Finishing Up

I just wanted to take the time to submit one last post. I would post my term paper but I do not have it with me (the problem of not having internet at home!!) Instead, I just want to focus on the two presentations that I enjoyed the most. I enjoyed all of them, both the group and the individual, but there was one of each that were just incredible to me.
The Little Red Riding Hood group had such a unique presentation. I could see how much insight they had into the story, but it was so entertaining. The idea of having Freud psychoanalyze the story was so creative. Plus, the costumes were great, and this group by far had the best soundtrack.
The other presentation that was so fabulous to me was Allison's individual presentation. I have to say that the highlight of the entire course, for me, was when she began saying that she was comparing the story of the Pied Piper to "the Lizard King, Mr. Mojo Rising, or Jim Morrison." I was so utterly thrilled that I just about wet myself. When I am not pressed to finish final papers, I will sit down and read the whole paper that is posted on her sight. I am very excited to do so. I guess what got me was the fact that someone was so creative to connect a wonderful figure like Jim Morrison to Children's Literature and actually make it work. After Allison explained her ideas, it made complete sense to me. I wish I could explain more but I don't know how fully I can express my excitement over this presentation through a web-posting, but I guess I will just say that "it was really, really, really good!!"
That would really be all I have to say for now. See you all at the final!

Intersting Catcher in the Rye stuff

I was Googling and I found some interesting Web Sites for Catcher in the Rye.

http://www.geocities.com/exploring_citr/ (this one is pretty cool. It has newspaper adds for some of the private schools mentioned in the book from 1948, and comparisons on the book and current tv shows.)

http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm (this one gives praises and criticisms about the book)

http://www.davidicke.net/tellthetruth/reststory/fbirye.html (this one discusses how the book motivated the killings/suicides we were talking about in class as part of an FBI conspiracy. It's pretty funny.)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Catcher in the Rye

This was my first time reading this book. I suppose what I found the most interesting was that I would be reading along and feel rather connected with Holden, and then I would turn the page and think "What a jerk". Then I would find myself liking him again. It was quite easy to get engrossed in the story. I could almost hear his voice telling it. The writing style lent a definate edge to the easy communication. I really enjoyed this book. I know this is a short posting, but I am rather short on time right now, so I may come back and continue this discussion later.

Fairy Tale Commentary

The fairy tale displacement that I chose to discuss on my website is "Evil in the Mountains" by Kelby Fisher. It is actually more of a regular fairy tale, but I chose it because of how much of it reminded me of Brothers Grimm stories. Throughout the entire story I was struck by how likely it would be that if the Brothers Grimm were alive today, it would be something that they might write.
The main connection I see in Kelby's fairy tale is to The Juniper Tree. In his story a boy gets killed by a demonic young girl as a sacrifice to ravens that come and eat his body. In the end, this boy's ghost comes back and kills the demonic girl before she sacrifices another person. The girl is impaled on a tree and then disappears. The boy then walks out of the woods and returns home without an explanation of what happened to him.
The reason this reminds me of the Juniper Tree is the boy getting eaten and then his ghost coming back to exact revenge. I think this story was mainly created without another story in mind, but you can still see the influence of other stories in it.

Wind in the Willows

While reading this book there was one question that really interested me. It is cheesy and totally over done, but I couldn't help but wonder "which character are you?" I have to say that I am a Mr. Toad. I am by no means a wealthy person and I don't spend my money on passing crazes, but what I relate to in Mr. Toad is the incredible, undeniable desire to go somewhere, to be on the move, and to go fast! I have always loved cars and ever since I got my driving permit I would just jump in the car and go on random joyrides. When ever I feel the need I hit the highway and drive until I feel like turning around. I would like to think that I am a better driver than poor Mr. Toad, but in actuality I am probably not. When I get behind the wheel I become Queen of the Road, and a few choice words will be flung at anyone who gets in my way. I am not reckless, just fast and commanding(I don't know how else to describe it). Also, anyone who knows me well would probably describe me as intelligent and witty, yet lacking in common sense at times. I was one of those kids who walked into a glass door and then backed up and did it harder. It takes a few bumps on the head before I learn my lesson, just as it did for Mr. Toad. There is one major difference between me and Mr. Toad, but even that can be compared to me. I am far from conceited, in fact I am down right self-conscious most of the time. When I am around people I know and in my comfort zone, however, I tend to get loud, obnoxious, and long winded. I sometimes think that I am the funniest person I know, and I tell some of the worst stories imaginable. None of these star me as a heroine, though. It is amazing how much of myself I see in Mr. Toad.

Galant Knight 

September 29, 2004

I was read fairy tales as a child and I would have to agree that they do ingrain a certain fantasy about being rescued by a galant knight on a white horse, but so has everything else I have ever experienced. Every movie I have watched, every other book I have read, even classes I have taken have helped to put that fantasy in my head. It is a common theme of our society. I don't argue at all with the fact that fairy tales are subversive in this way towards females. Luckily my upbringing has taught me an even stronger lesson. Both my parents basically taught me that "anything you can do, I can do better." Regardless of the fact that I am a female, I know that I can do anything I set my mind to and I can take care of myself without any assistance from a man, and I have done quite well over the past few years. Even when a man did come into my life, I would not allow him to rescue me. I do my best to rescue him, to be his knight in shining armor. There is still a desire in the back of my mind to be taken care of and rescued, put there by the subversive fairy tales I have read and been read along with other things, but there is an even stronger desire to be a self-dependant woman which is what I learned and saw in every other aspect of my life.

September 23, 2004

Perhaps I am the only one but I know I wasn't given the traditional upbringing, at least in the way we have been talking about. I was not brought up in a religious family so I wasn't taught all about Adam and Eve or any of the other Biblical stories that have been mentioned in class as common knowledge that all children learn. I still don't know most of them. Also, it has been said almost every day in class that these stories aren't for children. I heard the Brothers Grimm versions of these fairy tales when I was very little girl. It hasn't seemed to damage me too badly. In fact it was rather tame to the other things I was exposed to in my childhood. I watched movies like "IT" and "Candyman" when they first came out. I was seven when I watched "IT". I think that is a lot more violent than the fairy tales we are reading. I guess I just don't quite see the major distinction that "these stories aren't for kids" that everyone else does.