i would argue that the narrator IS paul, and that paul was the driver of the car and esther was his wife. the whole story is him trying to get over his own guilt
He is an unreliable narrator, and there is a theme of him getting less reliable as time goes on. This illustrates the madness and grief that consumes him... He chooses to live on the island. The island is a place in his mind. That 'place' is him trying to make sense of the loss, and the accident. The trash and litter on the island, are many of the worthless thoughts and logical 'dead ends' that he refuses to let go of (running parallel to Esther's possessions he had trouble letting go of)... But Paul is not the narrator. Any connection we could make of Paul being the narrator is just the narrator grasping at straws. Maddened. Trying to empathize with Paul, while at the same time being angry at Paul for ruining everything.
An interesting theory. I agree with some aspects and disagree with others. Here's what I think: I believe that the narrator is actually Paul, that he is Esther's husband, and that he is the drunk who caused the accident that killed her. He was so wracked with guilt and grief over her death that he had a dissociative break - he separated himself from the identity of Paul. When he speaks of "visiting paul" in his kitchen and "trying to connect" over coffee, he's speaking of being alone with himself and trying unsuccessfully to heal this schism in his mind, this break from himself. The narration of this game, which many criticise as overly flowery and grandiose, actually has many of the hallmarks of the tangental, disordered speech commonly found with psychoses such as schizophrenia, and as the game progresses, the degeneration into raving demonstrates how the infection is causing Paul further confusion and delirium. I'd like to know the ingame reference for Esther and Paul having visited the island together before. This makes sense narratively, but I think I haven't heard the narration that mentions it. It is definitely mentioned that Paul steals Donelley's book from the library and takes it with him. Tortured by his grief and guilt, Paul sought solace in solitude on this island, intending to remain as a hermit for the rest of his days, and while there, he injured his leg and eventually either committed suicide or died of sepsis from the infection. He also created the paintings of circuit diagrams and neurons, and what I believe are depictions of the fetus of his unborn child (the amoeba looking things) as well as leaving the sleeping bags, suitcases, the suit, books and other traces around the island. The game, I think, begins after his death, and the island we see as the players is not entirely real. Some traces of Paul's presence are real, concrete objects, like the tent, sleeping bags, suit, etc, while others are ethereal - they are visions, not objects. Furthermore, I think the most likely identity we play as is actually Esther's spirit, drawn to this island by Paul's letters which he set sail as paper boats. A variation of this is considered a method of sending messages to the dead in some cultures - setting paper lanterns afloat, for example. Esther's spirit is hearing the letters Paul sent her as she walks around the island, seeing some real traces and some symbolic visions, all, essentially, left by Paul. This is why 1. We cannot interact with anything 2. why we cannot see our own reflection in the water, even though other objects are reflected 3. Why when we fall from a cliff or "drown" it's Paul's voice we hear saying "come back," and finally why at the end as we take flight, we hear Paul saying "come back Esther" The ghosts seen around the island, I believe, are only one ghost, that of Paul who has become trapped here, in effect leading us through the story of his descent into madness and his death. Paul has become the island in that he has imprinted it, made it into the shrine of his love for Esther and his guilt over her death, and finally, hopefully, his atonement to her. In the end, I think in order to be free, Paul's spirit needs Esther's to walk the same journey he did, so they can be finally reunited as they take flight in the end. The references to Jakobson and Donelley are Paul identifying with these figures of the past and in a sense using them to come to terms with his own life and death, and that of Esther. I may have it all wrong, but I feel like this interpretation best fits what we are shown throughout the game.
That would explain why you can see yourself as a seagull shadow in the final sequence too; I think I remember the narrator saying that Esther should come back as one and fly with him, or something. Great theory!
Your theory is interesting. I tend to think the narrator is a ghost, haunting the island and endlessly ruminating over the accident that killed his wife and his own suicide. I think that what we're supposed to experience as we walk around the island with no ability to affect any objects is the way that this ghost feels, endlessly wandering the island but unable to touch or do anything. I like your explanation of why he's so obsessed with these people Donnelly and Jakobson, and with the history of the island, though.
