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saintsenara · 2 months

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I’m curious why you loathe the implication that wizards are immune to muggle diseases. Is it because it reinforces the idea that they aren’t really the same species as muggles?

thank you very much for the ask, @urupotter!

and the answer is - yes, pretty much.

how the body is understood, how illness and disability are thought about, how the medical system works etc. are all questions that i am primed to obsess over in any piece of media - even when they're not actually significant parts of the story.

which is to say, i completely understand the reason why the harry potter series treats these topics in the way it does. magical medicine isn't one of the themes the story is designed to focus on - which means that its purpose is as incidental worldbuilding detail which reinforces the whimsical vibe of the earlier books and the darker vibe of the later ones, and which means that its treatment in the text makes sense within the setting and genre conventions of canon. harry being able to take a bludger - a cast-iron cannonball moving at speed - to the head and living to tell the tale is the same as john wick being able to fall from a great height, land on his back, and then get up and walk around: he's an action hero in a fantasy.

and so wizards being more physically durable than muggles - and also wizards having their own magical diseases, and being immune to muggle ones - all makes sense within the context of the books as literature. kids don't want to read about harry having a cold. they want to read about him being a wizard.

but when i'm deciding to enjoy myself by taking the question of just how fucked-up wizarding society is much more seriously than canon does... the implication that wizards are immune to muggle diseases and that they are broadly unaffected by physical trauma unless that trauma has a magical cause really bothers me. entirely - as you say - because it directly undermines the series' thesis that the purity of magical blood is irrelevant and that the wizarding world's dehumanisation of muggles and muggleborns by treating them as, essentially, separate, lower species is wrong.

the main canon example of this which i detest is dumbledore's suggestion in half-blood prince that merope gaunt could have survived childbirth if she'd simply "raised her wand to save her own life". after all, if a little bit of magic makes one immune to experiencing complications during childbirth [unlike thousands upon thousands of muggles throughout history, who would probably have very much liked to have lived to see their children grow up]... then voldemort is completely justified in thinking merope's death was a selfish, shameful, deliberate choice.

[i do understand that the idea merope chose to die is primarily included in the text so dumbledore can segue into saying that lily "had a choice too", contributing to the gradual reveal in half-blood prince and deathly hallows that she's the key to the whole mystery. but i still think that jkr could maybe have though a little bit harder about what she was suggesting with this than she evidently did...]

and so i think in fandom it's both fun and important not to accept the idea that wizards are automatically resistant to anything which might kill, injure, or disable a muggle - especially because it lets us really play with some of the big worldbuilding questions surrounding the conventions and institutions of wizarding society.

what do disability rights look like in a world which is so rabidly intolerant of difference, and which appears not to have any sort of welfare state? the nhs is a recent invention, created in a muggle britain which is culturally and institutionally separate from the wizarding one: so is treatment at st mungo's free - and, if not, what happens to those who can't pay? how is queerness understood in a society which appears to have views on sexual expression which are fairly conservative - and how does this mean the wizarding state responded to the aids crisis? what do reproductive rights look like in this kind of society? if the dementor's kiss results in - essentially - a vegetative state, what is done with the people the kiss has been performed on? what might it be like for your relative to develop dementia at 100... when you know they might live to 250? what impact do biases about blood status have on how muggleborn patients are treated?

i just think it's interesting!

#asks answered #on medicine

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palestinian-fundraising · 16 days

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PLEASE READ AND REBLOG🇵🇸

Help Abdulrahman and his Family Rebuild their Lives

Message from the creator:

العربية في الأسفل

Hi, I am Atiya, I am putting together this fundraiser on behalf of my brother Abdulrahman who wrote this story for you.

My name is Abdulrahman, and I'm reaching out to you from Gaza, Palestine. At 23 years old, my life has been a journey filled with unimaginable challenges and resilient hope. Today, I'm compelled to share my story with you, hoping for your generosity and support during this critical time.

Amid conflict, my family and I, like many others in Gaza, were compelled to flee our home in Khanyounes. For four months, we sought refuge in Rafah, grappling with the harsh realities of displacement amidst turmoil and uncertainty. However, my personal struggles extend beyond the ravages of war.

My Journey

Six years ago in 2018, I was struck by a bullet by IOF, leaving me paralyzed from the waist down. My journey of suffering started on that day as I traveled to Egypt and Turkey for the sake of treatment. Since then, I've endured countless surgeries and medical procedures, fighting tirelessly to reclaim some sense of normalcy. I had to undergo surgeries for my back, lungs, and legs to hide my leg ulcers, as well as surgery for the bladder to control the process of excretion control. At the end of the day, I am a young man who lost the hope of walking again and using a wheelchair in his daily life. I had to accept this reality, face the difficulties of life in my wheelchair, and rebuild my hopes and future again from point zero.

Despite the immense physical and emotional pain, I refused to succumb to despair. Determined to forge a future despite my disability, I pursued my education, earning a high school certificate and studying multimedia in Gaza, clinging to the hope of a better tomorrow.

Thanks to my family's support in helping me at every step of the way to heal, become stronger and achieve all of my dreams.

However, the recent escalation of violence on October 7th has once again upended my fragile existence. We lost our family home, and the deteriorating conditions in Gaza have exacerbated my health issues. Without access to adequate medical care and the threat of disease looming, my situation grows increasingly dire with each passing day because of the lack of medical attention and the spread of diseases around me. My leg ulcers started to appear again, and my legs and body started to get smaller because of the lack of training I used to do before.

My Family:

Let me tell you briefly about my 8 members family:

My father: Khaled, the hero, is a teacher in one of UNRWA schools.

My Mother: Asmahan, the epitome of compassion and resilience.

My brother: Atiya, the inspiration, English Literature graduate, and works in digital marketing.

My brother: Ahmed, the backbone, Law major graduate

My brother: Khalil, the friend, Optometry major graduate

My sister: Heba, the eternal kindness, Pharmacy major student.

My sister, Intesar, the little angel, a middle school student.

My family, like others in Gaza, lost their future and all their hopes and dreams, starting with our Family Home that my father spent 40 years saving up to build which is now a memory due to an airstrike. In addition to the vanished efforts and hard days that my brothers and sisters endured to complete their studies and educate themselves to be future leaders and establish their own lives.

We are still alive but for how long?

My family and I come to you humbly, seeking your assistance in relocating to Egypt, where I can access the medical attention and safety that is essential for my well-being. Also, my family can find a safer place to find hope again before a random rocket from an IOF warplane changes our lives forever.

The cost per person to be able to register with a travel company to leave Gaza via Rafah is 5,000 USD per adult.

We are 7 adults, as I mentioned above, totaling 35,000 USD to evacuate from Gaza.

Your contribution will not only help me but also my family, who have stood by me through every trial and tribulation.

With your support, I can embark with my family on a new chapter of our lives, free from the constant suffering and uncertainty that has plagued us for far too long. Your kindness has the power to transform despair into hope, pain into healing, and tragedy into triumph.

Please consider donating to my fundraiser and sharing my story with your networks. Together, we can make a difference and help us rebuild our lives.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your compassion and generosity.

Warm regards,

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nkjemisin · 9 months

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Hi! (Just to get in front of it, I'm not asking you for anything. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your work and I SEE the decolonization in it. I'm definitely also neurodivergent, so forgive me if I over- or under-explain a point.) But I realize this is an Ask Me Anything... egad.

