The Medium is the Message?

            (To be honest, I didn’t understand the reading very well. I’m still confused as to whether the title is “The Medium is the Massage” or  “The Medium is the Message.” It seemed like there were many contradictions in the text. In any case, I decided to write about how media and the younger generation affect the workforce and management- a nod towards my current business class. I’ll edit this after the class discussion. )

http://spacecollective.org/sjef/4148/
The-medium-is-the-massage

McLuhan makes a note that “As new technologies come into play, people are less and less convinced of the importance of self-expression” (67.) This…is entirely incorrect.

A trend in today’s world is a movement towards self-expression. As technology spreads across the globe and more people become connected, an individual believes that someone- somewhere- will listen and agree with his thoughts. He can be heard as he has never been heard before. He demands attention, in one form or another, and shouts as loud as he can.

Children are taught, from adults and media, that an opinion matters.

 “Your ideas are the most important.”

“The world is a competition.”

“If you aren’t building your dream, you’re building someone else’s.”

A young adult - a teenager – a child learns that he must speak the loudest and have very strong opinions. If he does not, then he will be subdued and pressed into a “conformist corner.” He becomes the labor force of another person’s dreams. The younger generations will do anything to avoid the “common” or the “static.”

            “What do you know about the OLD world of business and management?” The business professor asks.

http://entrepreneurshipforum.org/
can-schools-teach-you-to-be-an-entrepreneur/

The students respond, “It is cold and mechanical. There is no life. There is no creativity. There is no humanity.”

“And what would make it more human?”

“Pass the power around. No single person should be in authority. We should all be heard!”

The younger generation wants to be heard. Even above someone who might know or seen more. “It isn’t a matter of experience, it’s a matter of creativity!” The student might refute that EVERYONE should be heard. But on the inside, HE wants to be the leader. There is little teamwork or cooperation in today’s world. But why? Did the older generations act like this when they were young?

http://www.official-top-ten.com/top-10-lists/
top-ten-characteristics-of-a-successful-entrepreneur/

McLuhan comments that the prior generations, who were limited to the education in schools and the limited television, were “more earnest, more dedicated.” Limited to an ancient education, which has long since fallen behind the progress of real life, this generation believes that conformity is good. A little office with the same chore everyday and the same accomplishments every year is perfectly acceptable.

The younger generation, which grew up on on-the-minute updates on tablets and the millisecond communications of the smart phones, thirsts for adventure and instant results. 

“If the job is boring, leave it!” 

The workforce shifts from the static, loyal worker of 50 years to the young contingent entrepreneur.

Media is everywhere and everything. As a child grows, he has access to thousands of devices. This generation affects the future and they want it now.

Lolita

This is a long post. A bit longer than required for this assignment.  I thought that it was best to write everything down at once since I never wish to discuss this topic ever again. Thank you.

http://gracefulslumber.blogspot.com/
2012/06/lo-lee-ta.html

                Lolita, a novel written by Vladimir Nabokov, was published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York.  Lolita is famous for many different reasons, such as a subjective and unreliable narrator, sophisticated prose, and controversial topic of the narrator's relationship with an underage girl, nicknamed Lolita. Before writing about a significant quote and its influences throughout the novel, I would like to summarize the style and literary aspects of the novel.

                One of the most significant aspects of the novel is the use of language, by the author and the narrator. The author has added a fictional foreword to the novel, am introduction by a doctor from Massachusetts about the art and psychiatry of the novel. This fictional doctor creates several thoughts for the audience: a reassurance that this is a study of psychiatry instead of a simple sordid tale, a warning about the dangers of society and such depraved people, and how the narrator is both intriguing and horrifying in his story. The narrator used advanced language and vocabulary,  descriptive metaphors and analogies, and sympathetic pleas to garner the audience's attention and compassion. Though the subjects of the novel are controversial and sordid, some readers were distracted by the narrator's seemingly good nature and sophistication. Throughout the text, the narrator speaks directly to the audience and the fictional jury about his emotions and thoughts. He floridly speaks about remorse and realizations about his sins. This use of language is the most complex aspect of the novel since the reader must be vigilant about the point of view and the potential lies.  Another motifs is the narrator's constant references to art and history.

