Can I headcannon a character as Jewish even though they’re fairly explicitly not Jewish?
For context, this is Cornflower Fieldmouse
She lives next to Redwall Abbey, and her husband Matthias is an apprentice monk there when they meet.
Later he becomes a warrior but stays tied to the abbey and swears to protect them. So basically he’s still a monk but he’s a warrior monk now.
They have a kid later, which breaks the vow of celibacy, but this is never addressed so I assume he’s just exempt because he’s a ✨warrior monk✨ (it’s possible this is talked about in the later books as I’ve only read the first two out of twelve as well as seeing all three seasons of the show).
But anyway, it is a CRIME that this woman is not Jewish. Can she be Jewish in my heart, as a treat? Or would that be weird because she’s very heavily implied to be a mouse Christian? (Jesus is never mentioned, the devil is implied through Cluny the Scourge, and they mention G-d in passing, but the only other biblical adjacent figure is Martin the Warrior who is Matthias’ predecessor)
More detailed explanation from someone who has read all the books multiple times:
The first book, Redwall proper, is odd in the series, because when Brian Jacques wrote it, he intended it to be a one-off. That’s why there’s references to things like a beaver, Portugal (where Cluny is rumored to be from), the horse of enormous size pulling the cart, and, yes, implied devil. Among many other things!
As the series progressed, the worldbuilding shifted a little as he decided just what this world looked like, and a lot of elements were quietly dropped, including any reference to our world: the closest, I think, are lingering references to Hellsgates, but even that is a vague concept used by villains.
Redwall remains an Abbey, but there isn’t any particular religion tied to it, except for a respect for life and community; even the prayers before major feasts run the lines of “thank you land and waters for the bounty of food before us, thank you community for helping to harvest and prepare it”. So, nothing remotely Christian-adjacent for people to make that argument.
The closest someone could argue would be the church were Cornflower’s family lived, St. Ninians - but, a later book has a humorous song explaining that the industrious wife of lazy Ninian built the church, then put up a sign saying “This Ain’t Ninian’s” The sign is then weathered until it reads “Saint Ninian’s”. Legend and humorous legend at that, and at the most it implies there is a concept of saints, but, there’s really nothing more anyone can read into it than that.
So! While the universe doesn’t really have a concept of specific real-world religions - or religion at all - if you want to headcanon her as Jewish, there’s also nothing to stop you!
Book Bracket: Favorite Novel by a NaNoWriMo Pep Talker
Did you know that nearly 70% of NaNoWriMo writers are women? This year for Women's History Month, we've gone through our list of NaNoWriMo Pep Talkers to find some of our favorite books written by women and featuring a strong female protagonist. In the spirit of March Madness, here's a just-for-fun book bracket featuring eight of our favorites. Which is yours?
To vote, choose your favorite on each individual poll that will be posted separately and linked below. We'll tally up the votes for all three rounds to find out which book you all like best!
We think all of these books are fantastic, and you should check them all out. If you want to see our full list of Pep Talk authors and read their inspiring messages, you can find them at https://nanowrimo.org/pep-talks
Round 1:
Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce vs. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron: Vote in Poll 1.1
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee vs. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin: Vote in Poll 1.2
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley vs. Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders: Vote in Poll 1.3
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo vs. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik: Vote in Poll 1.4
Fondly remembering the time that a cat owner casually entered their calico Maine Coon in a cat fancier’s competition and the judges lost their minds because the cat was 1) male and 2) able to bear children
I was about to say he would technically be an intersex king (not because I dislike the concept of trans cats, just bc intersex rep is sorely needed too) but I did some more reading on this icon and actually found the article OP referenced.
ALT
He’s not your usual male calico kitty as it turns out. That’s already cool and rare, but he’s even cooler and rarer than that!
ALT
ALT
Calboy is a chimera!! Which is really fucking cool of you ask me. The chances of having a male calico this way are slim to none, but the mad lad still exists! What an icon. I would die for Calboy.
