L. Frank Baum

I greatly enjoyed learning about L. Frank Baum. He seems a very kind, jovial man who loved his family and life in general. I hope you'll enjoy hearing about him as mech as I did.

     Early Life

Lyman Frank Baum was born May 15, 1856 to a wealthy family in Chittenago, New York. He grew up a bit pampered, having English tutors brought in for his education and receiving every luxury. One thing Baum loved above all else was reading. He would inhale anything from Dickens to Shakespeare. 

Baum married Maud Gage when he was 26 and began his favourite part of life: family life. Baum adored his children and would spend hours with them. They were his greatest sounding-board for stories. Through his children, he found out what elements were good, what weren't. This would lead him to success.

     Writing Career

Baum's first taste of writing began when his father gave him his own printing press for his fourteenth birthday. Baum was ecstatic to begin his own family newspaper. 

From the very beginning, writing was always a side job. Baum was never the successful businessman. He want through several jobs such as raising chickens, running a game store, as well an extensive dream in theatre. He still loved to write, so he would write the occasional newspaper article as well a column on being a husband, co-written with his wife. Eventually he became the editor of an unsuccessful newspaper the Aberdeen Sunday Pioneer. This gave him the chance to write whatever he wished, but after three years he had little to show for it financially. He had to move on.

Over the years, Baum published a couple books such as The Art of Decorating Dry Goods Windows and Interiors. Needless to say, they didn't sell well. It wasn't until later in life that his mother-in-law encouraged him to write down the stories he told his children. That is how the road to Oz began.

     The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

For a while, Baum was thinking of his greatest story yet. Various elements of his life wormed their way into his story of a girl named Dorothy. At this time he lived in Chicago and marvelled at their White City, a section of the waterfront built for the 1893 World's Fair. Baum and his family visited it several times, and it inspired his Emerald City. The strong female characters in Oz were inspired by his wife. As the daughter of a leading suffragette, Maud gave Baum little choice but to believe in equal rights for women. The name for Oz was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment thing. As he was telling one of his adventures, a little girl asked where all these fabulous creatures lived. Hurriedly looking around, Baum spotted a filing cabinet with drawers labelled A-N and O-Z. "Why, Oz of course!" was his reply.

When The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900, Baum had finally found the career that would provide for him until the end of his days. Living with his ever-patient wife, he lived out the rest of his life in a large home in California, happy to tell stories to all children who would come.

The man who created the world of Oz was as fun and fanciful as his country. After his death on May 6, 1919, his dream to stimulate the imagination of children."The imaginative child," he wrote, "will become the imaginative man or women most apt to create, to invent, and therefore to foster civilization."

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum

Krull, Kathleen. The Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum. Borzoi Books: New York, 2008

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

This is one of the most famous stories of all time, but I was surprised at how unfamiliar it was to me. All I knew was the 1939 Judy Garland version, which leaves so much of the story out. Be prepared to have your world rocked by the real story as told by the great L. Frank Baum.

     A Brief Synopsis

Dorothy lived on a dull dreary farm in Kansas with her Uncle Henry, Aunt Em, and her little dog Toto. One day a cyclone lifted Dorothy and Toto in their house and took them to the Land of Oz. Dorothy is greeted by an old woman who calls herself the Good Witch of the North. It seems that Dorothy's house has killed the Wicked Witch of the East, freeing the Munchkins from slavery. Wanting nothing more than to return home, Dorothy is directed to the Emerald City where the Wizard of Oz may help her. Before she leaves, the Good Witch kisses Dorothy's forehead, leaving a silver mark of protection as well as giving her the Wicked Witch's silver shoes. With that, Dorothy sets off.

Along the way, Dorothy meets a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodman, and a Lion who join her on her journey for they wish for brains, a heart, and courage respectively. After many adventures including escaping the fearsome Kalidahs and being saved by the Queen of the mice, the gang reaches the Emerald City.

