One of my guilty pleasures is watching Greek. I was pretty happy when last week they had an episode called "I know what you did last semester" (Season 3, Episode 11 if anyone wants to watch it). In this episode, they are having a fairytale ball fundraiser for the one sorority whose house got burned down. The sorority who accidentally burned down their house decides that they will all go and support the fundraiser. One of the main characters, Rebecca, is not too thrilled about being forced to go to this ball. She brings up the fact that most fairy tales started out not having a happy ending and specifically mentions Sleeping Beauty being raped by Prince charming.
All throughout the rest of the show, their are a variety of references to fairy tales, such as going costume shopping to find the perfect princess dress for each girl, decorating for the ball and then all of the actual characters at the ball. In an act of protest, Rebecca dresses up at the Evil Queen. She ends up meeting up with another fairytale villain, Evan dressed up as the Big Bad Wolf.
I think overall the fairytale ball was used as a frame for the plot line, in which in the episode itself there were stories that had happy endings (Cappy and Casey), sad endings (Ashleigh and Fisher) and some in between endings (Rebecca and Evan as well as Calvin and Grant). I think it is representative of the various interpretations of fairy tales and the fact that while we are all most familiar with the Disney versions with the happy endings, not all versions have the happy endings.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Rapping Up A Fairy Tale
As I am a purveyor of all things relevant rap music, I was recently surprised to find that one of the songs that I just recently downloaded (legally, of course) had at least one and possibly two allusions to the subject of fairy tales. First of all, here is the youtube link to the song Ooh Aah by the Grits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-yCg-0-baE . One of the relevant lyrics is as follows:
It's times like these that make me say,
Lord if you see me please come my way.
Leavin bread crumbs for when I stray
Clearly, this calls to mind the story of Hansel and Gretel and the various versions of the story. However, what I find especially interesting is that the rappers largely ignore the point of the story. Leaving bread crumbs as reflected in the story is what caused Hansel and Gretel to become lost after they were left in the woods by their parents. There are two possible interpretations obviously as either the rappers ignored the story and were just generally ignorant (always a solid bet as I am fairly certain Lil Wayne is illiterate) or they believe that their path is meant to deviate from what life is prescribed to them by others. Regardless of the intent of the lyric, this idea is also fascinating because it combines the idea of religion with fairy tales, which to this point has been intentionally avoided. For this particular rap song, religious imagery abounds so it is especially interesting that the authors also sought to put in an allusion to a fairy tale. The other lyric that I could be an allusion is as follows:
Rollin down the hills cause life's a hassle
Encircled by my folly like a moat surround a castle
Without the inclusion of the other fairy tale, I would probably argue that this allusion was weak at best but it seems like a bit of word play meant to call to mind the story of Jack and Jill. Though neither of these references may seem particularly consequential, the fact that fairy tales are such a universal part of our culture that they pop up in something as banal as a rap song is relatively impressive. One of the hallmarks of good rapping is the ability to seamlessly blend aspects of culture into a coherent song, something that the Grits do extremely effectively in this case.
It's times like these that make me say,
Lord if you see me please come my way.
Leavin bread crumbs for when I stray
Clearly, this calls to mind the story of Hansel and Gretel and the various versions of the story. However, what I find especially interesting is that the rappers largely ignore the point of the story. Leaving bread crumbs as reflected in the story is what caused Hansel and Gretel to become lost after they were left in the woods by their parents. There are two possible interpretations obviously as either the rappers ignored the story and were just generally ignorant (always a solid bet as I am fairly certain Lil Wayne is illiterate) or they believe that their path is meant to deviate from what life is prescribed to them by others. Regardless of the intent of the lyric, this idea is also fascinating because it combines the idea of religion with fairy tales, which to this point has been intentionally avoided. For this particular rap song, religious imagery abounds so it is especially interesting that the authors also sought to put in an allusion to a fairy tale. The other lyric that I could be an allusion is as follows:
Rollin down the hills cause life's a hassle
Encircled by my folly like a moat surround a castle
Without the inclusion of the other fairy tale, I would probably argue that this allusion was weak at best but it seems like a bit of word play meant to call to mind the story of Jack and Jill. Though neither of these references may seem particularly consequential, the fact that fairy tales are such a universal part of our culture that they pop up in something as banal as a rap song is relatively impressive. One of the hallmarks of good rapping is the ability to seamlessly blend aspects of culture into a coherent song, something that the Grits do extremely effectively in this case.