http://gracefulslumber.blogspot.com/
2012/06/lo-lee-ta.html

                The narrator references European history and art as an explanation for his behavior, his aesthetic ideals, and as justification for his crimes. The narrator creates the word "nymphets" for the young girls he watches. Even a horrid nick-name receives an elaborate description and history: "Between the age limits of nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac)" (13). Another example is when Humbert first addresses the jury: "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, exhibit number one is what the seraphs, the misinformed, simple noble-winged seraphs, envied. Look at this tangle of thorns" (5).By referencing these myths and histories, the narrator is assuring the audience of his education and knowledge. The audience wonders if Humbert is as horrid as people might propose. Perhaps the situation was misunderstood and this novel is in fact the "love story" that people celebrate?

                At this point, I will introduce the quote that affected my entire reading of "Lolita" and reveals the twisted complexity and intrigue of the story.  After addressing the jury and describing his history, Humbert writes:

                My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning) 

             when I was three, and, save for a pocket of warmth in the darkest past, 

           nothing of her subsists within the hollows and dells of memory, over

               which, if you can still stand my style (I am writing under observation)...(6).

http://spoilersliterature.blogspot.com/2011/06/lolita.html

This seems an unusual quote to describe the entire novel. It arrives early in the plot, before the narrator even meets Lolita. But this quote alone affected my entire perception of the story. First "My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning) when I was three." This struck me as very odd. What a way to describe one's mother and her death. "My very photogenic mother" speaks of a kind of emotional detachment. He can appreciate her beauty, but takes very little note of how he learns of it and what emotions may have been displayed. It is unlikely he remembers her appearance at three years old, so he most likely learned of her from family and photographs. While his family or history is not a focus in the story, I was surprised he did not detail further. And just as I contemplated this though, he refutes with "and save for a pocket of warmth in the darkest past, nothing of her subsists within the hollows and dells of memory." Well. This hardly feels like a real emotional approach to any topic. This language is meant to impress and evoke emotion, with little felt on his part. Were you sympathetic when you read it? Did you consider how lost and alone he felt without the mother's love ? Well, this is the kind of emotional manipulation that the narrator casts throughout the story. This is what the reader must wade through in order to gain some semblance of the real plot and events. The events, of course, are fictional, but the real issue is how we receive the facts. The reader does not learn this story from any other point of view, only Humbert. And Humbert frequently stops to appeal to the audience and jury and make elaborate  poetry or descriptions. Once again, the narrator himself informs the reader : "if you can still stand my style." Not only his style, but a reminder. "I am writing under observation." The reader, you, are receiving one side of the story. His side of the story. He is writing under observation and in prison. He has good reason to be ....selective about his writings. At any point he can incriminate and damn himself.  From this point forward, the reader must sift through his florid writings and fabrications to see the real story. And the real Humbert and the real story are hideous things.

                I finish this novel with a shudder down my spine and an almost physical sickness in my stomach. And this illness only grows worse when I hear other readers comment on how "charming" or "intriguing" the narrator was before his "descent into madness." My curiosity about other reader's reactions led to some research about banning this novel from Advanced Placement English classes in high school. While this is not about banning the novel or preserving it for a study in literature, one student's response to the issue was startling. I will not cite the source or anything similar. The responses on this website were entirely anonymous. This is what the student wrote:

                People are still people, diseased with a love for younger people or not. Humbert is a nice   gentleman to me. He is not a beast. I would be friends with Humbert. I think that he’s intellectual, humorous, and a genuinely great guy.

http://able2know.org/topic/136827-1

The use of language and the manipulation of the facts and perspective allow the narrator to carefully tailor the story we receive. He is deceptive and some readers may not realize the depth of his lies. This man was mad long before his meeting with Lolita and this sordid affair. This is not a love story, in any way, shape, or form. This is a foray into the sick mind of a twisted, corrupt man. A man who is willing to murder, kidnap, drug, blackmail, manipulate, threaten, and harm for his own selfish desires. He tries to justify himself through his descriptions, his historical references, his different perspective, and his desperate calls of redemption and love. Is this story an excellent study in the manipulation of language in literature for a specific purpose? Yes. Definitely. Is it a story I enjoyed reading? No.

