tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48704436985963410972024-03-14T01:07:36.091-07:00Worlds Of Ink And PaperA Christian author's blog, dedicated to hopeful writing and the spreading of beautiful things.Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-14843382892834198032022-08-23T08:25:00.002-07:002022-08-23T08:25:20.627-07:00An Announcement and a Farewell<p> Howdy, folks! I know it's been a while since I've posted, and there is a reason. I've been considering for a long time whether to keep this blog going or not. The pros of the situation are that I get to keep up with some very cool writing pals, that I have somewhere to put random junk I write, and that I can promote my stories here. I've been thinking on it for a while now, though, and I think the pros might not be enough to hold onto anymore. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f8/66/a1/f866a16ebdf50e5d8d1ec07a28f0a047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f8/66/a1/f866a16ebdf50e5d8d1ec07a28f0a047.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p>Of course, I'd love to keep up with all the writer friends in this lovely circle I've been privileged enough to be a part of, but I am in contact with most of them through some other format as well. Letter-writing, email, phone, etc., covers most of the friends I chat with on the blog. There are some of you I would miss if I left, but I think that it would be more productive to keep reading and commenting on your separate blogs than to try and keep this one running just for that purpose. As for putting random junk I write somewhere, I think we can all agree that that's not exactly necessary to writing - just fun. Besides, many of you in contact with me outside the blog still get the random junk from me anyhow. </p><p>That brings me to the last point: promotion of stories. I guess if there is an announcement that goes before my departure, it's that I don't think I'm really interested in publishing. I've been writing for a long, long time (not as long as some!), and publishing is always a writer's expected daydream. To be sure, it's a fun thought. But you know, I've come to the conclusion that I really don't care that much whether I ever get published. I love writing, and I have no intention of giving it up, but I would still be perfectly content if the only people who ever read my books were my writing pals. My books aren't terribly publishable, except perhaps by self-publishing. I like a style that has long since been out of print, and I certainly don't intend to change what I like to write just because it's last season. My friends enjoy my writing, and I enjoy doing it, so the way I see it, there's not much point in changing to a more modern style. Perhaps I could publish without doing so, but I digress. It's not that I've unequivocally given up on publishing, but I certainly no longer hold it as an immutable goal on my bucket list. </p><p>In addition to these pros losing a bit of their sway, there are cons as well. My school life keeps me very busy, not to mention my studio, job, and other responsibilities, so it's fairly common that I can't keep up with posting. Oftentimes, when I do end up posting, I end up posting either something completely random, or a cop-out post like a tag or something. Maybe I could remodel things and make a bigger effort with the blog, but I just don't think the blog is my priority, nor do I want it to be. There are lots of things going on in life that I haven't really even taken a look at yet, and I think I'd like to get out of my head and out into the world a little more. I think that it's better for me, better for my writing, and perhaps better for this blog as well. </p><p>In other words, I think I'm leaving the blogging sphere. I'll probably leave this up, just because it has a lot of writing things stored on it, but I will not be posting anymore. I'll miss all you readers, but I'll keep on reading your posts, so I'm not totally splitting from the blogging world. Whether in a chatbox, email, text, or what have you, I look forward to the writing journey with everybody from here on out. </p><p>God bless!</p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-45998339073902866052022-05-13T05:53:00.003-07:002022-05-13T05:53:40.375-07:00The Bookworm Tag<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: georgia;"> Howdy to all. *tips hat* It is once again that time where writers ask each other strange questions so they can answer in long, convoluted ways in writing for other eccentric writers to read. In other words, there is a tag about. I was tagged for this, the Bookworm Tag, by <a href="https://thegrimwriter114118804.wordpress.com/2022/04/18/somebody-tagged-me-for-the-first-time-ever-feat-a-lot-of-talking-about-my-writing-and-reading-habits/">Grim Writer</a> (thanks, Grim!), so let's get to it. (I think the rules are just to answer the questions, make new ones, and tag somebody - so mostly standard. I shall add a beautiful font to make it more fun.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/eb/b4/c8/ebb4c876b44c67231df9b433fde665de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/eb/b4/c8/ebb4c876b44c67231df9b433fde665de.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">1. What are some of your unpopular literary opinions?</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Oh boy... Is there a limit to how many...? And how unpopular are we talking here? Unpopular with most people, or unpopular even with this blog circle? I have plenty to offer of both, I think, but probably my most unpopular opinion would be my firm conviction that modern writing is children's fluff - if not utter drivel. No, I don't mean it's just morally bad writing. I mean it's <i>bad writing</i>. Some of it's very enjoyable - one of my favorite fantasies, <i>The Goose Girl</i>, is a more modern book. Still, though, it's nothing to some Oscar Wilde or C.S. Lewis, much less Alcott or Shakespeare or Chesterton. The more modern writing style -- by which I mean writing in a way that is sheared in descriptions, settings, and character and in which relatability or "feels" are the emphasis and main quality -- is like junk food: enjoyable and potent, but leaves you unfilled or with indigestion. So, yes. There's my old, curmudgeonly rant for the day. I'll go back to reading my Homer now, and I expect to hear plenty of war cries in the near future.</span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">2. What's a great book you've read that you've never seen [heard?] anybody else talk about?</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>Well, my friends, sit down please. Turns out I'm not done rambling for the day. Make yourselves comfortable - it might be a while. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f8/86/b5/f886b513699a5942dd56eb75d2570503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="289" height="475" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f8/86/b5/f886b513699a5942dd56eb75d2570503.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> WHY HAS NO ONE TALKED ABOUT THIS BOOK???</span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span> ...</span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><span> ...</span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><span><span> ...</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <i>Three Men in a Boat</i> by Jerome Jerome. Yes, like my uncle said, it sounds like the beginning of a corny joke. Yes, the writer's name is actually Jerome Jerome. (Or, Jerome <i>K.</i> Jerome, to be precise. I believe it stands for Klapka. No, I'm not kidding... And, yes, it is his birth name.) And, yes, there is a brilliant little subtitle in some copies (<i>To Say Nothing of the Dog</i>). </span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> <span> My point is that the book is a work of comic genius; it's simply dripping with comedy. I mean, if you say the plot out loud, it really doesn't sound like anything special, I'll grant. It's basically about three characters who have very little knowledge or expertise on boating going on a boating trip (to say nothing of the main dude's dog, as the subtitle helpfully clarifies).</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><span> </span>It's so much more than that, though. It's a huge slice of English Victorian life, seen through the lenses of patriotism, Romanticism, modernism, stoicism, history, culture, language, fashion, music, a whole lot of food, the common man, and many other things, positively riddled with humor. The skits and the main characters (Harris, an absent-minded society man who knows everything about the best food and drink; J., a self-professed philosopher and chronically lazy hypochondriac; George, a tired, grouchy teller with many and also no talents) are hilarious, of course... but you get much more than just a light novella. Like I said, the book is really not so much a picture of three rough-around-the-edges Englishmen as it is a picture of Victorian England as a whole, with all the culture and thoughts and hopes and dreams and traditions. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> The book often drifts in thoughts - fitting through the main character's perspective, as he fancies himself something of a philosopher, historian, poet, and great intellectual in general. We'll have a scene of the fellows trying to open George's can of pineapple one minute (one of the best comic sequences in the book, I think), and we'll have the tale of a tragic suicide on the bank of the Thames the next. We can flit from a conversation about the foibles of fashionable ladies when boating to musing on what time or art or value is. It might sound like it would give a bit of vertigo or a stiff neck, but it actually works quite well. Somehow, Mr. Jerome fashioned the book to be seamlessly and sensibly meandering, somewhat like a real chain of thought or the centric, ill-fated trip on the Thames. It's really a stupendous piece of writing, if you think about it. I know I couldn't make my life experiences or trains of thoughts so readable. </span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> If you haven't heard about it before... well, you're not alone. Nobody seems to have. When my British Literature teacher back in high school announced the next reading assignment in class - an assignment preceded by acknowledged standards like <i>Beowulf</i>, <i>Gawain and the Green Knight</i>, <i>Sherlock Holmes</i>, <i>Frankenstein</i>, and <i>Hamlet</i> - my first thought was one of utter confused disdain. <i>What the heck is this random book? </i>There was only one person in class who had read it before, and only one other who had even heard of it. It was like somebody suddenly coming up to you and talking to you all about how famous your cousin you've never even heard of is. Suddenly, this random Joe Schmoe (or John Bull or what have you) book was being promoted with the classics and taking up valuable space and time on our reading list. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span> It was worth it, people. Get torches and pitchforks, if you will, but I would put this book with those classics again if compiling a list of greats. I believe that it well merits its tiny spot alongside Conan Doyle and Jane Austen and Shelley and such. In other words... if you haven't heard of it, I understand. Now that you <i>have</i> heard of it, go read it. ("So let it be written, so let it be done!")<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">3. Around how many books do you read in a year?</span></span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Pfft, it's funny that you think I would know this. I truly have no idea. Judging from my few book posts of last year, I read about four full books in a month, average. Assuming it was that way all year and the year was representative and all that, I read about forty-eight books a year. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">4. Describe your favorite setting to read a book in.</span></span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> I like reading on my bed or on the couch in our family room, but I tend to fall asleep if I read in either place, so they're not quite optimal. I like reading outside if it's pleasantly warm and pretty out (like it has been this week). Because of room cleaning, I have no bedding on my bed right now, though, and it's not as tempting to fall asleep. This might be my new favorite place to read.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/30/8a/92/308a926ed54fea58f32789a079b3d4fa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/30/8a/92/308a926ed54fea58f32789a079b3d4fa.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">5. Who's your favorite folklore character and why?</span></span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Ooh, I like this question. I don't know if I've thought about it in depth. Honestly, not really folklore I know a lot about nor that I grew up with, but I really like the Monkey King in Oriental literature. Essentially, he's a somewhat arrogant comic figure who, while very talented in his own rite, gets into hot water and gets taught a lesson fairly often. (He also sometimes causes problems that take a frustratingly long time to get resolved, but I suppose we'll gloss over that.) </span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> Actually... I almost forgot about Zorro. Does he count? He started out as a folk character, even if he's not anymore. (I guess that's sorta like the reverse of how Sherlock Holmes is a bit of a folk character now even though he started out in regular literature.) I don't know a lot of the more complicated, branched-out stories, but the basic Zorro story is just darn good stuff. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> However, lest I do injustice to a perennial folk character that I have always loved, let's go with Robin Hood. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">6. Thoughts on horror and psychological thrillers?</span></span></span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Okay, I really want to write a post on this sometime. I guess the short version of my thoughts is that - done well - I really enjoy them, and I think they have a vast potential for communicating any kind of deeper message or idea among genres. There are so many things to be considered with the genres, and so many different genres within them, so it's definitely worth another time's discussion.</span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">7. Favorite literary villain and why?</span></span></span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Hmm. I think it'd be a little too difficult to name just one, but I can toss a handful. Of course, there are some that I've used as examples of good villains before, like Dracula or Chauvelin from <i>The Scarlet Pimpernel</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Ooh, actually, I really have to give props to the villain in the first Lord Wimsey book, <i>Whose Body?</i>. I really don't want to spoil it, ach. (If you're really sharp at guessing characters or are reading the book right now, just skip this part.) Really, what made him such a perfect villain was that Sayers just took a couple of commonplace modern ideas and took them to their logical end to form his worldview. It made perfect sense why he would murder someone - seeing things from his point of view, it seemed like the only sensible thing to do. I read <i>Whose Body?</i> for the first time right after re-reading some of Chesterton's essays in <i>Heretics </i>and <i>Orthodoxy</i>, and it was amazing how well Chesterton's criticisms of some secular philosophies applied to the villain in Sayers' book. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> I don't know if I would say the villain of <i>Whose Body?</i> was my favorite literary villain ever, but he is objectively one of the best villains I can think of off the top of my head. I guess some other names I could toss out would be the Un-Man in <i>Perelandra</i>; Rupert of Hentzau from <i>Prisoner of Zenda</i> (just 'cause I liked him - he wasn't a super complexly written villain or anything); Edmund in <i>King Lear</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/0f/49/de/0f49de808b953c959593493e07a896b4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="564" height="297" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/0f/49/de/0f49de808b953c959593493e07a896b4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium;">8. Favorite death scene in a book?</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Now, I do have an answer for this one - Augustine St. Clare in <i>Uncle Tom's Cabin </i>has one of my favorite death scenes ever. He was a character who was so noncombative and lax for most of the book, and then finally he takes a stand and does something worth doing. He dies a good death, going back to the Catholic Faith that he was brought up in and his daughter believed in so fervently. Now, it's true he didn't die perfectly - in that he didn't put his promise to Tom in writing, which causes most of the problems that happen afterwards - but he did die well. Even though the proofs of his previously weak character are on all sides of him as he goes, he still puts forth the last effort to fix everything even though his death is unexpected and quick. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-weight: normal;">9. Do you read poetry, and, if so, what is your favorite poem?</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><span> </span>I most certainly read poetry, but, once again, I don't think I can name one favorite. <i>The Tiger </i>by William Blake is pretty classic, as is <i>The Captain's Daughter</i> by James T. Fields. If only for the sheer beauty, genius, and skill of the poem, though, <i>The Highwayman</i> by Alfred Noyes might be my favorite poem - maybe. It's definitely one of them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">10. Favorite child character in a book?</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: Grenze Gotisch; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><span> </span>That's a hard one, considering I tend to strongly dislike or be indifferent towards child characters in books. I did become rather fond of <a href="https://meganchappie.blogspot.com/">Megan</a>'s young cowboy chap in <i>The Time-Traveling League</i> (that was what that book was called, right? - it's been so long since I've read it). I really enjoyed the segments of Myles as a kid in <i>Men of Iron</i>, too. Other than those two, I'm really not sure. Kids in books tend to be really annoying or vanilla. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"> To end, I shall tag <a href="https://meganchappie.blogspot.com/">Megan</a> and <a href="https://tobeashennachie.wordpress.com/">To Be a Sennachie</a>, if they haven't done the tag yet (or even if they have and feel like it again). Here are the new questions:<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Who are your favorite parent characters in a book?</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What book really should have had a sequel?</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What book should never have had a sequel in a million years? </b>(I expect a hefty answer for this one.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What is the best book-to-movie production you've seen</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia;"> (it can also be book-to-play or book-to-musical)?</b></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What is the worst book-to-movie production you've seen (same as above)?</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What's one book that you would like to see rewritten?</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What's one character in literature that could use their own book?</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Hardback or softcover notebooks for writing? (It's an important question!)</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Number one song to write to right now?</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Fantasy or sci-fi? </b></span></li></ol></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div> <b>Well, that's all for now, folks. I will be off the blogging sphere for at least a couple weeks while I get moved into my summer arrangements, but I will still try to read and comment on all of your lovely posts! What are your thoughts on children characters in books? Any splendid villains you think need mentioned?</b><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-91939515933544934692022-05-05T18:42:00.002-07:002022-05-05T18:42:29.776-07:00Goodbye, NaNo!<p> <span style="font-family: georgia;">Hello, all! This will be a very short post, but I just wanted to let you all know that I will no longer be on NaNoWriMo or Camp NaNoWriMo - probably for the rest of my life. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dclibrary.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fhuge__800_x_800_%2Fpublic%2Fnanowrimo_10_0.png%3Fitok%3DBNomHk0i&f=1&nofb=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="220" src="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dclibrary.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fhuge__800_x_800_%2Fpublic%2Fnanowrimo_10_0.png%3Fitok%3DBNomHk0i&f=1&nofb=1" width="220" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">NaNo's policies and sympathies have at this point become objectionable to a degree I can no longer tolerate, and I don't intend to put up with it. If you're interested in more specific reasons (which I will not put up in order to not get blocked), read Catherine's short post on the matter, here. Every last bit of my account and activity has been permanently deleted, and I have no present intention of returning. I will be deleting all NaNoWriMo memorabilia from this blog. I heartily encourage anybody else considering the step to do the same. I'm sorry not to have what was a splendid way of keeping up with each other on writing, but it is very much necessary. Hopefully, old cabins can regroup in other chats, and we can keep more regular contact through the blogosphere during camp times. Thanks for all the lovely times writing!</span></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-3784353180970170572022-04-17T18:36:00.011-07:002022-04-22T09:28:57.530-07:00On Realism<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <span> </span>Alleluia, He is risen! Happy Easter to all! As you may have noticed, I went off of blogging for Lent, but now I'm back to the blogosphere. (Goodness, what a horrifically dull introduction... My oratory skills are going to be stunning today...)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4a/36/b5/4a36b5aeeefa666b39ca80d4208ed770.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="628" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4a/36/b5/4a36b5aeeefa666b39ca80d4208ed770.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Anyhow, I've come back to get right to business. I'd like to discuss a rather more big-picture concept in writing: the concept of realism and depicting things realistically or fantastically in general. In short, how realistic should fiction be? What side of reality should it portray and how much? </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> Now, b</span>efore we begin, I'd like to make a bit of a disclaimer. These are only my own thoughts and my own philosophy. I do not claim to have all the answers, and there have great, virtuous, admirable writers on both sides of this debate and everywhere in between. I myself enjoy and love many works on all places in the spectrum. So, going through my thoughts here, just take them with a grain of salt. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> In the usual way of things, my mind starts clattering with ideas and long freight trains when I'm supposed to be paying attention to something else, and my most recent rabbit hole was no exception. In my music history class, the topics were first Romantic Age grand opera, and then Romantic Age realistic opera. Now, without going too deeply into either of those things, they essentially boil down to this: earlier stories in opera were about larger than life figures with somewhat fantastical, romanticized stories and great questions asked and explored, while later opera stories were about more real, relatable people with sometimes hard or decrepit lives and more direct, tangible morals to the story. If you're at all familiar with opera, good examples would be Verdi's <i>Nabucco</i> and Bizet's <i>Carmen</i> respectively. Some classic literature parallels would be <i>Beowulf</i> and <i>Little Women</i>, or <i>The Scarlet Pimpernel</i> and <i>The Great Gatsby</i>. There are many more parallels too: <i>Oedipus Rex</i> and <i>Our Town</i>; <i>Ten Commandments</i> and <i>Mr. Smith Goes to Washington</i>; <i>Les Miserables</i> and <i>West Side Story</i>; Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams; the list goes on and on. (For the sake of clarity, from here on out, when referring to the philosophy as opposed to the usual meaning of the adjective, I'll capitalize "Realistic," and, while both things I'm referring to are sort-of Romantic, I'll refer to the non-Realist style as "Romantic.")