Lady Gaga's Monster Ball
Lady Gaga is an artist who clearly embodies the disco culture of the 21st Century. Her biography is clearly a modern-day Cinderella story: She was originally known for singing in low-key New York nightclubs and is now a multi-platinum selling artist with five number one pop hits. Her world tour, "Monster Ball," plays on a popular fairy tale motif that is central to the plot of Cinderella; the ball.
In fairy tales, the ball is an exclusive social event to which one must wear a fabulous gown. Cinderella must also work very diligently - cleaning up after her entire household and living in squalor for years, in addition the the work she must do the night of the ball - in order to receive an invitation to and, more importantly, the means to attend the ball. At the ball, Cinderella meets a prince who allows her to rise from her life in servitude and live as a wealthy, beautiful princess.
Gaga's tour theme represents many of the things that the ball in Cinderella is supposed to embody, and it does so with a bit of 21st century American flash and style. The concert is a huge production organized by the hard work of Gaga and her team, "Haus of Gaga." Similarly to the fairy tale, a lot goes into the production of the ball, including elaborate sets and fabulous costumes by world-famous designers. Obviously producing music is hard work as well. Gaga's reward for putting on her ball is the cheers (and cash) of her adoring fans who span the globe. The fans are like Lady Gaga's "prince," in that their following of her music has allowed her to rise from relatively unknown clubs in NYC to global stardom, just as Cinderella's prince carried her from life as a servant to life as a princess.
Lady Gaga's fairy tale is truly an "American" version of Cinderella because her own creativity and entrepreneurship, along with her natural talent for writing and singing music, has brought her to a position of "pop royalty." Additionally, the theme of her ball is quite unique. In an interview with Ellen Degeneres, Gaga explained that the monster represents a person's innermost personal traits - the ones that she may be uncomfortable displaying in front of her friends because they are counter-cultural or abnormal - and that the ball is a place where each of Gaga's fans can feel comfortable being her true self. Gaga also invites fans to be themselves by leading by example and always dressing and acting in the way that suits her best, despite whether or not popular culture supports her fashion and personal choices. The concept of being yourself and acting uniquely is also inherently American, and, again, the "Monster Ball" is certainly an American-style fairy tale.
Fairy Tale Reversal
Sadly, I must admit that last week when I was flipping lazily through the TV channels, I happened to stumble upon Sweet Home Alabama. I left it on for a few minutes, mainly out of the frustration I was having at finding nothing better on the other 200 channels my house has. Within 5 minutes of watching though, I realized that I had my first blog material. Melanie Smooter (Reese Witherspoon) is bringing her mother up to speend on the current happenings in her life. While I do not know the names of the men they discuss, Melanie relaties her current love life. Apparently, she is dating a guy who seems to be according to both herself and her mom little more than trailer park trash. Her mom laments this situation, and asks what happened to an old fling. Melanie quickly dismisses that as a lost cause and nothing more than a memory. Saddened, her mom laments that their relationship would have been a "match made in heaven," continuing on about how he had political power, a revered and rich family, and a law degree.
What I found most interesting about this besides the "match made in heaven" quote that automatically made me think about fairy tales, was the reversal in the normal fairy tale plot. Rather than lamenting this loss of the "perfect guy," Melanie instead dismisses him as the wrong guy, and makes it quite clear that he was the wrong guy, and that those "great" characteristics her mom described are irrelevant in love. I just found it quite interesting that the things usually described in the fairy tales as prerequisites for love - money, good looks, fame - were actually looked down upon by Melanie. I did not watch the movie all the way through, so for all I know that could have just been to set up the plot and she madly ends up falling in love with him anyways, in which case my whole argument would be severely weakened. However, at the very least, I can definitely claim that the characteristics described in most "prince charmings" of our fairy tales were not enough for Melanie in Sweet Home Alabama.
