This guy had his lung raped by a fir tree. Interesting. Watch out for nature, guys.

Apologies for the late response

I really have no idea what to make of this story. I find it bizarre yet intriguing. I really want to know what others are thinking about this story (and I'm going to read the other posts after this), because I think it is so open to interpretation. If I had to throw something out there (which I do), I would say that this was some Romantic fairy tale gone terribly wrong. Other Romantic tales we have read have definitely used nature, but this one takes it a step further by actually mating a rose with a woman, and creating a daughter/rose child. The rose/woman description has been made before in many stories I have read, but it has never been as literal as it is in this story. I also thought it was interesting that the story takes a turn in tone at the end. It goes from sort of a mystical tale to a comedic, slightly sarcastic joke. This change, when the narrator talks in jest about Dr. Rosenberger perhaps conducting "bestial experiments" on the girl, is a strange way to end the story, as it sort of leaves the reader very confused as to what the moral of the story (if any) may be. I am open to all other interpretations, and look forward to hearing some of them in class tomorrow.

By any other word would smell as sweet

It starts out very fairy-tale like, then ends like an article in a science journal.  So, then, what is it?  It is possibly a play on my biggest fear I've had since I reached puberty, which is getting pregnant by some supernatural force.  The rose, a passionate flower, is a symbol of blossoming virginity and erotic invitation; why else are they sprinkled in bedrooms or placed as a bush...haha, very funny...on the doctor's and his wife's wedding bed?  I feel there is no moral or message in the story, except maybe to uphold the stigma of the bastard child, but in a kinder light.  The rosebush daughter maintains the stigma of being the offspring of something that came and went; the reason she dies is because she IS a bastard child and cannot run away from who she really is.

Deflowered by a Flower

My first response to The Vegetational Fatherhood was a resounding "wtf." It was like my eyes had been raped by this crazy tale of plant/human love. This story firstly made me think of every single "Extra Special Episode" of any show I watched between ages 9 - 13. Or those Health Class videos in which the girl goes to the frat party, and wakes up next to some guy she doesn't remember meeting. Only in this case a girl was drugged by the plant (hypnotized really). But the reaction was about the same. Denial, then the surprise pregnancy. She never knows who the father is, even when her daughter draws the picture of him and labels it "daddy." Like in the health class movies, when the girl just does not ever believe so'and'so would do that to her. Even to the bitter end, she does not want the professor to find out about his new wife's parentage, which is what causes the girl's doom. Definitely the craziest story I have ever read.

(also, on a different note, I find it interesting that the author just goes ahead and says the woman has a sex dream, even giving a small bit of detail saying how she gave herself over wholly to him... I mean, this was written in the beginning of the 1900's, not like, 1997... not one for the kiddies).

the human that was raped by the rose

The first thought that came to mind after I finished the story was that it seemed like a satire on the social injustices and implications that women faced when they have a child out of wedlock during that time period. And this story fits in really well with the Romantic literary fairytale that we have been discussing in class, where nature isn’t just a scientific element but rather it has a higher power- even like on a higher spiritual level. In the story, the rose was personified, having human abilities and even emotions to “yearn” for the young woman. The rose raped the woman and then she found herself pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful, silent child. The silent child parallels the other young, beautiful, and silent maidens we read about in the other fairytales, like Snow White. In the end, the young girl is thrown off the balcony and falls to her death and her mother and Dr. Rosenberger are sent to an asylum. The message that this dark ending seems to be saying that nature and humans should never be mixed in a sexual way- leads to a very bad and morbid ending for all of those involved.

The Vegetational Fatherhood

It’s interesting how even before the story begins, the narrator makes the reader start to question whether plants really do have a “will of their own or their own consciousness.” Then the tale goes on to show how a rose raped a woman sleeping nearby and she then had a daughter. It’s almost a religious tale. The woman is like the Virgin Mary; the rose like God; and the daughter like Jesus. Later in the tale, the daughter’s new husband even comments on how his wife must be a very pious woman as she prays by herself each night.

Something that I found strange was how after Dr. Floris Rosenberger discovers that his wife turns into a rosebush each night; he is not surprised or angry. Once she transforms back into herself and dies from being thrown off the balcony, he doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction. He rushes to her mother to make sure she will confirm his story, but other than that there are no signs of sadness or guilt.

Also, the mother and Dr. Rosenberger are taken to an asylum, which suggests that this tale takes place in a world where magic is possible, but not believed or widely known. The tale ends questioning if they were telling the truth or not. This is similar to “Ekbert the Blond,” in that the reader does not know for certain whether what occurred in the tale actually happened or if the characters in the tale were insane.

Assignment: 7 April 2009

Please write an interpretation of/response to “The Vegetational Fatherhood.” Don't forget to post comments by Wednesday.

You know you're a fairy tale if...

In TWOTOANS (Funny enough 'two tones'), music is the level above poetic language. Before the song is introduced, the previous paragraph of the saint needing to find what he's missing, it's one HUGE paragraph, which in itself is rather frantic. The searching paragraph is full of breathless run on sentences, or else short staccato sentences that bounce off one another. But once the saint hears the music that the lovers produce, the paragraphs flow in a calming manner. The song itself flows like the calm stream W talked about. Though the prose about the song can't reach the song itself, it does allow a certain amount of soothing and calming that the song itself evokes.

Also, as for TWOTOANS, it is a fairy tale because:

1. A Lack: The Naked Saint needs to find the thing that will release him from his human form (music)
2. Going on a Quest: The quest is rather brought to him as he stays in his cave going crazy as people come by and make pilgrammages to him
3. Hero encounters Magical Helper: The lovers come by on their boat (making magic of their own *wink*)
4. Hero Subjected to tests: He hears the music and noises, and finally discerns the music he needs
5. Achieves Award: He is released from his human form, gets to hear the beautiful music, and dance gracefully

However, it's more of a Kunstmarchen because it is rather complex to wrap your head around. It has metaphors and such that are hard to just see (except the lovers). It's also rather irrational. Why do they get trapped in human form? I don't know, it just happens. There is also his elevation to a higher plane of thinking, above the classical life. That = Kunstmarchen.

Music & Poetry

The ideals of love, life, arts, music, and literature seem to be in harmony together in the Romantic era, in a sense providing a thread that links poetry and music. In the very language of poetry is the evidence of musical qualities that make the poetry come to life. Poetry evokes certain imagery and communicates at nonrational levels, as pictures, emotions, and thoughts come to mind that canno t be created using direct terms, thus music also serves the role of evoking in us feelings and sensibilities in more and spiritual senses which are very difficult to express directly, thus also drawing another link between music and poetry. Poetry and music are used to open the inner self to its own reality, in a way intoxicating the body with good thoughts, emotions, feelings and just awaking the self within.

Wackenroder’s story is a fairy tale as it has numerous aspects found in fairytales. There is an indefinite time and place where the story is taking place, there are elements of magic (wheel of time), the saint’s transformation from a human like state to a spirit/angel, there is longing between the lovers (desire), and there is a happy ending with the lovers together. Also, this story shows the intricate link between words strung together to flow like music, thus emphasizing the lovers’ love for each other and allows the reader to be immersed in the words.

Music and Language

Poetic language helps the reader to envision music; however language does not have the power evoked by music. When words are brought together in a poetic manner, they flow like they would in a song. Words cannot create music; they just have a way of mimicking it. If you ever listen to a song and then hear the lyrics without any accompaniment, it is not the same. The lyrics may be beautiful, but it is the combination of the tune and the lyrics that makes the music whole.

Wackenroder’s tale is a fairy tale in that it has a transformation, conflict, and happy end. It is more of a Kunstmärchen because it does not focus on the magical aspect of the tale, but on the artistic way words can be brought together. The plot itself does not seem to be the most important part. It seems like the tale was written for the reader to get lost in the poetry.

