Within every fantasy story, there seems to be a common factor that each shares with the other. This common factor is a supernatural “something” that is used in every fantasy story. This “something” is often a character, an object that the characters in the story encounter, or an ability that characters have. First, in “Lila the Werewolf” by Peter S. Beagle, it is the character of Lila who becomes a werewolf during full moons. Second, in “Beyond the Dead Reef” by James Tiptree Jr., it is the mythical object of a mermaid made of garbage. Lastly, in “Subworld” by Phyllis Eisenstein, it is the characters’ ability to become as small as a subway rat. The common factor of a supernatural characteristic is what draws readers into fantasy stories. Peter …show more content…
(Alice Bradley Sheldon) uses the mythical object of a mermaid made of garbage to bring the reader into her world of fantasy in the story as well as to serve as a warning about the future. Tiptree describes the mermaid as one that is made of “all sorts of pieces of plastic, rope, styrofoam, netting, crates, and bolts— much of it clothed with that torn translucent white polyethylene for skin…” (Tiptree p. 384). Although the mermaid lacks mobility, it is able to reach out towards the man who found her. The town that the narrator of the story presides in is described by the following quote: “The effluvia of half a dozen hotels and the town behind ran out of pipes that were barely covered at low tide; only a few parrot-fish, who can stand anything, remained by the hotel-side restaurants to feed on the crusts the tourists threw them from their tables” (Tiptree p. 374) This description of the town shows the reader how a once beautiful town can be destroyed through pollution from tourism and industrialization. The mermaid is interesting in a sense that is magical, but it serves as a warning on what may happen in response to the harm that humans have caused. The man who found the mermaid says, “I can’t put it into words. It has something to do with the idea that the sea is still, well, strong. Perhaps it can take revenge?” (Tiptree p. 386) Tiptree is able to use the mermaid as an example of the power of nature to evolve which may one day take back all that humans …show more content…
Donny’s father describes what he saw in the following quote: “Her arms and legs thinned, her torso flattened, her head flattened, her face protruded into a snow. Her clothes melted into gray fur, and a long, thin tail took shape at the base of her spine. She was a mouse…” (Eisenstein p. 399) He describes the transformation between human and mouse that he sees when he asks for proof that the appearance was an illusion. These people have lived together in the Subworld for a long stretch of time. The author uses this ability to indirectly ask the question of taking responsibility for oneself when it comes to important life decisions. As the reader learns more about Donny’s home life and about the lives that the civilians of the Subworld once lived, it easy to determine that they had once been under stressful and important situations or occupations before they decided to move into the Subworld. Donny says, “I lost mass, lived off it, until I reached the point where my intake could support me. I only weigh a few ounces now… I can’t go back to my old size” (Eisenstein p. 407). Donny explains that one caveat of escaping to the Subworld is the inability to return to a regular-sized human. Eisenstein indirectly asks whether it is best to take responsibility for oneself or to escape to a world where there
There are a number of fairytales, either from Grimm’s Brothers or Hans Christian Anderson, that portray numerous social issues that we still face in modern days. Social issues could include racism, equality between men and women, and ethnocentrism. These are social problems we face daily, and we have yet found solutions to eliminate\ the plentiful social issues. As said, fairy tales and children’s book always show hidden messages on problems that humans face every day. A very famous short story, which is known also by its movie, has an abundance in social issues that people face to this day. This short story is called “The Little Mermaid”, by Hans Christian
On December 7th, 1941 at 7:48 am the Japanese Navy attacked the United States military base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. By attacking Pearl Harbor, the Japanese had hoped to preclude the United State’s naval force and continue their siege on Southeast Asia. With the United States’ naval power incapacitated for a period of time the Japanese could gain Southeast Asia’s Trade routes and materials (Trowbridge, 2014). The Pearl Harbor attacks created a wave paranoia, and a sense of “what-if” when it came to the topic of Japanese immigrants possibly aiding in more attacks on U.S. soil. Furthermore, the government utilized the public’s fear of subsequent attacks, and the possibility of any Japanese immigrant being a spy or saboteur; therefore,
Richard Van Camp shares the story of Torchy and his series of events that takes the reader along to see and feel the tragedies of Torchy with his past and current experiences. In the short story “Mermaid” by Richard Van Camp, the author explores the realm of a true tragedy in this story through the use of the Aristotle style of the elements of tragedy displayed by the means of Torchy’s series of unfortunate events through willing blindness, dramatized actions and pity developed for the character throughout the novel. With a closer look one can identify Peripeteia among many elements of tragedy found within this novel.
