Wolf

Wolf: Short story by Francesca Lia BlockIn Francesca Lia Block‘s confronting take on the Red Riding Hood fairy tale, the girl has already fallen prey to the wolf (her stepfather) in the form of repeated rapes over several years. The experience has affected her self-esteem and given her a bitter, distrustful outlook on the world. As in Red Riding Hood, when the girl flees to her grandmother’s house for protection, the wolf is waiting for her. Unlike the fairy tale, the two don’t need a woodcutter to save them. Themes include sexual assault, betrayal of trust, guilt, shame, mother-daughter relationships, self-empowerment, anger, revenge.

Continue ReadingWolf

Blue

Blue: Short story by Francesca Lia BlockIn this story by Francesca Lia Block, a girl abandoned by her mother finds temporary comfort in stories about how much her mother loved her told by an imaginary creature living in her closet. When she shares this with a school friend, she is ridiculed and ostracized by classmates. A class assignment to “write about someone we love” provides an opportunity for the girl to put her thoughts and feelings about her mother on paper. This helps her face the loss, and gives her the courage to go on alone. Themes include family, loss, isolation and loneliness, healing through writing.

Continue ReadingBlue