Family vs. Infamy

A Multigenre Paper on Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

by
Mary Pangowish

Table of Contents

Dear Reader Letter
Which Way To Lombrica?
Meggie’s Instagram
The Ballad of Mo and Resa
Adderhead Receives Book of Immortality
Not – So – Hidden Hidden Character Development in Inkspell
How To Make Dustfinger
Epilogue
Explanation of Genres
Works Cited

Dear Reader Letter

June 1st 2017

Dear Reader

HEY READER, I would like for you to enjoy this multigenre paper, just as much as I have enjoyed creating this paper for you! In this paper, I have used a news article, persuasive essay, Instagram post, monologue, a recipe for/of a character, and a play script. I have re-ordered the genres so that they are in chronological order, true to the story, this way the paper is most effective. So far my favourite genre to write has been this letter because I’m able to guide this one-sided conversation, the way I would like to. I can just let my thoughts out and the reader can enjoy them with me, and it feels very natural and friendly.

I have a series of 6 genres that I believe help represent what Inkspell by Cornelia Funke is all about. Family and Good vs. Evil are two very strong ideas or topics in this book so I wanted my thesis to connect both of these topics while making sense of what is going on in the story.  Family is a very strong topic as Meggie, along with her family, and the people she cares about, are the protagonists. They help each other get through their hard times and push each other to do great things. The antagonists, on the other hand, have no remorse or common sense, killing anyone they please and doing other fun things like mass hangings and over taxation. They give us the good vs. evil story arc.

I had a hard time writing the script because the event I chose was quite long and an important character in that event is quite a minor character so I had a hard time portraying his personality while connecting to the thesis. That genre was hard but not my least favourite, and I have a love for plays and musicals so it was fun. I’d say my least favourite to write was the persuasive essay because I was unmotivated to and didn’t quite know where I was going with the essay. My other favourite genre was probably the monologue. Dustfinger is my favourite character in this story, so that why he’s a frequent topic. As a side note, Dustfinger is not the main character in the story, nor does he play a major role in the climax or main plot. The monologue was my favourite because I was able to properly express his feelings or at least what I believe he was feeling at that time. It’s also a style of writing I don’t do very often and I had fun trying it out. Next time I do a multigenre paper, I think I might want to focus on the very main characters and how their actions, beliefs, and thoughts connect with my theme, instead of doing whichever character I favour most.

What I hope you can take away from this project is that family will always be there for you. By family I mean anyone you care about, care for you as well. People who care about you will help you get through your toughest times, even when you feel like the world is against you or you feel you aren’t going in the right direction in life. A family will always be there to support and guide you. With that, I leave you to enjoy the rest of my paper. Cheers!

Sincerely,

Mary Pangowish

When you have family and people that care about you, their goodness shall always prevail.

 

Which Way To Lombrica?

Dustfinger’s thoughts about being back in the Inkworld and Orpheus leaving Farid out of coming with him.

Where is he? Where’s Farid? Orpheus left him out of the reading, didn’t he? Damn dough face, this isn’t what we asked for. Has he no respect for me? Orpheus, my disrespectful, extraneous devotee, I never asked for. Poor Farid ought to be having a fit over it. Actually, now that I think about it, this may be what’s  for the best in the end. This world wasn’t made for him, he wouldn’t fit in. Still, I wish he could see this. Farid would have been so elated. Scared of the nymphs most likely, but that’s to be expected. Despite the fact he’s such a brave kid, he has such peculiar fears.

Roxane, and Brianna and Rosanna. How are they? What have they been up to? What do they look like now? Have they been eating enough? Oh god, I miss my girls. I hope that they’re alright. I don’t think I could explain how distraught I’d be if one of them had gotten sick. This world could use a medical revolution about now. I wonder what Roxanne’s been doing, how my love has busied herself while I’ve been gone. Perhaps she’s gone back to performing? Maybe she’s a painter or farmer now. And my little ones, Brianna and Rosanna. My only children, like saplings to a great redwood. Unfortunately, I left them to become fatherless children. And finally, after a decade, I get to see my little girls again.

