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I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

A is for the Addams Family

It has begun, the Third A to Z Challenge! Are we ready?

Thank's to Arlee Bird, who is the inspiration behind the A to Z Challenge.
File:Addams Family sketch Charles Addams.jpg

For this, my third year doing the challenge, I am going literary. For every letter of the alphabet I will talk about a book, an author or a character from fiction or myth that made an impression, was inspirational, or caused me to think.






Charlotte Dean Stark, my first best friend whom I've written about before and no doubt will again, had a large, personal library. It was larger than my own family's because she had more space, more book shelves.

Among her books was a collection of cartoons by Charles Addams.

Almost every time I visited (which was often) I went right to that book and looked through every-single-page. One time Charlotte teasingly told me she was going to hide it so that I'd explore other books.

What was it about the Addams Family that captured the attention of seven/eight year old girl? I think they appealed to my already budding sense of irreverence. I think they reminded me of my own family, because they were, beneath the macabre veneer, a loving, healthy, functioning family unit. And I think, in retrospect (which as we know is always 20-20) the Addams Family taught me a great deal about acceptance.

Although I enjoyed the original TV show and the movies (Angelica Houston and Raul Julia were SO prefect as Morticia and Gomez) the cartoons will always come first in my heart.

I would love to share some cartoons, but the family of Charles Addams would prefer that none of his work appear on the internet.

Do you have a favorite Addams Family character? I'm partial to Wednesday, of course.

A is for the Addams Family Other A influences include Hans Christian Andersen, Aragorn and Anansi the spider.

27 comments:

  1. hehe, they remind me of my family too. But my reasons don't go so deep. My family pretty much looked like them! lol :)

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  2. Bish, Great post and idea. Looking forward to reading about your 3rd year's dedication. (It flyeth)

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  3. I loved the Adams family - fraid it is the wicked and funny Morticia that always got my attention. I hope you also read Edward Gorey and if not - get to it!!!Jan Morrison

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  4. Awesome Bish! Egad! The Addams Family is just about the coolest family around. I'm partial to Uncle Fester and Itt. How'z about Lurch?

    Are you gonna do the Munsters on M day.

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  5. If you are starting with the Addams Family I'm sure we are in foor a literary treat as you go through the alphabet for us.

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  6. Thing and It were always fun characters in the show.

    Susanne
    PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER

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  7. I liked Uncle Fester, but they were all so weird--so cool.

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  8. Definitely Morticia and Gomez! I can still hear that theme music. Great that you've posted about this series, Bish. It brought back some very funny memories.

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  9. I do remember the Addams family from my childhood. Didn't realize they had a cartoon too. Wonder why the family doesn't want the work on the internet.

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  10. The Addams family is fun and kooky! I like them all but especially Gomez.

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  11. I never knew they were cartoons first! Wow. I think my favorite is Gomez. I loved his passion for his wife.

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  12. Hi! I'm hopping over from the A to Z challenge. I like your theme and will be back often to see what you do with the rest of the alphabet! Good luck with the challenge...

    Donna Martin
    www.donasdays.blogspot.com

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  13. I loved the show as a kid.

    I guess I'll go with Cousin It. With my long red hair, everyone says I look like Cousin It from behind. I even have a photo of me somewhere with my sunglasses on backwards, and I do look like It!

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  14. Charles Addams was a genius. We have a big book of his work, which I liked and so does my son.

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  15. My daughter dressed up as Wednesday Addams for three years in a row at Halloween. She was really upset when she got too old :-)

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  16. I admit, I've seen all of incarnations!

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  17. I have a book of the cartoons, as well. They weren't actually named in the cartoons, were they? My favorite was sharpening the spikes on the wrought-iron fence.

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  18. Oh my gosh, I so remember watching the show when I was little...the little girl always intrigued me; ;not certain why!
    Great beginning for A!

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  19. I always loved the odd, quirky characters. Going to enjoy seeing your future A-Z posts.

    I'm doing flash fiction, words picked at random, photos found to inspire, then max of 10 sentences and min of 100 words. I love that there are so many different approaches to the A to Z.

    BTW, I'm picking out one commenter at random and adding them to my list to follow. Too many to do otherwise...

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  20. I had no idea there were cartoons. I vaguely remember watching the show. Great characters.

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  21. Love the addams family! I hope they revive this franchise again. :)
    great start to the A-Z!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  22. It's been so long since I've seen the Addams Family. It was such a cool show.

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  23. When I was a kid, my party trick was putting my grown-out fringe over my face and my glasses on over the hair, so I retain a certain fondness for Cousin It :)

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  24. I loved the original series, but Raul Julia is my pick for Gomez. Hands down. Yum.

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  25. Really enjoyed your post! I really didn't like the show, but I liked the movie.

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  26. My favorite part of the Addams family was the theme song. I used to go around humming it.

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Your Random Thoughts are most welcome!