Principles of storytelling and other thoughts...

As a continuation of the question from Class period One about our favorite children's book...perhaps you all could help me. As children, my sister and I loved a particular book but my parents and myself do not remember the author, title, or even the entire story. Here's the gist, there's a young creature (not a human, he's a little furry guy) and his mother tells him to go to sleep and he doesn't want to. After his mother is gone, he gets out of bed and watches what the grown-ups do after all the kids go to bed. I don't remember anything else. :O( Any help, however small, would be appreciated. This is driving me CRAZY!!!

Now, in class on Thursday we were told the three principles of storytelling. 1) Never get to the end too quickly! 2) In Haroun's words, never take the short cut if there is a longer, 'twistier' way. The story is in the twists and turns. 3)The moral of the story is the story. I suppose these principles are good to know in general, after all most of us will have children someday, but, they will prove, I think, especially useful when writing our own fairy tales later in the semester. Dr. Sexson mentioned observing kids and taking note of what one sees. I work at the Children's Museum so I see a lot of kids interacting with each other and with them selves every weekend. What I notice everyday is that there is always, in make-believe playing at least, a "good guy" versus "bad guy" dynamic. Furthermore, nobody wants to be the "bad guy." It always ends up being the younger sibling or youngest friend because the older ones are bossy.

Why not be the villain? The villain holds a lot of the power and doesn't have to be scared of anything. Perhaps for girls the association with "good" is beautiful. In Disney's versions, most popular by far with the modern youngsters, of "Sleeping Beauty", "Cinderella", and "Snow White", the villains are described as ugly and wicked while the heroines are beautiful and good. No wonder women grow up with a complex about their role in the world. We are shown from birth that it is valued to be beautiful and obedient...maybe Sleeping Beauty (princess Aurora/Brier Rose) wasn't obedient...she just had to sleep. Anyhow, just a thought.

I have been assigned a place in Group 3 (aka the Cinderellas). I'm excited. If it couldn't be "Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella is my next choice. My group seems like a vibrant and lovely group of ladies. I'm sure we will have fun and produce something great!

I have started to read the Norton Critical Edition of "The Great Fairy Tale Tradition." I am enjoying myself! More on my journey with those tales soon.

Until later...Cheers!