I'm working on a piece about Broken Earth for the Decolonizing the EcoGothic volume of the Gothic Nature Journal, and I just wanted to let you know that I am blown away by the way you tell stories. I was in a Gothic Horror (I'm really not that big of a Gothic literature nerd, I swear!) class while I was in graduate school last year and we read Toni Morrison's Beloved. That was the second time that I read that novel in particular, and the first time I read it I got hung up on Mama Suggs. Her character and her ceremonies in the clearing were very powerful, and I couldn't put a pin in why until I read Broken Earth. Something about the connection between Essun and Alabaster's bodies transforming as a result of their magic use and the utter negation and abuse and colonization of the black body in both stories and historic times of slavery (and the prison industrial complex today, let's be real). Reading Broken Earth helped me understand that. So thank you.

I'm sorry this is turning into a mini essay, but I also wanted to mention another connection I found between the two on my second read (a connection I formed, I'm definitely not trying to say that I know for sure what you were going for because of course there's a lot to the stories) was between that of the characters Nassun and Denver. Near the end of the novel, after Beloved's ghost has all but taken everything from Sethe, Denver begins to step off of the safe porch and enter into the unsafe world alone for the first time to try and find help. She finds herself recalling a conversation that she heard between Baby Suggs and her mother:

“Oh, some of them [white people] do all right by us,” Sethe said. Baby suggs responds,

“And every time it’s a surprise, ain’t it? Don’t box with me. There’s more of us they drowned than there is all of them ever lived from the start of time. Lay down your sword. This ain’t a battle; it’s a rout” (287). Denver then asks the memory of her grandmother what she should do, then. “Know it, and go on out the yard. Go on,” her grandmother responds (288).

What should Denver, or Nassun, do with the knowledge that they will never truly be safe? She has to accept it, but go on anyway. One foot after another, and so on. I felt a bit of this driving Nassun after her father takes her away from their home in Tirimo... and I dunno. You and Toni Morrison both write stories that stick with me, personally, and make me think. And think and think.

Oh I'm also not assuming you've read Beloved, either. I'm sorry! I this is turning into a mess. I think I'll stop there. Just, thank you. For your stories and for your characters and for the story of Syl Anagist. I loved the Inheritance Trilogy also, I'm just very stuck on Broken Earth because of this piece I'm working on. Thank you! Sorry.

No need to apologize! But I can't answer your question because I haven't read Beloved. Read and loved several Morrison novels, but not that one. (I keep meaning to, but my Mount ToBeRead is the size of Everest and growing.) Both books are inspired by the same historical event, and I think because of that, folks who don't know about Margaret Garner reasonably assume I'm riffing on Morrison rather than reality. But nope, the Broken Earth trilogy is just one of several creative works that are in conversation with the Garner tragedy. Any similarities you see probably come from the fact that Morrison and I share a racial and gender identity, and had a similar reaction to realizing just how much our current lives are impacted by hidden historical horrors.

Even if I'd read Beloved, however, I probably wouldn't be able to answer your question. Lit crit is best done by people other than the author, IMO. We're too close to our work to tell you very much about it.

#answered asks

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chaotic-archaeologist · 3 months

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Hey Reid!

I'd like to ask for some academic advice:

The extended abstract of my first paper ever just got accepted to a not unnotable conference (speaking people in my field know it by name) and with it come the reviews/ guidelines to be included for the full paper version of it which are... mixed.

On one hand I'm elated beyond to have a my paper accepted by a reputable conference a semester into my master's degree, on the other some of the reviews feel really mean?

Do you have any tips on dealing with imposter syndrome in the face of negative reviews? I feel like I've been unmasked as a fraud

Ahhh, good ol' Reviewer #2 and their crippling effect on one's self-esteem. Right now it seems like the criticism is steep, which is difficult because this is a piece you are proud of, and (of you're like me) your self-esteem is tied to academic performance. Based on your undergraduate experience, you may not have received criticism like this before (I know I didn't).

All of that is valid, but might I suggest looking at the situation a little bit differently?

You have, by all accounts, written a piece very early in your career that was deemed to have intellectual merit by a significant scholarly body! That's huge! It means that somebody read the piece and thought that your argument was good and would make a significant contribution to the existing body of literature! You have already won by making it past the first (and hardest) part of the selection process.

In fact, someone thought your piece was good enough that a couple of other people (qualified professionals) should read it to give some feedback. That's pretty cool, right? I certainly think so.

I'm sure you're well aware of the values of peer reviews and the revision process, so I won't expound on that. Perhaps some of the reviewers were not as tactful as they could be, but that doesn't change the fact that you did good work.

Here is my humble prescription for the revision process: take a day to celebrate the achievement of having your paper accepted! Do a little something to make yourself happy and enjoy the moment, whatever that may be. This is for you. You are going to Be Happy™ about this. Do not think about Reviewer #2. Then take a day preparing to go back into the comments. Get yourself in the right mindset, but don't force yourself to engage. Dive back in on day 3 (or whenever you're ready, deadlines permitting) with the confidence that you have a good idea, and you are going to respond to any criticism with productive intention.

-Reid

P.S. Dr. Dad, an academic with 25+ years in his field and a CV that is over 50 pages long, celebrates every time he gets a revise and resubmit. The single hardest thing to do is not to get desk rejected. Nobody gets through the process with no revisions, and often the comments are quite harsh. You're in good company.

#he speaks #academic advice

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mimisempai · 11 months

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Some thoughts when you're new in a fandom

For the third time today I've seen posts from various people ranting about Prime Video Good Omens and the latest promo video which shows some of the easter eggs from the first season.

The word were more or less, "Why are they releasing this, we've known for like 4 years."

Well, you know what? I don't. I didn’t know that. Because I've only known about Good Omens for a few months. I'm 46 and up until a year ago, I'd never heard of Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett or their works (yes, it's possible) because in France we don't advertise foreign literature and even less in the school curriculum (I speak from my own experience).

As proof, here's how articles start in France when you do a search on Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett

"Often overlooked in France, Terry Pratchett is the author of over fifty novels translated into thirty-eight languages, an immense body of work that has sold to … "

Or (I'm still crying about this one)

"Neil GaimanHe is best known in France today for his novels published by Au diable vauvert, De bons présages, co-written with Thierry Pratchet, Miroirs et fumée, American Gods (Hugo Award in 2002) and Anansi Boys." (I wrote to them to correct the name, by the way.)

What's more, they're classified as fantasy authors, which hasn't been my favorite reading style for a long time. (I discovered LOTR when I was 27, and I'm not ashamed of it).

Let's get back to business.

How did I come to watch Good Omens? First an online friend, who was posting on twitter about the show, gave me the first spark of interest. Then came The Sandman on Netflix. Which I watched because of a series of gifs about Hob and Dream (Not because I heard from the comics before). After watching this show, of course I was interested in the author of the original work and… the name Good Omens came back before my eyes. And there it is.

So, if you're a fan of the first hour, accept that baby fans like me don't yet know all the richness you've been living in for four or more years. Because I'm ready to accept all the knowledge you want to give me. And I'm infinitely grateful for it.

PS: Thank you @goodomensonprime this video is as good as the best sweet Aziraphale has to offer.

PS2: Good Omens is still the most wholesome fandom I'm in.

PS3: English is not my native language

#fandom thoughts #good omens 2 #good omens #neil gaiman #terry pratchett

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denimbex1986 · 6 months

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'Writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah has died aged 65, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour eight weeks ago.

A statement posted on his Instagram account confirmed he died in the early hours of Thursday.

The statement said Zephaniah's wife "was with him throughout and was by his side when he passed".

"We shared him with the world and we know many will be shocked and saddened by this news," it added.

Zephaniah was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham, the son of a Barbadian postman and a Jamaican nurse. He was dyslexic and left school aged 13, unable to read or write.

He moved to London aged 22 and published his first book, Pen Rhythm.

His early work used dub poetry, a Jamaican style of work that has evolved into the music genre of the same name, and he would also perform with the group The Benjamin Zephaniah Band.