I’ve missed the smell of the grass after it rains, the tall, tall trees of this forest, and huge faery nests. What I don’t miss, however, is the unsolicited bites from the fire elves or the consequences of crossing a Night-Mare. Even the gnome’s little homes and brownie cave villages seem so foreign now. I never thought I ‘d say this, but I missed the giants and wolves. Hah, but I don’t think they missed me as much as I missed them.

Now, which way was it back to Lombrica?

Meggie’s Instagram

 

The Ballad of Mo and Resa

Characters:
Mortimer Folchart: Accidentally read Capricorn, Basta and Dustfinger out of Inkheart a decade ago (Also called Silvertongue by Dustfinger), adult male.
Theresa (Resa) Folchart: Read into Inkheart in exchange for Capricorn, Basta, and Dustfinger. Former slave in the Inkworld. An adult woman, Mo’s wife.
Mortola: Capricorn’s mother. Capricorn has died and Mortola wants revenge against Mortimer for “Killing” her son. Middle aged woman.
Basta: Former henchman to Capricorn and now to Mortola, older man.
Cloud-Dancer: former tightrope performer, now a messenger in Inkheart, Adult Male
Dustfinger: Read out of Inkheart by Mo, A firebreather, Adult male
Meggie Folchart: Daughter to Resa and Mo, also able to read characters in and out of books, young teenage girl.
Farid: A boy the same age as Meggie, read out of a thousand Arabian nights, love interest to Meggie
Fenoglio: The author of Inkheart, Voluntarily read into Inkheart by Mo, a middle-aged man

Mortimer, Mortola, Basta, and Resa are read into Inkheart by a crooked reader named Orpheus in the hopes that Capricorn is still alive in the Inkworld. Resa is holding onto Mortimer, Basta is standing behind Mortola as they are brought to the Inkworld

 

