BeadLinks.com
Bead Links on The Net Find Bead Links for Bead Stores Around the World
 | |
| |
 |
BeadLinks.com Home | Directory of Craft & Hobby Articles | Browse Craft & Hobby Articles from the Top | The Down The Street Bead Show Articles on Artistic Creativity |
|
|
|
Analysis of The Monkeys Paw by W. W. Jacobs: A Study in Lateral Thinking
I first read The Monkey's Paw as a youngster in Junior High School. I was touched by how an elderly couple received the gift that everyone would want, three wishes, and how the gift turned into a curse. I knew something was wrong at the beginning of the story when the previous owner tried to throw it in a fire. I also had a suspicion that though the paw granted wishes, it wouldn't work the way the person making the wish intended. Years later, I saw the Movie "Bedazzled" with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. It's a version of the Faust legend, and hilarious. The Devil (Peter Cook), offers to trade seven wishes for Dudley Moore's character's soul. Dudley is madly in love with a young woman and is more than willing to trade something as worthless as a soul to win her. What the devil does with Moore's wishes makes for one of the funniest movies in the history of film-making. But I didn't know about "Bedazzled" in 8th Grade. The couple, being older, quite naturally asked for money. And not a great deal, at that. They never realized that it would come as an insurance claim on the death of their son who was working in a factory. Grief-stricken, they ask for their son to come back to them. When they hear the shuffling steps and smell rotting flesh, they wish that it would go away. What a rotten ending, right? At the time I read it, my English Teacher, Miss Gordon, asked the class what we thought of the story. We all felt sorry for the couple. Should the couple have wished for something else with their first wish. Of course they should have, we all said. But of course, no matter what they asked for, it could have turned out as badly for them. And the previous owner had said it was a curse and not a blessing. Miss Gordon wasn't about to stop there. Next she asked, should they have asked for son to come back to life? Of course, we all said. But not as a walking corpse. Then came the biggest question of all. Should they have wished he wouldn't come back? Nearly everyone in class agreed with what the couple did. That was supposed to be the end of the story. I wasn't as eager to give up. "They wished for the wrong thing," I said. Miss Gordon was ready to move on to a new lesson and she wasn't too pleased with me. "And how's that." "They should have wished that the whole thing never happened because they let the man burn the monkey's paw." "I never thought of that," my teacher said. Today, people would call this thinking outside the box. It doesn't require great brilliance, but you do have to try to imagine other alternatives than the ones that are presented to you. I made another teacher unhappy when I was in the 6th Grade, Miss Janitz was beginning a lesson on archeology. Everyone in the class really was eager to learn about mummies and ancient cities and she gave us a scenario where an archeologist is digging in the sand in Egypt. He finds an ancient box with a hairbrush, a necklace, and a coin dated 38 BC. I immediately broke out laughing. All the other kids gave me a strange look but I couldn't stop. Finally Miss Janitz said, "Stop that, John. What's so funny?" "The coin isn't real. You can't have something dated BC before there's a C.' It turned out I had spoiled her whole three days of classes. John Anderson has always tried to think outside the box, often with disastrous results. As a stamp dealer, he was always three years ahead of the market and seldom made a profit. He wrote a crime novel involving mitochondrial DNA five years before forensic experts began to use the procedure. His novel, The Cellini Masterpiece, and written under the penname of Raymnd John, is another example of bad timing. Its plot, which is similar to The Da Vinci code, was rejected in the mid-1980s because it was considered by some reviewers to be too unbelievable. Anyone interested in contacting him should log on to http://www.cmasterpiece.com
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Codifying Creativity Can we codify creativity? Within these few words are a number of principles that must be identified and resolved before we can really answer the question.The first question is, what is creativity? What are we trying to codify?One useful definition of creativity is that it is problem identification and idea generation. New Inventions - From Absurd to Wacky! New inventions? Heard of a revolving restaurant combination television tower? How about color x-ray pictures? Or heard of a new invention that turns the sea's salt water drinkable? These are wacky new inventions not having been fully used!Are you on the lookout for shirts that don't require ironing? For $4,000.00, you are able to purchase a shirt processed out of titanium-alloy fibers interwoven with nylon. Creativity: Getting Out of the Box Leadership, especially in times of change, depends increasingly on the ability of managers, professionals and even front line workers to think and do things differently. In other words, to get out of the box!So, how do we get out of the box especially when most people are comfortable staying with the tried and true rather than exploring and championing new ideas? Here are tips to jolt your mind and start thinking more creatively. 10 Ways To Boost Your Creativity Creativity is your birthright - but can often be hidden in the everyday. To facilitate your personal development and self growth, here are some creativity tips you can use to resurrect, refresh and enhance your creative faculties. Macrovision These days it's all about breaking things down into manageable pieces in order to be able to reach a goal and track your process/progress, and keep yourself from going insane because there's not a lot of time to breathe.And I'm a firm believer in this approach, in, as I've heard it termed: 'microvision. How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head. I love crosswords, acrostics, and cryptograms. You Dont Have To Be An Artist To Be Creative Imagine that a block of ice has been set on your desk. Now describe it. Finding A Little Adventure I have had more than my share of exciting times and I'm grateful for every one of them.There was the time the bear came into camp at 11:00 p. Creativity Management - Finish What You Start Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Break An Egg For Creativity In 1420, the dignitaries of Florence held a competition.They offered the enormous prize of 200 gold florins to the architect whose genius could span the unfinished dome of the Florence Cathedral. Problem Solving Techniques For Business And Life Learning a few good problem solving techniques can improve your bottom line and your life.Do you ever run out of good ideas, or go around in circles trying to come up with a solution for a persistent problem? Maybe you just need to learn some simple problem solving techniques, and then start applying them. Creativity Management - Collaboration NOT Competition Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Connect with Your Muse Lately I've been discussing how to thrive as a creative artist by connecting with different things. I thought it might be helpful to begin this article with some distinctions. 9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity Time is the great equalizer. Everybody has the exact same number of hours in each day. Our Limitless Quantum Reality Modern science tells us that on a sub-atomic level -- nothing is solid. That the entire universe is really one big web of vibrating "energy stew. Drawing On Creativity: How To Trick Your Brain Can you draw?Your answer to that question reveals a surprising amount about your brain and the way you integrate your right and left hemispheres. (In this article, the left side will be referred to as the dominant one, which is by far the most likely scenario. Creativity Management - Don't Write, Rewrite Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. What Open Stage is Teaching Me About Life After many years of performing as a vocalist, I switched my focus to my training and work as a music therapist. I love sharing my music with my clients with special needs and it continues to be an incredibly rewarding field of work. SoulCollage - Combining Collage Fun with Spiritual Practice SoulCollage? is a unique blend of spiritual practice and the fun of collage. Using our intuition and imagination, we create a deck of collaged cards where each card reflects a different aspect of who we are. How To Let The Subconscious Mind Do The Creative Work From time immemorial mankind has wished for an Aladin's lamp, which would make wisheds come true.The closest thing to this magic lamp is the subconscious mind.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |