As the author of this
storybook, I would just like to go on
record saying that all of the stories I tell you were based off
of urban
legends that involve poisoning. these legends circulated around our
country at
some
point in time, whether it was on the computer, the newspaper, the
television, or just by word of mouth. The source I used for all
of my
urban legends is Snopes.com. If there is ever a spare moment in which
you find yourself looking aimlessly at Facebook, I suggest you mosey on
over to this website and give it a look-see. Some of the stories are
quite comical and outrageous all at the same time.
In order for you to understand
why poisoning is such a popular topic in
the world
of urban legends, I need to give you some background information about
urban legends in general. Urban
legends are really just a form of modern folklore. People often
think
urban legends are true because the urban legends get repeated over and
over. These stories originate in some specific place (a city, a
state, etc.), and those specific geographical details make them seem
more believable (like a particular restaurant or retail store). Sources
are also used to give the legends credibility, such as a friend of a
friend (FOAF in Snopes.com lingo) told me, or the story is reinforced
by the government or a university. As you can see it is easy for
the urban
legends to snowball from there. Just because they are called
urban
legends does not mean they have to originate in an urban
environment...it simply means that they are modern legends. These
tales are not always false, but always contain some elaboration and
sensationalized aspects.
Why, you ask, are poisonings
such a hot
topic in urban legends? Urban legends thrive off of the public's
fear
over anything that can harm us. What could be more fearful than a
silent,
unknown killer that is found in something so typical and so frequently
used? For example, arsenic, it can be hidden in anything you
drink...and you will never have a clue. Exactly, not much: poisoning is
the perfect scary ingredient for an urban legend! We
hear or read these urban legends, which only make us more paranoid
about the mundane activities of our daily lives. Then we find they are
not true, but we keep coming back for more. To put it simply, we live
in a culture fascinated by mystery and tragic events. It is no surprise
that urban legend poisonings are so popular.
I
decided to use a narrator who wrote in her diary to tell my re-invented
urban legends. My narrator is a police officer which means she can
include in her diary
details of the crimes that the
public does
not know about, thus allowing me to add all sorts of fun details to my
stories. I hope you enjoy browsing through my storybook as much
as I
enjoyed creating it.
..........
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