Can you believe these fairy tales? They're more like B-rated horror movies! Maybe that's where the twisted authors of those movies got their ideas. However, it's the German, Indonesian, and Filipino versions that are perverse, while the American version makes Cinderella bend over like a wet noodle. If children nowadays read these tales, they'd threaten harry-karry at the thought of their fathers remarrying. For all the versions are driven by the jealousy displayed either by the biological mother or the stepmother. From
Yeh-hsien's magical fish, to the unorthodox attire in Donkeyskin and Catskin, the underlying message remains the same: goodness prevails over evil.
Literary Theory: Chapter 8
I found the most profound writing in Chapter 8, especially under the subtitle "Theory". This summation has clarified the purpose of theory, stating:
Theory, then, offers not a set of solutions but the prospect of further thought. It calls for
commitment to the work of reading, of challenging presuppositions, of questioning the
assumptions on which you proceed.
This goes back to Rule #1 - EVERYTHING IS SUSPECT.
Theory Toolbox: Chapter 7
Entitled "History," this chapter emphasized the fact that history is an inpretation of past facts. History is not an unbiased account of an event, as many would like to believe. It can be said that "history narrates the lives of the victorious and powerful from their prospective, whereas literature tends to side with the vanquished and powerless" (p. 105).
This has been an interesting week for readings, and look forward to watching the "G" rated version of Cinderella.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
J.L. Austin and Judith Butler
Performative Utterances vs. Constative Utterances
J.L. Austin describes performative utterances as utterances that actually perform the action to which they refer. Constative utterances make a statement, describe a state of affairs, and are true or false. Constative utterances also perform actions – actions of stating, affirming, and describing. An example of a performative utterance is “I promise to pay you.” An example of constative utterance is “George promised to come.”
The literary utterance does not refer to a prior state of affairs and is not true or false. The literary utterance:
1. Brings into being characters and their actions, and
2. Bring into being ideas and concepts which they deploy.
Judith Butler’s Performatives
American philosopher Judith Butler spearheaded the emergence of a ‘performative theory of gender and sexuality’ in feminist theory and in gay and lesbian studies.
I found it interesting that the avant-garde have adopted the name ‘Queer Theory’ to represent works in cultural theory that are linked with political movements for gay liberation. This is ironic, since the word ‘queer’ was deemed as such a derogative term that it was almost considered taboo.
Butler proposes that we consider gender as performative, meaning that it is not was one is, but what one does (your gender is created by your acts).
This chapter in Literary Theory presented many new ideas. I’m still trying to comprehend why feminism, lesbianism, and any other –ism relating to gender and sexual preference can’t be consolidated into one category. It seems that everyone wants to have their little “niche” and none of the experts wants to be associated with the other experts claiming some sort of sexual expertise.
J.L. Austin describes performative utterances as utterances that actually perform the action to which they refer. Constative utterances make a statement, describe a state of affairs, and are true or false. Constative utterances also perform actions – actions of stating, affirming, and describing. An example of a performative utterance is “I promise to pay you.” An example of constative utterance is “George promised to come.”
The literary utterance does not refer to a prior state of affairs and is not true or false. The literary utterance:
1. Brings into being characters and their actions, and
2. Bring into being ideas and concepts which they deploy.
Judith Butler’s Performatives
American philosopher Judith Butler spearheaded the emergence of a ‘performative theory of gender and sexuality’ in feminist theory and in gay and lesbian studies.
I found it interesting that the avant-garde have adopted the name ‘Queer Theory’ to represent works in cultural theory that are linked with political movements for gay liberation. This is ironic, since the word ‘queer’ was deemed as such a derogative term that it was almost considered taboo.
Butler proposes that we consider gender as performative, meaning that it is not was one is, but what one does (your gender is created by your acts).
