Last week I heard a report on NPR about TCM Reframed, a new series that looks at old movies to discuss why they may be problematic through a modern lens – or in many cases, why they may have always been problematic. For example, last summer, we watched Grease with our kids and found just as many cringe-worthy as sing-along moments. You may remember this article that Molly Ringwald wrote about watching her own movies with her daughter post #metoo.
As readers, we may find this same experience in
looking back at “classics.” Luckily, many authors have done the difficult work
for us of reframing many of these stories in ways that are more inclusive and
representative.
Remember the reading challenge? Recently I found two examples through challenge 17 and challenge 8 of classic tales retold.
Roman and Jewel
by Dana L. Davis
Fans of Hamilton will revel in the
behind-the-scenes drama of a modern spin on Romeo and Juliet. Jerzie Jhames
receives her big break when she’s cast as an understudy in a new Broadway musical.
Her talent soon catches the attention of the leading man and sparks simmer. When
a video of the star’s less than stellar performance goes viral, Jerzie must
decide if she’s going to stand by her man or in the spotlight.
“Then his eyes traipsed back to the stranger’s
face, to his callous, boyish grin, and Hook’s stomach dropped with sudden
revelation.
“You.”
Peter Pan grinned at him.
“Me.”
After many years away, Peter has returned to Neverland.
He reconnects with the Lost Boys and is eager to rekindle the war with his
nemesis Hook. But as the violence escalates, he begins to remember his first
trip out of the nursery window, when he was named Wendy. As the story unfolds,
Hook and Peter develop an uneasy alliance which leads to revelation, and
eventually release, from a fictional world into a real one.
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