Victorian painter Richard Dadd is best remembered for the fact that he killed his dad (weird name coincidence, huh?) and for "Fairy Feller's Masterstroke," among other fairy paintings. But Dadd was not just a madman or a fairy painter. In fact, to call him a Victorian fairy tale painter (yes, that is a genre) is to oversimplify his work, which explored the often terrifying range of human emotions.
It's true that his mental illness informed his paintings, but the work stands for itself because of his complex depictions of people that managed to be both disturbing and lovely. His work is both pretty and pretty strange. Some critics think if he hadn't murdered his father in a fit of madness, he would not be much remembered. I am just a fairy tale lover, not an art critic, but I disagree. I think he is minimized because of his mental illness, despite supposed modern tendencies to be understanding about such things.
At any rate, his fame and pictures live on. I have a too-small picture of "Fairy Feller's Masterstroke" on the right side of this page. You can click on the picture to read a little biography of Dadd. Googling him will pull up a number of his paintings quite easily.
By the way, there is a song by Queen with the same name. Yes, it was inspired by the painting.
PLEASE COMMENT! EVERYONE!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sur La Lune Fairy Tales
I've boosted Surlalunefairytales.com before, because it is the best website for scholars, students and fairy tale fans.
The site is hugely detailed and user friendly. You can click to find fairy tale variants, annotations for popular and obscure fairy tales, spectacular fairy tale art (complete with lists of authors), links to books you can buy -- basically, you name it, it is there. You can enter discussions, do research and just gaze happily at the images.
Talk about enchanted conversations! Sur La Lune is the very definition of those.
The site is hugely detailed and user friendly. You can click to find fairy tale variants, annotations for popular and obscure fairy tales, spectacular fairy tale art (complete with lists of authors), links to books you can buy -- basically, you name it, it is there. You can enter discussions, do research and just gaze happily at the images.
Talk about enchanted conversations! Sur La Lune is the very definition of those.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Kids Need Cautions on Fairy Tales?
Lots of blog outrage today, July 14, 2008. It seems that an educational commission in Australia is recommending that children be told to NOT copy fairy tale characters. In other words, if a teacher reads "Little Red Riding Hood" to a group of five-year-olds, the story should be followed with a warning not to talk to strangers.
I'm not sure why this is provoking such outrage from people who see this as the nanny state gone wild. Fairy tales have always had an instructional element. It's perfectly natural for a dad to finish "Cinderella" and talk to his kids about being kind to others or about how looks are not as important as the story implies.
Besides, fairy tales have long been derided as too sexist, unrealistic and violent to read to kids. My experience is that beyond Disney movies, very few children are exposed to fairy tales today. I wish fairy tales were still popular enough to matter in the US.
I'm not sure why this is provoking such outrage from people who see this as the nanny state gone wild. Fairy tales have always had an instructional element. It's perfectly natural for a dad to finish "Cinderella" and talk to his kids about being kind to others or about how looks are not as important as the story implies.
Besides, fairy tales have long been derided as too sexist, unrealistic and violent to read to kids. My experience is that beyond Disney movies, very few children are exposed to fairy tales today. I wish fairy tales were still popular enough to matter in the US.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Writing a Thesis: Good Trip, Bad Trip
A thesis is nothing more (or less) than the main point of an essay. Think of it as the general destination for a trip. A college essay, then, is a journey, but a somewhat scary one, because YOU are choosing the how you should get there and you must convince the passenger/reader that the drive was worth it. That's where the arguable point comes in. It's the specific destination.
Think of the assignment like this: The teacher says, "You must take the passenger to Chicago in five hours. Where in Chicago exactly is up to you, except it must be downtown. The tools you need to get there (and must use along the way in many assignments) are the readings."
Yet, there is no doubt about it, writing an assigned topic essay often seems like a confusing ride which you have been forced to take at gunpoint by a literature-crazed hitch hiker/teacher. Remember though, most teachers actually base assignments on topics and readings you should cover pretty thoroughly in class discussions. The readings you are given will often be the sources you must use to map your way to the assigned journey's end.
Each major argument is a key milestone along the way and should make the reader want to keep taking the trip. In other words, if you make the reader stop in Muncie along the way, you'd better be clear about why the stop is essential. But always, always, you must be thinking about and showing the reader why your Downtown Chicago destination is the right one. That's the thesis.
