Editing Talk:372: To Be Wanted

The previous explanation was:

<blockquote>
The comic is about perspective. The person on the ship dreams of working in an office while the person in the office is dreaming of being on a ship.
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The ship and office are perhaps metaphors for freedom and structure. The comic may be trying to convey that those people who have a highly structured life desire more freedom while those with too much freedom desire structure.
</blockquote>

While interesting, I felt it missed the boat.
--[[User:MisterSpike|MisterSpike]] ([[User talk:MisterSpike|talk]]) 05:19, 17 June 2013 (UTC)


Seems that Randall has invented a new rigging system for boats. A triangular foresail on a bowsprit with a large sqaure sail just behind it blocking its wind. The square seems attached to the mizzenmast behind. Wouldn't quite work I don't think. Deliberate symbolism? [[User:Kevin McCready|Kevin McCready]] ([[User talk:Kevin McCready|talk]]) 12:47, 10 May 2014 (UTC)

::The foresail appears to be attached in a similar way as jib sails in small boats. Should work well enough if the boat is on a beam reach. [[User:RedHatGuy68|RedHatGuy68]] ([[User talk:RedHatGuy68|talk]]) 00:47, 2 February 2016 (UTC)


;Random thoughts
The grainy background does not have to suggest something is not right. Randall has gone with different backgrounds several times. I took it to show the difference between how Randall sees a representation of himself and a representation of the girl he likes. He sees himself as a nerd working in front of a computer in a monochrome setting. He sees Megan sailing, wind blowing in her face, full of contrast and texture. I believe he wanted both of them to think about each other.

To be wanted also includes wanting others to be wanted by you. Relationships are cyclic, much like the panels.

On a completely different note, it seems like Megan sailing off screen in the last panel might have something to do with the act of moving on. This is a complete ass pull, but I think it might have something to do with Randall's actual relationship with whoever Megan represents. It is ''hinted'' that they broke up. Perhaps Randall is hoping that even as she moves on (sails off the screen), she still thinks about him and knows that he still thinks about her.

[[User:Flewk|Flewk]] ([[User talk:Flewk|talk]]) 22:59, 26 December 2015 (UTC)
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 ::The foresail appears to be attached in a similar way as jib sails in small boats. Should work well enough if the boat is on a beam reach. [[User:RedHatGuy68|RedHatGuy68]] ([[User talk:RedHatGuy68|talk]]) 00:47, 2 February 2016 (UTC)
 ;Random thoughts
@@ Line 25: / Line 26: @@
 [[User:Flewk|Flewk]] ([[User talk:Flewk|talk]]) 22:59, 26 December 2015 (UTC)
-Is there any sort of consistency between strips, since it was just two weeks prior that we had a strip of Megan leaving Cueball [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Your_Mom 366:Your Mom].
-So could this entire strip being one of them wishing that had not happened as one of them, it could be either depending on whose thoughts you believe are being portrayed is doing nothing but thinking of the other that they just lost? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.231|162.158.62.231]] 11:53, 14 July 2017 (UTC)
-I didn't interpret [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Your_Mom 366:Your Mom] as Megan leaving the relationship entirely, necessarily - just that she was leaving that specific situation. I interpret this one to mean that Cueball is thinking of Megan, and hoping that she is thinking of him, too. [[User:L-Space Traveler|L-Space Traveler]] ([[User talk:L-Space Traveler|talk]]) 17:41, 26 August 2022 (UTC)
-:<s>Ok, now that I'm up to [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Forgetting 379:_Forgetting], I think that she did, in fact, leave him entirely. [[User:L-Space Traveler|L-Space Traveler]] ([[User talk:L-Space Traveler|talk]]) 13:01, 27 August 2022 (UTC)</s>
-::Further comics suggest they are still together . . . [[User:L-Space Traveler|L-Space Traveler]] ([[User talk:L-Space Traveler|talk]]) 03:09, 28 August 2022 (UTC)
-It's really beautiful imo how this comic can be interpreted both ways as both people missing each other dearly. AzureArmageddon 10:40, 4 October 2023 (UTC)