Foreign Youth

A sharp crack rang through Baracus a couple of hours before dawn. Alice sat up and looked around. She saw how dark it was and frowned.

“Not another time!”

Most people in Baracus were used to the occasional loud noise and, more often than not, the noise was caused by Drake, a resident Worker and also one of the King’s agents.

The first time Alice had heard the sharp crash of metal, she had jumped about in confusion and wonder. It had been during the day, and Jithin had explained it all to her in order to calm her down. He told her that Workers were field leaders for new Solune inventions, and that they used a lot of metal and springs. Occasionally, he had said, something would go wrong, and the combination of heavy springs and iron would result in noises like what she had heard. And, he’d added, usually it was Drake; especially if it happened after dark, since Drake liked to work into the night. Continue reading “Foreign Youth” →

Alice and Finch: The Archetypal Recapitulation

In this article, I write about Northrop Frye’s theory of myths and archetypes, specifically comedy, using my manuscript of Alice and Finch as a comparison and example. It may contain spoilers, but nothing I thing would ruin the experience of reading the novel.

Nine months ago, I powered through the first chapter of a three-part short story series. (I’m not sure what it is I have with short story series’.) That series is what later became the “Dawn” section of Alice and Finch. It was a very strong trilogy compared to my other work, and it eventually spawned my current best piece of writing, Inck. But then, three months later in late July, I finally finished the first draft of the novel. After that, I started tying up loose ends with a few epilogues, and I also realized major a flaw. As I looked back, I realized that I hadn’t really finished the story properly.

Image result for northrop frye — Northrop Frye 1912 –1991

According to Canadian literary theorist Northrop Frye, “The theme of the comic is the integration of society, which usually takes the form of incorporating a central character into it” (Frye). The integration can be broken down into individual, family, and society. I’m not so sure that I succeeded in this regard, but I think I made a good effort. In fact, in my own epilogue for Ilias, I somehow managed to subconsciously notice my own mistakes! Here’s a clipping with a limit on spoilers: Ilias came up with something of “… a solution neither Finch nor Alexandre had thought of …” (Triumph). This is an example of one of the many loose ends that I want to tie up; not in the band-aid epilogues, but in the actual story. Continue reading “Alice and Finch: The Archetypal Recapitulation” →

Alice and Finch Epilogue 3

What Happened to Alexandre “Jutt” Dirge

Alice and Lex lived together in the temple for a few days before Alice moved into the castle. A few days later, Lex turned twenty and left the city to find her mother. Within the next year, she succeeded in her quest, but lost most of her teeth in the process.

Much later, (and after another adventure in which she invented an absurdly large instrument by the name of “a Quartet”) Alexandre finally turned her efforts to her dreams and began studying chemical research at the Solune University, followed by classical music composition.

Alice and Finch

Also, Jutt looks like this now.

Alice and Finch Epilogue 2

What Happened to (Henry) Artus Zephophile

Artus moved up swiftly in the castle guard’s ranks. Soon, he became a member of the military, and later became a tactician for the army that fought in the Legendary Event. He was knighted, and became Sir Tact. Artus Hellion Zephophile, a high title for someone in their early twenties.

Shortly after his knighting, he decided to take advantage of the kingdom’s new freedom and access to the outside world, and so he joined a rock band and toured the world. Obviously, as a non-musician, he plays the easiest instruments, vocals and the bass.

He is on good terms with the guard, and hopes to return to their ranks in the future.

I’m not sure how much you’ll get this weekend, I’ve got a lot of homework, so I’ll be studying 😥

(Also, as you know, writing is a real pain in the a** while depressed, so… I’m sorry. I’ll do my best. On Monday.)

Alice and Finch Epilogue 1

What Happened to Alice “Jessica” May Däwngale

The third floor was finished by the time Alice had moved in, and the entire royal family’s rooms had been moved up with it, to keep away from the noise of the first floor. The second floor was now half guard’s quarters and half guest rooms. Between both was Alice’s room.

Alice learned all she needed from Chloe to get her secondary diploma. Afterwards, the two girls studied history and bloodlines together, without any sort of curriculum. After Lex left, Alice started training to become a guard.

Once the year had passed the guard Captain retired, and Natasha took her place, transferring from the Castle guard to the City guard. Alice joined soon after, and slowly befriended literally the entire city. Alice and Finch worked together for a few months, but he left soon after to follow his own goal of going to school.