Angela Carter’s Puss-in-Boots

As recommended by Sharon, I read the Puss-in-Boots by Angela Carter from “The Bloody Chamber.” The author takes the original story of Puss-in-boots and uses parts of it to make an original story. In that way, the reader/audience is familiar with the story, but their expectations are subverted. Reading this was beneficial for my game’s narrative, as I can observe how to take parts of an older text and rework it into a new story. Carter has also reworked this story for a new audience by adding humour - mostly the flamboyant cat and his interactions with other characters.

In the story, the confident and humorous talking cat, Figaro, helps his master cheat at gambling to earn money and get food. He then goes on to help his master get with a women he has fallen in love with. The woman is already married to a horrible and neglecting husband, as is constantly watched by the housekeeper.

I was keen to read this radioplay/script, as I’ve heard that Carter is a feminist writer. Therefore, I paid particular attention to the heroine of the story and looked at how other characters interact with her. The heroine in this story is imprisoned in her house and not allowed to leave, because of her husband, who she was forced to wed due to an arranged marriage. The husband, Signor Panteleone, treats his wife as a possession, letting her only look out the window for an hour a day and only going outside to go to church. However, Carter takes the stereotype of princess locked in the castle and saved by a prince and subverts it. Once Panteleone is dead, the wife seems more assertive and aggressive, firing her housekeeper and snatching her husband’s keys from his body.

It has always been important for me to see strong female characters in games, therefore studying this text was beneficial for considering characters in my own game.

The Brothers Grimm

As advised by Sharon, I am going to research and explore a few Brothers Grimm fairy tales that have female main characters. To do this I read “Grimm: The Illustrated Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm” a very beautifully illustrated book which has a handful of stories.

The reason for doing this is because I wish to explore the narratives that surround these stories, in order to inspire a story for my game. I will also look at the female characters in a critical manner and a feminist viewpoint, as to ensure that my female protagonist has depth and doesn’t come across as helpless.

Little Red Cap (Illustration by Rilla Alexander)

Next, I am going to look at the Brothers Grimm version of Little Red Riding Hood. I thought it would be interesting to study this after playing the path.

The Grimm version of the tale is very different to previous versions, as Red Cap and her Grandmother are saved by a huntsman (rather than being eaten) and also the protagonist doesn’t remove her clothes for the wolf in this version. Overall, the story is more appropriate for children.

The story clearly has a moral ending, warning not to talk to strangers/sexual predators and to do as you’re told (Not to stay from the path/venture into the woods). However, I am going to look at the meanings and representations of the protagonist. Many theorists suggest that the story is a metaphor for sexual awakening and transformation to adulthood. However, many critics say that the story has a gender imbalance due to suggesting that the female characters are weak and useless and could only be saved my a man. Feminist such as Susan Brownmille and Simone de Beauvoir disapprove of the Grimm and Perrault versions of the story, as they promote “passive, helpless, beauty-queen” ideas of femininity.

I will strongly consider these theories and opinions when creating my character. I want to ensure that my female protagonist does not come across as helpless and passive.

Cinderella

Cinderella is a story that is known to have originated in the first century BC. One of the most well-known versions is by The Brothers Grimm.

From reading Cinderella, I feel that the story tells of a women’s place in society. Cinderella, unlike her step-sisters, is kind, gentle and sweet, despite her troubles. Thus, because of her nature, she gets a marriage proposal of elevated status (she marries a prince). The importance of this high-staus marriage is emphasised by the step sisters cutting off their feet to fit the glass slipper. They are then blinded by pigeons for tricking the prince.

Little Snow White (Illustration by Kinpro)

I will now briefly look at the character of Snow White. Like “Little Red Cap” the writing suggests that Snow White is also vulnerable and helpless, it seems that she cannot survive without the help of men. For example, the huntsman who was originally supposed to kill Snow White saved her. Also, when Snow White is lost in the forest, she is saved by the seven Dwarfs. Finally, once snow white was poisoned by the Queen, she is saved by the Prince.

The stereotype of a naïve and innocent woman who gets into danger, only to be saved by a man is a common trait found in fairytales. For example, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rapunzel etc. Of course, I have to take into consideration that these stories were written at a time of a male dominated society.

Studying these different tales has been very useful in helping my narrative. It has also allowed me to look at the different representations of women in fairy tales (most of which are poor). For my own game, maybe I could take a usual fairy tale setting, yet make my female character empowered, rather than useless and passive.

