When Creative Writing Mixes with Science to Express Facts and Feelings about Earth's Ecology

When Creative Writing Mixes with Science to Express Facts and Feelings about Earth’s Ecology

“We are at a unique stage in our history. Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet, and never before have we had the power to do something about that. Surely we all have a responsibility to care for our Blue Planet. The future of humanity and indeed, all life on earth, now depends on us...

I know of no pleasure deeper than that which comes from contemplating the natural world and trying to understand it.”

― David Attenborough

Welcome to the world of this unique water sprite with roots on his mission to find Cyclical Truths in the Earth's ecology.

His story combines imagination and fantasy with scientific reality.  Because he shares an affinity with any organic life form derived from carbon and hydrogen, he can communicate with other beings and express their stories from their realities. Most importantly, his experiences help explain the cyclical truths that are very real and essential to the Earth's ecology as he embodies the words ‘sustainable development’ and ‘ethical consumerism.’ 

At the end, we care deeply for his manners, fears and hopes. What an amazing friend especially for children to get to know.

I must admit there was an undeniable joy in writing many of these passages because I could write creatively to express some very serious thoughts and feelings. The narration is first person to give more credibility and vitality.

There is a unique power in figurative language known as personification when you can give human characteristics to non-living things or ideas. Associations help to better relate to the object or idea and have a sense of empathy that it matters. What more precious bonding can there be than to consider water as a valuable friend, as a person and necessity for survival? You wouldn't hurt or bully a good friend, right?

Here are a  few situations where I feel personification helps to focus on water as a real entity in its own right for sustainability and protection:

How else can you describe evaporation from the ocean as frolicking with friendly air molecules, rising higher into snowstorms and freezing unto a glacier?

How else can you describe the joy of a plant bathed in sunlight and drinking nutrients though it roots, feeling its body structure becoming stronger cell by cell?

How else can you describe the value of chloroplast cells and their connection to photosynthesis for plants to create food from the sun's energy as primary producers for secondary consumers like animals and humans?

How else can you describe the importance of the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria in an endless carbon cycle mixed in with nitrogen air molecules?  

How else can you show the family and community life of microorganisms like rotifers and their special bonding to fresh water except by developing mutual feelings of respect for each other?

Who can better describe the microscopic food chain than a microorganism called Stentor as part of the great ecological cycle? “This is one of the great Cyclical Truths … if one part lives, then the other part lives; if one part is destroyed then the other part will be destroyed in time? Isn't co-operation wonderful, a true democracy through diversity?"

What better way to show the importance of water in a human digestive system than to describe the process of being chewed alive and final eliminated through perspiration?

How else can you meet a carbon molecule with his ancient heritage, trials and transformations into plastic?

What better way to personify people as a block called humankinds which contains their inquiry, progress and power; however, the onus is left to the individual person to be responsible to make a difference outside the block?

How else can the horror of pollution be experienced except at a personal level and loss of a personal community with a forewarning of larger systems?

How else can you contain a journey over centuries into a glass of water in your hand today that is even more crucial for survival in a man-made industrialized environment?  

 Whose truth is more real than a water sprite saying at the end, "When you drink fresh water, do you see the earth inside the glass? Well, you should.     

               

In the end, science and imagination weave a fascinating story that only a water sprite with roots can tell; that in order to survive, we need to balance our Earth’s ‘Cyclical Truths’  and protect its ecological ecosystems. Most importantly, I hope children can accompany him and respect our natural environment even more around every chapter.

Introducing:  The Incredible Journey of a Water Sprite with Roots 

                      ...on his mission to discover Cyclical Truths

              ...a story for children of all ages

Download ebook here.

               

Questions and comments are welcome and appreciated...

 Annemarie

amarie10@gmail.com

Excerpts:

"I relax and feel the chloroplast cells swelling as the air-control center sensitizes my body to receive carbon dioxide to combine with my present water molecules in my system to form a simple sugar compound.  Before long I can feel the sweetness seeping through my cells' membranes, bathing them in self-sustaining juices..."

"Well, as I move gradually through the waters, what I see is both marvelous and astounding beyond any perceptions I have ever seen before. I could never even imagine that so many life-forms could exist of such great variety. Most seem to be only single cells, but they move and pulsate enough to give signals of life. Some are obviously one-celled plants like the diatoms that hang suspended like ornate jewels; some are algae cells, green multi-forms, some single, some linked in long wavering chains. But they are living organisms, requiring light and carbon dioxide, without which they would die like any land plant."

Wanted: Creative Writing for A Kinder Superhero for a More Moral Social Media

Wanted: Creative Writing for A Kinder Superhero for a More Moral Social Media 

Imagination is greater than knowledge ... Albert Einstein 

Do you ever wonder why there is a general fascination with superheroes, especially for young people in their mastery of maturity? This complex question must be examined in reference to ancient mythology, today’s social conscience within social media, and creative writing to create a kinder, gentler superhero for our times.

 Who hasn’t been fascinated by Greek mythological heroes, creatures and what they represented about the origin and nature of the world? There were gods, goddesses, half human, half god, magical mortals with and without superpowers, battling fearsome creatures like the Minotaur or Medusa, who are still  part of our modern folklore. It can also be said that many of these brave heroes were willing to take risks, face dangerous  situations in order to gain more understanding of society itself with many moral affiliations.

For whatever reason, children are fascinated by grim tales of ogres crushing their bones or wolves hunting their grandmothers. Perhaps there is solace in reading such an ending where everybody seems to live-happily-ever-after; a common phrase deeply embedded into our daily stories as well.

