Star Dust by Neal Gaiman, Essay Example

The story of Dustan Thorn that lives a fairy tale town of Wall. The Star Dust book by the author has a full mystical story with love, intrigue, magical starts, and exciting story telling. The story   provides a setting of mystical wonder as the people of the land can see through the crack in the grey rock. The book is a little different from the book taking some liberties making the book more about mystic than sex (CommonSenseMedia, 2015). The author combines the storytelling of an Oliver Twist while the intrigue of a baby born called Tristran. Tristran becomes the primary character going through trials and tribulation that make a wonderful setting of great story about transformation told by the author Gaiman (NeilGaiman.com, 2015). The transformation and changes in the story brings about a wonderful innocent of each character as they change in nature and in character. The story is full of magic that explains the wonders of life that have the same magical ways about how we live life. The parables in the Star Dust are just a reflection of real life explained in a fable by Neal Gaiman. The author has the characters showing their true self but show how circumstances can change who they are and what them represent.

Neal Gaiman does an excellent job of using the personal needs and wants of Victoria a major point. In addition, using the travels and exploits of Tristran as the journey of life learning how to be a man and grow up at the same time. The story has amazing transformation to animals that bring an added dimension to the stories such as changing to the bird and the meaning. In a way, the author parallels how people perceive animals and how their character can determine which animal they become or emulate. The magical story brings the magical world into the real world using the love, hate, change, and betrayal. The story is full of mythology and magic which the story fun and interesting to read.

The author does an excellent job of sharing the scenery making the story come alive in the mind of the reader. The sleep English countryside and the lost hear of Tristran all describe the story that makes the reader fall in love with the story. The story of love even in the magical kingdom is parallel to real life as the Tristran falls for Victoria. The author makes the inference that love is not always equal because one person may love the other more than one person may love the other. The story tells about what a person will do for love. This is a parable to real life how people that are in love will do anything in the name of love.

Victoria promises to marry Tristran only if he goes on a mission to get her the star. Tristran is willing to risk his life to travel through the gap in the wall. The story parable in the message that was done nicely by the author is talk about love through the story of Victoria and Tristran love. The story shows that love is not always fair or equal because Victoria wants materials things for love with Tristran and Tristran does not care about the star but to win the heart of Victoria.

The journey of Tristran is like the one in the story of The Wizard of Oz journey. Tristran has the same magical journey facing magic, lions, and unicorns. Tristran is learning about himself because he has fought many different circumstances that have made him stronger. The parable about how experiences in life make you stronger, wiser, and more appreciative of life. The animal represents life as well such as the lions, which is about courage, which Tristran needs to get the star for his wife Victoria. The lion also represents guardian or leader, which Tristran is the leader of the magical journey.

Themes

The themes in the story are freedom such as Lady Una wanting to be free. This is important because the Madame wants to keep Lady Una in isolation and confinement. The freedom aspect of the story presented by the author once again reflects real life. The freedom of Lady Una is not just the freedom from the shackles but also the freedom of the mind so Lady Una can be a free thinker without interference of the Madame. Madame wants servitude from Lady Una but it comes in the form of obedience. The theme of confinement by Madame reflects how people want to confine the things they love keeping them close. The confinement can refer to the unbreakable magic silver chains that can be seen as a confinement. The author presents the magical points of confinement not just in the physical nature but confinement of people in relationships. Victoria wants the star for herself causing Tristran to be confined with his love because she will not give the love until Tristran finds the start. Victoria holds Tristian in confinement by denying him access to her love until the star has been brought to Victoria. Victoria is the same as Madame that holds Lady Una as a prisoner. The Faerie is full of different obstacles, meanings, and challenges.

Transformation

In the land of Faerie, nothing appears to what they present as to others. This applies to the animals and the people. It is about transformation because at one time or another everyone in the story changes or transform into another person in the story Stardust. The animals are always changing into different magical shapes and forms. There is another parable that the author is making a statement in the story that people are never what they seem to be face value. The characters are changing forms and people of the Stardust transform into the shape that gives them the best advantage.

The best example is Tristran becomes a dormouse, which is a showing how Tristran is learning to be a man. The dormouse makes Tristran see the world differently as a dormouse. The dormouse has to be careful because people will hurt that they do not understand or believe the dormouse to be a threat. Tristran learns how to be smart as a dormouse learning to understand the nature of people. The Tristran transformation into a dormouse explains that as a rodent people will always be afraid or will try to hurt Tristran. The dormouse teaches Tristran how to survive in hostile environments. The magical story is teaching people about embracing change and transformation because well all transform during our lives. The transformation is the changes we experience from young age to mid age and as we get older learning from these experiences. Tristran transformation to a dormouse teaches Tristran how to be humble and trust people from what is in their hearts not what they see on the outside. Tristran learns that the dormouse is mobile and small enough to travel anywhere allowing him to really see people as they are. Tristran transformation to dormouse instead a lion or tiger makes him humble and smart enough to become a good man.

Tristran mom changing into a bird back and forth so many times in the Stardust fables. The bird is representative of the mother taking flight and transforming when trouble is near or she wants to run away from issues. The author uses the animal transformation to explain how people can change depending on what they are confronted with such as moods changing. The transformation to a bird has multiple meaning such as the bird can mean flight away from a person or it can mean the freedom to fly away. The story has multiple meanings that every person that reads the story will apply their own life to the transformation. Brevis was transformed into a goat, which could mean Brevis just lives life with no meaning just caring about his basic needs. The transformation was explained in the story as people transform into the shape that makes them more comfortable in life.

Tristran is changed into a dormouse, which made him small, but he could maneuver better and the mom transformed into a bird many times to avoid issues. The witch was not happy with her looks so she transformed into a younger version of herself. Magic has a way of allowing the person to transform into different shapes, sizes, and animals. The book is really about how to embrace these changes in life because they will happen. Tristran was changed into a dormouse by Madame Semele because it was Tristran belief that he was not strong but small. Madame took what Tristran believe about himself and turns him into what he felt inside. Madame makes this comment accurate because she said that people are transformed into the type of animal they think is the perception of themselves.

The transformed is parallel to life such as the witch really wants to younger and afraid of growing old. The same in real life that people do not want to get old so the dye their hair black from gray to make themselves look younger. This story was about transformation and how people do not want to conform to life. The man or women do not want to get old so they change their appearances to appear younger. The Star Dust themes are evident with dual meanings and parables about how life changes and transformation is a part of life that cannot be avoided.

The Star Dust book has a wide range of subjects that everyone person can identify such bravely to live life freely. Tristran learns this lesson because he was afraid to fight and stand up for himself. The dormouse transformation gave him the courage to be brave. Tristran was transforming from a life without magic because he did not know how to use his powers. Those powers are being smart, witty, and brave and caring about others. Tristran shows that everyone regardless of age will go through some kind of transformation.

Works Cited

CommonSenseMedia. (2015). Star Dust. Retrieved May 9, 2015 from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/stardust

NeilGaiman.com. (2015). Stardust. Retrieved May 8, 2015 from http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/Stardust/