Your task is to take the story about how evil comes into the world, the story King tells about the Witches’ convention in Chapter One of The Truth about Stories, and change it any way you want, except the ending. You can change to place, the people, the time – anything you want. But, your story must have the same moral – it must tell us how evil came into the world and how once a story is told, it cannot be taken back.
This is the story of how evil came into the world…
Once there was a little girl—let’s call her Marigold—who lived in a village on the edge of the forest. Every day her father would leave to go hunting and would remind Marigold, “Don’t go into the forest!” It wasn’t that there was any evil in the forest—after all, this is a story about how evil came into the world—it was just that the Gods were said to live in the forest and they liked their privacy.
Photo Credit: Muhandis, Adib. “Conceptual Photography: 100 Stunning and Breathtaking Photography”. Demortalz. Web. 30 May 2016.
One day, after Marigold’s father had left to go hunting, Marigold’s curiosity got the better of her and she wandered into the forest. Once in the forest, she was overcome by the scent of cedar, the brushing ferns against her legs, and the moss under her feet. She wandered deeper and deeper into the forest. Until, all of a sudden, she was aware that the light was waning, the shadows were lengthening, and night was coming. Marigold was frightened. She had no idea how to get home. She decided to keep walking and hoped that something would look familiar. As she walked, she came across a meadow, a beautiful meadow. And in this meadow there was a rock. On the rock sat an old woman and Marigold thought, I wonder if she knows how to get home.
Marigold went up to the old woman and asked:
“Excuse me, do you think you could help me to find my way home?”
“Of course,” said the old woman. “You just have to promise me one thing.”
“Okay” said Marigold.
“You have to promise me that tonight around the campfire you will invite me to tell a story.”—Because, as we all know, you can’t tell a story around the campfire without being invited.
So, Marigold agreed. The old woman snapped her fingers and, magically, Marigold was back home.
Photo Credit: Fritzinger, Dennis. “A Place at the Campfire”. 5 July 2011. Warrior Poets. Web. 30 May 2016.
Later that evening, around the campfire, the old woman whispered in Marigold’s ear: “Don’t forget your promise.” Marigold invited the old woman to tell her story. And just as she did, the old woman began. But, unfortunately, it was a terrible story. It was “[. . .] an awful thing full of fear and slaughter, disease and blood. A story of murderous mischief. And when the telling was done [. . .]” all the villagers screamed, “‘Take it back. Call the story back.’ But, of course, it was too late. For once a story is told, it cannot be called back. Once told, it is loose in the world (King 9).
It took me a long time to think of a story to tell and how I was going to tell it. But, with King as my guide, I realized my best story would be one that I could relate to. I chose surroundings I knew and a main character that reminded me of myself when I was younger: curious, naïve, and adventurous.
After telling my “unique” story to a few people, I realized that my story was not really my own, but a strange amalgamation of the stories I grew up with.
Marigold’s curiosity is strangely akin to the curiosity of Pandora in the Myth of Pandora’s Box. Just as Pandora’s curiosity released evil into the world, so does Marigold’s.
In addition, my choice to have evil released through the mouth of an old woman is a testament to the stories I have been told through literature and movies. In many of these tales, evil is brought to situations through an older, often manipulative and powerful woman. I now think back to “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales; C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, and Snow White (to name a few). In all of these tales, the protagonist is tricked, antagonized, or harmed by an older woman who often poses as a friend or helper.
I was surprised [shocked? appalled?] that although I always thought myself a feminist, my story perpetuates what King refers to as a “misogynist reading” of history (22).
So I leave you with one more quote from King to paraphrase my thoughts on the subject of stories and story telling:
“Why [do] we relish stories that lionize individuals that start at the bottom and fight their way up to the top, rather than stories that frame these forms of competition as insanity[?] Is it our nature? Do the stories we tell reflect the world as it truly is, or did we simply start off with the wrong story?” (26)
Works Cited
“Feminism.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 29
May 2016. Web. 30 May 2016.
King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. Toronto: Anansi
Press. 2003. Print.
Mestach, Catherine. “Myth of Pandora’s Box.” Online video clip. YouTube.
YouTube, 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 30 May 2016.
CamBullen
May 31, 2016 — 8:16 pm
Hi Janine,
I really enjoyed your story! Your analysis of how literature and popular culture often portray a woman as being the bringer of evil seemed very accurate to me. It is shocking how these pervasive views can enter our subconscious and manifest in other aspects of our lives. To your list of prominent depictions of women in this role, I would just add that of Eve, the archetypal ‘creator of evil’ (at least in Christian minds). Do you think that the story of Eve and the Fall of Man might fulfil the role of “start[ing] off with the wrong story” (26) that King mentions in the quote you chose to finish with? Is Christianity (or even religion more broadly) at all to blame for these portrayals of women?
On a slightly lighter note, I find it interesting that both Eve and Pandora can also be seen to bring good into the world. In her box, after the evil has escaped, Pandora is left with Hope (although to be fair this can have a dark interpretation as well). Similarly, in Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, Eve is both the bringer of evil and of Man’s salvation (through her ability to bear children).
Thanks again for a really interesting post!
Cam
janine fleming
June 1, 2016 — 12:14 pm
Hi Cam,
Thank you for posting and for your comments.