<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> The idea behind the change in storytelling was simple on the surface, but I think it merits a closer look. As the theory goes, we should depict real life more closely to how it is because audiences will connect with it more and be more engaged by it. They will be more moved by it and understand it better if it relates to them closely. While it's true that depicting certain things will not be pretty, neither is real life. Suffering is such a real part of life that neglecting to depict it, or depicting it in a way that is surreal and unrelatable, makes the work difficult to read/watch/hear without skepticism. Additionally, if what's being depicted as ordinary contradicts the everyday experience of the audience, then they may dismiss the work - setting, theme, and all - as unbelievable or untrue. </span><br /></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> It has been countered that some things should never be portrayed. I agree wholeheartedly, and many people who wrote in a Realistic style also did. While later modernist writers took the philosophy to a whole new level, I don't think the intention of Realism is to simply shock the audience with vulgarity, bleakness, or depravity. While it came out that way sometimes for the sake of delivering the moral of the story - as in <i>The Great Gatsby</i> depicting the alcoholic, abusive life of the rich class to tell us that this world and all things of it are vanity - most Realist stories are not meant to be sensationalist for the sake of it, per se. <br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> That said, I believe Realist stories are deeply sensationalistic. The comment is often leveled against Romantic stories that they are larger than life and don't depict reality accurately. Now, the problem with this criticism is that Realist stories don't either. I'll come back to that in a moment. On a shallower note, we really don't want them to. Any story that depicted reality exactly as we experienced it would be dull as paint. If I started reading a novel wherein the heroine wakes up early every morning, goes to school, works, and then goes home and does homework, I would lay it away pretty quickly. </span></span></span></p><p><span><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f5/56/78/f55678351591ae8cf4a4da685fb13ebc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="570" height="256" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f5/56/78/f55678351591ae8cf4a4da685fb13ebc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>When consuming works of art, we want something bigger than ourselves. While it's good for us to be reminded from time to time of the flaws in our patterns and lifestyles, we become desensitized to it if we hear it all the time. If all novels in the 1920s had been oratories on the upper class's dissipation and emptiness, the message would have been thoroughly ignored. As it was, <i>Gatsby</i> made an astonishing effect because it was unique in its depiction. While other writers glorified the '20s glitz and leisure, F. Scott Fitzgerald tore away the glitter and beads and showed it as the lost, restless culture that it was. And that is the <i>real</i> point of Realist stories. The point is not as much homogeneousness as it is homily. Realist stories have to be a little harsher, a little more familiar, and a little more down-to-earth because their point is to deliver a quick, hard, simple message that people need to hear. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>It's extremely effective whenever it's been used. Sometimes people remember the characters and the settings, and sometimes not, but they remember the bottom line of the story. I probably couldn't tell you the names of half the characters in <i>West Side Story</i>, but I remember vividly the visceral repugnance at the gang violence that I was meant to feel. A Realist story is like someone in a speech saying "listen up" - it catches your attention and lets you know that this last thing is really important. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> The problem with saying "listen up" in a speech too many times is that is loses its power. It becomes monotonous and signifying of nothing. You've probably listened to a speaker before who uses the same potent phrase or comparison too many times and loses his audience's engagement as a result. Realist stories are very much like this. They serve a good purpose in a crisis, but they become desensitizing in large doses. If we take in too much of the hard, direct, and the gray - especially the morally gray - then we can come to accept it as normal and tune it out. If we're constantly fed things we're supposed to relate to, then we tend to come to see it as being indeed everyday, and thus mundane and ignorable. </span><br /></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> That's a bit of a problem with writing stories in general. While we want to relate to our audience, like I said above, too much relatability creates predictability or boredom. We don't want our stories to perfectly reflect real life, and I think there is a deeper reason for that. Life in this world is never perfect - quite the opposite - and if we are only fed with the ugly, the commonplace, and the familiar, then we feel unfulfilled and lacking. We feel a distinct need for something more - some sort of resolve to our suspended existence. </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> This leads to my other problem with Realist writing. Like I said above, I think that Realist writing is quite profoundly sensationalistic. It's always an exaggeration. Realist writing is by its nature stuck in this world, and, while that may offer us a lot of wisdom on how to (or how not to) conduct our daily lives, it doesn't give us anything more universal to look to. What's more, much (not all, but much) of Realist writing is stuck in a sort-of incomplete version of this world. It's true - suffering, hardship, and immorality exist, but they are only a piece of our nature and existence. In fact, they are a small piece, like a parasite on an independent body. Poverty, sickness, and depravity are true in daily life, but so are other more beautiful, good things like marriage, children, humor, health, and simple everyday love. Most Realist stories focus on those former, uglier qualities and forget that the beautiful part of everyday life exists. And in a sense, that can be a good thing. It's hard to deliver a tough message without cutting to the quick and focusing on one thing. But nobody likes to listen to a fire-and-brimstone preacher all the time, and that's why these stories can be dulling to our senses even more than any other Realist stories. It's easy to see why we go to Realist stories more like <i>Little Women</i> or <i>Mr. Smith Goes to Washington </i>when we want something lighter - while they do focus more on this world and its issues, they're uplifting because they present us with both the ugly and the beautiful sides of life. Even if they don't pack quite as much of a gut-punch when it's needed, they are good reminders in a more regular way. </span></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9b/4d/7a/9b4d7a3fb4abb16989ebfc517668c6aa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9b/4d/7a/9b4d7a3fb4abb16989ebfc517668c6aa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> Now to get to the meat of the matter. I believe that a more Romantic worldview is the superior one when it comes to writing stories. While it's true that it doesn't match up to real life, as I demonstrated above, no stories really do - that's rather the point of stories. We tend to ignore things that are too familiar to us. Romantic writing also can't come to arms in a crisis the same way a hard Realist story can, but, again, hard Realist stories are best to have in crises and not as the standard. Because Realist stories are stuck in this world - whether they present its good or not - they are always incomplete and imperfect. They may be splendid works, they may be some of history's masterpieces, but they never quite reach the thing that is most beautiful in them: the transcendental. </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> In any reaching for virtue, either by criticizing its lack or by encouraging its daily practice, a work touches on something universal. In Realist works, we only get these universal values through a human lens, but we yearn for a better look at them. Everyone wants the answers to the wide, vast questions of life, and this world can't give them to us. Nothing touches the heart and inflames the mind and soul like a work that explores a great question or some transcendental good. After all, one of the transcendental goods, beauty, is the basis of all art, including writing. Without it, there would be no good writing at all. Many love to read the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, but most Christians I've talked to agree that the books that captivate them the most are books like Psalms, Lamentations, and Revelation: the books of mystery and of the great, universal ideas. <br /></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> As immortal beings, we are designed to love and be drawn to the immortal. Things that mystify and go beyond our senses are what interest and benefit us most. Mysteries are not relatable; if they were, they would not be mysteries. That's precisely the beauty and the attraction of them to our nature. Fiction should reflect that truth, that ultimate Reality: that we are not alone in this immense world, and there is so much more to know than what we see and experience. Beowulf sacrificing himself to slay the dragon is Christ on the Cross; Nabucco's people exiled in a foreign land are the Church, the New Jerusalem, chosen to suffer through this world; Jean Valjean in his struggle against the world to become a truly just person is Fallen Man on his path back to God. In that sense, Romanticism is really the true realism because it depicts and hints at the Reality that is more real than anything on this earth: the Reality of goodness, truth, beauty, and of God, who is all these things and Being Itself. </span></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://handiwork.games/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Beowulf-Lead-Image-1200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="800" height="309" src="https://handiwork.games/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Beowulf-Lead-Image-1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Grand scale characters and plots exploring questions that are perennial and maybe seem obvious to us can be overdone like anything we human beings do. However, I think that they communicate the vastness of this universe and this existence much better than stories trapped on this earth do. Because Romantic works give us such a huge view to look at, they force us to actively consider and choose what our focus is. We can't passively take in a good, Romantic work; we have to internalize the ideas presented or else we can't understand it. There is no way for us to simply let it be. On that note, this can often be why many people profess not to enjoy grand, Romantic works as much. They take more intellectual effort to appreciate and cannot be taken in without engagement. Oftentimes, it's easier to have a moral handed to us without further ado, like Christ giving us parables in the Gospels. (And there's nothing wrong with that.) Remember, though, Christ also gave us Revelation. We're not meant only to <i>be pushed</i> towards Heaven and the transcendental goods, but also to push ourselves, to make a constant, real effort to ask the questions we must answer and pursue the goods we must acquire. For those reasons, we need the challenges in our stories to look not down at the earth, but up to the Heavens, and to ask What lies within. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, that's my two cents, anyhow. What are your thoughts? Do you prefer to read more Romantic or Realistic works? Which do you prefer to write? Share your thoughts, if you have any, and, meanwhile, have a wonderful Easter season! (And give Megan some extra applause if you enjoyed this post... Some parts were inspired by an old post of hers about language in writing, but I can't find the post anywhere to link to it anymore... [EDIT: Thanks to Megan, it's now linked in the comments below.]) </span></b></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-44097072587360260132022-03-04T07:53:00.002-08:002022-04-01T03:45:43.075-07:00Meet the Books! - To Save a Little Face<p style="text-align: center;"> Well, in true disorganized form, I have come with another linkup to save the blog from being neglected again. This may be the last Meet the Books! for a while, though... Unfortunately, this is my last archive story idea. (But the last two times I said that, I was struck by new ideas in time to make another linkup... Hmm... Well, we'll see how the muse behaves this time.) As always, if you want to join the linkup, the rules are pretty easy. Just answer the questions in bold below for your own story, and then leave a link to your post in the comment section here. You may use the image if you like (but I'm not sure why you would want to...). </p><p style="text-align: center;">Well, shall we begin?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcp8l4xY5FD_ccK6Fn9l9z98C7VWPReSSOJY9v4qn1DLW5mwVW-pA7WO87nWIkmU1YRLKGe4JlnLWyaizxltP6JlThdGLzOlmCIA_6q3NJBm8sCkuQ79Bqig2lr2VqgslL98lWZ8gF7A7Sfp20-_N0Ju95SkqBJxz1WbvGA_9fI4PCd-F-hLpdR3GF=s649" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="649" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcp8l4xY5FD_ccK6Fn9l9z98C7VWPReSSOJY9v4qn1DLW5mwVW-pA7WO87nWIkmU1YRLKGe4JlnLWyaizxltP6JlThdGLzOlmCIA_6q3NJBm8sCkuQ79Bqig2lr2VqgslL98lWZ8gF7A7Sfp20-_N0Ju95SkqBJxz1WbvGA_9fI4PCd-F-hLpdR3GF=w400-h315" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What is the title?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">The title of this particular work, as you can see from the post name,* is <i>To Save a Little Face</i>. It'll make more sense when we talk about the plot.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Why do I even have this question on here again...? </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What is the genre? Time period?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">The genre is Comedy, quite possibly Romantic Comedy, depending on the way the wind blows when I write it. I know I said a long while back that Comedy simply was not my genre, but ever since I became an ardent pupil of Miss Megan's discipline of Comedy,* I have been quite in love with the genre. When I tried it again to write <i>He Travels the Fastest</i>, ** I found I actually quite enjoyed writing it. So, yes. The moral of the story is try new things and maybe vegetables don't taste as bad as they smell and all that jazz. (Although, really, most vegetables taste quite as bad as they smell.) </p><p style="text-align: center;">As to the time period, it is in the American 1930s again. (I tell you, I'm really liking the way <i>HTtF </i>is set up...) </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*"Discipline of Comedy"... That sounds... odd.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">** Oh, yes, did I mention that HTtF is now being drafted? It's been splendid fun. Perhaps I'll post some snippets some time. (What is with all these footnotes??? I feel like Megan...)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>How is it written (POV, format, etc.)?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Third person, probably narrative, but I'm not sure yet. I'll figure that stuff out when I write it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What is the setting?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">The high society of America in the 1930s is our setting this time. We'll be hitting up Broadway and Carnegie Hall as well as the subways and street corners of New York. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Who are the characters?</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> </b><i>In order of appearance...</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/93/7f/5d/937f5d97ef556a61fb455cd7bda87418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/93/7f/5d/937f5d97ef556a61fb455cd7bda87418.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b></b> <u>Donna Delany</u> is a trained, gifted, gorgeous star of Broadway who aspires to even greater heights. After all, she was trained in a conservatory of music. Broadway is for lowbrows. She dislikes Broadway, dislikes working, and dislikes most people as well. She enjoys the applause, though she might not admit it, and she has gained a reputation for being witty, beautiful, and snobbier than an Englishman at Harvard. She has very little regard for anyone else's opinions or feelings.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/fe/f4/f5fef49bfa88db5925f12101aa49372e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="403" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/fe/f4/f5fef49bfa88db5925f12101aa49372e.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"> <u>Neville Devine</u> is a charming and troublesome actor from the Continent. Or at least, that's what he says. The man has a different backstory by the day, not to mention to new present stories he causes in the newspapers everywhere he goes. He's quite difficult to keep up with. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> <u>Mr. King</u> is Donna's publicity manager. He usually lets Donna do what she likes, but he shouldn't be crossed. He is quite stubborn, and he's growing tired of trying to fix Donna's reputation...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9f/00/2a/9f002a714abe74e8412e6ffe09d3c74f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="563" height="231" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9f/00/2a/9f002a714abe74e8412e6ffe09d3c74f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"> <u>Karol Drozdoborod</u> is a Russian-born pianist and composer who is on the rise in America. His beautiful compositions are the talk of the town, but he is a retiring, quiet man. He retains some visible facial damage from being in the wrong place at the wrong time during the Bolshevik riots in his home country. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> <u>Serge</u>i, the fiddler, is a humble, immigrant street musician with traditional ideals. He doesn't ask much other than a home and everything being in its place. He loves to come to stage doors and see the actors with his fellow buskers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4f/0f/b2/4f0fb27ea7aa17542ce6e79c789e4ab8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4f/0f/b2/4f0fb27ea7aa17542ce6e79c789e4ab8.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What does the plot consist of?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Anybody here read/remember "King Thrushbeard," of <i>Grimm's Fairy Tales</i>? This is pretty much a retelling of King Thrushbeard, if you can imagine it. With that said, I've pretty much given away every spoiler already, so be warned that I'm going to be pretty open with the plot twists. To configure the fairytale into this is pretty simple. Princess is Donna, the King is Mr. King, Thrushbeard is Drozborod, and the Fiddler is Sergei. (As for Neville... He is an interesting bit of plot device. Consider him what was necessary to spark the story into action.)</p><p style="text-align: center;">So, more or less, for those who are not familiar with "King Thrushbeard," here is a more detailed version from my summary notes:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1dc27fdb-7fff-f509-991c-45e608e63f3e"></span></p><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> --</span>A Broadway/stage prima donna who is very set in her ways won’t give the time of day to any man and criticizes all. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, when a somewhat malicious rumor starts about her concerning a relationship with a scandalous fellow, her manager forces her to find someone to marry in order to keep an image of respectability. She has snubbed so many men, nobody will touch her with a ten-foot pole, and she doesn’t want anybody because she doesn’t think anybody is good enough. In a<span> </span>rage, her manager swears that the first honest, single man who walks in is going to be the one or<span> </span>else she’s fired. After all, she can just get divorced later, once the scandal dies down. </span><div><span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span><span> </span>A group of<span> </span>street performers come to her after her show and want her autograph. She’s disgusted,<span> </span>but one of them, a fiddler with some talent, plays for the manager and stops one of his coworkers from stealing from the place. The manager is delighted, asks if the man is single, and then arranges<span> </span>everything accordingly. The two are married quietly, and much to the disdain of the<span> </span>prima donna.<span> </span>Her new husband demands a good few things. He is very quiet and traditional, and he dislikes his wife doing certain things on the stage. He makes her change things and makes her help<span> </span>him with the house, and he won’t let her stay out late nights or go to a lot of parties. (Perhaps he even disguises himself and disrupts her performances.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span><span> </span>Her ire increases when she sees how famous Drozdoborod - a turned-down suitor of hers - is becoming in America, his many concerts and compositions, and how rich he is. The fiddler lives practically in the slums and prefers Donna to<span> </span>stay with him instead of living at her penthouse. When her latest show flops, she is demoted to a small side role in the next musical. Her lesser </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">female co-stars are rising in popularity as she falls.<span> </span>She becomes disheartened. Finally, it’s heard<span> </span>that Drozdoborod has written an opera, and wants a classically-trained female actress to define the lead role. This fits Donna, and she wants the role badly at the same time as being embarrassed and regretful that she rejected Drozdoborod when she could have had him and the role so easily. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span><span> </span>It is announced that Drozdoborod himself will be leading the orchestra for the show. The lead role is given<span> </span>to her old female secondary, and she is given a one-song role that is very small and unsuited to her. She is angry, and angrier still when she realizes that Drozdoborod shows up for<span> </span>most rehearsals of the songs except her own, as if her song<span> </span>wasn’t even big enough for him to care. Finally, when it is showtime, she is so angry she doesn’t even see Drozborod properly until it’s her scene. At that point, facing him from across the orchestra, she sees that it is her fiddler leading the </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">orchestra. Completely distraught and confused, she bungles her one number, and leaves the stage<span> </span>in humiliation. She is too ashamed to come to<span> </span>even enter the cast party afterwards, but it’s said <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>that Drozborod demands her attendance. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span><span> </span>Knowing she will be fired from the cast and likely never see another stage, she humbles herself and goes anyhow, to get the thing over with. She goes in, and - lo and behold - it is Drozborod, but with some identifying element of her fiddler. She recognizes them as the same, and he reveals that very<span> </span>fact. She is mortified, but she admits that she sees the justice in it all. She submits to the idea of a<span> </span>divorce now that the scandal is over and he’s gotten his back. He dismisses the idea and brings her to the party with him, announcing their secret marriage to all, and there the story ends.--</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry about my notes being rather incoherent... If that made any sense at all, that's more or less the story in a nutshell. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What gave you the idea?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, I don't know about you, but I've thought King Thrushbeard would make a great Romantic Comedy for forever. I figured nobody else was going to do it, so here we are.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/2d/72/8d/2d728dd86d0125a06bf13641a74ac162.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="564" height="260" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/2d/72/8d/2d728dd86d0125a06bf13641a74ac162.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Who are the favorite characters so far?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, it's still archived, no actual writing, so there aren't any favorite characters yet.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What is the favorite scene thus far?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again, none yet.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Any drawings? Aesthetics?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm afraid not. This idea is pretty darn fresh (less than a year old), and I haven't done much work other than collecting notes and brainstorming. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Any themes of music for this story?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not yet, but hold tight...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Any snippets?
