Fractured Fairy Tales

The fantasy genre has existed since primitive peoples conjured up concepts of Olympians and other fantastical myths. Fantasy has changed with society in an effort to portray the values the society aims to achieve. The Olympians had the same ailments as Greek citizens to show that everything is flawed. While the Grimm brothers showed that there are few happy endings, the modern American fairy tale seeks to justify motives for villainy and represent flawed protagonists.

American culture has moved towards greater acceptance of different lifestyles. The stories of American culture have evolved to try to keep up with this new moral system. The most prominent example of this new mind set is the villain of various stories being portrayed as a hero or anti-hero. Examples from children’s literature to Broadway have captured cultural interests. Children’s literature, such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, try to teach children to accept everyone as they truly are, even if they are a murderous wolf. The musical Wicked serves to reveal the motives behind the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West. She is really a victim of the truly evil forces in this world, popularity and circumstance.

American storytelling has also evolved to view classical heroines more skeptically. As Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, is portrayed as being in the right, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz are shown to be in the wrong. It is told to the audience that Dorothy did not land on top of the Wicked Witch of the East by accident; she was summoned there to kill her. This skepticism is also evident in the popular television show Once Upon a Time. Snow White and Prince Charming are still the heroes, but they are forced to make tough moral choices. They have to send their daughter away to be an orphan in order to save their kingdom; however, this sacrifice makes one question their parenting skills.

These and other American fairy tales truly reveal the morality of society.

Chevron

Americans have become infatuated with the design known as the chevron. It may seem like a recent innovation, but chevron has been around for many centuries. Used from ancient Crete to Sparta, the chevron has now reached peak prominence in modern America. Some of the earliest chevrons can be found on ancient pottery in the country of Greece. It was used in ancient Greece as a design element much like it is used now. After they used the chevron as a mere design element in Greece, the chevron was used as a symbol of war in other parts of the world.

An ordinary is the term used for various design elements in a coat of arms. Archaeology shows that the chevron was used as an ordinary in Sparta. It was first used in a single form representing the uppercase letter lambda (Λ). The chevron also appeared later in Scandinavia and Britain on their various coats of arms. Chevron is not a new fad; furthermore, Americans are now adopting what some ancient cultures used as an identifier. That brings up a question about this pattern; why is it relevant?

Today, society does not revolve around family crests or coats of arms; however, the patterns a society adapts represent the society in some way. If it is not as an emblem for war, then perhaps the chevron is accepted as a modern symbol of wealth and prosperity. It is an unofficial global signal that states one belongs to the upper caste of society. After all, this pattern is not seen on everyday objects needed for sustainment of life; it is seen on iPhone cases, wallpapers, and other non-essential items. Chevron has returned to its roots as a pattern adorning luxury items.

Not only could the chevron represent wealth, but it could also foreshadow a new renaissance in Western culture. Chevron perhaps began as a letter repeating; this could signify it as a symbol of knowledge. Much like the renaissance in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, America is returning to old Greco-Roman ways. It might seem like a trivial detail; however, understanding the domination of the chevron might aid in understanding the modern American psyche, in addition to modern American culture.

Lord Baltimore & Me

The city of Baltimore has seen its fair share of minorities. Most recently the movie and musical Hairspray highlighted the effects that racism had on this city. Since the inception of this bay city on the Chesapeake, the history of Baltimore has been deeply routed with rivalries between factions.

In 1634 the English settled the colony of Baltimore. The charter was granted to George Calvert, the Lord of Baltimore. He settled this colony as a refuge for the persecuted Catholics in England; regardless of its original purpose, Maryland would not remain a Catholic haven for long. Protestant settlers came in from other American colonies and formed a lower class; moreover this new social structure caused more strife among the protestants and Catholics.

Flash forward to the time period Hairspray is set in. Its a musical time period piece portraying the horrors of racism even in the liberal north. Every African American from Motor-mouth Mable to Seaweed is cast aside because of their race, no one judges them for their talent. Enter Tracy Turnblad, the big-boned dancer, who shakes up the entire Baltimore entertainment industry. She sides with the African-American community in an attempt to allow everyone the right to dance. While the period tale of racism is not to be missed, the real story is presence of a new minority.

Obesity is a growing problem in America. The reaction to Tracy’s size was an indicator of the future of American high schools and American culture in general. Those who are larger are now looked down upon. It is a shame that American culture has become so predictable; furthermore the brilliance of this musical cannot be overstated. Hairspray gives hopes to the overweight masses that in the end they can get the popular guy or defeat their blonde-haired nemesis. The allegory of American hatred towards past and present minorities makes Hairspray one of the most applicable musicals written to date.

The Hunger Games Shows Why the Good Die Young

In the past half-decade, The Hunger Games has erupted onto the global cultural stage. Some groups praise the inclusion of a strong female role model; others condemn the story of Ms. Everdeen since she is forced to battle other children. From either viewpoint, Katniss Everdeen and her fellow tributes have captured the attention and focus of American culture.

