Characters:
Sarima: The late wife of Sir Fiyero and Princess of the Arjikis
Elphaba: The travelling groups leader
Six: The unnamed sister of Sarima
Nor: The daughter of Sarima
Within the dwellings of the Princess of the Arjikis, the Princess herself, and her younger sister are curious about the newcomers.
Six: We have house guests coming for supper tonight. Am I to kill the hen?
Sarima: Who is it this time a boring old hag?
Six: No a women!
Sarima: “Now that’s uncalled for,” (Maguire 244) Tell four to catch some fish for this evening.
The references to the numbers of the siblings are; to not mess up the marriage process. The eldest sister is the first to get married, only then may a younger sister take a true name and begin meeting potential lovers. Think; Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice.
Sarima: Tell me, what does she look like?
Six: Thirty and green.
Sarima: Wow. I am interested in seeing this creature… oh I mean meeting this person.
Exit Six
Sarima: “I enjoy welcoming a traveler into the private chambers of Kiamo Ko.” (Maguire 245) However, before they are to visit for dinner, I must put my little ones to bed. Irji -twelve, and Manek - eleven are adventurers but if the ventured too far, some clan would harm them. My daughter on the other hand, Nor, is nine, was childish in many ways. Want to be read a story before being put to bed. Due to the circumstances of a guest newly arrived and dinner is being waited upon, there was no time.
Enter Nor. Tucked in bed. Waiting for a story.
Nor: There was a boy Mum. He said his name was Liir. A queer name. Manek threw a stone at him to see if it would bounce further because he was fat. He said his mother was the green lady, and Irji said he was a bastard. Then he said he didn’t care. Manek made him pull down his pants to check.
Sarima: Well what did you see?
Nor: The normal thing, but it was smaller than Irji and Maneks’. I want to hear the story of the Witch and the fox babies.
Sarima: The Witch captured three fox babies in preparation for her casserole. She put them in cages and went to collect fire from thee sun. When she re-entered the cave the fox babies sang a lullaby and she fell asleep. When the fire fell to the ground it melted the cage doors and the foxes escaped. They howled and the moon came down to cover the entrance to the cave. "Did she ever come out" asked Nor, doing her line from an almost hypnagogic state.
"Not yet," said Sarima, kissing and biting her daughter on the wrist, which made them both giggle, and then lights out.” (Maguire 247)
Exit Nor. Enter Elphaba, waiting to see the Princess.
Sarima: Welcome
Elphaba: Thank you. I am a friend of the late Fiyero. We attended Shiz together.
Sarima: I have heard many good things about you and you other classmates.
Elphaba: I think I am the reason your husband is dead.
Sarima: Aren’t we all?
Elphaba: I must tell you. I need to get it off my chest. Only then may I continue living.
Sarima: No. you were friends with Fiyero, and he talked highly of you. Didn’t you not say that you did not believe in a soul? Then why the need to get it off your chest. Since you have made it clear that you do not want people to know who you are, we will all refer to you as Auntie Guest.
Elphaba is silent during the meal.
There are many references during this chapter. The first is noted within the stage directions. The giving numbers to the younger sisters is only done when there are many girls within a family and there are only so many men to go around. The older sisters are the ones to have the option first and the younger sisters must wait until the older ones get married.
The second reference is to the evil witch. Is this a foreshadowing? Quite possibly. Also, the animals in this story could be an outcome of; Elphaba’s ruling over her animals.
The final reference in this chapter is; Auntie Guest. This is not a direct reference, but it is strange how the Princess gives the name to Elphaba because a character in the movie; Auntie Em, is a kind gentle soul who is the guardian of Dorothy.
Maguire, Gregory. Wicked . New York City: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995. 406. Print. <http://books.google.com/books/feeds/volumes?q=wicked>.
The Wizard of Oz. Dir. Victor Fleming. Perf. Garland, Judy. 1939. Film. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/>.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
The Wicked Witch is Alive!
“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” (The Wizard of Oz)
Is Elphaba home? She is now in the territory of her secret lover, but the circumstances are different. When she had last seen Fiyero, it was seven years age, and he was last mentioned in the book as being beat up by the Gale Forcers. Could their relationship have changed based on that factor rather than the drastic time change? Or how is their relationship going to be perused, presuming that they still have some form of relationship, now that Fiyero’s wife is in the picture? When they were last together, his wife was far away and the only change that she was going to find out about the relationship was if someone had found out and told her. Other wise she would not have known.
