The Boy Who Cried Wolf

                When I was a child, I can remember my father lecturing me when I had done something wrong. Unlike most children, I would listen to these lectures very seriously and try to learn from my mistakes. That is why the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf has always lingered in the back of my mind.

                I can remember my dad’s face telling me the story of the boy that lied until no one would believe him even when he was telling the truth. Being a morally driven person, the story has stuck with me over the years, and has inspired me to believe that honesty is always the best policy. I think it is because of the memory of that story and that lecture that I refuse to lie today. The story not only put the fear in my mind that if I lied, people would not trust me, but it also made me realize that lying is just wrong in general.

                The Boy Who Cried Wolf is an Aesop Fable, and the story dates from Classical era, the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The moral that a liar is not believed, even when they tell the truth, is an idea attributed to Aristotle. Although the story was first written in Greek and later in Latin, it did not gain its popularity until Heinrich Steinhowel included it in his translated collection of Aesop’s Fables. The story then spread all through Europe. Many countries in Europe had slightly differing versions simply because of translation. The first version of the story is probably much different than the one known today because the story has been around so long and has been translated so many times.

                I found a video of the Muppets doing The Boy Who Cried Wolf which can be seen here. In this version, instead of just blatantly lying, the shepherd is overreacting. This could be a fine lesson in itself, but I prefer the story to be about lying because honesty, to me, is one of the most important values to learn and uphold in life. 

Jack and the Beanstalk

As a kid my mom never really told me childhood fables. So, our first assignment blog on how a well-known story has affected me isn't exactly my forte. But I did watch a lot of movies back in the day. So when I recalled all the renditions of Jack and the Beanstalk, I knew it was perfect for this blog. As a toddler I remember watching the Mickey Mouse version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Although cute, this version never struck me in any intellectual sort of way because I always knew a mouse, a duck, and large dog were not a realistic or likely trio. Then in 2001, Brian Henson wrote and directed "Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story".

This movie never received much kudos, and only a measley 67 likes on facebook, but between the golden eggs, the harp, and magic beans, this story created a fantasy world for me. Jack and the Beanstalk remains one of the few fairytales that keeps its original message with few adaptations. Although the story is intended to be about poverty becoming wealth, critics believe it also contains a matriarchal view, due to Jack's commanding mother, and also many think the story teaches children it's okay to steal like Jack. In all seriousness though, Sir Francis Palgrave believes the story originated with the vikings (probably made a connection between those big, burly men and the giant) and the story doesn't really pertain to much other than providing entertainment value. Other than the small fear of eating beans I took away from this tale as a child, I don't perceive a deeper meaning from Jack and the Beanstalk. The unlikely events in the fairytale are imaginative and fun, but do not convey a greater message.

Les Miserables

Black, gray and white - basic colors dripping with deeper meaning. Les Miserables, written by Victor Hugo in Southern France and published in 1862, questions the existence of innate good and evil - a rigid black and white world and calls to mind gray, or the ability to choose. Hugo manifests both ideologies in his two main characters Inspector Javert and Jean Valjean. Inspector Javert is unable to live outside of his black and white world; a world where people are either good or evil. His inability to comprehend grace and mercy stems from his consuming desire to condemn. Javert is quoted with saying “It’s a pity the law doesn’t allow me to be merciful.” However, this opinion is not only applicable to his career as chief of police, but slowly corrupts his life. Like a corrosive chemical, the need to condemn Jean Valjean for jumping parole slowly eats away all compassion from Javert as he ruthlessly hunts down Valjean for a small crime committed nearly twenty years prior. Jean Valjean, after experiencing a Bishop’s grace, re-commits his life to live in the light. Valjean becomes the embodiment of grace and mercy. He is an example of a man capable of both evil and good - the antithesis to everything Javert clings to as truth. Ultimately, Javert ends his life and sets Valjean free when he realizes he has been breaking the truth that he so vehemently sought to uphold - “I’ve tried to live my life without breaking a single rule...You’re free.” Javert’s final act, his suicide, is an act of mercy both to himself and Valjean. It spares Valjean his life, and also saves Javert from the truth he cannot digest; there can be gray in the world, a middle ground that allows for grace, a world in which people are not innately good or evil, but instead, are a blank canvas painted with both good and evil brushstrokes. Victor Hugo’s story transcends its characters Valjean and Javert and serves to juxtapose God and Satan, the quintessence of both good and evil. Evil cannot understand mercy and grace because it goes against its very nature, just as Javert cannot understand Valjean’s sacrificial nature. Their coexistence is temporary until finally, good triumphs evil.
Although originally a novel, Les Miserables was transpired into the form of a musical and movie. The musical expresses the deep sinister tone through heart wrenching musical numbers. I have never seen the musical, however I have both read the novel and seen the movie. The movie brought a visual context to the story without disregarding the novel, but instead, portrayed flawlessly the constant strain between Javert and Valjean, good and evil, the merciful and merciless.
Les Miserables left a lasting impression on my heart. It caused me to consider both good and evil and their place in people’s lives. The extreme difference between the lives of Inspector Javert and Jean Valjean calls to light two people, both originally devoid of the scars of the world, who eventually, for different reasons, one because of his family life and one because of his hunger, turn to dishonesty as an escape. However, only one triumphs; Valjean, the embodiment of grace.