As Zephaniah's profile grew, he became a familiar face on television and was credited with bringing Dub Poetry into British living rooms.

He also wrote five novels as well as poetry for children, and his first book for younger readers, Talking Turkeys, was a huge success upon its publication in 1994.

On top of his writing work, Zephaniah was an actor and appeared in the BBC drama series Peaky Blinders between 2013 and 2022.

He played Jeremiah "Jimmy" Jesus, appearing in 14 episodes across the six series.

Zephaniah famously rejected an OBE in 2003 due to the association of such an honour with the British Empire and its history of slavery.

"I've been fighting against empire all my life, fighting against slavery and colonialism all my life," he told The Big Narstie Show in 2020.

"I've been writing to connect with people, not to impress governments and monarchy. So I could I then accept an honour that puts the word Empire on to my name? That would be hypocritical.

He often spoke out about issues such as racial abuse and education.

When he was younger, Zephaniah served a prison sentence for burglary and received a criminal record.

In 1982, Zephaniah released an album called Rasta, which featured the Wailers' first recording since the death of Bob Marley.

It also included a tribute to the then-political prisoner Nelson Mandela, who would later become South African president.

In an interview in 2005, Zephaniah said growing up in a violent household led to him assuming that was the norm.

He recalled: "I once asked a friend of mine, 'What do you do when your dad beats your mum?' And he went: 'He doesn't.'

"I said, 'Ah, you come from one of those, like, feminist houses. So, what do you do when your mum beats your dad?'"

In 2012, he was chosen to guest edit an edition of BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Zephaniah was nominated for autobiography of the year at the National Book Awards for his work, The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah, which was also shortlisted for the Costa Book Award in 2018.

During a Covid-19 lockdown, Zephaniah recited one of his poems in a video for the Hay Festival.

"Benjamin was a true pioneer and innovator. He gave the world so much," the statement announcing his death said.

"Through an amazing career including a huge body of poems, literature, music, television and radio, Benjamin leaves us with a joyful and fantastic legacy."

A statement from the Black Writers' guild, which Zephaniah helped establish, said: "Our family of writers is in mourning at the loss of a deeply valued friend and a titan of British literature. Benjamin was a man of integrity and an example of how to live your values."

Others paying tribute included author Michael Rosen, who said: "I'm devastated. I admired him, respected him, learnt from him, loved him. Love and condolences to the family and to all who loved him too."

Actress Adjoa Andoh posted: "We have lost a Titan today. Benjamin Zephaniah. Beautiful Poet, Professor, Advocate for love and humanity in all things. Heartbroken. Rest In Your Power - our brother."

Peaky Blinders actor Cillian Murphy said in a statement: "Benjamin was a truly gifted and beautiful human being.

"A generational poet, writer, musician and activist. A proud Brummie and a Peaky Blinder. I'm so saddened by this news."

Broadcaster Trevor Nelson said: "So sad to hear about the passing of Benjamin Zephaniah. Too young, too soon, he had a lot more to give. He was a unique talent."

Singer-songwriter and musician Billy Bragg added: "Very sorry to hear this news. Benjamin Zephaniah was our radical poet laureate. Rest in power, my friend."

Comedian, actor and writer Lenny Henry said: "I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend Benjamin Zephaniah. His passion for poetry, his advocacy for education for all was tireless."

Writer Nels Abbey said: "To call this crushing news is a massive understatement. He was far too young, far too brilliant and still had so much to offer. A loss we'll never recover from."

The X/Twitter account for Premier League football club Aston Villa, whom Zephaniah supported said everyone at the club was "deeply saddened" by the news.

"Named as one of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008, Benjamin was a lifelong Aston Villa fan and had served as an ambassador for the AVFCFoundation. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."'

#Benjamin Zephaniah #The Benjamin Zephaniah Band #Peaky Blinders #Cillian Murphy #Adjoa Andoh #Michael Rosen #Black Writers Guild #Hay Festival #The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah #Jeremiah “Jimmy” Jesus #Rasta #Pen Rhythm #Aston Villa #Nels Abbey #Lenny Henry #Billy Bragg #Trevor Nelson

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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 1 year

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Sebek, Trey: Sugar Sweet and Bitter Step

Finally 👀 Sebek interacting with the dude that reminds him of his father… This is the juicy content I’ve been waiting for 😌 (It fucking slapped btw, did NOT disappoint 🦷 ✨ I especially loved when Sebek was describing the new candies he has tried and he describes pop rocks as candies that fucking attack you asduqbdoas) ASHDBAIDAIDqwehqbyoe8y IT WAS REALLY CUTE WHEN MALLEUS, LILIA, CATER, AND VIL'S VAS WISHED SEBEK-KUN HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN THE TWST YEAR III ANNI LIVESTREAM...

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

“What do you do on your days off?”

"Hmph, I'm glad you asked, human!" Sebek's laughter was smug and resounding. "I spend days off training!"

"You... train to relax? That sounds like an oxymoron."

The birthday boy scoffed. "As a knight and an attendant, there is no such thing as 'relaxing'! I must remain vigilant so as to best protect and serve the young master!!"

"I get that, but... your muscles would be sore after working out so much, right? You'd need to take some time off to recover, otherwise you'd be pushing your body to the brink and risk injuring yourself," Trey calmly pointed out. "I used to train back when I played soccer. Had to cut that short when I worked myself too hard, so I wouldn't want that to happen to you."

A sound like rumbling thunder collected in Sebek's throat. "O-Of course I know something as basic as that! I know to take breaks!! Don't belittle me, human!!

"When I say 'training', I don't mean it purely in a physical capacity! If I am not able to train my body, then I train my mind! As Lilia-sama says, tactical might has changed the course in many critical battles in the history of--"

"Oooh, I get it. You mean general self-improvement." His interviewer snapped his fingers as the clues all neatly fit together in his head. "So you like to read? What sorts of things do you usually go for?"

"A variety. I frequent the Mystery Shop to browse their selection, but Diasomnia and the school archives also contain a number of older volumes.

"Lilia-sama has advised that I expand my worldview, so I have taken it upon myself to read literature from many genres and eras. 'Even picture books have merit, Sebek! You should open your heart to them!' ... so he said."

"No kidding." Trey raised his brows. It certainly sounds like something Lilia would say... though I'm not sure how serious he was about it. "Hey, I've read some books to my little brother and sister before, so I could recommend a few to you."

"Picture books from the Queendom of Roses... I've yet to read those. I dislike having to make requests of others, but... on Lilia-sama's orders, I have no other option. You will provide a list of acceptable readings to me the day after today, understood?!"

"Sure, leave it to me." Trey offered a patient smile. "I gotta say though, I didn't think you'd be concerned about being so worldly. You seem a little too set in your own ways."

Ace and Deuce described him as hard-headed. Even Riddle said Sebek has a hard time handling horses in Equestrian Club because of his attitude.

Sebek looked as though he'd be struck in the heart. He recoiled, his face crumpling with upset.

"Hnngh!! I-I've heard as much from Lilia-sama that this would be a detriment if I am to serve the young master, who will no doubt face many diplomatic issues with other countries. That is why I'm making efforts to expand my horizons by diversifying my reading materials and experiencing new things."

"Such as...?"

"I have read in some texts that a good way to learn about other cultures is to consume their cuisine. I have taken to snacking on baked goods and sweets from different regions of Twisted Wonderland to this end. Cookies, muffins, and candies that the Mystery Shop stocks.

"There are lollipops in various shapes, candy so sour it makes your mouth bleed and colors it bright blue, and little granular candies that assault the taste buds with explosions when they hit your tongue...! Hard candies flavored with apples from different farms in Harveston, chewy taffies made with salt from the Coral Sea, gummy bugs from the Afterglow Savanna that gets stuck between my teeth, candied flowers from the Queendom of Roses..."

