Fairies and the Essay

The laundry fairy visited me today. I left it in the drier when I went to have a meeting with Mr. Merrill this morning. When I came back a little after it would’ve been out all hot and toasty, I was shocked to find it was already out and some of it had been folded. I must’ve startled the fairy, because she (or he, I suppose) didn’t finish the load but instead left my socks, towels, and sheets all disheveled. The weirdest part is that she started with my underwear and then moved on from there. I guess they’re clean and it doesn’t matter, but it’s a little strange.
During the time fairy was busy at work, I had a good meeting with Merrill. I asked him if I could have a quick talk about my annual essay. I’ve chosen Sophocles’s Antigone for my main inquiry, but I’m sure Thucydides and Herodotus will weed their two cents into the conversation. I want to focus on a particular dialogue between Creon and his son Haemon. It’s a fascinating little chunk of poetry, and the interpretation and symbolism are deeper than I can fathom.
It’s ironic that I would choose Antigone as the subject of so much study. I abhorred the Antigone segment of my English class in high school. Too many tragedies! I wrote an entire essay about my frustration with Antigone as a self-styled “heroine.” What heroine commits suicide to seal her “martyrdom” before the one who persecutes her can repent of his wickedness and wrongdoing? Anyway, this paper won’t be me ranting for five pages to snatch a good grade; it will be an exploration into familial, political, and spiritual struggles encountered and packaged intertwined within the characters’ speeches. I have real questions about the natures of democracy and tyranny as portrayed by Sophocles, an Athenian general during the Peloponnesian War; about the similarities of a city and a family; about the “due of Heaven” and the responsibilities leaders may have (or not) to the city and the culture of the people. The questions are really too numerous for one paper. I’ll narrow it down eventually.

I’m off to row. I have an exercise ahead of me called the “Olaf Tufte,” which I decided not to do this morning. I was a little lazy. But I’ll get it done tonight and have a good job tomorrow morning.
God bless y’all. Thanks for praying.