The effect and value of myths or superheroes cannot be understated because they can actively impact our thinking or cognitive frameworks as to what is right, wrong, good, bad, enemy or champion. But ancient champions never had to face the cyber world, an interactive matrix where the dividing lines between virtual reality and the real world are often blurred.

So, what kinds of superhuman forces affect our modern social conscience? Where do superheroes exist today? Who lives happily-ever-after in our current struggles and culture?

It makes me weep like the myth of the weeping willow tree that serves as a reminder that love cannot exist without tears. Take a look around at what young people see and acknowledge as superheroes. One type is found in comic books via movies and video games; and a second type is found in the social media circus, especially for young teens.

Today’s cultural heroes on films have almighty superpowers to vanquish evil forces that would destroy humanity or the earth itself. They display great fights with dismemberment flying everywhere in a violent phantasmagoria. Good wins over evil but at what spectacle on the visual cortex and collateral damage to the innocent?

Video games particularly add a depth of hyper realism with graphics that bring the actions closer; blood, guts and brutality are now full frontal. At which point can game violence  jump from the screen to the family room or public front? The impact of violent media on kids is relatively unstudied or unknown; never a problem with Pegasus, unicorns or dragons until their violent modernization in Game of Thrones.  

Today, our culture has been impacted and controlled by an almighty Zeus known as the internet with its lightning bolts of interdependence and interactivity. There is no doubt that interactions with open-ended, unlimited media exposure have profoundly influenced the social, economic and even political arenas; as well as impacting the mythic and moral spheres of influence.

Two new kinds of internet action figures have arisen.

First, there is a new class of social media heroes or heroines who have mortal characteristics but with super normal magnetic attractions based on looks, money, connections, or fame who call out their siren song for everybody to like and follow them. But they live in reality shows that are as elusive as the Elysian beautiful meadows in the mythological underworld where only the godly favored could find perfect happiness in an ultimate paradise where popular brands abide, where money talks, with or without justification or morals. Mere mortals dare to dream, like mini gods and goddesses, as close as their fingertips as much as their newly programmed mind can turn the abnormal godly world into normal. Do these self-entitled heroes have the right to feed on dispossessed and vulnerable victims for what purposes like old ogres in Grimm tales?

Second, there is the active digital cyber hero who wants to be the all-mighty "tough guy;” quick to bully, derogate, and offer safe haven for followers of the same stripes and scars. This profound leap from ignoble loser to worshiped hero would never happen in a mythological world where strength in morality was as important as physical might. It can be said that only a socially abnormality like this can threaten the shared social consciousness where such mass media control can produce and endorse an anti-hero. Even democratic rules can dissipate in the flood of the richest and boldest celebrities who offer the most happy-ever-after mantras.

As a teacher, the point I am trying to make is that any cultural system helps to reproduce itself by the value of its symbols and heroes. We are all plugged into this public arena, watching and participating with different distinctly human behaviors; honor, pride, respect, or guilt, selfishness, shame, disgrace and dysphoria. 

So, how do we find a social conscience in a digital society where approval and disapproval are determined by narcissistic rewards of living up to hyped-up, unnatural group expectations even when virtual group standards are less worthy of social unity and freedom?

Remember what happened to Narcissus who was a very beautiful young man in Greek mythology, loved instantly by many for his looks for whom he only showed contempt. He even cast aside a nymph now forever called Echo because she wilted away from her unrequited sorrow to a mere sound. In retribution, a goddess, led Narcissus to a pool to see his own reflection, but when he realized that a reflection can never materialize into reality, he committed suicide. Therein lies the moral that narcissism or ego should not be about vanity and true self is beyond self-reflection or public perception. 

So how does this morality apply to posting Selfies for gratification for the sake of whose morality?

We can never undermine the fact that the combined power of the group in our culture is what makes our social conscience; greater than an individual, a collective rule of thumb. Our society’s heroes, groups and norms are us. 

However, the ingrained problem in any culture has always remained that we cannot remove the images, icons and concepts once they have marched across the stage or infiltrated the brain. People just want to believe in the impossible, in following the promises of heroes to add some magic to ordinary lives. Contradiction is futile in any cognitive schema of hope and living happily-for-ever-after.

Finally, so how can creative writing help?  We need to create new heroes who are gentler, kinder and more interactive who believe in the greater good in a more equitable and democratic society without recourse to violence. We need a brighter “heroic imagination,” with attitudes about caring, helping others,  and moving forward to defend moral causes. The internet offers such potential where every person can collaborate and share our acts both online and offline.

Here are two examples of creative writing to help set new role models for noble goals.

A story about a teen girl’s survival in social media with a personal superpower tool; namely, the management of a timeline connecting in real time the intangible past, present and future. What can be more powerful than that for success?

A story about a special water sprite with roots on a mission to discover cyclical truths in the natural ecosystem with continuous surprises about the interdependence of all living forms from the smallest to the invisible largest inhabitant. 

Our culture needs more stories and movies especially for younger people. How about your imagination to create a reality that matters to humanity? What kind of superheroes can you introduce with morals and beliefs to change the world? How can we work together towards to making the dream real and to live-happily-ever-after?

Comments and dialogue are always important. What are your ideas and thoughts.

Sincerely,

Annemarie

amarie10@gmail.com   Please set a time that works for you.

Check out two e-books:

Teen Girl Faces Time in the Sand

The Incredible Journey of a Water Sprite with Roots