Muse

In the Romantic era, which includes painting, literature, music, etc., virtually everything that was labeled "artistic" was linked to everything else.  This is why composers like Liszt and Chopin were good friends with other artists like Manet and Baudelaire.  All three arts were infused in each other, which is why the relationship between poetry and music is like that of a brother and sister; they come from the same creative muse, only the are expressed differently, but react equally against each other, which is why the sage's soul leapt from its body.

I'd classify it more as kuntsmarchen than just a fairy tale...there is so much passionate imagery and language; there is creative art and description, even the probable supernatural events (as opposed to imaginary magic).  Its influences are, of course, the fairy tale, though, for the unconfirmed time and place, suggested problem, transformation, and relatively happy ending.  

Assignment: 31 March 2009

Please consider the Wackenroder text, “A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint.”

• What is the relationship between music and poetic language? Is the power evoked by music also accessible to language? Or does language merely point to music?
• Also, consider how Wackenroder’s story is a fairy tale. What elements are fairy-tale-like? And what makes it, more specifically, a Kunstmärchen?

heroine Lady Mary

2) I am choosing to use Joseph Jacob’s version “Mr. Fox” because it was the shortest one- hahaha. Lady Mary is the heroine of this version of Bluebeard. She was highly pursued by a lot of suitors- …she had “more lovers than she could count. But of them all, the bravest and most gallant was a Mr. Fox”, who definitely won her heart. And they agreed to by married. She is portrayed as a brave and independent woman who is not afraid to defend and speak up for herself. She went to Mr. Fox’s castle by herself and even explored the property, even with the sketchy writing in the gateway that said “Be bold, be bold” and then the door in the gallery had “Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, Lest that your heart’s blood should run cold” written on it. Lady Mary is definitely a brave woman- “Lady Mary was a brave one, she was, and she opened the door”. Also, she knew that no one would believe her if she didn’t have evidence from when Mr. Fox murdered the young lady at the castle, so she took the hand that he chopped off in frustration (he couldn’t remove the ring from the young lady he was dragging into his castle) to show the audience before the wedding. She spoke up about what she saw the other day and then showed the hand and then Mr. Fox met his unfortunate end- “At once her brothers and her friends drew their swords and cut Mr. Fox into a thousand pieces.”

CREEPER

1) Each version of the Bluebeard story had its own elements of horror. But I must agree with Ellie, that just marrying a man with a blue beard is pretty horrifying in itself, so that is the element of horror in most of the versions. In Thackeray’s “Bluebeard’s Ghost”, the element of horror of Frederick Sly, John Thomas, and Mr. Claptrap the theatre manager collaborating to scare Fatima Bluebeard as they pretended to be Mr. Bluebeard’s ghosts that rose from the grave. Definitely pretty scary stuff with all the screaming “Fatima! Fatima! Fatima!” three times and the slamming of the doors. Also, the times that Mr. Sly tried to hang and tried to commit suicide is pretty scary stuff. In France’s version “The Seven Wives of Bluebeard”, the whole story is pretty horrifying as it described the different way that’s Bluebeard’s previous wives have died- from drowning to being eaten by animals. And how creepy and sketchy is it that the “little cabinet” at the end of the hall is also named “The Cabinet of the Unfortunate Princesses”- I would say that their deaths were definitely very unfortunate events. When Bluebeard told his current wife not to look into the little room, it built suspense for the audience as she was definitely curious and tempted to look. And the audience wonders what is in the room as well, driving the progression of the story. In Perrult’s versions “Bluebeard”, it was horrifying when she found out what was behind the closed door of the little room- the windows were closed and that the floor was completely covered with the blood of the many dead bodies hanging from the wall (all these were Bluebeard’s previous wives in which he murdered one after another). Lastly, in Grimm’s version “Fitcher’s Bird”, the element of horror is the old man going door to door capturing girls from families and also how the 1st two sisters died. This drives the progression of the story as the audience wonders what will happen to the 3rd sister, but also knowing that she will probably be the intelligent one and not fall into the same horrifying fate as her two older sisters.

Grimms and Bluebeard

Question 1: Compare the elements of horror in the various versions of Bluebeard that you read for today. Please name the elements you are comparing and discuss how they function in the story. Do they help move the plot along? Elaborate the story? Startle the audience? etc.

I want to focus on two elements of horror, gore and suspense, and compare them in the two Grimms' stories that we read for today. The Robber's Bridegroom is an excellent example of the use of suspense to make the reader feel the tension and fear that the female protagonist feels upon finding out what kind of person her soon to be husband really is. The scene in which she is hiding behind the barrel is incredibly terrifying, not only to her but to us as well. We feel the fear of being discovered, as we know (through the smart use of the foreboding talking bird, and the scary old woman) what her fate will be if she so much as breaths too loud. The gore in this story is definitely used as an elaboration, as the details give us insight into the true gruesomness of these cannibals. The paragraph in which the narrator describes how they kill and chop up another girl is very vivid, and because of this we are given a greater sense of the bridegroom's malicicious intent.
Similarly, in Fitcher's bird, the level of gore is very high during the two killing scenes. The fact that instead of just saying that the man killed her, the Grimms choose to write that he "dragged her along by her hair, cut her head off on the block, and chopped her into peices, so that he blood flowed on the floor" (156), shows that this use of intensly vivid description is no accident and is meant to really represent the evil of the "Bluebeard" character. In contrast with the first story, suspense is not really employed here, as the third sister is not so much a victim, but a clever and resourceful girl who gains control of the situation. The second half of this story is not so suspenseful because we feel that she is not in danger as long as she has the upper hand.

Question 2: Tatar offers two readings of the heroine’s character: either as a celebration of self-preservation and cleverness or as a disobedient female. Using a version other than the Perrault, consider how the heroine gets presented. Use quotes to support your reading.

In the Grimms' tale Fitcher's Bird, the heroine (the third sister) is portrayed as a woman who is not easily fooled and who is able to outwit her opponent, even in the face of death. She, unlike her two sisters, does not crumble under the fear of death once she enters the forbidden chamber, but instead figures out a way to essentially "save the day". First of all, we know that this heroine is considered clever because the Grimms come right out and say it. They begin by introducing her as "smart and cunning" (157), which immediatly differentiates her from her two sisters, who are given no descriptions. After the sorcerer leaves and the third sister explores the house, she does not panic when she finds her sisters chopped up. Instead, she thinks calmly and cooly, and miraculously brings the sisters back to life. Then, in order to allow all of them to be free, she plays a trick on the socerer. She has him carry her two sisters back to her parents, and she disguises herself to look "like a strange bird, and it was impossible to recognize her" (157) while placing a skull in the window to trick the socerer into thinking she is still there while she escapes. This elaborate plan allows her not only to escape, but to get help so that the evil sorcer can be killed, and justice can be brought to him. The story sends the message that clever girls can overcome anything, no matter what an evil person may perceive her to be.

Sally Sad Sack

For the second question, I would like to talk about the heroine functioning in a role of self preservation, but not the type that should be celebrated. In Atwood's version of Bluebeard, Bluebeard's Egg, Sally remains woefully ignorant of all her husband's cavorting. She calls him "Edward Bear of little brain," speaking like Ed does not know what is going on around him. However, anyone who has read Winnie the Pooh knows, Winnie does know what's going on around him, and instead of doing anything for or against it, he goes with it most of the time. Ed does notice the women flirting with him, he just goes along with it, instead of being assertive one way or another. Sally is the one with little brain, remaining ignorant of what is going on around her. By ignoring what happened to his other wives: the "fates had always been vague to Sally," Sally does not have to worry about the same fate happening to her. Sally celebrates self preservation, but by doing that, she loses herself.

