Old Childhood Treasures

Have you ever packed away some of your wonderful, childhood memories in a box? Packed them away in the basement or attic for another day? I have. When we moved, many of my childhood books, toys, and memories were put away. It's been four years since my family moved, and it is time once again to bring out some old friends.

I have really missed my Nancy Drew books, and I was worried about their condition being boxed up in the basement. But, to my great surprise and delight, they emerged unscathed. I can't wait to begin reading them again. I'm sensing a summer marathon in my future. Maybe something to blog about? For now my lovely little collection is setting in my little nook. Oh well, Nancy Drew will have to find a shelf of her own eventually.

Oh, and I found another little treasure.

MMW: Robin Hood -- A Legacy

When we think about Robin Hood, we think about the man who robbed the rich and gave to the poor... Yet his legacy stretches far beyond his influence stretches far beyond the Sherwood Forest, even to places we might not expect.

Superheroes get their names and stories from all kinds of sources. Superman grew into a legend from the imaginations of two boys, Spiderman crawled into comics from the creative genius of Stan Lee, and Batman began as a different kind of detective comic by Bob Kane...

One of DC's staple heroes got his start as Hood wannabe: Oliver Queen costumed as Robin Hood and transformed into the Green Arrow. And for a little while in the Smallville universe, Lois dressed as his Maid Marian.

You really don't have to look very far to see Robin Hood's legacy...

A Future Teacher & Beowulf

As a former homeschooler and (prayerfully) as a future homschooler, I often think about what I want to teach my children. What curriculum will I use - if any? What books do I want my children to read? What history to I want them to know? What should I learn more about now to help guide them later?

Do y'all think about this?

For my Adolescent Fiction class at WVU, we were assigned Beowulf. But not the one you think. :P I had the pleasure of reading the graphic novel... Here are my thoughts.

Gareth Hinds’ Beowulf could be an integral part of a multi-media English curriculum. While Beowulf is the oldest epic of the English language and is revered by many teachers, it often remains inaccessible to students. Incorporating film, music, and art (such as graphic novels) would help students to appreciate the great poem that is Beowulf.

Hind’s Beowulf follows the original poem very faithfully. Aware of the hideous monster Grendel, Beowulf of the Geats arrives at the homeland of the Danes to destroy the beast. In a heroic struggle, he kills Grendel. However, his fight is not yet over; Beowulf goes on to battle Grendel’s mother and the dragon before his tragic death. Hind’s Beowulf traces Beowulf’s journey, but his audience is quite different from the original poem’s audience. Fans of comic books and graphic novels will be entertained by Gareth Hinds’ Beowulf. Even studious, stodgy English students may find themselves surprised by how much they appreciate Hinds’ graphic version.

Graphic novels never cease to surprise me; I am a word-oriented person, yet I am always captivated by the beauty of the artwork. Imagination is a wonderful gift; readers can create their own images to go with the story. The greatest strength of the graphic novel is the imagination of the artist on the page. Even the font of the text can be inspiring. While reading, I especially loved Beowulf’s fight with the dragon. Seeing the elderly Beowulf stand up for his people really makes the text come to life.

Drawn to the battle sequences, young men are will appreciate Hinds’ graphic version of Beowulf. Young women of diverse tastes (like me) will admire Beowulf despite its gore. Visually appealing, Hinds’ Beowulf is exciting because it is new and different. Most young adults will never get the chance to read a graphic novel in the “standard” English classroom. Perhaps the “standard” English classroom needs to change.

When I was a young teenager, I read voraciously; I also watched an abundance of films. A fair part of these films were adaptations of novels I had read or wanted to read. The films inspired me to read more. Comparisons between the novels and the films made for great discussions. While the text should still be the most important element of the English literature classroom, many types of media could enhance and enrich our understanding and appreciation of the great works of literature.

So what do you think? Is a multi-media approach appropriate? Or should we stick to the text alone?

John Keats has got himself a movie

Partly because I studied Keats last semester and partly because I adore the regency era costumes, I would LOVE to see this movie. Anyone else interested?