One last question from English Class:
What is you favourite character…because…
My favourite character is Boq because I loved her perseverance throughout his rejection with Glinda. He was so strong and did not give up on what he wanted. Although the times change and he lost his crush on her, he was still able to have a functioning friendship with her. He was also so helpful with Elphie, and everyone he encountered. He was also willing to put in the time and the effort to help find the murderer of Doctor Dillamond. For those reasons, that is why he my favourite.
I also think that him being a Munchkinland would make him shorter than the rest of the characters, so it is easy to think of him a smaller brother. (No pun intended) I enjoy visualizing what his character would be doing in the descriptive sections of the book. Not only the sections he was in but the tougher situations that other characters are in. such as, travelling to the Vinkus. If it were not for the Caravan, they would be walking everywhere, and seeing how Boq would be walking slower than everyone else and him falling behind would make him want to walk faster and persevere.
The Wizard of Oz. Dir. Victor Fleming. Perf. Garland, Judy. 1939. Film. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/>.
Is Elphaba home? She is now in the territory of her secret lover, but the circumstances are different. When she had last seen Fiyero, it was seven years age, and he was last mentioned in the book as being beat up by the Gale Forcers. Could their relationship have changed based on that factor rather than the drastic time change? Or how is their relationship going to be perused, presuming that they still have some form of relationship, now that Fiyero’s wife is in the picture? When they were last together, his wife was far away and the only change that she was going to find out about the relationship was if someone had found out and told her. Other wise she would not have known.
One last question from English Class:
What is you favourite character…because…
My favourite character is Boq because I loved her perseverance throughout his rejection with Glinda. He was so strong and did not give up on what he wanted. Although the times change and he lost his crush on her, he was still able to have a functioning friendship with her. He was also so helpful with Elphie, and everyone he encountered. He was also willing to put in the time and the effort to help find the murderer of Doctor Dillamond. For those reasons, that is why he my favourite.
I also think that him being a Munchkinland would make him shorter than the rest of the characters, so it is easy to think of him a smaller brother. (No pun intended) I enjoy visualizing what his character would be doing in the descriptive sections of the book. Not only the sections he was in but the tougher situations that other characters are in. such as, travelling to the Vinkus. If it were not for the Caravan, they would be walking everywhere, and seeing how Boq would be walking slower than everyone else and him falling behind would make him want to walk faster and persevere.
The Wizard of Oz. Dir. Victor Fleming. Perf. Garland, Judy. 1939. Film. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/>.
The Voyage Out Part 4
The group has begun moving on with their journey. In the previous chapter, before Nastoya, asked the four main people from the group why they were travelling. Igo’s answer was; “A place to die where I can rest, and my spirit go abroad,” The beginning of this chapter reveals that he has found his resting place. He was buried in a sandy mound.
In the novel Le Compte De Monte-Cristo (The French version, novel study.) the captain of the ship dies while at sea. The shipmates give him a proper at sea burial. The tie a heavy piece of metal to him to weigh him down and place his body into the water. Igo’s burial do not indicate much other than he was buried in a sandy mound. This could mean that he was close to water as well. Water signifying emotions, a rebirth, and a representation of death.
The group is continuing to make its way to the Vinkus, and they have just reached the Great Kells. Does that sound familiar? It should. Remember Fiyero? This is the tribe he is the Prince of. On the way there, something catches Elphie’s eye in the water. She decides to rescue it. Coincidentally it is a monkey. (Finally!) This she names him Chistery based off of the noise he makes.
Liir has picked on Elphie for having so many animals. She has crows for Nastoya, a monkey, bees, and the cooks dog. Hopefully the
Kiamo Ko people will let her and the travelling group she is in, stay for a while.
In the novel Le Compte De Monte-Cristo (The French version, novel study.) the captain of the ship dies while at sea. The shipmates give him a proper at sea burial. The tie a heavy piece of metal to him to weigh him down and place his body into the water. Igo’s burial do not indicate much other than he was buried in a sandy mound. This could mean that he was close to water as well. Water signifying emotions, a rebirth, and a representation of death.
The group is continuing to make its way to the Vinkus, and they have just reached the Great Kells. Does that sound familiar? It should. Remember Fiyero? This is the tribe he is the Prince of. On the way there, something catches Elphie’s eye in the water. She decides to rescue it. Coincidentally it is a monkey. (Finally!) This she names him Chistery based off of the noise he makes.
