MotG Week 4: Ask the Greats!!

[Charis alAslan]

Seriously.

[keyholder21]

Elgs, I tried to converse with van Gogh but he was WAAAY too out there for me to even understand. Something about bells, oranges, lightning, and triangles. I...have no idea.

 

Monet, though, was very sweet :).

 

Magnificent Elgee,

 

I find myself mystified, but in a positive manner, of this “Happening” that you have asked me to purview. My first and foremost philosophy is that art is art. While one might express himself through a paintbrush, sweeping swift strokes across an open canvas, others feel the need to express through body language or vocals. Either way, the viewer is drawn into the art – creating a connection that might change one’s life.

 

While I am partial to landscapes, favoring the feelings landscapes can enhance in a person, others might envoke the same feeling with a word, a touch, a look. It may seem less civilized, but art is always evolving- often being a catalyst for change within society. Artists are forward thinkers, they must be forward thinkers to survive in the cutthroat world where beauty and sensitivity are frowned upon.

 

I suggest taking part of the art form and enjoying being a part of history.

 

Best Wishes,

C. Monet

[keyholder21]

I finally tracked him down Leala! I hope his answer is sufficient for you *g*. He gets quite wordy, so I had to cut him off a bit. Also, I translated from Old English, so some of the words might be wrong here and there. I think I got the jist however...

 

Alluring Leala,

 

I would have spoken earlier, but I was distracted by the “Dragon Reborn Role-playing” area of Dragonmount. There are a number of excellent writers and I was enthralled by the richness of the writing. Many of these have description and characterization that can rival that of any novel. Of course, the body language and spoken verse is missing from a fanfiction piece. The words never come alive as much as they do when one is performing on stage – bewitching the audience with gestures and dialogue. (You can get the audience to agree with nearly anything you say this way, and it’s divine for hiding political truths).

 

The creativity of fanfiction is astounding, though it leads me to wonder what these writers are doing with their lives! Is there not enough comedy and tragedy in the world to make them ponder on a plot and set of characters of their own? I mean, if Stephenie Meyer can bank on Twilight, I’m willing to bet that Elizabeth’s story about two cats rolling around in a dumpster could make millions with the same kind of people – they apparently like trash. Use another’s characters and setting for practice, but then branch out. Even if you end up writing about a Singer who goes insane, shaves her head, and then years later resurfaces to become a media darling again. See? Just off the cuff and I came up with a believable story. People would eat that feces up.

 

Right, right. Key is reminding me to get back to task. It’s not as if this has been the only way I’ve been able to talk for approximately five centuries, but I suppose I shall keep my comments to a minimum. I believe I’ve said my piece. I enjoy reading them, but only as practice for your own. After all, do you want to be known as the person who wrote that story about the stuff that other person wrote about? Or the person who wrote that unbelievably amazing novel that everyone is talking about? Trust me, it’s the latter. After all, I’m still considered the greatest writer in the English language and I’ve been dead for aWHILE.

 

In closing, I’ve written you a poem:

 

There once was a boy from Nantucket

[censored by Key]

 

Willie S.

[Leala Sedai]

Thank you, Key! And thank Willie for me, too. ;) That was quite enjoyable!

[Dwynwen]

Oh snap, Stephanie Meyer just got schooled by Jane Austen!

[Elgee]

Lol ... brilliant! Oh and thank dear Monet for me, Key - he's one of my all time favourite beauty hits.

[Charis alAslan]

Oh snap, Stephanie Meyer just got schooled by Jane Austen!

 

Hehe. Stephanie Meyers NEEDS some schooling! (Sorry - Twilight hater here. )

[Leala Sedai]

Yes, she does. But I don't think she'll take it for what it is. :P

[RandA lThor]

I would like to ask Martin Luther King, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln their humorous opinion on their favorite football team.

[keyholder21]

Sorry ya'll - I have been unable to get any of the Greats you've requested in the past few days. I believe one of them is coming forward now, though, so I should have some more advice for you soon!

[keyholder21]

Greats galore this time of day! Firstly, let us hear from Ms. Woolf...

 

Sophisticated Athena,

 

I find the idea of this 'postmodernism' incorrigible in all honestly. Yes, I did skip the niceties and go directly to the matter at hand for it is a point of consternation for me! Almost enough for me to have another breakdown over it, and where I am is the most peaceful place that I've ever been. Not that I want to bother you with those details, so we'll skate over that and get to what you really wish to know.

 

I don't follow the main idea of this movement. After all, how is one supposed to describe one's self or others if not for assigning categories? I do embrace that idea that we are all equal and thus need to be defined differently than we have been in the past, but how do you describe someone withoutlabeling? Praytell, ask this postmodernists how they would describe each other. I bet they cannot do it without using the words 'female', 'male' and the like. There is a reason we have these. Whether they want to face it or not, humans enjoy categorizing things.