 Is there anything I learned? I could find something to learn, if I looked hard enough. But frankly, I'm too disgusted too continue any train of thought about this novel and will never look at or read this story again. Good bye.

Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile

http://games.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/
Agatha-Christie-Death-on-the-Nile-10-1-Trainer-Screenshot-
28443.html

     I was incredibly pleased to see Agatha Christie on the list for Pulp Fiction. My introduction to the Queen of Crime was not as glorious as I might hope. I found an interesting computer game called "And Then There Were None." A PC game based on Agatha Christie's novel And Then There Were None, a story where guests are trapped on an island and murdered one by one according to a children's rhyme. Actually, I failed the game quite horribly and have been hesitant to read that particular story. I did try another game "The Death on the Nile." This game was a hidden item genre with animated cut scenes. I enjoyed the game so much  that I found the original story. This is my second time reading Death on the Nile and I still enjoyed it. I went on to read the Short Stories of Miss Marple. I highly recommend Miss Marple since it has all the mystery and intrigue of a detective novel without the sense of arrogance and confusion.

     Agatha Christie is a well-known author of crime novels and short stories. Two of her most famous characters are the unusual detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. Poirot and Miss Marple are considerably different than what one might expect from any detective genre story. There are a few stereotypes or landmarks of detectives novels that these stories skillfully allude and avoid.

Hercule Poirot.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/212740/
Poirot-beats-axe-to-solve-more-murders

One of the landmarks of the detective genre is, of course, the detective. Most of the time, the detective is a private investigator, trained detective on a government team or local police squad, or a genius. One immediately considers Sherlock Holmes or the Private Investigators of Noir films. Poirot and Miss Marple decide to take a different route. Agatha Christie confesses herself that she was influenced by Marie Belloc Lowndes, Frank Howel Evans, Arthur Conan Doyle, and A.E.W. Mason. Poirot is a Belgian with dark hair, a curled moustache, fastidious appearance, and rather fussy behavior. Miss Marple is an elderly spinster, who uses her personal life experiences from her village of St. Mary Mead as inspiration for solving crime. With quirky and endearing personalities, Poirot and Miss Marple are more reminiscent of unusual relatives than detectives.

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

     Another landmark is the assistant or partner of the detective. Once again, I compare to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Holmes was accompanied by his faithful companion, doctor, and veteran Dr. John Watson. The assistant is generally consistent throughout the story and acts as a guide for the audience. Occasionally, the assistant is a noticeable absence, such as the lone private investigator.  Poirot has a variety of companions and assistant, but one of his more regularly occurring friends is Colonel Race. In the story Death on the Nile, Colonel Race actually appears towards the end of the story due to his own investigation and joins Poirot. For another example of an interesting assistant, please read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.  This story is a wonderful example of Agatha Christie's incredible plot twists. I would like to talk about the plot twist and would prefer not to completely spoil it. If you plan on reading the story, please skip to the next paragraph. If you do not mind a spoiler, please read the next sentence. The narrator of the story is Poirot's assistant and is, in fact, the murderer. I can't quote recall another story where the detective's assistant is the narrator and the murderer in one go. Do you?

     I enjoy reading detective novels, from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. I confess that I recommend Miss Marple more. I hope that you have a chance to read any story with Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple!

Do you really expect this to be the
face of a detective?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Marple

A Great Gatsby Screenplay

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the novels students read in high school. I did enjoy the story as a teenager, but did not really appreciate the depth of the characters and environment. I enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby again. My class was asked to write a brief screenplay for one significant scene in the book. I chose a scene that I felt represented the entire book. The desperation and naivety of Gatsby, present in all of his actions, were prominent in this conversation with narrator Nick Carraway. I wanted my screenplay to reflect the original novel, with some influence from the 1974 film. Please excuse any format issues; I am unfamiliar with official screenplay format. I hope you enjoy this interpretation of The Great Gatsby.

