My Final Blog!

After writing these weekly blogs, I became so accustomed to them that it seems almost depressing that they will come to an end today.  The assignment for this blog was to write about what we took away from the class and what we would have done differently to improve our experience throughout the semester.  I can honestly say that learning can not even slightly describe what I have accomplished throughout this class.  I have completed so much more than learning.  I am taking away a vast amount of knowledge and life lessons from this class in which I never expected too.  When I first scheduled myself for this course, I was just hoping to get some of my requirements out of the way but, I am so glad that I chose this class as it really left an impact and I would be willing to recommend it to anyone who is looking for an SIS in the future. 

When the class first started I was honestly hesitant about all the analyzing of some of my most beloved fairy tales.  I think I was in denial and did not want to hear anything other than what I knew as a child.  But, as time went on, I came to realize that some of these analyses, although some seemed absurd to me, have some strong arguments behind them.  This showed me that there is much more than meets the eye and life is so much bigger than me, you, and fairy tales.  It really made an impact showing me that even though everyone is looking out of a different looking glass, we are all reading the same words on the same paper and living in the same world.  We are all connected by 
life and these tales make that connection possible. 

(http://www.maps-continents.com/globe-africa-asia.htm)

If I could do anything differently throughout this course it would be to make more time for myself.  I did complete all the readings but I sometimes wish I had more time to reread the material to gain a better grasp of the material.  I also wish I was not as shy and could interject my observations and beliefs about the tales to the class.  Overall though, I think with the questions and points I did contribute to the class and all the work I completed outside the class, I do not know that I could have done much more, or in that case, learned much more.  This course took up most of my time during this semester.  Even if I did not have assigned work for the class, I was always thinking about the material and attempting to apply it to real life.  

I did look back at my first blog ever and I realized how much I have grown throughout the semester.  I started the semester focusing on the major aspects of the tale such as the typical, “Happily Ever After” and the princes and princesses and witty stories.  What I have noticed is that I have expanded and now find myself analyzing the smallest aspects of each of these stories.  For example, in my first blog, I wrote that The Lion King was my favorite fairy tale, if it can be described as that.  Now, I realize a fairy tale is what one makes it.  A fairy tale can be anything as long as one interprets it in a fairy tale manner.  Therefore, I perceive The Lion King as a fairy tale and I watched it last week and found myself analyzing the most minuscule details and it really made me appreciate the film that much more.  

(http://www.filmofilia.com/2010/06/24/disney-converting-the-lion-king-to-3d/)

Overall, the course was a big eye opener for me and it is a shame that it has to end so soon.  I learned more in the course than I could ever explain.  Yes, there were things I disliked, such as the film Pan’s Labyrinth, but, overall the course was fascinating and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the future as it has helped me grow not only as a student but as a person as well. 

Bengali Folk Tales

Dr. Mian of the physics department attended our class this week and discussed folk stories of Bangladesh, specifically in the Bengali language he grew up hearing and speaking.  From his presentation, I noticed the uniqueness of the Bengali folk tales as they were different from the other Asian stories and drastically different from European folk tales.  

For me, it was interesting to see the variations between Indian and Bengali stories as I grew up next to a Hindu family and recognized many of the Indian figures and beliefs.  The Bengali stories of Bangladesh contained demons as do the stories of India.  Dr. Mian discussed the images used to portray the stories and it really made me realize how culturally impacted folk tales are as I have a good grasp of the Indian subcontinent culture in comparison the the American culture.

(http://www.exoticindiaart.com/print_bookdetails.php3?prodid=IDK742&table=)

I realize that Bangladesh and India have different cultures but, Dr. Mian discussed the culture and lifestyle of the Bengali people in connection with tales so I am using his presentation as a backbone. In the images he described how it is common for males to wear nice jewelry and be very decorated, which I have noticed in my neighbor’s wedding pictures.  Also, the incorporation of the ‘bindi’, the dot on the forehead, is present in the illustrations which makes sense but shows the application of the culture to the stories.  I am also not sure about Bangladesh but I know that in India they have arranged marriages and if the same goes for Bangladesh, in a round about way, it shows that true love is attainable even with arranged marriages.  I enjoyed this as my neighbors had an arranged marriage and have been happily married for 25 years. 

