Chiang Mi "Goldflower and the Bear"
Chiang Mi recorded “Goldflower and the Bear” in 1979, just a few years after the end of the Cultural Revolution in China and the death of Chairman Mao. Prior to the Cultural Revolution, another one of Mao’s programs to modernize China, the Great Leap Forward, had resulted in a widespread and devastating famine, which killed millions and millions. In addition to those who died from starvation, many Chinese also suffered illnesses as a result of the famine. Thus, the beginning of “Goldflower and the Bear” would probably seem very plausible to Chinese readers who lived in a country recently devastated by both illness and death. Famine would also be fresh in many people’s minds, which could explain Goldflower’s success in utilizing the bear’s gluttony against him. The bear wants both the children and the pears that Goldflower offers him, and the desire for pears offers Goldflower the opportunity to kill the bear. This also ties in with the common fairy tale trope of the evils and consequences of gluttony.
The Cultural Revolution, another one of Mao’s attempts at modernization, led to rampant persecution, violence, and chaos as Mao tried to rid China of its “old” ways. Mao enacted many of his policies with the help of the Red Guard, which was composed of radical students who perpetrated many violent acts against those deemed in opposition to Mao’s modernization goals. Thus, I would argue that “Goldflower and the Bear” was written for children, who during this period in Chinese history had seen much more of the evil existent in the “adult world” than most children their age at a different time or in a different country. The line between child and adult at this time was probably not as easily demarcated because of children’s knowledge of many things usually hidden from them by adults, such as violence and fear. Therefore, Chiang perhaps deemed children better equipped to deal with the violence in this tale and better able to appreciate the need for the strength and courage demonstrated by Goldflower. Also, after so much chaos a happy ending in which the brave girl conquers an enemy with the sun “rising red in the East” likely gave much needed hope to many readers (Tartar 20).
Posted by Caitlin Humphreys at 8:37 PM
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Post by Mallory Hely from ,,The Curse''
Assignment 3- Thurber
The main argument in Shavit’s essay is that the changes in fairy tales over time can be accounted for by the different ways in which children are viewed by society. With Perraualt’s take on The Little Red Riding Hood, we see two different audiences- the child and the upper class, which would enjoy the satirical undertones of the tale and its criticism of the “city gentleman.” By the Grimm’s time, however, children had become a population separate from adults and they were the sole audience of “The Little Red Cap.” With this change in society’s perception of children, we saw differences such as the removal of satire and a moral ending.
When examining James Thurber’s version of the tale, “The Little Girl and the Wolf,” under this same light, it is important to consider the time in which his version was published- the 1940s. In this war time era, both women and children enjoyed a new realm of freedom and responsibility as many men were overseas. Child psychologist Benjamin Spock also revolutionized the way children were seen with his book, “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.” He emphasized seeing them as individuals and not buying into philosophies that were common to all children. This is reflected in Thurber’s version of the tale. In his version, the girl recognizes the wolf is not her grandmother and in fact, she shoots the wolf with her automatic. While somewhat shocking and comical, I believe this parallels the notion that all children, and girls especially, should not be perceived as sweet, innocent, naïve, etc. This is the way which society typically perceives them, however, not all girls are like this. Unlike Perrault and Grimm, this version seems to be intended for an adult audience only. Thurber was a well known satirist who wrote for The New Yorker and successfully took a classic childhood tale to illustrate the changes coming about in this era for both children and girls/women.
Posted by Mallory at 8:44 PM
The main argument in Shavit’s essay is that the changes in fairy tales over time can be accounted for by the different ways in which children are viewed by society. With Perraualt’s take on The Little Red Riding Hood, we see two different audiences- the child and the upper class, which would enjoy the satirical undertones of the tale and its criticism of the “city gentleman.” By the Grimm’s time, however, children had become a population separate from adults and they were the sole audience of “The Little Red Cap.” With this change in society’s perception of children, we saw differences such as the removal of satire and a moral ending.
When examining James Thurber’s version of the tale, “The Little Girl and the Wolf,” under this same light, it is important to consider the time in which his version was published- the 1940s. In this war time era, both women and children enjoyed a new realm of freedom and responsibility as many men were overseas. Child psychologist Benjamin Spock also revolutionized the way children were seen with his book, “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.” He emphasized seeing them as individuals and not buying into philosophies that were common to all children. This is reflected in Thurber’s version of the tale. In his version, the girl recognizes the wolf is not her grandmother and in fact, she shoots the wolf with her automatic. While somewhat shocking and comical, I believe this parallels the notion that all children, and girls especially, should not be perceived as sweet, innocent, naïve, etc. This is the way which society typically perceives them, however, not all girls are like this. Unlike Perrault and Grimm, this version seems to be intended for an adult audience only. Thurber was a well known satirist who wrote for The New Yorker and successfully took a classic childhood tale to illustrate the changes coming about in this era for both children and girls/women.
Posted by Mallory at 8:44 PM
Post by Tiffany Dempsey from ,,The Nasty Stepmother''
Dahl
Roald Dahl's version of "Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf" was published originally in 1982 in "Revolting Rhymes."
