Running. It had been three days since Callisto had been turned into a bear by Juno. She had yet to stop running, except to occasionally look at her reflection in the river and get a drink. Yes she was still a bear. She did not feel like a bear. But a bear she was. Running. She sees a group of bears, however, she does not stop. She cannot relate to the natural bear, she does not feel any different inside than when she was Callisto a nymph devoted to the goddess Diana. She continues to flee, thinking maybe if she runs far enough her problems will be solved. Running.
Groaning. Eventually, Callisto the bear stopped. She had been running for a week. However, she had not gone far from where she started. As she had been running in circles. She was thinking, thinking about her misery and that it might never end. She wished Jupiter would show mercy and do something, maybe change her back to the beautiful nymph she once was. Groaning. She could not speak to humans, she could not understand the bears, those with whom she once hunted with now hunted her. She wished to be a nymph, she wished she had never met Jupiter and bore him a son. Groaning.
Wandering. Callisto felt lost in the world. She wandered around her old stomping grounds, remembering what life had once been like for her. She saw gizmos and gadgets in which she could no longer use because of her giant paws. She happened upon food in which she used to love, but her taste buds as a bear no longer could enjoy. Wandering. She wandered through the woods, the fields, and the villages. No one recognized her, not her father and not her son. As she wandered, she wondered what life would be like for the rest of her days. How long did bears even live she wondered. Would her own father or own son, or even Diana the huntress kill her as she traversed through the woods as a bear. Wandering.
(Bear tongue: Photo by Jim Bauer)
*Author's Note: This story gets its inspiration from "Callisto turned into a bear" from Ovid's Metamorphoses. Callisto was a beautiful virgin nymph who was raped by the god Jupiter. She bore him a son named, Arcas. Later Juno, Jupiter's wife turned Callisto into a bear out of jealousy and anger. My story is trying to relate how I think Callisto may have felt in the days following her transformation. This story is meant to fill in the gaps before Callisto eventually sees her son Arcas and he attempts to kill her. But not before Jupiter prevents this from happening by turning both of them into constellations. "The Great and Little Bear."
Bibliography. "Callisto turned into a bear" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Joseph Kline (2000). Web source.
Hey Ryan!
ReplyDeleteI really like the storytelling style that you went for in your retelling. Many times, classical stories aren't structured to reveal the more intimate thoughts of the characters involved, which I've always found a bit of a shame. I especially liked the repetition of Callisto's thought process, as it accurately illustrated the more single-minded, animalistic life that she now leads.
Great job! I hope to read more of your stories throughout the semester.
Hey Ryan,
ReplyDelete(I'm going to be doing the "Let's Pretend" assignment, so please bear with me ;) get it?)
Callisto: I love the vibe you gave me. The staccato citizens really allowed my thoughts to come out as a steady stream. It was liberating, especially the use of the 'ing' words. Your writing has a rhythm to it that makes it very enjoyable to read. I could image a dramatic reading of this.
Did you consider explaining why I was turned into a bear? I know it was hinted to, but I wish the reader got a better grasp of it, especially if they aren't very familiar with the story.
I think the only suggestion I have for you is paragraphs. I liked how they were grouped together, but realistically, they would be split up. Your ing words could be a single line. That would make them pack a bigger emotional punch.
Otherwise, good job on writing me!