The Sailor-Boy's Tale | Themes of The Marvelous and Initiation
In the following essay, the author examines the themes of ‘‘the marvelous’’ and initiation in ‘‘The Sailor-Boy’s Tale’’ and other well-known stories.
Isak Dinesen always called her stories ‘‘tales.’’ The use of this word served notice that she intended to tell a story of a particular kind. What is a tale? Perhaps it is best defined as a narrative which counts upon a certain simplicity of acceptance from the reader or hearer, an acquiescence in the possibility of strange and unlikely events, especially marvelous ones.
In cultures which have not developed a high degree of rational thought, the marvelous is taken for granted as virtually the essence of the literary experience. This is true also of children, who have always been...
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