Lady Mary

In “Mr. Fox” by Joseph Jacobs the heroine, Lady Mary, is presented as a clever character. She is disobedient in that she goes to Mr. Fox’s house without permission, but that point is overlooked. Also, she is never actually forbidden from going to his castle, he simply “did not ask her or her brothers to come and see it.” So, she cannot be deemed a disobedient female. Lady Mary saves herself by pretending she dreamt about Mr. Fox chopping off a woman’s hand and seeing the bodies of dead women inside his castle. She then shows the woman’s hand to everyone and her brothers and friends “drew their swords and cut Mr. Fox into a thousand pieces.” This version focuses on Lady Mary's ability to come up with a plan to save herself from a deadly marriage.

Gore and Suspense

When I think of a horror story, I think of blood and gore and suspense. First of all, in the various versions of Bluebeard, the wife or soon to be bride finds other women chopped up and bloody in a small, forbidden room. Also, in “The Robber Bridegroom” a woman’s finger is cut off and in “Mr. Fox” a woman’s entire hand is cut off because the cannibalistic future husband wants her ring. The horrific killing of the women gives the bride a reason to fear her husband and makes the audience fear for her safety. The suspense in the story enhances the audiences fear. However, since the reader is aware that the tales of Bluebeard are fairy tales and will end happily, the suspense is lessened. As Moriah mentions, the repetition in the story adds to the suspense. For example, in Thackeray’s “Bluebeard’s Ghost,” Fatima hears the voice of “Bluebeard” multiple times before seeing him outside her window. Once she sees him the reader becomes anxious and wants to find out if the ghost is real or not. Without the suspenseful aspects in the tale it would not be a horror story. The audience must fear for the safety of the protagonist and have proof, such as the dead women, that the protagonist is in danger.

Horror and Heroines

Element of horror: Well, I guess you could say there is the before and the after.  Before, there is certain horror of marrying a man with a blue beard, whose wives have all mysteriously disappeared.  This element of fear creates a vision of this malicious character.  Even for the bearded old man that dressed up, knocked on peoples' doors and stole their daughters, he is a frightening feature, also.  But does it move the plot on?  No.  But it is imperative that he is vulgarized in some way.  Next, and most obviously is the horror in the dismemberment of his wives.  Blood and gore and guts all over the place.  Does it move the plot on?  Yeah, kind of.  It reveals why Bluebeard is as malicious a character as he is, and sets the stage for the escape/outwitting.

As a fan of Margaret Atwood, I must choose her heroine, Sally, as the topic of discussion.  (Anyone else that's read Atwood notice her obsession with fantastical plots and affairs?)  This girl is the meaning of cleverness and has a mean superiority complex, proven by the name she gives to her husband ("Edward Bear of Little Brain," a man with a particularly annoying "brand of stupidity" that only one wittier can prescribe to another).  After all, "Sally isn't a nothing;" she is mentally quick and hard-headed, and very philosophical.  

All the Women, Independent

First, let's talk about the function of the sisters (or in the case of The Robber Bridegroom, the older woman).

For most of the stories, the sister is a way to prolong and repeat the story thus creating suspense. In Perrault's Bluebeard, Sister Anne though mentioned, does not come into play until Bluebeard's wife is in danger. Sister Anne is the one whose sole job is to call and say that help is on the way. Bluebeard's wife calls several times, each time in more and more dire straits until finally Anne brings the relief in form of their brothers. Without this repeat, the tension of the story would be unable to build. In the Grimm's Fitcher's Bird, the two previous sisters do the wrong thing and get brutalized by the wizard. The suspense comes in when the third sister goes to the wizard's home. Will she end up like her sisters? What will happen when she discover her sisters? The repetitive nature of the story once again driven by sisters causes suspense which is the greatest tool of horror. In the Grimms' The Robber Bridgegroom, once again the other woman causes the suspense felt by the reader. The other woman is in control of whether or not the miller's daughter will be found by the marauders. The old woman warns her of the danger, and would or would not give away where the girl is hidden. The old woman takes care of things, but everything hinges on her actions. In Jacob's Mr. Fox, there is no other woman, which is interesting in and of itself, the story is short, so there is not much suspense to be had, and all of it is provided by writing on the walls. Finally, in Atwood's Bluebeard's Egg, the other woman, Marylynn functions as a mode of suspense, and perhaps more of a suspension of belief, as everything Sally believes about Ed, Marylynn erases at the end of the story, which then gives its own version of suspense, because we will never know whether there was an affair or not.

Assignment: 24 March 2009

Since class had to be cut short today, there will be two posts for this evening.

Question 1: Compare the elements of horror in the various versions of Bluebeard that you read for today. Please name the elements you are comparing and discuss how they function in the story. Do they help move the plot along? Elaborate the story? Startle the audience? etc.

Question 2: Tatar offers two readings of the heroine’s character: either as a celebration of self-preservation and cleverness or as a disobedient female. Using a version other than the Perrault, consider how the heroine gets presented. Use quotes to support your reading.

Again, please post two separate entries by midnight tonight.

definitely unnecessarily over the top

After watching the DEFA adaption of the Brother Grimms’ “The Devil’s Three Golden Hairs”, the target audience is definitely geared towards children. Each of these films that DEFA produced between 1946 and 1990 emphasized humanitarian aspects that seem underneath the main storyline of the fairytales. DEFA wanted to introduce children to stories of common people from around the world, working effortlessly to adapt tales all over the world, including Mongolian, Ugrian, and Arabian tales. These films were definitely loved and enjoyed by children and those young and old- very much like how Americans today still enjoy those classic film versions of those traditional fairytales.

DEFA films blend together imaginative plots with subtle messages that are designed to stimulate the minds of children and young people to think deeper about social issues that are from across the board- from greed to racism to exploitation and even hypocrisy- just to name a few. I am not sure how relative and common the story plot of “The Devil’s Three Golden Hairs” is to children living during that time, but I guess the other message is that hardwork and determination pays off in the end? I mean Jacob does get to marry the beautiful princess if he is able to complete the task given to him. Oh and his life gets spared. And also putting your wits and intelligence and just smart thinking to use. (these carry a lot of weight and power and change, thus humans are capable of change for the better).

Furthermore, one can see that the target audience is definitely for children by the completely over the top acting of the characters and their facial expressions are extremely exaggerated for maximum effect. For example, when the hammer flies too high into the air, the character goes completely out of control for as a response. Also, the audience will definitely know when the characters were happy, angry, or any of the other emotions because of the character’s comic effects and over the top reactions and responses.

The Devil is a Kid's Best Friend

When looking at the original text by the Grimm Brothers, you can already tell it's geared towards a child audience.  The devil is stupid, and could easily be outsmarted by any of the children imagining this story.  In fact, I see almost no way at all that the film version could not be geared towards children when the original text, too, scolds the devil and puts him in a light that is not only humorous, but overpowered.  In both versions, the devil does have some sort of superior.  This implies that he can be tamed, like a pet, like a fool, and that to children indicates that they too are superior to him.  The devil in the film is also ridiculously painted and costumed; children respond powerfully to visuals.  They know that he looks ridiculous; therefore, he is.  

The Devil for Children

The DEFA version of “The Devil’s Three Golden Hairs” is definitely geared towards a child audience. This film seems like it is meant for families with elementary school aged children because of the way the devil is made into a fool. Jacob pretends to be the devil’s wife and dances with him then scolds him and sends him to bed; that is the kind of humor that young children find funny. Fear of the devil and death is overlooked and made fun of in this film. The devil is almost like a child in that his wife makes him supper and then sends him to bed for being naughty. That is something children can relate to and they will find it amusing that this grown man, who is supposed to be powerful and fearsome, is being treated as a child. There are a number of other parts in the film that were put in specifically to make children laugh. For instance, Jacob runs off into the woods after seeing a mouse or when the devil becoming huge after eating and drinking so much at the wedding.