FADE IN:

EXT.  GATSBY’S GARDEN – NIGHT

In the garden of Gatsby’s house in West Egg, the garden is decorated lavishly with lanterns and party tables.

The garden is full of well-trimmed white and red rose bushes, shaped into simple hedges. Exotic flower bushes surround the party tables, decorated with white silk cloths and colored bows. The garden paths are red and gray brick with jaunty garden lights on both sides. The tables are covered in empty champagne bottles and cocktail glasses. Chairs are knocked eschew or lay on the grass.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. GATSBY’S GARDEN- STAIRWAY - NIGHT

NICK, a man educated in Business Bonds and caught in the complex world of wealth and relationships, waits awkwardly. He is dressed in formal wear: a plain evening jacket over a white collared shirt and bow tie with black slacks.  His hair is combed neatly to one side. NICK fiddles anxiously with an empty champagne glass, glancing at the doorway to the garden.

GATSBY, a mysterious, wealthy man and friend of NICK, enters from stairway. He is dressed in similar formal wear, but of obvious wealth. His jacket is slightly scuffed and his bowtie is loose around his throat. GATSBY focuses his eyes on his feet as he descends, body tense.

GATSBY

                                                                 (Abruptly)  

She didn’t like it.

NICK

(Reassuringly, with a touch of impatience.)

Of course she did.

GATSBY violently shakes his head and gestures to remains of party. His expression is a mixture of confusion and sadness.

GATSBY

She didn’t like it! She didn’t have a good time.

GATSBY remains silent for a moment, while NICK stares contemplatively at GATSBY.

GATSBY

(Fusses with hair and collar)

I feel far away from her. It’s hard to make her understand.

GATSBY switches between staring at the remains of the party and NICK, gesturing resignedly. NICK watches in confusion.

NICK

You mean about the dance?

GATSBY

(Snapping impatiently, with a touch of scorn)

The dance? Old sport, the dance is unimportant.

NICK watches as GATSBY paces to –

THE COCKTAIL BAR

And places his hands on the table, shoulders hunched in frustration.  After a moment, he turns to face NICK, resting his hands on the table behind him. GATSBY shakes his head slowly in disbelief, ignoring NICK.

INTERCUT TO GARDEN BENCH

NICK has a moment of realization and stares in disbelief at GATSBY. NICK slowly sits on garden bench.

NICK (O.S)

He wants nothing less of Daisy than she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.”

NICK continues to stare at GATSBY.

           

NICK (O.S)

Gatsby did not even contemplate what would happen afterwards. He clearly imagined a sweet marriage to Daisy in Louisville, as if the past 5 years had not occurred.

INTERCUT TO COCKTAIL BAR

GATSBY

(With intense frustration, almost rage)

And she doesn’t understand! She used to be able to understand.

GATSBY physically sags against the table, sorrow replacing anger.

GATSBY

We’d sit for hours-

GATSBY abruptly stops speaking and paces over party-littered path to—

GARDEN BENCH

NICK

(Standing)

I wouldn’t ask too much of her.

NICK grabs GATSBY’s arm as the distraught man paces. NICK pats his shoulder, awkwardly comforting him.

NICK

(Watching GATSBY meaningfully)

You can’t repeat the past.

GATSBY freezes in place. He turns slowly to NICK and stares.  GATSBY’s mouth hangs a little open and his eyebrows lift.

GATSBY

(Slowly in disbelief)

Can’t repeat the past?

GATSBY’s voice rises fractionally.

GATSBY

Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!

GATSBY looks around garden wildly. His expression is exuberant with a touch of panic.

GATSBY

(Fixing his eyes on NICK with intensity)

I’m going to fix everything!

GATSBY nods decisively, straightening his bow tie and jacket. His eyes glaze a little and lower to the ground for a moment. Then GATSBY raises his eyes to NICK and his shoulder hunch defensively.

