Les Histoires Courtes Part II: The Author’s View

The other day I shared with you some of the more technical parts of having my students write stories. As fun and interesting as I found it, I realize that you, my dear reader, may not have been as interested in such things as data, statistical patters, and particularly not interested in my hypothesizing. Another part of me has a complete and absolute apathy towards whatever negative or blatantly neutral views or opinions about my little economic study you may have. Either way, I didn’t only study economics in college. In fact, about two thirds of my time was spent studying literature and art in my language classes.

Many people know the names Hugo, Daudet, Voltaire, Hegel, Goethe, Schneller, Dumas (pronounce do-mah, not dumbass), Saint-Exupéry, Bonaparte (of the emperor variety), and even Hitler (of the mad, crazy dictator variety). The fortunate part of studying a language in college is being able to read these authors' works in the original language, which always leaves a deeper impact than reading a translation. You never really know just how much Voltaire hated religion until you read his own words. Likewise, giving a short presentation in German about the Final Solution just hits different, if I can be so casual in my language.

Anyways, my point is that I love literature. You don’t understand. I LOVE literature, especially good literature, the kind that makes you ponder everything about life and really leaves you wondering what kind of reality you live in. So let me share with you a few specific notes about the stories my students wrote.

There is no particular order, nor any deeper meaning behind the stories I share with you. Some are funny. Others are sad. And, yet, still others left me wondering, “what is going on in that kid’s head?”

There was a story about a kid growing up and dreaming about being the best basketball player ever. He trains and trains, putting in hours and hours of hard work and effort. Finally the kid makes it big and starts living the dream. It’s not until the end of the story that the student reveals that he’s been writing about Magic Johnson this whole time.

Another story starts off with a guy who gets fired from his job. His life falls apart. His wife leaves with his kids. His parents disown him. He has nothing left to lose in life. One day he gets home and starts frying some chick. The batter and bread he made were his own recipe. He thinks it’s pretty good and invites some neighbors over to try it. They do, and one of the neighbors suggests opening a place to sell it. Turns out, this is the start of KFC. What a plot twist!

There was another story where the student explains in detail an episode of Tom and Jerry. Yes, the old cartoon where Tom, the cat, and Jerry, the mouse, spend hours after hours in presumably alternate universes trying to kill each other yet still being brothers in the end.

Another student wrote her own depiction of the Adam and Eve story. Not much about the story changed, but there were still some cultural aspects unique to Madagascar.

One story was written in a legend and fairytale format where a man has all sorts of trouble. He saves an injured dog one day, and they become best friends. The dog remains loyal his whole life. And after the dog dies, the puppies live with the man and continue the tradition. This is how dogs became man’s best friend.

In one kind of spin off is the tale of Shrek. Yes, about the big green, Scottish ogre. But in this version, everyone still hates Shrek and the princess runs off with a real prince. I thought it was a kind of twisted ending to an otherwise classic Dreamwork’s story.

Did you know Cinderella’s dream was actually to become the best DJ in the city? That’s what one student wrote about. And yes, the story ends happily ever after with Cinderella dropping some made base tunes.

One student wrote about her dream to win a contest that would allow her to go to the United States and study there so she could have a great job and live a wonderful life.

One of my favorite stories was about the baobab tree. It was a legend with an old lady who used the baobab fruit oil as a magic remedy. It was a classic Malagasy legend.

There was one story that was super cool. This dude made an entire little universe called Yggdinasil where there were all sorts of elves, orcs, men, and dwarves. There were wars and adventures. This dude packed a lot into a single page.

Some of the stories, however, were very sad. There was one that involved two lovers committing suicide, a classic Romeo and Juliet. Another student wrote about the death of her friend whereas another wrote about his dad succumbing to alcoholism and dying. In a different class, a student wrote his own adaption to the popular Squid Game where the poor are put in childish competitions with each other in the hopes to win money. Do not forget that the losers die.

I think, by far, my favorite, was a piece of poetry written by a very bright student and another that just struck me. In the latter, she titled her story “Strange is my Existence.” She didn’t really know how artistic she was being by inverting the word order. But here she wrote a full two pages about how she questions everything in life. She ponders and contemplates the big questions and always wants to know what other people think. Nothing is taken for granted. She’s the kind of student that will kick total butt on her final exam and get a great placement in the university. The other student’s piece of poetry was about smiling. I took this one to heart. I have a published article in a theology and philosophy journal about smiling related to the way we interact with other people and how a physical medium of communication is always superior than a virtual medium of communication because humans are embodied beings. Well, her two pages of poetry knock the socks off my 10 pages of rambling on about examples where we know physical communication is just inherently better. So I want to share her poem with you. Don’t worry, I received permission.

You smile, it’s very good, it’s like a ray of sun.

Who shines everyday in my awaken and I can’t struggle or escape.

Your smile is a rose opened in the morning and gives intention of nature.

Your smile! Your smile is like the moonlight that illuminates me in the dark.

When I contemplate it, I feel an inside peace and good life.

When I look at this, I’m not alone in life.

Hey! Don’t forbid smiling and you will feel happiness.

Because your smile makes you rise.

Because your smile is a prize.

Your smile. . . I don’t know how, but your smile is valuable.

This smile there, we liken to nature.

The nature which is around us.

To tell the truth, I’d like to tell you about the nature.

Don’t destroy it or else you will ruin.

Be careful with that which surrounds us.

Because the nature is the only friend that the human has before becoming friends with others.

Love nature and love yourself, your smile.

Love and do what you want, live your life.

Smile.

I like that one, quite a bit. And I will leave it there. Yesterday, June 26th was Independence Day. But today we are off on vacation, so I will share with you more about what that means when I return to the capital in July. But for now, as always, know that you are in my prayers each morning. All I ask is that you do the same for me.

May God be praised.