I love fairytales and fantasy novels. In fact, I'm writing my own:
Shutting the door softly behind him, Marion followed her as she slipped between the shadows of the building and quickly moved down the road. The town roads gradually began to slope downhill and the once closely spaced stone buildings became sparser. They passed underneath a stone archway and exited the main city. The road began to double back on itself as the land became steeper, and soon they were walking on a gravel road amid densely spaced trees at the base of the hill. Marion struggled to keep his eye on Hessa as they marched; he could only catch glimpses of her figure darting between shafts of moonlight. Then, barely seen in the shadows ahead, Hessa turned off the gravel road and disappeared beyond two trees. Marion hurried to follow, finding a worn path where her silhouette had gone. The worn path turned to merely heavily trodden ground, to barely a separation in the brush, and then disappeared altogether. Hessa turned sharply once again and ducked under an old large oak that was leaning heavily to one side; its branches sprawled toward the ground like long arms with grasping fingers. It looked as if it could be a hundred years old.
“In here!” Marion heard her urgent whisper and the unmistakable sound of a squeaking gate. He ducked underneath the oak branches that clawed at his cloak. It took a moment after he stood upright for him to realize what he was looking at. It was a barn. Dilapidated and ugly, its wood siding was gray and moldy, the roof had gaping holes, the door hung crookedly on its hinges and no longer spanned the full distance across the doorway. Marion wondered what Hessa could possibly have to show him in a place so deserted and desolate as this.
Hessa disappeared behind the barn door and beckoned for Marion to follow. He crept into the shadows. He heard Hessa fumbling around for something in the corner; a match lit, and soon she was lifting a lantern. She stepped across the aisle of the barn and toward one of the stalls. Laying one hand on the wooden wall of the stall, she began to cluck softly.
Marion stepped toward the stall. His eyes were barely starting to adjust to the light. He peered into the darkness and a heavy shadow moved. Hessa lifted the lantern and the creature in the stall stepped toward them. Marion drew in a breath. It was huge. A shaft of moonlight passed over the back of the creature, revealing, narrow withers, a curving back, and strong haunches. It was a magnificent horse, unlike any Marion had ever seen. Its coat glittered golden in the moonlight, as if tiny stars were scattered it its fur. It moved smoothly and with power; before Marion had time to take it all in, it reached its head over the stall door and nudged Hessa.
“There, Boy, you’ve come to greet me.” She rubbed his nose along the pure white blaze that ran from between his eyes past his nostrils. He tossed his head in response and a yellow golden mane fluttered lightly on his neck.
The horse seemed to suddenly noticed Marion standing there and turned toward him, his blue eyes staring. Marion froze. It was almost as if human eyes were piercing into him.
“His name is Veridus,” Hessa said.
“Interesting name,” Marion grunted.
“He’s magnificent.”
Marion nodded in response. There was certainly something wonderful about this horse, but he didn’t know what. It would certainly be useful, however, magnificent or not. Riding horseback was much more enjoyable than walking.
“Come on, introduce yourself,” Hessa said, backing away from the animal.
Tentatively, Marion stepped forward to place a hand on his face. Veridus jerked his head away. Startled, Marion reached for his neck instead. “Thank you,” he said. “I mean, I’m assuming you are allowing me to borrow him.”
Hessa nodded. “Only if you take good care of him.”
“I certainly will,” Marion answered. “Horses can walk much faster than humans.”
Hessa gave him a small grin. “Oh you won’t be walking. His name is Veridus.”
Marion eyed her. “What does that mean?”
“It means winged horse. He can fly.”
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Modern Beauty and the Beast
My sixth grade sister had an assignment for school: take a classic fairytale and retell the story in modern times. She hasn't written the story yet, but this is something I came up with from our general idea.
Beauty and the Beast.
There is a man who is very into his job. He works for the FBI and is trained as a spy and hitman. He is so involved with his career that it becomes his life. He eats, sleeps and breathes the FBI, thinking that other people and other matters are unimportant. His neighbors think he is anti-social and he is often rude to his family. He introduces himself as simply Q. He has to change his appearance very often, but one of the most useful disguises he uses is a full beard and mustache and long shaggy hair. He is so hairy that his mother says he looks like a beast.
He lives in New York and pretends to be a broker. One day he meets a woman at the bus stop. On first glance, he thinks she is very beautiful, but he thinks that she would surely be ditsy and flighty and not worth his time. He is very rude to her and she does not like him at all. But there is something about her that intrigues him. Using the skills he learned in the FBI as a spy, he begins to keep tabs on her and learns that her name is Angelina. She starts to notice his strange behavior and when he calls her on the phone, she yells at him, calling him a stalker. He is very hurt by her dislike of him.