GATSBY

Just the way it was before. She’ll see!

GATSBY abruptly leaves garden and enters house. NICK collapses on garden bench and stares after GATSBY.

NICK (O.S.)

(Contemplatively)

Gatsby talked a lot about the past.

NICK pauses for a moment.

CAMERA follows NICK’s eyes to Doorway

NICK (O.S.)

And I gathered that he wanted to recover something. Some idea of himself, perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered since then…

INTERCUT MONOLOGUE to GATSBY

GATSBY walks determinedly down hallway.  His shoes click against the wooden floors with each step. His expression is a mixture of desperation and determination, focusing straight in front of him.

NICK (O.S.)

But if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was…

CAMERA swings to face GATSBY’s back as he continues down hallway

FADE OUT:

A Short Story

Based on Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, my class was asked to create short stories from a series of photographs. I did enjoy the process, but my writing skills are a little rusty. I hope you enjoy the story!

I highly recommend Ransom Riggs' book.

The Circus on the Cruise Ship

Chapter 1

Dear Nathaniel

While I would like to start this story with a witty anecdote or describe an extravagant party, it is quite impossible to do so. In fact, I must do the exact opposite. For, you see, Nathanial Jackson was anything but happy.

Nathaniel Jackson was a bachelor who lived alone in a small flat in London. Nathaniel thought he was quite the catch, to be honest, and didn’t understand why he was a bachelor. He expected one of the lovely secretaries at work to be infatuated with him. Nathaniel was the youngest member of the anthropology department at the University of London at a respectable 32 years of age. He was the professor who taught the introductory class to the Anthropology major. Nathaniel felt, in his great knowledge, that he should be respected and admired by all of his students and coworkers.

In truth, they quite disliked him. Oh, please don’t get me wrong. His work ethic was quite wonderful and he had a wonderful sense of dry humor. His appearance was the problem. Nathaniel was a stern-looking gentleman. He wore a rather strange hat with a wide, floppy brim. It might have looked ridiculous, but the brim cast a rather foreboding shadow across his eyes. His eyebrows had the habit of furrowing and making Nathaniel look very cross. His moustache mostly intimidated the students and coworkers. It was a stiff, bristly path of hair that covered his mouth completely. It was incredibly difficult to tell if he was smiling or frowning. Most of Nathaniel’s acquaintances thought he frowned more often than he smiled. As such, the students avoided him outside of class and the secretaries thought him very mad.

Nathaniel was very self-conscious about his moustache. He grew it out on purpose in order to hide a frightening scar. He was injured as a soldier in the army, drafted into war as a younger man. The fight had frightened him and made him wonder if he would ever return to his education and receive his degree. When he survived with a jagged scar across his lips from a piece of shrapnel, he was quite happy to return to college. Before he had managed to grow his moustache, he hid his face behind a medical mask and told his classmates he had a passing medical problem. It worked quite well, though his classmates feared for his health. Some even gossiped that he must be hiding some hideous deformity behind the little mask. But that seems to matter very little now. At this moment, we are discussing the concerns of the bachelor professor of Anthropology!

Worried over his lack of love life, Nathaniel sought advice from his good friend Jackson Surnought. Jackson was a professor in the archaeology department. A good deal more popular than Nathaniel, Jackson was very welcome at student gatherings and promoted the Archaeology department with humor. Nathaniel had met Jackson at one such party. However, Nathaniel did not expect his colleague to arrive in an Egyptian Sarcophagus. The anthropologist thought Jackson was a little odd, but trusted his advice. With this trust in mind, Nathaniel asked Jackson for romantic help.

“Nathaniel, dear boy,” Jackson nodded sagely and draped an arm across Nathaniel’s shoulders. “You need to find a place to have fun and let go. Let the ladies see you as a joyful man with a big brain and a bigger heart.”

           

“And where would I go to display such frivolity?” Nathaniel questioned.

“Hmm,” Jackson murmured thoughtfully. “I know the perfect place! There is a strange circus in town. The entire spectacle takes place on a marvelous cruise ship.”