Let It Be

I’ve found myself dwelling on negative aspects of a situation, or even anticipating bad happenings, which has become somewhat of a habit for me. The song, “Let It Be”, performed by the “Beatles” and written by, Paul McCartney is a perfect song to fight those words in my head. Let it be, repeated many times throughout the song, to me means- let the bad things in your life be, don’t dwell, let go of the things you have no control over and just relax. This message is very clear, and elementary, but is the most powerful, for me. Whether it is a very real conflict I am dealing with or just a voice inside my head, the seven letters, let it be, send my thoughts in a more logical and relaxing direction. As the song goes on the meaning slightly changes. McCartney wrote this in 1969 when several wars where plaguing the world, including the Vietnam War, and he addresses this in his song when he says “And when the broken hearted people 
Living in the world agree 
There will be an answer 
Let it be.” In this he means, let a new world of peace happen.

The first line in the song is, “When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me” and most listeners including myself, at one point believed mother Mary to be the Virgin Mary, but Paul McCartney’s mother’s name was Mary and Paul has stated that his mother is whom he had in mind, when writing the song. The story, “Let It Be”, is a short and repetitive story, but it relays a profound message, a message that for me is most important, RELAX.

An Ode to Mulan

To say that only one image, or even one aspect, of this iconic Disney movie affected me as child would be an understatement. Mulan’s vivid animation, memorable musical numbers, and adventure-filled story influenced me on numerous levels. As a budding artist, I was captivated by the refreshing animation style that was, in a sense, a character itself, bringing the charcters to life as if they had jumped from a Chinese wall scroll. The musical numbers further illustrated Mulan’s journey, with songs that conveyed characters’ emotions where dialogue or inner monologue wasn’t enough. Some of the songs have remained stuck in my head to this day—particularly this one:

The above song (among the others in the movie…especially this one) marks Mulan as the adaptation it is. As a child, I vaguely knew the movie’s plot wasn’t originally penned by Disney (after I learned that Hercules was based on things called “Greek myths”). But, as a child, I pretty much believed the movie’s depiction of Fa Mulan’s story was a pretty accurate rendition. The Disney wizards, in fact, took quite some creative license with the Chinese legend. For example, according to the original lyrical ballad from which the movie’s based, there is no conclusive evidence that Mulan underwent a geisha-esque transformation only to fail under the village matchmaker and disgrace herself and her family, eventually driving our heroine to “bring honor” some other way.

The Ballad of Mulan is a little more straightforward and simple. A young woman who hears her country is drafting the eldest male of each household wants to take her father’s place, because her father is too old to fight even though he is the eldest/only male of her family. By her own merits, she sets out and joins an all-male army and, posing as a man, leads her country to victory. When offered with material rewards of honor, Mulan’s only wish is to return home with her family; and only then does she reveal to her people that she, a woman, had fought alongside men.

From the original poem, the story of China’s own “woman warrior” grew into a novel—with a few added details about the heroine (e.g. Mulan was proficient in martial arts before she joined the army), but still following the basic tale—and eventually, the tale of Fa Mulan grew in popularity across many dynasties.

In the same way, Disney’s Mulan added flesh to the “skeleton” of this Chinese legend, with a more sympathetic backstory/motivation for Mulan, a more concrete, more threatening antagonist (the Huns), a romantic interest/further motivation for Mulan (Li Shang), a slapstick trio of comedic relief, a slew of talking animals, a straight-to-DVD sequel…etc, etc. Moreover, there are at least nine other movie/TV adaptations of Mulan’s story—ranging from more mature, live-action battle flicks, to another animated version starring Mulan as an anthropomorphic caterpillar.

