The Weekly MUSE: The Wicked Witch of the West

Every year around this time, I get the urge to watch my favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz. Why? Because of the Wicked Witch of the West – one of the most profound antagonists of all time!

She is evil. She is spooky. And since I’ve been on this roll lately – she is GREEN!

The Wicked Witch of the West made her first appearance over a hundred years ago in L. Frank Baum’s classic novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Since then, many authors, screenwriters, and directors have adapted this character into different roles.

L. Frank Baum’s wicked witch was a short and stubby old lady. She was ruler of the Winkies, and her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East was ruler over the Munchkins. The original Wicked Witch of the West was not green. She had only one eye, yet it was as powerful as a telescope. She could spy on anything and anyone. And instead of flying on a broom, she wielded an umbrella.

The original Wicked Witch of the West from l. Frank Baum's classic book.

While the original wicked witch’s appearance was quite different than subsequent roles, her intentions were quite the same. She wanted revenge on Dorothy for flattening her sister with a falling house. And don’t forget the slippers – the silver slippers that is. Yes, in the original story, the slippers were silver. They had belonged to the Wicked Witch of the East, but since Dorothy had killed that witch, the shoes belonged to her. But the Wicked Witch of the West wanted those, too.

In the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is portrayed as a slender, boney featured old woman. She is dressed in a flowing black dress, and wears the classic black coned hat. And her skin is green. This witch flies on a broomstick, uses a crystal ball to spy on the world, and she coined the famous line, “I’ll get you my pretty! And your little dog, too!”

This version of the Wicked Witch of the West still wants revenge on Dorothy for killing her sister, but in this adaptation, the slippers are made of rubies.

MGM’s version of the Wicked Witch of the West has influenced the way we see witches in popular culture. From that point forward, the common representation of the witch has looked similar to this classic movie character. The green skinned, broom riding, boney featured old woman with the flowing black dress is the most common.

In 1978 another adaptation of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz hit the silver screen. This film was portrayed through the African American culture. The Wiz took place in Harlem and New York City. And the Wicked Witch of the West was a stout, whip wielding, gospel singing, large-and-in-charge woman who ran a sweatshop down in the sewers. She wore a large, puffy, beaded, orange and red baby doll dress – but don’t let that fool you. Her demeanor was similar to the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. Take a look!

 

So, what tied all of these characters together? They all had a band of FLYING MONKEYS! And they all wanted revenge on Dorothy. After all, isn’t that what an antagonist is supposed to do – get in the protagonist’s way?

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these what if questions will help you get started.

What if your main character’s mother was the Wicked Witch of the West?

What if you told the story of the Wizard of Oz through the perspective of one of the winged monkeys?

What if the Wicked Witch of the West was the protagonist (hero of your story) instead of the villain? Oops. That has already been done. Refer to the famous musical “Wicked”. Take a look at this video clip of Glenda and Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West). 

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

Grab a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “adaptation”. Here is the definition: adjusting a story to make it new but keeping key elements the same, so that the original story can be recognized through the changes.

The Weekly MUSE: Frankenstein

Frankenstein Movie Poster

 

October is my FAVORITE month. And Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday. And Frankenstein is one of my FAVORITE Halloween characters!

But why is this giant, green monster such a popular Halloween character? I decided I would do a little research and electrify you with some fun facts!

Ghouls and Goblins we have found out MUSE! FRANKENSTEIN!

To my astonishment, Frankenstein was not a giant. He was not green, and he was not a monster. Frankenstein was the scientist who created the monster. Victor Frankenstein is the protagonist of Mary Shelley’s classic horror book, Frankenstein, published in London in 1818.

Mary Shelley

 

During a vacation to Lake Geneva in Switzerland, Mary Shelley began writing what she thought would only be a short story. She used her surroundings as a setting and the concept if galvanism as a MUSE. Do you want to know what galvanism is??? Are you sure???

Galvanism was an experimental science used in the 1800’s. Scientists believed that if the right amount of electrical current was shocked into the brain of a dead body, the body could come back to life. Of course, this type of science proved to be unsuccessful in real life (as far as I know… wink).

