"The End"

That's all folks!

Now isn't that just cute?  At the end of the cartoon adventure, a little humor and then a polite dismissal, telling us the show is over.

Yet, we always want more.  When a story is over, we ask for another, preferring to be lost in an alternate reality to our current reality.  The example of the abused princess who loses her glass slipper at the ball of her true love comes to mind.

First came the original story, "The Little Glass Slipper," in the french book Histoires ou contes du temps passé by Charles Perrault.

Somewhere along the lines, Disney decided it made quite the lovely tale, and created the animated movie Cinderella.

However, this wasn't enough for fans of the story, so the movie A Cinderella Story was created, based on the original plot.

However, even the modern remake wasn't enough, and we "needed" Another Cinderella Story.

I'm just going to be brutally honest for a second and say that the remixes of the original are dreadful.  But that's beside the point.  Anyways, if we just keep wanting to hear stories, why do we want an end?

Every child (and if not you, then your siblings, cousins, neighbors, etc.) loves to be read a bed time story.  Without fail, what happens when the story is finished if the kiddo is not yet asleep?  He demands another.  If we have this inherent love for story, even as a child, why can we not just continue an endless story?

I think it is because of our desire for order and knowing.  Even if we are as right-brained and sporadic as it gets, we still enjoy a little closure so that we can close the lid and store the story.  We want a neat little stack of completion rather than a long, never ending chain that does not neatly fit in anywhere.  It would grow so big that it could connect with everything, and yet not fully with anything else.  It would be possible to draw comparisons between parts, but never a whole, and that can be frustrating.

In terms of knowing, we are a curious people.  We want to know how things turn up, does it work, and what could we expect if it were to happen to us.  In a long story, our impatience gets to us, and rather than enjoy the story, we want to see the outcomes, and we begin to strive for the ending instead of enjoying the adventure of getting there.  In addition, I believe we are afraid of getting confused if the story is long.  We take length to mean complexity and confusion full of twists and turns, but in reading The Arabian Nights, I have found my preconceived notions of this to be false.  Through the stories, I am swept up, but every individual tale is short enough and tied back to the upper levels quickly enough that I am not lost or confused, but continue to look forward to the next layer within the overarching story.  

This is where the art of storytelling comes in.  A good storyteller is able to weave an intricate individual tale, while still keeping the connection between the other stories clear so that the listener is able to simply enjoy and focus on one story without fear of losing the bigger one.  Therefore, I believe that we don't necessarily want an ending, we just want clarity.

How the Elk Got his Antlers

“Daaaaaaad! Dad dad dad dad dad!”

“Shhhh Sam, it’s not even light out yet! Want to scare the elk away before we even see any?”

“No…..”

“It’s just a bit further.  Here, let me take your gun and you shimmy on up that ladder.  There you go, easy now, stay quiet.  Alright, scoot over and I’ll sit on the edge.”

“Hey Dad?”

“What buddy?”

“I’m bored. And cold. And I don’t want to go hunting.”

“Just wait, I promise – Shhhhh! Look Sam!”

“Ohhhh! What do I do?”

“Just leave it; look at how beautiful it is!  Ah, there is goes.  Look at that.  Back to his family I bet!”

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Why do elk have such big antlers?  Like, doesn’t it seem like it would bend your head over?”

“Well, it’s kind of a long story kiddo….

Back before any man had even set foot in the Americas, when the forests grew wild and untamed, and survival of the fittest existed in its rawest form, the elk had bare heads.  This meant they had little protection against big predators and the herds were quickly dying down.  So one day, one brave elk, after witnessing his brother be killed by wolves, decided to sneak away from the herd and find a way to save his family.  He wandered for days through the woods, running and hiding from predators, until, eleven days later, he accidentally stumbled into a hole and twisted his ankle.  Bellowing in pain, he resigned himself to his fate and sat, waiting for the end to come.

However, the elk was in luck!  Up popped a little field mouse, all cute and grey and miniscule.  

“Whatcha doing?” piped the mouse.

“Waiting to die,” moped the elk.

“Well... I can help with that!” squeaked the little mouse.

“Yeah right,” replied the elk, “because it’s not like I’m a million times bigger than you.”

But just as he said this, the little mouse began to scuttle around, weaving together grasses and leaves until he had formed a bandage he wrapped around the ankle.  