What makes The Ballad of Mulan such an adaptable, repeatable story? An obvious reason would be the feminist angle the legend seems to convey: that a woman was able to overcome cultural expectations and fight in “a man’s world” while saving her people in the process. However, the story seems to be another example of just overcoming obstacles, whatever they may be, for the right reasons. In whatever adaptation of Mulan’s story, the heroine risks her life, not for a self-righteous desire to prove sexist authorities wrong, but for one simple, selfless reason: to spare her father from a gruesome, needless death in battle.

For a purpose like that, audiences would definitely hope the protagonist succeeds. Who would try to stop her from fighting in her father’s place? Who would be cruel enough to stop her from doing a good deed? The struggle between following the “law” or following the “heart” appears in other works in history as well (e.g. Antigone by Sophocles) and continues to pull audiences in a mental tug-of-war. Mulan’s story leans more towards following one’s heart; and in the heroine’s case, following her heart and fighting in her father’s place, despite cultural obstacles, left China with one of its greatest legends. Such a compelling story convinced me to revisit and to reflect on one of my favorite childhood movies.

Goodnight Moon's Influence

"Goodnight Moon" had was the book that had the most prominent effect on me as a young child. I do not recall the specific effect it had on me but it was simply the book I have the best recollection of. This book was very comforting for me as a child. I was the book that always had my mom read me right before I went to sleep. It gave me a very cozy, at ease feeling which was just what I needed to fall asleep. For me the gradual fade to darkness also somewhat indicated that it was time to sleep for me. The richness in detail of the illustrations made it much easier to relate to the story want want to be the child saying goodnight to everything. After researching the book found that it was written by Margret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. Published in 1947 it was esteemed as one of the greatest bedtime stories. There are no earlier versions of this story. There were however, numerous references to the story in pop-culture. Among these references are the movie "Playing By Hear Ellen Burstyn, HBO released Good Night Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales, The Wire, and the songs "Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" by The Dixie Chicks and "Goodnight Moon" by the Vancouver based indie band Said The Whale. These allusions allowed me develop a larger respect for the original story, not only because of its popularity but its relevance and relatbilty. After researching the book of my childhood, I found I enjoyed the story on two levels now. I do not receive the original message I experienced as a kid but also the story's pertinence.

A Tale of Two Cities...A Tale of One Heart

His footsteps are steady. He walks up the stairs and across the stage, his last moments on earth placed before a crowd of angry and blood-thirsty people. Yet, unlike those who die at the Guillotine before him, there is something different in the way his life ends. Peace is etched in his features as he approaches his death. He leaves the world knowing that he has made a difference, that through his death the woman he loves and her family will be safe and forever happy.

I was never really read to before being tucked in, when I was a child. Yet, I would invent stories of love and magic within my own mind. It was not until high school when I read A Tale of Two Cities that I truly felt wise in the area of love.

Some argue that love is an imprisonment under the object of one's affections. However, I believe that, more often than not, love is a liberation. Sydney Carton's death transformed the way i viewed love. His death affected me by the idea that an anguished, ignoble soul could find meaning in love, regardless of the fact that it would end one's life. The image allowed me to believe that one could be liberated from one's demons through love, much like Sydney Carton was. Carton's sacrifice is exemplary of how human beings have no boundaries when in love.

Moreover, there are no earlier versions of A Tale of Two Cities; however, the chapters were, at first, weekly installments published in the magazine 'All the Year Round." Charles Dickens wrote the book but used facts from Thomas Carlyle's The French Revolution: A History as inspiration. The novel took place in London and Paris during the years that led up to the French Revolution.

Anchorman: A Way of Life

Although I have only known this movie since my freshman year in high school, I believe that Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy has been the biggest influence on my life, in every way. Some consider it to be a cult comedy, but I find it to be the best use of simple humor that has ever been put into a film. The movie is supposed to portray how woman are equal to men in the workspace, but, really, I find the deeper meaning irrelevant. It’s the simple things that are absolutely hysterical. For instance, when Ron is playing jazz flute and walks accross the table and steps on wine glasses and the people continue to cheer, and when Ron is on the phone with Brian telling him about Baxter being punted over the bridge, Brian has a four-faced Rubix cube that isn’t even finished.