Mortola	(shouting) I’ll cut that man Orpheus’s tongue out with my own hands and serve it for supper! With chopped foxglove at that! Is this supposed to be my son’s fortress? Never! (she shakes her head) Well, say something! Say something you fool!
Basta	(annoyed) I knew he wouldn’t be here! What do you expect me to say? (sarcastically) Oh, would you look at that! The gargoyles are still up, covered in vine, but they’re there! Oh and The Slasher’s favourite carving, the devil with the red eyes! (angrily) Of course, it’s our castle, we’ve gone away for ten winters now, and someone obviously didn’t like us. (points in the distance)
Mortimer	(Mortola and Basta arguing in the background) (back to his senses from switching worlds) My goodness, we’re actually here! It’s one thing to read about this place than to actually be here. Oh, what’re they going on about? Where are we? Was this where Capricorn used to hide out? (Resa nods)
Mortola	Yes, this is his castle but Capricorn isn’t here! Basta was right for once if he’s dead in the other world, he’d be dead here. There’s nothing left. And it was you! Silvertongue, your voice, you and your accursed voice! You didn’t hesitate to read those words! Your daughter would have flinched and cried but you, oh you were excited!
Mortimer	(raised voice) That’s not what happened! Capricorn was–
Mortola	I don’t want to hear your lies. I know what you did. You killed my son.
Basta	I, for one, would like to know what happened here. Because now we have nowhere to go. No one we remember is here. Firefox, Slasher, Piper, Humpback, and Pitch-Eater, they’ve probably all gone away in the Laughing Prince’s dungeon. Where do we go now? Do we live in the caves like brownies until the wolves eat us? Did you forget about the wolves and Night-Mares? How about the fire elves and–
Mortola	Oh do be quiet, you sound like a boy afraid of the dark! Either way, we’re done here. We have a very powerful friend to visit, but first I need to do something I should have done a long time ago. (Mortola takes Basta’s rifle and raises it towards Mortimer) (Resa screams as Mortola shoots Mortimer) Let’s go now Basta, the forest is an unpleasant place at night. (Basta and Mortola leave off stage)
Resa	(kneeling and crying loudly over Mortimer) No! Oh, oh, my god… Mo.. Mo, please! Stay with me please, oh my god what do I do?! Mo I don’t know what to do! (Mortimer is unconscious) (Resa continues to cry)
SCENE 2
Cloud-Dancer	I’m telling you, this man’s the Bluejay.
Resa	He’s not! He’s a bookbinder and my husband. That scar on his arm means nothing, he’s not–
Cloud-Dancer	Okay love, I get it. You asked for me because?
Resa	I need you to take this note to Dustfinger. He’s got blond hair and three scars–
Cloud-Dancer	Yes, yes. The famous fire eater is a good friend of mine. I have to ask though, what’s written on here? Can Dustfinger even read?
Resa	Yes, he will. I taught him how.
Cloud-Dancer	Hah! A woman that can read and write, she even taught Dustfinger to read! What a strange woman you are.
Resa	Please, just take it to him…
Cloud-Dancer	Fine, but you’d better tell me what you’ve written so that I can tell him the words even if your note gets lost. Which can easily happen with written words, much more easily than with words in your head.
Resa	(sigh) I trust people far too easily. It reads, “Dear Dustfinger, I am in the strolling players’ camp with Mo, deep in the Wayless Wood. Mortola and Basta brought us here, and Mortola…. Mortola shot Mo. Meggie is here too, I don’t know exactly where, but please look for her and bring her to me! Protect her as you tried to protect me. But beware of Basta. Resa’.
Cloud-Dancer	Very well. I know where he is, I suppose I could take it for you.
Resa	Oh thank you! Thank you! I don’t have any money to pay you with but, perhaps you can take this. (takes of wedding ring and gives to Cloud-Dancer)
Cloud-Dancer	I’m not taking this. Your husband is sick and I hear that losing your wedding band is bad luck.
Resa	Right, right… Bad luck…(quickly puts ring back on)
Cloud-Dancer	One more thing love, if you’re wise, you won’t let too many others see that scar on his arm.
SCENE 3
Cloud-Dancer	There was a woman, a pretty woman, terribly sad, however. She offered me her wedding ring on the promise that I deliver this to you.
Dustfinger	(takes and reads note) This is a joke right? That old magpie Mortola can’t be back. And Silvertongue, shot?
Cloud-Dancer	I believe what Resa says is true. This isn’t a joke Dustfinger. I’ve seen the man, he’s got a horrid wound. In all my years I’ve never seen anything like it.
Dustfinger	And he’s still alive?…I need to get this to the daughter.
Cloud-Dancer	You know where she is?
Dustfinger	I do, the Black Prince took her to the old writer’s house, Fenoglio’s, the Inkweaver?
Cloud-Dancer	You’d best find her then. I don’t think Resa can swat the white women away for much longer
Dustfinger	Thank you, for bringing this. Okay, I have to go. (quickly leaves off stage)
Cloud-Dancer	Quickly, now.
SCENE 4
Meggie	(walking with Farid) Why… does he look so grim?
Farid	He kind of just… always looks like that.
Dustfinger	We meet again. Nice to see you, Meggie.
Meggie	(slightly uncomfortable) Nice to see you too. How are you?
Dustfinger	(Genuinely smiles) Fine! Yes, I’m really fine! I did need to speak to you about the Laughing Prince, or the Prince of Sighs now isn’t he? But I, unfortunately, have something else I’d best show you first
Meggie	(takes note from Dustfinger) Oh my god. Mortola… Mortola shot Mo? (pause) How… How can they be here? And how is Mo doing? It’s not too bad, is it?
Dustfinger	I know about as much as you do. All it says on that note there. But Cloud-Dancer did tell me that Nettle–
Meggie	Oh! Resa told me about Nettle, she’s a healer! A good one too! She’ll fix Mo, right? Won’t she?
Dustfinger	I don’t know, but go on and tell Fenoglio I’ll be taking you two, don’t tell him where or why. News travels fast in these hills, and the last thing we need is Mortola finding out that Silvertongue is still alive.
Meggie	You’re right. I’ll be right back. (runs off stage)
Farid	He’s not alright, is he?
Dustfinger	Cloud-Dancer tells me his wife is constantly fighting off the white women.
Farid	White women?
Dustfinger	Ghost women dressed in white. They wait around a person who soon to die.
Farid	Oh. So he’s not gonna make it?
Dustfinger	If he hasn’t kicked the bucket yet, I think he’s sure to soon.
Farid	Poor Meggie.
Dustfinger	Poor Resa.