“Wow, that actually does feel better!  Thanks little guy.  I’ll just head on home now, I’ve done enough damage without accomplishing anything.  Want a life?  Climb on and I’ll get you back,” said the elk.

“Thanks!” exclaimed the mouse, and he scampered up until he was sitting on the elk’s shoulder as they slowly made their way through the forest.  “What were you doing so far out here anyways?”

“Long story...” sighed the elk.  “Basically, the same horrible things happening everywhere are happening to the elk.  I came out in search of something to help us protect ourselves.”

“Hmmmm that’s tough.  I’m pretty sure the only reason I’m still alive is because I’m so small that they don’t even see me!” said the mouse.  “Oh wait, I have an idea!”

“Oh yeah?  And what’s that?” questioned the moose sarcastically.  “Unless you happen to know some mystical giant creature willing to protect the herd, we’re out of options.”

“No, silly!” squealed the mouse, “We’ll just get you your own protection!”

“What do you mean?” replied the elk.

“Well, a few months ago I was foraging for some berries and nuts and just little goodies to bring home to my family, when suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, these wolf pups appear and start chasing me around like I’m some sort of toy!  So, of course I hop away as fast as a can, and who do I run into, but a beaver!

This beaver saw my plight and quickly ushered me into this lodge.  However, we could still hear the pups scratching away away at the roof.  

Seeing my anxiety and knowing I’m a chewer, the beaver pulled out a fresh branch and we both got to gnawing.  

“You know,” he said, “I remember a time when things weren’t this bad.  The water had always been safe - I could swim out in the open and build as many dams as I wanted, but then, one day, everything changed.  I was swimming to my latest project, when out of no where I heard this huge splash behind me.  It was bigger than any fish, and I was used to only myself and the fish inhabiting this waterway.  Startled, I turned around, and what should I see, but a huge dog head sticking out of the water moving towards me!  It was a wolf!  They had previously stuck to the land, but now it seemed my precious territory was at risk.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“The only thing I could,” he replied, “I slapped my tail, dove under water, and swam as quickly as I could back to my lodge!  Since then, I’ve only ventured out when resources are at a minimum, which is why I was out and happened to find out.  It’s those darn pups, they’re so unpredictable!”

“Well, I cannot thank you enough for saving me!” I squeaked.  “I’m quickly discovering, as you’ve found, what it’s like to live in constant fear.  Hey, look what all this nervous chewing turned out!”

Looking down, I saw that, out of nerves, we had chewed the bark off the branch until it was completely smooth, and each successive limb was at a point.  We laughed at it then, but now that I think about it, I think the prongs could offer some protection!”

“Really?” questioned the elk.  “But how could I carry it?  Hooves don’t really allow for much holding.”

“Maybe we could strap it to you somehow!” exclaimed the mouse.  “Here, turn here, and I’ll get it.” So he scampered down off the elk’s back and ran to the beaver hut, quickly returning dragging the elaborately carved branch.

“We could tie it to your back,” said the mouse.

“But you’re riding there,” retorted the elk.

“Oh right.  Hmmm where else could it go?” asked the mouse.

The elk replied, “What if we just stick it to my head?”

“Good thinking!  Oh wait, one branch is too heavy, let me quick chew it in half so we can try to balance it,” thought the mouse.

So the mouse quickly split the branch into two pieces and secured them to the elk’s head with a vine.  The elk thanked the mouse and they headed off.  

On their journey back, something incredible happened!  It was as if the branches grew into the elk’s head, and became attached.  Over time, more and more elk adopted the practice after discovering the prongs frightened off predators.  And that, kiddo, is why the elk have antlers.”

“Well jeez Dad, I hope you don’t expect me to believe all of that!”

“Oh come on now Sam, I swear it’s real!”

“Whatever Dad, but shhhhh! Look, here comes another one!”

Fabulous Monsters

Hearing Dr. Lynda Sexson speak on Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass was thoroughly enlightening and allowed me to see the seemingly frivolous story of Alice's adventures on the other side of the glass as a deeper, layered, thoughtful adult story.

When looked at through various lenses, the more complete idea surrounding the fable is revealed, disclosing a more complex message than the simple enjoyable bedtime story could ever seem to hold. 