Another unique quality was the incorporation of punishment meaning, there is never forgiveness in Bengali folk tales but rather, the evil figure is always punished in some ways.  Yes, in other tales from different cultures, the evil character is sometimes punished but, in order to teach children, forgiveness is a big moral throughout tales.  In Bengali stories, punishment is common and is obvious the stories. 

(http://www.4to40.com/folktales/index.asp?p=The_Goat_Ogress)

What I really enjoyed about the story we read in class was the transformation.  Transformations are very common in fairy tales but, this story contained the only transformation in which the character’s names change as well as there attitude and form.  I was not sure if this had any special meaning but I took notice and was intrigued by the difference. 

Generally, stories from the Indian subcontinent, specifically Bangladesh and India contain many cultural qualities that are apparent to me as I am very familiar with these cultures.  Looking through my neighbors photo albums and shrines I recognized many symbolic meanings through the Indian and Bengali stories and until this weeks presentations, I never really recognized the unique cultural stories of these foreign countries as now I see not only the religious connection but also the heritage, climate, and tradition connections between a country and fairy tale.

Storytelling of Arabic Nations

Our class was lucky enough to have Professor Zaru attend and lecture about story telling in Arabic nations.    Something I really found helpful was her introduction in which she defined what the 'Arabic World' was in terms of geography, and man was my idea wrong! By clearing up this incorrect idea I had in my mind, it made the rest of the lecture run so much more smoothly, especially when she spoke about other nation's influences on the Arabic storytelling.


The one thing I did really grasp from the lecture was the frame story of 'One Thousand and One Nights' and the meaning of the title. Prior to Thursday's class, I watched the beginning of a comedic movie titled 'A Thousand and One Nights' and the opening credits led me to believe that the frame story was that a women  pushed off her execution for 1001 nights by telling a different story every night, and that was it.  It led me to believe nothing of love or happiness.  It led me to believe that on the 1,002 night, the girl was executed because she ran out of stories, but Professor Zaru taught our class different.  Basically, the it is titled in the way it is because a girl pushed off her execution for an infinite amount of nights and led the King to eventually find love in her and stop his violent acts of sexism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2awC8NuA8iw

(YouTube Video I Previously Mentioned)

From this, she reminded me of the effects of Hollywood and the idea that not everything can be trusted and/or assumed.  

The other aspect of her lecture that I greatly enjoyed was the intrigue left in one's mind by the mystical magic carpet.  I know the magic carpet from Disney's Aladdin but I realized it is much deeper than that.  The idea of it is magical and I wish I had a magic carpet!  It has so much meaning and depth and personality to it making what seems to be a basic carpet a personified, magical object. 

(http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/g/genie.asp)

This cartoon I found funny as it combined the mystical quality of the magic carpet with the present issues of our time, such as forms of transportation, especially with multiple children in the household.  From the lecture, Professor Zaru made clear to me that Arabic storytellers are sometimes creating current versions but, generally, the original stories passed down from as long as one can track down, old Arabic stories are culturally strong and these new stories, although entertaining and spark interest, it is the original tales that create the true bond among Arabic Nations.

Story Telling of Kenya

Dr. Ochieng' K'Olewe's lecture on Kenyan storytelling was probably my favorite lecture to date in class. I think this is because the class was less about learning about folk tales but rather experiencing them.  I loved how the doctor turned off the lights and told the stories as they were told to him.  The incorporation of music was very interesting and, even though I do not sing because of my terrible ability, I did sing along and am so happy that I had the experience to sing in a foreign language and be part of the stories that he brought to class.


In particular, my favorite "Importance" of African folk tales is to explain phenomenons.  One of my favorite examples of this is the story of 'How the Ostrich Got His Long Neck."  I liked how there was a question about the neck of the ostrich and, with no real explanation, a folk tale was created to explain the unexplainable.  I prefer this reason behind a folk tale more that morals because it is original and the unexplainable is very interesting to me and something I research regularly in my free time.

http://library.albany.edu/speccoll/findaids/marciaimages.htm

The other thing I enjoyed about his lecture was his discussion on the use of riddles in African cultures to incorporate the importance of knowledge in every day activities.  The riddle he told in class had to do with three people crossing the river, but I did find a website with many riddles from Kenya, one in which I particularly liked: 

Riddle: My lamp illuminates the whole world.

Answer: The Moon

(http://www.blissites.com/kenya/culture/riddles.html) - Website of Kenyan Riddles

http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0650.html

I particularly liked this riddle because it brings everything we have discussed in class back together.  The idea of folk tales being common the world around, story telling taking place at night, the presence of education in stories, and so on. 

