Last week, I brainstormed potential topics for this semester's Storybook. One topic in which I am particularly interested is exploring the "experiences of the individuals responsible for creating natural phenomena," inspired by Shel Silverstein's Somebody Has To. Feedback on that branch of brainstorming has led me to a somewhat different, but still related topic. In researching mythological explantations for weather patterns and other natural systems, I naturally found stories of traditional Greek and Roman deities, who are said to be responsible for the behaviors of the sun and moon, wind and sea.
While Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades may be the more familiar identities of these three brothers, I prefer to recognize them as Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. I intend for my stories to take place primarily in space, which each of the gods ruling over his own planetary kingdom, along with his share of Earth. As I write, my preferences for their Roman interpretations will become more apparent, with some storylines inspired by the Roman poet Ovid and his Metamorphoses.
I intend to devote a story to each of the three brothers, with the main conflict of the story pertaining to his domain on Earth. In each episode, the god will be motivated by a conflict he witnesses related to the earth/underworld, sea, and sky, respectively. All three of the gods will be featured in all three of the stories, however. For example, Pluto's portion may be about the destruction of natural resources, or humanity's fear (or lack thereof) regarding death. Neptune's story might center around rising sea levels, or focus on his role as a god of horses. Jupiter's chapter could give explanation for recent storms, or denounce high levels of air pollution. While environmental stewardship could be a theme that unites the three stories, I will continue to research possible options, and how to connect them into a cohesive unit.
Underground Civilizations: When I was in early middle school, I discovered one of my favorite book series, Suzanne Collins' The Underland Chronicles. The first book in the series, shown above, tells the story of Gregor, an Overlander who falls into the Underland through a grate in the basement of his apartment. Essentially a modern retelling of Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Underland Chronicles recounts the challenges that Gregor faces upon discovery of an entire civilization living below the foundations of New York. If I were to adopt this topic for Myth and Folklore, there are two possible directions I would take my writing. First, I was frustrated as a child that Gregor never returned to the Underland after the age of 12. I would love to imagine what Gregor would find if he ever chose to go back to the Underland. Alternatively, it could be exciting to create my own equivalent of the Underland or Wonderland, along with new characters and fresh adventures.
Games Brought to Life:Jumanji, and its companion Zathura, were two of the movies I found most entertaining as a child. Since coming to college, I have discovered the books from which they were adapted, and their author, Chris Van Allsburg. In both stories, children discover board games which take unexpected turns when their premises are brought to life in their living room. I think the idea of being fully consumed by a game (or a book or movie) is fascinating, and has exciting possibilities for a story. I think if I were to write about Jumanji or Zathura, I would aim to give the games origins. How were they created? From where did they gain the power to draw people into themselves, or to deposit their characters into reality?
Somebody Has To: Keeping with the theme of beloved literature from my childhood, my next topic inspiration is a Shel Silverstein poem entitled "Somebody Has To." According to the text of the poem, shown above, "somebody has to go polish the stars." This topic has so much potential, and immediately had me imagining retellings or deeper plots. If I choose to move forward with it, I hope to write stories about the boy who has to polish the stars, the man who has to wake up the sun, the woman who has to make the waves, etc. All of these offshoots can parallel creation or explanation stories from various cultures. Essentially, there is a multitude of source material for such a topic, and I am excited by the possibility of exploring and adapting such sources.
The Prodigal Wild Thing Returns: As with Chris Van Allsburg's works, I was in college before I rediscovered my love for Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. During my freshman year, the CAC Sooner Scandals theme was "What If?" Participating student groups were asked develop shows that twisted the plot of familiar stories. Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Tau Omega rewrote Where the Wild Things Are to ask "What would happen if Max returned to the Land of the Wild Things as an adult?" I loved it. While my Storybook would certainly take a different direction than their interpretation, I would love to give new lives to Max and the Wild Things, and carry their stories into adulthood.