</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not written yet, so not at this time. (These questions, by the way, are for any linkup joiners... Obviously, I have very little to offer on them.)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Strong point in story?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think that the plot is pretty strong. But I could also still be in new-story-idea euphoria.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Weak point in the story?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hard to say at this point. Dialogue is always a safe bet, though. It's not my strong suit. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What are your plans for it?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, I'll write it, and after that, we'll see. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Any particular writing habits for it?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">None yet.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c7/fc/72/c7fc72f3ca4e49112b1111d12f8e12f6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c7/fc/72/c7fc72f3ca4e49112b1111d12f8e12f6.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I like Ida Lupino (like in the picture above) for Donna. (If not her, then Jeannette MacDonald.) A slightly more marred Mel Ferrer could make a good Drozborod, if he actually did the accent. I think I see an Errol Flynn cameo for Neville Devine. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>That's all for now, folks. Let me know what you think? Are there any fairytales you think would make good comedies? What are you all writing right now? Once again, feel free to join the linkup to introduce your own stories! (And I will see you all again come Easter!)</b></span></span></div>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-75019618716549567292022-02-14T19:40:00.004-08:002022-02-15T15:10:42.577-08:00On Shoes, Gloves, and Romance<span> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">There was once, I hear, a cobbler who had a marvelous ability. His skill with making shoes was so phenomenal that it extended beyond creation into transformation. He could take two shoes which were completely different, and he could alter them so that they would be a completely new pair, quite alike in every way. People came from far and wide simply to see this curiosity take place. Nobody knew how he did it, but they came and tried to figure it out just the same. The rich and the eccentric would bring shoes of different pairs and makes and designers to see them change form, and the less rich and eccentric would bring lone shoes without partners to make them of use again. Though all watched the process with their own eyes, the skill was beyond their understanding, and it completely eluded their senses. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> Now, it came to pass one day that a young person became dissatisfied with the cobbler's mysterious ability and the way it worked. He brought to the tailor two shoes quite unalike, just like many others before him had. He had, however, a different demand: he wanted the tailor to only alter one and not the other. He wanted one to remain the same, and the other to change to be like it. Now, there was no reason for this. Both shoes were decent, plain shoes without adornment or beauty, and both were still useful to some pair of feet for a time. Neither one was particularly special. The fact of the matter was only this: the man simply disliked the limitation the cobbler put on what seemed to be an infinite ability. If the cobbler's custom of only transforming shoes together was arbitrary, then why not break it? The cobbler clearly had the skill to. </span><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> When the young man came with this request, however, the cobbler refused him. The young man, of course, wanted to know why. To this, the cobbler's reply was short and simple. We are given what we are given, he told the young man, and we must be content with it. A blessing is a blessing, and distinguishing between them, or favoring one over the other for oneself is ingratitude. Everything we receive, after all, is a gift. </span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/aa/33/63/aa336352159d424bee5800157b13220a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/aa/33/63/aa336352159d424bee5800157b13220a.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> Forgive me for starting with a small story, but I feel that this bit of musing probably would not make much sense without the train of thought that came before it, this little tale. For the moment, the tale stands alone, but I'll come back to it. </span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Have you ever noticed the use of romantic curios in stories? Things like handkerchiefs or roses or such things. At first, they're something silly and mundane, but then they take on a greater meaning as the couple's story and development go on. Here's one example, for those who have read<i> Little Women</i>. Do you remember Meg and Mr. Brooke? Their romance begins, perhaps, when Mr. Brooke finds Meg's missing glove. It is a little thing, and Meg dismisses it as gone, so he keeps the thing and cherishes it. Later on, it is a factor of revelation, telling us of Mr. Brooke's true intentions and helping Meg to realize her direction in life. She marries Mr. Brooke, and the gloves are reunited, a complete pair once more. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Such a little thing, but it's a lovely little bit of metaphor, isn't it? Of course, we've all heard that cliche old chestnut about couples completing each other and what not. Very often, that stuff is nonsense, or at least heavily diluted therewith, talking about soulmates and fated matches and such drivel. Of course, couples are not fated to be with one another anymore than anyone is fated to do anything, and one good man is equal to the next when it comes to choosing a spouse, if things are done properly. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>But let me indulge in another example before I continue. I'm sure even those who have not read <i>Little Women</i> know the story of Cinderella. Cinderella loses one glass slipper, and the Prince finds it and returns it to her, restoring unity just like with Meg's gloves.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> In human romantic love, the two shoes or the two gloves are exactly what each spouse should be. One is like to the other in the same way - their fragility. Is it a coincidence that Cinderella's shoes should be made of glass, or that Meg's glove should be lost? The shoes and gloves are like to each other and are one set. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/19/2a/aa/192aaaee054eb017434b8e50fa8694c5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="300" height="250" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/19/2a/aa/192aaaee054eb017434b8e50fa8694c5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> That's all well and good, and more competent literary scholars than myself have probably already noted the allegory. Something much more important, however is present in the image. Shoes and gloves are pairs, they are designed for one another, and they make a complete set of something, but there is another aspect as well. Shoes and gloves alike are designed for a purpose, a purpose even beyond completing each other. Shoes are meant to protect the feet and gloves to warm the hands. If shoes or gloves existed independently of any wearer, they would be completely meaningless. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> The truth of the matter is, we are gloves or shoes or what have you. We are meant for each other in a smaller, more temporal sense (not meaning temporary, but, rather, within time), but we have a greater purpose that we must serve together. If we do it apart, with only one party serving, only half the goal is met. One glove alone does not keep the hands warm, though it's better than none. One spouse on the road towards Heaven alone may get there, but he is missing his traveling companion. We are meant to be together because Heavenly Love is a difficult ideal. For many of us, it is not given that we can know it directly in an intimate way. Instead, we are part of a pair, made to work together and learn of God by serving Him with our human love. If both shoes are found and united, only then are they of full use to the Wearer. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/89/b8/dd/89b8ddeaea0124ffd8615403dc09d73e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="564" height="302" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/89/b8/dd/89b8ddeaea0124ffd8615403dc09d73e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> This brings me back to my story and to the fallacy of fated lovers. We are not unchanging beings - this is exactly why we cannot be fated for anything other than Heaven. After all, the only unchanging thing in us is the bit of God in us. Only His Holy Image in us does not change. God is the Cobbler in the story. We cannot remain the same and hope to find a match. Both parties must change for love to happen because love is a radical change, only capable of moving and perfecting when it meets with something hardened and imperfect. Love will always be in motion as long as it is finite because it longs so much to reach a state of infinity. The cobbler in my story cannot bear to leave one shoe as it is. He creates, but, more importantly, he transforms. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Without being changed, we cannot hope to become perfect. If we cannot hope to become perfect, we cannot hope to achieve Heaven. Fate has nothing to do with romance, really. There is nothing less romantic than being fated to something; it takes all nobility, all beauty, and any influence of God out of the picture of romance. We are malleable, changeable beings, just needing to be hammered into shape to work out as we ought.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> Ultimately, Our Lord is a Cobbler, making out of even mismatched, useless shoes a beautiful pair, worthy of a King.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sorry for rambling a bit again... Hope it made some little sense, at least. Either way, Happy St. Valentine's Day, all!</span></b></div>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-55003287891029570422022-02-02T17:51:00.006-08:002022-02-03T11:07:47.677-08:00Five Classical Composers Every Catholic Should Know<p> <span style="font-family: georgia;">Hey-ho! I'm here with something a bit new today. So, the story begins with my two music history classes, wherein one listens to various music from various periods and composers and analyses it and all such stuff. (I have to say, if you ever get the chance to take a music listening course, do it. It's such a wonderful experience. I am taking a general music history one and one on Nonwestern music, and both are utterly fascinating.) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Anyhow, because of this class and my past love of classical music, I have discovered a few quite wonderful composers, and - more importantly - learned some history behind them. You know, even in a secular, liberal college, it's quite striking how massive a role the Church plays in getting music off to a running start. And that, I suppose, brings me to my point. I love classical music, and, obviously, as a Catholic, I love Catholicism. The cathedral space where they overlap is quite my cup of tea, and we're always told to write what we know, so, thus, this post is born. In short, I'd like to share a few classical composers/works that I think Catholics should know as a part of the rich music history that the Church takes part in. Obviously, if you're a classical aficionado already, you probably know these composers and such, but I will try not to be too mainstream with the ones I talk about - so, no Mozart or Palestrina or anything. (And if you don't like classical music, you... should give it another go. Skip the post, if you will, but, really - give classical music another try.) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b2/9c/4a/b29c4a7d999466b59a0bbd329959c2fa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="311" height="350" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b2/9c/4a/b29c4a7d999466b59a0bbd329959c2fa.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't find a pic without the wig...</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(If you like the Piano Guys - like<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnCaXJ9UVT8"> this</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dakd7EIgBE">this</a> - chances are, you've already heard Vivaldi. He's best known for his four <i>Season</i> concertos, especially <i>Spring</i> and <i>Winter</i>.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Antonio Vivaldi was deeply interested in the priesthood as a young boy, becoming ordained at only twenty-five years old, despite extreme frailty. In fact, long before people ever called him "composer," people called him "Il Prete Rosso" - Italian for "the Red Priest," referring to his bright orange hair color. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Vivaldi was a pioneer composer when it came to opera, concertos (instrumental solo works), and oratorios (sung religious texts). He loved to compose, and, while his health sometimes made it impossible for him to write things himself (and eventually killed his ability to say Mass on his own), he was quite devoted to ordering sounds into beauty. His devotion to the Faith never waned either, even once he was too sickly to say Mass. A fellow composer wrote of him, "the [R]osary never left his hand except when he picked up his pen to write an opera." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I definitely recommend all his operas, but especially <i>Griselda</i>, a beautiful fairy tale about a common woman marrying a king and then proving her fidelity to him. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOLYmjBEsA">Here</a> is one aria from it, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPdk5GaIDjo">here</a>'s one of the <i>Seasons</i>, while you're at it.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1f/ac/3c/1fac3c0acd4efca780707b733594041d.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="563" height="373" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1f/ac/3c/1fac3c0acd4efca780707b733594041d.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Edward Elgar (1857-1934)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Elgar is best known for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecM7_3rs5gU">this</a> gorgeous little instrumental love song to his wife, <i>Salut D'Amour</i>.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chesterton, Belloc, and Elgar had something in common, living in England near the turn of the century: an unpopular Faith. In England, the religion of the State had been Anglicanism for years, and Catholics were looked down upon, even highly discriminated against in academic circles, as St. John Henry Newman wrote about in his <i>Apologia Pro Vita Sua</i> (<i>Defense of His Life</i>). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Elgar's mother converted to Catholicism just before his birth, and, despite the disapproval of his father and all their friends, Elgar was baptized and raised Catholic from his earliest days. In an Anglican world, it was difficult to be taken seriously as an intellectual or artist of any kind when one was a Catholic. Elgar, however, bulldozed through any suspicion or dislike from his peers, and he quickly became one of England's most honored composers purely through the beauty and genius of his own compositions. In addition to this, he was one of the first composers to consistently record his music, leading to most of it being relatively intact to this day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Perhaps Elgar had a bit of a roguish, teasing streak in him. Once he made it big in the Anglican high society of England, he published his magnum opus, a massive musical setting of St. John Henry Newman's poem, <i>The Dream of Gerontius</i>. This very Catholic work was primarily concerned with purgatory, a doctrine which the Anglicans rejected. To be sure, it got a few Anglicans fired up, but the work is now considered Elgar's best. (The overture to <i>The Dream of Gerontius</i> is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvrtOpcq7O4">here</a>.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/3a/e9/723ae98066b08eaaf155fbf691dc19ab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/3a/e9/723ae98066b08eaaf155fbf691dc19ab.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Monteverdi is best known for his operas, such as the one<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjpFi9bn1do"> this</a> overture is from.) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Monteverdi is less known these days, but he's a big composer in the classical and the liturgical worlds. Late in life, a Catholic priest and music theory genius, he also founded the genre of opera, writing many of the first and pioneering many techniques in acting and singing, especially techniques in ironic contrast.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">One of the most beautiful pieces by Monteverdi is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eA7aDYflc4">this</a> duet, from his historical opera, <i>The Coronation of Poppea</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/74/b5/d8/74b5d80d1e7bac7202d50595d0bb66dc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/74/b5/d8/74b5d80d1e7bac7202d50595d0bb66dc.jpg" width="286" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Please forgive the incorrect French lettering... My Blogger skills are those of a five year-old, I'm afraid...) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Saint-Saens is best known for his <i>Carnival of the Animals</i>. You probably have heard <i>The Swan</i> from it at some point, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qrKjywjo7Q">here</a>. You may also have heard his famous ghost story piece, <i>Danse Macabre</i>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71fZhMXlGT4">here</a>.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Okay, so if you know classical music, you might be wondering why I have Saint-Saens on here at all. The man always claimed he wasn't very religious, after all. The truth, I think, is much more complicated than that. Saint-Saens was one of the last bulwarks of a traditional way of composing, making sounds beautiful and intended to awaken and order the emotions and mind rather than, say, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr-wKqy5HnU">this chaos</a> we call contemporary classical (my apologies to anybody who likes contemporary classical). And, as the Church has always held, that's exactly what music is meant to do: raise the emotions to some order using beauty in sound. Because Saint-Saens was composing in the period where music started splitting into camps of beautiful music and jarring music, he became, intentionally or unintentionally, aligned with much more religious forces, becoming a prominent choral and organ composer, and writing many beautiful sacred pieces.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Even more than the camp that Saint-Saens was put in by others, however, Saint-Saens had an interesting fascination for an "unreligious" man: he wrote many of his most beautiful works in dedication to the Blessed Mother. For some reason, throughout his composition career, the idea of the Ave Maria haunted him and pervaded his music. To be sure, it was relatively standard for a great, traditional composer of the time to write at least one Mass or Ave or something like that. It was a way to show off choral and liturgical writing skills, and it was a sort of aging lip service to that old patron of the Arts, the Catholic Church. Writing one Ave was relatively normal. Saint-Saens wrote <i>five. </i>They were<i> </i>all completely original (many composers of the time liked to just recycle melodies when it came to writing their liturgical works), all very beautiful, and all pretty reverent, fitting within the Church's rubrics for music (as opposed to, say, Beethoven, whose Mass has a whole orchestra... very difficult to fit in a choir loft). For a man who specialized in the old, Romantic Age ideals of passion and complexity in music, it's strange that he wrote some of his most moving melodies for Mary, a figure of humility and simplicity. I highly suggest you look up his <i>Ave in A Major</i>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6CVCa0D-vc">here</a> - it's definitely worth a listen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgc.allpostersimages.com/img/print/posters/jeanne-rongier-cesar-franck-at-the-console-of-the-organ-at-st-clotilde-basilica-paris-1885_a-L-6246966-8880731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="338" src="https://imgc.allpostersimages.com/img/print/posters/jeanne-rongier-cesar-franck-at-the-console-of-the-organ-at-st-clotilde-basilica-paris-1885_a-L-6246966-8880731.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Cesar Franck (1822-1890)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Franck is best known for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCp5XC2rsEM">this </a>sonata for violin and piano, as well as other instrumental works like it.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Franck was a cradle Catholic, organist, and pianist. Supposedly, the dude had such big hands that his works are very difficult - if not impossible - to play as written. (I wonder if <a href="https://www.rachmaninoff.org/articles/archive/30-on-the-phenomenal-hands-of-sergei-rachmaninoff">Sergei Rachmaninov </a>ever gave him a run for his money...?) He was a conservatory professor for a time and was known as an eccentric. His students who got into his confidence and could look past his childlike oddities often called him "Papa Franck" due to how amiable a teacher he was.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Franck believed strongly in expressing the virtues through music. Nearly every work he ever wrote, especially his instrumental music, he based on his meditation on the virtues, the Beatitudes, and various Gospel verses. He believed that music was intrinsically good, and if it was at all beautiful, it led the way to God. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Probably my favorite Franck piece is his beautiful duet, <i>Panis Angelicus</i>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdKAHp9m1Q0">here</a>, which I have been privileged enough to sing many times. (Correction: the version linked is a solo because apparently Youtube has no versions of the duet arrangement with good audio quality.)</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Anyhow, that's all for the moment, folks. Sorry if the post is slightly boring... I don't seem to have a non-ramble mode when it comes to music, I'm afraid. Let me know if you like classical music! Who are some of your favorite composers?</span></b></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-10792787314864585542022-01-23T13:24:00.003-08:002022-01-24T10:37:03.336-08:00Tradition, Progress, and Building on Seashells: Some Thoughts on Disney's Moana<p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">[A Note: I know I am pretty behind the times in writing something about <i>Moana</i>, but the Muse calls when it calls, I suppose. Anyhow, this is an essay I wrote originally for school, so while I have tried to spruce it up in some regards, it still may be a little formal... Apologies on that account - hopefully it still has some interest to it, at least as a thought experiment.]</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2016, Disney released a children’s film, <i>Moana</i>, detailing the story </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of a Pacific </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Island </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">princess and her quest to save her home. I saw it a good bit later </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">than that, but we'll </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">leave that </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">fact aside. There is one moment in the movie that </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">has </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">always </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">piqued my interest (as </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">well as </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">other emotions), near the end of the </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">movie. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It's a potent little curio, and the last shot in </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">film: a seashell on top of a </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tower </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">stones. But I'll get back to that in a minute. </span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e23a33e8-7fff-8673-89d2-912e100d1a7c"><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/97/7a/c5/977ac5b4d131eddb12b6a379b3ea0ad3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="563" height="229" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/97/7a/c5/977ac5b4d131eddb12b6a379b3ea0ad3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"> In the film, the eponymous princess, Moana, is drawn to </span></span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">the ocean even </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">though her </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">father, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the king, forbids venturing beyond their island’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">waters. Moana </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the crown heir of the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">kingdom, and she is taught many of her </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">people’s traditions</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">by her </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">parents. She, however, feels </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">locked in by those traditions. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A malignant</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">goddess </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">slowly poisoning the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">islands, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">making them fall into decay, and this </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">state </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of things is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">beginning </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">to threaten </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">even Moana’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">island. Moana decides to</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">go against </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">her people’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">present law and search </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">for someone who can </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">return an</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">ancient artifact </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">and restore her </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">island’s vitality. Eventually, of course, the mission</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">accomplished, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana returns to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">her </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">island and </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">people, and she plans to tear</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">down the laws in </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">favor of the ancient ways </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of voyaging, with </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hunky-dory </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a la</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> classic </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disney </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">style. </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> <span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span>Through the film, the watcher is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">presented with an idea that to truly be</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">happy or </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">progress as a </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">society, we have to break </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">down tradition and discard it. </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">though that's </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the movie's conscious </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">message, however,</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">unconsciously </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">undermines </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">it. Accidentally, the film shows us how off the idea</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">because it skews </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">definition </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">progress, fails to take advantage of the past, </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">and has no </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tangible </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">goal or standard.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within the movie, the themes of tradition and progress are perhaps best</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">represented by the curio beginning when Moana’s father takes her up to the top</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">island to show her something. He shows her a stack of stones at the top of</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">mountain, each one placed by a chieftain of the island upon his crowning to </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“raise the </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">island higher.”</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Moana is expected to place her own stone one day. At </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">end </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of the movie, Moana returns to the island briefly and we see that she has</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">placed a </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">seashell atop the stones, giving a visual symbol of her tearing down the</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">old ways.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/28/2b/68/282b68d32ed07db8002a8c88d11a95c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/28/2b/68/282b68d32ed07db8002a8c88d11a95c7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana is different from her people and their expectations in many ways</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">She </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">loves hearing the stories of other worlds outside her home. She has trouble</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">accepting </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the idea of being chief one day, a role destined for her from birth. She</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">feels called to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">go beyond the reef around their island, the symbol of her father’s</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">laws. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">something freeing in the beautiful music and wide, open aesthetic</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of the scene when </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana finally makes it beyond the reef successfully. Clearly,</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">we as the watchers are </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meant to glean that freedom from tradition means</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fulfillment and progress</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The problem with this idea is that the progress Moana accomplishes</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is not </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">fulfillment, even in the scope of the movie. What we are meant to see as </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> end goal – </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana transcending her people’s ways – is really only a means </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">to an end. Throughout </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the film, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the ultimate evil is seen as the destruction of </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana’s island and home, the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">paragon of her </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">people’s traditions and </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">domesticity. Conversely, the ultimate good in </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the film could be seen as </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">preservation of this home and people, and Moana’s safe </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">return to her family. </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The very </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">reason </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana disobeys the laws and leaves the island is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">save </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">her </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">people’s way of life from </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">destruction. If Moana’s people had merely </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">become </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">voyagers at </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the beginning of the movie, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">they could have fished and sailed to </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">their heart’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">content, not </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">needing the island as a home. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Even at the end of the </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">movie, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">when Moana’s </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">people </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">do </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">voyage, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the lyrics of the ending song </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">show an </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">attachment to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">home and the old </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">ways: “We keep our </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">island in our mind, and </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">when it’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">time to find </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">home, we know the </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">way… We are </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explorers</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rather than, </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">say, “we are nomads” or </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“we </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are voyagers.” </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the breaking of tradition and the </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">casting </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">off of old ways were really the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">route to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">happiness, then why does the </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">happy ending </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the movie merely show an addition to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">old </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">traditions, rather </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">than their eradication?</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/03/84/8e/03848e4082bf29e320d82737d2e3936b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="563" height="134" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/03/84/8e/03848e4082bf29e320d82737d2e3936b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The key to both the intentional and unintentional portrayals of the </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">theme in </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">film is that tradition and progress are inherently related. Let's go </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">back to the stone </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tower </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">now. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the stones on </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana’s island, tradition is the</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">foundation that lets </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">progress raise a </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">civilization </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">higher. With each stone, more</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">is added to society, but the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tower would fall and </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">break if </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">one of the lower stones</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">was removed. That little seashell </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">on the tower is such a </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">powerful moment, </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">illustrating the clash of themes perfectly</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The seashell does raise the </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">island </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">higher for </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one generation, and it looks </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beautiful at first, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">but then it makes it </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">impossible </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">for </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">future </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">generations to build on the tower without </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">either discarding</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">crushing the seashell. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In other </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">words, the seashell can’t remain the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">standard or</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">else no </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">progress will be made. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Tradition – the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">stones – must remain a part </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">society’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">standard in order for progress to be </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">made. The fact of </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">it is this: like </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Moana’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">people, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">we need to respect tradition in order to move </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">forward in society.