This chapter in Literary Theory presented many new ideas. I’m still trying to comprehend why feminism, lesbianism, and any other –ism relating to gender and sexual preference can’t be consolidated into one category. It seems that everyone wants to have their little “niche” and none of the experts wants to be associated with the other experts claiming some sort of sexual expertise.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Snow White, Lisa, and Lasair Gheug
“Snow White” has variations ranging from family-oriented (Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) to macabre, Giambattista Basile’s “The Young Slave”. Yet every version shares the same core: origin, jealousy, expulsion, adoption, renewed jealousy, death, exhibition, resuscitation, and resolution.
The overtly common theme is the conflict between (step)mother/daughter. Some have described it as a feminine Oedipus complex. The evil stepmother cannot bear the thought that Snow White is more beautiful than she. Most versions banned Snow White to the forest, yet in “The Young Slave” the Baroness dressed her niece in rags, cut off her hair, and beat her daily. This version also varied in that the niece was not the product of a loving mother and father, but a fatherless child borne from a rose leaf that the mother ingested. The niece’s morbid threats of suicide made her unpleasing to me, and it wasn’t some handsome prince that releases her from slavery. Her uncle overhears her telling the story of life to a doll, and insists that she repeat it. The prince is nonexistent, and a handsome husband is mentioned only once at the end of the story.
The Brothers Grimm version, entitled “Snow White” is where the famous phrase is first used:
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who’s the fairest one of all?”
The evil Queen, who was Snow White’s stepmother, envied Snow White’s beauty so much that one day she ordered a huntsman to take Snow White out into the woods, kill her, and bring back her lungs and liver. The huntsman had pity, let Snow White live, and brought back the lungs and liver from a boar. This rendition is the first to mention the seven dwarfs and their affection for Snow White. In the end, the Queen dies at Snow White’s wedding by being forced to wear red hot iron shoes and dancing. Anne Sexton’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” mirrors the Brothers Grimm story in content, yet Sexton chose to retell the story in poetic form.
“Lasair Gheug, the King of Ireland’s Daughter” is the Scottish Gaelic version, placing manipulation and murder in the hands of the stepmother. Eventually, she feigns illness and tells the King (her husband) that the only way she will recover is if he brings her the heart and liver of his daughter. The King acts as if he is going to follow through, yet hides his daughter and gave his wife the heart and liver of a pig. The King sends his daughter off into the forest, where she meets and marries a Prince. Her stepmother discovers that Snow White is still alive and places a curse on her, thinking that she is dead. Snow white is enshrined in an iron casket, and her widower remarried. The new wife breaks the curse and Snow White comes back to life. Snow White’s father discovers the truth and the evil stepmother is burned to death. Snow White’s father takes the Prince’s second wife as his own. This is by far the most complicated version, and the idea that this was told in 1891 is incredulous.
The overtly common theme is the conflict between (step)mother/daughter. Some have described it as a feminine Oedipus complex. The evil stepmother cannot bear the thought that Snow White is more beautiful than she. Most versions banned Snow White to the forest, yet in “The Young Slave” the Baroness dressed her niece in rags, cut off her hair, and beat her daily. This version also varied in that the niece was not the product of a loving mother and father, but a fatherless child borne from a rose leaf that the mother ingested. The niece’s morbid threats of suicide made her unpleasing to me, and it wasn’t some handsome prince that releases her from slavery. Her uncle overhears her telling the story of life to a doll, and insists that she repeat it. The prince is nonexistent, and a handsome husband is mentioned only once at the end of the story.
The Brothers Grimm version, entitled “Snow White” is where the famous phrase is first used:
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who’s the fairest one of all?”
The evil Queen, who was Snow White’s stepmother, envied Snow White’s beauty so much that one day she ordered a huntsman to take Snow White out into the woods, kill her, and bring back her lungs and liver. The huntsman had pity, let Snow White live, and brought back the lungs and liver from a boar. This rendition is the first to mention the seven dwarfs and their affection for Snow White. In the end, the Queen dies at Snow White’s wedding by being forced to wear red hot iron shoes and dancing. Anne Sexton’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” mirrors the Brothers Grimm story in content, yet Sexton chose to retell the story in poetic form.
