PRISMA SPRING 2022 P E R S E P H O N E 01
Maddie acknowledges the Dharug and Guringai* people, and pays respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Elissa acknowledges the Dharug people, and pays respects to Elders past, present and emerging
We recognise our limitations in paying precise respects to First Nations peoples and their Country due to the erasure of Indigenous knowledge and culture.
Mya and Meena acknowledge the Dharug people, and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Danielle and Alex acknowledge the Dharug and Guringai* people, and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
We would also like to acknowledge the Gadigal people on whose land we worked on throughout the project
The Prisma Zine Team acknowledges and pays respects to the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and create. We acknowledge that Sovereignty has never been, and will never be, ceded.
Iris and Zoe acknowledge the Dharug and Guringai* people, and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
*we acknowledge the myriad clans of the region alongside the ambiguity of the term
Acknowledgement of Country
Persephone, the daughter of Demeter and Goddess of Spring, stumbles across a radiant narcissus Intrigued, her fingers reach for the flower, and she is swallowed by the ground beneath her into the Underworld
Hades, the God of the Underworld, ensnares her in his dominion and takes her as his bride. While Demeter searches tirelessly for her daughter, whose absence leaves the land cold and barren, Persephone slowly grows accustomed to the confines of the kingdom. Her mother strikes a deal with Zeus to release Persephone from Hades’ clutches; however, before she departs, Persephone consumes the seeds of a pomegranate, sealing her eventual return to the Underworld
Persephone TheMyth
The details vary from retelling to retelling, but the story often goes:
So, with her movements between the realm of the dead and living follow the seasons: Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring.
It is thus fitting that we introduce our new beginning the first edition of Prisma Zine; Persephone
Spring a time of new life and new beginnings
Letterfrom theEditors
Buds, dewy eyed and dream ridden, yawn and awake, stretching their limbs in the sun’s early glow The earth cracks a grin at the newfound warmth, lines of skin overrun by green Even the sky clears its scheduled grey to welcome the season in unbridled blue.
Love,
We hope you enjoy!
Whether by her choice or another’s, Persephone’s descent into the Underworld signifies the coming of winter, and her return to her mother brings the firstfruits of spring She is simultaneously the catalyst of life and ruler over the dead, empowered and dispossessed of her agency, conventional and defiant. Her story weaves a complex web of experiences femininity, love, motherhood interwoven throughout each of our lives that you and I now hold the threads to
PrismaZine
The Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld, Persephone embodies a multitude of meanings Femininity Duality Autonomy Control.
honey sweet 9 Alex Sharps I am Persephone Danielle Teo Lullaby Elissa Haddad articulate: hysterical Alex Sharps 1 0 1 1 1 2 The Embrace 1 3 Elissa Haddad Her Iris Brown The Duality of Femininity Iris Brown articulate: keep your head about you Alex Sharps 1 4 1 6 1 7 Persephone 1 8 Danielle Teo girlhood: trilogy Danielle Teo Modern Ruler Danielle Teo Phonetic Motherhood 2 0 2 2 2 4 Alex Sharps articulate: glossary 2 5 Alex Sharps Faces Alex Sharps Mirror Mirror In My Head Myathiri Moe articulate: buried head 2 6 2 8 3 0 Alex Sharps beautiful veil of anger 3 1 Alex Sharps Marge Simpson: Best TV Mother Madeline Valis Recipe Zoe Brown A Daughter's Refrain 3 2 3 4 3 7 Alex Sharps Persephone (Again) 3 8 Danielle Teo articulate: prayer Alex Sharps articulate: uncanny Alex Sharps The Poppy War Review 3 9 4 0 4 2 Meena Mckillop Daughter of the Moon Goddess 4 4 Meena Mckillop Recommendations 4 6 Prisma Zine Team Contents
Zoe Brown Elissa Haddad
Contributors
Artistic Director, Social Media Coordinator, Contributor
Madeline Valis Meena Mckillop Iris Brown
CContributor ontributor
Editor, Social Media Coordinator, Contributor
Myathiri Moe
Danielle Teo Alex Sharps
Social Media Team, Contributor
Social Media Team, Contributor Social Media Team, Contributor Contributor
our sounds of spring... Persephone's playlist 1. Hunger Florence and the Machine 2 . Persephone in the Garden Aidoneus 3. Tongues & Teeth The Crane Wives 4. Foxbright Reb Fountain 5. Liquid Smooth Mitski 6. 7. 8. 9. Runaway Aurora King Florence and the Machine Garden Song Phoebe Bridgers Class of 2013 Mitski Scan the code to listen on Spotify!
A strange magic swims, where no sunlight dare fall. Although no shadow have I spoken to, the voice beckons and calls
I snap the threads and forward go, but the grass beneath does still follow Past the gnashing and trees hollow, past the winding, and darkened burrows. Through the meadow and through the wood, until stumbling upon an unusual shade.