Overall, the lecture opened my eyes to different cultures and their use of folk tales as I was able to experience it for myself as opposed to reading or hearing about it. Dr. Ochieng' K'Olewe painted a clear picture of how stories were told in Kenya and allowed the class to experience first hand and get involved.  It almost made me feel like I was in a Kenyan village hearing and experiencing the story.  It brought all the stories we read into perspective and made me really think about the story telling habits of the various cultures of whose folk tales we read.

...and that is the end of my blog.

Dr. Johnson-Ross Presentation

In class on Thursday, Dr. Johnson-Ross presented on the African American Storytelling tradition but much of her focus landed on The Brownies Book, which I had never heard of before.  The concept of it reminded me of my beloved Highlights Magazine that I grew up with, and still look at whenever I go to a doctor's office and they are there. The concept of the book was intriguing to me as it not only incorporated African American pieces. It attempted to teach about a wide variety of cultures and people, bringing the world together.


By far, what I most enjoyed about The Brownies Book was that it contained a piece in each publication in which they highlighted a child in the community who achieved something great.  What I loved about this was that, in the reading Dr. Johnson-Ross gave us, it described that this achievement could have been something as simple as doing well in school or being polite to others.  I thought this was a great thing as I thought the editors brought achievement down to an attainable level and did not promote achievements that many of the readers could not achieve or are of monetary value.  For example, they did not highlight someone in the community that became independently wealthy and went on to buy great things but, they promoted average kids who did great things for themselves, even if it is something as simple as doing well on a test in school.


The stories that the professor had us read were interesting as well and I especially enjoyed the input of animals as opposed to people.  Something funny happened after class though... 


I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and ironically, he had a 'folk tale' type author on his program.  The author, David Sedaris said he decided to write his book after hearing South African orally told folk tales and thinking, 'I can do better.' Unfortunately, I have not been able to read his book but I doubt he told the stories better, but rather in a different manner. He most likely created more relevant stories for his audience and made them humorous. I think maybe he said he could do better more as a joke for the comedic news program, it is on Comedy Central anyway.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-4-2010/david-sedaris

(Interview Clip)

Back to Dr. Johnson-Ross' presentation... I genuinely enjoyed all she had to say. My favorite aspect was by far her description of the story "The People Could Fly" in which the moral is: If you believe, you can achieve.  I absolutely love this idea that anything is attainable, as it also goes along with the meaning behind The Brownie Book. 

http://www.audiobooksonline.com/The_People_Could_Fly_American_Black_Folktales_Virginia_Hamilton_unabridged_cassettes.html

The images from that story had so much expression as well, and this is another reason why I enjoyed the African American folk tales. Many of the written versions we read contained images, and these images expressed more than the written word ever could.  Generally, I learn visually and through images and therefore the images presented during the class left a strong impact on me making me enjoy the presentation that much more.

Rise Tales... Do they exist in real life?

Honestly, I have no clue if Cinderella stories or Rags to Riches stories exist in real life following the motifs we read in the Cinderella stories for class, so I hope to work my way to a conclusion about this question.

I do know that aspects of the Cinderella motif exist in real life, such as mistreatment of a child or an average girl marrying into wealth but I have been unable to find, let alone believe, in the chances of someone being raised like a slave and mistreated and rescued by a wealthy suitor. I would not doubt the chances of this happening, but the chances are very slim, especially in this lifetime, that a mistreated person would be rescued from a 'prince'.

In the same sense, I do believe that Rags to Riches stories do exist in real life, but I do not know of any that happen overnight. They all require hard work and motivation to reach that 'Riches' status. For example, Bill Gates did not become a multi-billionare overnight. With hard work he gradually gained money and finally reached the status in which he is currently held. In the same aspect, many of these real-life Rags to Riches stories are mis-told and therefore misinterpreted.

http://www.cracked.com/article_16989_6-inspiring-rags-to-riches-stories-that-are-bullshit.html

The above link shows the falsehoods of six of the most popular Rags to Riches stories among the world today. They describe the real uprising of Abraham Lincoln as well as the real reason Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. 

These arguments give me doubt that Rags to Riches stories even exist to the magnitude that we give them. Many who come from Rags to Riches do not even really come from 'Rags' at all but rather come from average families from their time and become something greater then they might imagine, but they rarely come from 'Rags' in which they are suffering greatly.

