Wednesday, October 26, 2011

MJ #11: Broken Glass: A Halloween Myth


The wind brushed its soft fingers through her dress, teasing her ankles to move. With an inward smile she obliged, turning her toes toward the next house. The pale fire in her eyes glanced upward, flirting with the moon. The countdown had begun.
Mercy rippled down the pavement, wondering at the glints that didn’t used to be there. Dew, she thought.  A closer inspection proved otherwise. Glass. Broken glass. She frowned at it for a moment before turning into the driveway.  More shimmers here, unnecessary and distracting.
She extended her glove in front of her with a slight gasp of excitement. Extending… extending… her finger connected with the doorbell and she froze. Mercy let out a squeal of glee and pushed the little white button. The resounding cacophony of static-like noise pounded into Mercy’s fragile frame.
“Trick-o-treat!”
An older woman garbed in robes a foot-and-a-half too short and a flopped over witch cap appeared in the silhouette of sunshine.
Mercy blinked at the inconsistency.
“Hello?”
“Ah. Yes. Could you perhaps do something about that repulsive glass in your front yard?”
“Hello?”
Mercy frowned.
“Yes! Right here! Could you please move the shimmer? It’s quite distracting.”
“Huh. Must of run off…”
The shabby witch woman began the door’s journey to its initial position.  Mercy swung her foot in the doorway.  The door slammed.  She thrust her face accusingly at the moon as she slid her foot out of the wood. Time’s up. Until next year.
And that’s when the rift between the world’s sucked her soul back in.
Until next year…

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

MJ#9: Prometheus

Here is the outline for a possible update of Prometheus (or should I say Frankenstein?):

Scientist creates new species.

Species not quite right.  They're completely blind.

Scientist out of resources.  Needs a special enzyme from a large corporation that he used to work for.

Tricks company by trading (at gun point of course) a seemingly important enzyme (actually failed but the company is ignorant of this) for the enzyme the scientist badly needs to make his creation a success.

Scientist succeeds in granting his creations eyesight.

Company sends 'suits' after scientist.

EPIC chase scene.

Scientist manages to get new species away from company and into the desert (where they'll survive best).

'Suits' catch up and shoot scientist.

Hello Hollywood.

MJ#8: A Jungian Analysis of Jocasta

Dreamer-- Jocasta.  Fragile, kindhearted.  She is unable to handle the trauma of finding out she slept with her son and her husband's killer.

Shadow-- Antigone.  Strong willed.  She doesn't kill herself at the news of her father/brother's treachery. She even breaks the societal norms by burying her brother against her other brother's orders.

Negative Animus-- Oedipus.  Effectively leads her to her doom.  Her ignorance feeds off of his ignorance and he is ultimately the main reason for her killing herself.

Positive Animus-- Oracle from the Past.  Tries to warn Jocasta of her future.  Jocasta ignores the oracle because of her disbelief in prophecy.  She is unable to connect with this animus because she has not yet accepted/dealt with the shadow.

Self-- Chorus.  The people.  They talk Jocasta through her problems and echo her feelings.  When Jocasta laments, so does the chorus.

Monday, October 10, 2011

MJ#6: Mwindo Epic: A Rankian Analysis

Mwindo, or as he names himself "Little One Just Born He Walked," goes on a rather odd journey to many different lands and realms meeting, what Otto Rank would denote as, many father figures (and not quite so many mother figures).


Father Figures:
Shemwindo- Mwindo's actual fatherMwindo has to chase his murderous father through several realms and face many challenging trials in order to catch him and achieve forgiveness and fatherly approval. In a sense, Mwindo is growing up.

Mukiti- Water snake that marries Mwindo's Aunt Iyangura and 'steals her away.'  Rather, the 'father' is taking the 'mother's' attention away from her 'son.'  Mwindo has to defeat Mukiti before he can gain Iyangura's attention.

The Baniyana- Mwindo's blacksmith uncles.  They create armour for Mwindo to protect him in battle.  They are his protective 'fathers.'

Muisa- The dark, abusive 'father.'  He forces Mwindo through a series of demanding tasks and then punishes his success.  At one point in the story, Muisa actually beats Mwindo to death and his scepter must bring him back to life.

Shemburungu-  Creator god/Father of all.  Mwindo is more mature when he meets Shemburungu.  He almost humbly beats him at gambling and is rewarded with the location of Shemwindo.


Mother Figures:
Iyangura- Mwindo's aunt. She provides Mwindo with motherly love, a home-cooked meal, and helps him return home from the underworld.