The vast blue stretches overhead in clear, endless ceiling, and birdsong echoes through the wood, weaving and reweaving. The stalking wheat bends, grasping, as I wade the fields alone, hoarsely whispering Mother’s name and a crude decreeing of my own. They twine about my ankles, encircling them in flaxen ropes A golden snake, it clasps my wrists, with an ever gentle choke They call me by that which is not my name a heralding, an invoking: “Goddess of Spring!” They demand my flowers, my roots, my veins. But I am not the same. I am not the same.
Over my shoulder, Mother’s form is reflected in ink. She consults her golden courtiers; I do not stop to think. Their stalks point forward, betraying my escape. I dare not run; I dare not even wait. Plunging into the cold, like an ocean without end, the unlit path takes me where the edges seem to bend Deeper and deeper, and deeper still until the grass on my soles wither at the dark, macabre chill. Until the Sun sears me no longer with its strict and watchful eye, where even the Moon can look no further, and starlight seems to die.
I am Persephone
A hand out of the darkness offers me fruit whose flavour is freedom At once my teeth are stained with red, a blood that sings of freedom. Then the fires light the darkness and the River glimmers by flame. A throne appears before me, where I shall be crowned with another name. The King splits a grin, of malice and teeth alike. There is no Promised Land, he snarls, as his hands shackle mine in might A golden circlet forced upon my head, a beautiful bind of thorns and grain. Somewhere over the cry of blood, the King and Mother cast lots for my name.
Danielle Teo
A dragging of chains, a Samson of my own doing Take my sight, take my name The pillars come down as I start pulling. The throne I leave in ashes, the flowers I let die, still the names written for me sing louder as they cry: “Lady of Spring, of the Underworld, why run from us and hide?” The voices follow all the way until I toe the murky tide I watch her gentle ebb and flow, content in ever changing She laps at my feet an echoing of heartbeat a silent smile, inviting. The tinted water, an in between. A place where I am neither Spring nor Queen. Lying down as if to dream.
Only here am I free Only here will I ever be only here, I am Persephone
Woman; hysterical A cigar is never just a cigar. 2 3.
INFORMAL
hysterical /hɪ ˈstɛrɪk(ə)l/ adjective
“Despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, I have not yet been able to answer the question: What does a woman want? She laughs in his face.”
a woman cries
1.
1 2 3
by Alex Sharps
"A balding bearded man reclines in his chair, a cigar hanging from his mouth. A woman cries. He sighs. Dora— my dear— sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. " a woman laughs keeling over gasping clutching lungs heaving against the weight of a womb in her chest
Hysterical; derived from the Greek ‘hystera’ meaning ‘womb’. The ‘hysterical’ condition of women was once attributed to the ‘wandering’ of their wombs
adjective: hysterical 1. chokes and sputters a womb a lump in her throat
GentleShe, moonlight that Splits LittleShe,FragranceDelightsBees,PetalsBlooms,AShe,NightSoftensdarknesstheskyspringflowerforandairwithbird,builds nest For HarnessesYoungher them under her wing MotherShe, Mary, picture of Virtue and innocence Love unconditional Her
Iris Brown
Butsheis Onlybeauty,nosoul Loveunconditionalwith wishConditionsSherejectsThosewhoforher SheSitsontherightsideofAzazel livestockDestruction,BringsStealslikeSlyfox,Cullingforits noYoungWithregardfor birdpetalsFarmerHerWiltMotherflies Never moontoReturnThe butcrescentsDisappearsLeavingnothingdarkness
Perhaps because it threatens their patriarchal control over women By enforcing that women must be passive and submissive sexually or romantically, men, both in individual relationships and on a societal levels, maintain a position of power over women. These viewpoints normally coincide with the conceptions of ‘alpha’ men, or men who are more advanced because they have reached their peak masculine form A man is considered to have done this when he has had more sexual relations with women, yet does not engage in social or even romantic relationships with them It is thought that he has risen above the need to have a relationship with a women, and instead is able to control all situations he is in with women because he has no emotional attachment or care towards them. This is obviously paradoxical: the alpha male is supposed to have multiple sexual encounters with women, but is not supposed to enjoy the company of women beyond that. In some cases, the alpha male is even seen as a man who is abstinent, and thus completely free from the perceived constraints of being with women
Iris Brown
It is clear that women are viewed in a false dichotomy They are either the loving, caring, and subservient mother and wife, or the promiscuous, manly women that should not be respected However, what is ignored here is that fact that men who engage in this mindset are demonstrating that their attraction towards women is only sexual or mother like, and in any other instance, they are essentially attracted to men.