Cinderella 'Rags to Riches' Costume 

(in the spirit of Halloween)

I do believe that 'Cinderella type stories' do exist but not in the exact style of the motif we all believe from reading these fairy tales. For example, an aspect of the Cinderella motif we all know so well may exist in real life, but the rarity of the exact tale happening realistically is so minuscule that its rarity will almost make it seem impossible. But I do believe that anything is possible and Fairy Tales are based off of reality so this motif is possible but at the same time, it is also a Fairy Tale and anything and everything is possible in a fairy tale.

Midterm Take Home Assignment

This is the dialogue between the Grimm’s Little Red  Cap and the Ogre from Perrault’s “Little Thumbling”. The two met in a coffee shop (since Little Red Cap is too young to be in a bar) and discussed their experiences.

Ogre: “Hello, how are you? You are Little Red Cap aren’t you? You are one of the most popular fairy tale characters!” (Little Red Cap ignoring him) “Of course, you wont talk to me, I lost my kids and my money and now a mere acquaintance in a coffee shop.”

LRC: “I did not mean to offend you Ogre, but I learned a very important moral at the end of my tale. I should not trust just anyone, even those that appear kind and gentle.”

Ogre: “Well I am sorry you feel that way. My tale had a written moral at the end and it only applied to the hero, Little Thumbling. Unfortunately my author did not leave any room for interpretation for a lesson and moral of the story.”

LRC: “I’m sorry ogre. The interpretation is the best part of my tale. You said you lost your family? Did Little Thumbling do this to you?”

Ogre: “Why, yes. He deceived me into killing my own daughters and tricked my wife into giving him all we had with my boots that he stole, my symbol of authority. He thought I was a danger to him but what he didn’t realize was that I was doing everything in my nature to protect him.”

LRC: “Like the hunter did for me? He saved me and my grandmother.”

Ogre: “Well see... I do what I need to get what I want. I tend not to think. I’m like the Id if you will.”

LRC: “I see. You can’t help yourself.”

Ogre: “I used to. I resisted Little Thumbling and his brothers until the middle of one night and I could not help myself and I accidentally killed my own daughters. (Tearing up) Since then, I refuse to eat human flesh to never put myself in that situation again.”

LRC: “How noble of you! Wait a second... the wolf that tried to eat me and my grandmother couldn’t help himself? It was part of his nature to trick me and eat me?”

Ogre: “Yes, unfortunately some of us villains never grow out of it and suffer the consequences. I was lucky enough to move on and my author allowed me to live in honor of my children.”

LRC: “That is so nice. Well, I have to go. I need to bring some coffee to my grandmother.”

Ogre: “Well, let me walk you there. The city can be a much more dangerous place than the forest.”

LRC: “Why thank you, that would be lovely.”

As they were walking, the ogre pushed Little Red Cap into an alley and ate her. The Id triumphs everything and will do anything to get what it wants, even if that is trick a girl and lie to her about your morals.

Pictures:

1. 
   

1. I decided to draw a scene from “Little Red Cap” by the Grimm brothers. For some reason, the scene I depicted has stuck with me through all the stories and has been the most prominent scene for me through all the stories we read. Its ending varied greatly from all the other Little Red Riding Hood type stories and the act of revenge was not as obvious in all the other tales, Little Red Riding Hood or not, as it was in the Grimm’s Little Red Cap. I drew Little Red Cap, her grandmother, and the hunter filling the sleeping wolf’s stomach with stones so that once he awakens, his stomach will be too heavy and he will consequently collapse and die. In some tales, the villain does die, but either for protection, such as in “Goldflower and the Bear”, or for some other reason. Never has the villain died because the hero inflicts something on them that will lead to their imminent death. The fact that the grandmother and Little Red Cap filled the wolf’s stomach, in which they were just inside, with stones, it is something very iconic and special to the Grimm’s story, therefore I thought it would be a very good representation of the story.

(Click to Enlarge)

This is my graffiti image of the Juniper Tree.  It is a story that I really enjoyed.  I incorporated many of the motifs and symbols subtly in the image.