In order for their wishes to be granted, Oz commands the group to slay the Wicked Witch of the West. Frightful and unsure, but willing to do whatever it takes, Dorothy and her friends head for the West. Unfortunately, the Witch sees them coming and sends wolves, crows, and killer-bees to stop them but to no avail. She finally sends her flying monkeys who rip apart the Scarecrow, dump the Tin Woodman in a gorge, and enslave Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion. For a long time, Dorothy is forced to work for the Wicked Witch. The Witch desperately wants Dorothy's silver shoes, but doesn't dare go near her for fear of the Good Witch's mark on her forehead. She cleverly devises a way to knock the shoes off Dorothy's feet. This frustrates Dorothy so much that she tosses a bucket of water on the Witch. To her surprise, the Witch melts out of sight! Happily freed, Dorothy retrieves her friends and returns to Oz. 

When they return, the group discovers that Oz is a fraud! He ceremoniously gives each of Dorothy's friends what they desire and plans to take Dorothy home in a balloon. However, Oz accidentally leaves without her, so Dorothy is sent to see Glinda, the Good Witch of the South to see if she has any answers. The gang heads south and travels across a strange country made of china (porcelain) as well as encountering the rude Hammer-Heads. 

Finally, they reach Glinda who tells Dorothy that her silver shoes can take her home. Dorothy bids a tearful goodbye to her friends and they all return home: the Scarecrow to rule the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman to rule the Winkies in the West, the Lion to rule the forest, and Dorothy to go home to Kansas at last. The story ends with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, standing in their new house (for their old one had vanished) and seeing Dorothy running towards them.

     My Thoughts

This story is great. Everyone knows it, but it holds so many untold secrets! Like, who knew that Dorothy's shoes were silver? Or that Glinda was the witch of the South, and different from the witch at the beginning of the story? That's what I've loved about reading all these old classics; you find out so much more about the story you thought you knew.

What I liked about Baum's writing was his portrayal of Dorothy's travelling companions. They believe themselves to be stupid, uncaring, or cowardly, but their actions speak differently. Whenever they were in trouble, it was the Scarecrow who always planned a cunning escape. The Tin Woodman hated harming any creature. When he accidentally stepped on a beetle he cried so much that his jaw rusted. And as for the Lion, he was willing to go up against the notorious Kalidahs to protect his friends. These are not the actions of the dumb, heartless, and fearful. Dorothy's friends didn't need to seek Oz; they were fully capable of granting their own wishes. Baum cunningly hid this amidst his intriguing tale.

This story has delighted audiences for generations. There are actually 14 Oz books telling many adventures of Dorothy and other citizens of the magical land. Although the writing is simple and to-the-point, the tale of Oz has lasted long and thrived....even though some details have been smudged.

Rudyard Kipling

I'm fascinated by this man's love for India. Nearly all of his works take place in this setting, and it must have been intriguing for turn of the century western readers to experience this mysterious land.

     Early Life

Rudyard Kipling was born December 30, 1865 in Bombay. His father was an artist and architectual teacher while his mother was from an accomplished, well-to-do family. Kipling's early years in India were happy and exciting, but when he was five he was sent to England with his younger sister. This was the custom for British children living in India, but it was a very unhappy time for Kipling. He returned to India when he was sixteen and began writing for newspapers such as the Civil and Military Gazette and the Pioneer. This was his first taste of writing.

     Writing Career

Kipling's published works began with poetry. His first book of poems Departmental Ditties was published in 1886. Once he started publishing, he didn't seem to want to stop! Between the years of 1888-1904 he published a minimum of a book a year. His work began to spread out after this, but I consider his prolificy for that day astonishing. In 1907 Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. He continued to write until his death in 1936.

     The Jungle Book

Unlike many of the other authors I've talked about, The Jungle Book wasn't Kipling's most famous work. As much of Kipling's writings take place in India, it makes sense that The Jungle Book and its sequel The Second Jungle Book (a riveting title, I know) would as well. It is said that the natural beauty of Kanha National Park inspired Kipling to write a story based in the wilds of India rather than the villages. I'm glad he did, for I was able to see India in a way only its animal inhabitants could.

