type	Being Good Sucks
Upon This Pale Hill / int_72b0dfd2	comment	Being Good Sucks: Brandon's attempts to "do good" with a career in social service is met with resistance, criticism, doubt, and outright contempt over and over and over again.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_72b0dfd2	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_72b0dfd2	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_72b0dfd2
Upon This Pale Hill / int_735dd172	type	Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl
Upon This Pale Hill / int_735dd172	comment	Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Much of the dynamic between Brandon and Janelle comes down to this.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_735dd172	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_735dd172	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_735dd172
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7464705c	type	Arc Words
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7464705c	comment	Arc Words: "Do good." (Often met with scoffs by others, also played with during The Reveal, when Young Brandon says he wants to do well.) "Going home" and "click" are played with. "To truly think for yourself means being prepared to be by yourself" and "Hope is a four-letter word."
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7464705c	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7464705c	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7464705c
Upon This Pale Hill / int_77c0952e	type	Face Your Fears
Upon This Pale Hill / int_77c0952e	comment	Face Your Fears: It's well-established that Brandon avoids driving due to anxiety associated with it, so guess what he needs to do for the Redemption Quest? (Hundreds of miles, no less.)
Upon This Pale Hill / int_77c0952e	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_77c0952e	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_77c0952e
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7870735b	type	From Bad to Worse
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7870735b	comment	From Bad to Worse: Basically the Third Act. After unexpectedly scoring a well-paying job and a sweet visit with Marianne, Brandon either loses touch or has a falling out with each of his friends, gets chewed out by his love interest and authority figures (who he's always had problems with, given...), has a Go Mad from the Revelation related to childhood trauma compounded by the Sadist Teacher response, culminating in a suicide attempt.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7870735b	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7870735b	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7870735b
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c58fe32	type	Louis Cypher
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c58fe32	comment	Louis Cypher: The Morning Star, of course.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c58fe32	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c58fe32	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c58fe32
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c9dcc1	type	THeUnfavorite
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c9dcc1	comment	The Unfavorite: The dark and meek Germy to his athletic and achieving twin brother Grayson, whom their parents praise and has seemingly been favored their whole lives.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c9dcc1	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c9dcc1	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7c9dcc1
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7ec94d53	type	Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7ec94d53	comment	Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: What Brandon is close to becoming after two acts of being pitiful, but is then offered success, respect, and admiration in exchange for dishonesty (which his detractors have falsely accused him of repeatedly at this point) in a powerful nonprofit.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7ec94d53	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7ec94d53	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7ec94d53
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7fbe9a30	type	Freak Out
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7fbe9a30	comment	Freak Out: Brandon has a mild one after his mother disapproves of his attempts to get a job, and a more severe one after The Reveal. Cue screaming and breaking things.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7fbe9a30	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_7fbe9a30	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_7fbe9a30
Upon This Pale Hill / int_83a903f6	type	Stepford Smiler
Upon This Pale Hill / int_83a903f6	comment	Stepford Smiler: Sarah, full stop. Her talk of compassion? See Blatant Lies. She regularly expresses disdain for people with "grumpy" depression issues. While stylishly-dressed and perky, she talks a big game about working in social services (adding to Brandon's idealizing of her), but her volunteer work is superficial and she ends up in an unrelated for-profit job, thinking nothing of the disconnect between her words and actions. Also elements in both Brandon and Germy's families.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_83a903f6	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_83a903f6	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_83a903f6
Upon This Pale Hill / int_85557b38	type	Reality Is Unrealistic
Upon This Pale Hill / int_85557b38	comment	Reality Is Unrealistic: Being autobiographical fiction, much is "inspired by" the author's life, but Word of God is that this book is significantly toned down compared to the inspiring events as to avoid this trope and Too Bleak, Stopped Caring.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_85557b38	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_85557b38	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_85557b38
Upon This Pale Hill / int_868409c	type	Broken Pedestal
Upon This Pale Hill / int_868409c	comment	Broken Pedestal: A key part of Brandon's arc with Sarah. There's not a singular heinous act, but rather a sudden realization of her insincerity and hypocrisy following a prolonged "Reason You Suck" Speech against him.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_868409c	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_868409c	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_868409c
Upon This Pale Hill / int_88472ef3	type	Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life
Upon This Pale Hill / int_88472ef3	comment	Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: A key part of this Coming-of-Age story.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_88472ef3	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_88472ef3	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_88472ef3
Upon This Pale Hill / int_895ec17	type	Only in It for the Money
Upon This Pale Hill / int_895ec17	comment	Only in It for the Money: Randall's motivation and philosophy. Brandon assumed they shared a deeper goal (alleviating poverty by job opportunities), but it's yet another disappointing would-be connection. This could also be argued with Dick, Rob, and even Sarah, but only Randall shows being both aware and unashamed about it.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_895ec17	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_895ec17	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_895ec17
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8c170cb1	type	Ethical Slut