Liir has picked on Elphie for having so many animals. She has crows for Nastoya, a monkey, bees, and the cooks dog. Hopefully the
Kiamo Ko people will let her and the travelling group she is in, stay for a while.
Next Time...
That last chapter was so much better. It made sense and kept me awake while reading it. J I am just kidding.
The story progressed at a well pace and the plotline that I was looking for has been somewhat revealed. In this chapter, because it is the last section before a new chapter begins, there will be a shocking piece of information revealed.
Here is another question from English class:
At first I thought but now I think ….
At first I thought that the story was going to be narrated by Elphaba, but now after over ¾ of this book, I am just realising that the beginning of the story in other people’s perceptions allowed the reader to form a better opinion of Elphaba, before the story begins to be narrated by her. If the entire story had only been narrated by her, I think that my opinion would be very different than what I think of her right now. She could have seemed more evil, rather than an experienced and knowledgeable student that is exploring the Land of Oz for the first time, everyday of her life. She is learning with everything she does. She also fixes her mistakes and tries to make them better in the future. Such as the relationship with Fiyero. She corrected herself in the intimate and argumentative, conversations they had.
This next chapter is going to be good. (It is also a short one too)
The story progressed at a well pace and the plotline that I was looking for has been somewhat revealed. In this chapter, because it is the last section before a new chapter begins, there will be a shocking piece of information revealed.
Here is another question from English class:
At first I thought but now I think ….
At first I thought that the story was going to be narrated by Elphaba, but now after over ¾ of this book, I am just realising that the beginning of the story in other people’s perceptions allowed the reader to form a better opinion of Elphaba, before the story begins to be narrated by her. If the entire story had only been narrated by her, I think that my opinion would be very different than what I think of her right now. She could have seemed more evil, rather than an experienced and knowledgeable student that is exploring the Land of Oz for the first time, everyday of her life. She is learning with everything she does. She also fixes her mistakes and tries to make them better in the future. Such as the relationship with Fiyero. She corrected herself in the intimate and argumentative, conversations they had.
This next chapter is going to be good. (It is also a short one too)
The Voyage Out Part 3
This chapter starts off on a good note. The group meets a new tribe; Scrow. (Sounds like scarecrow, only shortened.) There are only a few of them, and they take Elphie, the rafiqi, Igo, and Pinchweed to meet the Princess. Princess Nastoya, is not your average princess, she is “filthiest, least-educated princess anyone had ever seen,” (Maguire 235) Unlike the Disney princesses that the media has stereotype as being young women, that are perfect in every way possible. Such as; they a petite, their makeup is not too overdone, but they do have some on, their skin is flawless, they always wear elaborate outfits - normally dresses, and they speak with intelligence. This princess has no of that. This is because this is not a princess, she is an elephant. Somehow a spell has been cast upon her, and she informs Elphie that she too is under a spell. Nastoya helps Elphie by giving her three crows, and telling her that she is now a witch in hiding. (Finally a interlude into the title of this book!)
Elphaba takes this rather hard, claiming she does not want to be a witch. Nastoya also tells Elphie that she has been using magic all along. Refering to the incidence with the cook.
“Something told those bees to kill the cook,” (Maguire 239) It is funny how something so strange can happen when there is magic involved. Another line that is crucial to the rest of the novels and connects well with the first part of the novel as well is;
“Remember this: Nothing is written in the stars. Not these stars, nor any others. No one controls your destiny.” (Maguire 239)
This quote is important because it is explaining to Elphie, that no one can control her. No one other than her has the power to change her future. She needs to set out her future for herself. It is not up to other people to tell her what to do with her life. This line is also referring to M. Morrible, and how she cast the spell upon Elphie.
Elphaba takes this rather hard, claiming she does not want to be a witch. Nastoya also tells Elphie that she has been using magic all along. Refering to the incidence with the cook.
“Something told those bees to kill the cook,” (Maguire 239) It is funny how something so strange can happen when there is magic involved. Another line that is crucial to the rest of the novels and connects well with the first part of the novel as well is;
“Remember this: Nothing is written in the stars. Not these stars, nor any others. No one controls your destiny.” (Maguire 239)
This quote is important because it is explaining to Elphie, that no one can control her. No one other than her has the power to change her future. She needs to set out her future for herself. It is not up to other people to tell her what to do with her life. This line is also referring to M. Morrible, and how she cast the spell upon Elphie.
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