Descent into Twilight

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. - Genesis 2:17

Unless you've been living in a cave somewhere, you've probably heard of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. The books, movies, music, & posters populate our culture. We're bombarded with images of Bella & Edward. No doubt all of you have an opinion of Twilight, whether good, bad, or indifferent... But regardless of whether your a obsessed teen-age fan or a horrified college student (can you guess which I am? :P), Twilight is in our culture. It needs to be addressed... So without further eloquence, here are my thoughts:

Girls love "love stories." Surely this comes as no surprise to anyone. Girls love Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice... we love Bronte's Jane Eyre and Gaskell's Wives & Daughters. We rejoice when Aragorn & Arwen reunite, when Anne & Gil finally marry, when Prince Charming kisses the Sleeping Beauty, some of us even wish the Pan had never left his Wendy. A girl's desire for marriage and family are God given. However, romance novels are not healthy; they make reality seem less than satisfying. Twilight is a romance novel for teenagers. The whole plot revolves around Bella's relationship with Edward. She admits it herself, "I was consumed by the mystery that Edward presented. And more than a little obsessed by Edward himself" (p.67). Bella's whole world is Edward; he is her idol. Everything in her life is in relation to him. Her thoughts, her emotions, her behaviors -- all in direct connection to Edward.

The problem with Bella is her bad example. Girls reading this novel want their existence to be for one man. And that's the problem. We weren't created to exist for each other. We live to glorify God alone. Yes, we do love, marry, and work together in marriage. But neither the husband or the wife lives solely unto the other. Other concerns include, Bella's disrespect for her father and mother & lying about her relationship with Edward.

Edward is just as beastly. Ok. Pun not intended. For a guy that's a hundred years old, he sure is selfish. Several times during the course of the novel, Edward warns Bella to protect herself... by staying away from him. "It would be more... prudent for you not to be my friend. But I'm tired of staying away from you Bella" (p.84). Seven lines later, Edward continues, "You really should stay away from me. I'll see you in class" (p.84). I'll admit I have trouble keeping up with his roller coaster of emotions. The "I want to be with you, but I could hurt you... so I'm going to follow you around, until we quasi-date, even though I could easily kill you... " is terribly shallow to me. Where is the depth of morality? The dying to yourself for the other? Edward cannot "help" himself. Is he really that noble? He gives in... but keeps warning Bella to flee. How can she flee if he is constantly around?

The immorality. Everyone has different standards for appropriate behavior in a dating/courting relationship. I'm not here to say my way is best. But, a girl being alone with a boy in her bedroom without the knowledge of her father is inappropriate! Bella and Edward's privacy was awkward to read. The level of the intimacy between them was strange considering the early stages of their relationship. (Um, wait until marriage anyone?) Excessive contact between the sexes is not a lesson we want young ones to learn.

Despite my criticism, I'll admit... I want to know how the series ends. Despite every flaw, despite every frustration, I want to know what happens. The avid reader in me craves an ending, a conclusion, a resolution. All that being said, I would not recommend this series to any young girl. The danger is too great... Meyer's Twilight is too wrapped up in the crush world to be edifying for anyone. The problems with her characters are too numerous to be a healthy read. The themes of love, obsession, and secrets are not admirable.

However, my English professor had another theory; she proposed that Twilight's central theme was self-control. James, the vampire who believes in wholly in unbridled passions, lusts after Bella's blood, and it destroys him. Edward MUST control himself not to prey on Bella; even when he drinks her blood, he does so only to save her life. Metaphorically sucking out the poisonous venom of James' philosophy of life. Maybe, Dr. Juckett has a point... Meyer's Twilight may have a message of self-control. I can certainly see it now. From the cover with the "tempting" fruit to the quotation of Genesis 2:17... yep, the message IS there. I just wish it was more clear. Having read the book myself, the message is murky and dark. I think I'll stick to books with clearer messages... rather than make the descent into darkness. The descent into Twilight.

My Girl Friday

For those of you involved with the Man Friday discussion. =)

Merriam Webster -

Main Entry: girl Friday

Function: noun

Etymology: girl + Friday (as in man Friday)

Date: 1940 : a female assistant (as in an office) entrusted with a wide variety of tasks

THE Oxford English Dictionary
Girl-Friday:
[<GIRL n. + Friday, the name of Robinson Crusoe's servant in Defoe's novel (see MAN FRIDAY n.), after MAN FRIDAY n.] A female assistant, esp. one who performs general tasks in an office.

Man-Friday:
[Alluding to Robinson Crusoe's servant Friday in Defoe's novel, whom Crusoe usually refers to as ‘my man Friday’.
1719 D. DEFOE Life Robinson Crusoe 224 And first, I made him know his Name should be Friday, which was the Day I sav'd his Life. 1719 D. DEFOE Life Robinson Crusoe 245, I takes my man Friday with me.]

Someone regarded as having the characteristics of Defoe's man Friday; a servant, an attendant; a personal assistant who does all kinds of work; a companion.