What I found most interesting about this besides the "match made in heaven" quote that automatically made me think about fairy tales, was the reversal in the normal fairy tale plot. Rather than lamenting this loss of the "perfect guy," Melanie instead dismisses him as the wrong guy, and makes it quite clear that he was the wrong guy, and that those "great" characteristics her mom described are irrelevant in love. I just found it quite interesting that the things usually described in the fairy tales as prerequisites for love - money, good looks, fame - were actually looked down upon by Melanie. I did not watch the movie all the way through, so for all I know that could have just been to set up the plot and she madly ends up falling in love with him anyways, in which case my whole argument would be severely weakened. However, at the very least, I can definitely claim that the characteristics described in most "prince charmings" of our fairy tales were not enough for Melanie in Sweet Home Alabama.
Jonas Brother's Fairy Tale Wedding
On December 18th, Kevin Jonas and Danielle Deleasa tied the knot in fairy tale fashion. In the Oheka Castle in Long Island, New York, they joined with family and friends as they celebrated their marriage in a room decorated as an enchanted forest complete with fake snow to create a winter wonderland effect. Although Danielle claims she never intended to have such a fantastical wedding, it certainly came about as the planning unraveled. Kevin told People Magazine, “I knew that my princess needed her glass slippers and her castle.”
There is something about the event of a wedding that automatically links itself to fairy tales. This may not be a coincidence, given that many fairy tales require weddings to complete their happy endings. The association of marriage with a happy ending is harmless unless taken as a guarantee for happiness, at which point it becomes problematic. Fairy tales conveniently fail to include the funds and the planning required to create such a wedding. The realization must be made that a fantastical wedding does not guarantee one happiness in their marriage forever, just as we don’t really know if the prince and princess live happily ever after in fairy tales because we never get to see the years following the big wedding.
Just as there is pressure on the bride to create the perfect wedding to ensure the happy marriage, there is most likely an equal pressure that falls on the responsibility of the groom to fulfill his role as the heroic and masculine prince. This role often creates a homophobic atmosphere in which a man must assume certain responsibilities, and lead his bride into her new life with him. This leaves less power in the hands of the bride, as she assumes her role as the passive female in the fairy tale. Granted, not all weddings are taken to such extremes, and not everyone attempts to act our their favorite fairy tale on their big day, but putting such heavy value in these stories can give us a skewed perception of relationships and on gender roles themselves.
Although it seems untruthful to real life, lack of a sneak peak into the future married life of the prince and princess is exactly what makes the fairy tale ambiance so appealing. Omitting to show us life beyond marriage, which is undoubtedly filled with trials and challenges, we are able to continue to associate the fairytale with a sense of innocence, as it does not take on the complications of normal life. Since weddings often signify, in some regard, one’s loss of innocence, and graduation out from under their parents’ care, an attempt to resurrect this feeling of innocence at wedding ceremonies is often seen. Embracing a fairy tale atmosphere accomplishes this goal, while dodging the serious and frightening feelings associated with adulthood.
There is something about the event of a wedding that automatically links itself to fairy tales. This may not be a coincidence, given that many fairy tales require weddings to complete their happy endings. The association of marriage with a happy ending is harmless unless taken as a guarantee for happiness, at which point it becomes problematic. Fairy tales conveniently fail to include the funds and the planning required to create such a wedding. The realization must be made that a fantastical wedding does not guarantee one happiness in their marriage forever, just as we don’t really know if the prince and princess live happily ever after in fairy tales because we never get to see the years following the big wedding.