It’s interesting how the good mother figure of the devil’s grandmother is not in the film, his wife is only mentioned. It’s as if the filmmakers are saying that the actual presence of a mother figure is not important, only the acknowledgement of her existence is significant to the story.

No Golden Globes for Golden Hairs

A lot of things happened in 1977. Annie Hall came out and made men's wear for women popular(here). The historical mini-series Roots came out too(here). The last Star Wars movie came out (the "second trilogy" does not count)(here). For kid's the movie "Pete's Dragon" came out (here). The Muppet Show was in its second season(here). And in East Germany DEFA released 'The Devil's Three Golden Hairs."

Guess which one was the worst. I was surprised while first watching the film that it had been made later than Schneewittchen. Perhaps this is due to what seems to be some location shooting and its effort to use "special effects." The whole thing seemed somewhat shoddy. I suppose it could be given a break since it was a made for tv movie, but at the same point, a bit of effort could have been made. I could be picking on it a bit hard.

The story seemed to be trying to make too many points for children. An obvious first point is that drinking is BAD. The boy main character takes one sip of the king's liquor, and is put all out of sorts as seen by the double vision and dizzying camera effects. The king is constantly drinking from his flask, he is an obvious alcoholic. His character is also the worst one, therefore it takes no fool to see the 'subtle' message.

I thought it was funny that a big part of the movie was questioning the leader. They levy tax, and no one believes the king is telling the truth about robbers. In fact, the king's tax collector, once he does finally happen upon the robber's den, is surprised that one even exists, saying "but there Are No Robbers!" For East Germany, I would think that this would go against their system. Questioning what the government tells you does not seem like the best idea to give to children in the GDR.

I suppose in the end, this movie left me a bit confused. Why did he go to such trouble to get the hairs, if in the end he would give them back to the devil? What was the point of him being afraid of mice, and then claiming to not be in the end, I still think he was, the devil did not test him twice. Why did only the leader of the robbers on the boat set himself free? Did the other robbers get to leave later? I don't know. DEFA could have handled this better, I am not sure exactly how this fairy tale jived with their ideals, since I saw what I think were a few jarring subplots.

Assignment: 17 March 2009

This week we are going by the normal schedule, so please post by Tuesday at midnight and leave two comments by Wednesday night.

Prompt: Respond to the film “The Devil’s Three Golden Hairs” (DEFA). You may wish to consider one (or more) of the following:

• Target audience
• How it uses the medium specifically in order to tell its version of the story
• Comparison to the DEFA version of “Snow White”

I was going to write a whole post about how the film is different from the original story because of the fact that Cocteau has turned it into an opera, and how much of it sounds like Phillip Glass. However, after researching the movie, I see that I have accidentally watched a re-dubbed operatic version actually composed by Phillip Glass, so I'm going to talk about it anyway!
Since this is the only version I saw, I want to talk about what making this film an opera did to the story. Glass' use of repetition and building chord structures in all of his compositions creates an other worldly feel that allows the listener to get lost in the music. Pairing his style with a fairy tale has created an interesting result because along with the surrealist style that Cocteau employs, the film really creates a fairy tale world unlike anything on the page in Beaumont's version is able to do. Not only does the music create that fairy tale feel, but it also dramatizes the story intensely. Hearing the characters sing passionately to each other instead of simply speaking takes the emotions involved in the story to new heights. We feel for the characters as they sing with more passion and emotion. Similarly, since there is no diegetic sound in this version of the film, we take all of our cures from the music itself. As the music crescendos, we are swept away with the characters into whatever is happening. In a way, this operatic fairy tale does the best job out of any media we have been exposed to so far of truely immersing us into the world in which the story takes place, and making us truely care about the outcome of its characters.

Addition of Avenant

One thing that stood out to me the most in Cocteau’s “La Belle et La Bête” is the character of Avenant is added. He is not in De Beaumont’s version of “Beauty and the Beast.” In De Beaumont’s version, Beauty has two sisters and three brothers, and then in the film she has two sisters, one brother, and Avenant, her brother’s friend. Avenant is like Gaston in Disney’s film; he is the arrogant, handsome man who wants to marry Beauty.

It is interesting how when Beauty tells the Beast that Avenant had proposed to her the Beast gets upset and runs off. I thought he went to kill Avenant because he comes back to the castle covered in blood, but then we see Avenant playing chess a few moments later. The Beast acted as if he recognized the name, but that whole scene doesn’t seem to be important to the story as it progresses since Avenant and the Beast never interact.

Also, the brother and Avenant are lazy and act more like the two sisters in the film than the brothers do in the written tale. Beauty’s brother and Avenant play major roles in the decisions made to get Beauty to stay so that they can steal the Beast’s treasures. However, in the written version, the three brothers do not try to keep Beauty away from the Beast. Other than these changes I felt that the film stays fairly true to De Beaumont’s version. Of course, Magnificent, the Beast’s horse, was added, as well as the pavilion full of treasures and a few other changes.

Madam Beaumont’s version of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ vs. Cocteau's "La Belle et la Bête"

I agree with Moriah that that was the most striking change from the two versions of Madam Beaumont’s version of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and Cocteau's "La Belle et la Bête". However, there were several other changes in the movie than the text version of the fairytale- such as the Beast giving Belle the key to his secret pavilion where all of his most sacred treasures laid. In giving her that key it was symbolizing his complete trust in Belle that she will keep her promise and return to the castle after a week of being with her father. Thus there was another change in which her siblings and her brother’s friend tries to get Belle to reveal the secret of getting to the Beast’s castle and getting the key from her. In the movie, the Beast sends a horse to take Belle back to the castle, but the brother and his friend gets on the horse instead, and the sisters leave the mirror for Belle. She is then able to see that the Beast is really sad and thus she decides to return to him. Also, in the movie, her sisters manage to steal the key from Belle, which causes Belle to go back and forth between her house and the castle in trying to find the key, before just running to find the Beast. Lastly, her brother and Avenant climb to the top of the pavilion and break the glass. Avenant tries to lower himself down into the pavilion but is shot by a cupid statue and then just as he turns into a beast, the Beast himself transform into a handsome young prince that sweeps Belle off her feet and carry her away. Also, in the movie, there were most aspects of the Beast showing human qualities, like that part that Ellie already mentioned with him going into her room and hugging her blanket- taking in her smells and her possession as if that was really her. He longed for her and animals don’t usually do that.

la bête avenant

One of the most striking changes from the de Beaumont version of 'Beauty and the Beast' to Cocteau's "La Belle et la Bête" is the transformation of the Beast into a gussied up version of Avenant. After some extensive wikipedia-ing and babelfishing research, I have found a couple of interesting things, firstly, the actor who plays Avenant also plays the Beast, and he was also the 'lifetime companion' of Cocteau. Take this as you will, but it makes a lot of sense to give the most important parts to such an important figure in your life. But also, the name Avenant in itself is French for "pleasant or good looking." Is it not funny that the beast turns into Handsome for his Beauty? At first I thought this transformation was a bit ridiculous. But the more I think of it, the more I believe that it was a genius decision.
The beast became over time, more and more human. He tried to suppress his need to hunt and kill. He treated Beauty well, and pined for her when she left. As he lay dying, he accepted all his shortcomings and felt sorry for them. However, over time, Avenant became more and more like a beast. He, too, tried to woo Beauty into marrying him, to no avail. But he went from a handsome friend, into an evil muderous plotter, once he heard of the Beast's fortune. Once the two halves of the same man were in the same place, they had to become unified. The Beast, the wild animal, died for the love of a woman, a human romantic ideal. Avenant, the human, died at the hands of Diana (goddess of the hunt, coincidence? I think not), as he tried to steal the wealth of another. They changed places, and by doing so, The Beast was able to be reborn as his true self, handsome, and pleasant, Avenant. Even at the end, when the Beast asks Beauty if she minds that he looks like Avenant, she plays the same game she used to play with Avenant himself.
The beastly parts of Avenant died with the body of the Beast in the Temple of Diana, while the ugly parts of the Beast melted away to reveal the handsomeness of Avenant. Both men unified created a man worthy of Beauty in character, virtue, wit, wealth, and appearance. Together with Beauty, their story transcends all age and time.