 

While I also agree that social changes might need to be made, has any social change ever been made by analyzing? No. Social change is affected by action, so these postmodernists need to put down their Hipster glasses and become involved in what they are claiming to study. Additionally, this idea that people hold their own biases about the world, and thus view it in a different matter than anyone else is not a new idea. What do they think the women of my time – and before – were writing about?

 

Though I disagree with the movement, and at times it gives me much distress, I do try to remind myself that society is a fluid thing. It could not survive being constant and even though this idea is popular now, the interest will die down and another will rise in the place – perhaps one that study the differences in the categories we assign rather than rid us of them all together landing us in an abyss of non-specifics.

 

Cordially,

 

V.Woolf

[keyholder21]

Now to hear from the Colonel...

 

Darling Daruya,

 

I am so very glad you take an interest in horses as well as myself – they are lovely companions, are they not? I think there is nothing better than being astride a horse. I have always been appalled at those that snub their noses at these wondrous creatures – or worse, have designs to eat them and/or kill them because they cannot take care of them! On a large scale it is not all that different to take care of a horse than any other pet – one must simply be attentive to their needs.

 

On that same vein, I will answer your question as best I can. I find myself conflicted over these “whisperers”. Betimes it does appear that they can solve a problem where no one else can, but when one is very in tune with a horse, the mare or stallion often becomes an extension of one's self. The horse will observe and read the human in addition to the human reading the horse. Body language of an animal can tell just as much as one about a human if one pays close enough attention. So, do I think they are doing anything special? No. I merely choose to believe that they have an aura, or something special about them that enables them to be very in tune with the animal. Similar to a way that a random person might elict purrs and positive affection from a normally feral cat – some people just have it.

 

Now, I do enjoy all the time and attention that equines are receiving because of these people. And while they may be capitalizing on the animals that truly cannot speak for themselves, they do seem to have the best interests of the animals at heart – which is what I most care about.

 

In closing, while I do not believe wholeheartedly, it is difficult to look down on these people who seem to care [nearly] as much as I do.

 

Oh dear, I'm afraid you asked for funny but I've delivered you quite a serious answer. How about a joke to lighten this up?

 

 

What is the best type of story to tell a runaway horse?

 

 

 

A tale of WHOA

 

Sincerely,

 

Colonel P.

[keyholder21]

I have transcribed half the notes for our First Reasoner and for Rand, but my connection seems to be fuzzy. At least I don't think anyone would really talk about watermelons considering the topics! I shall attempt to reach them in the morning after I've slept some .

[Charis alAslan]

Looking forward to it, Key!!

[keyholder21]

Cunning Charis,

 

This is a very logical question when faced with the ability to speak with me. Key tells me that logic is present in much that you do, though you have a love for Ms. Rowling's books, and thus that is the origin of your question. I do find irony that this is on a board dedicated to Robert Jordan, another well-known and loved fantasy author and yet you have requested my opinion on yet a different fantasy series. I suppose despite the following that Wheel of Time has, it does not have the fanaticism revolving around it as do my novels and the boy wizard books (Ms. Key is arguing that it should). The fanaticism is ...unreal. When releasing my ideas, I had no idea of the following they would garner - both positively and negatively. There have been incredible adaptations (whether adapting for a movie, cartoon, costume, or more) and several shudder inducing how-can-they-look-at-themselves-in-the-mirror adaptations.

 

While observing this all, I have noticed an innumerable amount of people dwelling on the similarities and differences between my novels and the boy wizard novels. To this I say, what is the harm? I, of course, do not encourage someone capitalizing on all my ideas - merely changing a name does not constitute telling a new story. However, borrowing an idea to put one's own twist on it does not seem harmful. While I am credited for being the father of modern fantasy (who knew I'd have so many children - har har), I was influenced by novels I read as a child and as a man. I merely took those ideas and incorporated them into my story how I saw fit. Ms. Rowling has been stated that she admits to being influenced by my story, but (and forgive my frankness) who in the last fifty years has not cited me as an influence? Writing anything "new" would be difficult as we have thousands of years to compare against. And we grow up reading these fantastic stories, loving the plot, the characters, the setting so much that of course we will be inspired - they would not be good stories if they didn't inspire something in us.

 

As a final thought, I encourage you not to look at her as someone who stole ideas from mine, but rather borrowed a beloved fantasy ideal and recreated it in her own idea. Much as society does for political ideals, or a human does with a memory. Plus, Harry Potter has - like LotR - inspired an entire generation of readers. That is always welcome.

 

Thoughtfully,

 

J.R.R. Tolkien

 

P.S. I'm very thankful you didn't ask me about Eragon.