“I’m tellin’ you, this lady has really crawled into Ron’s head.” -- Brian

“Hahahaha, good one.” -- Brick

Anchorman, by far, is the most referencable movie that I have ever seen. I incorporate Anchorman into as many aspects of my life as possible, and I reference it between 5 - 30 times a day. People remind me of Anchorman, songs remind be of Anchorman, certain landscapes remind me of Anchorman, even when someone starts a sentence the same way as a line in Anchorman; Anchorman is constantly going through my head. I know every single line, even the little quirks. For example, when Ron and Veronica are sitting at Tino’s, the table that they are sitting at has a plaque that reads “Permanently Reserved Mr. Ron Burgundy.” Whenever I watch Anchorman, I want it to last forever, and I wind up watching it over and over again. I don’t have a favorite scene or quote or anything from the movie because there are just too many good ones.

“I’m Brick Tamland. People seem to like me because I’m polite, and I’m rarely late. I like to eat ice cream, and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks. Years later, a doctor will tell me that I have an IQ of 48, and am what some people call ‘mentally retarded.’” -Brick

“There’s only one thing a man can do when he’s finding himself in a spiritual and existential funk.” - Ron

“Go to the zoo and flip off the monkeys?” -- Champ

“No; buy new suits!” -- Ron

“It seems our youngest, Chris, was on something called “acid,” and firing a bow and arrow into a crowd. You know how kids are.” -- Ed

There are no prior versions of Anchorman; however, there was talk about a sequel back in 2008. Unfortunately, Paramount Pictures decided against the sequel, even after the cast agreed to lower the budget by taking pay cuts. However, an alternate movie, titled Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, was also created and released in 2004; the movie consisted of deleted scenes and subplots that were discarded from the final cut. This work of genius was written by Adam McKay, who was a writer for SNL, and Will Ferrel. While some scenes in the movie aren’t exactly “child friendly,” I would definitely recommend this movie for the whole family, because I don’t believed that you have lived until have experienced Anchorman.

Jack and the Bean Stalk

As I begin to look back at the many stories that I have heard in my childhood, one story in particular stands out to me the most. That is, the story of Jack and the Bean Stalk. If you didn’t know, this classic childhood tale traces the journey of a poor boy named Jack and his mother. One day Jack goes out to town with the family cow in hopes of selling it in return for some sort of compensation to buy him and his mother some food. Instead he comes home to offer his mother several seemingly worthless magic beans. In a fit of rage, Jack’s mother throws the beans out of the window never to be seen again. In the morning however Jack awakens to find a giant beanstalk growing in his backyard. He climbs it and finds that a giant lives at the top of the beanstalk, along with a hen that lays golden eggs. Jack steals the eggs and climbs down the beanstalk. Jack later climbs back up the beanstalk on several other occasions to steal the giant’s golden coins and even his magical harp. After a multitude of successful plunders Jack eventually cuts down the magic beanstalk to escape the giant’s rage. This is how I imagined the story when told it as a child.

One of the main images that stuck out to me as a child was the image of the great beanstalk, upon which the whole story is centered. As a child the idea that magical beans could ever possibly exist to create a giant magical beanstalk and take you high above the clouds where giants dwelt along with magic hens, golden eggs and enchanted harps was all completely enticing to me.

The origins of the story are somewhat unclear, regarding who the writer is or even when the story was created. The earliest known printed edition of this tale can be found in the 1807 book The History of Jack and the Bean Stalk. After further research I noticed that this story told is generally the same. It begins with Jack exchanging a cow for magic beans, then later his mother throwing the beans out of the window and ultimately ends with jack cutting the beanstalk down. There are however, some versions in which, the giant’s wife helps Jack to rob the house, and some more violent versions where Jack kills the angry giant altogether. One reason for such an exclusion of details could simply be for censorship. While parents do enjoy telling their children this story, most (including my own) would not want to expose Jack as the murdering thief that he clearly was. Many of the details, in my opinion, were omitted simply to protect the image of poor innocent Jack , who was simply trying to provide for him and his mother.