The beast as human

In de Beaumont's version, we can only depend on words to show the beast's "humanness."  His actions are pretty sterile and show little or no emotion (ritual dinners, gifts).  It is when Beauty leaves him that we understand (not see) his attachment to her.  Like a dog, he just stops feeding himself and lies down to die because she is no longer there.  Still, there is no emotional response, no declaration of love or hurt; just death (which, at this time, might as well say the same thing).  The scene that most struck me in Cocteau's La Belle et la Bete is one where the audience actually sees the Beast's overwhelming grief.  In her bedroom, he solemnly walks to her bed, pulls her covers to his face, feels it, smells it, and weeps.  He tries to fill the void she left with the smell and touch of her blanket; what animal does that?  

Assignment: 10 March 2009

Since many of you still need to watch the Cocteau film, posts will be due at midnight on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.

Pick one scene or element from Cocteau's "La Belle et La Bête" and compare it or contrast it with de Beaumont's version. You might pick something that interests you, that seems odd, or something that you missed in one version or the other, for example.

Conkiajgharuna, the Little Rag Girl

I read an Georgian version for my Cinderella version called Conkiajgharuna, the Little Rag Girl. It basically had the same story line as the conventional Cinderella that we are all very familiar with. The characters are similar as well, with a widowed father who lived with his biological daughter. He takes another wife that already had a daughter of her own, whom she loved dearly. And she comes to view the other daughter as something to hate and wanted to get rid of her. She lavished her own daughter and treated her stepdaughter, Little Rag Girl, miserably and tried to starve her. The fairy godmother from the conventional fairy tales is now instead a talking cow. Although the person in the position as the fairy god mother is different, they both still encompass that aspect of magic that helps to grant Cinderella/Little Rag Girl’s wishes. In this version, there is another pseudo fairy godmother, the old woman devi. Little Rag Girl is very much like Cinderella for she was filled with goodness in her heart. Just in like the Perrault’s version where Cinderella forgives her evil sisters and offers them lodging at the palace and even marries them off to great lords of the courts. Little Rag Girl helps the old woman devi clean her head of the worms- the conduct pleased her so she tells Little Rag Girl to washed her hair and her hands. In doing so, her hair and hands became golden. There is a more religious aspect to Little Rag Girl, as they are going to a church instead of a ball at a palace. But she still drops a golden slipper that becomes the standard and way of choosing a wife. Two very different aspects of this version of Cinderella is that it mentions race- the evil step sister becomes dark and African in ethnicity when she is tricked to washed in the black river and Little Rag Girl is more proactive and takes matters into her own hands by pricking the king with the needle- she didn’t just hide in the corner while her step sister tried on the slipper. She made herself known and went for what she wanted.

Kashmirella

Wow...this was a popular one!  I just picked it because I love Zeppelin's "Kashmir"...and it was short.

Instead of repeating what the others have said, I thought I'd hit one element I found particularly striking.  Was there any purpose to the stepmother, mother, brother, stepsister, father, or starvation at all?  Couldn't the girl have just gone to the river from the beginning and won the love of the king without all the drama with the goat?  There is no indication that she had to go to the river because of her hunger, her sadness over the loss of her mother, or chores her stepmother is forcing her to do.  Also, the luck with the fish was in no way associated with the mother's promise that they'd be fed; it seems that going to the river was an act completely independent of the rest of the story.

"The Wicked Stepmother"

The version that I decided to read was “The Wicked Stepmother,” which is a version from Kashmir that was published in 1893. What brought my attention to this tale was the fact that it focused on the evil stepmother over the good, innocent, abused daughter. I found it really interesting that the story of Cinderella as I think of it (a girl who is not allowed to go to the ball but goes anyway and meets the prince and looses a slipper, then gets married and becomes Queen) does not play a large part. In fact it isn’t even brought up until the very last paragraph. The good mother is still very much alive in this version and serves as the magical helper. She provides her children with food since the wicked stepmother does not give them much to eat. Even after the good mother, who had been turned into a goat, is killed, she continues to help them. Like in the story of Yeh-hsien, the bones of the deceased creature provide the good child/children with what they need. While magic is present, it is not emphasized. It is not the fairy-like magic that we see in Disney’s version. It is simply there to keep the children from starving to death, but does not play a part in the girl becoming queen aspect of the story.

In the end of the tale, one of the daughters loses her nose ring in the river while washing her face and it is found by a cook who gives it to the king. Then the girl’s brother goes to the king to claim it as her nose ring. When the king sees her, he is so attracted to her that they get married. This is similar to the version I have grown up knowing in that some accessory is lost by the girl and found by a prince/king who then marries her. However, there is no ball or questioning of identity of the mysterious woman. I found it really interesting that the stepmother is the center of attention throughout this tale.

This Sounds Familiar

For my version of Cinderella I chose to read Indian Cinderella. I thought the title sounded familiar, and hoping for a Native American type, rather than a subcontinental type, I was correct! I have actually read this story before, in perhaps late middle school or early high school when I was babysitting a little boy and girl in my hometown, Coppell, TX. This is apparently a Canadian story written in 1920. The version I read a long time ago was a picture book. I remember when I read it long ago to those kids that I thought it was pretty horrible that they scarred the girl's face with coal. I think it's interesting that even though its title refers to the 'cinderella' character, the Chief's Youngest Daughter, no one has a name except for the 'prince-like' character, Strong Wind. His version of the perfect fit is being able to see him, which honestly, I dunno. The whole tale is a reasoning behind why aspen trees tremble when it's windy. I love tales that explain phenomena, but for that one, I think it's pretty self explanatory. This version can stick with you, but I wouldn't buy the picture book... rent it from the library.

Assignment: 24 February 2009

Look through the sites below and choose either an illustration(s) or a version of the Cinderella story which we have not read for class and respond to it.

• D. L. Ashliman’s folktale site
• Sur La Lune
• The Cinderella Project at the University of Mississippi

No posts this week

Good luck on your exams!

Zipes vs. Disney

Jack Zipes discusses how Disney changed the way fairy tales are viewed by audiences. Disney animated tales in such a way that they were engrained in audiences’ minds forever. Zipes argues that Disney did this in order to take control and show off his skills as an animator. I don’t agree that Disney “robs the literary tale of its voice and changes its form and meaning” (344). Disney took these tales that had been told and changed for many years and he made his own changes. He did what many others had done before him. I don’t think that he “violated” these tales just because he had the technology and the ideas to transform short tales into full-length feature films.
It is true that whenever I think of fairy tales, Disney movies are the first that come to mind. But is that really such a horrible thing? I am not saying that Zipes is wrong in saying Disney took control of fairy tales, because in a way he did make them his. I learned these stories from Disney before I heard earlier versions. However, I feel that because Disney had already taught me these tales in such a memorable way that by the time I heard other versions I was able to appreciate them more.
When you watch these tales as an adult, they bring back memories of what it was like to watch them as a child and be completely enchanted by the story. Disney made fairy tales even more enjoyable for both children and adults. Isn’t that what the Grimm’s and others wanted?

Walt Disney Is A Hack?