In his lectures, King definitely links Christianity’s story of Eve and the fall of mankind to his premise that we are “starting off with the wrong story”: a story that has resulted in so many of the ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ narratives that define our lives (and our society). However, I would argue that this reading is perhaps a bit too simplistic.
In my opinion, to place the blame on Eve for the fall of mankind removes any agency from Adam. A truer reading of this well-known biblical narrative would be that both parties were equally responsible for their own actions and thus for the fate of mankind.
Perhaps Christianity, along with so many other belief systems, has been co-opted in order to perpetuate a narrative that sustains hierarchical power dynamics. I think this speaks more to our human nature than it does to the basis of Christianity or other belief systems.
So I guess what I’m saying is no. I don’t believe that Christianity, or other faiths, are to blame for the anti-feminist narratives that pervade society. I believe that the groups/individuals who justify their prejudice by citing faith, religion, or personal freedom are to blame. I don’t believe that all religions are really as calloused or prejudiced as some of their associated groups would lead us to believe. And I think that when we look at it any other way, we are simply drawing more lines in the sand and failing to look for the “common ground” (Chamberlin) or for a better story (King).
I would love to get more discussion going on this and see what others think!
Any feedback is more than welcome!
Janine
claudia gillard
June 1, 2016 — 12:31 pm
Hi Janine,
Great story, and pictures – they are perfect illustrations of your story. Great self-realization too! Very honest. It makes me wonder about the value of telling a story to the story teller/writer. I was reading Linda Purcell’s blog, and she made the excellent point about the power of words to create our world, and I link this to your choice of the words ‘old’ and ‘woman’ to personify evil. Some words just seem to ‘naturally’ come to us, but of course, as you pointed out so astutely, the words are planted there over the course of our whole lives by our culture and community, and nowadays, through multi-media. When I think of today’s youth immersed in social media, and the amount of bullying and negative language, and labelling they are subjected too through that media, I wonder how on earth they are ever going to be able to get the perspective to be self-reflective of how they are being influenced to think of themselves, and others? How do you think you came to acquire that skill? And how can we facilitate the development of that skill in youth today? Should not English class in High School be concerned not only with story telling/writing and listening/reading, but with awareness and analyzing language for its underlying coded messages, and the effects on the writer/teller?Thanks for your thoughts.
~ Claudia
janine fleming
June 1, 2016 — 2:59 pm
Thanks, Claudia. Your questions are quite insightful. I’ll try to answer them one by one.
* 1. I wonder how on earth they are ever going to be able to get the perspective to be self-reflective of how they are being influenced to think of themselves, and others?
Children and youth are remarkably astute. They pick up on our attitudes and behaviours towards others and will question us when what we say doesn’t line up with how we act.
I think the best way to combat the “one story” battle is to learn how to engage with the stories of others on our own first. This means approaching each individual as just that: an individual human being with a unique story. Sure, stereotypes can be helpful in analyzing data or making predictions… but when it comes to interacting with a fellow human being, I think it is super important to approach each person as a story.
We meet people at various chapters in their lives. So, just because they’re in a certain chapter now, doesn’t mean they’ll be in that chapter later. And just because they had a chapter in their past, doesn’t mean that defines them now. In this way, we allow ourselves to read each person as a chapter in an ongoing story. And as we do, we build our own understanding of the diversity of humanity and the beauty of each individual.
As we model this to our children, they will see an example of a life that is consistent–what you say about respecting others is reflected in your respectful attitude and behaviour towards them. For the most part, kids will learn from this faster than from any curriculum or well-planned lesson.
* 2. How do you think you came to acquire that skill?
I guess by seeing each individual person (including myself) as a story. The chapter I’m in now is not the chapter I was in before, or the chapter I’ll be in later. I allow myself the freedom to change my opinions, beliefs, and even values as I learn from those around me.
* 3. And how can we facilitate the development of that skill in youth today? Should not English class in High School be concerned not only with story telling/writing and listening/reading, but with awareness and analyzing language for its underlying coded messages, and the effects on the writer/teller?
I think I answered this in #1… but I would say the best teacher is one who has worked on themselves first. The more well-rounded, informed, and genuine you are inside, the more well-rounded, informed, and genuine your classroom environment will be–and hopefully this will rub off a bit on your students.
StefanieMichaud
June 1, 2016 — 5:29 pm
Hi Janine!
I loved reading AND listening to your story. It was a wonderful way to experience it.
I understand where you’re coming from when you mention being surprised at your story perpetuating misogyny. I also identify as a feminist and on a daily basis notice myself and others around me mistakingly perpetuating stereotypes and binaries. The patriarchy is engrained into myself and many others and as time goes on I understand more and more how that affects habitual thoughts and actions. Knowing how growing up in a patriarchal society affects myself and others who are very aware of these types of issues allows me to have a better understanding of those who are not aware of the issues and how easy it is to fall into actions that perpetuate gender stereotypes and binaries.
I think the most important thing is to be aware and address these habits as you did.
Thank you for an interesting read!
~Stef~
janine fleming
June 2, 2016 — 9:59 am
Hi Stef,
Thanks for listening to my story and for your empathy. It is so crazy to think that regardless of what we think we believe and value, our thoughts are still held captive by the prejudices of the societies we live in. Claudia mentioned above how important self-reflection is as a tool for combating this phenomenon, and I couldn’t agree more. It sounds like, from what you’ve written, this would be your feeling, too. It’s nice knowing I’m not the only one struggling with this. 🙂
Janine