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8c170cb1	comment	Ethical Slut: Germy. He cares for his many consensual partners and his best friend, but sex is apparently one of his ways of coping with the Abusive Parents mentioned above.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8c170cb1	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8c170cb1	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_8c170cb1
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8e1aef2d	type	Reference Overdosed
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8e1aef2d	comment	Reference Overdosed: 30 songs, as many standalone bands, Bible verses, random culture, etc. These are usually relevant to the events of the story.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8e1aef2d	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_8e1aef2d	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_8e1aef2d
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9591377d	type	Heel Realization
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9591377d	comment	Heel Realization: When Brandon realizes he has abandoned Janelle and treated her just as unimportantly as others have treated him. And that she's likely feeling as suicidal as he is.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9591377d	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9591377d	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_9591377d
Upon This Pale Hill / int_978937d6	type	Brand X
Upon This Pale Hill / int_978937d6	comment	Brand X: Gold Pavilion (a telling Yukio Mishima reference) is the go-to social media website. Also the Alter Progress forum, an obvious play on Alter Net (a progressive website). The nonprofit ranking Charity Star website is a portmanteau of Real Life Charity Navigator and Guide Star. Ethoz Art Journal references one of Ashe's obscure short stories about Ethoz Art Gallery. Other real-world brands of guitars, cars, and cigarettes are mentioned by name.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_978937d6	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_978937d6	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_978937d6
Upon This Pale Hill / int_99404851	type	Ladykiller in Love
Upon This Pale Hill / int_99404851	comment	Ladykiller in Love: Germy's fate, which apparently goes well for him.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_99404851	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_99404851	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_99404851
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9b06e314	type	Greater-Scope Villain
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9b06e314	comment	Greater-Scope Villain: Despite a World of Jackasses, the true Big Bad is the Morning Star, who permeates all.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9b06e314	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_9b06e314	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_9b06e314
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a51c5daf	type	The Kindness of Strangers
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a51c5daf	comment	The Kindness of Strangers: Batshitreichwing is a random person on the internet (perhaps a harbinger for meeting Janelle, and obviously his later foray into right-wing thought) that gives Brandon a much-needed pep talk.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a51c5daf	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a51c5daf	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_a51c5daf
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a5d92fce	type	Celibate Hero
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a5d92fce	comment	Celibate Hero: Brandon, holding off for "The One" (who never comes; only false alarms). It's mentioned that he Marianne had sex in years prior. They almost do again when they visit.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a5d92fce	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_a5d92fce	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_a5d92fce
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ac4ac8e5	type	Idiosyncratic Episode Naming
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ac4ac8e5	comment	Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Chapters are named for months, establishing backgrounds and emphasizing cycles in modern life.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ac4ac8e5	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ac4ac8e5	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_ac4ac8e5
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ad66049e	type	Inspiration Nod
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ad66049e	comment	Inspiration Nod: The original cover featuring a lone figure in the snow surrounded by darkness is similar to the poster shot of the Kurosawa film Ikiru, which is both mentioned in-passing and shares obvious existential and personal significance themes. There's also a subtle reference to all 11 songs on U2's The Joshua Tree, a theme of which is the dark side of America.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ad66049e	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_ad66049e	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_ad66049e
Upon This Pale Hill / int_afc6df04	type	What You Are in the Dark
Upon This Pale Hill / int_afc6df04	comment	What You Are in the Dark: A key theme, given who the Big Bad is. The final showdown with the elusive Morning Star happens when Brandon must decide, alone in his hotel room, whether to sacrifice his well-paying job (built on reporting falsified data as Rob tempts him with ever-greater success and approval) by speaking up with honesty. In a smaller way, being intellectually honest with Sarah (saying what he really thinks instead of just agreeing with her) costs him a real chance with her.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_afc6df04	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_afc6df04	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_afc6df04
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b11ac9f5	type	Abusive Parents
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b11ac9f5	comment	Abusive Parents: Germy's, obviously verbally in the present and physically in his recalled past.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b11ac9f5	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b11ac9f5	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_b11ac9f5
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b1e8a3b3	type	Coming of Age Story
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b1e8a3b3	comment	Coming of Age Story: Choosing a career amid internal and external angst is the main plot.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b1e8a3b3	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b1e8a3b3	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_b1e8a3b3
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b28ee15a	type	Heal the Cutie
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b28ee15a	comment	Heal the Cutie: Basically Janelle's fate. After being at arms' length distance for family and friends throughout her life and then having to care for her wounded brother, Brandon rebuffs her interest and shies away, leaving her with Caleb, whose cheating, gossip, and cruelty results in Break the Cutie. But after reconciling with Brandon and picking herself back up, she starts a nonprofit for wounded vets and finally meets someone who requites her romantic self.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b28ee15a	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b28ee15a	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_b28ee15a
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b53077b3	type	Take That!