Jack Zipes hates Walt Disney. Well, perhaps hates is too strong a word, but he really does not like that man. He wrote the essay entitled "Breaking the Disney Spell" where he basically states that Walt is a kind of narcissistic man who took a bunch of fairy tales that everyone knew and loved, and turned them into Eau de Disney. What he is saying is that Disney turned these fairy tales and turned them into stories that have no point but to show how awesome Disney and his animation studio are.

Well, I have an answer for Zipes, and that is, "so what else is new?" Let's think about this. Disney tales came from fairy tales, most of the time the Brosters Grimm version. Ok, Disney made it even *less* offensive than they were, took out the last of the bloodshed and tawdriness. Alright. Well, what did the Grimm Bros do? They took tales written by Perrault and the ilk and formatted them to suit a child's mind, and fill it with instruction, and important stuff. They, in some cases, drastically altered their own tales, so that people were not too offended, or surprised by lewdness. So they even censored and lightened themselves. Ok, what did C. Perrault and his peers do? They took traditionally oral tales and traditions, and wrote them down on paper, so that their 'version' became *the* version that could be spread amongst everyone. They added some fluff to make it a bit more like a story, and less like something that is embellished by the teller. He basically, in a sense, said boohoo you, tradition, I've got you in a strangle hold now! But what had the story tellers done? I don't know for sure, because that is when this all starts, and like a big game of telephone, the story changes from person to person who tells it. But I think Zipes should get off his high horse and realize that Disney is not raping the fairy tale, that process started the moment the story was committed into a permanent paper form, more than 300 years ago.

So he can shut it, and let me watch The Little Mermaid in peace.

Princess Walt

I feel there was more than just one thesis.  One of the most stressed points, however, was how Disney altered the original Grimm story into a mold of his own life.  The thesis of this point was to stress how the male prince, who never enters the story until the end, is the culminating hero who basically came out of nowhere and saved the princess.  This is an allusion to his story as the no-name animator who comes out and makes his name and fortune with Snow White, his princess who represents his departure from the life of an ill-loved son and a dreamer with an invisible vision.  Snow White is his property (even though he certainly did not draw or design her), perhaps that representation of lost love that he reconquers through his ingenuity, and because, well, he's the guy.  Of course he carries the lost woman off into the clouds!  Do I agree...well, no.  I revere this man.  Perhaps people back in the Grimm Brothers' day thought they, too, tarnished these tales from this new media.  Disney is just the modern Brother Grimm; no one is accusing the Grimm Brothers of incorporating their lives into stories (nonetheless about princesses!).  

spell bound?

With Disney, fairy tales will never be the same again. Disney came and casted his name, a captivating spell over fairy tales. Even though it was the Grimm Brothers that went around and did the dirty and hard work of recording and collecting fairytales and stories, Disney movies is what comes to mind when children or adults today think of the great classic stories. Jack Zipes’s article discusses the huge cultural influence that Disney had on fairy tales, and that completely changed that way that we view and enjoy them today, even in the 21st century. He was definitely a radical filmmaker that was not afraid to experiment and use to his advantage all of the new and technologically advanced resources to ensure the success of his name, that his name will be a household item even long after his death. That just like in many fairytales, especially in Snow White since we are discussing her in class this week, where Snow White is preserved for a while after her death and before her rescue by the prince, Disney’s name will forever be preserved in animations that still capture the hearts of children and adults alike.

I agree with Zipes that Disney has definitely taken fairytales and completely given it a makeover, stripping it of most of the elements from their original literary forms captured by the Grimm Brothers and giving it a new “look”. I definitely remember growing up and watching those classical stories when they were still on the VHS tapes! I remember having a collection in the cabinet under the TV and we kept them in prime condition, always putting them back in place after watching them. Disney took full advantage of all the technology surrounding filmmaking and animation and totally transformed the face of literary fairytales once only captured on paper. He took these inanimate stories and brought them to life, filling them with vitality and excitement, and thus casting spells of awe and wonderment in the hearts of those that watch. Disney definitely had a way with transforming fairytales, as I still am captured by the simplicity and enchantment of the stories even as I watch them now as an adult as I did when I was a kid. I am still in awe when Belle and the Beast danced in that magnificent ballroom surrounded by the grandeur of the palace, filling my heart with childhood, girly wishes of happily ever after and giddiness of “oh how romantic!” heheh. These “tale as old as time” fairy tales still leave me feeling young again and a happy and warm feeling in my heart.

Zipes article

Jack Zipes, in his article "Breaking the Disney Spell", discusses the impact that Walt Disney has had on the fairy tale after the release of his 1937 animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He discusses how fairy tales were first understood and passed on, but his main goal is to talk about how and why those of us today mostly know the versions of these fairy tales that Disney released. He claims that these films so thoroughly replaced the original tales because of several things. The reasons that he stresses that I would like to focus on are: 1. The technical advances that he used to portray the story 2. the simplification of the meanings behind the story and the fact that he geared it toward "non-reflective viewing" (Tartar, 352), and 3. The visualization of a Utopian far away land that Disney created in this and his following animated fairy tales.

I definitely have to agree with Zipes in his reasonings for the complete domination in American society of Disney's versions of the fairy tales. I distinctly remember growing up watching these movies (not so much Snow White, but many of the other Disney animated films) with a sense of wonderment and awe. Animation allows for infite possibilities in creativity, and Disney took advantage of that in his versions. While the Grimms' stories are incredibly short and give very little imagery and descriptions, Disney's versions allow us to revel in the world he has created where animals display human emotions, there are evil witches, and magic is not something out of the ordinary. Spending some time in this Utopian world with the beautiful animation and many pleasurable things to watch is much preffered than reading a Grimm version of the story. The fact that Disney made the themes of these stories much less "in your face", and made them more about love, peace, and justice (all timeless, universal themes), makes them all the easier to take in and enjoy. I was surprised how well the Disney version held up for me, as the last time I had seen it I was probably seven, and this further proved to me that while the Grimms versions are still potent and important for literary traditions, compared to the grandeur and excitement of the Disney versions, they come off a bit stale.

Assignment: 3 February 2009

First, please identify the thesis of the Zipes article from this week’s reading. Then, respond to his thesis: do you agree or disagree, and why?

Don’t forget to post two comments by Wednesday at midnight.

Roald Dahl's "Little Red" and "Three Pigs"

Roald Dahl is an author that almost every child, at least in America, grows up reading. He writes with children in mind and by making them the main characters of his stories, children can relate to them more easily. In his retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” he twists the story in the same way James Thurber does, by having the little girl shoot the wolf. I feel that this twist only works if the audience is familiar with the version of the story that has Little Red Riding Hood get eaten by the wolf. Dahl even has the wolf tell Little Red Riding Hood that she asked the wrong question. By bringing Little Red Riding Hood into the story of “The Three Little Pigs,” the audience must be familiar with that story as well. Dahl does not go into all of the details of the story; he only reiterates the main plot points and expects the reader to be able to fill in the blanks. This retelling, which was published in 1982, shows how important fairy tales have become in our culture. Dahl is expecting that his audience will have a firm grasp of how the stories usually end and that through that knowledge, understand the humor of the ending.