"Has the snacking helped you learn anything new about those places or the people that live there?" Trey asked, cocking his head.

Sebek paused to think. Moments later, he, with his full chest, proudly replied, "An Octavinelle student was monopolizing all the peppermint sticks in the shop, so I saw it fit to liberate them from his grasp!!"

"... In other words, you picked a fight with him." Trey sighed. "It’s… a start. A small one, but still a start if it gets you to interact with those outside of Diasomnia. You'll just have to keep working on that—baby steps now so you can be where you want to be in the future, yeah?"

"Indeed...!!" Sebek slammed the end of his broom into the ground, the motion hard and resolute. "If I wish to stand by Malleus-sama's side, I must do all that I can to be worthy of him. To go wherever the young master is... that is my greatest dream!!"

He grinned with his teeth, displaying prominent canines. poking out from between two rows of pearly whites. It was a smile as radiant as the sun.

"Oh, that reminds me." Trey indicated his own mouth. "I hope you're remembering to properly floss and to brush your teeth well after eating all those candies. It's important to take care of your dental hygiene, especially after eating sugary snacks."

"Grrgh...!! Where do you get off on, giving me orders!?"

"I wouldn't call them orders. They were just suggestions--though I think your teeth would be happier if you followed them," Trey joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Sebek's expression creased all the same.

"That you would see fit to suggest anything of the sort to me is offensive!!" the birthday boy grumbled. "My father makes similar remarks, no matter how often I remind him that I am a grown man!"

"Ahahah... I'm sure that's just his way of showing you that he cares. It's hard for any parent to watch their kid grow up. To them, that kid will always be their baby.

"Hmph! R-Ridiculous," Sebek declared. He haughtily turned away, his cheeks tinged pink. There was hesitation, and then an uncharacteristically quiet voice that slipped out. "You... really are like him in every conceivable way. I cannot fathom humans like you sort."

"Exactly why you're trying so hard now." Trey nodded to the sky above. It was a cornflower blue morning with a healthy sprinkling of clouds. "You've been training hard, so let's see you in action."

"D-Do not presume to understand my skill! I'll show you just how powerful I am!! Faster than light, stronger than lightning... I AM HE WHO HAS SWORN TO PROTECT THE YOUNG MASTER!!"

The vow was made, his ambitions announced.

In response to his decree, the broom fizzled to life. It lifted off the ground in a single strong stroke, Sebek easily swinging on. His robes fanned out behind him, fabric flapping loudly in an errant spring breeze.

Magic crackled in the air around them, hot as sparks, bright as stars. His spells matched his energy: loud and proud.

His grip on the handle was as steady as his resolve.

His fierce gaze, focused on the future.

#Sebek Zigvolt #Trey Clover #twst #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland scenarios #Sebek birthday takeover #something no one asked for #spoilers #disney twisted wonderland #the peppermint stick thing and the Octavinelle student Sebek fought with is a reference to Dorm Uniform Floyd's vignettes

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prettygirlmjmjmj · 9 months

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Glowing up this school year

Whenever I am entering a new school year I'm always filled with excitement. I love shopping for new clothes, stationary and essential items. I get to pick out my favourite pens and decorate my folders and books with pretty stickers. But, I often find that as I shop and prepare for a new academic year I forget to check in on myself and ensure that I am at my healthiest and happiest. I have learnt the hard way that if I don't take care of myself and my mental health my academic ability slides. And that's the last thing I want (especially this year)! Starting a new school year is the perfect time to glow up in every way that I can.

Physical

1. First of all I will be aiming to work out 4 - 5 times a week. My body is deserving of me carving out a space in my timetable for exercise so that's what I'll do. I aim to work out for at least an hour with a mix of exercises (cardio, weights and Pilates).

2. Secondly I will start and end my day with a minimum of five minutes of yoga. Not only does yoga help relax me and allow me to unwind, it also helps with my flexibility and is just fun to do!

3. I will follow the 80/20 diet rule. I don't want to go on a super restrictive diet or force myself to eat healthy foods I simply don't enjoy, so I wont. Instead I will eat the rainbow, enjoying fruits and vegetables which I adore, avoid dairy except for special occasions (I love dairy products so much but I know they make me sick) and avoid unhealthy snacks or foods that I know will only make me feel worse in the long run. This is probably going to be one of my harder aims as I love food, baking and eating out with my friends. I will try to remind myself that there are dairy-free alternatives I can eat/bake and that an occasional treat once in a while is perfectly acceptable and healthy!

4. Drink more water and matcha, avoid sugary drinks. I know, I know every glow up list has to include this. But seriously I need to drink more water. I'll try and fill my water bottle up at least twice a day and drink plenty of glasses of water in-between. I also want to avoid sugary drinks that leave me feeling bloated. I plan on instead drinking water or cranberry juice and soda water (a fab combo in my opinion). I love matcha so much!! But, sometimes I'm too lazy to stand there whisking the matcha and making it foamy and completing all the steps required. I know that matcha makes me feel good so I want to drink it twice a week. Not only is matcha great for you but it's a super alternative to coffee.

Mental

1. My first mental glow up rule is to not go on my phone or other devices for half an hour in the morning. I know that going on my phone only slows me down and on a school morning it's especially important that I make use of all the time that I can. I will also not go on any devices for an hour before bed. Blue light really does affect your sleep schedule and I know that instead of scrolling through Pinterest or Tumblr before bed, reading or yoga really will make me feel so much better. I want to get 7 - 8 hours of sleep and avoiding my phone will really help me with that.

2. Reading 30+ minutes a day. This one will be easy for me which is great after some harder rules. I love literature and having already almost completed my 2023 reading goal I'm excited to find more books to read (please feel free to recommend me any of your favourite books! Especially any autumnal/spooky reads).

3. Developing my hobbies. I love scrapbooking, baking and writing along with so many more activities. I would love to invest more time in these especially as they help to relax me and just allow me to be more creative. I also want to find/start more hobbies so I plan on researching fun ways to be creative.

4. Learning new skills that will help me be better at my subjects and encourage me to take more of an active interest in them. I want to feel more inspired about my subjects. This will involve me listening to podcasts themed around my subjects, reading academic journals and so much more. I also plan on learning more about things that interest me that I don't necessarily need for school.

Personal

1. Firstly I will be consistent with my self-care and routines. My skin, hair, body and nail care routines are tailored to ensure I get the best results and avoid things like dry skin or scalp. Being consistent with these will ensure that I am taking care of myself and treating every part of my body the way it deserves.

2. Making sure my wardrobe and style stays clean and organised. If my clothes are neatly sorted and I know where everything is then I can make it easy to prepare a stylish outfit for the morning. Same with my accessories, the more I know my wardrobe, the more I know what works with what and so on.

3. Make sure I open myself up to new opportunities, people and things. I have a tendency to close myself of (especially with new people) so I'm so excited to be in a busier environment with more clubs and things to do. I don't want to overload my schedule but I am planning on joining clubs or going to activities which will help me with my subjects and benefit my academic career, as well as helping me make friends.

4. Finally I will be taking time for myself at least once a day. Whether it's reading a book for fun, taking a self-care bath, a hot girl walk or making an elaborate drink I want to make time for me. Even if it's only for five minutes I want to take a moment to prioritise myself.

Thank you so much for reading darlings! I hope you all have a wonderful day/night, drink plenty of water and take care of you and your mental health.

All my love, mj.

#glow up #self care #glow up journey #glow up era #that girl #mental wellness #positive things #self development #coquette #pink pilates princess #it girl #that girl lifestyle #that girl energy #that girl routine #becoming that girl #that girl aesthetic

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transmechanicus · 1 month

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Hi! I'm honestly excited that tumblr recommended me a good blog for once. It's nice to see other trans ppl living their best life out here.