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b53077b3	comment	Take That!: It's a work of fiction, but given the Author Avatar and above, let's just say there's some meta-critiques happening that aren't just about society at large. Usually in Reason You Suck Speeches, and not just the one receiving them; the more villainous ones from Randall, Dick, Sarah, and Helen suggest why they suck (and in-turn, whoever inspired them) to the reader who sees the greater context.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b53077b3	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b53077b3	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_b53077b3
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b869b5b1	type	Color Motif
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b869b5b1	comment	Color Motif: Orange, like that of a pill bottle, is often used to suggest the theme of sickness.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b869b5b1	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_b869b5b1	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_b869b5b1
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bc502e4b	type	You Are What You Hate
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bc502e4b	comment	You Are What You Hate: Brandon spends the first two acts trying to dig beneath superficiality and have meaningful connections and career only to find himself acting as selfish as everyone else once he finds a girl who genuinely likes him and a well-paying job (rewarding lies, no less).
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bc502e4b	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bc502e4b	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_bc502e4b
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bd0230fb	type	Ambiguously Bi
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bd0230fb	comment	Ambiguously Bi: Germy, hinted at lightheartedly in a few conversations with Brandon (and less lightheartedly by his homophobic father). Brandon's sexuality is also questioned by a coworker because he shows no interest in the superficiality of scantily-clad women, but that's all. Batshitreichwing simply identifies as gay.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bd0230fb	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_bd0230fb	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_bd0230fb
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c0961831	type	Interrupted Suicide
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c0961831	comment	Interrupted Suicide: Brandon by cutting and Janelle by pills after their concurrent Despair Event Horizons. Just then, Aisling shows Brandon he is not alone, who in-turn shows this for Janelle.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c0961831	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c0961831	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_c0961831
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c09b3ff3	type	Physical Scars, Psychological Scars
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c09b3ff3	comment	Physical Scars, Psychological Scars: The "hills" on Brandon's upper arms suggest past trauma.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c09b3ff3	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c09b3ff3	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_c09b3ff3
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c3c18143	type	Hope Spot
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c3c18143	comment	Hope Spot: Brandon's Thanksgiving visit with Marianne. They think they're having a nostalgia-fueled fling when they really just needed good company before the dark path ahead.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c3c18143	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c3c18143	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_c3c18143
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c49935fa	type	20 Minutes into the Past
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c49935fa	comment	20 Minutes into the Past: Released in 2020 but events span late 2010 to early 2012, when the first draft was finished (and thus the story's technology and zeitgeist would better fit).
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c49935fa	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c49935fa	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_c49935fa
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c5249b29	type	Nice Guy
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c5249b29	comment	Nice Guy: Despite a World of Jackasses with few friends, people like Conrad, Vicki, Batshitreichwing, Sister Ann, and a few strangers are all presented to be simply nice people.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c5249b29	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c5249b29	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_c5249b29
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c75df49a	type	Shout-Out
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c75df49a	comment	Shout-Out: Per the Reference Overdose. The 30 songs (and their bands) are notable as they usually are relevant to the events or atmosphere; the first mentioned is the Music/Rush song Subdivisions, fitting the suburban story's genre with lines like "Nowhere is the dreamer (Brandon) or the misfit (Germy) so alone."
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c75df49a	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_c75df49a	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_c75df49a
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d028e0da	type	An Arm and a Leg
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d028e0da	comment	An Arm and a Leg: Why Army Ranger Chris gets sent back home.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d028e0da	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d028e0da	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_d028e0da
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d2ddb362	type	ReasonYouSuckSpeech
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d2ddb362	comment	"Reason You Suck" Speech: And how. Toward the end, our sensitive protagonist gets one from friend Randall, boss Dick, love interest Sarah (for pages), his mother, and in a childhood flashback from his Sadist Teacher. Notably, the only characters who don't are his three closest friends (Janelle arguably being the only one with good reason to give such a speech).
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d2ddb362	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d2ddb362	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_d2ddb362
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d44ea142	type	You Are Not Alone
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d44ea142	comment	You Are Not Alone: A central message. Named by his Kenyan classmate. Despite ongoing loneliness for Brandon and others, he finally overcomes the Morning Star and his greatest inner turmoil when he realizes on a deeper, meaningful level that he is not alone. The irony is that this happens while he is physically alone (which he fixes with the impromptu Redemption Quest).
