Introduction
Whether or not
we are aware, the number three exists
all around us. It's present in math, science, philosophy,
religion, geography, literature, and many other disciplines. Here
are some fun facts involving three:
- Atoms consist of three
constituents: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- The Earth has three
divisions: core, mantle, and crust.
- White light is
composed of the mixture of the three
additive
primary hues: red, green, and blue.
- There are three
substances metabolized for for energy: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
- Freud proposed that the psyche was divided
into three parts: ego,
super-ego, and id.
- In Christian Doctrine, God is a Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
- College students can obtain three
types of university degrees: bachelor's, master's, and ph.d.
The
number three is a prominent tool in writing and can
also be seen in the way people use words. It's especially
powerful in slogans and mottoes. There are endless examples, but
here are a few familiar ones:
- Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll
- On your marks, get set, GO!
- Vini, Vidi, Vici
- Of the people, by the people, for the people
- Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
The basis of this storybook is "the rule of three"
in fairy tales. I chose this topic because at the center of
several fairy tales, like many other things, is a trio of
characters, events, or ideas. Through research, I learned that in
storytelling things that come
in threes are funnier, more satisfying, and have a stronger impact on
readers. Here are some common examples of how the number three is
used as a writing device:
1) Three in the
form of repetition: the exact same thing is repeated
three times.
e.g. " And she'll have Fun,
Fun, Fun til
her daddy takes the t-bird away."-The Beach Boys
2) Three
components to a sequence, in which
something has three components leading to a climax.
e.g. Jack climbs the beanstalk once, steals a bag of gold
from the giant, and safely escapes. The second time, Jack steals
a goose that lays golden eggs whenever he wants and, again, he safely
escapes.
But, on the third
attempt,
the stolen harp sings out to the giant for help, leading to a climactic
chase.
3) Three can be
a special number: The first
two objects or characters are equal, but the third is different.
e.g. In the "The Three Little Pigs," two of
the pigs are unable to outwit the wolf, but the third one does.
Out of all the fairy tales that use the number three, I have chosen
some special stories to included in the storybook, but I'll put a
different twist on the traditional versions! You will read these
stories through Perez Hilton, celebrity blogger extraordinaire. These classic stories
are rewritten into modern, celebrity gossip blog
posts: "The Three Pigs,"
"Little One-Eye, Little Two-Eyes, and Little Three-Eyes," "The Story of
the Three Bears," and "The Three Dwarfs." The gossip is juicy,
juicy, juicy! And, as always, not from concentrate. That's enough
from me, so I will now turn it over to Perez himself!
A word from the blogger:
Hello, everyone! I thought you may want to
know a little bit about me before reading my posts. The biggest
questions I get are "Why are you a blogger and why are you OBSESSED
with the number three?" It's really pretty simple. When I
left Miami for LaLa Land, I was an aspiring actor (like everyone else
here, right?). I was working 'round the clock to get that one big
break. Needless to say, I never got the big break. I was
desperate for income and the whole celebrity blogging thing seemed
fun. Some of you may remember when I first opened shop my blog
was called "Page Six Six Six." Obviously my title was a funnier,
more interesting spoof of the New York Post's infamous Page Six.
Three sixes are much better
than just one, it has such a better ring to it!? Before long, the
stodgy attorneys from the Post threatened to sue me for everything but
the clothes on my back, so I was forced to shed my triadic title.
Honestly, I'm still VERY bitter about that and I just can't get the
number "three" out of my head!!! So, out of spite for those fun
haters at the Post, I've made it my sole mission to focus on the number
three in the lives of our favorite celebs. I make three trips to
my "office" (the Coffee Bean located at the intersection of Sunset
Blvd. and 3rd St.) beginning at 3 a.m. when Hollywood's wild ones are
leaving the clubs. I go back around noon and then at 3 p.m.
That way, my celeb-obsessed blog buddies are informed morning, noon,
and night. Enjoy!
Link to
Andrew Lang Storybooks
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