For example, viewed in regards to Carroll's personal life, the questions of eros and religion become prominent, for Carroll's adoration for little girls and the church were prominent in his life.  Knowing this, the character of Alice, who is based on a child Carroll knew, suddenly takes on a different light.  She is not just a fragment of the imagination, but a real girl, combining Carroll's reality with the fictional world through the looking glass.  It brings a sense of possible reality, or at least a connection between reality and imagination, to the other world.

Another element of the story that interested me was the idea that everyone is "edible."  In general, I would say that objects are personified to give them a sense of life and superiority over other beings and objects.  However, Carroll does this differently.  Everything is brought to life so that everything is not necessarily "equal," but at least on the same level of being.  It is then, because there are no overbearing stratification, that everything is dispensable.  Even Alice, a human being, is told by the unicorn, "If you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you."  The tables seem to be turned, an animal, and not just any animal, but a fictional animal, is telling a human he will only believe in her if she first believes in him.  The rational food chain no longer exists; everyone is on the same level.

Dr. Sexson made the comment that a child is a fabulous monster.  This struck me, and I have not been able to stop thinking about it.  Though I have yet to reach any concrete solution, the first thing that always pops into my mind is Max from the book and movie Where the Wild Things Are.

Max is a fabulous monster, and not because he dresses up in his costume and lives among monsters, but because he is a child who we cannot fully anticipate or understand.  The word "monster" has such a negative connotation, but, according to Merriam-Webster, a monster can also be one who deviates from normal behavior, and another definition is one who is highly successful.  I believe both of these apply to children, and these definitions are often tied together in children.  Kids are prone to do what they want, whether or not it is the social norm or even socially acceptable.  However, it is often because of their individuality and creativity that they find success.  I think back to Max, and how while most people create fantasy worlds full of rainbows and castles, his world is full of beasts, and it is here he finds success in the form of finding a place he belongs and can call home.  

Children often have not yet conformed to societal norms, which would cause them to be monsters.  And yet they are fabulous in that they use this monstrosity to be creative and insightful and be truly happy and content in the irrational.  In the end, even though I do not fully understand it, I have already fallen in love with the term fabulous monster, and believe children manifest its meaning quite perfectly.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

After class this week, I was curious about Lana's comments on the Myers-Briggs personality type test.  Lucky for me, she wrote about it in her blog so I was able to find out more (check it out here).

It really is a fascinating test, so I decided to check it out a bit more, and took a mock test.  It was not the exact Myers-Briggs, but, according to the website, the results would be similar.  I was found to be an ENFJ, even though I was basically moderate on everything other than being an extrovert.

Here are the results:

• You have strong preference of Extraversion over Introversion (78%)
• You have slight preference of Intuition over Sensing (12%)
• You have moderate preference of Feeling over Thinking (25%)
• You have slight preference of Judging over Perceiving (22%)

This is what I would have expected, but I do have some issues with the test and the weight some companies, organizations, and schools place on its results.  I'd consider myself fairly patient, but completing the test took a few minutes and by the end of it, I just started clicking the answer that came to me first.  Now I'm sure people who are applying for jobs take more careful time in filling it out, but with questions on how you prioritize time and deadlines, I like to think applicants will answer whatever they believe will look best to the company hiring.  

In addition, the test does not consider situation.  For example, when I was asked the question of whether I carefully plan something out or prefer to be spontaneous, I had to decide which I generally did more.  When working of a school project or something professional I am a planner and detail oriented, but when it comes to having fun or spending free time I prefer to just go with the flow and do something spontaneous without prior planning.  I believe this is why I came out so "slight" or "moderate" in many categories, because I answered the same type of question differently throughout the test because I continued to think of different situations.

I did a little research, and came across this article.  I find myself agreeing with a lot of what Dr. Pittenger says.  Though the test is to help us better understand ourselves so we can play to our strengths, I believe it actually limits and constrains us - either by sticking only to our designated areas without developing other strengths or by causing us to try and break free of the labels and try to do things in a way that are not natural to us.  

In the end, it is a really fascinating test to help us better understand ourselves, but we must remember the human being is far more intricate and amazing than a set of multiple choice questions.

Lightning in the Collied Night

"Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,

Brief as the lightning in the collied night,

That in a spleen unfolds both heaven and earth,

And ere a man hath power to say 'Behold!'

The jaws of darkness do devour it up.

So quick bright things come to confusion." 

- Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream (page 8)

During our class discussion on A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare, this quote by Lysander jumped out at me.  As noted in class, it is out of character for the loverboy to have such a deep revelation and, in my opinion, almost an epiphany.  It is such a beautiful saying, and yet I am filled with a sense foreboding and sadness.  

I took this to apply to my life, and I suppose all lives in general - we are but a flash of lightning in a dark sky.  Well, as uplifting as that fails to be, it is also oddly beautiful and has a silent sense of calm to it.  I suppose it's true, that in the grand scheme of the world our time around lasts about as long as a quick bolt of lightning.  But what if it is so much more than that?

I know this varies somewhat from Lysander's point that brightness is quickly devoured up by darkness, but Lysander fails to appreciate the power of lightning in it's quick moment of existence.  I believe that brief instant has the power to conquer the darkness, even if the light itself only lasts for a second.

Lightning itself is incredible - one flash lights up the whole sky.  What if in our lives we lived in such a way that, even if only for a moment, we illuminated the world around us?  What then would it be like?  And what if everyone lived in such a way, so that there were constant threads of light, always illuminating the sky and driving back the darkness?  Even if we as individuals were only able to make a difference for the briefest of moments, there would be so many of us that the darkness could not possibly overcome it all.  

And what about fire?  As we know all too well, lightning has the power to start a fire that can grow out of control, spreading to the edges, heating and destroying, but also creating new life.  And what if this fire that one spark of lightning creates manages to destroy the darkness of the earth, and illuminate the sky, and make room for new, bright life to exist.  

I believe that this is what we are supposed to do in our lives, we must refuse to be complacent with the darkness, and seek to illuminate the world and create new growth, even if it is just for a moment.  We would be nowhere in life if others had simply lingered in the way things were without setting a spark, allowing others to see the contrast between light and darkness, and leading to new ideas and discoveries.  I by no means claim to be an expert on any of this, but I have seen how one person can make a difference.  I know these examples are far more complex than I am making them out to be, but think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and his willingness to be that light and start a fire.  Think of Isaac Newton and the discovery of gravity that changed science. 

That is why I beg to differ with Lysander, and see the flash of lightning not only as something that does not need to be devoured by darkness, but as what we should be doing with our lives.

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?"

- Mary Oliver (The Summer Day, lines 18-19)     

The First Week

The image shown above is popular in mind tricks, posing the question "How many prongs does this fork have?"  During our class discussions of dreams and recursive structures, this image continued to spring into my mind.  Even though it does not have obvious continuous layers, it does have various pieces and interpretations that, depending on where you start looking, can vary how one perceives the whole.

The varying interpretations struck me as how we look at and discover meaning in dreams and even literature, art, music, and media.  Oftentimes, our idea on a certain key detail or technique influences how we accept and view the work as a whole.  For example, with this questionably pronged fork, depending on where the eye starts looking, we see either two or three prongs.

Looking back to the dreams we all shared in class, and I enjoyed that we all shared out dreams and left them open to our own interpretations rather than "assign" them meaning, even though we did discuss them.  Through allowing us to each view the dream through our individual lenses, we could discover our own meaning to it - contributing to the power of dream by permitting it to speak to each of us.

I think of it as a bit of an anti-puzzle.  With a puzzle, the pieces as individuals often times don't make sense, but when put together in the right way a beautiful, clear scene is created.  It seems to me that the opposite of this is true with dreams.  As Howard Nemerov said, "The interpretation of a dream is the next room of the dream."  When we look at a piece of a dream the image created might seem obvious, but upon further analysis it proves to only lead to another piece.  I find that it is easy to comprehend and appreciate the individual details of a dream, but when I try to piece the various aspects together, I am only led to another level of analysis (or more frequently, confusion) without an overarching idea or meaning ever becoming clear.

However, I think this is the beauty of dreaming.  In my waking conscious, I like to label and sort things, but with a dream I am forced to slow down and ponder and accept that I cannot quickly assign meaning to and store the idea in the back of my mind.  I have to instead wrestle around with the many points and thoughts and accept that the power of the subconscious mind is greater than a label.  This is difficult for me, and it often feels like I have failed in assigning meaning, but I believe the many thoughts the dream provokes is far more valuable than simply taking the dream at face value and storing it away.

I have thus far thoroughly enjoyed this class and can only hope it continues to foster discussion and ideas, as I believe it will.