Do you mean if the narrator is a ghost? That's how I've taken it -- he's a ghost and he can see other ghosts, but he doesn't make contact with them because he's completely wrapped up in his own trip, which includes all these jumbled thoughts, intense feelings, confused memories, etc. It's almost like he's caught in an endlessly recurrent dream.
One chapter of my PhD in Literary Studies is about this. I stumbled on Dear Esther one day and it kept pulsating in the back of my mind. When I was in the research process of my PhD on Digital Literature, suddenly Esther popped out of my memories, and was one hell of example of what can be achieved uniting plot, graphics and interactivity.
Enrique Nuesch I love it when people use games in PHD's. Hopefully it will slowly bring the stigma of games to a stop. I know my partner used AntiChamber when doing her psychology degree.
Hey Well the field of Digital Literature experienced a great flourishment in the past two decades, and videogames are part of that. Look for the ELMCIP knowledge database, and you will find a good amount of writing on the literary aspects of videogames. Also, there are already world famous scholars writing on videogames, take a look on Espen Aarseth and Jesper Juul cheers!
This game is amazing... It began as suspense and fear of the dark places on the island and the ghosts that wandered to and fro. It devolved to sadness to see a broken man on his last journey, perhaps feeling himself like the Apostle Paul on the way to Damascus. He loved to make Esther cry - he said as much - but perhaps the accident that killed her was the moment when the scales fell from his eyes and he had neither food nor water for 3 days and nights. The chemicals - alcohol and dopamine suggest addiction. And as he makes his last journey he takes us with him on his final hours, that we may learn from what has become of his life. Yea it is he who is truly wracked with guilt over a wife he didn't love... until it was too late...
@@GameLoreArchive the reason most walking simulators follow a sad story is quite simple. The most common thing for someone to do when they are upset and want to think is simply go for a walk.
Incredible. I've adored this game since it was an original Steam mod, but could never truly grasp the story.("Is the island even real?" ''Who are these other people and what is the importance?") And within a few minutes you managed to lay out every single major point to the game. I'm going to reinstall the latest version and give it another go tonight equipped with the knowledge from this video, and I shall continue to appreciate the game on yet another level. Thanks for coming through on this walking simulator classic
It's definitely a hard plot to unravel, and there were many failed attempts at this episode before it all came together! I'm glad you liked the episode and it cleared things up, and thanks for your continued support! Enjoy replaying later :)
I own everybody has gone to Rapture, and just need some recording software for my PS4. But really looking forward to that video. Subscribe so your updated when its out (and for others like it) Our videos will become more frequent, we are just doing a lot of background channel work for our next big Lore series (Elder Scrolls) But regular episodes should be coming out soon.
I think the whole island isn’t real. It’s just a metaphor Paul uses to tell the story of his wife Esther dying in a car accident because it would be too hurtful to talk about it directly. The player character is the person the story is being told to. The characters Jakobson and Donnelly represent Esther and him and the symbols on the wall stand for ethanol, indicating that he was drunk driving. So he created this imaginary world in order to escape reality and cope with his guilt. But as the story goes on he mixes up reality and imagination more and more, which is visible for example through the car parts on the island or him seeing the accident underwater. In the end he kills himself because he can’t bear the guilt anymore and to be with Esther.
I liked dear esther because there is a wide range of posible interpretations and all of them can be right (said by the developers). I myself think that the only characters in the story are the protagonist, who is both paul and jacobson, and the wife who is both esther and donnelly. You crash the car and she dies, and the whole time you are in a coma in a hospital trying to redeem yourself.
Actually the Jacobson part is not correct. He died not after he has finished the construction, but after he even already had his animals, particularly goats, from whom some unknown disease was transferred and was the cause of his death.
Sorry for the late reply! I never got a notification and saw your comment by chance. You are 100% correct. And I know that. I must of switched off while writing (and editing..) that bit. Sorry!
