Storytelling: The Determined Boy Scout

Harold the boy scout

Harold always wanted to grow up and be an accomplished Eagle Scout like his dad and older brother. He joined the Boy Scouts when he was really young so he could start learning early all the ins and outs. Every meeting, every event and every chance he was hungry to learn more or practice his skills he took advantage of. Harold convinced his dad to take him to the store and buy him anything he could possibly ever need while he was out on his boy scout adventures. He had rope, flares, first aid kits, water, snacks, extra clothes, fishing lures, Swiss Army knife and even more things.

Fall was the time of year that the Boy Scouts were put to the test to see if they had what it takes to move on to the next level and possibly become Eagle Scouts. Harold spent as much time as he could practice things like how to build a fire or how to make a tent. While he was out in the woods one day practicing his knotting skills, he heard footsteps crunching the dead leaves that the trees had shed. He stayed very still because he was not sure who would be out in the woods with him.

A little girl came into view and she jumped back startled when she saw Harold. It was obvious she had not anticipated running into anyone either.

"Hi, I'm Clara, and boy am I'm glad to see you!" she said.

"Hi Clara, I'm Harold. Why are you roaming around in the woods?" Harold asked her.

"Well, I just moved here and I was at the store getting some candy when these bullies pushed me down and then started chasing me! I couldn't get away but eventually I lost them in the woods. It was fine until I realized I had no idea where I was and I've just been roaming around since," she confused.

 Harold felt bad and as much as he wanted to practice more skills for his eagle scout test, he knew he could not leave the poor girl high and dry.

"Well, how about I see if I can get you back home?" Harold offered.

After she told him her street, he realized they were neighbors and he set off taking her there. Harold told Clara all about what he was doing in the woods and how much be wanted to be an eagle scout.

She gave him a puzzled look and asked, "You practiced so much, so why don't you have any patches on your shirt?"

Harold told her, "Well, I may not be the most skilled Boy Scout YET, but if I stop trying then I'll never get better or even have a chance at being an Eagle Scout!"

Clara smiled at him and said nothing else. Harold got her home and her parents were so thrilled to see her. They thanked Harold repeatedly for making sure that she got home safe and sound. Clara wished him the best of luck on his Eagle Scout exam and promised she would come by his house tomorrow to help him practice pitching a tent. Harold was excited to have someone to help him keep practicing his skills and also was happy he had made a new, unexpected friend.

Alice and the White Knight

Author's Note:
I took this story from my reading of "Through the Looking Glass" specifically the story series called "My Own Invention."  I really liked how when the two knights fought and the White Knight won, he didn't hold Alice as his prisoner and instead agreed to help her get to the other side of the woods. Throughout the story of their journey, it becomes blatantly obvious that the knight is not the best. He has too many items on his horse that are not necessary and he keeps falling off of his horse. Alice continuously helps him back on and he tells her it is all about practice. I chose to write this story as a story you would tell a small child to help them learn a lesson. It is a lesson about perseverance for the things you love and are passionate about, which in Harold's case, was being a good Boy Scout and eventually becoming an Eagle Scout. Harold helps Clara through the woods just like the knight did for Alice. Clara encourages Harold just as Alice did even though neither Harold or the White Knight were that good at what they were doing it. It is a fun, simple lesson that giving up won't get you to your goal so it is best to keep trying!

Bibliography:  Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

Reading Notes: The Looking Glass Part B

I am now continuing to read The Looking Glass.

The story about the two knights fighting to have Alice as their prisoner was a fun description. I think my favorite part was that the chess pieces act as normal characters (such as knights fighting or how the King and Queen were acting in the first half of the story) but then they realize that they are actually just chess pieces and break character (this is like when the knight said he wouldn't take Alice as a prisoner because his turn was almost over. I also think it was super cute that the knight who won was way over prepared as far as what he had on his horse. It made some sense because that is basically where he lives, so having things like a beehive for honey or a mouse trap somewhat made sense. He strikes me more as an over prepared boy scout though at the fact that he has shark guards around his horse's ankles.

What I liked most about the story of the knight was that even though he kept falling off the horse, he never felt dismayed and got right back on. It was meant to be funny or odd I'm sure but I saw it more as encouraging. The knight was determined to keep riding his horse and never give up and I liked that a lot about him. It could make for an interesting story to write about someone who isn't great at something but they keep trying. Maybe they even preserver and end up being the best.

Something that I loved, and possibly over analyzed, was the interaction between the White Queen, Alice and the Red Queen. The Red Queen became upset with something Alice said, and like most of us have done before, she followed it up with saying that she didn't mean to say that. The Red Queen makes a good point saying "'That's just what I complain of! You SHOULD have meant! What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning — and a child's more important than a joke, I hope." I took this to mean that people don't give children enough credit when they say something. Children should be listened to because a lot of the time they speak the truth since they are young and not as corrupt. Additionally, children should be taught young that what they say matters and words can really effect people so they should choose their words wisely. Again, I am possibly over analyzing this but it really struck home with me. 

Alice, the Red Queen and the White Queen

Bibliography: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

Reading Notes: Looking Glass Part A

For this week, I will be reading the Looking Glass series.

I specifically chose this section to read because I saw the movie "Alice in Wonderland" by Tim Burton and I also loved the original Disney movie. So reading the very original version by Lewis Carroll seemed like an interesting and fun story to get into this week. 

The first story when Alice enters the Looking Glass is about her interaction with the chess pieces, specifically the White King and White Queen. I liked this because it was such a different perspective to have them afraid of her instead of the Disney movie and Tim Burton movie where Alice is fearful of the Queen of Hearts. It is interesting that they cannot see or hear her and yet she can touch and interact with them without her knowing. It's like she is still outside the Looking Glass but somehow found a way to interact with the would inside it. Very cool perspective.

The story about Tweedledum and Tweedledee makes me smile without a doubt. They have manners and emphasize that when they meet her, but at the same time are ignorant of social cues like when Tweedledee decides it is best to tell poor Alice the longer story when she is trying to get on her way. The illogical logic of the two brothers is something really interesting actually. Everything is a contradiction but at the same time is truthful or at least makes some sense. You can tell Alice is really having to stop and think about these things too, which makes what they are saying even more interesting. They have a tendency to point out the obvious but in such a way where you have to reconsider even the most basic of things such as where rain will fall if you are underneath an umbrella. 

Humpty Dumpty was a rather annoying character in my opinion the way that he was always giving Alice a hard time. He kept correcting her and even confusing her when he would try to tell her what she was saying, doing or thinking was wrong. Honestly, it got kind of annoying. What I did like out of that story was that unlike the remake or the Disney version, Humpty Dumpty was the one who introduced Alice to unbirthdays instead of the Tweedle brothers. 

Alice looking through the Looking Glass

Bibliography:

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).