Eventually, Q backs off for a while, but he meets her again on the street. This time he tries to be nice, but he is awkward and acts strangely because he has not spoken with anyone like this in a long time. Angelina takes pity on him and invites him to have coffee with her. They have a good time. They start to hang out more often, and Angelina shows him how to be himself instead of feeling awkward. They start to talk about their personal lives. Angelina learns that a long time ago, Q broke off relations with his father. Now his father is dying, and Q does not want to speak to him before he dies. Angelina manages to convince Q that he should see his father.
When Q is able to visit his father, he breaks down in tears, and realizes that his career has turned him into a monster. He had not even been able to forgive his father on his deathbed. Q decides to quit his career as a spy and hitman, and shaves off his beard and cuts his hair. Then, realizing he loves Angelina, he marries her. He brings gifts to his neighbors, smiling and introducing himself now as Quinton.
Beauty and the Beast.
There is a man who is very into his job. He works for the FBI and is trained as a spy and hitman. He is so involved with his career that it becomes his life. He eats, sleeps and breathes the FBI, thinking that other people and other matters are unimportant. His neighbors think he is anti-social and he is often rude to his family. He introduces himself as simply Q. He has to change his appearance very often, but one of the most useful disguises he uses is a full beard and mustache and long shaggy hair. He is so hairy that his mother says he looks like a beast.
He lives in New York and pretends to be a broker. One day he meets a woman at the bus stop. On first glance, he thinks she is very beautiful, but he thinks that she would surely be ditsy and flighty and not worth his time. He is very rude to her and she does not like him at all. But there is something about her that intrigues him. Using the skills he learned in the FBI as a spy, he begins to keep tabs on her and learns that her name is Angelina. She starts to notice his strange behavior and when he calls her on the phone, she yells at him, calling him a stalker. He is very hurt by her dislike of him.
Eventually, Q backs off for a while, but he meets her again on the street. This time he tries to be nice, but he is awkward and acts strangely because he has not spoken with anyone like this in a long time. Angelina takes pity on him and invites him to have coffee with her. They have a good time. They start to hang out more often, and Angelina shows him how to be himself instead of feeling awkward. They start to talk about their personal lives. Angelina learns that a long time ago, Q broke off relations with his father. Now his father is dying, and Q does not want to speak to him before he dies. Angelina manages to convince Q that he should see his father.
When Q is able to visit his father, he breaks down in tears, and realizes that his career has turned him into a monster. He had not even been able to forgive his father on his deathbed. Q decides to quit his career as a spy and hitman, and shaves off his beard and cuts his hair. Then, realizing he loves Angelina, he marries her. He brings gifts to his neighbors, smiling and introducing himself now as Quinton.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Chivalry vs. Feminism
Snow White makes me angry. You know, I thought I didn't mind the traditional fairtytales where the prince comes and rescues the princess and takes her away, but Snow White is just plain dumb. I like to consider myself a smart person while I'm not the most gorgeous girl on the block; I don't want to feel like guys are going to be less interested in people like me and more interested in ditsy flighty beauties who care more about how they look than how they behave. This tale makes me feel like women are just objects to men and can just sit there and look beautiful and allow the men to do whatever they want with them.
Don't get me wrong. Like many women, I love to feel the protection of another man; I love to be rescued. I am a little old-fashioned, and I think that chivalry is a dying art. But I am not going to put myself in a dangerous situation just to be rescued. Women are meant to be mothers; they too are meant to protect, to heal, to take care of themselves and their children. They are not just pretty things you sit on your shelf. The problem with society is that it seems to operate in the two extremes. Either people (some men especially) think that women are objects meant to be quiet and do as the man asks, letting him be in control of everything; or they (the feminists) think that women are supposed to be like men, and push their career over their children while claiming that they don't need or want the help of men. Neither of these is okay. Women are beautiful, able creatures, created by God for a purpose, and that purpose is not merely an object for pleasure. But it also does not mean women should try to turn themselves into something they are not: men.
We are the bride. We are loved and cared for because of who we are, the things we believe in, the things we accomplish, and how we love and care for other people. We are able; we are smart; we can get ourselves out of danger, but we also trust the help of men who, though equal, carry much different qualities than we. Let the man be the prince, but be the intelligent princess.
Thank God my fiance loves me for more than my looks.
Don't get me wrong. Like many women, I love to feel the protection of another man; I love to be rescued. I am a little old-fashioned, and I think that chivalry is a dying art. But I am not going to put myself in a dangerous situation just to be rescued. Women are meant to be mothers; they too are meant to protect, to heal, to take care of themselves and their children. They are not just pretty things you sit on your shelf. The problem with society is that it seems to operate in the two extremes. Either people (some men especially) think that women are objects meant to be quiet and do as the man asks, letting him be in control of everything; or they (the feminists) think that women are supposed to be like men, and push their career over their children while claiming that they don't need or want the help of men. Neither of these is okay. Women are beautiful, able creatures, created by God for a purpose, and that purpose is not merely an object for pleasure. But it also does not mean women should try to turn themselves into something they are not: men.