Despite the repeated attempts of men such as Tate to rationalize this worldview, it does not make sense. If sexual behaviour is normal for men to exhibit as part of their primal instincts, to pass on their genetics as they suggest, then the same should surely apply to women. So why do men fear sexually open women?
So what about the duality of women? Does that exist? Yes, however not in a positive way The Madonna Whore complex is a Freudian theory that explains how men, and the patriarchal society as a whole, perceive women. They are either a woman worthy of dignity and admiration, or unworthy The first conforms to the gender norm of being submissive, passive, and not outwardly sexual She is thus viewed as righteous and good in character. Mothers in particular are viewed as the epitome of this image They are seen as providing the man with a family and raising his children for him The latter may display more assertive or typically ‘male’ traits, and may be more openly sexual. Because of this, she is seen as merely a sexual character and therefore not deserving of dignity or respect This phenomenon is observable with public figures such as Andrew Tate, a male podcaster, who broadcasts messages that reflect the view that women who engage with their sexuality are worth less than women who do not or are not old enough to do so These views have led to him gaining mass popularity, particularly by teenage boys Tate’s views in particular highlight how men view innocence as desirable, even to the point that they romanticize, and somewhat ironically sexualize, younger women
The Duality of Femininity
Homosociality is a sociology concept that refers to how people of the same sex engage in non sexual/romantic relationships with one another Men only view women as sexual objects or romantic partners. In terms of peers, colleagues, teachers, mentors, and even rivals, they prefer members of the same sex This brings up an interesting duality; men are sexually/romantically attracted to women, but in all other circumstances, are attracted towards members of the same sex. This can uphold patriarchal power structures, and dismiss women who do not conform to the sexual/romantic character These women are often harassed or dismissed, such as in professional settings or tertiary education spaces, where men would rather work alongside members of the same sex. This creates exclusive male spaces in industry professions, disadvantaging women, despite their work ethics or performance
The “duality of man” is a concept used to describe how a person can have two seemingly contradictory attributes It shows how people are more complex than simple binaries we construct Recently, many have pointed at creator Joji as being a perfect example of this, having made countless silly videos in his career before releasing the highly emotional and romantic song, ‘Glimpse of You’ The concept can also extend towards humanity as whole; people can exist in such opposites to one another.
keep your head about you1. 2. mind wandered off
by Alex Sharps
3. blank faced
4. chip on your shoulder
I’ve always envied faces. Noses that crinkle, scrunch and flare. Eyes: deep-set, bug-like, cat like, doe like, slanted, wide, down-turned, lined. Mouths that curl at the corner upward, downward or hang open in a smile or a frown. I wish I could smile. Or frown. My features float in gelatine unset and obscured.
I think about my brain: inside my skull. An orange. Peeled— segments of flesh laced with stringy pith in a Tupperware container. I press the heels of my hands against my scalp. I close the lid tight, so the orange won’t tumble out. Or bruise. I forgot about my body I wandered off and left it in the sun. I left it sitting there, alone. A limp, pale shape slumped over a chair. Heat beat down, casting red across its skin— soft lines of contrast drawn over arms, stomach, throat— at the end of polyester hems. Its hair tousled; strewn across the face— caught in its lashes. Caught between its teeth. I would have spat it out. But I wasn’t there.
A shard of porcelain lies at your feet. You pick it up and slot it into place at the slope of your shoulder, from which it fell.
girlhood: trilogy
by Danielle Teo
the victories taste of honey, the liquid sugar we steal from flowers in the garden laughing like the birds we’d chased from their daily meal the forbidden nectar sits golden and heavy on our tongues a makeshift trophy of another day won
IMMORTALITY
i want you to wake up and fight there will be no one to hold curl your fingers and swi n g knuckles to jaw, till the blood slips the way you travel down the yellow slide
it is electric— second nature
when they're bloodied and bruised all they know is wreckage
SMOOTH VEL
on the racecourse we built from the tiled paths of the condo block hair behind us, gleeful screams raised by the wind we round the bend seized by the possibility of coming face-to-face with our opponents hands like razor-sharp blades against the air’s resistance our legs shake with the weight of tallied runs around the sun
BRUT
FINALITY
cradle her cheek to yours, skin just like ice. close your eyes, smile, and feel that smile twice.
you are ready for what comes next.
your hands
VET CLEAN land on your feet dirt on your knees
remember the park where you used to fly higher, harder— like you're flying through the air on that hot summer night. sw i n g s w i n g down your forearm
can you say it's the same when there's blood on your tongue? but you're used to it, the crimson film, metallic numb. when you swallow the weight, do you get a glimpse of the life you once were? dripping down your throat like pomegranate juice, liquid death, you can't be sure. have you looked at the corpse, wearing your clothes, in your bed? / hold her hand, tell her you love her and pretend she's not dead when you whisper for forgiveness, was it for the murder or the burial? and when you mark the stone by her grave, do you name the idea or the girl?