Many have credited the plot to various Greek myths, including the myth of Theseus. In this myth, the King of Crete defeated the city-state of Athens; furthermore, after they were defeated, he demanded an equal number of male and female tributes to be sent into the King of Crete’s labyrinth every year. Inside, they would face the monstrous Minotaur and certain death. While similarities to this myth are undoubtable, a more modern truth reveals itself as the reason behind the use of child sacrifice in Suzanne Collins’s novel. Collins condemns the use of teenagers in warfare.

War is both malicious and eternal; many suffer from it; and it is waged anew shortly after it ends. This is most evident in the modern Middle-Eastern conflicts between both al-Qaeda and now ISIS. Shortly after the al-Qaeda bellwether, Osama bin Laden, was killed, the militaristic group known as ISIS has come to be viewed as the newest icon of global terror. The point is war will never end, but the ones who wage war rarely fight themselves. When President Snow is finally assassinated in the third installment of the Hunger Games trilogy entitled Mockingjay, it is not because he died in battle but because his enemies finally apprehend him. He uses almost all available resources to prevent his death, including the young men and women enlisted in his forces. Osama bin Laden also enlisted the aid of impressionable adolescents to help him rise to and retain power.

The real revelation comes when Americans reflect on how their own military is recruited. Make no mistake, the greatest respect and honor should be given to the American soldiers; however, blame must be given to recruitment officers and generals. Many times, they find wayward and impressionable adolescents to join their ranks. Collins reveals to the American public a truth that has been hiding in plain sight. Children fight every day; it is a shame American culture only responds with such conservative views when the real-life scenarios are placed metaphorically into fictional works.

The Hunger Games provides an allegory to the horrors going on even in our own country. It calls Americans out on their own hypocritical views. This worldwide phenomenon hits close to American hearts and painfully reveals the sacrifice of our young, brave soldiers.

The Lorax vs. The Millennial Generation

Dr. Suess’s beloved children’s book, The Lorax, was published August 21, 1971. For decades, writers and scholars have praised the message of environmental protection that saturates the pages of The Lorax. While the book does praise environmental safety, some verses may lead one to believe that the titular character the Lorax is not a blameless protagonist. In fact, Dr. Seuss’s message can be viewed as saying that one can care to much about a cause, in this instance, the environment.

The Once-ler makes many references to family in the book. He mentions his brothers, aunts, and uncles several times. He also mentions the word “dad” once. The Once-ler says,

“And then I got mad,
I got terribly mad
I yelled at the Lorax, ‘Now listen here, Dad!’
All you do is yap-yap and say ‘Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!'”

Now many people may reject the literal use of the word “dad” by the Once-ler. Furthermore, people may assume Dr. Seuss used this word just because it rhymed. However, the Once-ler character has used various family terms in a literal since. The Once-ler has a strong view of family ties. Whenever he was starting his business, the Once-ler called his family to help him. The public views Dr. Seuss as one of the greatest children’s writers in American history. Therefore, Dr. Seuss could have written any word into this line and he chose “dad”. In the second meeting in the book, the Once-ler tells the Lorax to “shut up”. If it is presumed that this is only their second meeting, why has the Once-ler become so terse so fast. This is not their second meeting; this is one of countless meetings in which the Lorax has tried to shove his opinions down his son, the Once-ler’s, throat.

The Once-ler is symbolic of the millennial generation who had hippie parents. The environmentally savvy parents would leave their entire families to go live in the woods protecting trees or animals. Dr. Seuss was brilliantly predicting the next phase in American culture, the millennials.

He portrayed the next generation as selfish, yet diligent. Millennials are more concerned for their own well being; however, their desire for profit lead them to produce some of societies greatest advancements. Social innovations like Facebook or a Middle-Eastern teenage girl standing against tradition to fight for educational equality are only a few examples. In a similar way, the Once-ler innovates the world of fashion but for selfish reasons. He destroys the environment and his relationship with his father, the Lorax.

Dr. Seuss warns the incoming generation of the problems their fixation can produce. It shows the millinials that their next innovation has to provide limits to how they approach achieving their success. They cannot steamroll everything and everyone to reach success.

The Head that Wears the Crown

Since the United States emerged from English colonies, many parallels between British and American culture exist. British hierarchy can expose itself in unique areas of American culture. One example could be the crowning of a king during the high school homecoming game (usually the quarterback). High school culture reveres its quarterback, just as England reveres its royalty.