But Mary Shelley’s protagonist was successful at galvanizing a corpse to life – the corpse is what we know as Frankenstein’s Monster. And this monster wreaks havoc throughout the pages of Shelley’s story. Unfortunately, the gory details are a little too much to share on this platform, phooey!

Over a hundred years later, Mary Shelley’s story had not died, Muah hahahaha! Universal Studios in Hollywood created a series of movies starring Frankenstein’s Monster.  Some of these films include: Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Son of Frankenstein.

But the most famous movie is probably Young Frankenstein directed by Mel Brooks in 1971. Take a look at the movie trailer.

 

With the popularity of these movies, Frankenstein’s monster became a huge icon of the horror genre. And this is when people began using the image and character of the monster as a Halloween icon as well. Frankenstein’s monster became known simply as “Frankenstein.”

So, look out for the giant, green monster on greeting cards, holiday decorations, and reruns of old movies. If you are lucky, Frankenstein might even ring your doorbell this Halloween demanding, “Trick or treat!”

 

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these what if questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your protagonist used galvanism to bring a dead cockroach back to life? FRANKENROACH!

WHAT IF Frankenstein wanted a pet to keep him company? What would it be?

WHAT IF Frankenstein was your protagonist’s dad? What kind of life would your protagonist lead? What does your protagonist want more than anything? Does he/she just want normal dad without green skin and bolts in his head?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us. 

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “genre”. Here is the definition: of or pertaining to a distinctive literary type. Examples: science fiction, fantasy, magic realism, horror, comedy, etc.

Turned to STONE by her BLACK CAT!

Professor Watermelon,

I finally did it. I've turned her to stone. And she purrrrrfectly deserved it!

Signed,

A very happy and FREE Black Cat

###

Dear Black Cat,

I can't help but wonder why you were compelled to turn her to stone? What did she do to deserve this punishment? And how did you do it?

Signed,
Professor Watermelon

###

Creative Writers,

As you can see, this black cat has had enough! Can you write this Black Cat's story? The black cat is the protagonist and the witch is the antagonist. Give them both names and weave a story that will entrance your audience. I look forward to reading where your imagination takes us!

Sincerely,
Professor Watermelon

Weekly Muse: Black Cats

Black Cat by Doug Wheller

 

I was at a shopping mall the other day and came across an adoption center for cats and dogs. Sadly, I am allergic to cats, but the cutest little black cat named Salem caught my attention. I just HAD to hold him.

As I felt a tickle in my nose and eyes, I knew I couldn’t hold him for long before I’d be a sneezey, watery-eyed mess. So, I handed my new feline friend back to a volunteer.

“Do you know that finding homes for black cats is the hardest?” said the volunteer.

“Why?” I asked.

“Well,” said the volunteer. “People still think they are bad luck.”

“How could anyone think such an adorable little fur ball like Salem is bad luck?”

At that point I wanted Salem even more, although I knew my allergies wouldn’t stand for it. (Sad Face)

That’s when I got the great idea to use BLACK CATS as our WEEKLY MUSE!

Purrrrrrrrrfect!

Here is what I have discovered about black cats.

For centuries the black cat has been the subject of myths and superstitions. In America this dates back to the pilgrims who settled at Plymouth Rock. These people were suspicious of anything unholy, and they believed that black cats were the familiars of witches.

Vintage postcard of a witch and her familiar

 

A “familiar” is an animal, such as a cat, that people believe to have a supernatural spirit that aids a witch in performing her magic. This is why black cats are often seen riding on the broomsticks of witches in Halloween decorations.

Also in America, many people believe that if a black cat crosses your path, you must turn around and go home to avoid bad luck. This is an example of a superstition.

A superstition is a belief that is blindly accepted without real knowledge or reasoning.

While some believe that black cats are bad luck or familiars to witches, other people throughout history have seen them as good luck.