“Lasair Gheug, the King of Ireland’s Daughter” is the Scottish Gaelic version, placing manipulation and murder in the hands of the stepmother. Eventually, she feigns illness and tells the King (her husband) that the only way she will recover is if he brings her the heart and liver of his daughter. The King acts as if he is going to follow through, yet hides his daughter and gave his wife the heart and liver of a pig. The King sends his daughter off into the forest, where she meets and marries a Prince. Her stepmother discovers that Snow White is still alive and places a curse on her, thinking that she is dead. Snow white is enshrined in an iron casket, and her widower remarried. The new wife breaks the curse and Snow White comes back to life. Snow White’s father discovers the truth and the evil stepmother is burned to death. Snow White’s father takes the Prince’s second wife as his own. This is by far the most complicated version, and the idea that this was told in 1891 is incredulous.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Little Red Riding Hood
In The Classic Fairy Tales edited by Maria Tatar the variations of the popular story, “Little Red Riding Hood” are astounding. They ranged from “G” rated to almost “Adult Only” content, changing the whole purpose of the story.
The most shocking variation was told by Louis and François Briffault in 1885. Titled “The Story of Grandmother”, the wolf mercilessly kills the grandmother, placing some of her flesh in the pantry and a bottle of her blood on the shelf. When the girl arrives, she eats the meat and drinks the “wine” at the wolf’s urging. A cat in the room says, “You’re a slut if you eat the flesh and drink the blood of granny.” The wolf then orders the girl to undress and climb into bed with him. After realizing the true identity of the wolf, the girl convinces him to let her go outside to urinate. He ties a rope around leg, which she ties to a plum tree once outside. The wolf begins to question the girl about her bodily functions, then realizes that the girl escaped. This story would be horrifying to a young child of modern times.
Charles Perrault’s “Little Red Riding Hood” ends with both the grandmother and girl eaten by the wolf, however the story outlines moral objectives:
1) Little girls should not listen to just anyone.
2) Don’t talk to wolves, even the nice ones, because they are the most dangerous.
The Brothers Grimm tell the story of “Little Red Cap” which chronicles the origin of the girl’s red cap and provides an alternate ending to the story. The first piece has the girl become preoccupied with the wildflowers, allowing the wolf to beat her to grandmother’s. The wolf eats both of them, then falls asleep. A hunter hears the loud snoring and enters to investigate. He cuts the wolf’s stomach open, saving the grandmother and girl. The second story has the girl going directly to grandmother’s, telling her of the wolf, then locking the door behind them. The wolf tries to get in, but ends up drowning in the trough filled with sausage water.
The most comical rendition was James Thurber’s “The Little Girl and the Wolf”. The girl immediately realizes that the figure in bed is not her grandmother, “for even in a nightcap a wolf does not look any more like your grandmother than the Metro-Goldwyn lion looks like Calvin Coolidge.” The girl shoots the wolf.
I enjoyed all the variations, but especially enjoyed the story as told by the Brothers Grimm. It provided back story into the hood, and gave two happy endings.
The most shocking variation was told by Louis and François Briffault in 1885. Titled “The Story of Grandmother”, the wolf mercilessly kills the grandmother, placing some of her flesh in the pantry and a bottle of her blood on the shelf. When the girl arrives, she eats the meat and drinks the “wine” at the wolf’s urging. A cat in the room says, “You’re a slut if you eat the flesh and drink the blood of granny.” The wolf then orders the girl to undress and climb into bed with him. After realizing the true identity of the wolf, the girl convinces him to let her go outside to urinate. He ties a rope around leg, which she ties to a plum tree once outside. The wolf begins to question the girl about her bodily functions, then realizes that the girl escaped. This story would be horrifying to a young child of modern times.
Charles Perrault’s “Little Red Riding Hood” ends with both the grandmother and girl eaten by the wolf, however the story outlines moral objectives:
1) Little girls should not listen to just anyone.
2) Don’t talk to wolves, even the nice ones, because they are the most dangerous.
