Assignment #8

     Alice Major, the author of "Puce Fairy Book" would most likely agree with the advice that June Callwood gives to her granddaughters in "Forget Prince Charming". The two pieces of literature talk about the same thing; the expectations of each person in a relationship. Although each of the pieces have a somewhat different way of presenting their message, the idea is mostly the same.


     "Puce Fairy Book" is a brief poem written by Alice Major that includes many different allusions to modern fairy tales and presents them in a way that would make it seem that the speaker has a difficult time with relationships. There are several examples of this in the poem, including "You wanted Rapunzel waiting in a tower, braids of hair like ropes, stairs that only you could climb," and then the speaker says, "My hair would never grow long enough". From these allusions it seems like the speaker is already in some kind of relationship but is struggling to keep it going because of the burdens and expectations placed upon her. The poem ends with the lines "You might have been the one true prince, but on mature consideration, I declined, with thanks, the honour of cutting off my toe". The last lines of the poem could mean that there was a "true prince" that was in love with her but she said no because she didn't want to cater to the responsibility of a relationship.


     "Forget Prince Charming" is a story written by June Callwood which discusses the nature of relationships in the way of giving advice to her three granddaughters. Some of the advice that she provides to her granddaughters are "They cannot expect perfection," and "All long-term couplings survive on a mutual ability to compromise". There is also mention of a doctor's advice, child psychologist William Blatz, which suggested that the secret a long and successful marriage is teamwork; "I make the dressing and she makes the salad," he said. The grandmother writes that she has always told her grandchildren that if they want a successful marriage they have to find the perfect mate; which she then goes on to admit that she is wrong and perfect mates only exist in fairy tales and romantic novels. According to the grandmother who has been happily married for almost fifty-seven years, the best traits that a good mate should have are: integrity, punctuality and humor.


     The two pieces of literature, "Puce Fairy Book" and "Forget Price Charming" are similar in both message and idea. Their message is basically, "don't expect to find the perfect mate". Their are several ways that the authors emphasize this message. In "Puce Fairy Book" the speaker humorously connects fairy tales to her own life and at the end she rejects her so called "one true prince" because she is convinced that there is no "perfect" mate. "Forget Price Charming" conveys the idea through the grandmother's thoughts towards her three daughters, always reminding them and giving them relationship advice which actually means something since the grandmother has been married for almost fifty-seven years. Alice Major would definitely agree with the advice that June Callwood gives to her daughters. The poem and story both have powerful and deep meanings which are related to the idea of the perfect mate.