The world as we know it used to be a desert. The land was quite bare and flat, thanks to wind erosion. Evidence of past life littered the earth, but it had all been destroyed. Despite its appearance, the world was a peaceful and quiet place. But not for long.
There were several hundred people that survived a mass extinction. Undoubtedly, they were the strongest of the strongest, brightest of the brightest, smartest of the smartest. They learned from the past by not making the same mistakes as their ancestors. They also used their abilities and knowledge to make the world into a place where everyone strived for good. This would be passed down to future generations.
Every so often, the people would gather around a bonfire for meetings. Everyone always looked forward to this, as food and drink were shared. They contributed ideas and stories. Laughter and smiles were always plentiful. It was all in good nature.
However, something peculiar happened. It was a clear and starry night. The wind was especially strong, which made the gathering rather dusty. Among the people, a small, usually quiet child broke their silence. This child was born into the post-extinction era with no experience of the past life. They were only 4 or 5 years old. As we all know, children’s imaginations can run wild. Without any thought, the child told everyone a story in which was full of evils.
It was a crowd stunner. Everyone was speechless. Nobody understood where it came from. What happened? Where did that come from? But it was too late. A strong gust of wind picked up the story. There was no way of getting it back. The wind carried the story with the sand, which blinded everyone’s eyes.
My experience
Initially, I struggled with grasping the instructions of this week’s assignment. Retelling somebody else’s story and adding my own details to it? How? It was something I’ve never done before, not on a conscious level, anyways. I think many people can agree that this is rarely encouraged in academia, if ever. I felt like I was asking a stupid question when I asked for clarification over Facebook! It also took me quite a bit of time to come up with some ideas. Even then, I found myself drawing inspiration from written stories that I’ve read. Incase you can’t tell, I have a thing for young adult/dystopian fiction.
I realized that I was careful in planning out the details of my story before telling it to my brother. In other words, I really had to think before I spoke. I was more conscious about how certain details (ie: biological sex) can influence the audience without the storyteller realizing it. That was why I avoided using any names and steered away from distinguishing the sexes. Like Leslie Silko’s story of how evil came into the world, I tried to make the characters as neutral as possible. By doing so, everyone can relate and fit into the story, and not just certain groups.
Overall, this peculiar assignment has made me be more vigilant about the things I speak and write. This morning, I came across a CBC News article about the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation chief in Manitoba not accepting an apology over a racist travel brochure. Brent Fleck, co-owner of the Laurie River Lodge said that “after reading the paragraph in my trip planning guide I have to agree that, despite the fact that it was not intended to offend anyone, it could be taken in that context” (CBC News, “Chief Rejects Fishing Lodge Owner’s Apology Over Racist Brochure”). This only reinforces how we should all be careful about the types of stories we tell! “After all, for once a story is told, it cannot be called back. Once told, it is loose in the world” (King 10).
Works Cited
“Chief Rejects Fishing Lodge Owner’s Apology Over Racist Brochure.” Manitoba- CBC News. CBC News, 29 May 2014. Web. 29 May 2014.
King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2003. Print.
Turner, Graham. “Bonfire”. Photograph. “How to Avoid a Spike in Hedgehog Deaths on Bonfire Night.” theguardian.com, n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.
Krystle Coughlin
May 30, 2014 — 11:25 am
Wow, that CBC link you posted was a great example of how evil cannot be undone.
It is surprising that racism still exists, and that people are so quick to shame the perpetrator.
I’m personally curious about the popularity of apologies lately. It seems like it has become expectant and institutionalized – politicians apologizing to the public for their personal use of illicit drugs, or their affairs, and lets not forget the residential school apology from Stephen Harper June 11, 2006….
But in the case of apologies, sometimes it seems that just acknowledging the incident (evil) lets people know that it existed. In the case of residential schools, many Canadians don’t know what they were, why they happened, and what impact it left on the nation – but the apology, and the truth and reconciliation movement are working towards better education and information (albeit, the philosophy behind ‘reconciliation’ is mis-led and part of nationalist propaganda). But in the case of the brochure… it seems that even the best intentions to undo damages done only makes the situation worse for both parties.
jennyho
May 31, 2014 — 7:19 pm
Hi Krystle- in response to your comment about apologies, I find that the use of the words “I apologize” is more frequently used than “I’m sorry”. My history teacher in high school first pointed this out to my class. To me, the words “I apologize” come off as more generic and cold. “I’m sorry” assumes some degree of ownership/responsibility, at least more than the words “I apologize”, anyways.
Some examples I can think of:
Todd Bertuzzi’s apology to Steve Moore- http://youtu.be/djZ9_bo3e84?t=50s
Tiger Woods’ infamous “I’m Deeply Sorry” speech- http://youtu.be/uc02ZEPJuF8
And of course, you already mentioned Stephen Harper’s 2008 apology. I agree with you on how apologies are pretty much expected, when pretty much defeats the purpose of them. I mean, Rob Ford made so many apologies that they mean nothing anymore!
Krystle Coughlin
May 30, 2014 — 11:27 am
Okay so the Harper residential school apology was June 11 2008, not 2006. Sorry bout the mistake!
Elissa Woo
June 2, 2014 — 3:59 pm
Hello Jenny,
I love how you built upon an idea of mass extinction What I really enjoyed about you using this was that it meant the world would, more or less, be a clean slate; a world where people wanted to spread greater good and where there was laughter, happiness, and cheers abound. I think it is this very idea that makes the twist–a young child telling a story that shocks and blinds everyone (literally and metaphorically)–brilliant. The added ambiance of a desert and the dust just felt, for lack of better words, “right.” It felt like the perfect backdrop.
The shortness and straightforwardness of your story was also very intriguingly magnificent. Something I realized after a dialogue with Fidelia was that in oral stories, it needs to be just that: short and straightforward. I felt like I was right there, being pulled in, and then suddenly repulsed and pushed away in one fell swoop. And I loved that about your piece.
Another thing that I really loved that you did was in the end of the story:
“As we all know, children’s imaginations can run wild. Without any thought, the child told everyone a story in which was full of evils.
It was a crowd stunner. Everyone was speechless. Nobody understood where it came from. What happened? Where did that come from? But it was too late.”
I felt there was a kind of duality in this, despite it being said that the child told a story of evil. The reason I say this is because it reminds me of William Blake’s “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” where one quote really resounded with me: “The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” How I saw this quote was that there is an implication of excess leading to greater knowledge to a potential fault. With this in mind, I took it as there being too much good in the world hence perhaps the story that the child told was too good that it shocked everyone speechless. It was so good that it was inherently evil. In this way, I think it does sort of act in line with the CBC link you posted (very interesting read, by the way!) that “it could be taken in that context”–in this case, in the context that is was too good that it was evil.
Or I’m over analyzing way too much and, as you had it in your story, the story was just evil.
Either way, I really loved your story!
jennyho
June 2, 2014 — 5:36 pm
Hi Elissa, thanks for your comment! One of the things I was concerned about was putting in too many details, because I thought I would forget them all! I also didn’t want the main point of the story getting lost in the extra stuff. But I read your story and I really admire you for all the details you put in! Overall, I’d say that oral storytelling is difficult and requires more finesse and skill than I originally thought!
Also: not sure why, but I had to approve your comment first!
erikapaterson
June 5, 2014 — 11:19 am
:0 🙂 Thank you