Just as there is pressure on the bride to create the perfect wedding to ensure the happy marriage, there is most likely an equal pressure that falls on the responsibility of the groom to fulfill his role as the heroic and masculine prince. This role often creates a homophobic atmosphere in which a man must assume certain responsibilities, and lead his bride into her new life with him. This leaves less power in the hands of the bride, as she assumes her role as the passive female in the fairy tale. Granted, not all weddings are taken to such extremes, and not everyone attempts to act our their favorite fairy tale on their big day, but putting such heavy value in these stories can give us a skewed perception of relationships and on gender roles themselves.
Although it seems untruthful to real life, lack of a sneak peak into the future married life of the prince and princess is exactly what makes the fairy tale ambiance so appealing. Omitting to show us life beyond marriage, which is undoubtedly filled with trials and challenges, we are able to continue to associate the fairytale with a sense of innocence, as it does not take on the complications of normal life. Since weddings often signify, in some regard, one’s loss of innocence, and graduation out from under their parents’ care, an attempt to resurrect this feeling of innocence at wedding ceremonies is often seen. Embracing a fairy tale atmosphere accomplishes this goal, while dodging the serious and frightening feelings associated with adulthood.
True Love on "The Bachelor"?
“The Bachelor” emphasizes the romance perpetuated by current fairy tales. Candles and roses are present at almost every date, the contestants fall in love at first sight (they must since the show lasts approximately three months), and the idea of a soul mate is substantiated by the engaged couple. As a result, reality (e.g. work, children, bills, etc.), which rarely interferes with “true love” on “The Bachelor” eventually derails the majority of engaged couples on the show. The engaged couples as well as the “The Bachelor” cult following are shocked when the couple doesn’t walk down the aisle and live “happily ever after.” However, are these breakups truly surprising?
The idea that love alone can overcome difficulties in marriage, childrearing, sickness, and poverty is a false notion perpetuated by fairy tales and “The Bachelor.” While love can propel a couple towards the altar, it is rarely the only factor sustaining long-term relationships. If “The Bachelor” wishes to sell “happily ever after” and not just the illusion of “happily ever after,” the producers should place contestants and their eligible bachelor within the context of their real lives, filled with single parenthood, minimum wage employment, and car payments. But, who would ever watch a genuine reality show that mirrors our own lives, when fairy tales and the lives of princesses, princes, models, and superstars are so much better?
(500) Days of Summer... A Fairytale?
When I think about people having unrealistic expectations about love and happy endings, I think about girls. However, I recently watched (500) Days of Summer, and in this movie it is a male character, Tom, who has the unrealistic expectations, and I found this to be an interesting twist. This movie follows the relationship, and post relationship, between Tom and Summer. Summer is very cynical about love. She even equates love to Santa Claus, something children only believe in until they have experienced enough to know better. Tom believes in true love and "knows" almost from the beginning of the relationship that he loves Summer. He never doubts that he and Summer are meant to be together, and this is why he is so disappointed when she breaks up with him.
There is one specific scene in the movie, just after Tom finds out that Summer is engaged to someone else, where he is walking home, visibly upset, while the song playing in the background keeps repeating "I'm the hero of this story, I don't need to be saved." This was striking because first of all the song was sung by a woman, and also because at that moment Tom clearly does need some saving. This saving comes from his much younger sister who helps him cope with the failed relationship. This is the opposite of what would be expected in a traditional fairytale where it is usually a young girl who needs to be saved and a man who comes to her rescue.
Overall, this movie is a take on the idea of a fairytale romance from a different perspective. In this story it is the man who comes in with the unrealistic expectations about love. He is the one who is shattered when things don't work out and needs help from his friends and sister to bounce back.
It is also interesting that the relationship that is the focal point of the movie, the one between Tom and Summer, does not work out. Instead, the movie ends with both of them having new possibilities for happiness with new partners. And Tom has bounced back to his old optimism and seems ready to once again jump into love. So even though the movie does support some more realistic expectations of love and relationships, it still provides hope for that fairytale ending.
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