Imagination

Imagination is a talent in which children are generally regarded as natural masters. Children typically explore the world through games of their playtime in which they imagine new worlds or this world in a new way. An example of this idea of children exploring through their imagination is shown in the film Alice, directed by Jan Svankmajer. The story is inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the looking glass, however, the manner in which Svankmajer decides to tell the story demonstrates that Svankmajer is letting the audience know that the story is only in Alice’s head not reality and that is making it up during her play time in her room. Svankmajer demonstrates that the story is her playtime by relating that Alice is the writer of the story. Svankmajer shows that Alice is the writer since she is the one delivering all the dialogue. Also, all the characters and most of the props can be found around Alice’s room and are the toys in which she creates her settings. Also, the sets themselves are all made out of the same wood of Alice’s room and look like strongly as her room. This re-iterates Svankmajer perspective that this is all happening in Alice’s room as she plays and that she is creating the settings herself in her room with her materials and not just in her imagination. I feel that most children would imagine more into their created worlds such as color or fantastical landscapes. These two elements are generally strong elements in other renderings of Alice in Wonderland but are not present her. The film is almost limiting Alice’s imaginings to things she can physically produce herself. Also, this establishes that Alice is not imagining something from scratch but is re-imagining the world around her which she is familiar with but may not fully understand. This exploration of the world around her is also seen through the storyline she creates. The story explores the various English traditions and sentiments such as the constant tradition of tea time, the class system with the queen’s court-who really has control of court the king or the queen?, the need to change to get through life, etc. Overall, Alice is and exploration of a child of the Victorian England through the use of playtime with her toys. However, this story is really created by adults which means it is a representation of what adults remember of their childhood or of what they feel I child might perceive of the adult world. Therefore it is important to note that these imaginations are coming from adult minds who have lived in the political structures of ‘reality’ longer than a child and therefore the political implications would be more conscious than subconscious like a child’s would be. Is it then possible for a child’s imagination to fully be represented in media? I think media such as Kid History portrays a interesting view of a child’s imagination operating in an adult world. In these videos the story originates from the kids but it still is executing by the imagination of the adults. Since, imagination in media is explored through the craft of adults it is a matured imagination. This is probably alright to some extent since all adults were once children. 

Documentation

All art (stories, paintings, films, etc.) are in some way a sort of documentation in that they are documenting ideas and cultures which relate to the circumstances in which they were made and relate to the audience to which they were made for. They may not be striving to necessarily ‘document’ something but they are. For example, the short story Vanka by Anton Chekhov may not have been striving to document what life was like for a working class boy in 1886 Moscow, Russia or what life was like in a small Russian village but the story does this. This character, Vanka, is technically fictitious, but Vanka can be seen to represent a certain lifestyle of the time. Therefore, the story is a documentation of the culture of how a young working class boy’s life might of been and gives some insight to how the situation of orphanage was handled then as well. 

Another example is the Hollos’ children’s book The Story of Your Coat. This story strives to teach the process of a coat being made and the culture of the time of 1946 is also recorded through the piece. Since this story strives to teach a potential inquiry of a child it could be categorized under as purely education, however, the piece is also documenting a historical process whether it really intended to or not. 

An example of a film which documents a particular culture and era is the  Chinese drama Not One Less (1999). This film captures the educational environment which existed in rural China and contrasts rural China with urban China. For example, the film captures the problem of rural children dropping out of school at young ages in order to start working and to help provide for their families. When in the city the children which are shown who are city natives always have backpacks and appear to be going or coming from school. In contrast, the children who state that they are from rural villages are always shown as children workers in the city and are shown as very poor. Through this the film is expressing that children raised in the city are wealthier and go to school longer while rural children drop out of school and come to the city to work. The film is capturing society, cultural practices, class systems, and economic circumstances of the time through characters and through the story in its entirety. Another specific economic circumstances which the film documents are the specific prices on train tickets, chalk, and the some different employment salaries such as the salary of a substitute teacher for a month, a brick mover, and a laundry girl). Overall, the film captures culture, society, educational, and economic circumstances of specifically rural China and partially of urban China in the 1990s and partially of urban China and therefore is a type of documentation of China in the 1990s. 