The Brothers Grimm tell the story of “Little Red Cap” which chronicles the origin of the girl’s red cap and provides an alternate ending to the story. The first piece has the girl become preoccupied with the wildflowers, allowing the wolf to beat her to grandmother’s. The wolf eats both of them, then falls asleep. A hunter hears the loud snoring and enters to investigate. He cuts the wolf’s stomach open, saving the grandmother and girl. The second story has the girl going directly to grandmother’s, telling her of the wolf, then locking the door behind them. The wolf tries to get in, but ends up drowning in the trough filled with sausage water.
The most comical rendition was James Thurber’s “The Little Girl and the Wolf”. The girl immediately realizes that the figure in bed is not her grandmother, “for even in a nightcap a wolf does not look any more like your grandmother than the Metro-Goldwyn lion looks like Calvin Coolidge.” The girl shoots the wolf.
I enjoyed all the variations, but especially enjoyed the story as told by the Brothers Grimm. It provided back story into the hood, and gave two happy endings.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Fall Semester and Intro. to Literary Theory
Leave it to Professor Williams to make Literary Theory something to get excited about! Studying great folk tales like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast will be awesome! And I don't know how I managed to do this, but I have NEVER seen or read Beauty and the Beast! My daughter, Sara, must have already been past the Disney stage when it came out. We've read some preliminary information regarding what literary theory is, and I'm hoping that it will be clarified in class tomorrow.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Missing English and Samuel Clemens
Spring semester ended a month ago, and I'm REALLY going stir crazy. The stimulation created while discussing books with like-minded individuals is a high that cannot be matched! I've had to take a break from English classes this summer - BEGINNING SPANISH! Can't wait until fall semester, when I reconnect with two great professors, Dan Williams and Alex Lemon. I've already purchased my book's for Prof. Lemon's course - all nonfiction. I can't wait until this summer is over. Any suggestions on how to learn two semesters of Spanish in eight weeks?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
My Final Blog (for now)
I saved this last blog to reflect over the past semester and what I have learned. In the beginning, I honestly thought that the learning would contain facts, dates, and concrete information. Why not? This was a course designed to study Mark Twain’s life and works. Was I ever wrong!
Probably the most important thing I’ve learned is that our class was filled with such intelligent, caring, and free-spirited individuals that provided my brain with more stimulation than it’s had in YEARS! It was a privilege to engage in controversial discussions led by Dr. Williams, who never seemed surprised over where the topics led.
If you would have asked me six months ago about Mark Twain’s writing style, I would only be able to rely on Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn for reference material. It is unbelievable that I could learn so much about Mark Twain’s morals and values just by reading his works. But I did. It was as if you could trace his life through his works, and I was concerned that he was going to die a cynical man. But in my heart I think he was at peace with the world, content to join his family in heaven.
For the rest of the class, I am jealous of the wonderful future you have ahead of you. I never experienced this great adventure called a “college experience”, but you have made me feel welcome, and somehow I was able to grow as a person because of your vast intelligence and compassion. I will never forget any of you, and wish all of you the very best.
And as for Dr. Williams, I will see you in the fall learning theory. This will be the third class instructed by you, and for the record I’d take another three!
Probably the most important thing I’ve learned is that our class was filled with such intelligent, caring, and free-spirited individuals that provided my brain with more stimulation than it’s had in YEARS! It was a privilege to engage in controversial discussions led by Dr. Williams, who never seemed surprised over where the topics led.
If you would have asked me six months ago about Mark Twain’s writing style, I would only be able to rely on Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn for reference material. It is unbelievable that I could learn so much about Mark Twain’s morals and values just by reading his works. But I did. It was as if you could trace his life through his works, and I was concerned that he was going to die a cynical man. But in my heart I think he was at peace with the world, content to join his family in heaven.
For the rest of the class, I am jealous of the wonderful future you have ahead of you. I never experienced this great adventure called a “college experience”, but you have made me feel welcome, and somehow I was able to grow as a person because of your vast intelligence and compassion. I will never forget any of you, and wish all of you the very best.
And as for Dr. Williams, I will see you in the fall learning theory. This will be the third class instructed by you, and for the record I’d take another three!
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