ALITY
we lost it all at the boundary – between the hard-line of innocence and a rotation of eternity a peace of mind, slipping between–my fingers like the hair that falls to the bathroom sink. clutch the cold porcelain. look in the mirror. are you the child or the thing in between?
+
ʌ
motherhood m ð hʊd/ [MUDH] [UH] [HUUD]
ə
[UH]
[HUUD]
/ˈ
"she was ill suited to motherhood, as every mother is" lips press together then release: let slip the first noise of a baby girl laying on her back, bathed in gentle sun—legs kicking, arms reaching, as her mother tickles her nose with an ear of wheat [MUDH]
1. the state of being a mother.
open your throat to the noise and let it reverberate through your body the note of a lullaby that hangs in the air, or a cry of confusion when the little girl in the sun is gone a bloom of narcissus in her place
noun
heave out a question until it catches at the base of your tongue that presses at the roof of your mouth and spits out the sound of finality— like a mother collecting narcissus from a graveby Alex Sharps
+
/ɡlɒs(ə)ri/ noun
take the tongue glossary
to the page of a paperback with all the other words
noun: glossary; noun: glossaries 1. your tongue pinched between your index and thumb and clip it take the clipping the clipping cradled in your palm and tape it
by Alex Sharps
“The reader ducked beneath their desk and plucked a severed tongue from the floor, picking at carpet fuzz where it swam in the slick of saliva and blood. Damn words were always falling out.”
While the story is still one of women having to live in a male dominated world, the pain of this is not told through the abduction and rape from Persephone’s perspective; instead, it is shown through Demeter’s intense grief. This is not a story of romantic love; it’s the story of a mother’s rage.
The earliest lasting form of this myth is the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. As the name suggests, this telling of the story focuses predominantly on Demeter, and her grief as a mother. The hymn starts openly addressing Demeter, “I begin to sing of Demeter, the holy goddess with the beautiful hair ” only moving on to Persephone and Hades afterwards This focus on Demeter continues through the rest of the hymn The hymn framing everything through Demeter’s lens might sound strange, considering at the time most texts focused on men and male experiences. However, it is important to note that the Hymn of Demeter is a religious text, at a time where religion touched all aspects of life, so that it might not be so unreasonable to have some that directly appealed to the female half of the population perhaps a kind of targeted advertisement, like pricier pink razors
Myths are reflective of the societies that tell them. This is why there are no ‘right’ or ‘true’ versions of these stories. Sure, there are older versions and first written accounts, but they are just as reflective of ‘the times’ as the versions of the myths circulated on Tik Tok and Instagram infographics The fluidity of stories is something that is no longer widely accepted in the cultural zeitgeist, mostly due to our ability to share stories without alterations from their original form This ability developed with the printing press and widespread literacy, allowing storytelling to take a physical form. This shift was taken further with the popularity of visual media, like movies and tv shows which fully washed away the concept of fluid storytelling in the popular consciousness: building worlds before our eyes rather than within our imaginations Knowing this, I can’t help but wonder what forms the tales I know took in the past Where did people first hear of Rapunzel or of Sleeping Beauty, what version of the birth of Athena did they hear of? More importantly, why do I know one version of a story and not an alternative version? What is in the other versions that’s not in the story I know, do you, Reader, know a different one?
Myathiri Moe
Mirror Mirror I n M y H e a d
The story of Hades and Persephone is a popular one. It is one of the first myths we hear of, and one of the stories we see the most reiterations of. I would tell you about the first time I heard an iteration of the Hades and Persephone myth, but I simply don’t remember a time when I didn’t know this story This myth sits perpetually in the back of my head, gently reminding me of its existence everytime I read the blurb of a trashy mafia romance in the Kmart books section Yet, it’s never been my favorite story When I was younger, there were other myths that were always…more. King Arthur was more entertaining, Prometheus was more upsetting, the birth of Athena was more confusing.
The story of Hades and Persephone has always been reflective of how society at the time and place of the telling viewed marriage, family and occasionally love Obviously our thoughts about these institutions and ideas have drastically changed with the times, and thus we can safely assume that the characterizations of characters like Persephone, Demeter, and Hades have also changed.
Modern versions of this myth tell a fundamentally different story A story of love, or abduction, it depends on how one looks at it Or who’s telling it Perhaps this change says something about how we view our mothers in today's society, but I don’t want to look into that; I fear it will only make me sad
As I got older, the story began to unsettle me. Not a lot, just a little. Who in their right mind would leave their mother for a man? Certainly not me (I'm simply built different).
One day, someone is going to look at Lore Olympus and write about us, how we look at love, and rape and motherhood.