We are the bride. We are loved and cared for because of who we are, the things we believe in, the things we accomplish, and how we love and care for other people. We are able; we are smart; we can get ourselves out of danger, but we also trust the help of men who, though equal, carry much different qualities than we. Let the man be the prince, but be the intelligent princess.
Thank God my fiance loves me for more than my looks.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Shaping Stories
It is amazing how much you can find in a story--sexual undertones, cultural warnings, political messages. Fairytales were just stories when we were kids, right? They didn't have much of a point, except they entertained. Well, sometimes they didn't even do that. I remember thinking that Little Red Riding Hood was kind of silly when I was a little kid. I never understood how the girl could mistake a wolf for her grandma. But, then again, I loved the Disney versions of Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. In a lot of ways, though, Disney changed many of these stories. It seems Disney has sort of taken over the popular view of these classic fairytales, asserting its version as the "true" version. I remember the first time I read a story of Beauty and the Beast that had someone killed in it. I was apalled. I had no idea how much my view of it, shaped by Disney, was different from many of the older versions.
Looking back now, I don't even recall a time when I had never heard of many of these classic tales. I can't remember the first time I heard the story of Red Riding Hood or Cinderella. It seems they have always been in my memory, much like the classic fairy tales seem to have always been part of our culture. Of course, it wasn't always that way. They were born out of something, and yet many different cultures from all over the world have very similar stories. It goes to show how alike humans are; how much we have in common, no matter our backgrounds. Every young girl wants to be taken away by her shining prince; every young man wants to pull a sword from a stone. We see these same ideas exhibited in modern "chick flicks" and adventure stories. The question is: do we shape the stories, or do the stories shape us? Since similar stories were born of different cultures in times of very little mass communication, I'd say we shape the stories based on our own human understanding and desires. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with a beautiful, confident woman captivating a man, and allowing him to take her away and shower her with chivalry and affection. I tell you what; if a man came riding up to me on a brilliant white steed and told me he would take me away to his castle in a faraway magical land, I'd definitely consider it. Maybe I am just old fashioned. ;)
Outside Reading List
Book 1: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle
Author: C. S. Lewis
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 3/26
Book 2: Guess How Much I Love You
Author: Sam Mc Bratney
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/5
Book 3: The Little House
Author: Virginia Lee Burton
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/14
Book 4: I, Freddy
Author: Dietlof Reiche
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/16
Book 5: Would you rather be a Bullfrog?
Author: Theo. LeSieg
Illustrator: Roy McKie
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/17
Book 6: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J. K. Rowling
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/18
Book 7: Clifford the Small Red Puppy
Author: Norman Bridwell
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/24
Book 8: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Author: Patricia MacLachlan
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/24
Book 9: The Cat's Meow
Author: Gary Soto
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/25
Book 10: Foursome the Spider
Author: Larry Nestor
Illustrator: Michael Glenn Monroe
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/26
Looking back now, I don't even recall a time when I had never heard of many of these classic tales. I can't remember the first time I heard the story of Red Riding Hood or Cinderella. It seems they have always been in my memory, much like the classic fairy tales seem to have always been part of our culture. Of course, it wasn't always that way. They were born out of something, and yet many different cultures from all over the world have very similar stories. It goes to show how alike humans are; how much we have in common, no matter our backgrounds. Every young girl wants to be taken away by her shining prince; every young man wants to pull a sword from a stone. We see these same ideas exhibited in modern "chick flicks" and adventure stories. The question is: do we shape the stories, or do the stories shape us? Since similar stories were born of different cultures in times of very little mass communication, I'd say we shape the stories based on our own human understanding and desires. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with a beautiful, confident woman captivating a man, and allowing him to take her away and shower her with chivalry and affection. I tell you what; if a man came riding up to me on a brilliant white steed and told me he would take me away to his castle in a faraway magical land, I'd definitely consider it. Maybe I am just old fashioned. ;)
Outside Reading List
Book 1: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle
Author: C. S. Lewis
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 3/26
Book 2: Guess How Much I Love You
Author: Sam Mc Bratney
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/5
Book 3: The Little House
Author: Virginia Lee Burton
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/14
Book 4: I, Freddy
Author: Dietlof Reiche
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/16
Book 5: Would you rather be a Bullfrog?
Author: Theo. LeSieg
Illustrator: Roy McKie
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/17
Book 6: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J. K. Rowling
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/18
Book 7: Clifford the Small Red Puppy
Author: Norman Bridwell
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/24
Book 8: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Author: Patricia MacLachlan
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/24
Book 9: The Cat's Meow
Author: Gary Soto
Picture Book? No
Posting Date: 4/25
Book 10: Foursome the Spider
Author: Larry Nestor
Illustrator: Michael Glenn Monroe
Picture Book? Yes
Posting Date: 4/26
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