(Click to Enlarge)

Storytelling in ASL

Our class this week had the pleasure of learning about story telling in American Sign Language (ASL) and deaf culture in the United States.  Dr. Rust and Dr. Rose left a very strong impression on me about the language as a whole.  I always thought of American Sign Language in terms of English.  As all languages, I translate words and signs into English and then string them together to form an english sentence that I can understand.  Hearing the lecture from these two professors made me realize that ASL has its own structure and grammar and is its own language and not just a translation of English.  I always had respect for the language, do not get me wrong, but I think the name (American Sign Language) automatically made me think English Sign Language since English is the dominant language in the United States. I am proud to now say that I know better, thanks to the presentation and I now realize that all the sound and descriptions I  have taken for granted in the past can be achieved in ASL as it leaves such a vidid image in the audience's mind.

What I was most impressed about was the deaf's ability to poke fun at their hearing counterparts as a way to not only entertain but to bring the hearing and not to the same level in society.  For example, they told a story of a Cuban, a Russian, and an American on a train with the idea being that there are too many hearing people in America.  I loved the fact that the non-hearing can poke fun at the hearing and have become an equal part in society, although they do get away with some speeding tickets as I have learned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZjah32LoW0

This is a clip of the Coda Brothers in a comedy routine making fun of all the things hearing people do.  Unfortunately I do not understand what they are saying but just from their facial expressions, I know that they are greatly enjoying themselves.  Also from the comments, I believe one of the things they make fun of is the game charades.  In the game, people try to clue at a word without speaking.  Deaf people can easily make fun of this game as hearing have no way of doing this other than making obnoxious movements and in the end, looking quite silly to a deaf person. Now thinking about it, charades is a pretty funny game since there is a certified language that can be used in its place.

What else I found interesting is I found a deaf version of you-tube, Deaf-Tube (http://www.deaf-tube.com/).  This makes me happy as not only is telephone communication becoming available for the deaf, but the internet has made strides to make materials easily accessible for the deaf. 

 ASL Telephone

(http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/08/deaf-students-sign-language/)

Playing softball in college, we played Gallaudet University last season and I really appreciated all the hardships deaf people deal with but they are always proud of their accomplishments and are fully capable. For example, our team beat them by quite a bit but following the two games, they were the more happy team. They were happy to have the chance to play at the college level and go out and do what they love. They cheered for each other and they always signed until they were aware that everyone on the field was aware of the sign.  I was amazed by all that they were able to do and this was further clarified by the presentation of Dr. Rust and Dr. Rose.

Overall, I was amazed by the deaf culture and story telling in ASL and if I ever get the chance, I would love to take some classes to further my knowledge of the subject and I would recommend it for others as well.

Fairy Tales at the Zoo!

Over Fall Break, I went to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.  Right in the entrance was a display depicting Hansel and Gretel!  It was interesting to see in the zoo as it is not anything I was expecting.  As we continued to walk through the zoo, I kept my eye out for other fairy tale themed halloween displays, but this was the only one.  Since it is nearing Halloween, now I will keep my eye out for other displays depicting some of the fairy tales we have read, or costumes depicting characters! 

(Lindsey has another picture on her blog!)

Heavy Metal vs. Fairy Tales

Who would have ever guessed that a heavy metal band’s music video would contain motifs that are present in one of the most popular fairy tales and consequently present in every child’s life? Not me, that’s for sure. After watching Rammstein’s Sonne (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L_G5fGYU9k) I was shocked at the presence of a multitude of Snow White motifs. There was much more to the presence of motifs than just the physical presence of the Snow White character. The miners (the band) represented the dwarves present in all versions of the tale. Snow White obviously represented herself, but what was different was the lack of presence of an evil stepmother, stepsisters, or even a witch. Also, the music video had no symbol of a father figure or a magic mirror which was present in all of the Snow White fairy tales we read in class.

Rammstein’s video contained apples which, as opposed to the tales, brought Snow White back to life as opposed to poisoned her. Gold, in the video, was the cause of death for Snow White as she overdosed after snorting gold. What was funny about this is that gold is what one would mine for but none of the tales was there even a mention of gold.

