Thanks for correction (and the attitude) uncleblob. I changed the article to reflect that fact. Next time maybe you could actually say it a little less rudely.
When you are in a powerless class, like a child, and someone in power decides there is knowledge you can't have because of the authority's agenda for your life, and you can't even find out why, it makes little difference who that authority is. The solution is not to restrict reading, but to expand it.
The first time the public school needed a permission slip to read a book (and I don't recall which book it was), I tacked another note on top, granting all my children permission to read any book any time, forever, and please file this note in the school office or library.
OK... In 8th grade we had a Home-Ec class which consisted of sewing 1/2 the year and cooking the other 1/2. We were to make a recipe using jello. Each team of 4 was given a different recipe and then told to go to different stations to gather up the ingredients needed. I did the gathering for my team and gathered up some of everything at each station. We put it all into our mix and let it chill. It was truly beautiful to look at. One of the ingredients was Dreamwhip (fake whipped cream) It had 5 or 6 different layers from ruby red on the bottom to a pale pink & white top layer. (This 'layering') was before jello came out with a recipe how to do it this way, I believe.) Anyway the teacher had a fit for us failing to follow the recipe and we got a failing grade. Between being unable to sew a zipper into a dress and making the wrong jello recipe I nearly failed the class. There, I told you it was a long story. Just on general principle I refuse to have jello in my house. I'd ban zippers, too if I didn't need them.
My favorite is the Montreal games when the Olympic flame went out during a rain storm. A worker went up and relit it with his BIC lighter. After that it was relit with an "official back up flame" or so they said.
I do this with my cats. She's has a masters in communications and says she's a bit surprised because they take more turns in conversation that she says most humans do. :D
This reminds me of when I was a child and I had a "365 day storybook". On my birthday the story was about a poor Native American man who came to a farmer in the dead of winter. The man had very little, barely any food and nothing to drink but water, although he did have a large woven basket. He asked the farmer for a drink of cider. The farmer thought to trick him, laughed and told him that he could have all the cider his wicker basket could hold. The basket was not tightly woven and water proof. The man went away and came back later that day and gave the farmer the basket. He had dipped the basket in the river over and over until it was covered in ice and therefore leak-proof. The farmer grudgingly gave him all the cider that basket would hold.
It was one of the first stories I ever heard and I just love it for a number of reasons.
Do you really believe they are genuinely suggesting she is possessed by evil forces? Or is it more likely there's an implied wink-and-a-smile going on here? Any clues in the humorous tone of the text that might guide you in this regard?
It was one of the first stories I ever heard and I just love it for a number of reasons.