If you were are a fairy tale character and creature, which would you be? Choose from any canon, but please identify which one. I'll start!
Growing up, I felt trapped in my home. I was expected to perform in a proper, feminine way. I was to grow up and marry a man from my parent's country. I was not allowed to indulge my interests in the culture I lived in (American), and was redirected to items, interests and objects from the culture I was expected to marry into and further.
When I saw Disney's The Little Mermaid for the first time, I knew that telling of her story was mine. She was the character I most identified with nearly until I was out of my home as an adult. I still sing "Part of Your World" as a way to calm myself.
Would I have given up my voice to an evil sea witch to escape my family? Yes, absolutely. I had no voice at home anyway. I was constantly silenced when I expressed my interests and wishes and had learned to express myself through writing or find friends in books.
But what about the prince part of the equation? Well, I never bought the whole "someday my prince will come" spiel. I'm a believer that we have to rescue ourselves. I became that way watching my mother repeatedly almost change our situation.
She could have done it--removed us from abuse, but she was very much Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She always saw potential in place of reality and kept herself bound to my father based on what he could one day be rather than what he daily was. I'm not saying Belle has Battered Woman Syndrome, but that is one reading of her character. Like my mother, she is also highly intelligent, positive, stubborn and loves books. At least in the Disney telling.
Another fairy tale creature I identify with is a nymph. Google defines "nymph" as:a mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations.
In writing, nymphs tend to gather in groups and be content in their own beauty. While body love has been a challenge for me, and I'm not wonderfully social, I am still very drawn to these creatures as a metaphor of self-expression.
Mary Poppins - altho not a fairy tale that's what I have been called.
I more identify with Peppermint Patty from the Charlie Brown gang. :)
Why are you called Mary Poppins? That's so interesting to me. Peppermint Patty is also. I'm guessing between the two you are a person who likes to be in control?
Oh, that would take a LONG conversation but the short version is - I am supposedly (note the word supposedly) practically perfect in every way....so NOT me. Re Peppermint Patty - my husband calls me Sir...and Peppermint Patty is called Sir by her friends and she is kind of a hippie, laid back, logical, wears berks and has red hair. There is always a bigger back story to these things isn't there? I enjoyed reading yours. We have some things in common.
Aha! That makes sense. I had Peppermint Patty and Lucy confused in my mind. I love these reasons! I don't know that I have ever been told I am like a character from a story or a book. I'm sure I have a fairy tale reflection somewhere!
You do! You're the Little Mermaid. I didn't have a voice either. I'm still trying to figure that out. I really enjoyed your post and your background story. I am following you now and look forward to reading more.
I suppose that's true! LOL
I love your post. In the early 90s I was at Glastonbury, stoned and I kept thinking of my friends in terms of fairy tale characters. They looked normal but their behaviour reminded me of all manner of creatures.
That's just like Alice in Wonderland.....that cake she ate wasn't just cake.....:)
Aha! @cathi-xx are you Alice? ;)
I made a special carrot cake but we forgot about it and it spent the whole of Glastonbury in the boot of a car. About 8 of us had it when we arrived home on the Monday evening and then we went down the local pub but one by one we all had to leave and go home-it made us all a bit mental for half an hour. Double baked-lol.
That sounds like fun and funny. Ha! Did any good ones come to mind?
I think it was just generic like dwarfs, elves, leprechauns etc