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">While the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">movie </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">wants us to see tradition as outdated and inhibitive, what </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">it </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">accidentally </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">shows us </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">that tradition is a healthy part of society. Even Moana’s</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">return to the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">old ways of </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">voyaging is not a destruction of the stone tower. It makes</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">use of an old way of life, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">just </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">altering details for the time’s needs. This is the very</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">definition of progress.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fb/b8/04/fbb804aadaca0f459d8bc6dacfe784ae.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="508" height="288" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fb/b8/04/fbb804aadaca0f459d8bc6dacfe784ae.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In short, while the conscious theme of Moana is the harmfulness of</span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tradition, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the movie can’t escape from the truth that tradition is necessary to</span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">have any kind </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">of goal or </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">standard for civilization. The film </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tells us that the laws</span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">and traditions are a </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">handicap to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">fulfillment in life, but what it accidentally <i>shows</i> </span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">us is</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the laws and </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">traditions are a </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">necessary </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">step on the path to </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">happiness. </span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">path less traveled" in the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">movie is, in truth, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">merely </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a branch off of the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">old</span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">path. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Humanity needs tradition. After all, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">you can’t build on </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">seashells.</span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Well, those are my thoughts, anyhow. Let me know what you think! Anything to add or contest? I offer yet another apology for the formatting... I can't seem to figure out the new way Blogger works...)</span></b></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-13372003107104650912022-01-15T16:01:00.001-08:002022-01-15T21:54:35.537-08:00Meet the Books! - Turning the Century<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Well, it's been a good while since the last <i>Meet the Books!</i>, and I've got two new projects (sort-of) since then, so let's get cracking. This one, previously known by the titles <i>Divided</i> and <i>The World That Was</i>, is coauthored with the Grim Writer, whose blog is <a href="https://thegrimwriter114118804.wordpress.com/">here</a>. I will mostly focus on my side of the story, as I know it better. (Perhaps Grim will grace us with her own <i>Meet the Books!</i> post to better introduce her side of the story...? EDIT: Grim's splendid supplementary post is <a href="https://thegrimwriter114118804.wordpress.com/2022/01/16/meet-the-books-turning-the-century/comment-page-1/#comment-43">here</a>. Definitely go read it - it will make a bit more sense out of things.)</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5jgfuu5ro8uEr3wAJpTCR9zMP1YaKbVzLbSS844B5GHZMdc66SJaqBXZsWGdw3fq4EaCHHi1yRkrRHuvwAfApmDcL9qMuF3SC5pJemZdSclC8k6dJ01NBTa96VxLQD9teDiU9Qt38GH8_JS0DftoujEW_8uYiNUxi-VCUVa0g5KOqdzRQuGpfxkGM=s578" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="578" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5jgfuu5ro8uEr3wAJpTCR9zMP1YaKbVzLbSS844B5GHZMdc66SJaqBXZsWGdw3fq4EaCHHi1yRkrRHuvwAfApmDcL9qMuF3SC5pJemZdSclC8k6dJ01NBTa96VxLQD9teDiU9Qt38GH8_JS0DftoujEW_8uYiNUxi-VCUVa0g5KOqdzRQuGpfxkGM=w400-h354" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">I really must redo this graphic at some point. It is so very pathetic...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What is the title?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The present title is Turning the Century, but it has been known by the above titles before now.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What is the genre? Time period?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Okay... Um. So we might have sort-of invented a genre...? I guess we'll call it a Fantasy. That works, right? It's a strange sort of Fantasy, though. It's strange because of the time period. You see, the book's world is divided into two halves, in two different period-inspired times. The first half is based on the 1920s, and the second half is based on the 1890s, I believe. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">How is it written (POV, format, etc.)?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">We've gone with third person for this, mostly limited. We have stylistically strayed from limited a couple times, though, I think. We're going with a traditional novel format for the most part. Now, the one difference is that, since there are two authors, there is sort of a split of which characters/places are written by whom. In general, scenes in Bellafossa or from my characters' POVs are written by myself, and scenes in Bricklebury or from Grim's characters' POVs are written by Grim. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/df/25/ef/df25ef69e35404dc987bd1c8a2c1eb16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="300" height="266" src="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/df/25/ef/df25ef69e35404dc987bd1c8a2c1eb16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What is the setting?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The setting is twofold. The first setting you see is Bellafossa, a rich, decadent, dissipated city loosely based off of Italian and 1920s culture. The second setting introduced is Bricklebury, an impoverished and war-torn fantasy village held together by a few influential patrons, inspired by Britain in the 1890s. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Who are the characters?</span></b></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">In Bellafossa...</span></i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ab/c6/fa/abc6fafe1a7c98697823cdf1e96b892e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="500" height="310" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ab/c6/fa/abc6fafe1a7c98697823cdf1e96b892e.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Gianni Verreni</u> is a rich, young gentleman in Bellafossa. He is absent-minded, quiet, heartily lost in the world he lives in, old-fashioned, and perhaps a bit curmudgeonly. He is my main character and POV. He is quite fond of his younger sister,</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7a/53/fd/7a53fdd4954b195b626ae75f9aafcaf7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7a/53/fd/7a53fdd4954b195b626ae75f9aafcaf7.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Fioria Verreni</u>, called Fio. She is a high socialite with spirits as bubbly as champagne and a character to match. She is quite independent, and she enjoys her riches and freedom. She's never worked a day in her life nor had to do anything harder than convince Gianni to take her places. She is Grim's main character and POV.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>The suitors</u> are a gang of high-society fellows, mostly working for Vin (explained in a moment), and all quite enamored of Fio. Those particularly worth mentioning are Addio, a fashionable sulker, one of Vin's right hand men, and the one most struck by Fio; Gerry, a fun-loving smooth talker who never misses a party or a trick, also one of Vin's boys.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Flavio Vitale</u> is one of Gianni's best friends, but also a frivolous and somewhat nervous fellow, with good reason; he is very dangerously in debt to Vin and his boys. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Iago Potenza</u> is Gianni's other best friend. As he tells it, he witnessed his father, mother, and uncle, and his second cousin being shot when he was a boy. He is now an existentialist artist who believe the world is an abyss of suffering, and his only particularly real mission in life is to remove Vin's operation from power. He is always trying to do this, with the help of Gianni and Flavio. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5c/c1/31/5cc131b1c9559ba3ffa2003e8ad5f4ef.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5c/c1/31/5cc131b1c9559ba3ffa2003e8ad5f4ef.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Vincente Vespa</u>, commonly known as Vin, is a very rich, influential man about town who pulls most of the strings around Bellafossa. Nearly every chap from the old, rich families works for him, and he hosts much of high society at his nephew's ritzy place, the Rubino. It is well-known that he does things under the table and gets his power the hard way, but nobody can prove it. Vin and his boys - those who are admitted to his special circle - are the center of Bellafossa's society, regardless of anybody else's feelings about it. </span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">In Bricklebury...</span></i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/df/e3/33/dfe333da72dc5b3afd18e67829d9e5fc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="355" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/df/e3/33/dfe333da72dc5b3afd18e67829d9e5fc.jpg" width="178" /></a></i></div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Bernard Chester</u>, later to be dubbed "Bob" by Fio for no particular reason, is one of the only pillars left holding Bricklebury up. He comes from an old, noble, wealthy family there, but doesn't have much wealth left, unless compared to the rest of the town. He is Grim's other MC. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e6/48/b4/e648b4f19ac99c5a8f629be1c22c4e67.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e6/48/b4/e648b4f19ac99c5a8f629be1c22c4e67.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Anne Chester</u>, known as Nancy, is Bernard's cousin. She is also one of my other MCs. She has mysteriously disappeared from Bricklebury when Fio arrives, and nobody but Bob and his confidantes seem to know anything about it...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Saoirse</u> is Miss Nancy's maid, whom Fio renames Wyo because she can't spell Saoirse. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Lady Macready</u> is one of the strangest old women Fio has ever met (and, yes, her name rhymes). She lives in a house that has feet, apparently her dog is her long-enchanted husband, and she knows about secret things around Bricklebury. She is one of the only people helping Bob to keep the town afloat. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f1/ea/cc/f1eacce4d812d1456691355c90d2ee6d.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f1/ea/cc/f1eacce4d812d1456691355c90d2ee6d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Odysseus Wilde</u> is a long-gone inventor and relative of Bob and Nancy. Rumored to be either quite crazy or a genius, bits and pieces of his various projects litter the Chester mansion. He hasn't been heard of since the War. Nobody is really sure what happened to him.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does the plot consist of?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The plot begins with Fio and Gianni living it up in the Bellafossa half, a world that vaguely remembers the word "war," but has no idea what it means. They are comfortable and have their own private dramas until a hungover Fio messes with something she shouldn't and lands herself in the Bricklebury's world, a place where a great war still leaves its long shadow, impoverishing and dividing the land. Bricklebury has a grave problem with malign fantastical creatures. (Heh. <i>Grave</i>. Methinks I made a pun for you, Grim...) This leads some from Bricklebury to propose a great plan to try and reach the other side of the world using haphazard inventions from a lost lunatic. On Bellafossa's side, there is a serious gangster problem. Vin pretty much owns the city, and he has no intention of letting the threesome who oppose him go. Gianni increasingly gets in hot water when he starts a fight with one of Vin's boys on account of Fio's disappearance, and he is very soon on the run with a mysterious stranger who seems to know what happened to Fio...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Anyhow, I described it really badly, but it should be a pretty fun story. Hopefully Grim will do a <i>Meet the Books!</i> for it as well so you can get some better synopses.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fd/26/06/fd2606cd0ede797f3181e6d91e3bb387.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fd/26/06/fd2606cd0ede797f3181e6d91e3bb387.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What gave you the idea?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Eh.... *searching back into the abyss of brainstorming from years ago* I think we vaguely based the idea on some fairy tale awhile back. You know, the one where the girl falls down a well and discovers another world? Well, in the original draft of this story, Fio did fall down a well, but we changed the means of transportation to an old, crashed plane. I would give credit where credit is due with ideas and all that, but it's been so long, I really can't remember who came up with what. As for the time period overhaul, I suggested it to be funny, but Grim liked it and really fleshed it out (thanks for that!), so here we are. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Who are the favorite characters so far?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, nobody's really read the whole thing, but I think Fio is pretty well-liked by authors and sneak-readers alike. She really was meant to be a flapper - the medieval period was really cramping her style. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What is the favorite scene so far?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Again, nobody's really read it in earnest, so there isn't one yet.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Any drawings? Aesthetics?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don't have any drawings, but I have a couple aesthetics. (Grim has even more, so let's hope she does a post also, at least to show off the aesthetics.) </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoNr-WSeeJ7OAJUxPKue4r0O0qyKmwnpRrNsiOHdoI6dOlH2RV71-HCAZju6GzvkDNxtTJMuN6KunjAl1GkPwbAzuEuDvbzLVT-tY-oXlq-WpwMofqXilJLMMUWoQpdgLba5IxgY-nusXlJMRRp6AhuONS2whS_Du9X762yx6_riSCvUxELPBV48P5=s2000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoNr-WSeeJ7OAJUxPKue4r0O0qyKmwnpRrNsiOHdoI6dOlH2RV71-HCAZju6GzvkDNxtTJMuN6KunjAl1GkPwbAzuEuDvbzLVT-tY-oXlq-WpwMofqXilJLMMUWoQpdgLba5IxgY-nusXlJMRRp6AhuONS2whS_Du9X762yx6_riSCvUxELPBV48P5=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storyboard. My image.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpFawAPWrANmhD-AvPwL03y3kk-PFmGvkR936RknVL1hRW-RpDT-B5ZyZhUXLlmv5z-1-ct2KhvKe4ScDvE1Jaja-oK_GwoS5pA3AT_g-9BOa9EJO61lR81prJI_xfU0q5QUPQ1JXN5iLD0wK_jsuV_tR0NfvLf7eU1TJvp5FNQzPGgKb4txgCBgqy=s2000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpFawAPWrANmhD-AvPwL03y3kk-PFmGvkR936RknVL1hRW-RpDT-B5ZyZhUXLlmv5z-1-ct2KhvKe4ScDvE1Jaja-oK_GwoS5pA3AT_g-9BOa9EJO61lR81prJI_xfU0q5QUPQ1JXN5iLD0wK_jsuV_tR0NfvLf7eU1TJvp5FNQzPGgKb4txgCBgqy=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My image.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Any themes of music for the story?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, we've actually had to write a song for this story. Don't ask why... It's kind of complicated. Anyhow, though, we do have an <i>original</i> song for the story. It... does not have a name yet. We also have a playlist for writing it too, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpxqVzwgikURFbr4U9eN3L-6l9p9oec5N">here</a>. (Hopefully it's accessible... I can't tell). </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Any snippets?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here goes...</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Back-step, kick-step, kick-kick-kick-back…?” Two feet crashed through the stained glass window, each belonging to a different person.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gianni lifted his foot out of the conservatory window pane gingerly. “Don’t tell me that was what’s supposed to happen.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No, no, no!” Fio tossed her head back and laughed. “You can’t just keep kicking </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">backwards. It doesn’t work that way.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Don’t forget, you did it too.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I was just following you.” She lifted her foot out of the window pane.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gianni frowned at the broken window thoughtfully. “I think that’s the first time the conservatory window’s been broken since I hit a baseball into it when I was ten.”</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-bcc676c8-7fff-c708-6797-382f8cf16ded"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fio grinned. “Well, then, it’s about time, honey. It was in need of some excitement.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b8/a6/fc/b8a6fc2ec8e2a273dd0b25c5cef00f86.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="427" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b8/a6/fc/b8a6fc2ec8e2a273dd0b25c5cef00f86.jpg" width="226" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was swinging at the Rubino that night. If Fio hadn’t been thoroughly used to it, she might’ve felt a bit blinded walking in, the room glittering with champagne and diamonds. Just past the bar area, the open silver floor was barely visible through the many dancers. Every one of Vincente Vespa’s boys was there every night, and every rich doll, and just everybody who was anybody. Nobodies simply didn’t come to the Rubino. And judging from the atmosphere, it was going to be a killer diller night for everybody that did. Fio fluffed up the feathers on her dress excitedly. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Oh,” said Gianni dubiously, glancing around as they entered the floor. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What do you mean, ‘oh,’ you old grump?”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b883f338-7fff-2cf3-acb2-a58663b64dfb"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“The entire string of victims is here.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Strangely, though the squirrels had quieted and the only birds singing were doves, as Fio kept walking, she had the distinctly unpleasant notion that she was not alone. Somebody was watching her.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I’m just crazy with hangover and worry,” she said to herself, with a nervous laugh. But she started walking a little faster all the same.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There was the ravine ahead of her—but where was the path down? She walked to the edge and paced up and down a moment, trying to determine where the path had gone—but it seemed that years of weather had worn down the earth and rendered the cliff too steep to be traversed. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ddf095a-7fff-e2f6-0f98-403f67350a21"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What a bummer,” she said aloud, pouting her lower lip in an attempt at humor, but in reality, she was </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">close to tears. It was very silly of her to see that ravine and that old plane as the key to fixing her relationship with Gianni, no doubt, but she’d almost begun to believe her little daydream in her short time walking. She walked back the way she had come a bit, and stood peering over the ledge, trying to make out the details of the plane’s dark form on the bottom of the ravine. It was covered in leaves from all the autumns since she and Gianni had last visited it and brushed it off, but it was still there.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f6/39/3d/f6393d941e8d5ff26e1f5007b07c272c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="473" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f6/39/3d/f6393d941e8d5ff26e1f5007b07c272c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Gianni and Fio’s father had successfully got the machine to start when they had first found it. However, as he was not a pilot, and it was so old, he had determined he would never attempt to fly it, nor sell it, nor give it away. The children love playing on it, so there it shall stay, he had said. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But that didn’t mean Fio couldn’t give it a go. With difficulty she managed to get herself into the seat, despite the years of forest debris within it. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The key was in the engine—but when she reached for it something clinked to the floor of the cockpit. She reached down with a grunt—another key? Yes, a silvery one, with an odd shape, and a tiny face etched into the key’s end. There was a half-rotted string loop that had attached it to the other key until it had broken at her touch. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fio frowned, and, slinging her purse tighter over her shoulder, she stuffed the key into it and zipped it closed. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then she turned the other key in the engine.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, here goes nothing.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But the engine roared to life, and as she pressed her high heel against the accelerator, unbelievably, the plane began to move, crackling slowly through dry leaves, picking up speed—and then time seemed to freeze for her. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Would it take off?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In that frozen moment, she smelt something peculiar—something marvelous—something far more pleasant than antique engine oil.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">She didn’t have time to determine what it was before the plane took off—and she was rising up—up—through the trees, into that lovely sleek blue of the sky. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fio couldn’t help but whoop with delight at the sheer adrenaline high it gave her—</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And then the engine stalled—and stopped.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1a1fe4bb-7fff-7e79-a969-df2af7e173af"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With a bloodcurdling shriek, Fioria Verreni and her antique airplane plummeted to the earth. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And, appropriately, I think, I'll leave you there at the end of my part of things...</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e5/d2/5c/e5d25c1b53379b0ecd50e11a2272ec89.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="240" src="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e5/d2/5c/e5d25c1b53379b0ecd50e11a2272ec89.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Strong point in the story?<br /><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, the strongest point right now is probably Grim's energy for it, haha... But on a more serious note, I think we've been okay about making the fantasy and storyline and such fairly creative and not too reliant on any stereotypes. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weak point in the story?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Eh, my part, haha... In the original draft, my part was a little boring. My people just traveled around looking for something and never finding it. I think my part might still be a little boring unless I figure out another plotline to set up in it. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What are your plans for it?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That is a good question... Unfortunately, I have no answer. Other than finishing it at our leisurely pace, I don't think we really have a plan. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/d1/50/8c/d1508cd0b6478e426289b114865de98a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="474" height="256" src="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/d1/50/8c/d1508cd0b6478e426289b114865de98a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Any particular writing habits for it?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not particularly, but it seems an almost universally true rule that if we both get on there to write, very little writing gets done... </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Okay... So, I spent way too much time trying to think of some good castings, but, really, just look at the face claims on the aesthetics. I think those are pretty good. (Grim has more face claims as well...)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Well, this post is ridiculously long, so I will end it without further ado. Have a good weekend, all!</b></span></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-89555061746511708752022-01-06T14:15:00.000-08:002022-01-06T14:15:34.399-08:00Christmas Gifts - A Poem<p> (<span style="font-family: georgia;">Since it's still Christmas by the Catholic reckoning of things, I reserve the right to post about Christmassy things...)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ff/11/2d/ff112d944a356692cae2ff3e85f3ce8b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ff/11/2d/ff112d944a356692cae2ff3e85f3ce8b.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Dancing Script"; font-size: large; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christmas Gifts</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arapey, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Imagine if Christmas gifts under the tree</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Were unwrapped, left open, for all eyes to see.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-bd42e02d-7fff-63bb-8b76-e4800ab11a0c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">As each day grew closer to coming Yuletide,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">We’d pass without wond’ring what joy lay inside.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">We’d walk past and see every box without lid,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Not a bow to conceal the great secret it hid.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Oh, how dull it would be if things were this way,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">If we knew every present before Christmas day!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">On Christmas Eve, we’d be untempted to sneak,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Untempted to spy, untempted to peek,</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">For a glimpse of our gifts would be quite commonplace,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">No surprise, no excitement to make the heart race,</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">No great hopes, no great dreams, no great wishes built high</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">No guess made every minute as hours ticked by,</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">No anticipation - there might be no shout</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">When, on Christmas morn, all the presents were out.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Without a great secret or any surprise,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Our interest would fall, and our boredom would rise.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Why, the ingrates we are, we might not even blink</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">If the whole world were set down before us, I think!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">And, perhaps, some would say, with a yawn or a snore -</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">“Oh, it’s only the world, yes, we’ve seen it before.”</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Oh, dear Lord, was it this that You held in Your Mind</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">When You made Yourself known to our fickle, old kind?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Did You make Yourself Man - clothed with flesh ‘stead of fire -</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">So that we’d pay You heed when You raised Yourself higher?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Do You hide Yourself under a veil of white</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Like a bride hides her face before her wedding night?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Oh, perhaps in the moment You made us, You knew</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">How waning our nature, how childish, untrue,</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">And, perhaps, with the sighs of a love from afar,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">You hid Yourself from us, so as not to mar</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Our coquettish interest, our curious need</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">To see Your Face fully and know You indeed.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Perhaps, Lord, You’ve wrapped Yourself only to lift</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Our eyes, ever-searching, to our Christmas Gift.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">J.M.J</span></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-29338634824810778272022-01-02T17:35:00.003-08:002022-01-02T18:01:26.698-08:00Life Updates<p> <span style="font-family: georgia;"> Well, in all this time, it is a logical assumption that I have been doing things. (Or, at least, if I haven't be</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">en doing things, that I've successfully wasted a whole year.) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c6/c1/10/c6c1109a46941dcdb1f9bc2e8648e1e2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c6/c1/10/c6c1109a46941dcdb1f9bc2e8648e1e2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Life in General</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b> To start, as I mentioned in my last post, my family moved this summer. They are now living down South, and I still abide in the lands of the North. I'm in a music school at present for a dual degree in Music Performance and Music Education (my primary instruments are voice and piano). I got another new sibling this past summer, and he's very cute and very fat. Pressured by location, I am back to the Novus Ordo grind and in the choir. I live with my best friend and writing confidante, and we have gotten a lot of nonsense and very little writing done thus far with this arrangement. On the side, I teach music, work a pretty effortless desk job, and help direct a high school musical theater group. Those are really the biggest things that are going on at the moment. </span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/83/0b/7f/830b7ff51417631f9e7c2557b05ccaef.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="362" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/83/0b/7f/830b7ff51417631f9e7c2557b05ccaef.jpg" width="290" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><b>Writing</b></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b>As far as writing goes, I was somewhat productive up until the school year started. <i><a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2017/08/meet-books-second-brother.html">The Second Brother</a> </i>is now finished and under critique from beta readers, and the sequel(s) have been started with some headway. I decided to trash <i><a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Land%20My%20Heart">My Land, My Heart</a></i> (the idea was very trite), and my <a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Le%20Ragnatele%20Di%20Venezia">opera</a>'s present plot, <i><a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2017/10/meet-books-in-greater-hands.html">In Greater Hands</a></i>, and my <a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Giselle%20Retelling"><i>Giselle</i> retelling</a> are also prospectively on the chopping block. I wrote some draft ideas for <i><a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/HTtF">He Travels the Fastest</a></i>, and I may be writing it in earnest as the next main project. I came up with another archive novel idea (which I will probably expound on in another <i>Meet the Books!</i> at some point). </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Probably the biggest thing that happened as far as writing goes was a redraft, though. My writer friends on Camp NaNo may remember that I have a coauthored novel project which has never been talked about on this blog (mainly to respect my coauthor's privacy). Now, however, <a href="https://thegrimwriter114118804.wordpress.com/">Grim</a> has her own blog, and I plan to introduce the story via <i>Meet the Books!</i> sometime very soon. In a nutshell, the story was dull, medieval fantasy of a rather cliche type and has been - um - <i>remodeled</i>, shall we say? Very, <i>very</i> remodeled... Anyhow, more on that later.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1f/f4/22/1ff422a1faad88c76f97d896fdad8155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="456" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1f/f4/22/1ff422a1faad88c76f97d896fdad8155.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Reading</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It would take all night for me to cover the reading of a year, so I will just touch on some honorable mentions:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The Journal of Hildegard of Bingen</i>, interpreted by Barbara Lachman</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">You must read it!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Don't read my translation because it was terrible. The lady was intent on making St. Hildegard out as some proto-feminist or female priest or something. Her footnotes were beyond weird. Do yourself a favor and find a better version. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Overall, even with the terrible commentary, it was quite a fascinating look into life in a twelfth-century abbey. St. Hildegard was quite an inspiring woman, too - scientist, singer, composer, doctor, abbess, and mystic, and writer of the first musical, to boot. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology</i> by Noelle Mering</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">This fabulous book takes the reader through a careful reconstruction of the processes leading to common political thought today in America. She then proceeds to look at each aspect of the philosophy through a Christian lens, with frequent recourse to the Bible, Catechism, writings of the saints and other great Christian authors. Certainly worth reading.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph</i> by Jan Swafford</span></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Okay, guys, you need to know about Beethoven. For better or worse, intentionally or not, this guy created the musical world we live in now. (The musical nerd side of me wants to promote it more, but I think I'd probably better stop before I get carried away.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">The one huge problem I had with this book was the anti-Catholicism of it all. The author showed rather painfully that she had no competent understanding of Christianity at all. She was quite biased when mentioning anything about the Church, and very strangely positive about every conflicting philosophy except traditional Catholicism. I find this a very high failing when dealing with a composer like Beethoven, who had a complicated and influential relationship with Catholicism. You'd think she would put a little more time and thought into that aspect of the book at least for Beethoven's sake. </span></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>A Man for All Seasons</i> by Robert Bolt</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">To be perfectly honest, I was actually a bit disappointed by the play. It was not as good as the movie (*gasp*), and the author had a very strange way of looking at St. Thomas's philosophy that didn't really show up in the original movie version. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">All the same, beautiful verse, splendid play. Definitely go watch the Paul Scofield movie. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d5/ea/7f/d5ea7f0b4712d5889be0882ea90f140d.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="413" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d5/ea/7f/d5ea7f0b4712d5889be0882ea90f140d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Music</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b> Well, <i><a href="http://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2017/06/meet-books-alls-fair.html">All's Fair</a></i> got two new songs added to it that it really didn't need and doesn't have a place for. I also wrote a quite useless, cheery little WWI style song and a fantasy for oboe and piano (the fantasy was for a composer's competition which I did not win but had a lot of fun with... the WWI song still has no purpose). I sang on the radio over the summer and got to perform at the reopening of a certain old theater building here, so that was cool. I also got somewhat addicted to TwoSetViolin for a period. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> As far as music goes, I'm quickly gaining a persona as someone who collects and learns really random instruments. I've sung and played piano for a while now, but I now also play organ, banjo, and ukulele. I dabble in recorder and bagpipes. I plan to take up violin or cello for my strings class this semester and drop the recorder as soon as my wind exams are over. If anyone has need of a dying cat meme track, I would be happy to pick up my recorder for a little bit longer.</span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><b>Well, that's really about it. How about all of you? What has life held for you this past year? How are the writing projects? Reading? And my musical buddies? (Does anybody else name their instruments...???) </b></span></span></div></div><p></p>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-50693936102956607842022-01-01T13:14:00.001-08:002022-01-01T21:42:13.985-08:00An Apology, An Explanation, and Some New Goals... <span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">So... If you're reading this, chances are you are an invaluable friend blogger of mine who has somehow stayed a faithful reader through my year-long disappearance, or you are a random person internet-surfing. In the light of Romantic optimism, I will wishfully assume the former. So, yes. I disappeared for a year. For that, I apologize to my readers and blogger friends alike. I don't really have a good excuse other than I got really focused on college and rather ignored everything else this past semester. Over the summer before that? Well, my family moved. That still really didn't cover the whole summer, though, and not the school year before it either. I suppose there was really only one decent reason I had not to post <i>something</i> in that whole time, and I took a lot longer deciding it than I should have.
