|
|
|
|
WRITING CONTEST WINNERS: Winners of the Annual Birthday Challenge 1999Editor’s note: This year’s commemorative Muse “Special Edition” given out at the Birthday dinners asked readers to write (in 200 words or less) about the Canonical Mary who most or least exemplified the Adventuress spirit. We’re pleased to present the winning entry from Susan Vizoskie and the runner‑up from David R. McCallister. This is a “two‑peat” for Susan, our last year’s winner. MARY MABERLEY: An Adventuress She's Not!by Susan Vizoskie Of all the “Mary”s in the Canon, Mary Maberley least exemplifies the Adventuress spirit. I sense you disagree; after all, she did consult Sherlock Holmes. But, since her husband had consulted him previously, she does not earn Adventuress points for intelligence or initiative. In truth, by ignoring Holmes’ advice to have someone stay with her for protection, she proved her stupidity and foolishness and put herself and her maid in jeopardy! Mary’s most serious deficiency is her lack of human emotion. What happened to mourning for her son? Victorians perfected mourning, and Douglas had died a mere month before! Mary expresses little interest in her son throughout the story. She appears to be very cold, and that is the antithesis of an Adventuress. Adventuresses care about people, their friends, their families, even their enemies; they may be in control of their emotions, but they do experience and express them. Only in expressing interest in traveling does Mary Maberley exhibit any trait akin to an Adventuress. We can only hope that in satisfying her desire to travel (enabled by the £5,000 from Isadora Klein), Mary Maberley becomes more human and more like an Adventuress. ADVENTURESS SPIRITby David R. McCallister The question of “Adventuress spirit” begs definition. Subdivided into broad categories of intellectual, physical, and sophistication levels attained, we may achieve an objective sense of the epitome and nadir among the sample of “Mary”s.
The presentation in a compact form
requires a graphic format, with (+) positive for that feature, (0) neutral, and
negative, on a biased and subjective basis.
Mary Cushing was a victim though inattention; Mary Holder made an unwise liaison with a fugitive, and Mary Sutherland's brain could not match her generous figure or nature. Mary Morstan might be adventuresome; she is traveled, but naive and domesticated. Mary Maberley was, without censure to be sure, merely a pawn, clueless as to the house purchase, physically fragile, and living a sheltered life. Despite her laudable concern for her son, her efforts result in a stalemate, without achieving justice; the least adventuress of them all. Mary Brackenstall receives the only triple plus: for her resolution and quick wit, beauty and accomplishments, and pro‑active nature. The unfortunate marriage notwithstanding, she ends up titled, wealthy, and free to enjoy an active life with her true love; surely the best exemplar of the Adventuress spirit.
The Serpentine Muse is copyrighted by the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, and written permission must be obtained for reproduction of an article in another publication or website. Contact the Webmaster at mmckayATL@comcast.net
|
|