Based on this information and on Shavit's Method, it is easier to tell that the intended audience for the poem is most likely a teenage/adult contemporary audience. The effectiveness of the humor in the twist is the assumed reader's knowledge of the original version. The plot takes on a humorous twist when the wolf tries to correct Red Riding Hood on the questions she asks. In response to his attempted dinner she whips out a gun and kills him and makes a fur coat out of him.
This contemporary twist of the gun and fur coat as well as the wolf telling Red what she is supposed to say lets the reader know that the intended audience is an older reader who would understand the humor. The title of the book it was published in also illustrates this idea. The main argument for believing he intended the reader to be older is that he is assuming the reader knows the Grimm brothers' wording. One would presumably have gained this knowledge in one's childhood and therefore could understand the humor in an altered version later in life.
Posted by Tiffany at 7:07 PM
Roald Dahl's version of "Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf" was published originally in 1982 in "Revolting Rhymes."
Based on this information and on Shavit's Method, it is easier to tell that the intended audience for the poem is most likely a teenage/adult contemporary audience. The effectiveness of the humor in the twist is the assumed reader's knowledge of the original version. The plot takes on a humorous twist when the wolf tries to correct Red Riding Hood on the questions she asks. In response to his attempted dinner she whips out a gun and kills him and makes a fur coat out of him.
This contemporary twist of the gun and fur coat as well as the wolf telling Red what she is supposed to say lets the reader know that the intended audience is an older reader who would understand the humor. The title of the book it was published in also illustrates this idea. The main argument for believing he intended the reader to be older is that he is assuming the reader knows the Grimm brothers' wording. One would presumably have gained this knowledge in one's childhood and therefore could understand the humor in an altered version later in life.
Posted by Tiffany at 7:07 PM
Post by Jasmine Rasberry from ,,The Cruel Witch''
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Calvino
Italian Folktales is a collection of 200 Italian folktales published in 1956 by Italo Calvino. Calvino began the project in 1954. Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale influenced him. His intention was to emulate the Brothers Grimm in producing a popular collection of Italian fairy tales for the general reader. He did not compile tales from listeners, but made extensive use of the existing work of folklorists; he noted the source of each individual tale, but warned that was merely the version he used.
The story seems to be aimed at children yet the hint at cannibalism seems to make it intended for adults. The story is not educational as the mother gives her no instructions and there is no clear moral at the end of the story. The tale seems to be for amusement or to glorify the rational mind. The intended audience is not a scholar and the tale is not written in a literary style. The style is very simple and told in the way a regular person or a child might tell the story. Giulio Einaudi commissioned the book.
This tale is somewhat different to that of Perrault and the Grimm Brothers. Like in the Grimm version, there is a happy ending for the girl, whereas in Perrault the girl and the grandmother are eaten. The grandmother doesn't survive. The Jordan River and the Rake Gate are included in the tale. This gives the tale a religious feel, which is different from the previous versions. Instead of a wolf, there is a hairy ogress, which is interesting. It gives an element of fantasy to the tale. It takes away the male threat and makes female the threat to children. The story may suggest the threat of the female to the community, the general move towards reason, the threat of famine, and adoption of Marxist ideas.
Posted by Jasmine at 10:18 PM
Calvino
Italian Folktales is a collection of 200 Italian folktales published in 1956 by Italo Calvino. Calvino began the project in 1954. Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale influenced him. His intention was to emulate the Brothers Grimm in producing a popular collection of Italian fairy tales for the general reader. He did not compile tales from listeners, but made extensive use of the existing work of folklorists; he noted the source of each individual tale, but warned that was merely the version he used.
The story seems to be aimed at children yet the hint at cannibalism seems to make it intended for adults. The story is not educational as the mother gives her no instructions and there is no clear moral at the end of the story. The tale seems to be for amusement or to glorify the rational mind. The intended audience is not a scholar and the tale is not written in a literary style. The style is very simple and told in the way a regular person or a child might tell the story. Giulio Einaudi commissioned the book.
This tale is somewhat different to that of Perrault and the Grimm Brothers. Like in the Grimm version, there is a happy ending for the girl, whereas in Perrault the girl and the grandmother are eaten. The grandmother doesn't survive. The Jordan River and the Rake Gate are included in the tale. This gives the tale a religious feel, which is different from the previous versions. Instead of a wolf, there is a hairy ogress, which is interesting. It gives an element of fantasy to the tale. It takes away the male threat and makes female the threat to children. The story may suggest the threat of the female to the community, the general move towards reason, the threat of famine, and adoption of Marxist ideas.
Posted by Jasmine at 10:18 PM
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Assignment 3- 27.Jan 2009
You have read Shavit's essay comparing the Perrault and Grimm versions of 'Little Red Riding Hood'. Using Shavit's method, consider one of the other versions you read for this week (Dahl, Calvino, Thurber, Chiang Mi). With a little research (you may use Wikipedia, since this is not a research paper),outline who you think the audience is and what the fairy tale's retelling says about the culture and time in which it is written.
Looking forward to your posts.
Ann
Looking forward to your posts.
Ann
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