Blog 1: The Lion Thing

Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton collectively wrote the script of The Lion King and in the year of 1994, Walt Disney Pictures released to theaters The Lion King, “the sixth highest grossing animated film in history.” Though there is sufficient evidence in the film industry as to why movie remakes just shouldn’t be done- due to both failing to match the standards of the first film or in its failure to accumulate desired funds- The Lion King has definitely flourished in the realm of film. In addition to creating two sequels to the movie, Disney has gone on to retell the compelling original to younger viewers via newer products such as: read along story books, cd’s, dvd’s, and Blue-Ray discs. And let us not forget what an entertaining, success The Lion King musical became to the world in 1997. In today’s time it is Broadway’s seventh longest-running show in history.” Still, the Disney hit doesn’t end there; The Lion King heads to theatres for the first time in 3D on September 16, 2011.
By the age of seven I had already seen The Lion King more than one-hundred times. I was fascinated by the visual display and I loved that each time I sat down to watch the movie, heightened emotions vanished miraculously, leaving me feeling soothed, when confronted with the story’s happy ending. However, growing older, I’ve fallen captive to how thought provoking The Lion King really is. It is the plot that is centered around the dualistic conflict between realism and idealism that intrigues me most.

Simba symbolizes idealism insofar as he holds firm to the view that the mind constructs reality and the self is constructed of freedom. Deceived into believing he murdered his father, a guilt-ridden Simba ostracizes himself to avoid fulfilling his role as future king. In one scene in the film, Simba flees the Pridelands in an attempt to liberate the spirit and embark on a journey in which he evolves a new being. After fleeing into the jungle, intent on exploring the idealistic views of reality, he adopts the “problem- free philosophy” of “Hakuna Matata”-meaning no worries. Simba believes he has acquired freedom since adopting this philosophy in itself is a demonstration, to Simba, that he holds responsibility to act as he chooses and is not obligated to act by forces beyond his“conscious control.” Seeing that the ability to believe in this philosophy is a result of a free and responsible action, Simba decides that the adoption of “Hakuna Matata” is in fact an extension of his desire to pursue freedom and exercise his idea of free will. He decides that it is in fact an extension of his ability to create an ideal life. Thus, through “Hakuna Matata,” embracing idealism, Simba puts himself in a position of authority over his own future and is able to suppress his past and live a happy, carefree life.

Nala, Simba’s childhood friend, represents realism inasmuch as she believes the self exists as a determined entity. To protect the welfare of the village from the malicious Scar, Nala attempts to persuade Simba to return to his rapidly deteriorating homeland. “Hakuna Matata…Sometimes bad things happen…so why worry?,” Simba asked. “Because it’s your responsibility!” Nala said in irritation. As an individual whose self has already been determined to take a course in life, Nala believes Simba is not granted the faculty of choice or decision in the matter but should instead fulfill the demands the external world has planned for him. As a believer of the view of realism and the view of a determined entity, Nala believes that Simba has a moral obligation he is“inevitably and necessarily” destined to fulfill.
After encountering his father’s spirit, Simba endures a difficult process of self-examination insofar that he makes the ultimate sacrifice: the sacrifice of freewill. In the final scenes of the film, Simba finds himself in a state of conflict and confusion. Though very amused with the liberating life his “Hakuna Matata” philosophy has brought him, he cannot help but question the meaning and intrinsic value of life and for that matter the purpose of his self. Who is he meant to be? - The person he has become? Or the person he used to be? In the midst of his confusion, Simba, reflecting on the meaning of his existence and experiences, knows what he must do. He must accept his rightful place as king and return to the past that he has been running from, thus, he must surrender his freedom which is to surrender self and submit into the being others want him to become.

More than a gripping tale that conveys grief, desperation, and longing, the Lion King is a tale of Simba, a lion who makes a strenuous decision between idealism- a world wherein he determines reality, and realism- a world wherein reality is determined for him. Initially, Simba believed the act of fleeing the Pridelands to adopt the philosophy of “Hakuna Matata” was freely chosen. He in fact believed in a self capable of possessing freedom and choice only to discover realism in a reality wherein cause and effect determine the self and the external world dictates the life in which one lives. Simba consequently returned to the past he vowed never to return to, taking his rightful place as king. The idea of freedom and freewill became no more than illusions- two concepts the mind perceives as “real” yet they are not. Simba believed he was in control of his own future but on the contrary, every thought, decision, and action committed by this individual was made possible due to the external world.

I can definitely say that since the age of seven, my experience of the story has changed in many ways.

Beauty and Beast

When I was young my favorite Disney movie was Beauty and the Beast. Disney's version of this French folk tale came out in 1991 and my parents proceeded to buy the VHS for their future little bundle of joy. Beauty and the Beast became my go-to movie whenever I was bored, sick or just in the mood to watch a dancing fork. When I learned how to read my mother bought me an encyclopedia set and in one of those books contained the orginal version of Beauty and the Beast. I hunted down the different versions of Beauty and the Beast because I always loved the moral behind the story, the idea that love does not have to be born only from beauty, lust and glory. Before I knew it had been enchanted with the different retellings of this classic children's story.

