What makes a trickster... The Trickster?
Two things.
(Start taking notes)
1. Shapeshifting
Change is a trickster's natural element, even more so when someone happens to be the kid of Earth and Sky like our very own Monkey King. Living halfway between Above and Below, Good and Bad, Black and White, and other famous opposites, shifting is the very core of a trickster's being. Just think. Think of all the delicious possibilities...
2. Attention craving
Having a special talent is one thing. Constantly showing it off is another. One who has an ability and uses is in secret might be a gifted person, or a masked vigilante at best - one who doesn't pass up a single chance to flash his extraordinary powers to the world and draw some attention is the one who gets labeled as a Trickster. (Or A.D.D., depending on who does the labeling)
Funny how Sun Wukong picked up both of these in a Buddhist monastery.
Well, being a showoff might have been a naural talent of his, but shapeshifting he had to learn, and he was as good a pupil as they come. And because he could not keep his knowledge secret and practice in silence, because he just had to go on and play "watch this" with the other pupils, he got kicked out. But not before he learned some very useful stuff.
This is trickster nature for you. Travel, learn what you can, use it as you like, in very creative manners, make sure no one will forget you anytime soon, then wav goodbye and walk away, towards the next glorious adventure.
So. Don't forget. Shapeshifting and attention.
Do you happen to know people like that?...
I am sure you do.
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Another good question! Reminds me of two technical details in the telling, the Monkeys shifting names, and the immediate attention he gets from the Jade Emperor. After he is developed from the stone egg, he crawls around a bit and then he does something surprisingly symmetric, he bows to the four directions and light from his eyes reaches even the attention of the heavens. The Jade Emperor says it's nothing to worry about - he will eventually be proved to be seriously mistaken. But we have this attention/narcissism/positioning theme from the very beginning. For a while he is called "The Stone Monkey", at least by the author, until he is named "Handsome Monkey King". And at the end of the first chapter there is an elaborate argument of why he should be given the name of Sun Wukong. And the story of his names and titles continues, fuelled by his urge to show off. Instead of just being satisfied with leading a wise, quiet life ...
ReplyDeleteI agree this certainly fits Monkey, but disagree that it fits all tricksters.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! How so? :)
ReplyDelete