Things Kids Don't Understand

Italo Calvino certainly  had a sense of humor when composing this tale, one I feel is aimed at adults.  After studying French fablieux, aka lais of a pornographic/inappropriate nature, I found similarities in the details that Calvino's tale offers and fablieux of the middle ages.  For example, when the little girl asks why the "grandmother" (ogress) is hairy in the hands, chest, and hips, I can't help but notice that these are all very sensitive, private, and references to erogenous zones.  The fact that they're so hairy and that the "grandmother" responds with answers that are very adult in nature (rings, necklaces, and corsets), I feel would have been a riot, of a lower-class humor, though.  Then later when the little girl has to relieve herself, I found that to also be particular in lower-class humor, understandable to adults who have already successfully passed through what Freud called the anal stage.  

breaking stereotypes

Growing up, I remember reading a lot of Chinese version of fairytales, so I was really surprised that I had not read the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood before. It has taken me a long time to really come to appreciate and embrace my Chinese heritage, so I very much enjoyed reading this version and then looking up the history behind when it was it written. I think that it was really interesting that it was the girl that was the heroine and the brave one in the story, because even until now, sons were more desired in Chinese families because they not only carried the family name, but because they can be worked, thus supplying for the economic purposes of the families. This is especially interesting as this version was published in 1979 (in the wake of the Cultural Revolution in China), the same year that China passed its “One-Child” policy to ease social, economic, and environmental problems in China, so couples only had one chance for a son, making it even more fascinating that the main character and hero of the story is a girl. As a stereotype, Asian women are also rendered as meek, passive, and gentle, but Goldflower in this version completely breaks that stereotype and I think truly inspires and empowers all women, Asian or not alike. She is not only brave, but clever and witty, ultimately tricking the wolf to give her the very weapon he was probably going to kill her with, which she used to gorily spear into deep into the Bear’s throat. Because of this, I think that this version was intended for a more mature, and adult audience. Children back then did not have the freedom to just play and enjoy childhood in the way that is so common for us living in the Western world in the 21st century, for they were very much an integral part of supporting and providing for the family. Thus, stories would not be specifying or especially written for children nor for their entertainment. Lastly, this version of the traditional Little Red Riding Hood story is that it highlights several aspects that are important to the Chinese family unit. The story starts out with the mother going to visit and care for a sick aunt- this shows that the family is treated as a communal thing, without members of the family caring and helping each other out. In everything that Chinese people do, it is not so much for themselves or how it affects them individually, but it is usually with the family in mind- you never just bring shame on yourself, but shame on the whole family. Also, the eldest in the family will always play the pseudo mom and cares for the younger siblings, as the older sister is in charge of caring for her younger brother when the mom was away. So not only was this version published during an a very important and defining period in Chinese history, but it also highlights and emphasizes several fundamental parts of Chinese family life. This might not even be connected to this version and it can be a complete coincidence, but this is another version of Little Red Riding Hood, and the color red is very important, symbolizing happiness/joy, good fortune/prosperity, dignity, mystery, and signifying reunion/unity, health, harmony, and peace. For China, red is not just a color, but something that embodies and reflects traditions, cultures, and a wealth of history.

Rewriting Red

Of all the tales of Riding Hood
The only one that's any good
Is the story written by R. Dahl
Because it's the shortest of them all.

I like its humor and quick wit,
And how soon I was done with it,
But what was best, without a doubt
Is how the tale's turned inside out.

He took a tale that we all know
And wrapped it with a modern bow
He cut the boring moral knowledge
And made it fun to read for college.

Within two seconds grandma's lunch
This tale is different is our hunch.
The wolf starts on his hungry pitch
But he's no match for Lil Red Bitch.

For New Red deals with firearms
Instead of young, insipid charms.
Red's a hero, no fragile flower,
The height of fashion and girl power.

The poem's fun if we all know
The story told so long ago.
The tale is good for being able
To tipsy topsy turn the table.

Sometimes people write a story
Not as a boring allegory
But just to have a little fun
That's all I know, my poem's done.

Thurber's "The Little Girl and the Wolf"

My favorite of all of these versions of Little Red Riding Hood was definitely James Thurber's The Little Girl and the Wolf". I laughed out loud at reading the ending to this very short rendition of the classic tale and immediately looked up more of Thurber's work. I discovered that this was actually a part of a compilation of satirical fables that he had put out in 1940, which led me to think about the audience of this time. The readers of this story had most certainly heard the original tale of Little Red Riding Hood, as it had been in circulation for a few hundred years. I could tell that Thurber was aware of this because the whole story really is about the shock value in the punchline and the moral. Thurber spends very little time with the actual descriptions of the characters and the story, instead giving a brief summary of the events leading up to the twist at the end. Another thing that I noticed was his use of the image of the Metro Goldwyn Mayer Lion as a joke, indicating that the people who read this story were also those who frequented the cinemas. 1940 was the year before the US entered into World War Two, and the stresses of Europe's war was definitely reaching the American public. Americans, like the Europeans at this time, turned to the cinema for a brief escape from reality and the stresses of their everyday lives. Like the movies, Thurber's version of this fairy tale serves to give that same audience a brief release from their daily stresses by surprising them with an unexpected and whimsical twist on something that had been heard for so long. The violent ending to this story also suggests that the main audience for this story was adults, furthering the idea that they would appreciate this twist, having by this point in their lives heard the tale so many times.

Assignment: 27 January 2009

Please respond to the following by midnight tonight. On Wednesday, read over the other posts in your sub-group and comment on at least two.

You have read Shavit's essay comparing the Perrault and Grimm versions of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Using Shavit's method, consider one of the other versions you read for this week (Dahl, Calvino, Thurber, Chiang Mi). With a little research (you may use Wikipedia, since this is not a research paper), outline who you think the audience is and what the fairy tale’s retelling says about the culture and time in which it was written.

dont be greedy!

First off, I want to apologize for the lateness of this post- i forgot that we’re all part of different blogs so my friend in a different one said that her TA emailed them to post a response to the blog, so i was waiting on an email to go post and forgot to just look on the blog site. so im sorry! And will remember to look here next time right after our class meetings on tues.

So for my movie pitch, i am taking a bit from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the issue of greediness from the essay we read. There was one part in Bettelheim’s essay that talks about children and greediness and how they must learn to overcome these destructive desires, for they only lead to more evil and danger. Especially since a lot of times, these desires are for physical satisfaction, and thus appealing to the eye and tempting but are so bad if one gives into temptation.

The story is set in a land far, far away where it is not confined by time or physical space. A drought and famine has hit the land and all is dark, desolate, and dreary. Hansel and Gretel are the 2 eldest in their family of 8 (7 and 5 respectively), so they have the responsible of somehow making some money and finding food for the rest of their brothers and sisters, while their widowed mother is picking the dried up grain and bits and pieces of the abundant harvest just from months ago (their father had died from the lack of food). There was this huge factory where most of the townspeople were employed, that was owned by this mega-millionaire. He had so much money that he didn’t know what to do with it and was bored. He was also very lonely because his beloved wife had died due to being too greedy- she ate too much of the food at one time and then died from complications with digestion. And she failed to bear him children, so he had a great idea. Because of the famine, a lot of families were selling their children away or just plainly abandoning them, so the local orphanage is overfilled and can’t take anymore. His idea was to hold a contest and whomever finished/completed it, he would adopt them and the rest of the family to live with him happily ever after in his mansion. He wanted to make sure that they weren’t greedy, because he could not risk losing someone else he loved to greediness. He would devise a whole obstacle course that lead to a huge feast at the end for the children and their family, but also along the way he would try to distract them with candies littering the ground, or cookies hanging from the trees, or cakes and other delicious pastries lining the pathway. The children had to race each other through the enchanted forest, and whomever gets to the feast first and beats out the others, wins. Also, eating the food along the way will cause them to get fatter and fatter and throughout the obstacle course, there are parts that are tight squeezed and where they have to climb over walls, jump through hoops, squeeze under small spaces, and swing on ropes. So those that were tempted and wanting to satisfy their hunger because they haven’t eaten in so long, will get fatter and fatter and not complete the whole race because they won’t be able to fit through so of the spaces. So long story short, all of the children from the town entered the contest, and one by one they all fall victim to the delicious and appetizing food along the way. Hansel and Gretel encouraged each other not to eat of those, because they could feel that something greater and better awaited them at the end. So they win, eat the wonderful feast with their family, and now lives in the mansion. Oh and the mother and the millionaire marry and they all lived happily ever after!