Anyway, I hope you don't mind a question, but I'm currently an undergrad and really interested in grad school. idk how applicable your experience would be since im a comp sci student, but what's it like in grad school? how accepting has it been of trans people for you? do you have any recommendations on what to do to increase the chance of getting in?

p.s. idk a ton about biochemistry or genetics, but i have a friend who's super into it (he's also planning on going to grad school for it lol), and I love hearing him talk about it. so I'm also curious as to what you're doing :o

Grad school is broken up into phases in my experience, which is dependent on institution and major. For me, year one is classes and rotations, the latter of which is 7 week trials in a lab of interest to get a feel for their work and the lab social and mentor environ. Classes generally compose discussing research techniques and recent publications, and test you on your ability to read research literature and understand it as well as propose follow up investigations. Year two is finishing classes and starting work on your thesis projects, as well as completing preliminary exams, which for biochem are written (grant proposal) and oral (ppt presentation of grant proposal). Year two has less classes than year one and your actual lab work dominates most of your time. Year 3, 4, and 5 are basically spent having a full time job as a senior lab researcher where you are expected to learn your local field well enough to come up with an idea and pursue it to discover or demonstrate something novel in the form of your thesis, as well as publish at least one paper on your work in the meantime.

My institution has not had any issues with trans ppl in my experience. I came out to my lab in Oct of 2023, and gradually to my classmates and the wider program over the following months. Administrative staff and professors have been very on the ball with my pronouns and chosen name, and our program recently got a new professor who is also a trans woman. I won't say which institution to reduce the amount i dox myself, but safe to say I'm content in regards to my treatment as a transgender person.

Getting into grad school usually requires demonstrated undergraduate research or a gap period of research employment after undergrad. I did some undergraduate work (though not strictly in my field) and a year of relevant employment after undergrad. 3 months into said employment I applied for grad school lol which was a little earlier than usually advised bc i hadn't been there long. (My post-bac PI was very demanding and restrictive so I wanted out ASAP). The main things grad schools are looking for is are you able to talk about research you're doing now, what research you want to do, and why you've chosen their institution. They want you to demonstrate you have an interest in researching topics they have professors willing to support, and also that you have the problem solving and data analysis skills to adequately perform research work and operate semi-independently. Having undergraduate or post-bac research that you can explain in detail why you did certain things, what the motivation is, what the goal is, etc is how you prove your worth to grad recruiters (who are usually professors looking for students).

My work is specifically focused on the use of short synthetic peptides to sense the activity of kinases, which regulate pathways in the human body related to growth, division, and apoptosis. When kinases are disregulated it causes various diseases, but it's hard to test drugs for many of these kinases bc there aren't effective monitors for their activity that don't get a lot of false positives due to overlapping signal pathways. The use of synthetic peptides with certain sequences gets around that issue of false positives, and they can be modified to provide information about how effectively a kinase is binding and interacting with the peptide, which would change under exposure to effective inhibitor drugs for those kinases. TL;DR I make little bits of protein to bind other broken proteins and tell me when they're turned on so other ppl can design drugs to turn them off.

Pls let me know if you have any further questions, I apologize that I don't know any comp-sci majors so this might be wildly inaccurate in some regards. XD

#my stuff #asks

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trust-and-jump · 1 year

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FANON batfam things to (dis)like

To like:

Tim Drake taking photos at night - you know what I'm talking about.

Lazarus Pit's influence as some intrusive thoughts.

Jason Todd being literature nerd.

Not mentioning Cassandra Cain's second "adventure" with Lady Shiva, because I love Cass and I'm happy for all the stories it didn't happen.

Not destroying Clocktower.

White streak in Jason Todd's hair (I know, I know, it was in some comics too, but I consider it as fanon thing because— the ones who read comics would probably understand (I hope) what I mean).

Cassandra getting her name even without Barbara Gordon naming her.

Bruce accepting Tim Drake as a son almost immediately.

To dislike:

Bruce accepting Tim Drake as a son almost immediately.

Cassandra Cain having no personality outside of her weird body-reading thing/outside of her being Batfam therapist (which is— just WHY???? She's the worst option for this! I love her but she can't be perfect and she has SO. MANY. PROBLEMS. She deserves better than being that!) Guys she will beat all the criminals up if it means she doesn't have to talk about feelings and all that. Besides, knowing the person's intentions or guessing emotions doesn't mean knowing how to talk through it or how to handle these emotions or how relationships between people 'should' or 'should not' work.

Assuming that she understands everything people say before she learns how to speak.

Not mentioning her problems with reading&writing and thinking she would learn ASL immediately (and MAYBE she would, in some stories, IDK, but I saw only one fic that actually discussed why ASL would be as difficult for her as other languages)

Fucking... autopsy scar. it should not exist.

"Replacement". It's a good thing, actually, I just don't like it.

Shiny Dick. (KDJDISKSOXBXJSKOSSLSS I LAUGHED AFTER I WROTE IT I WON'T CHANGE IT)

Jason slitting Tim's throat at the Titans Tower. I know it would be kinda poetic after THE BATARANG ™ but - no. I remember Jason/Clayface thing with Hush and I accept this canon but all I see at the Titans Tower fight is beating. I'm not even sure Jason wrote the note in blood, because guys, have you ever tried to write big letters with BLOOD? I DID. It's so fcking inconvenient. and takes too much time! and oh my god, even if Jason DID write it in Tim's blood, why slitting his throat? do you have any idea how ridiculously difficult the whole thing is? I think people just kinda confuse Tim-Jason situation at the Titans Tower and Tim-Jason situation with Hush. Because. Slitting throat thing. And they often forget about that Jason/Clayface thing with Hush. I forget it too, sometimes.

Lazarus Pit Madness as a form of mind control or something that excuses everything Jason did. And turning him to a different character.

Impulsive Jason Todd who has no control at all. like with the white streak - I mark it as a Fanon thing despite it being in comics. not because previous reasons but because. because retcon. fuck off. I mean, as Robin he could be, sometimes. But all Robins were like that sometimes. And they all still were professionals. Well. Can vigilantes be professional????? I don't think so but who knows.

Shiny Dick [2]. I won't apologise. (wow I just found out that apologise and apologize are both correct, just British and American variants. Cool!!)

Duke Thomas having half-existence. - would it hurt to actually choose if Duke exists in your story or not? he's an amazing character and it's better not to write him at all if he's a ghost here, my guy.

Weird Tim who worships Jason while getting beat up by him. Did you see how Tim's all sassy while fighting? NOT a deer with big eyes at all. ROBIN. He's Robin!

Not acknowledging what Damian al Ghul or Damian Wayne has been through. I get it, you like Tim and Damian's acting hostile makes you hostile towards him but— seriously?

Woobifying any character while completely changing personality. Dick, Tim and Jason are suffering the most from it. Damian is there sometimes too.

"Jason doesn't try to kill Bruce anymore". He never tried to kill Bruce except this one time in Lost Days where he decided not to do it after all.

Not acknowledging Jason Todd being a hypocrite.

guys do you remember Jason's dead eyes in Lost Days. literally the last glimpse of life in him was when he found out that Joker was alive. It's sad.

___

okay there's a lot more than that but I just can't remember anything else right now. And I'm not going to touch all the fandom's opinions on Bruce Wayne as a parent because it's even more meaningless.

___

sorry for bad English.

#batman fanfiction #batfam fandom #batfamily #batfam #lost days #red hood lost days #fanon #batman fanon #bad english #or should i say #BAT english #tim drake #jason todd #damian wayne #cassandra cain #cassandra wayne #fanon vs canon #comics panels #dc comic panels

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pommedepersephone · 9 months

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Thinking a lot about nightingales, as one does.