“A circus?” Nathaniel frowned at Jackson. “On a Cruise ship. I’m beginning to think you very mad, Jackson.”

“Oh, it sounds very strange, but it is true. Why don’t you go and enjoy yourself?” Jackson nudged the young Anthropologist’s shoulder and smiled cheerfully. “Even if you don’t find a lady, you can study the circus performers for your new investigation.”

Nathaniel was very hesitant about visiting a circus on a cruise ship. How did one even get to such an event? Did you buy a ticket to the circus or to the cruise? Was it a very long cruise? Nathaniel decided that he didn’t care. He went to the docks immediately after his classes.

Chapter 2

The Ship at the Dock

           

The docks at London were a curious mix of frightening and awe-inspiring. The entire area was shrouded in mist from the river and smog from the industrial factories. Some of the ships and wooden docks were stained and falling to pieces. However, the towering cranes and singing of productive dockhands were another matter entirely. Nathaniel was fascinated by the vitality present in such a dismal place. The most incredible part of the London docks was the majestic, gleaming cruise ship resting peacefully alongside a tidy dock.

            Surely this, thought Nathaniel, as he climbed the little ramp onto the deck, is the cruise ship with the circus. It is the only ship large enough to hold such a grand event.

            As Nathaniel stepped onto the deck, he was met by a well-dressed man with a cheerful smile. The stranger was dressed in a formal evening suit, with a little pocket watch and chain tucked into his waistcoat. He wore a black top hat with a little red ribbon around the base. He carried a little notebook in one hand and reached out to Nathaniel with the other.

            “Hello, good sir!” He shook Nathaniel’s hand heartily. “Welcome to The Elizabeth and her circus, The Fascinating and Unusual!”

            “’The Fascinating and Unusual,’ sir?” Nathaniel inquired.

           

            “Oh! Some friends or acquaintances must have directed you here! Little scamps probably didn’t tell you much about the show, did they?”

            “No, he didn’t. I think he wanted it to be a surprise.” Nathaniel peeked around the stranger. “But I would like to know more before I decide to buy a ticket. Whom should I speak to about the show?”

            “Oh dear! I’ve done it again.” The strange man straightened his jacket and bowed. “I am the Ringleader of the show. My name is the Good Sir Gottenheight! In apology for these rude manners of mine, let me offer you a free ticket to the circus. In fact, the show is about to start! Let me show you where to go!”

            Good Sir Gottenheight gently ushered Nathaniel across the deck and down a narrow staircase. A little frightened and alarmed, Nathaniel could only follow The Good Sir Gottenheight’s directions as they descended into the depths of the cruise ship.

Chapter 3

The Fascinating and Unusual

            Nathaniel and the Good Sir Gottenheight exited the staircase into a grand ballroom. The ballroom was a wide room with small booths, stalls, and display stages on both sides. Some of the booths had painted backdrops of forests or decorated theaters. The other booths had plain fabric drapes and small wooden stages. A member or team of The Fascinating and Unusual Circus occupied each area. Nathaniel hadn’t thought that a whole circus group could fit into such a space, but the grand ballroom was extraordinarily long. The room seemed to stretch to the entire length of the ship!

            Maybe the grand ballroom is the main attraction of the ship. Nathaniel thought as he glanced at the performers as they walked by. Maybe the ship is more a theater than an actual cruise vacation.

            While Nathaniel was a little wary, he began to enjoy himself as he explored the crowded ballroom. The room was filled with other guests: young children and their parents, curious gentlemen, groups of ladies with their parasols and fans, and cautious dockworkers. Nathaniel watched the dockworkers as they glanced into the first few booths before dashing out the door. Nathaniel laughed a little to himself; these workers probably skipped out on work for a little bit to see the show.

            The first booth in the ballroom was a young, half-clad woman of exotic origin. She wore a flowery lei around her neck and a European petticoat with flower designs. Her long, dark hair was falling about her waist like the tide on the shore. Nathaniel did not think she was so unusual, but he had studied several native tribes in foreign places. She was probably more interesting to the native Londoner.