Movie pitch

These children come from a place where bread, cake, and sugar is sparse, correct?  Hansel and Gretel come from the island of Sansnom, off the coast of what people call "the mainland."  They are island children, dressed in leaves with tanned skin, and dine totally (under normal island circumstances) on tropical fruits, birds, and lizards.  They do not have grain on the island.  Alas, no bread.  No cake.  And no red meat.  

The witch, of course, is fat and fair-skinned, for she comes from the forest.  She lures the children in with the promise of bread and meat...little do they know that they are to be the main course.  In exploring the topic of cannibalism, the children will actually eat the witch after she is cooked to a medium-well temperature, because they want to know what red meat tastes like.  

Hansel and Gretel

Tatar says that “Hansel and Gretel” “mirror[s] the hard facts of the premodern era” (pg. 180). And so, I would want to bring those difficulties into the film to show that life for children was hard and that they could not expect their parents to take care of them until they were older. Here is the idea that I would pitch:
Hansel and Gretel are both fairly young, no younger than 6 and no older than 10. They are the two oldest children in a large peasant family who struggle daily to find their next meal and keep a roof above their heads. Since the father and mother cannot afford to feed all of the children they send Hansel and Gretel, being the most capable of the children, out into the streets to fend for themselves. Hansel and Gretel beg for food for a few days until they find a bakers shop. They steal some bread that is cooling on the windowsill and when the old baker’s wife catches them she brings them in and makes them apprentices to the baker. While the children are given plenty of food, they are unhappy because the baker and his wife are cruel to them. However, they know that they are lucky to be off of the streets and so they continue to work as hard as they can.

Kids for Sale

This story takes place in a monastery orphanage in the late 1600's. The church takes in Hansels and Gretels from all over whose parents cannot afford to take care of all their children, so the weaklings who cannot pull their weight are given up to the church. But the head friar cannot take care of all the children who have been previously left at the monastery. The boys who have made oaths and those who help with the chores are able to stay in the monastery. But a small select group must leave, and are taken by the father and abandoned many miles away. The children come to a small secluded town and some adapt to new society, while some fall by the wayside and become confused wanderers in the forest forever.

(this is lame, but really, I think H&G as said by a few of the essays written, is firmly based in what happened, parents had to abandon kids when they just could not take care of them... people have been doing this forever, practically... all the way back to Moses).

Response #2

I found it interesting while reading the essay on Hansel and Gretel in The Classic Fairy Tales that these stories were primarily written as a sort of fantastical take on what was really occurring in pre-modern times. If I had to envision the world in which a story like Hansel and Gretel would arise, I would first take into account that these were times when the lower class families really did struggle for food and other things needed for basic survival. Therefore, it would be very evident in the film that the characters were of a lower class and were not living in comfort. I think that the main characters of the film would have to be the children, and it would be best if they inhabited a world where much of what they learned they got from being vigilant and incredibly tactful. I would imagine that in order to survive, these children would have to grow up quickly and stay completely aware of their situation so that they could be one step ahead of those who would attempt to do them harm. The adults in this world would be seen as most of the secondary characters, and they would be seen as full of worry for the well being of them and their family. It would have to be a world where the adults were so caught up in their own affairs that they did not realize that their children were intelligent and capable people.
All of these worries about food and simply surviving day by day would be a good foundation for the story of Hansel and Gretel. As the tensions build up within a family, thoughts become more and more irrational, which could lead to actions that might not have been taken in a more stable atmosphere.

Assignment: 20 January 2009

Please respond to the prompt below by tonight (Tuesday) at midnight. You should place your response in a new post, rather than using the “comment” function. Later this week, you will be able to check back and see featured entries on our main page, The Philosopher’s Stone.

Keene imagines the world that created the fairy tales we read today in The Juniper Tree. Considering this Ur-world, full of poverty, fear, ignorance, and a need for storytelling, imagine what factors would lead to a story like Hansel and Gretel.

Pretend you want to pitch a movie that shows the world that produced Hansel and Gretel. How old would the main characters be? What would your supporting cast look like? And perhaps most importantly, what sorts of problems would feed into the Hansel and Gretel story? Use the week's readings to guide your thinking; consider the themes which appear in the various fairy tales from England, France, and Germany.

Response

Sorry for the late response, but I thought this was starting next week.

I think that the Bettelheim essay was much more interesting to me because of the way he discussed the role of fairy tales in terms of child development. I was especially intrigued by the section when he claims that in order for a story to be effective in developing a child it must "at one and the same time relate to all aspects of his personality-- and this without ever belittling but, on the contrary, giving full credence to the seriousness of the child's predicaments, while simultaneously promoting confidence in himself and in his future". I think it is a great way to look at how a story is able to help a child answer questions about the world around him or her, because these fairy tales can stimulate their imagination and allow them to see ideas from a new perspective. I've always thought about fairy tales having a minimal importance, and instead being more of a form of entertainment with a little bit of a moral thrown in at the end. However, after reading this essay and thinking about it, I am really able to grasp the potential effect that these types of stories can have on children.

My thoughts...

Well, obviously, since Bettelheim's argument was to highlight the importance of fairy tales in children's literary repertoire, I'd have to say Darnton's essay is more productive in separating fairy tales from children's entertainment.  By going into detail on the psychoanalytical interpretation of the texts like "Little Red Riding Hood," I mean, how much more detached from children's literature can you get?  Menstruation, virginity, sterility...not really kid-appropriate.

Darnton goes as far as to show that it certainly was much more than children who listened to these stories.  Clergymen, French refugees, and bourgeoisie benefitted mostly from these tales, indicating that these fairy tales were a socio-political response to more than just folklore to scare and excite little children.  There is deep symbolism that, in their young imaginations, they are not yet capable of understanding.

bettelheim wins

Just within reading the first few lines of Bettelheim and Darnton’s essays, one can see how very different they are. Even just the tone that the essays are written in is evident within the first few paragraphs. I agree that Darnton writes in a more intellectual way, but I feel that he is too wordy before getting to a point he is making. I also agree that Bettelheim’s essay is much more “dry”, but I feel like he hits upon his points faster and more effectively than Darnton. He also writes in a way “more everyday/conversational language”. And I think being a Child Development major and having read and studied a lot about how children’s minds are very influenced by what they read, see, and interact with, I find Bettelheim’s essay more productive in helping me understanding fairy tales as more than just children’s entertainment. I mean I definitely understand it more than Darnton’s essay. Bettelheim states that among the most important and hardest part of rearing children is helping them find meaning in life- what is their purpose in life? How can he better learn to understand himself and others? How can he learn to relate and live in harmony with others? I took a children’s literature class last spring semester, so I completely agree with Bettelheim when he says that young children are most heavily and greatly influenced by literature. They will learn a lot from what is read to them and what they will eventually learn to read. Thus, I strongly believe that since fairy tales do teach somewhat of moral lessons in the end, they do help to stimulate development in the minds of children. Also many times, fairy tales will have a concept of what is right and wrong, good and evil, and even to some extent the roles of masculinity and femininity (although many are of extreme stereotypical roles of men and women, but at least it does offer some insight into how boys and girls should be acting and behaving- like what is expected and deemed “appropriate”). Fairytales also introduce to children that there is evil in this world, because it can be hard sometimes for parents to just jump into that topic of how the world is not all that golden and jolly; the reality is that there is a lot of bad in this world, mixed in with good and righteousness. Fairytales are able to communicate to the mind of young children in a way that sometimes just lecturing to them wouldn’t. This of course is not to take the place of parents disciplining and teaching their children what is right and wrong, and righteous and evil, but it does offer another resource, a more creative and entertaining way, for parents to teach and raise their children. So a fairytale is everything but just children’s entertainment; it is satisfying, enriching, educational/intellectual, and a huge added bonus, it is also entertaining!