- Sep 22, 2013
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This is a modernism-parable inspired by the films Alice in Wonderland, Wonder Woman, and Sisters.
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Shelbye spent two hours every evening staring into the mirror and daydreaming that she could one day go 'inside' the 'parallax-dimension' see saw across the reflective axis of the mirror! Shelbye was a big fan of Lewis Carroll's imagination-riddle novel Through the Looking Glass and constantly wondered about Carroll's unusual conjecture that there existed extraordinary beings and realities that reflected the 'normal' world on the Earth-side of the 'mirror-axis.' Shelbye started believing that the woman she saw in the mirror as a reflection of herself was somehow (and in some way!)...real.
Shelbye decided to start collecting American comic books that presented colorful stories about fantastic characters (e.g., Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Toyman, Catwoman, etc.) contending with each other across multiple 'dimensions' of imagination/reality. She started writing poems and notes about how these modern-era 'avatars' were 'analogous' to outlandish characters from Ancient World mythology (e.g., Zeus, Aphrodite, Shiva, Medusa, etc.). You see, Shelbye was deeply depressed about humanity's apparent lack of moral focus in the modern world of consumerism-conveniences (e.g., Facebook, eBay, Burger King, etc., etc.).
Shelbye paid special attention to two female comic book characters/avatars, Poison Ivy (a beautiful eco-terrorist) and Superwoman (a woman of incredible virtue and might). She started drawing pictures of Poison Ivy and Superwoman 'escaping' out of the imaginary world of comic books by 'travelling' across the dimension of the 'mirror-axis contained reflective world.' She then held these drawings up to her mirror and began talking to her own reflection. Shelbye even named her own reflection Shania! Shelbye and 'Shania' developed a deep psychiatric 'bond,' and Shelbye would talk to Shania for hours about the virtues of life.
SHELBYE: What do you think of Monopoly (Parker Brothers)?
SHANIA: It's obviously a game about capitalism (real estate)!
SHELBYE: Do you think it's a sign of vanity or imagination?
SHANIA: Well, it definitely seems to be a 'model' for the American Dream.
SHELBYE: Correct. Maybe Wonder Woman or Superwoman would like it.
SHANIA: Then again, Superwoman might decide capitalism is greedy...
SHELBYE: That's true; just look at Enron, Napster, and the Gulf War!
SHANIA: It gets worse; obesity among women in America is a problem.
SHELBYE: Yes, and female-obesity is related to our 'Burger King culture.'
SHANIA: Correct. 'Cholesterol-culture' makes the mind lazy and wayward.
SHELBYE: That's why Wonder Woman deals with both primal strength and urban crime.
SHANIA: Yes, Wonder Woman was originally Amazonian but later tackled 'worldly evil.'
SHELBYE: Maybe the Marvel Comics male villain Kingpin (a fat-tycoon) symbolizes vanity!
SHANIA: Yes, and the Marvel Comics male villain Juggernaut (a brute) symbolizes mayhem!
SHELBYE: Well, in that case, perhaps America should embrace Aunt Jemima...
SHANIA: Yes, Aunt Jemima represents food-hospitality virtues/idealism in capitalism.
SHELBYE: I hope one day, Shania, that we interact across the mirror in a 'real' way.
SHANIA: Why, Shelbye, don't you realize that we're already...'fortune-sisters'?
SHELBYE: Here's to the American Dream...and Aunt Jemima!
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Shelbye spent two hours every evening staring into the mirror and daydreaming that she could one day go 'inside' the 'parallax-dimension' see saw across the reflective axis of the mirror! Shelbye was a big fan of Lewis Carroll's imagination-riddle novel Through the Looking Glass and constantly wondered about Carroll's unusual conjecture that there existed extraordinary beings and realities that reflected the 'normal' world on the Earth-side of the 'mirror-axis.' Shelbye started believing that the woman she saw in the mirror as a reflection of herself was somehow (and in some way!)...real.
Shelbye decided to start collecting American comic books that presented colorful stories about fantastic characters (e.g., Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Toyman, Catwoman, etc.) contending with each other across multiple 'dimensions' of imagination/reality. She started writing poems and notes about how these modern-era 'avatars' were 'analogous' to outlandish characters from Ancient World mythology (e.g., Zeus, Aphrodite, Shiva, Medusa, etc.). You see, Shelbye was deeply depressed about humanity's apparent lack of moral focus in the modern world of consumerism-conveniences (e.g., Facebook, eBay, Burger King, etc., etc.).
Shelbye paid special attention to two female comic book characters/avatars, Poison Ivy (a beautiful eco-terrorist) and Superwoman (a woman of incredible virtue and might). She started drawing pictures of Poison Ivy and Superwoman 'escaping' out of the imaginary world of comic books by 'travelling' across the dimension of the 'mirror-axis contained reflective world.' She then held these drawings up to her mirror and began talking to her own reflection. Shelbye even named her own reflection Shania! Shelbye and 'Shania' developed a deep psychiatric 'bond,' and Shelbye would talk to Shania for hours about the virtues of life.
SHELBYE: What do you think of Monopoly (Parker Brothers)?
SHANIA: It's obviously a game about capitalism (real estate)!
SHELBYE: Do you think it's a sign of vanity or imagination?
SHANIA: Well, it definitely seems to be a 'model' for the American Dream.
SHELBYE: Correct. Maybe Wonder Woman or Superwoman would like it.
SHANIA: Then again, Superwoman might decide capitalism is greedy...
SHELBYE: That's true; just look at Enron, Napster, and the Gulf War!
SHANIA: It gets worse; obesity among women in America is a problem.
SHELBYE: Yes, and female-obesity is related to our 'Burger King culture.'
SHANIA: Correct. 'Cholesterol-culture' makes the mind lazy and wayward.
SHELBYE: That's why Wonder Woman deals with both primal strength and urban crime.
SHANIA: Yes, Wonder Woman was originally Amazonian but later tackled 'worldly evil.'
SHELBYE: Maybe the Marvel Comics male villain Kingpin (a fat-tycoon) symbolizes vanity!
SHANIA: Yes, and the Marvel Comics male villain Juggernaut (a brute) symbolizes mayhem!
SHELBYE: Well, in that case, perhaps America should embrace Aunt Jemima...
SHANIA: Yes, Aunt Jemima represents food-hospitality virtues/idealism in capitalism.
SHELBYE: I hope one day, Shania, that we interact across the mirror in a 'real' way.
SHANIA: Why, Shelbye, don't you realize that we're already...'fortune-sisters'?
SHELBYE: Here's to the American Dream...and Aunt Jemima!
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