Beauty and the Beast can be traced back to Charles Perrault a French author in 1697. Perrault helped lay down the foundation for literary genre that is now fairy tales by publishing eight short stories in a book titled Stories or Tales from Tales, with Morals: Tales of Mother Goose. He composed his very own version of Beauty and the Beast where the readers are left guessing if the prince truly does transforms back to his human orm or if he only appears to have become the handsome prince in the eyes of his Belle.

Hans Christian Anderson, author of The Little Mermaid, wrote his own version of Beauty and Beast as well. His retelling has the beast, now white bear, returning to human form at night so that he may be with Belle. Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Gallon Villeneuve another French author wrote her own version of the story to entertain her salon friends in 1740. In Villeneuve's version the beast is raised by an evil fairy so that she may seduce him once he reaches adulthood. When she fails and the beast rejects and proceeds to fall in love with Belle she turns him into a beast. Belle discovers she is royalty and the fairy tries to kill her; to save Belle the beast gives her to a merchant man to pass as his daughter to conceal her identity.

The best widely known version of Beauty and the Beast was adapted from Villeneuve's version by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont in 1756. She shortened it and left out the back story, she also ended her version at the transformation of the prince.

The multiple versions do not widely differetiate from one another; the moral of the story is always the same. Belle sees past the beast's monstrous apperance, the beast learns selflessness and tenderness and in the end love conquers all.

Charles Perrault Version

HUMPTY DUMPTY-could not be put back together again? WHAT???

I believe in fairy tales. As a child, I adored hearing my mom read them to me. I loved everything about them. I never thought there was anything that could not be solved or fixed, until I heard the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. I honestly never fathomed things would not always end "happily ever after," which is why I am still a dreamer to this day, but not as adamant as I was when I was a child due to this little riddle. I know that's the reason Humpty Dumpty always stuck with me, because it showed me a sense of reality apart from the usual fantasy. The picture in my head of Humpty falling off a wall and the brawny "king's men" not being able to fix him was unimaginable to me. Those men were the best of the best for any task at hand. I still question to this day why they could not put Humpty back together again.

The origin of this riddle came from England and is supposed to depict a person after they have drank too many drinks named "humpty dumpty," which is a mixture of brandy boiled with some sort of ale. Once they have had too many of the "humpty dumpty," they fall over and cannot get up again; just as, Humpty Dumpty did when he fell off the wall. This riddle was brought to America and portrayed as an egg, because of it's frailty, by W.W. Denslow in the manuscript of Mother Goose's Melody. Humpty Dumpty has appeared in many nursery rhyme books and in novels; like, Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass; Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, which was turned into an Academy Award winning movie; Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward's All the President's Men; and in many songs with singers like Hank Thompson, Aretha Franklin, and many other random singers. This nursery rhyme has many diverse styles of interpretation- novels, poems, lyrics, and the original riddle.

This nursery rhyme is still one of my favorites today, even though it has not been the leading star of a multimillion dollar Disney movie, but hey it has at least had a cameo in one! :) It is highly popular in the book world but why? Maybe because of its lack of a happy ending. Or maybe because it shows reality and not an unrealistic fairy tale like all the others. But that's just how I interpreted the riddle and how I was personally affected by Humpty Dumpty having a great fall.

The Story of Jesus and its Influence on Me

There is no denying the fact that the story of Jesus' crucifiction has an impact on anyone who hears it. Everyone reacts differently to the tale. Some think that Jesus was just a man and that his death was a waste. Others think that Jesus was a great prophet but nothing more. Others still tink that he was a hypocrite and a liar. However, I and many others think that Jesus was what he claimed to be; the Son of God.

The first tellings of the story date back thousands of years to Roman times, when the practice of Christianity was in its infancy. The story of jesus was spread even further when the Roman Caesar Theodocious made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

When I was little the story of Jesus was something that I heard about in sunday school. Even the many plays and songs on the subject were just ways to tell the story that I heard so many times. It wasn't until several years after I moved to Louisiana that the story had meaning for me. During a church retreat when I started to think about the crucifiction. It seemed somewhat absurd that a single man died for the entire world. That was, until I realized that I was part of that world Jesus saved. Two-thousand years later his sacrifice was still valid for anyoonw who believed. it was then that the story started to have a meaning for me. To think that Jesus cared enough for the world, even me, to die was a mind boggling thought. Another thought then occured to me; Jesus didn't have to die. he could have started the entire world all over again. But he sacrificed himself anyways.