 

 

Adderhead Receives Book of Immortality 

Adderhead receives book of immortality

The book which has been bound and enchanted for the Adderhead by Mortimer Folchart

May 10 XXXX

By Mary Pangowish

ARGENTA –  After Meggie Folchart saw father had been imprisoned in the Adderhead’s castle, Folchart along with The Inkweaver, Fenoglio, had sought to forge an enchanted book. It would be made for the sole purpose of immortality to the Adderhead on the condition that he release all the prisoners, especially Mortimer Folchart.

Mortimer Folchart, also known as the infamous robber, The Bluejay, was captured by the Adderhead as a result of The Bluejay’s allies betraying him. Knowing the Adderhead’s intense fear of death and his own mortality, young Meggie Folchart (Mortimer Folchart’s daughter) and, Inkweaver Fenoglio, created a plan that would have Mortimer bind a book that would later be enchanted by the Inkweaver in exchange that the Adderhead set all of his prisoners free. The enchanted book has the ability to make the Adderhead, or whomever he chooses, immortal if their name is written in the book.

According to unofficial sources (the men in the hall where the deal was offered), Meggie Folchart said, “However, I’m not here to ask for leniency. I have a deal to offer you. My father is no robber. He’s a bookbinder, [for] my father, can make you immortal.”

Other sources state that the book, in addition to granting eternal life, can kill, for if the three selected words are written on the blank pages, it supposedly would kill the man whose name was in the book.

Both the Adderhead and Mortimer Folchart held their word. The immortality book was bound and the Adderhead released all of his prisoners. Folchart reunited with his family and the Adderhead no longer feared death.

 

Not – So – Hidden Hidden Character Development in Inkheart

How often do authors make their character development obvious? Many people believe that the characters in Inkspell have little character development, or that they stay the same. Reviews say that the characters are dull and shallow. But, they don’t realize that the character development is there, it is evident as subtext. Actually, Mortimer Folchart is a great example of the character development in the story. In fact, Mortimer changes a lot when he begins to take risks and accepts things for how they are.

First of all, once Mo is brought to the Inkworld he is mistaken for the fictitious robber known as the Bluejay. Throughout most of the story he extremely against being the Bluejay (235), In the end, he becomes more accustomed to it, taking on the personality of the robber (611). For example, in the beginning of the story Mo is very caring and a soft kind of character (26-29, 115), nearing the end of the story he starts to purposely intimidate other characters, thinks and speaks more cleverly (578,613) and even takes and wields Firefox’s sword (584). Mo’s ability to scare others is on par with the main antagonist, the Adderhead. Even more, he accepts a task that could have gotten him killed (the binding of the Adderhead’s book of immortality), had he not been as clever.  Obviously, this is evidence of Mo becoming braver with his new found confidence.

Secondly, he begins to accept his family’s decisions. More specifically, he’s allowing himself to accept that Meggie is growing up, falling in love, and finding new passions. For instance, Meggie is obsessed with the Inkworld, Mortimer is highly disapproving of this in the beginning of the book (26-28, 74). Later on, he accepts that his daughter is in full control of herself and her actions. Whatever she does or what she chooses he will help her and support her whenever she needs him to (616). So, once Mortimer accepts that he can’t always be there to protect his daughter or that he can’t always be in control of her, he realizes that that is how things will be.

Therefore, there is character development, especially in Mortimer when he becomes more courageous and understanding. Even though Mortimer was used as the example, the other characters go through subtle changes in mindset and behaviour. It is important to remember that character development doesn’t happen quickly or will always be obvious. Funke’s writing is so plot and aesthetic based, so it’s not hard to miss the development. You have to examine the actions and thoughts that aren’t explicitly stated.