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d44ea142	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d44ea142	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_d44ea142
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d93c5989	type	Stepford Suburbia
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d93c5989	comment	Stepford Suburbia: How the background of the characters is described, written as a critique.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d93c5989	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_d93c5989	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_d93c5989
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dc3b74bc	type	Pointy-Haired Boss
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dc3b74bc	comment	Pointy-Haired Boss: Dick. And how. The name-appropriate behavior is readily apparent and the incompetence starts to show when he "calls out" Brandon's correct math incorrectly, complete with numbers for the reader to check themselves. Rob tells Brandon he knows this is a problem. Even Dick's physical description is similar to the Dilbert Trope Namer.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dc3b74bc	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dc3b74bc	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_dc3b74bc
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dda99fa8	type	Despair Event Horizon
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dda99fa8	comment	Despair Event Horizon: Brandon after everything goes wrong leading to The Reveal. Also Janelle after thinking she had met a good guy who really liked her only for him to use and dump her.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dda99fa8	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_dda99fa8	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_dda99fa8
Upon This Pale Hill / int_df9eda66	type	Write Who You Know
Upon This Pale Hill / int_df9eda66	comment	Write Who You Know: Word of God is that most of the main characters are "inspired" combinations of personal friends (and foes).
Upon This Pale Hill / int_df9eda66	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_df9eda66	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_df9eda66
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e13b799	type	A Dick in Name
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e13b799	comment	A Dick in Name: Brandon's boss is a perfect example. He's perhaps the most insufferable, well, this in the whole book.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e13b799	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e13b799	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_e13b799
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e2f13529	type	World of Jerkass
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e2f13529	comment	World of Jerkass: Invoked. While there are exceptions like Brandon's friends and contacts like Conrad, Vicki, Sister Ann, and Batshitreichwing, jerkass seems to be a default for most of this world. It's an obvious critique of contemporary western life.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e2f13529	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e2f13529	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_e2f13529
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e3847ee8	type	Cigarette of Anxiety
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e3847ee8	comment	Cigarette of Anxiety: A common occurrence for smokers Brandon, Germy, and Marianne.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e3847ee8	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e3847ee8	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_e3847ee8
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e9550e66	type	Nun Too Holy
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e9550e66	comment	Nun Too Holy / Nuns Are Funny: Inverted with Sister Ann, who is one of the few genuinely nice authority figures and whose pamphlets (which prove to be a critical influence on Brandon) suggest that she advocates against political violence. The book also begins with a quote from Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e9550e66	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_e9550e66	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_e9550e66
Upon This Pale Hill / int_eeb86ce6	type	Good Samaritan
Upon This Pale Hill / int_eeb86ce6	comment	Good Samaritan: This is what Brandon says his career goals are, but this is deconstructed.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_eeb86ce6	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_eeb86ce6	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_eeb86ce6
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f5ab45cb	type	Incompetence, Inc.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f5ab45cb	comment	Incompetence, Inc.: Community Training Corps, run by shrewd ex-corporate managers, is an influential nonprofit that seems to exist only to continue its existence. Brandon's attempt to do his job by evaluating their data is scorned in favor of paper-pushing fluff and flashy BS reports.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f5ab45cb	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f5ab45cb	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_f5ab45cb
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f91d1d4f	type	Darkest Hour
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f91d1d4f	comment	Darkest Hour: The second December (seasonally apropos) for Brandon. Everything goes wrong.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f91d1d4f	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_f91d1d4f	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_f91d1d4f
Upon This Pale Hill / int_fa712e27	type	Gay Conservative
Upon This Pale Hill / int_fa712e27	comment	Gay Conservative: The kind stranger by the very username Batshitreichwing (apparently inspired by what the progressive forum bullies call their ideological foes) sees Brandon being picked on in and both consoles him and cites their own homosexuality to make a point on libertarian individualism.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_fa712e27	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_fa712e27	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_fa712e27
Upon This Pale Hill / int_faa71569	type	Romantic False Lead
Upon This Pale Hill / int_faa71569	comment	Romantic False Lead: Sarah, with streaks of Bitch in Sheep's Clothing.
Upon This Pale Hill / int_faa71569	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_faa71569	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_faa71569
Upon This Pale Hill / int_name	type	ItemName
Upon This Pale Hill / int_name	comment
Upon This Pale Hill / int_name	featureApplicability	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill / int_name	featureConfidence	1.0
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Upon This Pale Hill / int_name
Upon This Pale Hill / int_name	itemName	Upon This Pale Hill

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	American Literature (T to Z) / int_a14fd030
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Coming of Age Story / int_a14fd030
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	Literature of the 2020s / int_a14fd030
Upon This Pale Hill	hasFeature	The New '10s / int_a14fd030

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