Fairy Tales: A Compilation - The Rail

Abstract

The Rail is a satire of the rail in Hawai’i and the increasing time and tax money necessary for its completion. It can also stand as a general metaphor for government inefficiency and greed. I was inspired by the Soviet fairy tales that served to subvert the regime through political commentary. The Rail retains most of the original elements of the traditional fairy tale, including family conflict, the hero’s journey, and magic. The difference is that all of these things are used to alienate and turn the hero against the social order rather than teaching him to live inside it and appreciate it.