Children's Media: Imagination and Experimentation

The Prince, Not a King

When was the last time you rode the train of imagination? Were you alone? Were you near a child or children? Do grown-ups imagine? One's creativity and heart are invited along for the ride of imagination. All people should be able to imagine but people don't take the time to do it. The heart filled story The Little Prince (1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry teaches how grown-ups don't understand that imagination can lead to a greater understanding for the most precious things in life by what the narrator teaches the reader from the exposition, the planets symbolization, and the resolution of the story. 

The little prince is an imaginative, caring young boy who had done much traveling in the world. He has that in common with the narrator. The two characters find common interest even though the narrator is older than the little boy. Right from the beginning of the story, the reader observes narrator's feelings of grown-ups. He relates the story of his drawing of an elephant inside boa constrictor. None of the adults could see what the narrator had actually tried to draw, what they saw was a hat. The grown-ups disappointed the narrator and because of that experience the narrator stopped drawing. How many people can relate to this experience? One draws something and one says it is this. Now, one can think the drawing is something different but one should't think it is only what they see and that's right. When one chooses to think like this, the imagination, the little stars in their skies lose their light. Can one not imagine that the drawing could be an elephant and not only a hat? If one can use their imagination, the understanding of what the little boy is trying to do can happen. Not understanding of what the picture actually is but the understanding of the intent. Shouldn't people or even grown-ups be open to let the tool of imagination encourage the process to understand intent?

A little boy who has an imagination can remind and teach a thing or two or three to an adult. He is a little prince. He is not a king. If the author would have made him a king, then he would have been a grown up and "grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them." (Saint-Exupéry, 1943, P. 4). 

The little prince's experiences on the different, outer planets support the narrator's thought of the narrator that grown-ups think solely of themselves and their tasks. They miss out of the beauty around them. How many times do people only focus on the trees in front of them and miss out of seeing the whole forest or miss out of seeing the beautiful flowers that surround them. This story teaches this in a didactic manner from the narrator's dialogue to the reader. 

The planets where the little prince visits are symbols of people's human nature. The little prince not only visits one planet but several. On each planet, the grown-up who is "in charge" or "rule" is self-centered and oblivious to their surroundings. There is the king, very vain man, drunkard, businessman, the lamplighter, and the geographer. Specifically with the king and vain man, they are the only ones on their planets yet they feel the need to order and control everything. They symbolize the pride and sense of ownership from human nature. They are too busy in thinking about themselves they don't even realize there is no others with them. They need to be admired. The rulers of these planets don't use their imagination to help them think outside themselves. Do people act in similar way today? It is hard to not relate these planet visits to trying to talk to someone who has glued to their cell phone and doesn't even hear you speak. The little prince would have a similar experience if he were to visit the cell phone planet where no one talks to each other, only texts and pays attention to their phones.  

The resolution of the story finishes teaching the theme with a punch or actually with a snake bite. The little prince's travels are coming to a close. The narrator wants to understand more about the little prince but he feels he must move on and get back to where he came from. One might think that little prince uses his imagination to find a way to get back home. Before he leaves the narrator's presence, the narrator carries the boy. This physical activity of carrying a small child as they are tired or helpless can be insightful. As the narrator holds the little prince, he reflects of how he is holding such a tender boy who believes in better things and who wants to explore new things. He uses his imagination for more understanding, for example he says, "What I'm lookin at is only a shell. What's most important is invisible..." (Saint-Exupéry, 1943, P. 68). 

After reading this story, it's hard to not imagine when looking at the stars to visualize the little prince laughing. What the narrator learns from the little prince and what he teaches the reader is important because in today's world there are many who kill the imagination in people. To imagine can be considered a heavenly gift because it helps people understand where people might be coming from or what they are trying to accomplish. Grown-ups can have an inner reflection to see if they are similar to the very vain man who only wants to hear good things about himself or to the lamplighter, who is only considered about his orders and not relationships. The little prince might be seen again in the desert. Can you imagine it might even be you?

Ride the Horse

Experimenting with mediums can produce interesting outcomes that can change the medium's future. Impressionism, avant-garde films, or 3D animations are some examples of how experimenting can be worth the risk. One must understand the rules of the medium before breaking them. Carrol Ballard, the director of Black Stallion (1979), and the writers, Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg, and William D. Wittliff, experimented with those rules in the film Black Stallion by typifying how one's act to experiment is worth the risk. The film experiments with your typical traditional narrative, the casting of Alec, and the use of the black stallion character.

Traditionally narratives include the three act structure. They also include many causes and effects within the story thematically. In the Black Stallion, Carol Ballard plays with that. The stranded island scene is not only beautiful cinematically but it proves the film's theme. Alec wakes up on this island and realizes that Black is a large reason why he is still alive. Now, the story could have brought the rescuers after that realization to bring them back home and to move the plot forward. However, that is not what takes place. Ballard and the writers choose to experiment with Alec's and Black's relationship. There aren't specific causes to keep them on that island. The viewer doesn't see Alec write an S.O.S in the sand and then have the effect of the rescuers coming. No, the film lets Alec and Black play together. They experiment with each other. The scene proves that in life, one doesn't need specific causes to have a reason to experiment. Alec simply wants to ride Black. To a young boy, when a majestic horse is before you and no one is around, he will want to ride the creature. Not having a specific reason why to experiment should not stop one from trying or doing the thing. It is okay if you don't. The outcome of that experimenting helps the viewer understand Alec and Black's relationship even though it isn't specifically traditional narrative.

Who are the subjects of the story? Who makes up the cast of the film? No matter who is chosen for the film, the director is saying that he will take a chance and experiment with those artists or subjects. For the Silly Symphony, The Skeleton Dance (1929), Walt experimented not only what the medium was doing but to choose skeletons that would come to life, dance, and haunt around an old graveyard. Carol truly experimented and for his main character, Alec, he chose to not even have a professional actor. Kelly Reno plays Alec and at that time when the film was casting, Kelly wasn't even an actor. The young boy loved to ride horses and the family had heard the film that was being made was The Black Stallion. They knew their son was great with horses and he was the age they wanted, so they took their son to the audition. The risk was well worth it because the audience can see how comfortable the boy is with Black. The boy is actually performing the stunts and is racing that horse. The boy's love for that horse rings true to the viewer.

With film, there is a running joke that if the script involves young children, animals, and cars, the production is crazy. With Black Stallion, all three are involved, especially the two main characters, Alec and Black. Carol Ballard had worked with animals as main characters such as geese in Fly Away Home (1996) before but never with horses. He took what he had learned with working with animals from that film and applied it to Black Stallion. Previous experiments inform new experimenting strategies and tactics. Directors had worked with animals as main characters before so it's not like Ballard was the first one to try. It's important to remember that even though when people experiment with new ideas and different things doesn't mean other people haven't experimented with those exact things before. One can observe and apply principles from people that have already tried the thing. There is a curiosity that comes when someone tries something new. Especially regarding children, they feel the enjoyment rush to through their bodies as they perform or experiment for the first time. A child can still feel the rush of emotions even if they ask others whom have experimented before.

Time to time one needs to ride the horse. Experimenting with new things can be dangerous. One doesn't need to go in blind when experimenting or researching or understanding the consequences. If a person merely stares and watches, there can be missed out experiences. The Black Stallion proves that experimenting can be worth the risk. Remember passed experiences. If one fails miserably with the experiment at least now the person knows a little more about what works and what doesn't. Working with a non actor and a large horse for your main characters can work wonderfully. It is possible.