Like much of Good Omens, there are just LAYERS with the symbols. And the nightingale is no exception. I've been thinking about how all these meanings play into Crowley's heartbreaking line (sobs quickly). So, quick review of what we are working with here:

The song “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”

The lines from "Romeo and Juliet"

The meanings of nightingales in literature, specifically literature related to Christian theology

Berkeley Square, and a recognition of love

I am in agreement with @biceratops7 that "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is meaningful not just because of their lunch at the Ritz in s1e6, but all the way back to 1941. It's a romantic wish they share, the idea of a time when they'd be free to speak to one another - not confined to clandestine meetings like a nightingale singing in the dead of night.

And they got a taste of that...

But the song is about more than dining at the Ritz (as much as Crowley LOVES watching Aziraphale eat). If this song reminds them of that very fateful night, it also reminds them of the power of trusting one another.

Romeo and Juliet, and a warning of danger

We all know these two love them some Shakespeare, so they'd clearly be well aware of the famous scene about nightingales vs larks.

Juliet: Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day: It was the nightingale, and not the lark, That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear; Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree: Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.

Romeo: It was the lark, the herald of the morn, No nightingale: look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east: Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die.

It's a warning, no nightingales signifies extreme danger.

Literature, and a reference to resurrection

I have to say here that I am only somewhat familiar with the Bible, so I will accept any corrections! But after reading the OWLS, I looked into the symbolism of nightingales. They don't appear in the Bible per se, but they DO appear in medieval literature, specifically John Peckham’s Philomena where a nightingale singing is used to represent the Christian soul - the bird sings a final song about the Crucifixion and dies. It symbolized Christ's resurrection and the renewal of the soul after death. This meaning persists, and given the many references to resurrection in s2, seems important.

If we assume that the conversation at the end of s2e6 contains an element of kayfabe as outlined by @ao3cassandraic (and yes, yes I do) then Crowley's "That’s the point, no nightingales" holds SO MUCH. It's heavy stuff, and based on Aziraphale's reaction, I don't think he heard it all at once.

To be clear, I'm not team body swap. Crowley stayed on earth and Aziraphale got in that damned blessed elevator. But their positions just swapped - the serpent is now left to guard humanity, and the angel of the flaming sword is headed to seek out truth. I think what we see in that master class of microexpressions on the elevator ride up is Aziraphale processing what was ACTUALLY said in the last conversation in the bookshop. It's a reminder of their actual feelings AND a warning of danger - and Crowley isn't just talking about the danger to them individually, but to the world. And with that read, it's also a reminder that they have to trust one another, even while they are now separated, like they trusted each other that night in 1941.

I have to have faith that our idiots will hear those nightingales again.

#good omens #good omens 2 #aziraphale #crowley #good omens meta #good omens theory #no nightingales

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onlineproblems · 5 months

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Beta Reading Slots open :) [2/5 available]

Contact: DM me for my email.

Content accepted: Sensitive subjects such as rape, incest, racism, homophobia, bigotry, etc. are fine IF handled intelligently -- not simply used for shock value, or obviously endorsed by the author. Please keep in mind I am not a sensitivity reader; I can't help you decide what to include or exclude, or how to approach certain topics. I simply encourage you to do your research.

I have the right to refuse any submission without giving a reason.

I accept any fandom as well as original fiction. I am most familiar with the following --

TV:

Twin Peaks

The X-Files

Doctor Who (2005)

Psych

Pushing Daisies

The Mentalist

Once Upon a Time

Bates Motel

Hannibal

The OA

Books:

Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit

Shadow & Bone, Six of Crows

A Court of Thorns and Roses series

The Witcher novels (as well as the games and the Netflix series)

Movies:

The Conjuring universe

Lord of the Rings trilogy (sorry, not The Hobbit or Rings of Power)

The Alien movie universe

What I can help with:

Grammar: punctuation, sentence structure, correct word usage, spelling, etc.

Flow: I can point out areas that might benefit from being fleshed out, shortened, or rearranged.

Style: suggestions for alternative words/phrases; highlight cliches or redundancies.

Time frame: I prioritize my real-life responsibilities. I'll let you know the soonest I can get back to you based on the length of the work and what you'd like me to do.

How to submit a request: Send me an email with "READING REQUEST" + your total wordcount + fandom (if applicable) in the subject line. In the message body, let me know what you want help with, if you have a deadline, and any other details you'd like me to know (US/UK spelling preferred? English not your first language? Under 18?). Attach your document (DOC, DOCX, MD, ODT, RTF only) or include a link to a Google Document with commenting/editing permissions enabled.

My creds: I have 3+ years of professional proofreading experience, and I've been beta reading on and off since I was 15. My undergraduate degree is in English Literature. I love working with writers of all levels, and I've collaborated with people from Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America.

My process: I include positive feedback and comments about what I enjoyed and what I think you do really well. I can either make grammar corrections directly in the document, or leave them as "suggestions." More subjective changes will be included as comments in the margins. I may have questions for you if I'm uncertain about a section in the text -- I'll leave a note in the document and mention in to you when I reply to your email. Feel free to keep the conversation going!

#beta reader #fanfiction #original fiction #writing #proofreading

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princesssarisa · 2 years

Text

More "Little Women" thoughts: Beth March and ableism (warning: very long)

@littlewomenchannel, @thatscarletflycatcher, @joandfriedrich

A few days ago, I was looking for articles about ableism in 19th century literature (because some of us casually do that sort of thing) when I came across this review of Little Women. It's a sad review: the author writes that Little Women was her favorite childhood book, but now, as an adult, she can't enjoy it anymore, because she's come to recognize the "ableism" of the portrayal of Beth's illness and death. As a chronically ill person herself, she used to enjoy identifying with Beth and looked to her as a role model. But now she realizes that this probably fed her own internalized ableism and taught her to suppress her feelings about her illness, because of the way Beth is admired for never complaining while she's sick. She also objects to the fact that Beth (a) has no ambitions or dreams for the future, as if sick people "aren't allowed" to have them, (b) is portrayed as "too good and pure for this earth," and (c) is used as "inspiration porn" to teach Jo and the other sisters to be better people.

I've written in the past about how much I dislike most of the commentary I've read about Beth's character. Without a doubt, critics tend to view her in ableist ways. But only in the past year, with this review as the culmination, have I considered that maybe her portrayal in the book itself is ableist. While I'm not chronically ill, I relate to Beth for different reasons, and I wish I could argue that her portrayal isn't ableist at all: not only for my own sake, but so the above reviewer could enjoy her former favorite book again. But that's impossible to argue. Still, I'd like to take some time to look at Beth's portrayal, through the lens of disability, illness, and premature death in fiction, and the complexities of how it handles those issues.

There's no denying that the book uses Beth's illnesses as a device to inspire growth in the other characters. In Part I, her scarlet fever is written chiefly as an ordeal for Meg, Jo, and Amy, which serves their coming-of-age journeys, and in Part II, her final illness and death once again serve the others' development. Namely by teaching Jo to be kinder and more patient, by reviving Jo's writing career as she works through her grief by turning back to her pen, and by finally bringing Amy and Laurie together as a couple. Of course using a sick or disabled character's suffering and death mainly to serve the healthy, able-bodied characters' personal growth is an ableist tradition, just like the "women in the refrigerator" trope (sacrificing female characters for male characters' development) is sexist.