Rudyard Kipling is our most prolific and acclaimed author so far. He was not a children's author as much as a man who wrote what he liked. What he liked turned out to be a collection of stories about a young boy named Mowgli who was raised by wolves. Seeing Kipling's character development, as well as his creation of a society, I am not suprised he won a Nobel Prize. Well done Mr. Kipling. Well done.

Sources

http://www.kipling.org.uk/kip_fra.htm

http://www.kanha-national-park.com/pench-and-kanha-tour-package.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudyard_Kipling

Bloom, Harold Rudyard Kipling. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987

The Jungle Book

Warning: If you are expecting singing bears and playful monkeys, prepare to be disappointed. Once again, Disney has given us an inaccurate portrayal of Rudyard Kipling's classic tale. What you will find is a real jungle filled with danger, stories, and The Law of the Jungle, which all noble creatures must obey.

      A Brief Synopsis

The book begins with a small boy wandering into the lives of Mother Wolf and Father Wolf. This little one-year-old is being hunted by Shere Khan, a tiger who is not admired by the rest of the forest. The wolves are taken with the bravery of the little boy, for he is unafraid of the tiger. Much to the anger of Shere Khan, Mowgli is taken to the wolf council were Mother and Father Wolf petitition for his adoption into the pack. Baloo, the kindly bear who teaches the young wolves the Law of the Jungle, and Bagheera the panther whom all greatly respect speak on behalf of the boy, and so he is taken in.

Now, the story does not occur in order. There are technically four chapters in the book, but the first chapter should really be two. So, if the chapters were to be placed in order, it would be 1a, 3, 2, 1b, 4.
Chapters 1b and 4 tell the main story, which is the struggle between Mowgli and Shere Khan. The middle of the book highlights some of Mowgli's adventures as a young boy.


When Mowgli is older, Shere Khan challenges his right to live, and unfortunately he gets many of the younger wolves on his side. Bagheera tells Mowgli that he must return to the world of man, for this is where he belongs. This is the end of chapter 1. Chapter 4 begins with Mowgli's return to the local village. He is taken in, but finds the ways of man very peculiar. The stories that the elders tell of gods and spirits are absolute nonsense to Mowgli, and the caste system is a complete mystery. He has not forgotten the jungle, for he has sworn to kill Shere Khan for all his wickedness. With the help of his wolf-brothers, Mowgli starts a stampede of cattle and tramples the tiger. Pinning his hide to the Council Rock, Mowgli restores order to the wolf-people. He does not wish to be a part of the pack who betrayed him, so he and his wolf brothers go to hunt in the forest alone. The story ends with the words "But he was not always alone, because, years afterward, he became a man and married. But that is a story for grown-ups".

      My Thoughts

I didn't expect to enjoy this book very much. I knew it was very different from the movie and that it would contain the dark violence of a real jungle, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the book had its dark moments, but I found myself enraptured with the honour and nobility of the forest creatures. The Law of the Jungle is everything to them, and Shere Khan's defiance of The Law is not to be taken lightly.

While I enjoyed Mowgli's character, I really fell in love with the noble Bagheera. He is wise and feared, kind but dangerous. His presence in the novel was overpowering, and I see that as a sign of good writing.

I found Kipling's commentary of the Indian society to be unexpectedly interesting. I like how he almost bluntly mocked the caste system and their mythology through Mowgli's utter distaste for such bizarre traditions. Kipling knew that the strict caste system was immoral and holding the great country back, and he needed to instruct future generations of its absurdity. It was great to have a bit of social commentary amongst tales of honour and revenge.

This book took my totally by surprise. Kipling created an entire world within the wild lands of India. I know I keep talking about The Law of the Jungle, but the social system of Mowgli's jungle is to be envied. Creatures of all sizes are trusted to uphold the standards of society, and even though the food chain is very much in place, all animals are given equal respect. I wish we could adopt the ways of The Jungle Book.