For those of you who are thinking, "But getting lost along the way is fun," understand, that academic essays aren't for getting lost, they are for getting and making a point. But they can still be fun -- or at least interesting.
I'll let you off now, before you get car sick, but for more help, check out the fabulous University of Chicago page on writing in college. It's linked to on the right side of this page, on the links list.
Think of the assignment like this: The teacher says, "You must take the passenger to Chicago in five hours. Where in Chicago exactly is up to you, except it must be downtown. The tools you need to get there (and must use along the way in many assignments) are the readings."
Yet, there is no doubt about it, writing an assigned topic essay often seems like a confusing ride which you have been forced to take at gunpoint by a literature-crazed hitch hiker/teacher. Remember though, most teachers actually base assignments on topics and readings you should cover pretty thoroughly in class discussions. The readings you are given will often be the sources you must use to map your way to the assigned journey's end.
Each major argument is a key milestone along the way and should make the reader want to keep taking the trip. In other words, if you make the reader stop in Muncie along the way, you'd better be clear about why the stop is essential. But always, always, you must be thinking about and showing the reader why your Downtown Chicago destination is the right one. That's the thesis.
For those of you who are thinking, "But getting lost along the way is fun," understand, that academic essays aren't for getting lost, they are for getting and making a point. But they can still be fun -- or at least interesting.
I'll let you off now, before you get car sick, but for more help, check out the fabulous University of Chicago page on writing in college. It's linked to on the right side of this page, on the links list.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hans Christian Andersen Biography
OK, Students, I now have found a good Andersen biography. It was published by Endicott Studio, a journal which promotes the stories and art and study of myth and folk tales and fairy tales and fantasy. It's a solid resource, so I am comfortable directing you to it. If you choose to use biography in your third paper, then this is the only biography that I approve, because for this assignment, we are still keeping resources focused. Remember, this class (and blog) is about writing, with fairy tales as a focus.
Terri Windling is the author of this biography. It does not cover everything about Andersen's life, which was long and complicated. It has some information (such as the number of women Andersen proposed to) that is different from other bios I have read on Andersen, but I think it is a fine source and a good article.
By the way, you get to the link by clicking on the title of this post.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Bettelheim Bio Link
I have provided a link here to some biographical information on Bruno Bettelheim. I must warn students who are reading this, however, that is is not as balanced an article as I would like it to be. I worry that the deck gets too stacked against Bettelheim, as bad as some of the facts in his life show him to have been. I am going to keep looking for something more balanced. You should be aware that his ideas remain influential and that some of the students from his school, now adults, think he helped them a lot. I will keep at it.
Just click on the title of this post, "Bettelheim Bio Link," to get to article on Bettelheim. Yes, that picture is of Bruno Bettelheim.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Guest Student Blogger
Below is a posting by Kelly Todman, who was a student in W131 Fall 2007. While it's true that Kelly came to W131 with plenty of talent and enthusiasm, she also grew a lot as a writer that semester. Below is a sample of what a student can do when he or she really thinks about a topic and explores it extensively. I am very proud of Kelly and am pleased that she agreed to be the first guest blogger ever featured on "Diamonds and Toads." She wrote this just last week and received nothing but my big thanks for it.
Kelly Todman's Thoughts:
Fairy tales are brilliant in their power to convey a meaning, which is not always explicitly and concisely spoken. This does pose extra effort on the reader to dig deeper in the text and read between the lines, but it is not an unbearable task and becomes easier with practice.
First advice is to remember there is always an interconnection between the author and every piece written. Writing is a form of expression and this expression is a reflection of the author’s life, personality, experiences, knowledge and culture. This becomes especially important when interpreting forms of writing that are not directive and concrete in nature, such as poetry or fairy tales. It is helpful to put yourself in the author’s shoes and try to understand from his perspective. Looking at Hans Christian Anderson’s life we uncover that he was often looked at peculiarly. He was lonely, had strange habits, craved love, sought fame, yet, with accomplishment did not feel as if he was entirely accepted. People spoke of his physical appearance and commented that he looked odd by normal standards. In Anderson’s "The Ugly Duckling," he wrote, “They are afraid of me because I am ugly. So he closed his eyes, and flew still farther, until he came out on a large moor, inhabited by wild ducks. Here he remained the whole night, feeling very tired and sorrowful.” A connection between "The Ugly Duckling" and Anderson’s life can be established and provide further investigation.
