In modern film and literature, borrowed from early American folklore with British influences, Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG) is as rare as a Carbuncle or Baldander. One requires multiple modifiers to be correctly classified as MPDG. That is, simply being a Pixie or a Manic Girl, while nice, is irrelevant if not in context of the other characteristics.
MPDG looks like whatever you’re into at the time of introduction. She likes Indie Rock. She wears yellow sundresses. She eats a lot but is eternally fit. She smells like strawberries.
When the angel Gabriel was sent to earth to find a perfect specimen for his master, Avicius, he stumbled upon MPDG by a river and begged her to come with him. “I can’t,” she replied. “I need to be fixed first.”
When the angel Gabriel was sent to earth to find a perfect specimen for his master, Avicius, he stumbled upon MPDG by a river and begged her to come with him. “I can’t,” she replied. “I need to be fixed first.”
Perhaps her most alluring feature, MPDG isn’t perfect. She longs to be cured of something, whether it is feelings of inadequacy or her inability to actually love. MPDG is always looking for more.
A warning to those attempting to “fix” your MPDG. Don’t get too close. MPDG is always more beautiful at a distance.
Hey, what a great idea for this type of poem. This film stereotype is getting a lot of attention these days, largely thanks to the #MeToo movement, and this poem capitalizes well on the attention the phrase has received.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I like here is how early on especially you capture the feeling of a faux encyclopedia entry with its official tone and pragmatic pronuncements. I thought you could do this even more by perhaps using an acronym for the Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG) and then referring to her by the acronym, as I will in the rest of this post.
The MPDG is described in the latter half of the poem as having one essential quality: the need to be "fixed," by which I assume the poem means have some essential personal problem resolved, to find inner happiness, etc.
Yet I always though that the essential quality of MPDGs is that they are projections of male desire and spiritual shortcomings--exaggerated portrayals of artsy "dream girls" that are all-too-easily readily adapted to their male counterparts.
As the critic Nathan Rabin put it, MPDGs seem to exist "to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures." In other words, they are male fantasy projects of their own inner needs and fantasies.
I looked around at definitions online, and they seem to confirm this.
So I am a little perplexed by the ending, which portrays something a bit different than what I think of when I consider MPDGs. I thought they are about projects of things men need to fix in themselves.
I didnt want to go based off of the regular definition. That is no fun. So I made up my own
DeleteI liked this poem. I'll admit, I had to google what an MPDG is :)
ReplyDeleteThis poem is clever and clearly written. You have all the elements of a monster origin poem except for the personal anecdote - I realize that this is more of an encyclopedic entry but I still think that inserting a personal anecdote will help bring the story more to life.
I like your definition of what an MPDG is - it's quite nuanced and full of psychological insights. The Gabriel story about the most perfect specimen still needs to be fixed is quite clever.
"In modern film and literature, borrowed from early American folklore with British influences, Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG) is as rare as a Carbuncle or Baldander."
This sentence confused me because there is a second clause before the subject of the sentence has even been introduced. I had to read the sentence a few times before I got it. Perhaps reword it like this: "Borrowed from early American folklore with British influences, the concept of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG) in modern film and literature is as rare as a Carbuncle or Baldander," or something like this...
Form-wise - perhaps consider removing the extra line in between paragraphs, and instead, just indent the first line of each section. I feel like the extra space distanced this poem from the look of an encyclopedic poem.
Great job.
This is an intriguing take on a character stereotype.
ReplyDeleteI found the whole piece strong, with a confident and authoritative sounding voice. The first sentence, though, seemed clumsy to me; I'm not entirely certain why.
The line about the multiple modifiers was really clever. It might be interesting to go more into detail about each one.
My favorite segment was the description of the MPDG's chameleon nature--especially the specific examples--all safe and generically quirky characteristics.
"One requires multiple modifiers to be correctly classified as MPDG. That is, simply being a Pixie or a Manic Girl, while nice, is irrelevant if not in context of the other characteristics." YES, girl, the sass here is actually palpable. The deep and biting sarcasm is imbedded in every line here, and is genuinely delicious.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of the above comments that the first sentence needs a slight syntax rearrangement- nothing big, perhaps like what Gabriella suggested. I actually like that you refer to a "Carbuncle"- it makes the entry more encyclopedic to refer to other mythical creatures as well.
I actually think the whole "fixing" thing works really well, and I don't think it deviates too much from traditional MPDG; I'd make a solid claim that a lot of male fantasy involves playing the hero to a dreamy damsel, which would force MPDG to come with an inherent character flaw that her male rescuer helps her overcome, or at least makes her seem temptingly aloof. So I think its actually fits pretty perfectly.
Love the description of the "yellow sundresses"; can we have even more of that? Like, she eats endless pizza but never gets sauce stains or love handles? Her laugh is always like silver bells, and when she cries its always that big misty-eyed thing instead of a blotchy red face? You did such an awesome job that I want even more description. Great work!
I like the spin of your "monster poem" in regards to adding a layer of depth. You do a good job in creating a vivid image for the reader and do a nice job backing it up.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see a personal anecdote, perhaps how the MPDG was connected or related to you and maybe it would make the image come more to life.
As Yael mentioned, precise description always makes it more interesting for the reader to try and imagine what this Pixie girl actually looked like, what she ate, maybe quote a specific song from the Indie Rock Genre?
Cool poem!