[Charis alAslan]

*applause*

[Dwynwen]

Yeah, can we print it out and hand it to people who think that some of the most famous fantasy books are Tolkien rip-offs? *mutters*

[keyholder21]

*laughs* I know, right? How coincidental that I seem to agree with nearly everything the Greats are saying

 

BTW peeps, if you want more answered, feel free. I will keep talking to them as I can for the rest of this week as well :).

 

Sir Rand,

 

I was delighted to be called upon by Ms. Key, for that meant that someone wished to speak with me. Although I have several questions for you, I know that is not the purpose of this. You wished to ask me about a sport.

 

I’m afraid I know not much about this football, though Key has been so gracious to enlighten me. You see, this is a new-fangled sport. My involvement in sports consists of Wicket and Shinny. Now those are a sport enough to nearly cast one’s wig aside! One of my favorite things to do when I visited a camp was to get down in the dirt and throw a wicket ball around with the aides. Praytell, what is up with the ridiculous shape of the ball in this sport you ask about? It cannot be easy to throw, nor to catch. Is there a special way to throw it? I’ve been peering in on NY Jet practices since you asked, but this Tim Tebow hasn’t done any throwing that I can see.

 

That said, there is an enormous following of this sport! There is camaraderie between fans that we could have used as a unifier way back in the day – would have saved on some horses. Though I’ve noticed there are grudges between some team fans as well. Apparently one cannot be both a Redskins and a Cowboys fan. Going by the mascots alone, it’s quite easy to see why.

 

As for a favorite team – I feel I am at a disadvantage as I do not have as much experience watching. I shall yearn to pay more attention in the future, and perhaps you can reask me this next year. I cannot lie, however, and as I am lacking in knowledge I will have to resort to choosing the team that has my name. I meant, who wouldn’t? With my legacy of command, this team must be a dominant force, yes? I shall choose the Washington Redskins.

 

[Key insert: you have no idea how much it pained me, as a Cowboys fan, to write that…]

 

Thoughtfully,

The original G. Dub.

[RandA lThor]

Dang it, I was hoping he would say San Francisco.

 

That was the truth however.

[John E. Kelley]

Key and I would like to thank everyone that participated in Week Four of Month of the Greats. She and I (not to mention the Greats themselves) had a ton of fun with this event. You wouldn't believe the tomfoolery that these dead ladies and gentlemen can get into when given the chance to return and share their wisdom. I doubt Key and I will ever get the stains out of the carpet.

 

As a conclusion, I'd just like to share a few statements about each of the Greats that visited with us this week. They're all so famous that most of what I state is already well-known to anyone with even a primary school education, but they all insisted, as who among us doesn't enjoy having our triumphs flaunted for the world to hear? Vanity, it would seem, is a vice of the High as well as the Low.....

[John E. Kelley]

 

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (1452-1519) was a Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer who epitomized the humanist ideal. He is considered one of the greatest painters of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented human being ever to walk the planet.

 

While famous primarily for his paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, he is also revered for his technological ingenuity. He devised early versions of tanks, helicopters, principles of solar power, and even a calculator. While most of his designs weren't even feasible in his time, some of his smaller inventions entered the world of manufacturing unheralded.

 

*Fun facts*

 

Leonardo was born out of wedlock and at the age of 22 charged with sodomy, although he was acquitted.

[John E. Kelley]

 

Alfred Adler (1870-1937) was an Austrian psychotherapist and founder of the school of individual psychology. His emphasis on the importance of feelings of inferiority - the inferiority complex - is recognized as isolating an element which plays a key role in personality development^.

 

A close friend and colleague of Sigmund Freud in his early professional life, Adler was soon ostracized for being "too contrary", as Freud put it, to continue as a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society that he and Freud had helped to form.

 

His work was heavily influenced by Nietzsche and was among the first to argue in the favor of Feminism.

[John E. Kelley]

 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a composer of the Classical Era. He composed over 600 works and is acknowledged as one of the most enduringly popular of all the classical composers.

 

Mozart was already competent on the keyboard and violin by the age of five, and performed regularly before royalty by that age. While easily gaining fame during his lifetime, he never gained financial security.

 

Beethoven would later name him as his greatest influential figure.

 

*Fun fact*

 

Amadeus may just be my favorite movie of all time. Tom Hulce's performance as Mozart, and F. Murray Abraham's performance as Solieri were breathtaking.

 

*Another fun fact*

 

Mozart was also a Freemason, with all the mystery that the position carries.....

[John E. Kelley]

 

Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction made her one of the most widely read authors in English literature. Her works include Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma.

[John E. Kelley]

 

Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a founder of French Impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movements philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature.

 

The term Impressionist is derived from the title of his painting Impression, Sunrise.