The Grimm’s version of Snow White contained three methods of death, including lace, a poison comb, and the poison apple. In the music video, all three were present. The lace was not really present but a symbol of it is present in Snow White’s stockings that she delicately fixes in the video. Also, while in the bath tub, the dwarves comb her hair and one polishes apples. Near the conclusion of the video, when Snow White is in her glass coffin, an apple falls from the tree and shatters the glass, reviving Snow White.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn.nextsmallthings.com/coolchaser.com/thumb-3195121.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.coolchaser.com/user/profile/4360604&usg=__iHg_RJTXMDWMUYm554BhnpwhP9Q=&h=95&w=95&sz=3&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=YImz94RS9TmjFM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=79&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsnow%2Bwhite%2Brammstein%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D868%26bih%3D429%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=160&ei=VCuxTNHYJML78AbQmJ2dCQ&oei=VCuxTNHYJML78AbQmJ2dCQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=33&ty=28

The coffin was present in the video, as is present in all the tales, although the material it is made of varies. In the video, the coffin is made of glass while in the tales it varies from glass, crystal, and lead.  Something I noticed was that in the video, it was snowing outside while no description of weather was included in any of the Snow White tales, or any of the tales we have read for that matter. I think it was included more for visual purposes but I found it interesting that none of the tales mention weather. I have always assumed that in these stories the weather is gorgeous outside and not until watching this video have I noticed the lack of description in setting and environment.

The other main difference I found was that in the stories, a prince is present which is not in the video. Also, in the video, the dwarves act almost like Snow White’s slaves while in the stories, Snow White helps clean and cook for the dwarves while maintaining a happy relationship.

http://michaelmay.us/temp/0104_snowwhite.jpg

Overall, the video was very entertaining. The lyrics were great as well. I wish I understood the German language so I could get the full effect while understanding the lyrics and watching all on the screen at the same time. But, overall, the video was entertaining and generally followed the fairy tales we read in class, the Grimm’s tale specifically closely.

Reflection of my Imagination

     Thursday night's lecture by Vivien Deitz was fantastic as it took everything we have been discussing in class from psychology in fairy tales to interpretation of symbolism to the next level.  She has vast experience and training, as I saw from her website (http://www.viviendeitz.com/) and I find her highly respectable and credible, even from the short time I heard her speak.

     Her interpretations of "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" and "The Velveteen Rabbit" were very interesting, do not get me wrong, but it was very much a contninuom of what we have been discussing in class, just applied to new tales. For example, she spoke about the symbolism of each character as well as the transformations the characters made at the conclusions of the story.  What she spoke of that gained my interest the most was her discussion on our shamanic inner child.

http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2009/museum-of-childhood-for-parents-and-children/

     According to Dr. Deitz, everyone has an inner child, a personal genie if you will, that allows us to freely use our imagination we would have from the ages of birth - 8 years old. I questioned her argument at first as I always thought of myself as a child at heart, but when she used her example of drawing a sun I was taken back. She said that children in the shamanic stage of light would draw a purple, green, blue, etc. colored sun when someone older than age 8 would draw a sun in shades of red and yellow. I now know that I am not as much of a child as I thought I was. Eventhough I am imaginative and open to ideas, I would never draw a green sun for example.

     The other thing she did that suprised me is she had the audience close their eyes and we had to go and pick up our inner child. To me, imagination is something I never had to go and 'pick up' it is something that is always instilled in my mind that will become more prominent depending on the situation I am in. I also never thought of my inner child of human form that would sit next to me. The Disney character Figment always represented my imagination and my inner child consequently, as he is a figment of your imagination. Figment is a character that I grew up with in my house and when Dr. Deitz asked us to imagine our inner child, I immediately thought of Figment and his spontaneous and fun behavior.

http://clipart.disneysites.com/display.php?catID=163



     Vivien Deitz's lecture opened my mind to where my inner child really is and that it may not be as imaginative and unique as its potential is.  Although Figment may not truly be my inner child, I grew up with him and he allowed me to open my mind to new ideas and creative expression so although some may think using him as my way of imagining, I believe at this point in my life, Figment helped me, much like Dr. Deitz's imaginary friend helped her. He was always a part of my imagination and now allows me to open my mind much easier that if Figment was not a part of my life.

Cupid and Psyche vs. Urashima the Fisherman

The multiple variations of what I once thought as a concrete fairy tale is astounding. For example, in class we have read multiple tales with the idea of what we all knew as Beauty and the Beast. In this blog, I would like to compare two tales from dramatically different locations and periods in time and comment on the astounding similarities between the two. 

The two tales I will be comparing and contrasting is Cupid and Psyche from the times of the ancient greeks and Urashima the Fisherman from early Japan. What is interesting is that both tales involve the divine, unlike the rest of the variations of the tale. For example, in the story of Cupid and Psyche, Cupid’s mother is Venus, a goddess, and in the story of Urashima, the dazzling lady who transformed from a turtle to be with Urashima lived in the skies and was immortal. The rest of the stories read in class dealt with normal people with spells cast upon them with none of the main characters divine, per say.