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<span style="font-family: georgia;"> To tell the truth, I've been considering giving up this blog entirely for a while. One of the character flaws I struggle with is a tendency to intellectual pride, a conviction that my opinion is actually quite worthwhile and expert and everybody wants to hear it, bla bla bla. As any good theologian can tell you, one human being is as fallible as the next. My opinion is merely the collection of prejudices and experiences I've built up in my short life (for better or worse), the truths that better, wiser people have taught me, and my often-faulty interpretations of those truths. I think this blog has sometimes given me an avenue to ignore that fact and make a lot out of my own thoughts. It's very easy, when you have a platform to express yourself, to fall into the idea that you necessarily have something wonderful to express. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>Now, I don't think this blog has been a waste of time. I've had a lot of fun on this blog, and I've been able to meet and keep up with some other splendid bloggers who I would not be able to contact without this platform. I suppose that touches on what I'm really trying to get around to saying...
I'm not going to give up the blog, for two main reasons: a) I would like to keep in contact with the other amazing people who've built up this writing circle I've been blessed enough to join, and b) I need to combat a secondary fault of laziness. One of my resolutions this year is to stop committing to things and then dropping them. I need to start distinguishing between what I can't do and what I'm just not making time to do. I intend to put more of myself into the things I'm working on, and not commit to anything I can't work on. I've done a lot of letting people down this year, and perhaps I need to be held accountable to work on things in earnest. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span>In other words, this blog from here on out will look somewhat identical to the old one, but its purpose will be a different one. From here on out, I'd like this to be a way of staying in the circle of wonderful Christian writers I've met here, and I would like this blog to be a report to keep me accountable as far as writing and reading go.
With the new year, I'd like to propose a new beginning - no ranting and raving about things I don't know much about, no politics, and no argument-pandering. I will still probably post opinion pieces and such, but I would like to make them more civil and more humble than they have been in the past. In addition to this, I'd like to make more of an effort to read the things my fellows post. (I'll try to post something else over this next week or so, and hopefully I'll be able to figure out this new format a little better.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span><b>So, if there are any readers left here, I'd like to apologize and promise to turn over a new leaf this year. Thank you for sticking with me all this time - I really appreciate it. Here's hoping that the blog is better than ever! Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!</b></span></div>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-82169780683053195152020-09-05T06:39:00.001-07:002020-09-05T06:39:53.327-07:00Meet the Books! - He Travels the FastestThe seasonal <i>Meet the Books!</i> is back again! And it seems I shall live to post another day, for, in the time since the last one, I have acquired another archive novel idea to write about for this installment. Anywho, let's proceed to the rules of the link-up and to the questions. The rules are to answer the questions of the link-up using one of your WIPs, use the picture (if so desired), and link your <i>Meet the Books!</i> feature in a comment here so that I can see all the lovely posts. Things have been a little less orthodox lately, so I'm quite eager to hear about any projects - novels, poetry, musicals, biographies of Robin Hood, etc. Anyways, onto the questions.<br />
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<b>What is the title?</b><br />
The title is <i>He Travels the Fastest</i>, taken, as some more adept readers than I might guess, from a line of Rudyard Kipling's - "He travels the fastest who travels alone."<br />
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<b>What is the genre? Time period?</b><br />
The genre is most decidedly Comedy. 'Nough said. The time period is strangely specific for one of my books - 1930 in America, specifically starting in New York.<br />
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<b>How is it written (POV, main character, etc.)?</b><br />
I'll actually be trying my hand at something new for this one - third person omniscient. After much reflection on the matter, I now believe it is either impossible or quite difficult to write a splendid comedy in anything but a somewhat narrative style. (So, to m'dear Megan Chappie, yea, you have finally convinced me...)<br />
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<b>What is the setting?</b><br />
Like I said, 1930 in America. While starting in New York, it will traverse all along the country into California.<br />
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<b>Who are the characters?</b><br />
There are only a handful, really. The main character is<br />
<b><br /></b>
<u>"Chess" Ridley</u>, a middle-aged American traveling salesman. Having been relatively successful at his gig for many years and now being quite tired of the business (and busyness), he plans to retire quietly out West alone, traveling by himself. A nice, slow, leisurely trip West to some quiet, country home all to himself is the only castle on a cloud the practical (and rather grouchy) salesman allows himself. Finally, he's saved up enough that he can quit the business and do it... or, so he thinks.<br />
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<u>Marquesa Helena de Marcos</u> is an aristocratic widow recently immigrated illegally from Spain. Just escaped from Ellis Island, she is iron-set and determined to get to her alleged American relatives in California, whom she is quite convinced would make her immigration legitimate. She and her brood - did I mention her eight children? - have come to America knowing little to nothing about the country, other than some broken English and the praises of its faraway freedom... Her brood consists of...<br />
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<u>Consuelo</u> is the Marquesa's oldest daughter, a pretty young Spanish girl of twenty with a dry tongue and some very odd ideas about Americans. Unfortunately, she draws the eyes of American boys at the most inconvenient times...<br />
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<u>Inez</u> is the second daughter, seventeen, and also possesses the Spanish <i>belleza</i>. She does not like the looks of Chess or this country.<br />
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<u>Nuncia</u> is the third daughter, sixteen, who has a most intense fondness for "Senor Ridley," who she believes to be in truth a kind and artistic soul... Needless to say, Senor Ridley doesn't exactly share the sentiment.<br />
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<u>Alfonso</u> is the oldest son, fifteen years old, and is extremely protective of the family... to the point of almost getting in a fist fight with every relatively grown male who looks at them funny.<br />
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<u>Clemenz</u> is the second oldest son and fifth child, at eleven. He also loves a fight, though more for its own sake. He tries ardently to pick up American phrases, but usually fails.<br />
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<u>Constanza</u> is the fourth daughter and sixth child, at nine. She is fairly quiet, but seems to possess the singular characteristic of never seeing when the little ones do something mischievous...<br />
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<u>Miguel</u>, third son and seventh child, has to be the naughtiest boy alive. Only his mother's looks save him from being utterly throttled. He is nearly six.<br />
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<u>Margarita</u>, or Mari, the youngest of all, is sweet, but the inseparable companion of Miguel, which means she gets in trouble regardless of her better tendencies. She is four.<br />
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There may be other assorted small recurring characters, but non relevant enough to mention.<br />
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<b>What does the plot consist of?</b><br />
As hinted above, the plot begins with Chess's resolve to take a long, slow trip West to lone retirement. His fate changes, however, when he runs into the family of illegal immigrants, and they attach themselves to him with a will, thinking he can guide them to California. Thus, the trip across the country begins, with plenty mishaps, misunderstandings, and misadventures along the way, all while being distantly chased by the police.<br />
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<b>What gave you the idea?</b><br />
Eh. Sorta the title. A good title really inspires a novel like nothing else. I always liked the idea of an ironic title, and the best path of irony according to that quote is to make poor Chess travel as un-alone as possible.<br />
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<b>Who are the favorite characters so far?</b><br />
Seeing as only my writing confidante and Madam Megan have seen even the rough sketches of what it will be like, there's not really a good answer. Possibly Chess.<br />
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<b>What is the favorite scene so far?</b><br />
None, since it's just an archive idea, and there aren't any written yet.<br />
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<b>Any drawings?</b><br />
Not quite yet.<br />
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<b>Any themes of music for the work?</b><br />
Mmm... The possibilities tempt me, but, unfortunately, there are none as of yet.<br />
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<b>Any snippets?</b><br />
Nope.<br />
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<b>Strong point in story?</b><br />
It will probably be the theme.<br />
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<b>Weak point in story?</b><br />
At the moment, the research. I've done some preliminary stuff, but I will have to research a lot more before actually writing it.<br />
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<b>What are your plans for it?</b><br />
To draft it, once I get a few current WIPs knocked out.<br />
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<b>Any particular writing habits for it?</b><br />
As I haven't written it yet, no, not at the moment.<br />
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<b>If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?</b><br />
Unlike my other archive novel ideas, I actually<i> have </i>thought about this. I think either William Powell or Fred Macmurray would be best as Chess (it would have to be a slightly older, slightly more disheveled version of either of them, though). I particularly see William Powell in his hobo dress from <i>My Man Godfrey</i>, for some reason. For the Marquesa, I see an older Delores del Rio. I don't know about the kids, though.<br />
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<b>Anyways, that's the end of the questions. I hope you enjoyed the post, and I can't wait to see everyone else's <i>Meet the Books!</i> posts. Don't forget to link them up back here so I can see! </b></div>
Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-64769764924484678632020-08-27T09:48:00.000-07:002020-08-27T09:48:38.692-07:00The Pain of a Memory - Part XAll previous parts can be found <a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Pain%20of%20a%20Memory">here</a>. [A Note: Read at your own peril. The present draft is uncouth an in need of remodeling. That, is, unfortunately, not a task of this day, so, for now, the only form of the book that can be posted is that which I post now. Apologies in advance for the confusing writing, as well as the gap between this and the last installment.]<br />
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***</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Echo glanced ahead. The road was clear for many miles, but a village could be seen by it on the horizon. Echo sighed. The village was a marker for their journey. It meant that they only had a little over four more days to go until the Silver Forest, which was where the band of robbers supposedly were. And then it would be eight days back... fifteen days until he could see Ariff and Orlania again...</span><br />
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***</div>
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Anwynne looked down, still pondering over Rogan's discourse with her. Had her story, referring to the prisoner here, made any difference? Had Rogan detected its true meaning? Well, it had definitely gotten to him. There was no doubt of it. His swagger had been broken, at least for a moment, to show Anwynne's victory.<br />
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But then, had she really pulled anything over him? She still couldn't puzzle out his story. A boy...Who had Rogan been speaking of? Did the person even exist? Or was the story merely a distraction? But then, he surely didn't want her to be distracted from his proposition, and it was he who had interrupted the story after all. Then had it merely been to catch her off her guard with a re-asking of his question? Anwynne shook her head to herself. No, it hadn't seemed like a simple diversion... Somehow it felt like it was more than that... But what then? What had he meant by it?<br />
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<i>A boy who had lost his best friend... lost in a war... a war that had raged for years... Hmm... </i>Could Rogan have been speaking of the Great War, between Belestine and Nistria? It had only ended seven years ago, and had gone on for eighteen years before that. It could have easily been the war that Rogan had spoken of...<br />
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Was the story even true? And if it was, how did Rogan know it? <i>Perhaps... </i>Perhaps he had known the boy of whom the tale spoke...? <i>Or, perhaps...</i> Anwynne glanced down uneasily. Rogan had said the boy was not unlike the man in her tale... Perhaps the boy... the boy was the same person as that man... <i>Rogan's prisoner.</i> Perhaps this was why Rogan had cut the story off - merely because what had happened to the boy next was a terrible imprisonment at his hands.<br />
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Anwynne shuddered. If it was true... <i>Only a boy...? </i>She blinked away a furious tear. Only Rogan could be as inhuman as this.<br />
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***</div>
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Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-14969790010176762662020-08-20T11:32:00.001-07:002020-08-20T11:36:16.406-07:00Ancilla Domini - A Poem in Honor of Our Lady<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/6d/13/48/6d1348187070e9ddc87afaf67a88c546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/6d/13/48/6d1348187070e9ddc87afaf67a88c546.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_954809377"></span><span id="goog_954809378"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A handmaid once did live in days of God’s good, golden earth;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She was the girl who knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">He to whom she gave birth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">An angel came, declaring to her things mystic, absurd:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She was the girl who knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And so received the Word.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A nodded head her answer was, no doubt of Man to heed,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For she was the girl who knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Her “Fiat” her one creed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A mother was she all His days as, growing, He prepared;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She was the one who knelt before Him</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Before all others dared.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She walked with Him his weary way as Sorrow’s Mother, Heir,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And she was the girl who knelt before Him</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As He hung, dying, there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What pain did prick that purest heart when seeing naught but sin?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She was the girl who knelt before Him</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When Man made mocking din.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Word, unheard, did seem to go, in silence three long days,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But despite grief, she knelt before Him</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When faded was His Face.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And when return-ed He from rest, new life rang in the lands,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And she was the girl who knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Kissed his pierc-ed hands.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To His Will stay’ng, though sorrowful, Maid did her Master miss,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She was the girl who knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Her heart heavy with His. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But death’s bells came like sweet chimes tolling when united was she,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The girl who often knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">With sweet Eternity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Beauty’s Bliss, Divine Son, was her dolor there to drown,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For she was the girl who knelt before Him,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And He gave her a crown.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>J.M.J.</b></span></div>
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Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-86276392980539904792020-07-17T06:26:00.001-07:002020-08-20T11:39:26.585-07:00A Catholic American's Defense of Monarchy - Essay<b>[A note, and some background: I had a teacher this past year to teach American government. Needless to say, her seeming opinion on monarchy was that it is an inherent evil and incapable of being just or Christian or any of that. So for our year end project, this essay was born, to advocate just the opposite point of view. Without offense intended towards the teacher in question - her class was very informative and helpful aside from that - I shall produce the essay to ye like-minded or at least tolerant buddies. Unfortunately, because it's academic, it's a bit short and a bit less fun than perhaps is par. Enjoy, or enjoy skipping over to wait 'til next post.]</b><br />
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/44/a0/fc/44a0fc9e69ebaaa648c3d464a3242b41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/44/a0/fc/44a0fc9e69ebaaa648c3d464a3242b41.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">“For forms of government let fools contest; whate’er is best administered is best.”</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote1sym" style="text-decoration: none;">1</a> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thus does </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">the great poet, Alexander Pope, declare all governments acceptable if morally kept. For </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">many years, </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this has also been the teaching of the Catholic Church</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote2sym" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">2</span></span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that there is no one </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">government </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">which is </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">specially fashioned for mankind, and no governmental form which is </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">infallible. As an </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">American, this </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">view can be difficult to accept. Many traditional Americans are </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">taught from a young </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">age that the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">American form of government, a constitutional republic, is </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">best, and no other form of </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">government </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">coming before or after can rival it for Christian </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">legitimacy, ethical standard, and a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">realistic </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">applicability in the world. It is this essay’s purpose, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">however, to challenge that notion in </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">favor of </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">monarchy, a singularly unpopular idea in </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">America. It is my aim to prove that monarchy can </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">be </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">legitimate, ethical, and </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">even realistic as a governmental form </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">despite common doubts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monarchy’s legitimacy as a Christian form of government is often called into question </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in recent times despite having a long history of accompanying Christianity. Christendom is no </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">stranger to kingdoms and empires in its long history, and not all of these institutions </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">persecuted or were opposed to the Catholic faith. Even when the Roman Empire held the rod </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">of power in the civilized world –that once great enemy of the Faith – Christian bishops and </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">leaders told their flocks to obey the government and regard it as legitimate. Consider the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">words of Paul to the Romans, even after he has been arrested and scourged by the authorities: </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">are, are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God. For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil.”</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote3sym" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">3</span></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Note that Paul makes no </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">exception for kings or emperors; his statement is unqualified and general, admonishing all </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christians to obey their superiors in all things but sin. Think of Christ’s order to “[r]ender </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote4sym" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">4</span></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Christ seems </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to acknowledge Caesar’s authority, though Caesar was himself an emperor. “And do ye </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">servants </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">submit yourselves to your masters with reverence and fear, as being the type of God,” </span><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reiterates the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Didache</span><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, an ancient pillar of Christian teaching.</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote5sym" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">5</span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once more, no exception is </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">made for any kind of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">master or what form this master uses to govern; in fact, if any </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">governmental form is being promoted, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">a sole master is implied in the latter two quotes. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christian teaching appears to urge obedience to the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">law and the government, no matter what </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">the form. If monarchy is not made an exception by Paul, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christ, or the Church Fathers, then </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">what Catholic has a right to make it so?</span></div>
