fandomhigh | Literature, Class 3: Period 3, Thursday, January 22

"Good morning, class," Miss Bennet said, as she removed her gloves and scarf and stomped the snow from her boots. "It is quite good of you all to come here, considering the quite hazardous conditions outside."

Glancing around the room, she noticed the quite unexpected fireplace, and the mugs of hot cocoa. "It would seem that the island is attempting to apologize for the intrusion," she smiled. "Very well. Who am I to stand against the roaring warmth of a fire? Please fetch a mug for yourself and follow me."

When they were all comfortably seated in a semi-circle around the fireplace, she continued. "We had plans for another discussion entirely today, but perhaps now is a good time to speak of storytelling, instead. All literature has its roots in this ancient practice, where folk would gather around a fireplace and tell tales to one another. The constellations in the sky above were shapes suggested by mythology. Homer's tales of Troy were part of an oral tradition, extending back generations before anyone thought to put pen to paper and record them permanently. A good storyteller can keep his audience's attention. A good storyteller might also embellish, might tell the story differently each time, depending on the particular audience before him. Storytelling is more fluid than a tale set permanently on paper could ever hope to be."

"Therefore," she said, taking a sip of her cocoa, "I should like to discuss storytelling, today. How it differs from such structured things as novels, plays, and the television that seems so prevalent in this time-period. What forms of storytelling each of you are familiar with. Why it is that we turn to stories to make sense of events that happened. And then, if all of you are willing to participate, I believe I should like for us to try our hand at that noble art."

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Harper had a really confused look on her face. When Ronan was done talking, she leaned over and whispered, "Wait a minute. I don't get the part about modern wizardry."

"What? Oh," Ronan said. "I'm a wizard. From Ireland. A lot of our wizardry is shaped by the old ways, that's all, whereas places like the States go about it a bit differently."

There may have been a grumbling thought about, "Books? Honestly?" But at least they weren't iPods.

Edited 2009-01-22 22:48 (UTC)

"You're a wizard?" asked Harper, raising an eyebrow.

"... Yes?" Ronan replied. "Do I need to prove it somehow?"

"I think if you make a claim like that, you're going to have to back it up somehow," said Harper. "My mom and grandma told my stories and stuff about witches and wizards, but none of that stuff was real. It was all fantasy."

Ronan shrugged. "Okay," he said. He held up one hand, palm up, and it was barely a twist of thought inside his head to set a small ball of light hovering above it, bouncing slightly in an absent breeze.

Harper stared. "That can't be real. It's more likely a trick of light or something."

Unfortunately, Harper had a stubborn streak.

Ronan just blinked. "How long have you been in Fandom now?"

"Just since the beginning of the term," said Harper. "Wait a minute... is this like that squirrel thing everyone told me about?"

"You haven't wondered where the fireplaces came from?" Ronan asked. "Or about the fact that there are wizards, aliens, witches... Powers alone know what else attending this school?"

"I... haven't come across anything yet that didn't have a rational explanation," replied Harper.

"... I'd like to see your rational explanation for the fireplaces."

Harper opened her mouth... but nothing came out. She was at a loss for words.

Finally, she managed to squeak, "Magic?"

Ronan snapped his hand closed, dismissing the light at the same time. "Exactly," he said, with a grin. "There's a lot more here than you're used to."

Literature, Class 3: Period 3, Thursday, January 22

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