(Venus ordering Psyche to Fetch Waters)

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/exhibitions/romney/cartoons/cartoons6.aspx

The variations in these two stories far outweighs the similarities. In the story of Urashima the Fisherman, the female role transformed into a turtle so she could approach him and returned to her female form to ask him to return home with her. In the story of Cupid and Psyche, there were no animals and the ‘Beauty’ was not the one who approached the ‘Beast’ but rather, Venus, jealous of Psyche’s beauty, sent her away but Cupid felt sorry for her and poked her with an arrow. An oracle told her parents that she would marry a beast and she ended up marrying Cupid but could not see him. In this case, it was Venus that was the ‘Beast’ but Cupid represented the ‘Beast’ through his seclusion from ‘Beauty’ and his unknown appearance. 

(Urashima’s Love Transformed from a Turtle)

http://storynory.com/2010/07/25/urashima/

Another drastic difference between the two stories was the conclusions. On the one hand, the story of Psyche and Cupid ended happily with the two ‘Beauty and Beast’ characters living happily every after, immortally, and having a child together.  On the other hand, the story of Urashima the Fisherman ended sadly as Urashima broke his promise to his wife and opened the box releasing her soul and lived his life in grief. 

(Conclusion of Cupid and Psyche)

http://eatfun.deviantart.com/art/Cupid-and-Psyche-91607132?q=&qo=&offset=20

(Conclusion of Urashima the Fisherman)

http://ivo.blogsome.com/urashima-taro/

Both stories were written exceptionally early in the history of the world and the similarities in themes is astonishing. The tale of Urashima the Fisherman was written in 713 A.D. and the story of Cupid and Psyche was told during the times of the ancient greeks. What is also interesting is Cupid and Psyche falls in the category AT 425 A (Search for the Lost Husband) while ‘Beauty and the Beast’ themed fairy tales fall within this ‘AT’ as well as AT 420 (The Man on the Quest for His Lost Wife) including the story of Urashima the Fisherman.

Little Red Riding Hood... Cartoon?

Finding a cartoon for with a theme centralized around Little Red Riding Hood was much harder than I could have imagined. There was just way too much to choose from.  I finally narrowed it down to two: a print cartoon and a video parody created by Monty Python (which, although is not a cartoon per say, it is still hilarious and I thought I would include it).

The print cartoon, created by Mark Parisi, is a social cartoon that uses the common known story of Little Red Riding Hood to argue that technology has taken over and many of the classic pieces of literature, ways of communicating, and classic stories have been updated in a poor manner to meet the social requirements of technology.

http://offthemark.com/search-results/key/red+ridinghood/

I really enjoy this cartoon not so much for the imagery but specifically for the line, “The Classics, Updated.” That simple fragment tells so much of the social impact of the world. Think about how much of “The Classics” have been maintained throughout history. The vast majority of classics, from fairy tales to literature may not have been physically altered on purpose, but overtime things have been simplified, put on the internet, put on television, put on the big screen in feature films. Think of Shakespeare for example. In order for many people to understand his works, people use ‘spark notes’ or ‘No Fear Shakespeare’. Not only that, but his creations have been transferred on video and even if recreated word for word with his plays, the director always has a different interpretation and one that is intended to positively attract the audience.  Because of this, I completely agree with this cartoon as, especially, fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, have been altered over time and can possibly vary greatly from the original orally spoken tales.

Monty Python’s Little Red Riding Hood (above) is very different from the cartoon I previously mentioned. I do not think there is a hidden meaning behind it. I just think it was something funny that would entertain their audience and it obviously succeeded as I greatly enjoy it! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKbWdgW6sD8

The skit pokes fun at the beauty of Little Red Riding Hood (played by John Cleese) and the aggressiveness of the wolf (played by a small dog). For the most part, the skit followed the general guidelines of the tale until the wolf arrived at the grandmother’s house and Buzz Aldrin answered the door. This sudden change in plot pokes fun at the idea that anything can happen in fairy tales and there is no judgement by the audience. Everything is accepted in fairy tales as well as in Monty Python skits, even the random.

Both cartoons have successfully poked fun at the story of Little Red Riding Hood and although both had different intentions (the print cartoon to expose the take over of technology and the Monty Python skit primarily for entertainment), both were entertaining and enjoyable to view.

