Anyone out there? Tell us a story.

I don't actually have time to blog, as it turns out, and apparently neither do you. But maybe drop a line now and then -- specifically, give us a story that illustrates the values you'd like our leaders to live and espouse.

Here's today's from me:

So we rented the original “Love Bug”. As you may or may not recall, the plot involves a number of races between Herbie, the Love Bug (and his driver) and, in particular, various cars driven by the actor who played Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins. Over the course of the movie, Mr. Banks does various things to sabotage Herbie (whipped cream in the gas tank, spilling oil on the raceway, etc.). Herbie’s supporters respond in kind during the final race. All very G rated.

After a bit of this during the dramatic last race, Jamie, upset, with no advance warning, says, “I don’t want to watch this any more! They’re just doing lots of mean things to each other and it’s not nice! Why do they have to be so mean?!” We turn it off. He goes on, also, about how sad it made him when Herbie and his driver had a disagreement and Herbie drove off into the foggy SF night by himself. When I told him that it turns out okay in the end, he was not mollified. When Ellen was more specific and told him that Herbie wins the race in the end, he called to me from the other room, excited, “Mama! Mama! Herbie wins the race at the end!!” Feeling much better, but still having no desire to see the rest of the movie.

It’s made me contemplate the nature of narrative, and how many stories (especially kids’ stories) are based on the exact same model:

1. Introduction of good characters and bad characters

2. Good characters pursue some goal but must face any number of obstacles, often placed there by the bad characters.

3. Good characters prevail in the end.

The basic adventure plot. And my boy generally doesn’t like it, especially when the obstacles are placed there by the bad characters (as opposed to natural dangers, like getting through the field of jelly fish in Finding Nemo).

We read Cherries and Cherry Pits afterward to make him feel better, and I was struck by how completely different the story was, without all the adrenaline fueled highs and lows.