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d2/57/f9/d257f9635a8b333cd8d7ca0ea6190181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d2/57/f9/d257f9635a8b333cd8d7ca0ea6190181.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monarchy’s history with the Catholic Church is not irrelevant to discussion of its </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">legitimacy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many great saints have revered monarchical or even imperial authority at the </span><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">risk of isolating </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">themselves from other Christians.</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote6sym" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">6</span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Beyond this, a multitude of great saints </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">have held the office of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">king, emperor, or other sole ruler: saints such as Karl of Austria, Henry </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">II of the Holy Roman Empire, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Louis IX of France, Adelaide of the Holy Roman Empire, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wenceslas I of Bohemia, and many, many </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">others. The Church proclaims it impossible for a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">saint’s complete life to promote evil,</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote7sym" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">7</span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and yet many </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of these saints died in their office </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">unashamedly and in the good graces of the Church. It must </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">necessarily follow, then, that </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">monarchy is not an inherent evil, and is at least capable of constituting a </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">legitimate Christian </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">governmental form.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If monarchy is a legitimate and acceptable governmental form, the next question </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">becomes that of its ethical status. Circumstances and times change, and many forms of </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">government waiver in their justice depending upon how they are administered. The fact that </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">saints have held kingship allows the possibility of justice, but not all men are saints. Perhaps a </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">lesser man would fail at keeping an empire just; many have. This is true, however, of every </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">governmental form since the beginning of time: it takes a good man to be a good ruler. In the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">case of a republic or democracy, the only difference is that it takes many good men to be a </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">good ruler, which is far less easy to accomplish. The difference is made by the law, not by the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">number of men squabbling over the throne. In a just civilization, just laws govern the actions </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">of every man, subject and ruler (or rulers) alike. With a truly just moral code governing the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">land, a sovereign, as well as his people, cannot help but be just.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This brings monarchy to its final test – its realistic applicability in the modern world. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because monarchies are not commonly seen in this time, it is often assumed that they cannot </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">exist in this time. This is a most erroneous perception; it is like saying because faithful </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Catholicism is not commonly seen in this time, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cannot exist therein. Monarchy can, in fact, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">work well as a governmental form, and takes a far greater part in the modern world than is </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">often assumed by republic- or democracy-minded Americans. Consider the structure brought </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">about in the English monarchy so long ago; the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Magna Carta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a governing law brought by the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">king’s courtiers, became the justice of the land. English monarchy exists to this day, despite its </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">weakening by democracy. Many governments cannot survive without the support of a </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">monarchy or ruling family. Consider many of the Germanic states, where the once-imperial </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Habsburg family still has prestige, a pillar stabilizing the central European countries despite </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the American attempt to filter them out of society, an effort which plunged Germany and </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Austria into humiliation and societal decay. Consider Lichtenstein and Monaco, Catholic </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">constitutional monarchies which have had peace for decades,</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote8sym" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">8</span></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and enjoy financial and </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">economic </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">success like few other countries in the world.</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote9sym" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">9</span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In fact, many countries that began as </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">monarchies were </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">prosperous and active until attempting to take on a democratic, republican, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">or dictatorial form of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">government, and only then plunged into societal or financial </span><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">degradation.</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote10sym" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">10</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monarchy, then, can be legitimate, ethical, and realistic in theory and even in the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">modern world. Its Christian legitimacy is supported by Church teaching and history. The </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">justice and ethical standard of a monarchy can be as virtuous as any other governmental form, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and has many saints for its patrons (presidents and prime ministers are notably absent from </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the ranks of the Church’s declared saints). The stability and realistic tenability of a monarchy </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is proven by many successful examples in the modern world. In short, even the most </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">American of minds cannot deny the truth of what the poet wrote, that “whate’er is best </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">administered is best,”</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote11sym" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">11</span></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be it monarchy or republic.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">J.M.J.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-3f473e8a-7fff-2af0-18f6-69f4353e25bf" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sources/Footnotes:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote1anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alexander Pope,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> An Essay on Man</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Epistle III, l.303-304.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote2anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> See </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Catechism of the Catholic Church</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 1896, “…There is no solution to the social question apart from the Gospel.” See also Pope Pius XII’s Pentecost Radio Address of June 1, 1941 and Pope Leo XIII’s 1892 encyclical, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Au Milieu des Sollicitudes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote3anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Romans 13:1-2, Douay-Rheims </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Translation. All Bible quotes are taken from the Douay-Rheims Translation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote4anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark 12:17</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote5anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Didache</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 4:11</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote6anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> T</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hink of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote to his flock telling them not to rebel and break him out of prison, even as he faced being “ground by the teeth of the wild beasts.” (St. Ignatius to the Romans, ch. 4)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote7anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> See </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CCC</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 828: canonization of the saints is there defined as “solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God’s grace… proposing the saints to [the faithful] as models…” All of the saints mentioned are fully and officially canonized by the Church except Bl. Karl of Austria, who has only been beatified as of yet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote8anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About 100 years and 70 years, respectively. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote9anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #663366; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CIA – The World Factbook – Country Comparison: GDP – per capita (PPP</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #663366; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote10anc" style="color: #1155cc;">10</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Consider more proverbial examples such as France’s Revolution of 1789, but also modern cases, such as Germany after World War I, or Russia’s regime, which both suffered governmental upheaval after the forcible removal of their monarchs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBtNuqne2oKyXALb7pVluqI40HIbVmEu3xQ6Y2Ywzr0/edit?ts=5e0d0f5e#sdfootnote11anc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Alexander Pope, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Essay on Man</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Epistle III, l.104.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><b>(Apologies for the formatting and aesthetics issues. </b></span></span><b style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;">The blog, for whatever reason, has recently </b><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;">decided that is doesn't like me, and will no longer serve me. </b><b style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;">Posts may be a bit trippy during its </b><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;">little teenage rebellion before I get things figured out.)</b></div>
Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-88343543575318700702020-06-26T09:59:00.001-07:002020-08-20T11:38:28.178-07:00Meet the Books! - Burn the ShakespeareansLate, but better late than never, it's that time again - the time for <i>Meet the Books!</i> to see the light of day for a bit. It's quite possible that this will be the last full feature, as this is my last archive book idea to use, much less an actual WIP. I will, however, try to continue to post the questions and prompts about once every three months so that other bloggers may use the feature. And, remember, it's always free to be taken whenever one likes, late or on time, as long as one follows the rules.<br />
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(For a recapitulation of said rules, they are to link up your post here, so I can see it, give credit - using the picture, if wished - and answer the questions for one of your stories. Enough said.)<br />
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Anyways, let's get to it...<br />
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<b>What is the title?</b><br />
The title of this particular archive story of mine is <i>Burn the Shakespeareans</i> (and one of my much more better ones, if I do say so). I will explain that in a bit.<br />
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<b>What is the genre? Time period?</b><br />
The genre is a sort-of dystopian drama. I hesitate to use the word dystopian because of the implied sci-fi-esque setting and action and monsters and all that, but it fits in the very barest sense, of a vaguely post-disastrous, satirical, presumably future world setting. Which brings me to the time period - it is unspecified, to be gleaned by the keen reader or imagined by the insightful one. In my head, it looks rather like Lemony Snicket's stories - about 1930's-seeming, but modern.<br />
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<b>How is it written (POV, main character, etc.)?</b><br />
As usual with me, it's going to be third person limited. There are, however, a few main characters, as the story is split up between a few different trains of thought. When it's actually started, of course.<br />
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<b>What is the setting?</b><br />
Very possibly America. That's really all I can say generally without giving away too much. The more specific setting is an old, abandoned theatre in a small, Catholic town, where a group of now-grown childhood schoolmates are attempting to revitalize their long-lost Shakespeare company and the world's love of beautiful things.<br />
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<b>Who are the characters?</b><br />
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<u>Justine Kendall,</u> the usual leading lady of a resurfaced childhood Shakespearean troupe. She was always the leading lady in the old troupe too. Troubled, doubtful, and newly expectant on top of it all, she's undecided about the troupe's rebirth, and is unsure whether to even take part. She is partly the coordinator of the troupe, along with her husband,<br />
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<u>Stefan Locke</u>, one of the leading men of the troupe. A strong man, very confident in his faith and in his wife, and definitely the pillar holding the troupe up. He used to be an assistant director when the childhood troupe was around, and it was mostly his idea to try and bring it back.<br />
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<u>Drew Kendall</u> is Justine's wayward younger brother. Originally uninvited, he showed up to see Justine and stuck around for kicks. He's a long fallen-away family member, and rather a black sheep of the town after leaving it for the world. He was never a consistent part of the original troupe either, but he wants Justine to pull strings and get him a job doing leading roles. Needless to say, he's a bit of a crack in the glass of old childhood friendships.</div>
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<u>Benedicta, or Bena Staunton</u> is Justine's best friend, and one of the most faithful old returning members of the troupe. She's one of the only ones who's really kept things together in the town this whole time, and so she's wary of anything that might cause a new split, for more reason than one. She's supporting a few family members single-handedly, and is constantly in fear of going blind, a process already started, as it would lose for her any ability to provide, work, or help herself.</div>
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<u>Elliott Scott</u> is another returning member, mostly for chorus and small parts. He's also stayed in the town most of the time, but only after having an, um, <i>unpleasant </i>experience outside. He believes the troupe is doomed to fail. He is deadly afraid of the outside world, and what may happen if their endeavor to bring the Bard back succeeds.</div>
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<u>Charles Fawkes, or just Fawkes</u> is the old troupe's leading man, returned mostly at Stefan's request and to help get everybody's lives back together. He left the town, but he's got a good head on his shoulders, and thinks the world of the troupe, particularly a certain</div>
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<u>Dahlia Grey</u>, an old chorus member too young to have met Fawkes before. She is Elliott's best friend from a long time past, though does not return romantic affection to either him or Fawkes.<br />
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<u>Tristan Leare</u> is the only new member joining the troupe. He is a slight older than the rest of them, and moved to the town as a young man just as their childhood troupe was performing its last play. He's been gone for years, and has come back seemingly just to lose himself in the beauty of the stage. No one knows too much about him, but town rumors say he's a foreign fugitive.<br />
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<b>What does the plot consist of?</b><br />
There are many plots, not one. The main event tying everything together is the effort to bring back the art of the stage to the town and the country by rebirthing the Shakespearean troupe, but lots of little subplots will litter the story, including some of the ones hinted at in the character descriptions. And, obviously, it will get more intense than that, and there will be some fire and burning because why else would I name it <i>Burn the Shakespeareans</i>...? But I'm not going to say too much about that part because I don't want to give spoilers.<br />
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<b>What gave you the idea?</b><b><br /></b><br />
Mostly, the title. I always kind-of wanted to write a drama/dystopian sort-of thing, and had sketched out some random character and plot ideas, so I grafted the spur-of-the-moment title onto the sketches, and it fit like a jigsaw puzzle. Also, my sister. That was the first title I'd ever thought up that she agreed was any good, so I had to use it.<br />
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<b>Who are the favorite characters so far?</b><br />
None really, since it's not been written and therefore not read.<br />
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<b>What is the favorite scene so far?</b><br />
Again, none yet.<br />
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<b>Any drawings?</b><br />
Not at the moment, unfortunately.<br />
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<b>Any themes of music for this work?</b><br />
Eh, sort-of. It's complicated. But one song that definitely has recurred in threads of the plot is Saint-Saens' "The Swan."<br />
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<b>Any snippets?</b><br />
Nope, not yet.<br />
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<b>Strong point in story?</b><br />
The imagery is going to come through very strongly, I think. The few draft scenes I've written and the theme elements I'm playing with have so far been very successful as far as painting a picture of the story go.<br />
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<b>Weak point in story?</b><br />
Well, for one thing, it's not written yet. Also, I think that getting some of the characters through correctly without sidetracking the story is going to be challenging. Also, I have a sinking feeling that Elliott is just a plagiarized Harry Beaton from <i>Brigadoon</i>...<br />
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<b>What are your plans for it?</b><br />
To write it, once I get a couple more current WIPs finished.<br />
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<b>Any particular writing habits for it?</b><br />
I'll let you know when I start writing it...<br />
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<b>If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?</b><br />
Hmm, way too far ahead... I'm not sure I have any solid cast choices at the moment, unfortunately.<br />
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<b>Well, that's all for now, folks. Hope you enjoyed the post, and that you'll follow up with your own - I'll be checking the comment box here for links, and awaiting some splendid story info. For now, though, I shall sign off, and wish you all a good evening. </b></div>
Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-28401414863997923192020-06-18T12:37:00.002-07:002020-08-20T11:38:39.609-07:00The Writerly Sibling TagHello! I am back with a tag that has waited a shameful span of time for me to complete it. Without further ado, I present The Doorman's <i>Writerly Sibling Tag</i>, tagged direct from the <a href="https://thelordhisladyandtheirdoorman.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-writerly-sibling-tag.html">man himself</a>. To start off, here are the rules:<br />
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<li>Thank the blogger who tagged you and provide a link to their post. (Thankee kindly, good sir!)</li>
<li>Answer the inquiries, including any ones added by #6.</li>
<li><i>Always</i> use your own characters. No exceptions, unless you don't actually have sibling characters (in which case you need to go and write some) or you don't write (in which case you need to start ASAP).</li>
<li>Tag three other bloggers.</li>
<li>If you happen to have any siblings who blog, they are automatically tagged, and they cannot count toward your three.</li>
<li>Add one question of prompt to the list you were tagged with (see at the bottom of this post, or at the bottom of Doorman's, as I was tagged first).</li>
<li>Close out the post with some honoring of the King of Kings. </li>
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Alright. Now that that's settled, I will start answering the questions.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b> Name the most annoying sibling character in any of your stories </b><b>(Either annoying to you as the author or to any other characters)</b></span></span></div>
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Eh... That's a hard one. Really, siblings all annoy one another (let's be honest), so it's more realistic to pick ones annoying to the author. (Unless you're talking about those siblings whose life mission is to annoy their siblings. Then... that's a different story.) Owain from <i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2017/08/meet-books-second-brother.html">The Second Brother</a></i> actually annoys me a lot, probably because he gets a lot from his writerly mama. It is an ongoing thing that I cannot stand any of my characters who act like me in any way, intentionally written so, or unintentionally. Because of this, I find Owain incredibly irritating at times. As for annoying to other characters... Feo might win that prize. </div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Name the most caring sibling character in any of your stories</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="color: black;"><b></b><b></b></span></span><br /></span></div>
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That one's fairly easy. Blakely from <a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2017/02/meet-books-alagna.html"><i>The Clarion Call</i>/<i>Alagna</i></a> is, despite his frequent eye-rolling and scolding, extremely fond of his brothers, Francis and Edmond, and cares for them probably better than he does for himself. Heaven knows what kind of trouble they would get into if he weren't around to keep a check on them... and how bored they'd be if he didn't fall into their pranks all the time.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Name the most entertaining sibling character in any of your stories</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Well, I sort-of already mentioned the Almost Twins (Francis and Edmond), but they'd probably get this award. Through thick and thin, the twosome find their greatest pleasure in the simple things in life... especially giving Blakely a hard time and, in their younger days (mostly), giving their mother gray hairs with their various escapades and misdemeanors. They have won particular infamy for a certain episode involving stew...</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Name a sibling character who was inspired in some way by an actual sibling</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Intentionally, I try to steer clear of basing characters off of siblings, as it can create too much trouble (what if I wanted to kill off the character...?). However, a couple characters became a reflection of real life without my permission, particularly Feo from The Second Brother. He was never meant to be based off of anybody, but is, in his present state, my first younger sister to a 't.' Just as Owain unwittingly soaked in my own personality, Feo seemed to become ZZ (my sister's nickname) out of sheer fatedness to be so. The only particularly great difference between them is that Feo is, obviously, a guy.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Name the largest character family (talking family, not family tree) in any of your stories</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Well, there are a few competitors. Celeise from <i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2016/12/meet-books-alomina.html">Alomina</a></i> has four younger siblings, a boy and three girls (I think? I keep changing it...). Alejandro from <i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2018/06/meet-books-broadway-waltz.html">A Broadway Waltz</a></i> has five younger brothers (and an unofficial older one). Freddie Mayne from <i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Top-Hat%20Gang">The Top-Hat Gang</a></i> has seven sisters, either all younger, or all but one younger. The winner, though, I believe, is Vic Vance (from <i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/In%20Greater%20Hands">In Greater Hands</a></i>), who has eleven siblings (three boys, eight girls). The catch there is that he is adopted, as well as a fair few of his siblings, so none of them are his biological family. (But then, nobody said that this tag had to be for biological family, right...?)</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Provide one to three excerpts from your sibling characters' dialogue from any of your stories</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Alrighty... Let's have Francis and Edmond, since it's been a long time since they've gotten any spotlight on the old blog...</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">***</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "Welcome
to our humble abode, my lady." Francis did a little half-bow to her,
playing along with her masquerade, as usual.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Then all pretentions dropped. Alagna
relaxed her form a little, smiling teasingly at the both of them. "Surely
that's not your best bow?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "Of course it is,"
interjected Edmond grinningly. "He's just never learned as well as I, even
for being the elder one." Edmond bowed with a flourish fitting for a king's crier.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Confusion
only grew in Blakely's eyes at Alagna's behavior. "Alagna<s> </s>," he began, but was cut off by a
different voice.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "Ah, Blakely?" Francis and
Edmond came up behind him all of the sudden. Alagna might have laughed at their
uncanny knack for it if it had been any other situation.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Blakely half-turned from Alagna.
"Yes? What is it, Francis?"</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Edmond's expression turned from a
rather more serious one to a rather sly smile upon taking in Blakely and
Alagna's close proximity. "And, ah, what might you be doing now,
Blakely?" </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "Or, ah, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saying</i>?," joined Francis hintingly. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "And to whom?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "And whatever about?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Blakely looked both of them over.