Over the years, this story has been told and retold in so many ways all across the world. It has been made into movies, plays, books, radio dramas, and so many other things. Most notably in my opinion are Jesus Christ Superstar, by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the not-too-recent movie, The Passion of the Christ. Both of these retellings are very well known and have recieved many awards. I found watching the play and the movie to be difficult at times. Watching Jesus being beat almost beyond recognition made me realize just how much Jesus suffered. It made it easier to imagine the pain he went through.

There are probably many reasons that Jesus' crucifiction has been told so many times in so many ways. Maybe we as humans just like the story. Or maybe we dont but just see it as something to get over with. I think the reason the tale had been told so often is because it tells the story of someone who loved everyone so much he died for them. Everyone relates to this story because it is for everyone, not just for people who are "religious".

creation vs. creator vs. created

Born into a Catholic family and a predominantly Christian town, the first stories I remember were from the Bible. The Old Testament accounts of Noah and his ark, David and Goliath, and Moses and the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt all were repeated throughout my childhood,adolescence, and even today. The one story that definitely sticks out the most (perhaps to thewhole world) is thestory of creation, God forming the world as we know it within six days, and even having a day to kick back and relax. It all seemed pretty impressive to me. Teachers, parents, and religious authorities couldn’t stress enough that with a simple command, “Let there be...” there was life. God was the big man in the sky that was nonchalantly dipping His paintbrush into the mystical and making the nonexistent into (beautiful) life. Pretty convincing stuff for a four year old to become another God-fearing cradle Catholic, which is exactly what I am.

I say “am” because to me, even after hearing theories of evolution and the endless arguments the rest of the world seems to have on the Artist, I can’t seem to escape my roots and doubt the sense of being created rather than have evolved. Now I don’t want to get off on that subject because that’s not why I connect so well with the story of creation, but rather, it helps me to identify where I am from and how I was raised. Now being a Christian, it is my belief to respect my fellow inhabitants of this world, which includes their religions and belief systems, so I find it fascinating to learn about other cultures’ story of creation. And just about every culture: the Atzecs, the Chinese, the Native Americans, the African tribal civilizations all have creation stories which leads me to believe that it is in our human nature to question and wonder where we came from, why are we here, what happens after life and so forth.

Meet Quetzalcoatl, the Atzec god of creation and life. He's easy on the eyes, too.

These questions have led to one of the single most important concerns of our human existence: self-expression. To me, the creation story is as much about the created as it is about the creator, whoever or whatever it may be. The divinely inspired story of creation, no matter which version/culture, sets the example for ideas and ingenuity giving us, the created, full-range of self-expression. The created become the creators.

The Devil and Robert Williams

One type of story that I have always heard and that has always fascinated me are stories centered around the Faustian archetype, i.e. the main character selling his or her soul to the devil for earthly gain. You might be wondering why I have always heard these stories and liked them so much. Did my parents have a screwed up sense of humor and try to scare me at bedtime? No, it was much worse. My mother was an english teacher and thought it was important to read me "real" literature as a child. She read me unabridged texts of classics such as Gulliver's Travels and War of the Worlds. One short story I was particularly fond of however was The Devil and Tom Walker. The story was written by Washington Irving and is the first american short story centered around the Faustian archetype. The plot is pretty simple. Tom Walker sells his soul to the devil and pays for it dearly.

Of course as I grew older early american literature became very "uncool" and my interest in this story faltered, but, thanks to my Grandfather my love of "deals with the devil" also grew. As it were my Grandfather was an avid blues lover and, having been born and lived in Mississippi his whole life, had a great understanding of not only the music but the folklore that inevitably accompanies such an ancient art. And of all the stories he told me the "coolest" one by far was that of the late, great bluesman Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads for virtuoso guitar playing ability. Although Robert Johnson payed dearly for his gift, being murdered at twenty seven, the story still inspired me to pick up guitar.

The Robert Johnson myth has been retold in a variety of ways: orally, in song, through books, and even in the film "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". Of course the age old Faustian archetype is everywhere and is an unavoidable theme in literature as well as film and music. I guess it remains so popular because secretly people can relate. People might not be willing to sell their soul to satan himself, but everyone loses something when they get greedy. I know I do.