J.M. Barrie

When I read Peter Pan, I felt as if I actually got to know J.M. Barrie. So often in the book he refers to himself as the narrator, deciding which stories to tell us, saying how he doesn't like Mrs. Darling, for she is the one that urges her children home (he later changes this opinion). I saw Barrie as a fun, light, yet still proper person. I don't know if that is what he was really like, but I like him all the same.

     Early Life

James Matthew Barrie was born on May 9, 1860 in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland. He was the ninth of the ten Barrie children, and to make himself noticeable he became an avid storyteller. He became a bit of a boisterous young boy to make up for his small stature (he would grow to be 5'3"). When Barrie was six, his next oldest brother David, who was their mother's favourite, died. Margret, his mother, never fully recovered. She took some comfort in the idea that David would remain a boy forever. This would provide inspiration for Barrie's timeless tale. Barrie took it upon himself to help his mother. He would try to be like David so that she wouldn't miss her favourite boy.

     Writing Career

After graduating from Edinburgh University in 1882, Barrie pursued his love of writing by becoming a journalist. He published his first novel, Better Dead in 1887. This would be the beginning of several popular books set in Scotland. Encouraged by his success, Barrie began writing plays in 1890, beginning with Walker London, a light comedy about marriage that was well-recieved. What became his legacy, however, was the tale of a small boy who would never grow up: Peter Pan. The timeless character first appeared in The Little White Bird (1902), but it was two years later when his story really took off. Barrie's play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up debuted December 27, 1904. He would later write the novel Peter Pan and Wendy, which is simply known now as Peter Pan.

     Peter Pan

Like, yet unlike Charles Dodgson, the inspiration for J.M. Barrie's greatest work came from some young friends. Barrie met Arthur and Sylvia Llewelyn Davies and their then two sons George and Jack and became great friends. The Scotsman would join them in Kensington Gardens on many afternoons to play with George, Jack, and then Peter, Micheal and Nico. Being involved in an unhappy marriage, Barrie saw that Sylvia was everything he wanted in a woman: beautiful and the embodiment of motherhood. Fortunately, Arthur knew he had nothing to worry about, for he and his wife were very much in love. Barrie longed for sons of his own, but he was greatly contented return to childhood with the Llewelyn Davies boys. He was their greatest companion with his endless games, stories, and cild-like imagination. Their childhood innocence and the stories they forced Barrie to tell would be the makings of Peter Pan.

Now, try as I might, I was unable to find any evidence of inappropriate behaviour between Barrie and the boys. I seems he just loved them as sons and nothing more.

Something intersting that I came across was the name Wendy. It has been speculated that Barrie invented the name, but while that has been disproven, one source said "he might as well have!" A young friend of his, five-year-old Margret Henly, would call Barrie "my friendly". However, she was unable to pronounce her "R's", so it came out sounding like "fwendy" or "wendy". Barrie decided to use this name after young Margret died in 1895 at the age of six. The name (the real name) is said to have Welsh origins and possibly a form of Gwendydd, the fistional sister of Merlin. Wherever it came from, Barrie's play made Wendy an iconic name in Britain.




J.M. Barrie, like Charles Dodgson, has a bit of an unfortunate reputation due to his relationships with small children. I hope you have learned that Barrie was an imaginative child-at-heart who created a boy that, like his brother David, will remain a boy forever.





Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._Barrie
http://www.biography.com/people/jm-barrie-9200058
http://www.wendy.com/wendyweb/history.html
Birkin, Andrew J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys. London: Constable and Company, 1979
Tartar, Martha The Annotated Peter Pan. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2011

I'm late, I'm late!

I'm so sorry for my lack of posts everyone! I was away for a week and a bit, and I did not expect to be without internet access. My J.M. Barrie post will be up this afternoon, and our next book should come either tomorrow or the next day:)

Thanks for your patience!

Peter Pan: The Boy You Think You Know

"All children, except one, grow up"

This is the first line of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. I don't know why, but it never fails to put a huge smile on my face, filling me with a deep sense of wonder and mystery. Many believe they know this story well, but though amazing the Disney movie does little to represent the true tale of a world called Neverland and the boy who will never grow up.