Perhaps one day in the the year 2423, some kid will stare at the monochrome characters, aghast at what we deem acceptable and a worthy story to tell. Still, this story persists, like sand molding itself into the cultural consciousness and sticking into the crevices And while sand is coarse and rough and irritating (and it gets everywhere), it is also used to make mirrors
A popular modern depiction of this story is Lore Olympus, a weekly webcomic It’s a romantic story with themes of assault and a tasteful amount of drama. It’s not finished yet, so I can’t provide a concrete opinion; however, it has received recognition with a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Graphic Novels & Comics, a Harvey award for Digital Book of the Year and a Hugo pending
1
I grew older, learned about sex, and, subsequently, rape At the same time, I found different iterations of the story, particularly in art The rape of Proserpina I remember the first time I saw that statue: her blank, yet somehow anguished, stare piercing me through the screen of my dying laptop. Often, I find art depicting acts of brutality a little satisfying. Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi is a personal favorite. But I find The rape of Proserpina to be missing something It’s beautiful, godly almost, in its crisp and detailed marble It doesn’t seem to be depicting something that really happens The texture of Pluto’s hair is so life like and yet he doesn’t seem very menacing He stands there, arms around her waist, as if he isn't committing an act of horrendous cruelty It confused me that the artist would depict Pluto carrying her with all the tenderness one would have when carrying a fussy child. It’s as if the artist doesn’t fully comprehend Pluto’s actions. There is malice needed to override another person’s autonomy, malice that is hard to find in this depiction of Pluto
Perhaps the most glaring proof of the success of Lore Olympus is that, when you open the Webtoon app, it’s got a permanent place on the rotating banner, front page and center stage It’s different from previous iterations and yet it is the same Just as the hymn of demeter is a reflection of when it was written, and the rape of Proserpina is a reflection of when it was carved, Lore Olympus reflects how we view romance, love and motherhood
Roman equivalent of Persephone Roman equivalent of Hades 1 2 2
I
I want to take weight off my chest. I want to open myself up— a boxcutter dragged along my centre and scoop out the womb it weighs on my lungs. Then, tape drawn along my sternum re seal, I want to breathe. Alex Sharps
[If at all: push through. waves of contractions spasms at your brow and breathe as blood and and foetal words are birthed tearing through forehead.] 1. buried head 2. weight of your chest 3. bear in mind 1 1 Warning: may result in severe headaches, nausea, bleeding, god complex, weight gain, and/or death by
I waded through the paper. It sliced at my arms, my legs, my stomach. I grasped at the shape buried deep tugged. Red bled into paper shreds clung to the stump of my neck my head in my hands: dug up. placed it in a Tupperware container: saved another day.
Episode Six of Season Five, Marge on the Lam, introduces The Simpsons’ new neighbour, Ruth Powers, a badass freshly divorced mother who Marge becomes friends with. (I will mention I think their relationship is very gay. Moving on.) They attend the ballet together and after, despite Marge’s insistence on the late hour, Ruth and her get coffee at a diner and talk about their relationships Ruth talks about her horrible ex husband saying, “all he ever did was eat, sleep and drink beer”, to which Marge replies, “ your point being?” Marge optimistically says there are many good men, and gives Homer the benefit of the doubt and defends him. Yet she comes home to an annoyed husband who gets angry at the mention that Marge will go out with Ruth Powers again. Act 1 finishes; Marge thinks she deserves better
“TO WHOM DOES MARGE SPILL HER SECRETS OVER COFFEE ON COLD DAYS? WHO LAUGHS AT MARGE’S JOKES? WHO KNOWS MARGE, TRULY AND WELL?”
Marge Simpson: Best TV Mother
Marge feels emotions that she has to subdue for the sake of taking care of her family. Yet, sometimes, she breaks free from these chains and lets herself feel In Episode Nine of Season One, Marge essentially breaks free from what is expected from her as she almost has an affair with Jacques, a handsome bowling instructor Marge knows she deserves more and allows herself to be enamoured by this man Yet, at the end of the day, she is a mother and a housewife and begins to feel immense guilt for evenings out bowling. This seems trivial, yet it contributes to the bigger picture: in act 1, Marge realises her position in her family's life and thinks she deserves better; in act 2 she rebels; in act 3, she feels guilt and shame for not being with her family and then the episode ends The cycle continues
Thesnaps?Simpsons
For as long as I can remember, The Simpsons was a part of my life. My schedule went: dinner, bath, The Simpsons, bed. On the special occasion maybe a Friday night – my dad would get the esky out from under the stairs, and I would take a bath on the kitchen bench and watch The Simpsons. Like an iPad kid, I threw many tantrums when I was sent to bed without getting to watch my favourite show (I now blame these irrational tantrums on the undiagnosed ADD simmering in my brain). Moral of the story is, at a young age I developed an unhealthy relationship with The Simpsons – I laughed when Homer screamed at the barbeque he tried to make, when Bart leads a Lord of the Flies style rebellion against a shitty summer camp, when Lisa brutishly crushes Ralphs heart, when Marge has a stress induced breakdown and causes a traffic jam…We laugh at Marge’s expense…Is it because as a stay-at-home mother and wife, she isn’t supposed to have any problems? Is that why it is funny when she finally
was ground-breaking in the sense that it was the first show to essentially tell the world, “Fuck you and your fake TV families.” The show is anti-authority in every way: the police are corrupt and lazy; the mayor is a sleazy cheat; the principal is a spineless mommy’s boy; the teachers are burnt out – the town of Springfield represents America. So, of course, it makes sense that they break down what it means to be a housewife on TV. This subversion of the housewife archetype is summarised perfectly when Homer tells a deflated Marge that she is the best cook in the house and she replies with “eh, B.F.D.” Eh, big fucking deal, to the expectations of the sitcom wives that preceded her.
