Everybody plays the fool sometime...
The Fool as Archetype
“Everybody plays the fool sometime / there’s no exception to the rule” ~songwriters Kenneth Williams / Ralph Bailey / Rudy Clark
Hey friends,
Well, look at this! The Art of Flash Fiction is #7 in the Fiction category here on Substack. I’m really happy about this. I love flash fiction, I love writing this newsletter, and I’m so grateful for your readership. Thank you!
I have an interesting prompt for you this week, but just quickly: There are TWO remaining spaces for this summer’s retreat, “High Altitude Inspiration: Flash Fiction Rendezvous in the Colorado Rocky Mountains” in gorgeous, serene Grand Lake, Colorado August 19th - 24th! Find more information HERE. Maybe grab a writing pal and join us!
Also, many thanks to all who took part in Saturday’s 3-in-90 workshop exploring unusual points of view! It was, as always, a lively and productive session and I was thrilled by your engagement and enthusiasm. The shared works were remarkable!
My FINAL 3-in-90 for this round takes place Saturday, May 17th. Find more information and sign up HERE.
“He who hesitates is a damned fool.” ~Mae West
The Fool as Archetype
Since tomorrow is April Fool’s Day (or Poisson d’Avril in France), I thought we’d explore the theme of “playing the fool” in love or otherwise.
One of the most compelling characters one can delve into is that of the fool. Often acting against their own self-interest, many times tragic, and always relatable, the fool presents the opportunity to show human nature at its most cringey.
As empathetic creatures, we see ourselves in the fool, who often messes things up for himself or others. And in romance, it’s true, “everybody plays the fool sometime.”
Flash fiction writers can and should include archetypes, (and the fool is an archetype), even given the limits of the form, because that’s where deep storytelling comes from. Read: “9 Memorable Literary Fools” by Ashly Moore Sheldon. Also, read “Ivan the Fool” by Leo Tolstoy and “I’m a Fool” by Sherwood Anderson, and of course, Sam Shepherd’s play “Fool for Love,” (or watch the 1985 film).
Fun fact: Shakespeare used the word “fool” 423 times in his plays.
Also, the fool is a common trope in television and film.
“A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom.” ~Roald Dahl