0:22 The Setting - The Island - 2 people: Jacobson and Donnelley - Jacobson Died Just After construction of the Brothy - Donolley was a writer 0:57 Narrator + Esther - M5 Car Crash, semi-drunk driver Paul crashes, kills Esther 1:23 Paul kills himself due to guilt 1:38 Health decline, 1 final walk around the Island, connecting book to his life, 1:45 Narrator ends his long life
So you're just gonna ignore how their names are Paul Jackobson and Esther Donnelly which brings the number of characters from five down to two? Also it is never implied that's your wife or even girl, it could be your sister or anyone realy
yea I was wondering that Paul Jackobson is one person since it was mentioned in the end. But I always saw this story as the narrator being the father of Esther. And Paul being the husband and drunk driver that got Esther killed. The narrators (father) name is perhaps never mentioned.
A book doesn't have the wind whistling through the bushes, the bushes that dance in the breeze, the sun behind the clouds, the clouds and mist that travel, the sound of steps in the sand, the fluorescent paintings and luminescent fungi, the sound of waves crashing into the rift. Dear Esther is a story than only video games can tell, making it into a book would only make the story lose what is unique to it.
Thank you for explaining this! I played EGTTR, but never completed it due to messing up somewhere along the line, but I don't know where so I can't fix it and carry on. I think they're absolutely beautiful games!
Your story line is too simple. For example as the narrator climbs the tower he mentions Esther Donnelly and Paul Jakobson, clearly there is much more to the story and the characters than you say. I don't think even the creators know exactly what's it about.
repo4 the whole point of these videos is to explain the games simply, while making it so people will want to see for themselves. There may be smaller bits not mentioned left for you to discover. But I assure you the creators will know what it's about!
The story is not at all as simple as this, otherwise there is no point to this game at all. There maybe multiple true theories but this is surely not one. What I believe Is Jacobson is narrator, both have some infection, and both were being compared to drunk driver, and narrator wants for "redemption", Jacobson is the guilty version of narrator, and yeah...Esther was pregnant
You say my 5 min video is to simple, yet your theory is then summed up in one sentence? My video is just a theory, and could well be wrong. But it is what I believe to be true. But keeping things simpler makes for easier understanding without looking under every virtual rock.
i would argue that the narrator IS paul, and that paul was the driver of the car and esther was his wife. the whole story is him trying to get over his own guilt
Yup. I agree.
Near the end he says something about the lines of Paul having a leg injury.. which the narrator himself had.
I hope not, I don't like unreliable narrators.
@@daelinproudmore5068 Weather or not he's Paul, he's certainly unreliable.
He is an unreliable narrator, and there is a theme of him getting less reliable as time goes on. This illustrates the madness and grief that consumes him... He chooses to live on the island. The island is a place in his mind. That 'place' is him trying to make sense of the loss, and the accident. The trash and litter on the island, are many of the worthless thoughts and logical 'dead ends' that he refuses to let go of (running parallel to Esther's possessions he had trouble letting go of)... But Paul is not the narrator. Any connection we could make of Paul being the narrator is just the narrator grasping at straws. Maddened. Trying to empathize with Paul, while at the same time being angry at Paul for ruining everything.
An interesting theory. I agree with some aspects and disagree with others. Here's what I think: I believe that the narrator is actually Paul, that he is Esther's husband, and that he is the drunk who caused the accident that killed her. He was so wracked with guilt and grief over her death that he had a dissociative break - he separated himself from the identity of Paul. When he speaks of "visiting paul" in his kitchen and "trying to connect" over coffee, he's speaking of being alone with himself and trying unsuccessfully to heal this schism in his mind, this break from himself. The narration of this game, which many criticise as overly flowery and grandiose, actually has many of the hallmarks of the tangental, disordered speech commonly found with psychoses such as schizophrenia, and as the game progresses, the degeneration into raving demonstrates how the infection is causing Paul further confusion and delirium.