The Psychologist's Journey

Fortunately, our class had the pleasure of hearing a lecture from Dr. Mazeroff pertaining to psychology and fairy tales, particularly psychoanalysis and fairy tales.  All that he said from the interesting Freud facts to Jungian analysis of Hansel and Gretel was very interesting to me but, just coming to class straight from Intro to Psychology I had already heard much of that information. I knew of the Id, Ego, and Superego. I understood the concepts of the conscious, preconscious, and subconscious. But, what I did not already know was how all this applied to the fairy tales I loved as a child. 

     Never would I have thought to analyze fairy tales from a psychological standpoint, or any standpoint for that matter. As far as I knew, fairy tales were just stories that I always took for granted and believed and never doubted as a child. This lecture, though, made me realize how much depth even what I thought of as children’s literature really has.  From the presence of the Id in Hansel and Gretel when they began eating at the witch’s house to the presence of many symbols and archetypes such as the oven, symbolizing transformation.  All these combined allowed me to close my eyes and dream of a world much bigger than my own. A world of fairy tales in which not only is everything possible, but everything contributes to the endless possibilities, whether that is historical timelines, cultures, or psychology.

I found this article and I thought it applied very well to what was discussed in class about psychoanalysis and fairy tales: 

http://www.freudfile.org/psychoanalysis/fairy_tales.html

By far, the topic covered by Dr. Mazeroff that intrigued me the most was the concept of the Hero’s Journey. I was amazed by not only the concept, but the commonality of this structure throughout fairy tales and modern life.  This led me to find the following video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMl9cLz2b_s

     I found this video very interesting, especially the conclusion of it as it made me realize how we are all living a fairy tale as we speak. Even though I am not going to go off and marry a prince or kiss a frog, I am following in the hero’s journey and that can start off as something as simple as making a decision or helping someone else along their journey.

     The amount of psychoanalysis that can go into fairy tales is astonishing. Think about it, every fairy tale follows a Hero’s Journey; every fairy tale can be analyzed down to find the Id, Ego, and Superego; and every fairy tale contains archetypes that contribute to the story greatly.

     Dr. Mazeroff’s lecture definitely gave me insight to psychoanalysis among fairy tales and it has caused to me continue thinking about the ideas of psychology and applying it to my everyday life. I have been attempting to locate the Id, Ego, and Superego in the television shows I watch, in the songs I listen to, and even in the friends I eat dinner with. Overall, I have learned that not only is psychology in real life but it is also prominent in fairy tales as real life can be conceived as one giant fairy tale of intertwined stories.

The Everlasting Question: What is a Fairy Tale?

        The concept of a fairy tale is one that I always felt extremely confident in. From growing up listening to such stories, I was always mesmerized by them and, until now, I have always believed I knew what a fairy tale was.  But, now thinking about it, I am not entirely sure I completely knew the answer to that question.

        Based on readings from class, I have attained a much better grasp of the true definition of a fairy tale, but I definitely still have much more learning to do in the subject.  From the knowledge I have acquired the past two weeks, I know a fairy tale is a verbally passed story that is on a one-dimensional plane; meaning the characters and setting are simplified with limited details. These tales also generally follow a pattern with slight variations between stories. For example, many, if not all fairy tales, begin with an introduction of the hero and setting followed by a problem and journey, introduction of a villain and helpers, and triumph and return with a solution to complete the tale.  

http://www.puzzlehouse.com/fairytales.htm

        For me, the most interesting aspect of a fairy tale is that it is never doubted. No matter what events take place throughout the tale, the reader/listener never thinks deeply into its aspects. One may interpret the motifs of the story, but one will rarely doubt the actions and characters throughout the story. For example, when the princess kisses the frog and he turns into a prince, the audience never says, “Well, thats not possible!” We take it for granted. We believe and are immersed within the tale. By far, I love this piece of the definition. Even though the characters and settings are so flat, the audience is so attracted to the story that nothing else seems to matter. 

        With origins unknown and many cultural spins on each story, fairy tales may be one of the most interesting forms of art in the world. They apply to everyone everywhere and their morals and characters can apply to everyone. Whether one listener relates to the hero and another to the helper, each character plays a vital role throughout the story and has an application to the real world making the fairy tale a multifunctional piece of art that, although it is has “depthlessness” in itself, its effects are so vast that its application seem never-ending.