            The Second booth held two sisters in white gowns, playing in front of a garden painting.  At first glance, Nathaniel thought the younger sister was braiding the elder’s hair. A closer look revealed the young girl was holding up her sister’s hair as it turned into a tall carnation! Her hair was turning into a flower!

            This must be a common circus or magician’s trick! But it certainly looks like real magic.  Nathaniel nodded and walked further down the ballroom.

            The booths at the end of the ballroom were definitely the strangest. In one booth, a man and woman were dressed in strange costumes. It looked as if their torsos had grown enormous faces with bulging eyes, thin noses, and wide smiles. Their heads were hidden behind large hats. Nathaniel considered the costumes for a moment and was incredibly startled when the man’s eye winked. Another booth was a small black bear controlling a marionette of a young woman in a white nightgown. Finally, the last booth held two women in zebra costumes. As he watched the women dance cheerfully, he realized that these were not costumes! The large, equine ears and tail moved independently!

            Nathaniel stumbled backwards in alarm. This was too strange! This wasn’t a circus at all. This was a freak show! Nathaniel shuddered and began to sprint towards the door of the grand ballroom. He had to escape this hellish nightmare. Perhaps he was not as happy as he could be in his ordinary life, but anything was better than what he encountered here!

            Why aren’t the other guests as alarmed as I am!? Nathaniel suddenly asked himself. I will ask one person before I run out the door. Who is closest to the ex---

            Nathaniel froze in alarm. The grand ballroom was completely empty. There were no other guests. The laughing children with their parents, the curious gentlemen in their afternoon dress, and the young ladies had vanished into thin air. Nathaniel was almost too frightened to look around the silent room, but he glanced slowly over one shoulder. And he screamed.

Chapter 4

The Elizabeth

            Standing directly behind Nathaniel was the young, exotic woman from the first booth. Only she looked nothing like the calm, dignified performer she once was. The flower lei and petticoat had vanished. Her face had sunken in at the cheeks and eye sockets into a grotesque mask as she stared at him. The thick waves of black hair was draped over her shoulders and flowed down her torso. The strands were moving and twisting like black mambas. Nathaniel stumbled towards the doorway and crashed against a sudden wall.

            Has the door closed? Am I trapped here?!

            “Nathaniel? Why are you leaving?” Good Sir Gottenheight frowned at the young anthropologist. “I told the performers to put on an especially good show today. Didn’t you enjoy it?”

            “Enjoy it?” Nathaniel asked, a hint of hysteria leaking into his voice. “Yes. I did enjoy it. I’m terribly sorry, but I need to return home. I’ve paperwork to grade for my classes!”

            “Oh, Nathaniel.” Good Sir Gottenheight shook his head. “Jackson told us how unhappy you were. None of the students liked you. The women avoided you. How could you ever be happy in such a sad place?”

            “What-“ Nathaniel swallowed against the lump in his throat. “What do you mean by ‘Jackson told us’?”

            “Jackson is an old friend of ours. He used to be our Egyptian performer, rising out of a sarcophagus and surprising the guests. You’d never guess how old he actually is with how spritely he acts.” Gottenheight smiled fondly. “Jackson asked if he could leave the circus for a bit of time. We agreed as long as he sent a replacement. And he nominated you!”

            “Me?!” Nathaniel was breathless with anxiety and fear. “But…but I’ve nothing fascinating or unusual!”

            “Oh, you certainly do! That lovely scar from your time in the army! A little…. theatrical magic and you’ll be a prize performer! And there’s simply no time to waste!”

            Good Sir Gottenheight smiled in pure delight and snapped his fingers. Even as Nathaniel heard the sound, ropes of black hair were wrapping around his arms and dragging him back down the grand ballroom.

            “Now, just hold still, Nathaniel dear! We’re going to make you a star!”

…

While I would like to end this story with Nathaniel’s escape from the circus, it is quite impossible to do so. In fact, I must do the exact opposite. For, you see, Nathanial Jackson was anything but happy.