How To Make Dustfinger

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. of fire eating ability
• ½ cup of good teaching skill
• 1 heaping tbsp. of dignity
• 3tsp ginger hair
• ¾ cup fearlessness
• 4 tbsp. care and devotion
• ½ cup intelligence
• Talent (to taste)

Directions
1. Preheat oven as high as it can go.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine fire eating ability with good teaching skill and bring to a simmer. Add in dignity and ginger hair. Take off heat and cool for 5minutes.
3. In a medium sized bowl combine determination, fearlessness, care and devotion, and intelligence until well combined. In three parts, pour the fire eating mixture into the determination mixture and beat together until fully incorporated.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake until the perfect fire eater is ready. Season generously with talent.

Epilogue

As aforementioned family and caring is a strong topic in Inkspell, I wanted that topic to be the main idea in this project because I find that many people want to be lone wolves or to “work alone”. Unless you‘re Batman this doesn’t really work, because even Batman needs Robin or the Justice League to help him out sometimes. My point is that 99.9% of the time you can’t do everything by yourself, you can’t make it alone and that you’ll always need someone to be by your side. I understand that some people enjoy being alone or independent because I do too, but through hard times, you should always have someone there for you to help you through it. For example, Resa wouldn’t have been able to cope with Mortimer‘s wound without her daughter knowing, Cloud-Dancer offering reassurance and Nettle’s help to heal the wound. Essentially what I mean is, in times of hardship, believe that family, or whoever you care about, will always be there for you. I hope that my paper helps you understand this. 

Genres Explained

Monologue
I don’t think it’s a secret that Dustfinger is my favourite character, so giving him a voice in the project is a no-brainer. I wanted to focus on Dustfinger getting back to the Inkworld because that’s basically his climax in the story, he got what he was looking for and it’s a major turning point for Dustfinger’s attitude. We get to see the caring fatherly side of him we haven’t seen from him yet.

Instagram Post
I chose to do an Instagram post because, in the novel, the world that Meggie and Mortimer come from is the real world, this world, our world, it’s the modern world, 2006 mind you, but it’s modern enough. Every character in the genre has been to the ‘real world’ so I thought it’d be funny if each character had gotten their hands on an Instagram account. It’s used ironically though since they go back to the Inkworld where there’s no technology so it’s unrealistic in that way. Purely for comedic purposes.

Play Script
I really love musicals and plays, and since the first book, Inkheart, has a movie, I thought a play script would be appropriate. I also used it because there’s a lot of emotion in these scenes, and what better way to express those emotions through actors and dialogue?

News Article
When the Adderhead receives the book that makes him immortal, everyone,  especially those rebelling, would want to know. This isn’t something that just happens every day right? So having a news article about it just makes sense considering the events happening at the time.

Persuasive Essay
The persuasive essay is well, to persuade. After looking at a few reviews of Inkspell I noticed many people believed that the characters didn’t have any character development. Hah, I didn’t believe it, I had to prove that there was character development in the story. I used Mortimer to show this because he has the most shocking character development in the story.

Character Recipe
This was used mostly for comedic effect, also to give a better insight to what I believe is what makes Dustfinger such a great character. His traits, his talents, and appearance are included because that’s what really makes this character stand out.

Works Cited

Funke, Cornelia, and Anthea Bell. Inkspell. Vol. 2. New York: Chicken House/Scholastic, 2005. Print. Inkheart.

KreativeHexenkueche. Rose. Digital image. Pixabay. N.p., 03 Nov. 2015. Web. 10 June 2017. <https://pixabay.com/en/rose-translucent-transparent-pink-1017649/>.

Veeterzy. Forest Tree. Digital image. Unsplash. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2017. <https://unsplash.com/photos/sMQiL_2v4vs>.

Parthshah000. Fire Breather. Digital image. Pixabay. N.p., 09 Dec. 2014. Web. 30 May 2017. <https://pixabay.com/en/breathing-fire-fire-eater-fire-art-557699/>.

Annabetlejewska. Traveller’s Notebook. Digital image. Pixabay. N.p., May 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.