There's also the fact that Beth is admired, both by Jo and by Louisa May Alcott's narrator voice, for being patient and uncomplaining throughout most of her sickness (though not through all of it– more on that below), rarely even asking for help or care, and "trying not to be a trouble" even as she nears death. Of course we should question the old tradition of glorifying people, especially women and girls, who efface themselves for others and who never complain no matter how much they suffer. Whether their suffering is illness, abuse, poverty, or anything else, the old-fashioned model of "bearing it cheerfully" should definitely be questioned. A chronically ill person should be allowed to fully express their pain and anger. And Beth's real-life model, Louisa May Alcott's sister Elizabeth "Lizzie" Alcott, was angry about her fatal illness – allegedly she became prone to uncontrollable rages in her painful last year of life, which her sister left out of Beth's decline to give her a more socially acceptable "good Christian death." The pressure to never complain, to "try not to be a trouble," and to be a role model of bravery for friends and family is a burden that no sick or disabled person needs! Yet as the above book review made clear, Beth's portrayal can potentially put that pressure on a sick or disabled reader. Just because it was common and accepted in the 19th century to portray illness and death this way doesn't make it any less ableist than it would be from a modern author.

Yet Beth's storyline is more than just a string of ableist 19th century illness tropes. To view it that way requires ignoring its context, both in Alcott's personal life and in the literature of her era.

First of all, there's the fact that Beth is based on a real person, Alcott's beloved sister. She's an idealized portrait, but she's still based in truth. Alcott didn't create a sickly fictional character just to kill off for the sake of the other characters' growth; Beth becomes chronically ill because Lizzie became chronically ill, and she dies because Lizzie died. By idealizing her as Beth and by portraying her life and death as inspiring her family and friends to become better people, Alcott meant to pay tribute to her sister – and maybe it also filled a need within her to find some meaning in her sister's suffering and in such a terrible, unfair loss. Of course just because Alcott loved her sister doesn't mean she couldn't have been ableist toward her, and just because she meant Beth's portrayal as a tribute doesn't mean it can't include problematic tropes. But the context is important to remember.

Besides, while Beth might seem like a figure of old-fashioned, syrupy sentimentality by modern writing standards, I would argue that compared to similar sweet, doomed female characters in other books of the same era, her portrayal is fairly progressive.

19th century fiction is full of angelic young girls, either children or teenage maidens, who, after short lives of gentle, selfless piety, waste patiently away from a drawn-out illness, and then die a "good Christian death," leaving their loved ones to become better people by their example. Two others I know besides Beth, and whom Alcott knew too, are Helen Burns in Jane Eyre and Evangeline "Little Eva" St. Clare in Uncle Tom's Cabin. (Anyone who calls Beth's death "the most maudlin death in 19th century literature" hasn't read Eva's!) Another famous example would probably be Charles Dickens' Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop, but I haven't read that book yet. Fairly often these characters seem to have been written as tributes to young girls in the authors' own families who had died: for example, Charlotte Brontë based Helen Burns on her sister Maria, while Dickens based Little Nell on his teenage sister-in-law Mary Hogarth. In some ways Beth is a classic example of this trope: that I'll grant. But I would argue that she's a complex example. I sincerely think Alcott set out to portray her as less of a romanticized paragon who exists to inspire others and more of a real human being than earlier authors' doomed angel-girls.

Beth is framed as a co-protagonist with her three sisters, not as a supporting character like Helen Burns or Eva St. Clare. This gets lost in the adaptations that focus more exclusively on Jo, but the book is called Little Women and not Jo for a reason. In Part I, despite idealizing her more than the other sisters and sometimes holding her up as their role model, Alcott still makes a point to say that Beth was "not an angel but a very human little girl." Just like her sisters, she dislikes tedious chores. She can be irresponsible, namely when her pet bird dies after she forgets to feed him for days. She can be moody, though it tends to manifest as tears or headaches instead of the angry snapping her sisters indulge in. And she has one big "burden" that she actively struggles with: her overwhelming shyness. She isn't a static character who inspires growth in others without needing to grow herself. Even though her flaws are minor, the idea that Alcott meant her to be a symbol of perfect goodness, too pure for this earth, doesn't ring true.

Her illnesses are also portrayed with a degree of harsh realism that sets her apart from the saintly dying girls in other books. The tuberculosis that kills both Helen Burns and Eva St. Clare is just a slow, gentle weakening with occasional coughs. But Beth's scarlet fever is frightening, both for her sisters and for herself, and her final illness, although vaguely described, is emphatically painful. Her body becomes a "prison-house of pain," as Jo writes, and her formerly calm, uncomplaining demeanor crumbles in a "rebellious" period of physical and emotional torment, horrible for her family to watch. This was clearly the phase when in real life, Lizzie Alcott became prone to fits of rage and dependent on drugs to manage both her pain and her moods; even though Little Women cuts those uglier details, we still feel the tumult, which isn't negated by the fact that it eventually passes and Beth's last days are peaceful.

More importantly, even though Alcott admires Beth for rarely complaining, she still allows her to be miserable about her condition, and the journey of coming to terms with it is Beth's own journey, not just her family's. Helen Burns and Eva St. Clare both serenely embrace death and look forward to heaven. But Beth? She's distraught to have her happy life cut short. True, she tries to resign herself and hide her sadness from her family, but it's clear that she's deeply depressed, and in two different scenes she breaks down crying in Jo's arms (first in bed, before she admits the reason why, and later at the beach after her reveal that she knows she's doomed). Only gradually, over the course of a year and after the above-mentioned period of anguished "rebellion," does she find inner peace, partly thanks to her religious faith, but thanks even more to the loving care and support her family gives her. She's not just a brave role model who makes peace with her fate all alone.

Now, about her lack of dreams and ambitions... This is entirely personal, but never once have I viewed this aspect of Beth's character as Louisa May Alcott "not allowing her" to dream and aspire the way her sisters do. I've always seen it as just a part of her personality, probably taken straight from Lizzie Alcott. Of course I don't know if this is true or not: for all I know, Lizzie did have grand plans for her future which her failing health shattered, and Louisa just chose to give Beth no ambitions to make her a better foil to Jo and/or to make her death less cruel. But why assume that? It's more than possible that even if Lizzie had been healthy and lived long, she really would have been content to stay with her parents until they died, then gone to live with one of her sisters afterward, and chosen to devote her life to taking care of her family.

This is probably a good time to discuss why I relate to Beth. I've written about it before, but it's important, and it explains why I've never viewed her a just a cardboard saint, nor viewed the portrayal of her illness and death as just "inspiration porn."

Even before she becomes chronically ill, Beth is different, and not just by being angelic. "She lived in a happy world of her own," Alcott writes in Part I, "only venturing out to met the few whom she trusted and loved." As late as age fourteen, she still plays with dolls, treats them as if they were alive, and has imaginary friends. She's also been homeschooled, because her social anxiety made the classroom unbearable for her; Alcott describes her shyness as "her infirmity," implying that it's not just a character flaw, but a disability. She never wants to get married, and not only does she have no worldly ambitions, she never even wants to leave her parents' house. Her fondest wish is to "stay at home safe with Father and Mother" forever – a wish that comes true in the saddest possible way, as she dies without ever having left the nest. Yet she's not just a childlike figure, as she has high emotional intelligence from a young age, and she even composes her own music to play on the piano. From a modern perspective, it's easy to read her as neurodivergent, and it seems more than likely that Lizzie Alcott would be diagnosed as neurodivergent if she lived today. As an autistic person, I see so much of myself in Beth... and that includes her lack of ambition. Leave the safety and familiarity of home? Live far from my family, the only people who really understand me? Go out into the big, unknown, anxiety-causing world? Give up my comfortable daily routine to make massive life changes? Not me, unless I have no choice!

