Beyond Selidor

My brain sometimes takes weird turns. Last week, Matthias and I went to London to see Robyn in concert (which was amazing) and it got me thinking about her music. Its power lies, I think, in taking the words that are used against the powerless and dispossessed and using them as weapons or armour. Her lyrics are so sharp they could cut you, but you kind of don't notice it until some time later. Anyway, what with the Robyn lyrics and the fact that my PhD thesis is basically about dispossession and the creation of history and identity and the realisation that, like everyone, I have certain literary tropes that are like catnip to me (in my case, motley families that are made, not necessarily born, taking their power back) I have come to the conclusion that I am all about the dispossession.

With that in mind, I decided to compile a (provisional) list of texts (that I love) with this trope. That is, stories about the dispossessed finding strength in their dispossession and reclaiming the power that was always theirs. I emphatically do not mean 'dispossessed' people using the tools of their oppressors to save the world - Campbellian heroes have no place here. If you're the rightful king, and you defeat the evil, false king and replace him, you're not really dispossessed, even if you grew up on an isolated farm. A benign monarchy is still a monarchy.

( Was my Una icon ever more appropriate? )

What about you? Do you have texts that fit with this trope that you could recommend? Or do you have your own particular tropes which you want to read/watch again and again and again? Inquiring minds want to know.

So, I feel the depth of failure of the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender has been adequately documented more ably than I could manage, and I think you all know my thoughts on the matter.

I never had any intention of watching the film, either legally or illegally, but I am enjoying the art and videos that the fandom is producing in response to this horrific trainwreck of a movie. I've collected just three of the best, so far, but head over to capslock_atla to see more.

Scadenfreude by sylvacoer on DeviantArt is a hilarious comic about Jet and the outlaws' reaction to being left out of the film. Secondlina, also on DeviantArt, has done a series of sketches documenting the true horror of the film, while Heartless_Demon has made pretty funny video doing the same.

I never have high expectations of film adaptations, and Emma has articulated the reasons why I'm keeping the hell away from the adaptation of Tomorrow, When the War Began. I, myself, have written about that adaptation for the Book Show blog.

So, I've been a busy blogger today. I've written THREE new Wordpress posts.

The first is a review of sarahtales's The Demon's Lexicon series.

It is the story of the ogre and the little girl, where she loves him because he may kill her, and he accepts her (and doesn’t kill her) because he loves her fear. That’s why they can live happily ever after – as long as she doesn’t recognise the Gothic mansion of his appetite for what it is.

It's spoilerific.

The second is a response to the criticism that John Marsden's Tomorrow series is 'anti-Christian'. Spoilers, of course.

I do not think that John Marsden himself is a Christian. He writes like an atheist or an agnostic. Is it possible for a non-Christian to write a ‘Christian’ book?

The third is a (long-overdue) chapter commentary on sophiamcdougall Romanitas. It's on Chapter 3, 'Steel Cross'. Again, spoilers.

This is a very uncomfortable chapter to read.

I hope you enjoy all my posts! I've certainly enjoyed writing them.

Finally, this from Penny Arcade. No, it's not a subtle hint. My blogs are still 'for the critics'. Always.

Enjoy your Saturdays!