|
| |
|
| |
![]() |
Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Creativity tips Creativity tips by experts |
|
|
|
|
Analysis of The Monkeys Paw by W. W. Jacobs: A Study in Lateral Thinking
I first read The Monkey's Paw as a youngster in Junior High School. I was touched by how an elderly couple received the gift that everyone would want, three wishes, and how the gift turned into a curse. I knew something was wrong at the beginning of the story when the previous owner tried to throw it in a fire. I also had a suspicion that though the paw granted wishes, it wouldn't work the way the person making the wish intended. Years later, I saw the Movie "Bedazzled" with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. It's a version of the Faust legend, and hilarious. The Devil (Peter Cook), offers to trade seven wishes for Dudley Moore's character's soul. Dudley is madly in love with a young woman and is more than willing to trade something as worthless as a soul to win her. What the devil does with Moore's wishes makes for one of the funniest movies in the history of film-making. But I didn't know about "Bedazzled" in 8th Grade. The couple, being older, quite naturally asked for money. And not a great deal, at that. They never realized that it would come as an insurance claim on the death of their son who was working in a factory. Grief-stricken, they ask for their son to come back to them. When they hear the shuffling steps and smell rotting flesh, they wish that it would go away. What a rotten ending, right? At the time I read it, my English Teacher, Miss Gordon, asked the class what we thought of the story. We all felt sorry for the couple. Should the couple have wished for something else with their first wish. Of course they should have, we all said. But of course, no matter what they asked for, it could have turned out as badly for them. And the previous owner had said it was a curse and not a blessing. Miss Gordon wasn't about to stop there. Next she asked, should they have asked for son to come back to life? Of course, we all said. But not as a walking corpse. Then came the biggest question of all. Should they have wished he wouldn't come back? Nearly everyone in class agreed with what the couple did. That was supposed to be the end of the story. I wasn't as eager to give up. "They wished for the wrong thing," I said. Miss Gordon was ready to move on to a new lesson and she wasn't too pleased with me. "And how's that." "They should have wished that the whole thing never happened because they let the man burn the monkey's paw." "I never thought of that," my teacher said. Today, people would call this thinking outside the box. It doesn't require great brilliance, but you do have to try to imagine other alternatives than the ones that are presented to you. I made another teacher unhappy when I was in the 6th Grade, Miss Janitz was beginning a lesson on archeology. Everyone in the class really was eager to learn about mummies and ancient cities and she gave us a scenario where an archeologist is digging in the sand in Egypt. He finds an ancient box with a hairbrush, a necklace, and a coin dated 38 BC. I immediately broke out laughing. All the other kids gave me a strange look but I couldn't stop. Finally Miss Janitz said, "Stop that, John. What's so funny?" "The coin isn't real. You can't have something dated BC before there's a C.' It turned out I had spoiled her whole three days of classes. John Anderson has always tried to think outside the box, often with disastrous results. As a stamp dealer, he was always three years ahead of the market and seldom made a profit. He wrote a crime novel involving mitochondrial DNA five years before forensic experts began to use the procedure. His novel, The Cellini Masterpiece, and written under the penname of Raymnd John, is another example of bad timing. Its plot, which is similar to The Da Vinci code, was rejected in the mid-1980s because it was considered by some reviewers to be too unbelievable. Anyone interested in contacting him should log on to http://www.cmasterpiece.com
MORE RESOURCES: See the complete list of Articles on Creativity tips here Have a look at Best Selling Books on Creativity tips
See also : Other articles on
Depression,
Grief Loss,
Happiness,
Humor,
Inspirational,
Motivation,
Latest info on : Creativity
Creativity - Google News
Why not be an expert yourself ? If you can write on
any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your Submit
your article here |
RELATED ARTICLES
Creativity Management - Artists and Creativity Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. 7 Techniques to Supercharge your Creativity and Solve your Problems Do you ever encounter problems, challenges or obstacles in your business? If you answered 'no,' then you can stop reading and continue to rake in the fortune you must be making. For the rest of us, the answer of course is 'yes. Overcoming Artists Block (part 2) Once you are ready to start working again you will know itinstinctively. All artists go through periods of 'creative block' - it's normal, but after one such episode there are ways of stimulating ideas and getting the creative juices flowing again. Mindfulness and Creativity: The Wow of Wonder You are so creative.Don't deny it. A Quick Course in Creativity This quick course in creativity is designed to give you a platform to stand on as we look at the various ways you can handle home, social and workplace situations, job-search details and career-path decisions.Let's examine what creativity might look like. Creativity Management - Intellectual Cross Pollination Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Inspiration, Creativity, and Channeling - Opening Ourselves to Greatness Channeling is much easier to do than most people suspect. As a matter of fact we have all seen people channeling and you have probably done it yourself many times, even though you may have been unaware of it or didn't know what to call it. Creativity and Inspiration Creativity for the mystic has special meaning. In the world of the mystic all is one. Courage and Creating Doing anything creative often brings up fears, anxieties, insecurities. Courage may be defined as going ahead in spite of fear. Turning Obstacles Into Blessings "Your capacity to be creatively alive in virtually all life circumstances will depend in large part upon the kind of attitude you choose for yourself."- Dr. Creative Thinking versus Critical Thinking The process of creative thinking is often, mistakenly, intertwined with critical thinking. There is a tendency to write and edit simultaneously, couple hypothesis generation and evaluation, combine problem identification with solution. Produce Creativity: 4 Ways To Motivate Your Melon It was 8:00 PM and I'd hit a creative wall - hard. But there was so much work to be done! And I just had to get out of the office or else my article would never get finished. Finding A Little Adventure I have had more than my share of exciting times and I'm grateful for every one of them.There was the time the bear came into camp at 11:00 p. Unleash Your Creativity and Think Your Way Out of the Box The brain is a strange organ. It works in ways we don't yet understand and manages to create everything we see. Our Limitless Quantum Reality Modern science tells us that on a sub-atomic level -- nothing is solid. That the entire universe is really one big web of vibrating "energy stew. Creativity And You 95 percent of what we know about the brain, we have learned in the last 20 years. So, your beliefs about creativity were probably shaped by faulty information. Creative Thinking The Secret Key To Lasting Success What is creativity anyway? Well, let us look at the word. Creativity means the capability to build, create something. Think & Grow Rich All wealth is a product of mind. Some economists will try to convince you that wealth comes from productivity. Creativity Management - Working From Real Life Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Top Ten Ways To Jump-Start Your Creativity 1 - Take A Tour of the Great OutdoorsConsider a hike in the mountains, a stroll beside the river, a run along the beach, a jog through the park or a walk around the city.2 - Soak Up Your Surroundings like a New SpongeOpen your mind to the unknown and grasp the little details often overlooked in every day life. |
|
You are here |
|
| Creativity Home | Creativity Tips - Complete list | |
|
| Main Home | | Meditation Corner | |
|
|
| Recommend us | |
|
[About
us] [Contact] [Privacy
Policy]
Copyright 2006, Meditation
is Easy.com, All
rights reserved