Xander: Just once I'd like to run into a cult of bunny worshippers. Anya: Great. Thank you very much for those nightmares.

'Sleeper'


The Great Write Way, Chapter Two: Twice upon a time...  

A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.


SailAweigh - Nov 09, 2005 2:53:19 pm PST #4826 of 10001
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb

Venus

It wasn't much to look at; a featureless, non-descript molding from clay, kiln fired, unglazed, undecorated. No bigger than a fist, the little statuette was slab-legged and pot-bellied. Pendulous breasts hung over the mounded stomach; plum bobs of fecundity pointing toward her pubis. Her formless face looks down at breasts, belly, obviously exaggerated female features; a silent contemplation of what made her special. Who knows how many of them were made, countless little goddesses of fertility? A faceless, nameless god of her time with feet of clay—any woman, every woman, no woman; we call her the Venus of Willendorf.


Liese S. - Nov 09, 2005 3:36:47 pm PST #4827 of 10001
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."

Thanks, Susan.

It's a nice juxtaposition with Sail's Venus. Two views of femininity.


deborah grabien - Nov 09, 2005 4:17:56 pm PST #4828 of 10001
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Damn, this is a good topic.


sarameg - Nov 09, 2005 4:20:20 pm PST #4829 of 10001

Liese, that was gorgeous. Going to go dig out my mythbook again. There was this one pinnacle of rock, somewhere, that has a Spiderwoman attached to it. She was a bit of a tragic villainess, iirc. I loved that story.


SailAweigh - Nov 09, 2005 4:23:14 pm PST #4830 of 10001
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb

The thing I like about the Venus of Willendorf is that all, and I mean all, the earliest experiments with fired clay figurines were females. It's all that's been found in the earliest kiln sites in Europe. Men weren't such a big deal, then. Stick it in your eye, Adam!


dcp - Nov 09, 2005 4:29:19 pm PST #4831 of 10001
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

According to the people at Terra Studios where I got my dragon Bruce, it's traditional to include a unique little "kiln god" with every firing. Some anthropomorphic, most at least zoomorphic. They don't show up in this picture, but they are displayed on the rail in front of their pottery building.


deborah grabien - Nov 09, 2005 4:37:00 pm PST #4832 of 10001
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Stick it in your eye, Adam!

Damn right. I'm thinking along the lines of, yo, Fig Leaf Boy! Just eat the apple and shut up, you passive-aggressive dimwit.....


Liese S. - Nov 09, 2005 5:06:24 pm PST #4833 of 10001
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."

Stick it in your eye, Adam!

Oh, I know. This story is all, she was this amazing baby that they found (she's not even credited with specific male parentage, she just exists) and she grew up really fast, and then she had her first period, and they created this ritual, and then she had her second period, and they created that ritual. The sun doesn't even get to impregnate her directly; it happens via a stream, thus the whole Child Born of Water thing.

Her twins are male, but then they spend all their time chasing after their absentee and potentially adulterous father and well, slaying monsters.

I barely know the stories, and of course, there are all these differing versions, what with the oral tradition and all, but they're just so lovely.

It's all so very definitely matriarchal. And the whole society really, really is. I was (and continue to be) startled by the expectations of me as the female head of household.


SailAweigh - Nov 09, 2005 5:30:31 pm PST #4834 of 10001
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb

I liked your take on it. It gave the female more agency. I like origin myths, they tell you a lot about a culture.


deborah grabien - Nov 09, 2005 5:47:51 pm PST #4835 of 10001
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Part of me wants to write something using the Dreamtime or Dawntime.

Part of me wants to grit my teeth and write the #$$#$ long form synopsis for London Calling.

Oh, and Lyssa passed on R&RNF. Not "gripping" enough for her.

Onward.