WHO TELLS MARGE TO LEAVE THE BRUTE, KNOWING SHE WON’T? “YOU DON’T HAVE TO STAY YOU DESERVE SO MUCH MORE ”
Madeline Valis
1 2
Iremembered?don’tthink
that my article can have a proper conclusion. With the show going on 30 years, I find myself (like other The Simpsons fans) cringing at the new episodes that have stories with no heart. There is no conclusion to this work because there will never be a conclusion to The Simpsons. The showrunners will decide that one day enough is enough and end the show, but the fictional town of Springfield and the shenanigans that ensue will continue on. Marge will always be under-appreciated, until the family realises how much they need her; and then a new episode begins. This simple fact will never change.
After picking up Homer, Chief Wigum catches up with Marge and Ruth. The women are now close to state lines where Wigum can’t follow. But, without realising, Ruth starts driving towards a canyon. Homer begs and pleads Marge not to drive off the cliff and kill herself over the police car speaker. He promises to be an attentive husband, to be better. Ruth and Marge come to a stop. Act 3 finishes; Marge returns to her family and the episode ends.
The next episode is about how Marge is a boring nag because she worries about the safety of having a trampoline. Homer does not hesitate to tell her this. Was anything from the last episode
https://twitter com/RaphaelBW/status/752661311117340672 ibid 1 2
Marge goes out with Ruth Powers again and while driving, Chief Wigum tries to pull them over for a broken tail light. Ruth refuses because the car they are driving is stolen from her ex-husband. Marge is now on the lam. They lose chief Wigum and at a rest stop Ruth apologises for getting Marge into this mess. They part ways, until Marge realises that this is her first real friend and she won’t leave Ruth. Act 2 finishes; Marge rebels.
Notes
Persephone was gathering narcissus flowers when she was abducted by Hades. The flower symbolizes Persephone's naivety, but is also a symbol of new life as an early spring flower.
Demeter resides over the Earth's fertility, When she is reunited with Persephone the harvest grows, marking a change of season.
By Zoe Brown
Pomegranate was the fruit that sealed Persephone's fate in the PomegranateUnderworld.isalsothe most common fruit associated with fertility.
Other fruits in this recipe that relate to fertility include oranges and grapefruit.
Recipe: Pomegranate Salad
Ingredients Prep Time: 10 minutes Servings: 4 Mixed salad leaves (or base of choice) 1/2 cup almonds 2 grapefruits2oranges3pears 2 pomegranates 200g feta cheese Narcissus flowers forD(decorationoptional)RESSING 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp honey squeeze lime juice
Cut the fruit as desired. Add the salad leaves and chopped fruit to a serving bowl. Spoon out the pomegranate seeds into the bowl. Mix the balsamic vinegar, honey and lime juice in a small bowl. Stir the dressing through and then crumble the feta and add the nuts on top. Pick the flower leaves and sprinkle them on top if using. 5. 6.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Method
Good mother goddess
From below
by Alex Sharps
My petals have dried, My roots have a Strange rot they Shrivel Into seeds With sweet, red Flesh that drips with sweet, red Blood
I feel a chill My rotten roots They grow Good mother goddess What beginning? What end?
I wilt
Good mother goddess
A Daughter's Refrain
You plant me In the spring, nurse me As I bloom, smile As I am rooted In the pollen haze that You thrive in Good mother goddess
Good mother goddess Womb lined With the sweet yellow flesh Of a peach Golden hair Woven tightly With ears of grain Hands rough Calloused by the plough, Dirtied by the soil Good mother goddess
A foetid thing breeds in my soil It spreads reaching out, Grabbing at my roots
petition the manu prayer /preə(r)/ noun noun: prayer; noun: prayers 1 script with a kiss on the page wet the page with spit and blot the ink and enjoy the metallic taste of blood “A mistaken verse: disfigured on the manuscript page. If caused by the womb in your throat, fall to the earth on knees and palms and make plain in confession your fault. ” 1 2 1.Mediaeval manuscript marginalia often provided instructions such as “kissing reverentially a page in a prayer book” while reading. 2.Another instruction from the margins: fall to your knees to “make plain in confession your carelessness” for mistaking a verse.