Beauty and the Beast

Since I can remember, my favorite story has been Beauty and the Beast. Something about the wonder and beauty of the story just had me. This story has taught me so much about inner beauty. I enjoy this story for so many reasons; one being my aunt. She babysat me forever and watched Beauty and the Beast with me every single day for a few years. Pathetic, right? She didn’t care, because she loved me. Now that I’m older, I see the true meaning of inner beauty and I see it in her. She never cared about herself; she just wanted to take care of the one’s she loved. My aunt is dying and everyday she is losing more and more of herself, but you know what? Even though she hurts every single day, she still finds the time to call and make sure I’m alright. That’s the purest definition of love and beauty. Beauty and the Beast is not just a Disney tale, it is a living, breathing entity that invades the heart and makes us feel.

Well, now that I’m done being deep and shit, I’ll continue on with the background of this story. It is a French fairytale that was first written in 1740. The first author was Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, but the most well-known adaptor of this story goes to Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. This story spread like wild fire around Europe. People were fascinated with the idea of magic castles and true love. The picture above is one of the early depictions. How different we see it today. Surprisingly, the version that we know today is based on the second version of the story.

We, as kids, are spoiled by Disney. There have been many revisions of this story throughout the years but nothing compares to the classic Disney fantasy. For instance, I just watched a movie called Beastly the other day. This film had the same premise of the original but it was taken in a high school setting and focused more on the “beast” than anything else. I have to give it props because even though it wasn’t the best movie, it showed even more so than the original the importance of love and inner beauty.

This has truly become a "tale as old as time."

A story I remember

One classic story that I’ve never forgotten is Where the Wild Things Are. I had so much energy as a kid which is why I related so closely to the story. But it wasn’t the story that I was so enticed with it was the pictures. All the images of the boy in the wolf suit, monsters, forest and sea were without a doubt my favorite part of the book. The one image that stuck with me the most is the image of the monster under the tree on the cover of the book. I think it’s the most famous photo associated with the book which probably explains why it brings up the most memories. I only would want to read Where the Wild Things Are because the kid in the story reminded me of me; I was a bratty little 3 or 4 year old. I liked to do what I wanted when I wanted and usually got sent to bed early. And like the kid in the story I eventually felt bad for acting up. The story was written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak in 1963. His concept for the book originally involved horses but he couldn’t draw them so he switched to monsters. He eventually named the monsters after his relatives because he found his inspiration in his relative’s caricatures. The book has been converted into an Opera, Animated Short, and full length film over the years. Finding out about the stories’ transformation into other mediums makes me think about how universal the story is. Young kids act up and through tantrums all the time; eventually they calm down. I think this one reason why the story became so popular. The story combines imagination with a common experience like missing home.

Where the Wild Things Are - Opera

Influential Story

This past year I had the pleasure of reading Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll for the first time. I had never read the novel before but I had heard several shortened interpretations from friends and family through the years and remembered bits and pieces from the Disney interpretation. As I read the book several scenes and images stuck in my mind; the most memorable being the mouse’s tale after he, Alice, and several other creatures nearly drown in her salt-water tears, eat comfits, and present Alice with the thimble from her own pocket. The mouse explains why he does not like Cats and Dogs. I really enjoyed this novel thanks to the creative ideas and the witty wordplay on words such as “tale” and “tail” and the multiple uses of words such as “dry.” Lewis Carroll stunned me with such vivid images such as the Mad Hatter, the Caterpillar smoking the hookah, the Red Queen, and the Cheshire Cat.

Though I could not find any earlier versions of the story, Alice in Wonderland was published in 1865 by Lutwidge Dodgson under the pen name Lewis Carroll (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland). This story was later adapted into movies by Walt Disney and Tim Burton. I believe that Lewis Carroll wrote the novel to inspire creative thinking and original thought in those around him with the use of nonsense and whimsical, waters that had not before been tread through. Through the years, such creative thought has dwindled with society “norms” and what was deemed socially acceptable. However, filmmakers such as Walt Disney and Tim Burton have once again inspired this nonsensical pondering through films that captivate the young and the old with stunning adaptations of Carroll’s novel. The message of this story has stuck with me through my aging (the adaptations and re-tellings from family and friends had, anyway). To this day I find myself often re-evaluating the things I see day to day and wonder what indeed they could be like if this were Alice's world.