I'd like to know the ingame reference for Esther and Paul having visited the island together before. This makes sense narratively, but I think I haven't heard the narration that mentions it. It is definitely mentioned that Paul steals Donelley's book from the library and takes it with him. Tortured by his grief and guilt, Paul sought solace in solitude on this island, intending to remain as a hermit for the rest of his days, and while there, he injured his leg and eventually either committed suicide or died of sepsis from the infection. He also created the paintings of circuit diagrams and neurons, and what I believe are depictions of the fetus of his unborn child (the amoeba looking things) as well as leaving the sleeping bags, suitcases, the suit, books and other traces around the island.
The game, I think, begins after his death, and the island we see as the players is not entirely real. Some traces of Paul's presence are real, concrete objects, like the tent, sleeping bags, suit, etc, while others are ethereal - they are visions, not objects.
Furthermore, I think the most likely identity we play as is actually Esther's spirit, drawn to this island by Paul's letters which he set sail as paper boats. A variation of this is considered a method of sending messages to the dead in some cultures - setting paper lanterns afloat, for example. Esther's spirit is hearing the letters Paul sent her as she walks around the island, seeing some real traces and some symbolic visions, all, essentially, left by Paul. This is why 1. We cannot interact with anything 2. why we cannot see our own reflection in the water, even though other objects are reflected 3. Why when we fall from a cliff or "drown" it's Paul's voice we hear saying "come back," and finally why at the end as we take flight, we hear Paul saying "come back Esther"
The ghosts seen around the island, I believe, are only one ghost, that of Paul who has become trapped here, in effect leading us through the story of his descent into madness and his death. Paul has become the island in that he has imprinted it, made it into the shrine of his love for Esther and his guilt over her death, and finally, hopefully, his atonement to her. In the end, I think in order to be free, Paul's spirit needs Esther's to walk the same journey he did, so they can be finally reunited as they take flight in the end.
The references to Jakobson and Donelley are Paul identifying with these figures of the past and in a sense using them to come to terms with his own life and death, and that of Esther.
I may have it all wrong, but I feel like this interpretation best fits what we are shown throughout the game.
Well written, I like this theory!
I like your theory!
@@fayenguyen-barmore1662 Thanks!
That would explain why you can see yourself as a seagull shadow in the final sequence too; I think I remember the narrator saying that Esther should come back as one and fly with him, or something. Great theory!
Well done
Your theory is interesting. I tend to think the narrator is a ghost, haunting the island and endlessly ruminating over the accident that killed his wife and his own suicide. I think that what we're supposed to experience as we walk around the island with no ability to affect any objects is the way that this ghost feels, endlessly wandering the island but unable to touch or do anything. I like your explanation of why he's so obsessed with these people Donnelly and Jakobson, and with the history of the island, though.
Karen Van Hook That would explain why you can see other ghosts
Do you mean if the narrator is a ghost? That's how I've taken it -- he's a ghost and he can see other ghosts, but he doesn't make contact with them because he's completely wrapped up in his own trip, which includes all these jumbled thoughts, intense feelings, confused memories, etc. It's almost like he's caught in an endlessly recurrent dream.
Karen Van Hook says around the island you can see ghosts. I personally didn't. But search on RUclips for it. It's very interesting
You haven't seen the ghosts? I have. There are a few. I think their presence makes sense if the narrator is also a ghost.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
Probably one of the most beautiful ending of a video game I've ever experienced.
You didn't mention that it was the NARRATOR that was drunk driving: "...my lack of sobriety", which is the main reason for his guilt.
Ah, I apologise if I missed this detail. Sorry!
My sickness is the combustion engine and the fermentation of yeast.
Say what you want, but the end with that soundtrack just got to me, all the feelings and emotions.
Loved this short little story.
One chapter of my PhD in Literary Studies is about this. I stumbled on Dear Esther one day and it kept pulsating in the back of my mind. When I was in the research process of my PhD on Digital Literature, suddenly Esther popped out of my memories, and was one hell of example of what can be achieved uniting plot, graphics and interactivity.