Historically, sailors have chosen the black cat to be their onboard “ship cat”. Some sailors think that the black cat will help bring them to shore safely and soundly. At home, many sailors’ wives would keep black cats for the same reason.

Black cats as good luck can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian Goddess Bast (the cat goddess). Those who gave shelter to black cats were given special favor by this goddess. Some people still believe this today.

Bast, the Egyptian Cat Goddess



While these myths and superstitions cannot be proven, here is a black cat fact:

Black cats are just like any other cat except for their high levels of melanin. Melanin is a dark color pigment found in ALL animal life. Melanin is what causes the dark colors in skin, hair, fur, scales and feathers.  

This high level of melanin isn’t found only in house cats. Have you ever heard of a black panther?

Black Leopard by Barrasa8

 

Black panthers aren’t a species of their own. In fact, a black panther is any large cat with high levels of melanin. This includes black jaguars, black leopards, and the very rare black tigers.

But the rarest of them ALL is the PINK PANTHER! Take a look (wink).

Black cats have inspired many, many characters in children’s literature. In the book Coraline by Neil Gaiman, the main character, Colaline, is encountered by a talking black cat that warns her of dangers in the alternate world.

"Coraline" movie poster

 

And we can’t forget about Catwoman in the Batman stories. Take a look at this video to see the many faces of Catwoman.

 

So, if you and your family are searching for a new pet, please consider adopting a black cat. Not only will you gain a wonderful feline friend, you will also help change the history of this misunderstood creature.
One more quick fact: August 17^th is Black Cat Appreciation Day. Who knew?

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character adopted a black cat who could talk?

WHAT IF your main character was a black panther who dreamed of being a pop star?

WHAT IF you told a story through the perspective of a “ship cat”?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

Look WHO Hooted His Way Into the MUSEBOX!

This is Larry perched at his desk.

Professor Watermelon,

WHO do those people on TV think they are? Have you seen the commercial - the one making fun of us owls. They say we aren't as wise as people think we are. Take a look at the commercial spreading this ridiculous rumor!


 

Those silly owls must be paid actors. TRAITORS!

Do you think your creative writers can set the record straight? Maybe if they write some stories about some truly remarkable owls, we can stop this video from going viral.

WHO-serely,

Larry



Dear Larry,

You have to admit that the commercial is pretty funny. And they didn't say that ALL owls aren't wise - just some. As for my creative writers, I think they would love to write stories about some EXTRAORDINARY owls. Let's see what (or WHO) they come up with.

Sincerely,

Professor Watermelon



Dear Creative Writers,

WHO can take Larry's challenge? If you write a story featuring an EXTRAORDINARY owl, you will earn $10 Melon Dollars per page instead of $5.

Here are some "What if" questions to get you started:

What if an owl was the president of a computer company? (Notice the picture of larry and the symbol behind him.)

What if you created a character named Owlbert Einstein?

Have a HOOT creating these stories!

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The WEEKLY MUSE: Crows

Professor Watermelon with his puppet friend, Otis the Crow!

 

I was walking around my neighborhood this weekend and saw one of the most beautiful crows perched on a fence. He bobbed his head up and down and made a low guttural caw-cawing sound. His feathers were shiny black, but with the autumn sun shining on them, a dark purple sparkled. I was mesmerized by this magical creature. I knew then and there that I had found our Weekly MUSE!

I went back to my writer’s studio and began researching this magnificent bird. Here is what I found:

Crows are not your ordinary “birdbrained” creature. In fact, crows are incredibly smart. Some researchers say that crows are as smart as chimpanzees and gorillas – a somewhat close relative to humans. WOW!

 

American Crow



And crows have developed quite a close relationship with humans. In most places around the world, if you can find us, you can find them. The same could be said for rats, but rats try to hide from us while crows will sometimes try to find us.

Just like humans, crows have problem solving skills. They will make tools from wire and sticks to retrieve food from a hole. They will also place nuts in the middle of the road and wait for a car to crack it open. Take a look at the video to see this for yourself.