by Alex Sharps
the familiar uncanny /ʌn ˈkæn.i/ adjective adjective: glossary ; comparative adjective: glossary er; superlative adjective: glossary est 1 castrated strange body left behind its power void a womb in its throat in mimic of voice “The balding, bearded man looks at her unnerved Hands shaking he takes the cigar from his lips and pushes it into her hand— For your completion. She takes a puff. She frowns.” 1 Void; derived from Anglo French and Old French ‘voide’ , ‘viude’ meaning ‘empty, vast, wide, hollow, waste, uncultivated, fallow’, or, if one listens to Freud, it may refer to the absence of the phallus 1 by Alex Sharps
Review: The Poppy War
REVIEW
SYNOPSIS Meena Mckillop
Author: R. F. Kuang Rating: 5/5 stars
I especially like how Kuang has created a contrast between the female characters in the novels, specifically with Rin and Su Daji, both of whom are in positions of power throughout the trilogy. One aspect I found interesting is how both characters engage with their femininity, or in Rin’s case reject it.
R.F Kuang’s The Poppy War trilogy, set in ancient China, centres around Rin, a war orphan who challenges societal norms as she aces the Keju - a highly regarded exam designed to make children like her fail. Having been chosen to attend Sinegard, an elite military school in the city, Rin must continue to fight against the prejudices against her. While trying to survive at the school, Rin makes many enemies and develops some odd friendships. She is even feared by some as an unknown power surges through her, revealing her possible connection to the gods, which were once thought to be extinct.
Filled with vengeful gods and beings, Kuang indulges us in a world which parallels China's historical events of the 19th and 20th century. As we follow Rin’s journey throughout the series, we question her humanity as she discovers how to summon her newfound power, which may have more control over her than she does over it.
Growing up multiracial in a western country, especially a decade ago, it was rare to see strong, powerful women being portrayed in books and shows. Readers and viewers are tired of seeing the overused trope of the damsel in distress being saved by knight in shining armour. However, in the past few years, portrayals of strong and independent women in media have skyrocketed. The Poppy War trilogy gives exactly that whilst also pulling through with strong Asian representation. The series also provides representation of Asian women in power, which can be seen in both the characters of Rin and Empress Su Daji.
A scene from the first book which stuck with me was when Rin first got her period. Imagine being a 16year-old girl who just got her period for the first time; kinda scary, isn’t it? On top of this, consider that leading up to this ordeal, you haven't had an influential female figure to teach you about these things, combined with the fact that you’re currently living in a military boarding school where women are already discriminated against. It would be quite a traumatic experience. In Rin's case, dealing with it once a month wasn’t even an option; so, when the possibility of making it stop forever was offered, she took it. Even if it meant drinking a chemical to destroy her womb. Now, for many of us, this may seem like a painful and extreme way to deal with the problem. And, in my opinion, at the age of 16, Rin had made a big decision in what seemed like a span of only 20 minutes. However, though this scene only takes a small section of the chapter, it played an important role in showing one of the ways that Rin had rejected her femininity, as well as the gender and societal norms placed on her. She's stripping herself of the opportunity to be able to give birth to a child. What makes this scene somewhat empowering is that she is the one who made the decision - similar to when she decided to study and leave home, she considered how this would affect her goal and the life she wanted to live, and decided against it.
Through starting the series and finishing it, The Poppy War trilogy helped rekindle my love for the fantasy genre. I was constantly hooked through the abundant and colourful world building, whilst also being held in suspense as I followed Rin’s journey. I highly recommend this series for anyone who enjoys the adult fantasy genre and may also have an interest in the history of China. However, the series is not for the faint-hearted as it does have a lot of trigger warnings and heavy themes, but if you do decide to pick it up, I can guarantee that it will have you hooked.
REVIEW
In contrast to Rin, the introduction of Empress Su Daji immediately allows us to see the differences between the portrayal of both female characters. Though the Empress is only briefly mentioned in the first book, she is thrust on a pedestal, especially as she fits the country's beauty standards. Repeatedly, she is described as beautiful and docile, along with her alluring appearance. However, we are quick to learn that the Empress’ character is not just good looks as she also goes under the name the Vipress. After some of her actions, it becomes clear that she uses her beauty to her advantage to keep her spot as Empress.
There is also the patriarchal viewpoint to be considered and how Rin rejects gender and social norms of ancient China. Right from the beginning of the first book, we get the idea that Rin doesn’t fit in - she's poor, an orphan, has darker skin, and, to top it all off, a woman of low class. It was engraved into her that she would not have a bright future, and would be fated to be married off to an older man as a business deal to benefit her guardian's illegal opium business.