Nyamwindo- "Preferred One."  Mwindo's actual mother.  She is somewhat of a weak mother seeing as she doesn't really stand up to her husband who thrice tries to murder their son.  Her inability to protect her son explains his astounding independence at a very young age.


NOTE: Yes.  I wrote MJ#6 after MJ#7.   I am aware.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Nordic Myth Sightings

I was astounded by the number of myth sightings I experienced while reading the excerpt from Prose Edda.

First of all, Ragnarok.  Described as the end of the gods in the Prose Edda, it appears in various anime series.  The most memorable being the character named Ragnarok in Soul Eater.  He is a weapon (yes, the characters are also weapons) living inside a human named Crona.  He wreaks terrible havoc on his enemies and is actually formed from Crona's blood.  Another case of Ragnarok in anime appears in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.  Ragnarok is the name of a devastating bomb that drops on a major city killing countless innocent civilians.  It effectively wipes out the main character's sister and, as he thinks of himself as a god, thereby wipes out his motivation to live.

In the popular book series Pendragon, a teenage boy must keep the balance of ten different worlds and ensure that each "Territory's" "turning point" plays out in the right way.  In the series, there are many references to "Halla" which is described as everyone and everything.  Later it is discovered that Halla is actually a place where the fallen characters of the story end up.  Sound anything like the Nordic afterlife realm for those who die in battle, Valhalla?

The video game Tales of Symphonia features a massive tower that connects several worlds.  A man named Lord Yggdrasil (who is an 'angel') controls the power of the tower.  The tree in the Prose Edda that controls the worlds is named Yggdrasil.

Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf from Harry Potter, comes directly from Fenrir the wolf who bites off Tyr's hand.

Lastly, and slightly more abstract, I want to address the concept of tricksters.  I have been trying to understand the main character of Code Geass for a long time.  Lelouch vi Britania is neither good nor bad and it took our discussion in class today to comprehend that he plays the trickster.  He hides behind a mask of Zero and orders his followers to do his bidding.  Although he calls them his pawns and only leads them to gain the throne, his instruction guides the oppressed 'elevens' (the lost Japan) out of the hands of the oppressors (the Britanians).  Classic trickster: he helps others by achieving only his personal agenda.

Monday, October 3, 2011

MJ#7: The Little Mermaid: A Jungian Analysis

DREAMER--Ariel.  A bubbly, adventurous, outgoing, hopeful, lovestruck lass surrounded by loving friends and family members.

SHADOW--Ursula/Vanessa.  Envious Ursula wallows in her own misery and forces others to do what she wants such as her 'pets' Flotsom and Jetsom.  She is miserable and alone, the complete opposite of the Little Mermaid.  She takes on Ariel's form and voice as Vanessa, linking them even closer.


POSITIVE ANIMUS--Flounder.  Flounder embodies the fear that Ariel doesn't show.  He contrasts to Ariel's 'we'll worry later' attitude.  He helps her on her journey.

NEGATIVE ANIMUS--Triton.  Stern, rash, and close-minded, Triton forces Ariel on her journey through a lack of understanding for Ariel's obsession with the human world.  As royalty, he represents what Ariel is supposed to be.

SELF--Ariel's voice.  Ariel's mighty melodic vocal cords are a force she's always had but doesn't appreciate until she has to earn them back.



DREAMER--Triton.

SHADOW--Eric.  Kind, understanding, willing to accept new things.  Also royalty, but much less stern than the Mer-king.

NEGATIVE ANIMA--Ursula.  As Triton's sister, she successfully destroys his life by tricking his daughter and stealing his crown.  Ursula's cold demeanor brings out Triton's compassionate side.

SELF--The Trident.  The object that commands power over the sea and the mer-people.  As ruler of the ocean, it rightfully embodies Triton's authority and will.  For example, when the Trident is in the hands of Ursula, he withers away into a polyp.



DREAMER--Scuttle.  A scatterbrained seagull that likes to give Ariel 'advice,' obsessed with the human world.  A freelancer.

SHADOW--Sebastian.  Logical, unwilling to break the rules, protecting, smooth, likes to have a plan in mind.  Obsessed with the mer-world.

POSITIVE ANIMA/US--Max (Eric's dog).  Helps Scuttle to gather up the creatures of the sea to fight Vanessa.  Playful and loyal.

SELF--His ruffled up feathers.  Seriously, they're sticking all over the place, just like his personality.  One moment he's offering Ariel a fork as a comb, then he's singing (badly), and then he's undergoing the tremendous task of taking out the most powerful Sea Witch.