"Nothing more than Alagna's name, I'm afraid, because<s> </s>"</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "Because you were
interrupted?" Francis laughed. "I wonder who did that..."</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><b>Name three published books which have an amazing portrayal of siblings and family</b></span></span></div>
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</b></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, <i>Outlaws of Ravenhurst </i>had a pretty awesome family in it, even if it was small. The mother, Lady Margeret Douglass was a great character - a Scottish lady and an accomplice to her outlawed priest brother. The family seemed so close, it was awesome (especially considering the protagonist hadn't met the other three members in nearly ten years). </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As tortured as the siblinghood was sometimes, the <i>Books of Bayern</i> by Shannon Hale had a good portrayal of siblings. Personally, I would only recommend the first one (as I thought the others were slightly stupid, plus, the second one had some content issues), but the first and last both had pretty good sibling characters and relatively low content caution. In the first one, the protagonist, Ani, barely knows her five siblings, and is distraught because she may never know them (she is sent away to be married off near the beginning). It really hits hard for anyone who grew up close to their siblings to think of never knowing them, and never seeing them again. Then, for a closer sibling relationship, Razo and Rinna in the fourth book were very close, constantly teasing each other and giving each other a hard time, just like real siblings, and it was adorable. I think, despite the other issues of the middling books, the series as a whole has a believable pluck for large families. The happiest families are the Forest-Born ones, which range from a couple kids to eleven or twelve (mostly on the larger end, including Rinna and Razo's), and the least happy ones always seem to be those that are not close or don't have many siblings (like Ani's, where she wasn't allowed to know her siblings, or Selia's, as an only child). </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span></span><div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And what talk of siblings and family would be complete without Louisa May Alcott's <i>Little Women</i>? The story of four sisters and their way in the wayward world, always finding their way back to Marmee (their mother) and their beloved home. Need I say more?</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Name another author's character family that you wouldn't mind jumping into</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Hey! I thought we weren't allowed to use anybody else's characters...! Well, anyhow, I'd like to be in Peter Wimsey's family - seems like some smashing good fun, even though it's just him, his brother, and his mother (as far as I've read).</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Provide an excerpt/quote of sibling drama or camaraderie from any title (though be sure to credit it)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Oh dear. I'm afraid I'm far too lazy to get books out at the moment, and this post has already been waiting too long. I believe I shall direct you to<i> Little Women</i> and sit back for the rest of this question.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b00000;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name two characters from two unrelated books that you feel would make for great literary siblings (whether in terms of getting along, or being a constant head-to-head combat)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Hmm. I think that Taran from The Chronicles of Prydain and Finn from The Goose Girl would have been good siblings. Finn, quiet as he is, would be balanced by Taran's outgoing nature, and Taran's slight hotheadedness would be tempered by Finn's common sense. Their skills and interests are also very similar - both grew up on a small farm but desire knighthood and the life of a warrior. It would be a siblinghood I'd like to see. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">***</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">As for tagging other bloggers, if you aren't tagged, consider yourself so. Particularly, I suppose I shall recognize Catherine Hawthorn, Sarah Seele, and Lia, at their leisure and capabilities, of course.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">***</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">And there are all the questions for now. If' you'd like them in a list, here you are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name the most annoying sibling character in any of your stories </span></b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>(Either annoying to you as the author or to any other characters)</b></span></span></span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name the most caring sibling character in any of your stories </span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name the most entertaining sibling character in any of your stories </span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name a sibling character who was inspired in some way by an actual sibling</span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name the largest character family (talking family, not family tree) in any of your stories </span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Provide one to three excerpts from your sibling characters' dialog from any of your stories </span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name three published books which have an amazing portrayal of siblings or family</span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name another author's character family that you wouldn't mind jumping into </span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Provide an excerpt of sibling drama or camaraderie from any title (though be sure to credit it)</span></b></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Name two characters from two unrelated books that you feel would make for great literary siblings (whether in terms of getting along, or being a constant head-to-head combat)</span></b></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><div>
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</span><div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And I shall add this, per the terms of the tag:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><b>Name sibling characters at odds with each other in any of your stories</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And I believe that just concludes the tag, but for one last salutation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam</b></span></i></span></span></span></div>
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Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-53288173868027803922020-06-02T11:36:00.001-07:002020-08-20T11:36:39.143-07:00An Announcement and a ReturnHello again from the ink-and-paper abyss this blog seems to have fallen into - I know it's been a while. I just wanted to catch up, and try to get the gears turning here again. I took a break back in February to try and get myself up to speed and back to normal from various factors in my corner, and I think things are to the point where it's time to brush the dust off and return to the blogging world.<br />
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Things are better lately, and seem to be improving pretty surely, so I hope to stick around now. Hopefully, things will be right back to the way they were before. I know a lot's gone on during my break with Corona Virus and all that business, so I'll try to take it slow for a bit, as I know everyone's probably pretty busy. Hopefully the blog will run smoothly, though, and I can continue to use it as a way to keep up with all of you even despite the odd circumstances in the world right now.<br />
So, I suppose, the question is, how are all of you? And what's the situation in your corners? I hope to hear from you and try to keep up with everything as best I can. Thanks for being patient with me!Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-44392467739582485562020-02-13T11:27:00.005-08:002020-02-13T12:25:32.365-08:00A Long Overdue Announcement<span style="color: black;">Most of you have probably noticed at this point how bad about blogging I've been. I haven't written a post since last year, about a month or two ago. First-off, I want to offer an apology for this... again. Secondly, I'm going to, begging pardon, declare a blog hiatus for a little longer. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">There's been a lot going on in my corner lately, and I'm trying to work through school well. That being said, it's not busyness that is prompting my bad blogging. In the past year or two, a problem has been cropping up consistently that was minor before, and my mental peace is... well, not perfect. In the past few months, the problem has gotten worse, and I have fallen behind on a lot of things, blogging included. I hate to sound like one of those stupid, open-confessional bloggers, but I have an issue, and blogging's not my priority right now. I need a break, at least until I can figure this thing out. I don't know when I will be back, but I will try to make it sooner rather than later.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I will try to stay in contact as I can.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span>U</span>ntil then, I hope that you can have patience with me, forgive the absence, and spare a few prayers for me if possible. Thank you so much - I hope to talk to you all again as soon as possible.</span>Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-76261037395887868862019-12-01T11:21:00.002-08:002019-12-01T11:21:51.299-08:00The Dex Dangerous Dilemma - A Prompt for Writerly Philosophical DiscussionYou might notice that this post is labeled among the tags only as "Magnificent Miscellany." That is for no other reason than that, magnificent or not, this post is purely miscellaneous. That is a fact, I'm afraid, that you must grasp now or else turn back in fear of a strange and rather singularly writerly rant. If you have chosen to continue, this means you are for sure a hardy reader and very probably another writer.<br />
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If any of you grew up in my generation (which... is probably most of my readers), then you probably at least heard of, if not played devotedly, a stuffed animal/computer game called Webkinz World. It featured your little stuffed friends coming to life online and playing games, working jobs, eating delicious-looking food, etc., and it was the darling of many children as I grew up (myself included, even though my mother actually was the one playing the computer part for the majority of the first years... as I absently tended the beloved stuffed animals). I'd stopped playing it for a while and rediscovered it not too long ago, coming back for a few of my favorite games. One Webkinz game I never liked, though, was Dex Dangerous and the Lunar Lugbotz (mostly because I was terrible at it).<br />
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<img alt="Image result for webkinz dex dangerous" class="irc_mi" height="400" src="https://webkinznewz.ganzworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lunarLugbots.png" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 21px 21px; border-image: none; border: 0px; color: #1a0dab; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" width="374" /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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This particular game chronicles the constant warfare between Dex Dangerous, an adventurer and astronaut extraordinaire (a lion) and the Lunar Lugbotz, a group of singularly malignant animalian aliens who are bent on destroying Webkinz World's moon, of which Dex Dangerous is the sole defender. In the game, the simple objective is to use Dex to defend the moon at all costs (when the moon gets enough holes in it from asteroids and alien missiles, it drops back onto the surface of Webkinz World).<br />
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Alright. This is all well and good, Belle, but where's the point? When are we getting to the discussion prompt? Okay, okay, I'm getting there. So, in the game, Dex is pretty much invincible - while the asteroids and missiles and such can dent and put holes in the moon, they cannot do the same to Dex. It is presumable that he has some sort-of tiny force-field on his ship that prevents them from damaging him as they would the moon. Here, then, is the dilemma (<i>and</i> the point)...<br />
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If Dex has a force-field or protection of some kind on his ship, he could as easily put that small defense on the moon. Now, his ship is a good bit smaller than the moon (about an sixth of its size because, you know, Webkinz is extremely realistic), so if he did use the force-field for the moon, it would cover about a sixth of it, but leave him conquerable, as well as the other five sixths of the moon. Now - this would accomplish immediately the first aim of the game, but only by crippling the means slightly. With the means less viable, the other sixths of the moon have less chance of being saved. But one piece of the moon will surely be saved, no matter what. (This is all disregarding physics, by the bye, as we can't have the moon floating out into space in pieces.)<br />
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<img alt="Image result for webkinz dex dangerous" class="irc_mi" height="297" src="https://i.imgur.com/rHXIUCe.png" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 21px 21px; border-image: none; border: 0px; color: #1a0dab; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" width="400" /><br />
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In philosophical terms, the choices for Dex are to accomplish a part of the ends by sacrificing part of the means' effectiveness, or to try his luck with an extremely effective means but no guarantee of getting to the ends. This brings up an interesting moral dilemma, no? Which is the more efficient - to fulfill part, but not all, of the ends directly and hurt the rest thereby? - or to make the means as effective as possible and stake the ends' chances on that? Characters in books and movies and such make such choices all the time, but it is the writers that have to deal with these conundrums.<br />
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So here is my prompt, I suppose. Have any of your characters had to choose between means and a mere part of the ends? Or, if you are philosophically-minded, which seems more fitting to the value of the final goal?<br />
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If I'm still not making sense, here's another scenario (equally as nerdy). In the first season of <i>Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu</i>, the four main ninja have two goals, the first of which is necessary to accomplish the second: get at least one of the four Fang Blades, and then destroy at least one before the villains can take it back. Now, if one of the ninja had died to acquire a Fang Blade (the first goal), then there would have been one less ninja to fight off the villains and destroy the blade (the second goal). Would this have been counterproductive? Or noble? Or is there an alternative option?<br />
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<img alt="Image result for webkinz dex dangerous" class="irc_mi" height="274" src="https://webkinznewz.ganzworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DexD.png" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)), -webkit-linear-gradient(45deg, rgb(239, 239, 239) 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239) 75%, rgb(239, 239, 239)); background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 21px 21px; border-image: none; border: 0px; color: #1a0dab; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-top: 4px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" width="204" /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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Going back to Dex Dangerous, my sister (much more an expert at the game) assures me that the game would be much harder if Dex was not invincible, even if part of the moon was. If that is the case, then I suppose that would be the logical conclusion. But being easier is not a guarantee of success, nonetheless, and even my sister usually loses the game eventually. Does this mean that it's not easy enough? Or that the other option is more legitimate? Or perhaps it is a paradox altogether?<br />
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My own conclusion, I am not sure of. I have my ideas, but I primarily wish by this silly rant to prompt discussion on the dilemma, especially among writers ( who are infamously philosophical), and especially among this particular lovely circle of writers (who are, perhaps, even more infamously philosophical). Answer in a comment, answer in a post, answer in a series of posts, answer in an entire novel, if you like - I would like to hear some good rattling debate about it. Is an effective means more important? Or directly accomplishing any part of the ends? Or is it a chicken and egg scenario?<br />
<b>Whatever your thoughts, however brief or lengthy, I would like to hear them. </b><br />
<b></b><br />Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-69407613247644753512019-11-23T08:37:00.000-08:002019-11-23T08:37:12.560-08:00In Greater Hands - Sneak SceneAs I have been rather lax in blogging, I will apologize with a snippet scene, since it's been a while since I've put one up. Here is the first entrance of Vic Vance, master of surprise and oddball extraordinaire, from<i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2017/10/meet-books-in-greater-hands.html"> In Greater Hands</a></i>.<br />
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Leta shrugged and headed towards a small building that looked like some kind of a cafe. She entered and looked around inside it. It was decorated in a quaint, sort-of picturesque style, with flowers in carved wooden vases along the half-walls that were by the entrance. There were a few random paintings on the wall behind the counter, but aside from these the walls were bare of anything but their warm, brown paint. Only a few people were inside - an old lady with a small girl in a booth, a server behind the counter, and a dark-haired younger guy sitting at the counter. </div>
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Nothing seemed out of place... Not that anything should, Leta reminded herself. Leksvia was a pretty quiet town, after all. Leta went to the other side of the counter and sat down. </div>
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The server came over. "Would you like a list?," he asked in Russian. </div>
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"Yes, thank you," Leta replied in the same tongue. </div>
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It felt like a flashing memory to speak her home language again in her homeland. It had been so long... Even just one word felt like she was home again when she spoke it. It filled her with the old thoughts of the last time she'd been here. Leta shook herself. <i>No.</i> <i>Can't think of that now</i>, she told herself. </div>
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After the server had left, Leta glanced around the cafe again, more closely observing her company to distract herself from more reminiscing. The old woman in the booth was dressed in a black trench coat and had her silvery hair bunned up stiffly. Her expression was very calm, and she watched the small girl. The girl had to have been around four or five. She wore a large white bow in her red hair, and had a long, flowery skirt that reminded Leta of the flowers in the vases along the cafe's walls. The young man across the counter had dark, coffee-colored hair that looked like it had been blasted back by a gust of wind. He was actually looking in Leta's direction, glancing over at her with bright lime-green eyes. </div>
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Leta looked down embarrassedly. Maybe it was a little rude to watch other people and expect not to be watched in turn. So she turned her attention to the menu that the server had given her. </div>
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When the server came back, Leta gave her order and handed back the menu. She fell back into looking around the cafe. There was that sweep-haired weirdo again - the guy across the counter - still looking over in her direction. Oh well... This probably wasn't the last time Leta would be watched by someone or other with her career starting now. It didn't really bother her. Well, okay, maybe it did bother her a little bit, but not any more than the fact that she still hadn't gotten her order... and time ticked on relentlessly. Normally she wouldn't care, but today, everything had to be on time - no messing up. </div>
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Leta tapped her finger on the counter, a sign of impatience usually. The server came back, and gave Leta a paper with her bill and Lady Lecta's name on it. Leta had been instructed to use Lady Lecta's name, in case of trouble. </div>
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The server brought her a tray with her order. "I apologize for your wait, Miss Lecta." </div>
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Leta paid him, and then the server departed. Leta ate quickly, still thinking of her mission. She still had time, but it was best not to cut it close. </div>
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Suddenly, interrupting her thoughts, there was a buzzing noise, faint, but surely not just imagined. <i>It must be my contactor...</i> If it was, though, it could be Lady Lecta. It could concern the mission or any other thing of great importance. Leta took it out. It was the contactor making the noise alright. </div>
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Glancing around briefly, Leta quickly swiped her hand over the device. She expected to see the eyes of one of the secret sergeants pop into view, or the commanding countenance of Lady Lecta, but instead she saw the recently-familiar lime-green eyes and swept-back dark-brown hair of someone else entirely. It was the man who had been watching her from across the counter! </div>
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"Hallo!," the man said from the contactor. </div>
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Leta glanced bewilderedly across the counter. The guy was still there! He had his own contactor out and nodded when she looked his way. She looked back at her own mechanism. Fears began to pop into her mind one by one. Maybe he was dangerous. Maybe he was from an enemy of Lady Lecta. Maybe he was a spy or the one who had made the fake message to bring her here. Maybe he had found out what Leta was doing here and had come to stop her. Leta knew she couldn't panic, though, whatever the case. </div>
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So Leta decided to try and play it cool. "Why did you contact me?," she asked, hoping the question sounded commanding. </div>
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The device's hologram-man shrugged. "I was bored, you looked nice enough, so I decided I might query your name," he said, half-smiling in a friendly manner. </div>
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Leta didn't quite know what to think. Only her first official task mission and something like this had to happen...? She raised an eyebrow in question. "You could have just come over and talked to me if you were that bored." </div>
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"Well, that's the easy solution," He nodded nonchalantly. "Most guys would have done that in such a case." </div>
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"Why didn't you?," Leta questioned dryly. </div>
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He shrugged again. "Me, I like to keep things interesting - surprise people. Didn't I make it so much more interesting this way?" </div>
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She blinked in confusion and quickly checked herself, as she felt a smile coming through. "You did, I suppose," she said, feeling foolish talking to the hologram of a person who was right across the counter. </div>
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He nodded as if to prove his point. "You see?" he smiled. "Way more interesting." </div>
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"How did you contact me?," Leta asked bewilderedly, trying to get a grip on the conversation. </div>
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The man's face brightened. "Simple! I - being as bored as I was - happened to overhear the waiter call you Miss Lecta. Now, I happen to know of someone called Lecta, and if you had been the same Lecta, he would have never called you something so plain as 'Miss'. So, I looked it up on my contactor. Now, there were several different pins under the same name of 'Lecta', so, ruling out the one I knew, I simply picked at a guess," he said carelessly, as though the occurrence was nothing special. </div>
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"Some lucky guess," Leta mumbled, somewhat put out that she was such a terrible spy that she got contacted by random guys in restaurants on whims. Suddenly a thought struck her. "Wait. If you already knew my name, why were you going to ask it?" </div>
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He shrugged yet again. "If I had gone over and talked to you instead, wouldn't I have still asked your name relentless of whether I had heard?" </div>
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"I suppose..." </div>
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"Then there you see my point," he answered honestly. "Wouldn't you have thought it was odd if I contacted you and acted like I already knew your name even though you hadn't even the slightest notion of mine?" </div>
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Leta rolled her eyes in frustration. "I do think it's odd." She looked irately at the device. "Why don't you just come over and talk to me now instead of being weird?" </div>
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"Alright, Miss Lecta - as you like it," said the man's voice, not from the contactor, but from right next to Leta. She started, but quickly masked her jump as putting away her contactor. </div>
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"Alright then..." Leta really had no idea where to go from here. "And since you know my name, you can stop calling me 'Miss Lecta'" </div>
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"Actually..." He paused. "That's all I know of your name - is Miss Lecta. It only puts surnames and sometimes initials on the pin codes. Might I inquire as to what your first name is?" </div>
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Leta hesitated. Should she tell him her real name, or Lady Lecta's? Since he said he knew of someone called Lecta, maybe it was Lady Lecta? And he had said that the Lecta he knew of wouldn't have been called merely 'Miss,' so that sounded like Lady Lecta... If that was so, then telling him Lady Lecta's name, as she had been instructed, might get her found out as a fake! So, then, should she tell him her real name? She probably wouldn't ever see him again, so what harm was there in it? None, I guess. Leta saw no great harm in it, and if she had hoped to be discreet, she had already failed. </div>
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"Leta. It's Leta," she said finally. </div>
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The man looked thoughtful for a moment and raised an eyebrow with an expression as though he was trying to decide whether he liked an odd new food. "Hmm... Leta Lecta?," he murmured, looking at her again. "Just doesn't fit you. Well, Leta does, but it just doesn't sound well together. Hmm. Leta Lecta..." </div>
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"Well, I live with being called it, so I think it's fine," Leta said, trying to act offended. Acting for cover-up wasn't as easy as acting for any school-play or stage-musical as Lady Lecta had made it sound. </div>
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"I'm sorry, I just don't think it fits you very well," he said apologetically, seeming to buy her poor act. </div>
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"Well, your name fits you perfectly, then?" </div>
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"Fits like a boot." </div>
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"Uh, don't you mean a glove?" </div>
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"Nope," he said, absently tapping his rather long fingers on the counter. "I said what I meant: a boot. Never yet seen a glove that fit me well, so I amend the phrase for myself, to something that actually does fit well. So, like I said, it fits me like a boot." </div>
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<i>Weirdo.</i> Leta shook her head. <i>Whatever.</i> "I'll decide that, since you seem to be the judge of mine. What is your name?" </div>
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"Vic Vance, or Vicinius Vance if you prefer." </div>
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"<i>Vicinius</i>?" </div>
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"What? It fits me, doesn't it?"</div>
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"Well, yes, I guess it does..." Leta had to admit that it actually rather did.</div>
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Vic Vance nodded. "Then there you go." </div>
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Leta suddenly remembered her mission. She had to somehow get out of this conversation without seeming suspicious - she needed to start heading to the Ristoff House. <i>I need to get Ristoff…</i></div>
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"What about Ristoff...?," Vance questioned with a confused smile. </div>
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Leta flushed. Had she said that out loud...? <i>Oh no...</i> <i>Another blunder to add to the count today...</i></div>
