I may or may not have managed to complete the requisite number of clauses; however I will complete the requisite number within the next couple of days. This blog post is to document what I've achieved so far.
Read a Gothic novel: I struggled to find a book for this that I hadn't already read, and that I owned. I started to read Dracula, which I have read before; I then realised that it was going to take me longer than a month to read it all, as I've got into a habit of reading as a way to calm down and relax before bed. The result of this is that I'm so relaxed, I only manage to read a couple of pages before I get very sleepy. I then looked around for a copy of The Yellow Wallpaper - I was sure that I had a copy, but couldn't find it anywhere. I used to have a book that was an anthology of classic tales - it included full stories, but also parts of stories - and was printed on very thin paper, much like the paper used for bibles. I thought I had one and that my sister had one, but I've got no idea as to what happened to it. I could have chosen The Mysteries of Udolpho - but that would have taken even longer than Dracula, and an awful lot more effort. The book I chose was Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I thought I had read this previously, but I don't have it noted down in my reading list. It followed a similar format to that of Dracula - in that it is written in the first person, and parts of it in the form of letters. Another familiar aspect of the book is that of the description. In comparison with modern novels, there is a lot of descriptive language in the book - much scene setting, which can make it seem that the story is not progressing so much. It could be that the author is creating suspense, although in my opinion this method does not work so well in today's society where we are driven by instant gratification. Luckily, the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde progresses fairly quickly. As many of us are aware of the story, we read it waiting for the big reveal. It is not until last few pages that we find out the true story. Like many gothic novels, the supernatural is an over-riding feature - combined with the protagonist's self-view and doubts. Of the older gothic novels, this is certainly one that is easier to get into. For anyone wanting a more challenging read, I would suggest trying The Mysteries of Udolpho.
Watch a scary or spooky film: I opted for The Woman in Black, a film I had bought on DVD several years ago. I watched it today - Hallowe'en. It was just as well that it was a bit of a grey day, as the film was quite dark - had it been sunny it would have been difficult to see the film. The darkness added to the spooky feeling. The music is very influential in creating the right atmosphere - and the soundtrack is perfect in this film. It is notable that there is very little dialogue - and this adds to the suspense, so it is important to watch the screen to follow the story (as I like to sew or crochet and listen to the TV usually). I found it compelling as there was a suspicious undercurrent - something was obviously going on in the village, but there was little indication as to what, and no-one talks about it. At times it seemed that the protagonist may be mad - and we're left wondering that for some time. The events of the past have affected the locals for some time, and towards the end we seem to be close to the story resolving - which is always something I like to see. However - like all good horror / scary / spooky stories, there is a twist. I did enjoy the film - I have to admit that it was a good idea that I watched it during the day time. It is a film that I will watch again - and next time I will make sure I give it more attention, so that I don't miss any parts.
Research alternative festivals: I read up on Diwali, Samhain, The Day of the Dead, along with several other festivals - I've noted the details down in my Rebel Badge Club notebook.
Research the origins of Hallowe'en: in doing this I learned about Samhain, and learned how the end of October marked the end of the year for those in 'pagan times'. It was interesting to read about how bonfires were a key part of the festival, and how it was believed that the boundaries between the natural and spirit world were thinner at this time. Again - I've got more notes in my notebook.
Research the origins of supernatural beings: I read up on werewolves, witches and vampires for this clause. What I found notable in this was that while witches and werewolves have a long history, vampires do not seem to have so much history. The idea of how vampires look and their features appears to be associated with the illness of porphyria.
Design and make a spooky / Hallowe'en menu: for tea this evening we had blood and pus on a bed of worms served with a sprinkling of maggots (tomato, onion and spinach sauce served on spirali and macaroni, with finely grated cheese); this was served with Vampire Hunter's Sacrament (garlic and cheese pizza bread), and dessert was eyeballs (lychees).
So - six clauses completed - two more to do - and I will get them done!
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