Crows are also very social birds. They travel together, live in families, protect each other, and even mourn the deaths of fellow crows. And if you cross a crow and cause him/her danger, he/she will call for help. Within moments a mob of crows will come to the rescue. They will scold you and possibly dart down at you from the overhead trees.

Crows can also remember faces. If you have ever caused a crow harm, he/she will not forget you. The crow’s family will unlikely forget you as well – and they are unlikely to ever forgive you.

But the most amazing insight I have learned about crows is their ability for friendship. In this video you will see two natural born enemies show love and compassion for one another.

Doesn’t that video just make your hear all warm and fuzzy. SMILE!

If you would like to learn more about crows and their common characteristics, look here.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character (a human) becomes best friends with a crow?

WHAT IF crows go someplace magical at night, and your main character follows them to this magical place?

WHAT IF your main character understood the language of crows? Would this unlock secret knowledge about the human race?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “mourn”. Here is the definition: to feel or express sadness for the death or loss of someone or something.

The WEEKLY MUSE: Cicadas

As many of you already know, I lived in Seattle for ten years. And for the most part, summer evenings were pretty quiet compared to those of Indianapolis.

I’m not talking about the sounds of people or cars or police sirens. I’m talking about the little, green monsters with wings that live in the trees. CICADAS!

For many, the sounds of cicadas are obnoxious and mind numbing, but for me it is music to my ears. When I hear the cicada’s whine, I remember that I am HOME. And that brings me comfort and happiness.

So, it looks like we have found our MUSE.

CICADAS!

There are two general types of cicadas: annual and periodical.

Annual cicadas perform their life cycle within two years. Periodical cicadas perform a 13 or 17 year life cycle, making them the longest living insects in the world.

Here is how their life cycles work: In the summer a female tears a slit into a tree limb with her beak. She deposits her eggs inside. When the eggs hatch the small nymphs resemble a termite or a grain of white rice. These little guys suck on the tree’s juices.

Eventually, the nymphs will fall to the ground and begin tunneling into the earth. Here, they will spend most of their lives. Underground they continue to suck the juices from trees – this time from their roots.

When the time is right, the nymphs will begin digging back to the surface. They crawl across the ground until they find a tree to climb. And once they have found a secure place, they begin the last stage of metamorphosis. They emerge from their exoskeleton and leave the shell behind.

I used to hunt for these exoskeletons when I was a kid, and I still do today! Take a look at the photo and see the latest beauties I found.

Three cicada exoskeletons found on a pine tree.

 

Once the cicada’s wings are dry and ready for flight, they begin searching for a mate. The males make their signature whining sound to swoon a female, and the life cycle starts all over again.

A cicada emerging from its exoskeleton.

The cicada I found was a “Dog Days” cicada. These cicadas are annual cicadas that are easy to find year after year.

Take a look at this video to see the amazing Magicicada! These cicadas emerge once every seventeen years.

As you just learned, cicadas come out in MASS numbers. But why?

Well, the cicada has many predators. For one, squirrels eat them like nuts. Birds, raccoons, opossums, foxes and even people eat cicadas, too.

But nothing compares to the infamous CICADA KILLING WASP. If you plan to write a story about a cicada, consider these bad boys as your antagonist. Take a look at this incredible video.

All I can say is, “WOW!”

By the way, did you hear all the cicada "chorus" in the background of that video?

Here is one last interesting fact about cicadas. They LOVE lawnmowers! Yup, the twirling blades sound like a cicada PARTY!

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a Cicada King? What if the Cicada King led an army of cicadas against a swarm of Cicada Killing Wasps?

WHAT IF your main character found the exoskeleton of a GIANT cicada? This GIANT cicada is the size of a school bus, and it is on the loose! 

WHAT IF your setting was underground and the 17 year cicadas were planning their trip to the surface? What would they be feeling? Would they be excited? Scared? Sad?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own WHAT IF questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the week is “exoskeleton”. Here is the definition: the protective or supporting structure covering the outside of the body of many animals, such as the thick cuticle of arthropods.