Dismantling Stigma in Interactive Digital LiteratureMain Menu(con)TEXTAmber Tilling-RichardsThe Universe is a Lonely PlaceAmber Tilling-RichardsI'm betterby Abigail Kennedy-DominguezThe Vine and the FishBy Abigail Kennedy-DominguezHana FeelsPlease answer carefullyIntroStudent BiosAbout the student authorsWorks Cited ListAbigail Kennedy-Dominguez25eae2c35e51b710f60feb8c3daee993ce3eedffAmber Tilling-Richards530a783a57d3962a473eea495ca23667abd2258aAlvin Magata56c90a67d92e01245d2cd36b3e9863de8a1bbbd2Elias Seidb2a5a9a8cfb4248b2351ad0530a9d9ca6f0505aa
hana feels image 2
12023-12-07T07:37:17+00:00Alvin Magata56c90a67d92e01245d2cd36b3e9863de8a1bbbd21932Hana choosing to distance herself with Jen even though she herself says talking to Jen relaxes her.plain2023-12-07T07:39:41+00:00Alvin Magata56c90a67d92e01245d2cd36b3e9863de8a1bbbd2
In "Hana Feels," the theme of stigma is intricately woven into the narrative. The game delves into the stigma surrounding mental health issues and emotions that are often misunderstood or dismissed in society. It does so by immersing players in the personal journey of the protagonist, Hana, as they navigate various emotional struggles and challenges. the stigma is seen when Hana starts pushing away Jen who was basically her only friend by refusing her invites to hang out with her.
Friends serve as pillars of support in our lives, yet when dealing with mental health issues, we often isolate ourselves like Hana, consumed by the self stigmatization instead of seeking refuge in their understanding embrace. This withdrawal from friends only deepens the loneliness. We see I the image that Hana also realizes that talking to Jen relaxes her but then justifies pushing her away by claiming she doesn't have the mental space for it. Hana embodies this struggle in the game as she constantly turned down Jen when she tried to hang out with her by going on a double date. Hana also refused the advances of a man she was initially interested in. All of this climaxes when Jen realizes this and cuts Hana off , her reason being that she needed support from her friends and Hana was not providing it. As we see in the image, Hana didn't even try to fight for the friendship, only contributing half-baked replies to the conversation.This further deepens Hana's mental health struggles, reinforcing the cycle of self-stigmatization she had been battling. The absence of Jen's understanding presence becomes an added weight on Hana's already fragile emotional state, intensifying her internal turmoil.