Enrique Nuesch I love it when people use games in PHD's. Hopefully it will slowly bring the stigma of games to a stop. I know my partner used AntiChamber when doing her psychology degree.
Hey
Well the field of Digital Literature experienced a great flourishment in the past two decades, and videogames are part of that. Look for the ELMCIP knowledge database, and you will find a good amount of writing on the literary aspects of videogames. Also, there are already world famous scholars writing on videogames, take a look on Espen Aarseth and Jesper Juul
cheers!
This game is amazing... It began as suspense and fear of the dark places on the island and the ghosts that wandered to and fro. It devolved to sadness to see a broken man on his last journey, perhaps feeling himself like the Apostle Paul on the way to Damascus. He loved to make Esther cry - he said as much - but perhaps the accident that killed her was the moment when the scales fell from his eyes and he had neither food nor water for 3 days and nights. The chemicals - alcohol and dopamine suggest addiction. And as he makes his last journey he takes us with him on his final hours, that we may learn from what has become of his life. Yea it is he who is truly wracked with guilt over a wife he didn't love... until it was too late...
I have noticed most walking simulators seem to follow the 'sad story' pattern.
really makes u think huih?
what are the rest of the drawings? The only things I even knew about was the dopamine
@@GameLoreArchive the reason most walking simulators follow a sad story is quite simple. The most common thing for someone to do when they are upset and want to think is simply go for a walk.
@@ProperlyGaming needs more Tea to truly grasp a bad day
Incredible. I've adored this game since it was an original Steam mod, but could never truly grasp the story.("Is the island even real?" ''Who are these other people and what is the importance?") And within a few minutes you managed to lay out every single major point to the game. I'm going to reinstall the latest version and give it another go tonight equipped with the knowledge from this video, and I shall continue to appreciate the game on yet another level. Thanks for coming through on this walking simulator classic
It's definitely a hard plot to unravel, and there were many failed attempts at this episode before it all came together! I'm glad you liked the episode and it cleared things up, and thanks for your continued support! Enjoy replaying later :)
I own everybody has gone to Rapture, and just need some recording software for my PS4. But really looking forward to that video. Subscribe so your updated when its out (and for others like it) Our videos will become more frequent, we are just doing a lot of background channel work for our next big Lore series (Elder Scrolls) But regular episodes should be coming out soon.
I think the whole island isn’t real. It’s just a metaphor Paul uses to tell the story of his wife Esther dying in a car accident because it would be too hurtful to talk about it directly. The player character is the person the story is being told to. The characters Jakobson and Donnelly represent Esther and him and the symbols on the wall stand for ethanol, indicating that he was drunk driving. So he created this imaginary world in order to escape reality and cope with his guilt. But as the story goes on he mixes up reality and imagination more and more, which is visible for example through the car parts on the island or him seeing the accident underwater. In the end he kills himself because he can’t bear the guilt anymore and to be with Esther.
I liked dear esther because there is a wide range of posible interpretations and all of them can be right (said by the developers). I myself think that the only characters in the story are the protagonist, who is both paul and jacobson, and the wife who is both esther and donnelly. You crash the car and she dies, and the whole time you are in a coma in a hospital trying to redeem yourself.
Mk Red many people think the island is imagined, I looked at a lot of the theories regarding this game.
I also got a feeling that he is in the coma.
Actually the Jacobson part is not correct. He died not after he has finished the construction, but after he even already had his animals, particularly goats, from whom some unknown disease was transferred and was the cause of his death.
yes, says 2 years after the construction of the place.
Sorry for the late reply! I never got a notification and saw your comment by chance. You are 100% correct. And I know that. I must of switched off while writing (and editing..) that bit. Sorry!
he got syphilis, I think
I fucking found that hilarious... he got syphilis... from goats....
It clearly implies he was Welsh.