      A Brief Synopsis

Because this story is so well known, I will be brief in my synopsis. One night, a strange boy visits the home of Wendy, John, and Micheal Darling. He arrives because, at a previous visit to hear the stories told to them by Mrs. Darling, his shadow was taken by their nurse, a Newfoundland dog named Nana. Wendy is thrilled to meet the boy that they all know from their dreams of the Neverland. Peter, for the boy is Peter Pan, entices Wendy and her brothers to come with him to Neverland so that Wendy may be the mother to Peter and the Lost Boys. With the help of some fairy dust from Tinker Bell, the children fly after him.

Now this is where the story begins to differ from the Disney movie. It takes a great many days for them to reach Neverland, and often Peter leaves them to have his own adventures. But when he returns, he always forgets what he has been doing. On a few occasions, he even forgets the children. After saying to Peter "I'm Wendy", he tells Wendy quite worriedly "...always if you see me forgetting you, just keep on saying 'I'm Wendy,' and then I'll remember."

Finally, they do get to the Neverland, home of mermaids, faries, the Picaninny tribe, and a fearsome crew of pirates. There are many great adventures on the island, as the children stay there for a very long time. We are only told of the adventure which we witness in the film: where Peter rescues Tiger Lily of the Picaninnies from the evil Captain Hook.

The Neverland is not quite the commical, fanciful place it seems to be. There is a great deal of death and killing, even among the Lost Boys. When we first meet the boys, the narrator reveals "The boys on the island vary, of course, in numbers, according as they get killed and so on; and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out...". I was a bit shocked by this statement, but thus is the way of the Neverland.

Wendy eventually remembers her mother and father, who must be missing them terribly. So the children, including the lost boys who believe they wish to have a real mother as well, return home, but not after vanquishing Hook and slaying nearly all the pirates. At home, the Darlings are suffering greatly, missing their children. Mr. Darling has taken to living in the kennel, for he believes it is his fault that Nana was not with the children on that faithful night. The children return home and all are happy, except Peter. But an agreement is made: every year, Peter will come to take Wendy for a week so she may do his spring cleaning. Some years he forgets, and one year he has even forgotten who Tinker Bell was. Wendy eventually grows up, to Peter's utter dismay. But her daughter Jane begins to leave with Peter, then Jane's daughter Margret, and this will go on "so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless".

      My Thoughts

This story is so fanciful and magical. It just seems to capture the epitome of childhood innocence and selfishness. I really love the writing style; it is so developed and uses high diction, even though it is about escaping adulthood. Barrie does an amazing job creating a fantastical world filled with magic and adventure. The book pulls me in entirely, and I can't help but wish that Peter would arrive at my window and take me to Neverland.

I also can't help but feel for Wendy. She loves Peter and wishes for him to love her back, and he does, in his own way. But he is Peter Pan. He doesn't understand love, and he could never stay with Wendy and grow up. When Peter is about to leave, Wendy asks him "You don't feel, Peter...that you would like to say anything to my parents about a very sweet subject?". I find it hilarious how she never gives up, but I also agree with her feelings. I think all girls want Peter to be a little more caring, and a little more loving. But, I say again, he is Peter Pan. He is not of this world.

The violence in this book is almost hilarious because it is so unexpected. Each of the pirates are slayed by Peter and the lost boys, save for Mr. Smee. Even Smee, Hook's trusty first-mate, is not innocent. He refers to his cutlass as Johnny Corkscrew because "he wiggles it in the wound". All of this makes the Neverland a very different place than the one we often imagine, but that just adds to the excitement.

I love the wonder and magic of this classic tale. Even though Peter isn't quite the hero I wish him to be, he is very real in my imagination. I will always enjoy the thrilling adventures of Wendy, Tinker Bell, Hook, and the ever-young Peter Pan.

Illustrations by Scott Gustafson