Inspired: A Summer of Songs showcases song lyrics written by myself and other bloggers. The lyrics and themes were inspired by books. The author of the books have provided their thoughts on the lyrics and how it fits their books; in the case that an author could not participate, a fellow blogger took up the responsibility. I highly encourage you to comment either on the lyrics, on the books, on the event in general, or on anything of a similar note.
I love, love, love the book, and I really wanted to grasp and write about Vicky's bravery, strength, and journey throughout A Mad, Wicked Folly. I hope I was able to do just that!
The Song:
Break the Gold Cage
They told me to slow down,
to be the lady I’m supposed to be.
But even as they scream those words,
the feel of the pencil surrounds me.
They told me to slow down,
to follow in my mother’s footsteps.
But even as they shut me out,
the feel of a gentle hand that holds me
keeps me on the ground.
Run, run, run away,
run to a place where
you can be free.
Stand, stand, stand your ground,
tell them you won’t just
give up on liberty.
Feel, feel, feel the weight
put upon your shoulders,
but feel, feel, feel the weight of a hand
on your heart and on your shoulder.
Fighting for what’s right,
hoping for a chance some day.
I will not stand down,
even if they try to knock me down.
Hear those words of comfort,
feel the love all around me,
and I know we’ll achieve
something great some day,
and I won’t stop now.
I will keep on fighting.
They told me to slow down,
to be someone I can never be.
And even as I stumble,
I won’t let them get to me.
Stand, stand, stand your ground.
Feel, feel, feel the weight of the burden.
Hear, hear, hear the sound of my heart
as it keeps beating inside this gold cage.
The Reaction:
One thing that really impressed me about your song was the reference to the golden cage. I think about the theme of my stories a lot when I’m writing my drafts. The title should always reflect the theme, and although a mad, wicked folly is a quote from Queen Victoria, who was trying to get people to join her in stopping the “mad, wicked folly of women’s rights,” I chose the line as the title because the words encapsulated the theme perfectly: giving up your dreams and desires to have a more comfortable life is a trap. It’s a golden cage, and it’s never worth it. It’s a mad, wicked folly to even try. Holding on to what you believe in is important, whatever that may be. For Vicky it was art, the right to love who she wanted to, and to express herself as she desired. But she came to understand that fighting for rights in the wider sense was important because doing so would pave the way for others. I think this stanza sums up my story perfectly:
Fighting for what’s right,
hoping for a chance some day.
I will not stand down,
even if they try to knock me down.
Hear those words of comfort,
feel the love all around me,
and I know we’ll achieve
something great some day,
and I won’t stop now.
I will keep on fighting.
The Book:
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: January 23rd, 2014
Source: Library
Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?
Sharon Biggs Waller, The Author:
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