In the average American high school, no one is able to achieve mass popularity quite like the quarterback. He is the revered leader of the most celebrated team at a high school. He receives praise and popularity for four hours every Friday night. His peers are lead to believe that he is a powerful, decision-making leader; however, the truth is that he has as much power as the Queen of England. While the world has fallen in love with the British royal line, they do not yield any political power in their state. Their role as royals is a mere tool employed by the true British government to bolster the public image of Great Britain as a whole. In a similar way, the high school quarterback does not wield any real power. The coach implements the quarterback as a tool to score points and bolster the team’s public image.

The argument can be made that no matter what play is called, the quarterback has to be the one to implement it. Implementation is not the same as decision. A quarterback will fight for victory, but without his coaching staff he cannot be as successful. In a similar way, Prince Harry fought bravely for his country in Afghanistan, but he did not decide to go to war. That power in England rests with Parliament and the Prime Minister. Without the plays of the high school coach or the strategies of military generals, Prince Harry, like the high school quarterback, would not be successful. 

The quarterback is treated like a hero in his school, for the mere fact that he plays on a football team. Very rarely is the personality or actions of a quarterback reflected upon. Conversely, the British royal family is scrutinized daily. That is why they should be allowed to wear the crown. The pedestal society has placed quarterbacks on is over rated. Since they are cultural icons their overall character should be scrutinized as closely as their on-field prowess. 

Football: Hallucinogen of the Masses

Karl Marx, the father of Socialism, called religion the “opiate of the masses”; however, modern America has been given a new prescription. Some say football is the new opiate, but it has evolved into more than that. Football is the hallucinogen of the masses. It not only pacifies the population, but also portrays false images onto society. 

News has been dominated by the return of American football. The return of high school, collegiate, and professional teams has overshadowed all other problems seen in the media. Has America forgotten its border crisis where thousands of children are without a home and a family? Has America forgotten the Ukraine where a new cold war is waging in the Balkans? Has America forgotten the Middle East where an eternal Holy War still rages on? All America contemplates is football. This addiction makes Americans appear hypocritical. Americans have long viewed themselves as a global peacekeeping force; however, this fundamental principle is being forsaken for a leisure activity. 

The hallucinogen, football, projects false images onto society. Safety and unity are being sacrificed in pursuit of football glory. The National Football League lives in a fantasy land where as long as children keep their “heads up”, they imply that injuries will be lessened. Furthermore, they have the audacity to imply this to the children and their parents. Football is not a safe game. The NFL and the NCAA put profit before safety. The more children that play football, the more the industry will grow. It has gotten to the point in America where football has become a part of everyday life. One would assume that this would make football a national tool to fuse opposing cultures together; unfortunately, this is not the case. This creates more divisions between the American people and its cities. Rivalries do not promote healthy competition; they promote division and brutality. Division is on a national and local level. Children are brought up in school districts to loath their rivals and anyone associated with the opposing school. 

 Anything can be good in moderation, but America’s fixation with football needs to be addressed. The Romans had gladiator fights which are now considered barbaric by modern society. Will America’s obsession with football one day be viewed as barbaric as ancient Roman gladiatorial practices?

Scooby-Doo: The Real Mystery and the Real Monsters

When Hanna-Barbera introduced Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? in 1969, they had no idea the impact their show would have on society. Now forty-five years later, after countless movies and TV episodes, Scooby-Doo, Freddie, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy have not only unmasked the worst of humanity; but they also set an example for how society ought to be.

In every new installment of Scooby-Doo, there is a new monster or villain to be unmasked. This is where these teenagers are able to reveal one of the darkest truths to human nature: the greatest villains are humans. Countless people have masqueraded around in costumes to reveal that the only real monster in the world is humanity. A man trying to steal his relative’s fortune; a CEO trying to cover-up his companies illegal practices; a fired employee looking for vengeance; all humanity at its worst. In its forty-five years Scooby-Doo has rarely allowed the villain to be an actual supernatural force. In an attempt to influence youth away from corruption and villainy, Hanna-Barbera created Scooby-Doo as a tool to teach children from an early age that the world is not a good place. It is wicked and falling apart at the seams.

On the other hand, the main characters of the series give hope to what the world could be. The real mystery is how teenagers of different social circles can get along.  High school can be a terrible place; however, the human characters of the Scooby-Doo franchise show that young people can work out-side of their social circles and cliques. Velma possess above average intelligence. Freddie is attractive, but not always portrayed as an athlete. Shaggy is a hippie vagabond whose best friend is his dog. Daphne is portrayed as attractive and wealthy. In any normal high school, these characters would not want to hang out together. Teenagers let their attributes and social class determine their friendships. But the characters of Freddie, Velma, Shaggy, and Daphne allow their mutual enjoyment of mystery solving to bring them together as a team. Without all the different personalities and backgrounds, their team would not be as effective.

Impressively, the creative masters behind this cartoon have both chastised society and given it hope for the future. The children who watch any Scooby-Doo series are exposed to the problems of American society. With any luck, these children will be able to recall these social issues into their adult lives and become better people.