Originally I was looking for an adult picture of Calboy
(He’s so pretty 🥰)
But I also found a source for the article screenshotted above! And folks it’s WILD. It’s an incredibly interesting read if you happen to love hearing about niche hobby drama. It’s also just a fantastically written article!
The parts I find the most interesting are about how conservative the cat fanciers association is. This isn’t even all of the parts that talk about that.
People are so mad about this cat spefically because he has female colors. An animal who couldn’t choose how it was born. This is happening in Texas by the way. Hm. I wonder how they treat trans people over there?
adult women aren’t inherently creepy for being in fandom and having hobbies apart from raising babies and doing taxes
the vast majority of people pushing back against the worrying trend of instigating harassment over fictional characters and relationships aren’t incest supporters or pedophiles, actually
liking a m/f ship doesn’t make someone a dirty heterosexual invading your space
preferring gay ships doesn’t make you ‘’woke’’ and good
no one owes you a disclaimer that they are a good person who recognizes that their favorite fictional villain’s actions are evil and that they don’t condone those actions irl
liking a fictional villain is in no way comparable to advocating abuse/murder/genocide/etc and you’re a fucking idiot if you believe that
just because a woman is attracted to a fictional villain doesn’t mean she’s promoting toxic relationships or going to end up in a toxic relationship. assuming women can’t tell fiction and reality apart stinks of internalized misogyny
some rando’s a/b/o fanfics have none of the level of influence that popular tv shows and movies spreading propaganda have
no one owes you a detailed description of their traumas and mental health problems
abusive relationships are not the same as enemies to lovers ships
y’all need to chill the fuck out over people, relationships, actions and events that don’t actually exist and learn how to enjoy and discuss them like normal people
This is part of a long struggle between those using "art" to mean a creative endeavor vs. those using it to mean a creative success. For the latter group, it isn't art if it doesn't clear some threshold for aesthetics or meaning or whatever. I tend not to have a lot of patience for this view, since in my experience the people who hold it always conveniently place themselves in the group qualified to judge if the bar has been cleared.
Even under the second definition the answer should be "sometimes", just as it should be for any other slice of the creative pie, but Sturgeon's Revelation holds here as in so many other places. People will willingly cherry-pick the best of the forms of expression they like, compare it to the worst of the forms they despise, and claim it's a fair and meaningful comparison.
As for who benefits, as far as I can tell the biggest sin of fanfic (or fan art) is its amateur status. Even ignoring more than a millennium of pre-Romantic writing where openly derivative creation was the norm at all levels, there's a boat-load of situations today where people professionally using characters and/or settings created by someone else. Ongoing TV or comic series, adaptations from one media to another, licensed spin-off materials, professionally published (and copyrighted) works based on public-domain ones. None of these are inherently less derivative than fanfic, but few if any of fanfic's loudest critics seem to notice.
I note that amateurly published original works, although they don't garner the same level of contempt as fanfic, will also be dismissed without being given a reading. If they were serious writers, they would try to get published. There is no possibility acknowledged of having the skill to write quality work without the desire to make money off of it.
I think some people find it deeply threatening that others are out there being creative without an ultimate payout in mind.
I love it when a cat owner says something stupid to Jackson Galaxy and he's clearly having to restrain himself from grabbing them by the shoulders and shaking them violently
Please, check out my art auction on Twitter! I would really like to see it happen! Both to see this nice cnvas print finding a good home and to continue making donations to our local charities.
I fucking HATE when the main conflict of a story could be solved with a single clear and honest conversation.
Unless it is a romantic misunderstanding due to one part of the couple being the only Hobbit amongst a lot of Dwarves who has seriously misread Dwarvish customs, especially in regards to Dwarvish royalty and vice versa.
In which case I am obviously going to need at least 50,000 words on the subject before it is resolved; I don't know how else to explain this.
Pictured: Every Hobbit Fanfic Ever (affectionate)
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Based on the fic A Passion for Mushrooms by @chrononautintraining. I am 28/34 chapters in, and it is delightful so far! I have never in my life been more hungry for mushrooms.....
germansingergirl
snowghoul
tangentwithtanner
baratheonpilled
discoholicmusic
prguitarman