Though, at surface level, it may seem that Rin and the Empress have little in common, it becomes clear as the series progresses, that parallels between the two characters show an abundance of similarities as they hunt for power. These parallels, as well as differences, can be used to directly reflect and help shape discourses of femininity amongst the society we live in - especially as through Rin’s and the Empress’ characters, we get an insight into new women's roles and place in society as they challenge the ideas of what is means to be feminine.
Another aspect I really loved about the series was the world-building of a setting abundant with mythological and historical references. Straight off the bat, Kuang starts to give us small insights about the empire that the story is set in: Nikan, which is heavily based on Ancient China and its history. Even the small aspects of the world have meaning, which I did not realise at first; after connecting the dots, I realised the 12 provinces of Nikan represented the 12 Chinese zodiac, which show that even small details like the names Kuang has put a lot of thought into.
CONCLUSION
Meena Mckillop
Continuing off the topic of Persephone, Sue Lynne Tan’s novel, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, explores the relationship between mother and daughter as inspired by Chinese mythology - specifically the legend of the Moon Goddess, Chang’e.
Author: Sue Lynne Tan Rating: 4/5 stars
Tan’s extensive world building, which was heavily influenced by both ancient Chinese mythology and culture, was what really left me intrigued. This is made clear through her telling of the legend of the Moon Goddess, Chang’e. In saying this, when I first read about the immortal elixir, which became a recurring motif from the legend, my mind immediately thought of Persephone who consumed the pomegranate seeds and was imprisoned in the Underworld for six months a year. I viewed this as a similarity with the novel because. though Chang’e drank the elixir to become immortal, she consequently became a prisoner in the world of the immortals.
SYNOPSISREVIEW
I would like to first provide a brief summary of the legend this novel is based on. The Moon Goddess, Chang’e, is the spirit of the moon and is depicted as being beautiful and graceful. However, though she was once mortal, after stealing an immortal elixir from her husband and the Lord’s archer, Hou Yi, she was banished to live on the moon as an immortal. Though based on the legend, the story centres around the secret daughter of Chang’e and Hou Yi, Xinyin, and her quest to free her mother from the moon.
Review: Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Another prominent similarity between both the Chinese and Greek mythology legends is the relationship between mother and daughter. In Tan’s novel, Chang’e’s reasoning for drinking the elixir is different compared to the Chinese legend. Instead of drinking the elixir to protect it from others stealing it, she drank it to guarantee that she and her unborn baby survived the difficult pregnancy This act of motherly protectiveness continues throughout the beginning of the novel as she limits Xinyin’s use of magic in order to hide and protect her from the immortal gods and the Celestial Emperor. Intriguingly, the roles of the protector and protected are reversed as the plot progresses, when Xinyin takes on a false identity and is willing to sacrifice everything to free her mother from her prison on the moon.
CONCLUSION
REVIEW
Though I had initially only picked up this book because I thought the cover art was pretty, once I had read the blurb, I knew for sure that I would enjoy reading it. The novel is filled with twists and turns which made me constantly question who was really good or bad, whilst also including little details that inspired me to create little theories of the characters which could possibly be used in the upcoming sequel.
If you’re looking for another fantasy novel to add to your ‘to be read’ list, then I strongly recommend Sue Lynne Tan’s “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” as an excellent option with strong female characters and rich worldbuilding throughout the storyline, making you fall in love the more you read.
Though I really enjoyed the novel, there were some aspects which I felt were lacking or just wasn’t a fan of. First of all, there are two major time skips in the novel, both of which could have been used to further build the characters and plot instead, especially as after each time skip, Xinyin had seemed to form quite deep relationships with the other characters. It left me feeling slightly robbed that we weren’t shown the growth of their relationships in detail. This leads into my next discrepancy to do with the relationships Xinyin forms - the love triangle. Although I am a sucker for romance, I am not a massive fan of there being multiple love interests, especially when it's made out to seem like one is obviously better than the other - even with all of their clear red flags. Or maybe I just suffer dearly from second lead syndrome.
What else I really enjoyed about the novel was how Tan developed Xinyin’s character. Throughout the beginning of the novel as Xinyin makes her way on her journey, her character is emphasised as being lonely, homesick and powerless, left to defend herself in the unfamiliar Celestial Kingdom. As she slowly becomes more comfortable with her surroundings, and finds a place she considers home, we can see her development through pre-existing attributes of hers. This shows that rather than creating a whole new personality and character for herself, she uses the skills she has had since the beginning and builds onto them to make them stronger. This is shown through her choice to join the military rather than living a peaceful life offered to her by the prince. Her choice to join is no surprise, as from the beginning we see hints of her strong willed personality and aptitude for using weapons.
Carmen Maria Machado
Please check content and trigger warnings for all recommendations.
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