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"I know where the Ristoffs live," Vance offered. "If you're looking for any of them, that is." </div>
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Leta hesitated. She needed to find Ristoff, it was true. And time was quickly flying... Leta might not have time to find Ristoff herself at this rate... And if she didn't find Ristoff, it would be a failed mission. And if Leta only let Vance show her the house, then there wasn't any harm done... right? <i>Maybe just this... </i></div>
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At last, Leta nodded. "Yes - could you show me?" </div>
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Vance smiled brightly. "Just follow me."</div>
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Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-31966086683199878282019-11-12T17:43:00.003-08:002019-11-12T17:58:10.244-08:00AABB, Part Two: Belle<div style="text-align: left;">
Not so long ago, I <a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2019/10/an-apologia-for-beauty-and-beast-part.html">posted</a> that I would be attempting a moral defense of Disney's Beauty and the Beast; this shall be the first real chapter. And, fittingly enough, as the story begins with a prologue and then with Belle herself, so will I.</div>
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Belle is an interesting character... and a controversial one. Because there are so many interpretations of both her and her actions, she ranges from being a characterless bookworm to a self-centered feminist to a paragon of redemption. Well, here goes...</div>
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<b>Her Treatment of Others</b></div>
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One of the main things people point out first about Belle is that she seems rather rude and dismissive of other people, especially in the stage version. She calls the villagers "little people," their town "dull" and "provincial," Gaston "boorish, brainless" and "monster," the Beast also "monster" and "fool," and generally has no friends. Not to mention, she seems to regard other people's lives as irrelevant - how they live is of no consequence to her. This is seen not only in her sung insults above, but also in her careless attitude towards the servants and the rules in the Beast's castle. Now, even for all this, you might notice that I still said she only <i>seems</i> rude and dismissive of other people. Well, the truth of it is, she doesn't want to be - this is one of Belle's defining features, in fact.</div>
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Belle certainly has a disregard for the rules, but I believe that this is more out of her contrary nature rather than her disbelief in them or a progressive mindset (as some have claimed). Think about it. She only goes to the West Wing because she was told she shouldn't; same for her eating despite his command. And, really, is there another good example of Belle breaking the rules? She doesn't do it often; I would say her breaking of the Beast's rules is more a way of being contrary to the captor she so loathes at the beginning, not a lifestyle. The involvement of the servants is merely an afterthought to Belle - she didn't do it to get them in trouble, nor did she show any sign of even recognizing that possibility.<br />
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For Gaston and the Beast's parts, Belle's critique of them is really only an offense when piled upon other things. After all, <i>isn't </i>Gaston boorish and brainless? Does he not treat her with the utmost arrogance and near-monstrous presumption? And does he not even go to the length of attempting to make her miserable to make himself happy, as in the case of imprisoning her father? And what of the Beast? Didn't he also imprison her father, as well as her? Did he not behave himself with every intent of being the monster he seemed? As for his being a fool, this is a mere passing shot of Belle's contrary character - it was rude and uncalled for, but it is yet another part of the arc that she shapes (as I will demonstrate below). </div>
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As for Belle's treatment of other people in the village, her dismissiveness is a clue to her character arc. She calls them things like "provincial" and "little people" in an unintentional ironic sense of humor - she is one of them, but not enough to reap the benefits of being a little person... in that, she is the littlest of them all. In her complaining of the village life, she doesn't realize how much pettier even than them she has become - while they concern themselves with bacon, fish, bread, and the market prices, she has a leg above them and complains about life in general. But it's not meant as an insult.</div>
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When Belle complains, her intent, however pettily played out, is that she merely wants something higher than being alone in the village. Her conversation with her father reveals this perhaps more than anything. She asks him if, for her being alone, she is odd, as she hears. He replies that she should not acknowledge the other villagers - their opinions and what they say is quite irrelevant, and she should not care whether she has a friend among them. They are, after all, "the common herd," as he claims, and aren't worth much. Reluctant to accept this truth, Belle vaguely affirms the notion - <i>if I'm not one of them yet, then it must not be worth it to be one of them</i>, she thinks. But we never really get the idea that Belle is crazy about the idea - she accepts it because the only friend she does have says it's so.<br />
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<b>What Does Belle Really Want?</b></div>
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This gets to the very root of exactly what Belle desires. She does not shun the traditional life, or other people's company - in fact, this is what she yearns for most. It is, once more, her contrary personality and the influence of her well-meaning but oversighted father that shapes her dismissal of the small world she inhabits. The best look we get of Belle's dreams are when she sings of the beauty she finds in books - not of the traveling life or of great distance from other people, but of prince Charmings and true love, of someone who will be a companion to her, and of the chivalry of old, beauteous devotion. It's not that she rejects the husband-wife-children-life attitude of the villagers, but, rather, she envies them so very greatly because that is what she desires. She doesn't want to be passed off as one more girl marrying a good-looking guy for adventure and thrills (like so many of the women fancying Gaston are), but wants desperately to marry for love, and for someone who will stick by her in life. </div>
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Belle rejects Gaston because she knows that he will not help her. Not only is he openly unfaithful, but he cares much more about what he does outside the home than in - Belle is irrelevant to him except as someone to be there for the rare time when his whim lies with making a legacy for his household. He can't help her discover herself, he can't help her live up to a higher ideal, and he certainly cannot love her, wholeheartedly, giving instead of taking. Life with Gaston would be oh-so lonely for Belle, who already struggles so with her loneliness and stumbling journey.<br />
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Because the villagers would look well on Belle even if she married for the adventure of Gaston, Belle believes that they are errant (and, to a certain extent, they absolutely are). She herself only sees the lack of mystery and constancy in such a union, and abhors the thought. </div>
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Even in her petty state of mind, she yearns for a true, profound relationship - one that will give her fulfillment. Belle's desire for the infinite is a desire in us all, isn't it? And even in the beginning, when it is her constant complaint against the town, the integral good of the thing remains - Belle merely wants a lasting thing.</div>
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<b>But Does She Actually Change?</b></div>
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It is my belief that Belle does indeed change, and quite drastically. Think about it. In her first scene, she complains of how boring and typical her hometown is. A few scenes later, when she realizes the true tragedy that is out there, with her father being imprisoned by the Beast, she chides herself, singing "and to think I complained of that dull, provincial town!". Even though her ungrateful attitude remains at that point, we see already her change in attitudes towards the village. Then, later, when she wonders at the spell, and when she finally befriends the Beast, we hear her start to show gratitude more (as when she is healing the Beast). Then, finally, before the mob scene, she sings of how wrong she was, how stupid and silly to disregard everyone but herself, and how much, even against her own stubbornness, the Beast has changed her. And to top it all off, her farewell to the Beast as he is dying claims him a better being than herself - one more worthy of love.<br />
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By the end, really, we see a much humbler and more grateful Belle - humbled by hardship and mortification, perhaps, but humbled nonetheless. This is actually one of the biggest reasons that my preference strictly script-wise lies with the stage version (while she's ruder in the play's beginning than in the movie's, we don't get either of Belle's character arc songs, "Home" and "Change in Me," in the movie). To hold Belle's beginning character against her after her change is ridiculous, and I think it is not sufficient reason to condemn the story. </div>
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Her ego diminishes as the story goes on, creating, actually, quite a pleasing character arc. In fact, her character arc can be seen as a reflection of the Beast's - just as he is reformed by her, so she is by him. And both have the same problem after all - egotism, stubbornness, and a rebellious temper. But by the end, both are willing to give their own ways up for the other. The story is all about redemption - after all, the only character who never reform in a story are the villains, and <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> is no exception. Gaston and LeFou (both of whom I'll get to later) don't change a bit, except perhaps for the worse, and same for M. D'Arque (the asylum keeper - unnamed in the movie). But Belle changes. The Beast changes. Lumiere, Cogsworth, and most of the rest change (as I'll also get to in a future post). The only people who don't change are those who represent ideal virtue in the story (Mrs. Potts) and those who represent the utmost lack of virtue (I would argue LeFou, but Gaston works as well). In a way, Beauty and the Beast is a title not just labeling the romance of Belle and Prince Adam (the Beast's oft forgotten real name, by the bye), but the two sides of Belle as well, fighting for her until the nobler one wills out. </div>
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<b>In this, I would defend Belle. Your thoughts on her? Do you have anything to add? To object? To suggest for future posts in this series? Please - spare a thought or two, if you have them. </b></div>
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Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-64160890301092468052019-11-05T08:43:00.004-08:002019-11-09T16:30:46.644-08:00Meet the Books! - By the First Light of Dawn (What?! It's Back?)<div style="text-align: center;">
I said back in May that there would be no more <i>Meet the Books! </i>posts. And, well... there won't... at least not any full ones, <i>here</i>. But, at that announcement, it seemed that there were a good few people who wished the return of <i>Meet the Books!</i>, and had further use for it. So, I intend to do it about every three months, perhaps, now, with a prospective WIP (as I have no more real ones to introduce myself) or with just the questions attached, for other bloggers to use the link-up to introduce their own works, especially since NaNo's started up. After that, perhaps, the feature may finally retire. For the moment, it shall remain in partial retirement, at any rate.<br />
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Anyways, getting down to the actual goings-on, I'm pretty sure most of you know the rules by now: answer the questions, use the picture if you like, and link it to me in a comment here so I can see the post. Like I said above, I used to make this central post for the link-up one of my stories, but I have no more full WIPs left for introducing. So, like with the last one (<i><a href="https://worldsofinkandpaper.blogspot.com/2019/05/meet-books-pack-up-your-troubles.html">Pack Up Your Troubles</a></i>), I'm going to use an "archive" story, yet to be written and mostly idea at present.</div>
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<b>What is the genre?</b></div>
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The genre will hopefully be Fantasy, though it's not my strongest genre, so hold tight.</div>
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<b>What is the title? Time period?</b></div>
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The title is By the First Light of Dawn, and, as some of my buddies here know, it is a retelling of Giselle. Due to this, it is in the same rough time period - the fifteenth century-ish.</div>
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<b>How is it written (POV, main character, etc.)?</b></div>
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Not at all yet - I usually only write idea stories in summary form.</div>
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<b>What is the setting?</b></div>
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A small, 1500's village in Rhineland (basically Germanic territory near the Rhine River). </div>
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<b>Who are the characters?</b></div>
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<u>Giselle</u>, of course, is the main character, and is pretty much the same as in the ballet - a motherly, if sickly, girl with a dream to dance and a thing for her sweetheart, Albrecht. The change I did make to her character will be explained momentarily. </div>
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<u>Albrecht</u> is only known by Giselle as Loys/Loeys/Loes (I haven't decided which spelling I like better yet...). In reality, he is the prince of the province, engaged to a duchess from another... but in visiting the village once without regal train, he fell in love with the place's beauty, simplicity, and quiet, and came afterwards in disguise as the fictional shepherd, Loys. While there, he fell in love with more than the village... Giselle. But he was already betrothed from birth, so things could get complicated... especially with</div>
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<u>Hilarion</u> around, a hunter, and Giselle's suspicious best friend. Hilarion wanted to court Giselle himself, and he senses something strange about Albrecht, so he is, of course, very dubious of "Loys." Even though Giselle turned him down, he harbors hopes of courting her still, which bye and bye turns him more resentful and hard to fool - bad for both Giselle and Albrecht.</div>
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<u>Berthe</u>, Giselle's down-to-earth mother, worries for Giselle (who is diseased in the heart, and thus frail), as well as worrying about the forces at work around the village. Because of this, she is extremely protective, and denies Giselle's dreams of dancing.</div>
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Myrtha is the cold queen of the Wilis, a group of ghostly fae. She herself is the most prominent force among them, leading their loathing of humankind. Her power is mostly unrivaled in the forest, which causes those who know it alarm, and those who don't potential danger... </div>
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<b>What does the plot consist of?</b></div>
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On a whole, it's mostly like the original story, but with a twist or two. First off, the story begins with Giselle having strange, erratic dreams - dreams wherein, like the title, everything around her seems to reach a peak of light and fall, twisting until it's crushed itself. Strange visions of strange events speckle the dreams, and they puzzle and frighten Giselle. </div>
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Then, some of the things in the dreams start to take place - Giselle's dream causes her suffering, her best friend soon becomes an enemy, and even her devoted lover is revealed as a liar. With this, Giselle dies. No, no, no - just kidding. Well, sort-of, anyways. Giselle does die, but she's not plain dead - meaning, there's more than chicken to this pot-pie. The Wilis summoned Giselle, and caused her death so that she could join their number - it was not natural, by her weak heart, as it seemed. For Myrtha sees the situation with Giselle and Albrecht and wishes to avenge Giselle... as well as herself, as she was once in Giselle's place, in a way. With this, she could give Giselle the powers of the Wilis, and together the group of them would take vengeance upon Hilarion and Albrecht, the causers of Giselle's woe. Unfortunately, the rest is rather hard to work out sensibly in my summary, so I'm afraid I have to leave it there plot-wise (sorry!). </div>
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<b>What gave you the idea?</b></div>
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I got the idea after watching the absolutely brilliant ballet version of the story by the Bolshoi/Parisian ballet. The story was, even in a format sometimes not too conducing to details, so potent, that I laid awake thinking about it. And as much as I hate retells normally, I wished that someone would write one, fleshing out the story even more, and maybe even adding some new elements. And then popped in, of course, that old quote about writing the book you want to read - so I decided I would.</div>
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<b>Who are the favorite characters so far?</b></div>
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As it's not written, there are none.</div>
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<b>What is the favorite scene so far?</b></div>
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As above, there are none yet.</div>
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<b>Any drawings?</b></div>
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Unfortunately not...</div>
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<b>Any themes of music for this work?</b><br />
Beyond the music to the ballet, no, not yet.<br />
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<b>Any snippets?</b></div>
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Again, not quite written yet, so no.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_DIeH2vjQjXvUOD1rWSj_4hxIth8RWbDtVSkjPm4UbQgrQzqaXEBBR7O5fCcSdQ1ZvBiTHldGoz61w5lndgJ_IR-AwBwGDj7m3Z0llaDmQMSfJERM-7PKjYg-LMNR4kpqcG4oeUnYYE/s1600/Story+Pic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="491" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_DIeH2vjQjXvUOD1rWSj_4hxIth8RWbDtVSkjPm4UbQgrQzqaXEBBR7O5fCcSdQ1ZvBiTHldGoz61w5lndgJ_IR-AwBwGDj7m3Z0llaDmQMSfJERM-7PKjYg-LMNR4kpqcG4oeUnYYE/s320/Story+Pic+4.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<b>Strong point in story?</b></div>
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So far, the inspiration - I'm so revved up for this story... the only reason I haven't started it yet is because I intend to finish another project first.</div>
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<b>Weak point in story?</b></div>
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How about... the fantasy? I am not really a Fantasy writer naturally - it takes some serious work, time, and planning for any of my fantasy to be palatable. </div>
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<b>What are your plans for it?</b></div>
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Whelp... to write it, before anything else, I think.</div>
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<b>Any particular writing habits for it?</b></div>
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None - I haven't written it yet. </div>
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<b>If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?</b></div>
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Eh... eh... Let's talk about the movie another time - the book's not even finished yet... </div>
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***</div>
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<b>Well, that's <i>Il Fine</i>, I'm afraid. I apologies for backing out on a lot of the questions, and for not having very fleshed out information, but there isn't much else to say at this point about my projects. How about yours, though? Did you do the link-up? If you did, comment so I can see! I love seeing your <i>Meet the Books!</i> posts, so, if it sounds good (even if you've never joined up before), just go for it - remember, it's not gonna come out again for a while!</b></div>
Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870443698596341097.post-27734211834286062702019-10-30T12:32:00.004-07:002020-10-25T20:44:54.246-07:00Concerning Halloween...So... If you're a Catholic (or really any more rooted Christian), you've probably, at least once, run into the controversy of celebrating Halloween. You may only vaguely remember it and what it's about, or you may be so thoroughly sick of it at this point that you ignore that very existence of Halloween. Either way, it's worth another look. Why? Because I believe that there are too many "you're wrong, I'm right," approaches to the discussion (not meaning, of course, that there isn't a solid truth to the matter, but, rather, that people tend to talk over each other for whatever side of the debate they're on, and very rarely try to even understand the other opinion).<br />
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For those who don't remember as well, the debate mostly parts into two paths - no, you should not celebrate Halloween (or if you should, do not acknowledge it as Halloween, but merely an early All Saint's Day) because, you know, demonic influence and such; yes, you should absolutely celebrate Halloween (even if detached from All Saint's/Soul's Day) and it's all in good fun and there's nothing harmful about dressing up as human nightmares and pleasuring in darkness. Well. If you're on one side, I apologize for the bluntness, but, in all honesty, I cannot stand either argument a lick. They're <i>both</i> wrong.<br />
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Let's tackle the easier one first. If you're a traditional Christian, you're probably already looking at the latter description above and thinking "Eh, duh! - of course there's something wrong with dressing up as human nightmares and pleasuring in darkness - what is wrong with this world?!". You are right. But I have definitely met people who think otherwise. Because the line is so fine between celebrating harmless and harmful Halloween, many people tend to think that, as long as it's not serious, anything goes. Sure, you can have your silly costumes. Sure, you can put up your little cartoon ghost picture. Sure, you can go and tp houses at night. Sure, you can rope up a bloody, misshapen, raggedy doll on our tree outside so that it looks like it's hanging. Ahem. You get the point; it gets out of hand fast.<br />
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There is (as I will demonstrate later) absolutely nothing wrong with dressing up or having cartoon figures around the house during Halloween. Both, in fact, are at their root <a href="https://churchpop.com/2019/10/23/5-amazingly-catholic-ways-to-celebrate-halloween/">very Christian traditions</a>. What's wrong is making a celebration of all things dark, ugly, and macabre. If you find putting fake bloody fingerprints on your window fun, then you've got a problem. Because we don't understand the difference between mocking and celebrating evil, we often stray towards the latter, patronizing nightmares, fictional mass-murderers, and demons. We can't just say, "you know, some things about Halloween are harmless, so that must mean I can celebrate <i>everything</i> about Halloween!". It just doesn't work that way.<br />
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Now. If you're in the other camp, you might already be disagreeing with me that there are some harmless things about Halloween. Well, disagree with major Vatican exorcist, Fr. Vincent Lampert:<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: inherit;">"Ultimately I don't think there's anything wrong with the kids putting on a costume, dressing up as a cowboy or Cinderella, and going through the neighborhood and asking for candy; that's all good clean fun."</span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<span style="color: black;">Fr. Lampert does not in any fashion mean that there is nothing wrong with the current celebration of Halloween; in fact, his point he leads up to in this statement is that it's not cowboys or Cinderella that are walking through the neighborhoods these days; look around Halloween night, and see if you don't find witches, serial killers, and bloody ghosts any way you look. Is that good clean fun? I don't know about you, but Fr. Lampert (and I) would say no. </span><br />
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In truth, it is actually the kinship with evil that is accomplished which is the true crime oft committed on Halloween: we watch scary, unhealthily gruesome movies, we, in all seriousness, try to dress up as the most grotesque of figures, and we play games invoking a demonic theme (or even, directly, the demonic). Not only this, but, even those of us who merely engage in harmless, cartoonified revelry forget the point of Halloween - God. Halloween is a mockery of evil, a day to triumph, for we know that many have smitten the devil and gotten to Heaven, and many yet may. If we cannot keep in mind the purpose of a celebration, then that celebration becomes mere gluttony. If we're eating candy and dressing up and all such things without even a thought of why we're doing it, then we've just become blind pigs, eating without need for survival, and reveling without joy.<br />
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For ages, Christians have celebrated Halloween - we've celebrated it longer than the seculars, and we've celebrated it (despite common belief) longer than the pagans (the pagans did not celebrate All Hallow's Eve, a day for thoughts of Heaven, but, rather like today's common celebrations, merely celebrated a liberation of and communication with evil spirits on a similar date, which, by the bye, they did at the end of every month, and not specifically October). The reasons to not celebrate Halloween are similar to those who might advocate the end of Christmas celebration:<br />
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<li>Bad people, and, in fact, <i>most</i> people now celebrate it wrongly.</li>
<li>It's become so secularized.</li><li>There was a pagan holiday vaguely associated with its date.</li>
<li>It's an occasion for evil influence. (<i>Every day</i> with an occult-curious, atheistic, or badly faith-formed person is an occasion for evil influence!)</li>
<li>Not only God, but morality in general has disappeared from it. </li>
<li>Nobody goes to Mass that day anymore.</li>
<li>And other similarly related reasons of its religious lacking.</li>
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Just because a holiday (<i>holy</i>-day) has become abused, we do not have to boycott it. In fact, I would say that is all the more reason to celebrate it - if people are celebrating it wrongly, then let us do it justice. Use the occasion to gain graces available that day, and make spiritual amends for the wrong done by the rest of the world. </div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, in addition to condemning the mainstream materialist and occult celebrations of Halloween, the Vatican-endorsed International Association of Exorcists in 2014 encouraged celebrating what they called "Holy-ween" - a vigil with prayer and remembrance of Our Lord's death and Resurrection, as well as a celebration of the saints.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I absolutely love this idea. Whoever thought this up is a genius. My toddler sister saw it and immediately exclaimed "It's a pumpkin Mama Mary - so pretty!"</td></tr>
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If there is a harmless Halloween and a spiritual Halloween, then, I believe, we should be celebrating it. If your kid wants to dress up as a superhero, a princess, or, better yet, a saint, let them, and even encourage them! As a fairly recent Catholic <a href="https://churchpop.com/2018/10/31/is-it-okay-to-celebrate-halloween-exorcist-explains-its-potential-dangers/">article</a> suggested, we should use the occasion to teach children about Halloween, its true meaning, and its opposite, not pretend it doesn't exist. Because Satan has no influence unless we give it to him, we've got to reclaim the holiday as Christian - don't let the seculars take a Christian holiday, and certainly don't let the demonically-inclined do so! Halloween will only get better if we're actually making it what it's supposed to be.</div>
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<b>That's it for me. Your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Anything to add or comment on? Do you celebrate Halloween? Or, more importantly, <i>how</i> do you celebrate Halloween? Are you getting frustrated with the number of slasher villains running around your neighborhood on Halloween? Or perhaps are you (lucky dog) preparing to go to an All Hallow's Eve Mass or saint-oriented costume party? </b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
Belle Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14885179909028676771noreply@blogger.com6