So this, for me, is a makeup blog post. I know, Gretchen, you said to just comment on others so it’s not so blatantly obvious but I promise I’ll make this good and juicy so it’s worthwhile.
Has anyone ever considered the idea that Notre Dame is in itself, is very analogous to a fairy tale? It has elements of magic, has a mythical creature as its icon, a golden palace (well you might as well equate it to a palace). It’s associated with its own rise tale, the story of Rudy, and has ambiance that seems to convey the idea that anything is possible. It most certainly is associated with the idea of rags to riches, of an individual overcoming adversity and all obstacles to achieve success. Within that is some element of magic, something that is planted in the back of our minds that tells us if things are really bad, some magical force will pull us through…maybe a fairy godmother?
You have to admit there was a hint of this feeling in each and every one of us when we received that acceptance letter in the mail. And now that graduation is approaching, and we’ve spent four years here, I’m wondering: do you still feel the same? Has the feeling gone away? Has it been hidden somewhere deep inside you and is creeping back with the sentimental feelings of graduation?
Much like how we grow to realize that the Disney versions are not true to real life, for me, the fairy tale has faded. You could almost say that Anne Sexton has swooped in and rewritten it. There are still some remnants of wishes to the fairy godmother up on the dome and hoping that things don’t end when the clock on the basilica strikes twelve, but for the most part my fairy tale has now moved into the realm of a modern retelling. It is not pessimistic, but rather just realistic about the way things really are, and real life is waiting around the corner, and at the end of the day, a girl’s gotta get herself prepared for what comes after the fairy tale wedding.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Unfortunately Colleen, your blog post was the first one I saw and as such you have the privilege of hearing my somewhat to completely asshole-ish comments as it relates to your post. First of all, I love Notre Dame but the idea of the Notre Dame as a rise tale is kind of laughable especially in the context of the story of Rudy. A rise tale would seem to imply that Rudy seemingly came from nothing to make something of himself. In reality, he was a rather unintelligent individual (albeit he had dyslexia) who failed to get into Notre Dame on 3 previous occasions at a time when Notre Dame was not particularly academically rigorous. His big moment comes when he gets into a football game for 2 plays and one the second play manages to get a sack (probably because the other team didn’t see his hobbit sized self). The rise tale is usually reserved for someone who becomes royalty or finds happily ever after from meager beginnings. He admittedly did get to play for Notre Dame in a football game (something which I’ll never do) but to suggest that his is a modern rise tale seems like hyperbole at best. Also again not to be overly critical but if you actually believe that Notre Dame offers the prospect of a rags to riches story you are puffing the magic dragon. While there are certainly a number of people who come from meager beginnings a vast majority are white, upper middle class to outright rich folks who have never had to work a day in their life (and just for clarity’s sake I include myself in this characterization). As to answering some of your questions, the luster on the Dome has not diminished for me in a metaphorical sense. This place is special and always will be to me. Though I may hate a number of the students and think disparagingly of some campus figures (see: Father John Jenkins), I think this place has a unique magic unto itself. However, that magic for me is not applicable in the fairy tale sense.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the Keenan Revue freshman year? There was a "Catholic Disney World" song set to "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. Let's just say: Colleen for the win.
ReplyDelete