Responses
to Rex Stephenson's "Mutsmag" Responses
to Rex Stephenson's "Mutsmag"
Journal Entry
by Laurie Borslien
Ferrum College
October 2002
Note: Laurie Borslien (class of 2003) was a student in English
301, Literature for Children and Adolescents , in Fall 2002. This is a literature
course at Ferrum College,
taught by Tina Hanlon. Laurie
wrote this page as an informal writing assignment in her reading journal, after
reading Rex Stephenson's version of "Mutsmag"
and other tales. Other teaching guides on this tale are listed at this link,
which also takes you to AppLit's online version of Stephenson's story with illustrations
by Virginia school children.
One thing I loved about the online version of "Mutsmag" is the way it sounds. The words used and the way they’re used sound like casual speech. The casual, personal relationship with the story starts with the very fist line, “Now this is an old story that has been told and retold in the Appalachian Mountains since about forever.” I can see how kids would be intrigued by the story from the start because of that first line. Starting the line with “Now” and ending it with “since about forever” are things kids would find funny because they are uncommon in many works of literature. It is probably a nice relief from the typical “Once upon a time” introduction.
Throughout the story, words and phrases are used that are associated with Appalachian culture. Some examples are: “Back over in England” and “didn’t like Mutsmag a lick” and “we best kill you.” My favorites were, “‘What about me? I got no place to live and no money. I got nothin’ but this old knife’” and “they’s good to their word.” Ever since I was a kid, I loved to hear nonstandard grammar used in stories on purpose.
The illustrations really added to the story because it showed me what the children saw in their minds when they heard the words. It’s interesting to see the audience’s interpretation instead of the author’s or the illustrator’s. I especially loved the picture of the three robbers. I liked the way they were portrayed with one dark eye, which I suspect is because the actors were wearing eye patches. I also loved the depiction of the giant as being a person on someone else’s shoulders. It’s interesting that the children depicted the robbers and the giant just as they had seen them.
I liked the part in the story where Mutsmag had sympathy on her sisters even though they had been very cruel to her. Instead of telling the robbers to do what they wished with her sisters, Mutsmag asked them not to harm them. Even though she was hurt by the way they had treated her, Mutsmag didn’t want anything bad to happen to them because she’d be stooping to their level.
The only part of this story I’ve ever heard before was where Mutsmag and her sisters came upon the house with the three ugly sisters and the cannibal parents. But in the version I heard, I don’t remember what happened after the sisters escaped from the giant. I found it amusing that the girls in Mutsmag went on to see the King of Virginia. I can see how children would be greatly amused at that because Virginia doesn’t have a king.
I liked how the story also had a nontraditional ending. Instead of Mutsmag wanting to marry the prince, she wanted to take the money and make a living for herself. It showed that women could not only be smart, but also interested in things other than boys. I liked that the prince pined for Mutsmag instead, but he didn’t get her.
I really liked this story and I plan to show the online version of it to my baby sisters. I’m sure they would like it too.
Page created 5/8/03 Last Update: 5/8/03
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