Junko Mizuno

Next, I will look at art styles that influence my game and idea. Unlike the art I looked at before, these artists don’t reference Alice in Wonderland.

Firstly, my project’s style is primarily influenced by Japanese artist Junko Mizuno. I first dismissed Mizuno’s art as another cute, but creepy style, but after looking into her work further, I found that her art uses some very interesting themes, such as pregnancy, maternity and sex. I also found that there were feminist messages in her comic books that she had written. For instance, the women in the comics were often poorly treated by the male characters. Mizuno says that “In Japan, today still, men use to judge very strictly women who are not pretty.” So maybe this is some kind of reaction to the treatment on women in Japan. Mizuno’s characters are also very strong-willed and independent, representing the kind of woman she aspires to be.

Her work also links in with my study on narrative as she likes to base her work on famous western fairy tales, but change certain aspects of them to make them her own. For example, in her comic “Cinderalla” the protagonist is a waitress and prince charming is a zombie pop star. Rather than leaving a glass slipper, she leaves an eyeball behind. She also wrote her own version of Hansel and Gretel and a little mermaid style story.

I really like the style and themes that Junko Mizuno uses and I would like my own game to take inspiration from it. Her overly feminine imagery would be perfect for my target audience.

I also came across some artwork of hers that would make interesting platform level aesthetics. One is from her “Mizuno Garden” website and the other is stationary:

Tutorial on Storytelling

Recently, I had a very constructive tutorial with Sharon Sage, who helped me with my game’s narrative. I want to expand on the narrative of my game, in order to strengthen my project. After explaining the basic concept of my game, its aesthetics and target demographic, Sharon seemed to understand my intentions of making this game and was interested in helping me come up with ways to communicate storytelling, rather than action/violence for its own sake.

Firstly, after explaining how I want my narrative to express a kind of Alice in Wonderland theme, she suggested that I read Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales that have female characters. I am interested in reading (or in some cases, re-reading) Snow White, Cinderella, Little Red Cap(Little Red Riding Hood), Little Briar-Rose (Sleeping Beauty), Snow white and Rose Red and The Girl Without Hands.

Sharon recommended that I may watch a few Disney movies, as well as Shrek to see how adult themes and humour can be worked into these classic fairytales. Sharon also stressed that I should read (or listen to) Angela Carter’s Puss in boots Radio play.

I was also recommended to read some of the Arabian Knights stories. These stories have episodic narrative and a “Frame story,” where a story is told within a story. These two narrative structures would be interesting in a game. For example, each level could tell a different short story (or fairy tale). I am also interested in how these stories use satire and parody.

Next, I will read a few short stories from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. Many of these stories are about love and tragedy, so they might inspire good ideas for developing a narrative that appeals to women. Like the Arabian Knights stories, The Decameron is structured in a frame narrative. Sharon advised me to play particular attention to the character Fiametta and reading the stories based around her, as I may want to base my main character around her. It will also be useful to read some stories of The Decameron because of its use of themes – a new theme is in each story. When I first spoke to Sharon about a story that I want to create, she stressed the importance of themes. These stories also use multiple viewpoints, which maybe an interesting narrative device to use in my game. For example, seeing everything that is happening in the protagonist’s world, even if they cannot see it themselves. Sharon also advised me to read or watch “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and pay particular attention to its storytelling.

Lastly, I will look at the short stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez which have elements of magical realism. From what I understand, magic realism is a literary movement where magical elements are blended into a realistic atmosphere or environment, almost like an altered reality.

Reading List:

• Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales with female protagonists
• Angela Carter’s Puss in boots radio play
• Short Stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Arabian Knights stories
• Stories from “The Decameron” by Giovanni Boccaccio
• To Kill a Mocking Bird (Or watch the movie by Gregory Peck)

The Path

The Path is a short horror game developed by Tale of Tales, based on the Little Red Riding Hood. In the game, the player is given a simple instruction: “Go to Grandmother's house and stay on the path.” The player can pick one of six girls to plays as, and the game mostly centres on exploring the very atmospheric environment to collect items and find the wolf. The game itself is very slow and I find the narrative very ambiguous, which builds on the game’s macabre mood.

From playing The Path, I have learned that narrative can be subtly expressed through atmospheric and explorative environments. I would like my own game to use this kind of technique to express a story.