Look at the major turning points, crucial elements and events in the plot. When identifying some of these important elements in a story line ask what is the significance of this event. Remember, fairy tales are riddled with symbolism and metaphors. In "The Ugly Duckling," a major turning point was the transformation from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Dig deeper and ask yourself what else can this mean—alteration, beauty, or acceptance? Can this meaning relate to the author’s life in any sense?
As you research further avoid concentrating solely on the large details—even small details hold their weight in gold. Consistently ask yourself why as you analyze the text. For example, why did Anderson choose to use a duck and swan as characters in "The Ugly Duckling" — and not a horse, cat, or butterfly? Your answers to these questions build a strong foundation for your theory. If you have an interpretation, research to see if there is any evidence that can support it. The difference between a weak and strong theory is in the supporting evidence. It may feel as if you are gathering scattered, smaller pieces of a larger puzzle. The great thing is this is an interpretation; not fact or fiction.
Wishing you all the best of luck for this semester!
Kelly Todman
Kelly Todman's Thoughts:
Fairy tales are brilliant in their power to convey a meaning, which is not always explicitly and concisely spoken. This does pose extra effort on the reader to dig deeper in the text and read between the lines, but it is not an unbearable task and becomes easier with practice.
First advice is to remember there is always an interconnection between the author and every piece written. Writing is a form of expression and this expression is a reflection of the author’s life, personality, experiences, knowledge and culture. This becomes especially important when interpreting forms of writing that are not directive and concrete in nature, such as poetry or fairy tales. It is helpful to put yourself in the author’s shoes and try to understand from his perspective. Looking at Hans Christian Anderson’s life we uncover that he was often looked at peculiarly. He was lonely, had strange habits, craved love, sought fame, yet, with accomplishment did not feel as if he was entirely accepted. People spoke of his physical appearance and commented that he looked odd by normal standards. In Anderson’s "The Ugly Duckling," he wrote, “They are afraid of me because I am ugly. So he closed his eyes, and flew still farther, until he came out on a large moor, inhabited by wild ducks. Here he remained the whole night, feeling very tired and sorrowful.” A connection between "The Ugly Duckling" and Anderson’s life can be established and provide further investigation.
Look at the major turning points, crucial elements and events in the plot. When identifying some of these important elements in a story line ask what is the significance of this event. Remember, fairy tales are riddled with symbolism and metaphors. In "The Ugly Duckling," a major turning point was the transformation from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Dig deeper and ask yourself what else can this mean—alteration, beauty, or acceptance? Can this meaning relate to the author’s life in any sense?
As you research further avoid concentrating solely on the large details—even small details hold their weight in gold. Consistently ask yourself why as you analyze the text. For example, why did Anderson choose to use a duck and swan as characters in "The Ugly Duckling" — and not a horse, cat, or butterfly? Your answers to these questions build a strong foundation for your theory. If you have an interpretation, research to see if there is any evidence that can support it. The difference between a weak and strong theory is in the supporting evidence. It may feel as if you are gathering scattered, smaller pieces of a larger puzzle. The great thing is this is an interpretation; not fact or fiction.
Wishing you all the best of luck for this semester!
Kelly Todman
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Scoop on Clovis
Since Clovis the Toad King (the toad on this blog banner) will be the mascot for "Diamonds and Toads," he needs a fairy tale of his own. So, what's his back story? What is Clovis's fairy tale history? Students of mine may meet extra point requirements by working on Clovis's fairy biography, but you must meet all the other requirements outlined in the original "treasure" message below.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
John Anster Fitzgerald
John Anster Fitzgerald was one of the most influential fairy illustrators of Victorian times. His color-drenched, flower-bedecked scenes filled with inquisitive, strange and sometimes bad fairies have a psychedelic aspect to them that gives him a bit of a counter-culture reputation to this day. Like many of the best fairy tale illustrators of the 19th century, Fitzgerald was English. The image I have with this posting is called Fairies Looking Through An Open Window. Google his name and you will be amazed at the beauty of his images.
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