Morals in Mary Poppins

The film Marry Poppins (1964) addresses several life lessons to the children taught by Mary Poppins. For example, when she teaches the children the importance of work when getting the children to clean the nursery she states: “ In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap, the job’s a game!” Here, Mary Poppins is teaching that in every ‘job’ every responsibility of work there is a positive side which can be taken one just has to find that light and work with it.

Another lesson Mary Poppins teaches is to accept one’s consequences. She teaches this when she is giving the children their medicine after they have been caught in the rain. She states: “People who get their feet wet must learn to take their medicine.” Here, she is teaching that one has to accepts the consequences in life for the actions that they make and the actions upon them. They did not mean to get caught in the rain but they did and thus they have to accept the consequences of that.

Another principle taught in the film is the acceptance of people regardless of their class. England is a very class oriented society and that is seen within the characters. However, the acceptance which Mary Poppins has for Bert teaches that the views of even a lonely street artist are important and have weight to be heard. Also, the mother’s involvement in women’s rights provides an interesting commentary on social class. The film takes place in 1910 and shows the work of protestors including the mother as they fight for women’s rights. Having the mother be an active part of the women's rights movement portrays women in a positive light and promote equality between men and women.

Another theme of the story is family. The whole arch of the story, is that of the family being brought together emotionally. The children were feeling neglected by their father at the beginning but the father comes to appreciate their views and insights. This is seen in the seen in which Mr. Banks is fired. In this seen he pulls out the two toppins of his son and realizes his love and devotion is with his family not with the Bank he works for. He then proceeds to spend more time with his family by flying a kite with them.

Overall, the film teaches several life lessons including the importance of family, the importance of accepting ones consequences in life, and the importance of finding joy in the work you do.

Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

The book, Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Ericsson Lindgren, is a spunky adventure tales of Pippi Longstocking and her two friends Annika and Tommy Settergren. Through out the book Pippi experiences new adventures of experiences most would find ‘normal’ these include going to school and attending a coffee party. In these experiences Tommy and Annika are the ones initiating the experience but it is Pippi who, with her unique perspective and assertiveness, who takes things in unexpected ways and makes it quite the hassle for the adults but quite the tale for the other children.

Also, Pippi has several extraordinary adventures while in the town. These adventures seem extraordinary to Annika and Tommy while they seem normal or trivial to Pippi. These include their excursion to the circus where Pippi performs tricks on a horse, a tightrope, and beats the ‘strong’ man of the circus. Quite impressive feats for a 9 year old girl but all in a day’s play for Pippi. However, for Annika and Tommy these adventures are new and exciting. For them, Pippi is a type of mentor who takes them into a new world even though this new world is one they have experienced before but now they are experiencing it with Pippi who provides new perspectives. For example, Pippi gives new excitement to playing in the yard by providing a way for all three to climb into a hollow tree and think it is a dungeon. This experience, in particular, gave Annika new bravery and confidence since Pippi encouraged her to overcome her fear of the tree’s height and other potential dangers.

Some aspects of Pippi’s life make her prone to the adventure as opposed to the just a story of curiosity, which is a definite element but not the entire scope of the stories. Pippi in in a new place, new to her, her father’s old house, Villa Villekulla. She is alone, except for animal friends of her monkey and her horse. She has exceptional strength, wit, and charm. But most importantly she has a determined spirt who isn’t hampered by the seemly impossible such as a raging bull, or a burning house, or the authorities. She is able to adequately take care of herself as she explores this new world to her and the dangers it has. She is also able to help her friends explore the world more and to help them overcome their fears. She helps particularly Annika overcome heights of the tree, and the darkness in the tree trunk, and the potential of ghosts in the attack. All of which are common obstacles to children and are adventures for the common 9 year old. Overall, the book provides adventures on a domestic scale but also provide the extraordinary adventures which Pippi is prone to encounter and conquer.