0:22 The Setting
- The Island
- 2 people: Jacobson and Donnelley
- Jacobson Died Just After construction of the Brothy
- Donolley was a writer
0:57 Narrator + Esther
- M5 Car Crash, semi-drunk driver Paul crashes, kills Esther
1:23 Paul kills himself due to guilt
1:38 Health decline, 1 final walk around the Island, connecting book to his life,
1:45 Narrator ends his long life
So you're just gonna ignore how their names are Paul Jackobson and Esther Donnelly which brings the number of characters from five down to two? Also it is never implied that's your wife or even girl, it could be your sister or anyone realy
yea I was wondering that Paul Jackobson is one person since it was mentioned in the end. But I always saw this story as the narrator being the father of Esther. And Paul being the husband and drunk driver that got Esther killed. The narrators (father) name is perhaps never mentioned.
Thanks man! very helpful! btw you have a great voice for commentary!
haha/Ezy BigMac I'm glad, subscribe for many more videos with my voice aha
this needs to be a real book
Trickshot Legend It would be hard to write but if done correctly...
A book doesn't have the wind whistling through the bushes, the bushes that dance in the breeze, the sun behind the clouds, the clouds and mist that travel, the sound of steps in the sand, the fluorescent paintings and luminescent fungi, the sound of waves crashing into the rift. Dear Esther is a story than only video games can tell, making it into a book would only make the story lose what is unique to it.
I would have said that this is already something book-like. The whole story takes the best of English literature, it has a very literary feel to it
Thank you for explaining this! I played EGTTR, but never completed it due to messing up somewhere along the line, but I don't know where so I can't fix it and carry on. I think they're absolutely beautiful games!
Live Stream Gameplays All walking simulators are beautiful! Please subscribe for all our explanations and Lore videos!
I don’t think the narrator can be Paul. Upon leaping from the tower, the narrator says “I looked to my right and saw Paul flying beside me.”
To save you all a headache play the game with the commentary directory on. You'll actually find out what happened instead of hearing a theory.
what happened ? :D
aaaah interesting. I'll do that.
Your story line is too simple. For example as the narrator climbs the tower he mentions Esther Donnelly and Paul Jakobson, clearly there is much more to the story and the characters than you say. I don't think even the creators know exactly what's it about.
repo4 the whole point of these videos is to explain the games simply, while making it so people will want to see for themselves. There may be smaller bits not mentioned left for you to discover. But I assure you the creators will know what it's about!
rthat's because it's stupid RT
Only game that's ever made me cry.
You should really play what remains of Edith Finch it will make you cry 😢
This is a sad story but a good story indeed
How do I save the game? If I need to stop playing, then I need to start playing from the beginning when I restart the game.
Ok this is epic.
2:23 POV: You're the jumpmaster
The story is not at all as simple as this, otherwise there is no point to this game at all. There maybe multiple true theories but this is surely not one. What I believe Is Jacobson is narrator, both have some infection, and both were being compared to drunk driver, and narrator wants for "redemption", Jacobson is the guilty version of narrator, and yeah...Esther was pregnant
You say my 5 min video is to simple, yet your theory is then summed up in one sentence? My video is just a theory, and could well be wrong. But it is what I believe to be true. But keeping things simpler makes for easier understanding without looking under every virtual rock.
@@GameLoreArchive bro complexity hardly has to do anything with its length
Just played this game very recently.
I'm sorry. I see no signs of reunification with Esther
Ok, men, very nice explanation, but one only thing, who is the ghost? what does it supposed to do into the game? Explanation about the ghost!!
Where do I need to walk to see the ghost?
So..and what about the ghosts? Their just an Easter egg?
Where are the ghosts?
@@KainyStyle throughout the island.
anyone know the speedrun record for this game?
According to speedrun.com - 17m 40s
the game feels so scary i stopped playing after 20min
I promise there is no scares in the game
@@GameLoreArchiveCan confirm
@@mr.hashundredsofprivatepla3711 see, I promised!
Yeah you wish...
I prefer Silent Hill 2.
I prefer Sam and Max Hit the Road.
More power to you, then.
This is a very loose theory at best
And that's a very loose argument against my theory at best. At least comment what you think happened>
This doesn't explain anything.
@@sighourshanbanipur2088 Sorry you feel that way.