WICKED (part I)

A couple of years ago, I went to go see the musical WICKED in Chicago with my father. It was an incredibly exciting experience, as I had been obsessed with the show and its music (but not the book) for months beforehand. It was thrilling ang magical and even better than I'd imagined. And, like many people, I got from it this message: Things aren't always what they seem. There are two sides to every story.

This past Friday, I went to see WICKED again, this time with my whole family. It's a close call, but this performance may have been even better than the first one I saw. G(a)linda was even funnier than she had been, Elphaba's singing was perfect, and I was seated closer so I could see everything better.

But what was so interesting is that I learned something I hadn't understood before: Not only are there two sides to every story, there are two points to every story.

As I understand it, most people take the lesson, "Don't jump to conclusions" from WICKED. But there is another lesson that is stated even more clearly, multiple times, within the musical. Here are a few examples:
"Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" (Glinda)
"The truth is not fact or reason. The truth is simply what everyone agrees on!" (The Wizard)
"They call me wonderful. So I am wonderful!" (The Wizard)
"Alright, enough, so be it! So be it then. Let all Oz be agreed, I'm wicked through and through!" (Elphaba)

The point? A person is what other people make them out to be. This is evident throughout the musical. The Animals, who have the ability to talk, lose the ability to talk simply because they are pressured and told from all sides that aren't to talk anymore. As the pressure increases, and speaking out is made illegal, the Animals slowly start to turn from Animals with the ability to speak into animals without. Elphaba, who always wanted to do good and to help those in need, has the label of "wicked" pasted to her, and so all of Oz thinks her wicked. Once all of her attempts to do good are thwarted by the assumption of her wickedness, she gives into her identity. The Wizard is probably the character who makes this point the most clear. He sings an entire song about how reality is really just what people think it is. For instance: "Elphaba, where I'm from, we believe all sorts of things that aren't true. We call it "history." A man's called a traitor... or a liberator. A rich man's a theif, or philanthropist. Is one a crusader? Or ruthless invader? It's all in which label is able to persist." It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But it's kind of true.

And I think people do tend to become what they are told they are. In the song "Sensitive" by Jewel, she says, "I have this theory that if we're told we're bad, then that's the only idea we'll ever have."

But we all have the ability to make our own choices, don't we? And we all have to be responsible for our own actions. But let's be honest - when people have the freedom to do what they want, they tend to imitate each other. People are influenced to no end by other people. While, yes, we have the physical ability to make our own choices, I think that we often lack the emotional ability to do so. If everyone is telling you that you are one thing - wicked, crazy, shallow, wonderful, fun - then you'll most like start to believe it. After all, there is nothing to prove them wrong. And if everyone agrees, then they must be right - right?

On the other hand, there were a few characters who were able to break out of their box. Glinda eventually, after losing her best friend and the love of her life, was able to overcome her pretty, perky, pitiful label to confront the Wizard and his cohorts and get them out of power. Fiyero realized that he wasn't as "genuinely selfish" or "deeply shallow" as he thought he was, and began to act on his care for other people and things.

So is a person made who they are by their natural character, or by the influence of other people on their character?

<3 o.

p.s. : There is something else that WICKED made me think of that I will write about later. It is a little more personal.

I Awoke With Devout Thanksgiving For My Friends.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, today was my eighteenth birthday! Yay me!

But this entry is not about me.

Today was, of course, loads of fun. Elsa was a large part of that. :) I thought she had already given me my birthday present, a Tinkerbell keychain, but she surprised me today with Tinkerbell stamps, stickers, paper, and a necklace! We also went to go see a movie (Kung Fu Panda), which I thought I was going to pay for, but then she and her mom did. :)

Elsa is a very special friend to me. She is in a wheelchair, but that's not really why she is special. Unlike me, Elsa has been able to overcome the all-too-common mental disability of "I Want To Be Like That." In other words, she has already accepted that she can't be like everyone else, and realizes that wanting it is only a waste of time, and that she should be working on building her life as she is. That is something I am not sure I will ever be able to do.

Sometimes Elsa can be a little selfish, or might not think about how her actions will affect others, but she has been better about that as of late, and even if she can be selfish at times, I think that most of the time, she is focused on her friends. Elsa really knows the value of a good friend, because they are so hard for her to come by. Most people can't see beyond four wheels and a battery to see the heart, the mind, and the smile sitting on top of them. I wish they could, though, because they are missing out.

In addition, she is constantly impressing me with different things that she can do. I am constantly amazed at her abilities, considering that her hands aren't fully flexible. She can write and draw and play video games and open her door and play with her cats and take photographs and all kinds of things all by herself, and I so admire her ability to do things even with her setbacks.

Han also made my birthday really special. :) We are going to Holiday World tomorrow (that's a small theme park / water park a few hours away) and he has been so sweet all day. He doesn't have a steady job right now, and he has been working so hard to be able to take me to Holiday World. In addition, he bought me some "Melt Away Stress" bodywash... how cute! :P

Like Elsa, Han has impressively overcome crummy circumstances to become something admirable. His family is somewhat, eh, shall we say... well, it's just not really a good situation. I have talked about his mom before, but in addition, his father used to be abusive. His sister (kind of) grew up after running away, stealing a van and a gun, getting pregnant twice in high school, and stealing various amounts of money and medication from her mother. That considered, I would say it's miraculous that Han somehow turned out so good. He doesn't smoke, drink, or even curse, and we even go to youth group together.

Han is an amazing guy. He's so sensitive and caring, and patient with my ridiculous fears and obsessions. I also know that I don't have to worry about any kind of safety issue when he is around. I could go on about him for hours.

And, of course, my own family was a great contributor to my wonderful birthday. :) I had made up a list of things I would like for my birthday--a choice of a group of small items or one large item (a keyboard). Surprisingly, I got both! I got everything on my list, including the keyboard, and even a princess-themed party. :) (I'm such a mature 18-year-old, yes?) Mom and Dad really out-did themselves, I feel so special. I am always concerned about them spending money on me, and so I tried not to sound like I wanted anything too much, but they went out of their way for me anyway. :) Maybe it sounds shallow, but I don't think it is. They didn't buy the things because I wanted them, they bought them because they knew they were things I would use and enjoy.

My little sisters, too. One got me a really nice musical snow-globe with Tinkerbell inside it that was on sale at a Disney store, and one of them made me a Sailor Moon tiara and locket. I think that this birthday was really special involving them because I have been trying to be a better big sister lately. I know they look up to me, and I want to be a good example. Hopefully I am doing that.

I thank God for the loving family I was given, and the amazingly strong friends I have acquired. :)

<3 o.