The next discussion about “The Little Mermaid” is the other archetypal characteristics present in the story. One of the main archetypal characteristics in the story would be “the lover”. The whole theme of the story is about love and how a person can go on a outrageous adventure to reach the one she adores. “Inside, she
The characteristics of mythical stories consists of 4, vaginally specific, guidelines. The first of which that story must take place in the past. Secondly, the story must have remarkable, strange, and/or exaggerated character(s). Thirdly, the story must future creative, magical, heroic, incredible, or mysterious events, including the consequences which follow them.
As human beings everyone suffers but we all suffer differently. Some suffer emotionally, some suffer physically, some suffer mentally. And through suffering and pain we gain different experiences, we either overcome pain and sorrows or we break down waste our lives. Edwidge Danticat present the theme of suffering in each of her stories. In all the stories the characters have to go through pain, but they all over come it in different ways. This is true in real life too. in the children of the sea that characters suffer but the outcome is that, in 1937 the outcome is inner peace, and My outcome is discovering myself.
He says that the history of mermaid start seven million years ago in Africa. Human ancestors left their shelter to find food, and there were curious about what’s in the ocean. Because of the instinct of human, the ancestors went to the ocean and adapt. Some of them drawn to the sea, but the rest adapted very well even their body change and adapt as
Supernatural elements is something that cannot be explained by the laws of nature. These elements, such as religious figures and activities, ghosts, witches and anthropomorphized animals have been used to develop themes throughout literature. These supernatural elements are often used to outline the conflict within the plot and creates an atmosphere of mystery and suspense throughout the text, which establishes the gothic. Supernatural components leave us to question what is real and what is our imagination.
The imagery used to describe how lovely the mermaid is portrays what the prince wanted as a wife. When the prince found her on the shore and took her in as one of his own people, he took care of and adored her, but he would not marry her because she could not
In the film The Little Mermaid by John Musker and Ron Clements, a theme that continually portrays itself is how woman are seen in society. In this film, women are defined by their appearance instead of their inner-self or personality by men and women. It also displays that woman are not treated fair. This is expressed in the film through multiple song lyrics and scenes. Ariel, the little mermaid, experiences many occasions where woman in a society are seen differently than men. In the film, Ariel was given an option to live under the sea and live life under the rule of her father, or be on land with her Prince Eric. Although this is clearly not laid out, a man figure is always above Ariel and could convey an idea that
I attended the liturgy at Faithful Savior Lutheran Church located in Southeast Portland on the weekend before Spring Break (3/13/2016). I went to the Lutheran Church with my parent, who came there as a guest speaker after the liturgy. I experienced a different but similar way of worship service, since they are quite different from each other in the concept of communion but very similar in general structures.
The Little Mermaid is a fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen. The tale is about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a merperson to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince. The tale was first published in 1837 and has been adapted to various media including musical theater and animated film.The standard of this classical story has been set to be the Disney Movie titled the same
From the moment the world introduced us to television, we have been bombarded with images of fantasy and “happily ever after’s.” Perhaps the most well known corrupter of reality lies within the Disney franchise. Disney’s, The Little Mermaid, follows a typical fairy tale format in which all goals and dreams are achieved. Its counterpart, however, moves to the beat of a different drum. Hans Christian Andersen’s, The Little Mermaid, portrays a more serious plot much different from Disney’s loveable adaptation. One may conclude that the most these two stories have in common is their titles, but a deeper theme runs throughout both of these fictional plots. Despite these two stories’ conflicting agendas and the
Lastly, supernatural elements are essential for novels with gothic features. Frankenstein lacks unexplainable features; however, science, especially electricity, here can be regarded as a supernatural element because it was an unknown but new discovery of that time. Electricity is used in the novel to give the monster life.
When first reading “The Little Mermaid”, the reader is sure to notice the imagery painted by Anderson. He finds a way to make a place we see as dark and abysmal, the sea floor, seem bright, vibrant, and full of joy. One sentence Hans Christian Andersen writes, “The most wonderful trees and plants are growing down there, with stalks and leaves that bend so easily that they stir at the very slightest movement of the water, just as though they were alive” (216), perfectly exemplifies this imagery. It is also important to take note of how the imagery changes by location. In the part of the sea where the witch lives, the imagery evokes the feeling of gloom and loneliness that one would naturally expect from the sea floor. Above the surface of the ocean, in the human world, the author uses imagery that quite frankly blows the beauty of our world out of proportion. Andersen writes, “The whole sky had looked like gold, she said, and the clouds—well, she just couldn’t describe how beautiful they were as they sailed, all crimson and violet, over her head.” (218) This makes something we find trivial seem like something everyone must see before they die. While some may view this as odd, it is important to consider that the story centers around a mermaid who has never seen these things before.