This is why, when I first read the book, I found it beautiful that this odd, shy, sickly homebody of a girl, so easy to overlook or dismiss, is ultimately so adored and admired. Even though she doesn't sparkle in society, or defy gender norms, or have grand ambitions, or win any man's romantic love, and even though she dies so young and would probably have never "achieved" much or lived a "normal" life anyway, she's still valuable. Her kindness, her selflessness, and the love she gives to others are enough. Her low self-esteem ("stupid little Beth") and her regret for not doing more with her life are proven wrong, as during her sickness her family and friends reveal just how much she means to them, and even after her death she still makes a positive impact, as her sisters resolve to follow her example of selfless kindness and as she inspires Jo's writing. Of course it's not her job to inspire them, but is it really so problematic that she does?

Still, I've struggled with one possibly ableist aspect of Beth's characterization: the fact that, when she confesses to Jo that she knows she's dying, she suggests that "it was never intended that I should live long." Because she's never had any desire to leave her parents' home and live a "normal" adult life, she reluctantly views her impending death as "for the best." At least it's only Beth herself who says this and not Alcott's narrator voice or any other character; but unfortunately, no one argues against it either. I'd like to think that this speech only voices Beth's low self-esteem (possibly her own internalized albleism), which her family's love, care, and gratitude toward her refute. But the possibility stands that Alcott did rationalize Lizzie's death by thinking she wouldn't have been suited to a long life because she never quite "grew up," and that she expected us to view Beth's death in the same way.

Last spring, I had my first real health crisis since early childhood. For reasons I still don't fully know (probably genetics combined with weight gain and anxiety from two years of living in a pandemic), my blood pressure went dangerously high, and I spent two days in the hospital and still have to take stabilizing pills. In my hospital bed, afraid for my life, I found myself thinking "Maybe I'm like Beth. Maybe I'm not meant to live long. I've never held a full-time job, I can't even drive, socializing is hard, I still depend on my parents and I don't know what I'll do when they're gone, I'm oversensitive, and I feel so much younger than I am. I want to live, but maybe I'm just not suited to this world." Of course that was irrational, fear-based thinking. But it showed me that I have some internalized ableism, and that Beth's view of herself as destined to die young because she's different... doesn't exactly make it better. Just like her self-effacing patience and her role of serving her sisters' character development fed the internalized ableism of the linked review's author. While it hasn't made me dislike Beth or Little Women, it did force me to view her storyline as more of a "problematic fave" than I did before.

At any rate, though, I think the book's portrayal of Beth is much less ableist than most commentary written about her. From critics who insist that she is a symbol of perfect, ethereal goodness that can't survive on earth, to those who wholeheartedly agree that she dies because she's "unable to grow up," to those who view her sisters' admiration for her as inherently anti-feminist, I've read more bad remarks about Beth than I can stand! The worst is when so-called feminist critics conflate Beth's frail health both with her home-centered life and with her gender presentation, and think they're being progressive by saying, for example, "She's killed by her traditional femininity, which makes her too weak to survive," or "She has to die because her life has no meaning outside the home and a modern woman's life needs more meaning than that." Comments like those will always make me angry, but I don't blame Alcott's writing for them. I don't think those were the messages she meant to send.

So what conclusion should I draw from all this? Well, for one thing, I have to admit that Beth's storyline is a "problematic fave" for a disabled or chronically ill reader. I can't claim it's free from ableism and I understand why there's backlash against it. But I won't join fully in the backlash just yet. Alcott's use, and arguable subversion, of ableist tropes in Beth's characterization is complex. I think it's a topic that deserves to be discussed and explored, not used as a reason for readers who relate to Beth to dismiss Little Women altogether.

#little women #beth march #disability representation #chronic illness #ableism #louisa may alcott #elizabeth sewall alcott #fictional characters #characterization #analysis #long #tw: ableism #tw: illness #tw: death

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moorishflower · 1 year

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I got tagged by @softest-punk to talk about BOOKS

Rules: 10 (non-ancient) books for people to get to know you better, or that you just really like.

Idk how we're defining non-ancient but I'm going to assume nothing pre-1400s just because people are listing Shakespeare? Which means I can't include Beowulf :< But know that Beowulf is on here in my heart

The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. Hoo boy. Baby's first fantasy novels. I fell in love with Drizzt Do'urden LONG before I knew what being edgy or goth was, and I was absolutely fascinated by the intricate politics of Menzoberranzan, but even MORE fascinated by the Underdark. This terrifying, harsh alien landscape all in darkness, lit only sometimes by phosphorescent fungi, populated by monstrous creatures and inhuman beings with complex cultures...I was actively less interested in the Forgotten Realms books when Drizzt left the Underdark! To this day I'm really fascinated by survival literature and hostile landscapes, and I find things like deserts and cave systems to be extremely beautiful. Also, I had a crush on Jarlaxle, but so did everybody else, so.

Don Quixote (El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes. I originally read Don Quixote in college, and I fell in love with how it played around with the idea of stories, and how we use them to view the world. I wrote an entire paper about how Don Quixote serves as a sort of trickster figure, because we're meant to learn from his mistakes, but there are honestly so many different ways you can read the text! Is he insane? Is he the ONLY person in the world trying to do the right thing, and its only the rigid outline of society that's actively preventing him from doing it? Also, has one of the single most important quotes to ever be put to a page. "There is no book so bad...that it does not have something good in it."

Dragon's Milk by Susan Fletcher. This was the first book about dragons that I read. I think it probably wouldn't hold up well if I read it again? But I remember being in love with it when I was about 9 or 10. It felt VERY gritty to me (there's death! injury! grief!) at the time, lol.

John Dies at the End by David Wong. HERE'S a book that taught me a lot about fucking around with genre conventions. I reread JDatE about three times in the beginning to make sure I was getting everything, and I still reread it like...once a year or two years or so? Horror is a really special genre to me because there's so much you can learn from it and use it to convey. JDatE was one of the first successful horror COMEDY novels I read.

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I couldn't possibly choose a single book, so don't ask me to! This is meant to be read as a series anyways, even more so than other series. King is one of my favorite authors, and I've read pretty much his entire body of work, but there's something special about The Dark Tower books. They're so huge, and far-reaching, and they accomplish so MUCH and manage to entwine so many different threads into one (nearly, no one's perfect, lol) cohesive whole. I'm sure there are a lot of fantasy and scifi novels that manage to weave as many threads as King does here, but man, there's something SO satisfying about being able to go through the Tower books, and recognizing all the references to so many other books by him. <3

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett. WORDS IN THE HEART CANNOT BE TAKEN. Fuck, what a good book. About personhood, about self determination, about acceptance. Feet of Clay is definitely THE City Watch book for me, followed very closely by Night Watch.

Inferno by Dante Alighieri. Does this count as ancient? I don't care. Inferno was one of my introductions to translation and how word choice can change the entire effect of a sentence. I read it first in middle school, on my own, and then more in depth in high school and college, and I used to keep my annotated copy by my bed in my dorm, so I could go through it whenever I was stressed. I got really into etymology because of Inferno, an interest I still have today!

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. When I read this in high school, the teacher for the class warned us that it was going to be a difficult read and that we would probably need a timeline she had made in order to follow along. But I didn't need the timeline. The leaps in time and space and narration all made perfect sense to me! It wasn't actually that hard to follow along, and the story being told between the words by Benjy was horrifying and fascinating and terribly sad! And then you got to the other parts and it was CONFIRMED to be horrifying and sad! Anyways The Sound and the Fury is a really cool example of nonlinear, unreliable, stream of consciousness narration and I like it a lot.

The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. Just a really cool magic system. Really interesting worldbuilding. But it's the magic system that gets me.

Across the Acheron by Monique Wittig. Baby's first feminist lesbian book. I got Across the Acheron because I was intrigued by another version of Inferno. Instead, I figured out I wasn't straight! Like all feminist literature there's a lot of ways to read this and it probably hasn't held up as well as I would like, but I am indebted to it for like, letting 14 y/o me realize that not just liking boys was okay, so!

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