Title: Stripes Recruitment
Author: Luke Melia
Genre: Short Story
Pages: 36
What I have to say:
As anyone who's ever been unemployed will tell you, the job search is tough.
OK, but it's a lot tougher when you're a tiger.
That's just Stripes's problem. Determined, hard-working, and highly qualified, he'd be the perfect candidate for any job.
...if not for the fact that he's a tiger, and no prospective employer can seem to overlook that obvious fact.
Is Stripes stuck forever at the humdrum construction job he hates? Or can he change his stripes?
When I read the premise behind this story, I laughed out loud. And "Stripes Recruitment" is funny. I'm struggling to think of a word that describes it (surreal? absurd?) and of something similar to compare it to (Monty Python?). But even if I can't quite put neat boundaries around this story, I enjoyed it very much, and while it made me laugh, it also made me think.
In theatre and fiction, ridiculous objects or characters are sometimes set in commonplace surroundings to show us something. The ridiculousness of the situation brings to our attention things we otherwise wouldn't have noticed. On another, wider level, this is the ultimate purpose of fantasy stories. But let's not go there right now, because I'm guessing you don't want to read a 30-page manifesto about the importance of fantasy literature in modern society. (Unless you do, then go read Tolkien.)
So what is "Stripes Recruitment" trying to bring to your attention?
I can only speak for myself, but this story made me think about my own career path. As an English major, I was basically told I could either teach or go into law, and after surviving 16 or so years of school and doing a brief legal internship, neither of those options appealed to me. So then (sorry you're getting my life story now) I stumbled onto the idea of copywriting. This was something I could do! But I don't interview well, and I didn't have a lot of experience, so I struggled to "get my foot in the door" for a traditional in-house or agency copywriting job. Then I discovered freelancing: something I hadn't even known was a possibility.
Stripes finally comes to the realization that no traditional employer will hire him. If he wants to achieve his dreams, he'll have to blaze a new path to reach them. I know it sounds like a cat poster, but it's true and it's possible and, guys, you can do it. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
In short, "Stripes Recruitment" is a neat little story with an intriguing premise, a fun style, and an empowering message. Instead of changing your stripes, change your worldview. Open your mind to conceive of new possibilities, and you'll find the world open at your feet.
That's just Stripes's problem. Determined, hard-working, and highly qualified, he'd be the perfect candidate for any job.
...if not for the fact that he's a tiger, and no prospective employer can seem to overlook that obvious fact.
Is Stripes stuck forever at the humdrum construction job he hates? Or can he change his stripes?
When I read the premise behind this story, I laughed out loud. And "Stripes Recruitment" is funny. I'm struggling to think of a word that describes it (surreal? absurd?) and of something similar to compare it to (Monty Python?). But even if I can't quite put neat boundaries around this story, I enjoyed it very much, and while it made me laugh, it also made me think.
In theatre and fiction, ridiculous objects or characters are sometimes set in commonplace surroundings to show us something. The ridiculousness of the situation brings to our attention things we otherwise wouldn't have noticed. On another, wider level, this is the ultimate purpose of fantasy stories. But let's not go there right now, because I'm guessing you don't want to read a 30-page manifesto about the importance of fantasy literature in modern society. (Unless you do, then go read Tolkien.)
So what is "Stripes Recruitment" trying to bring to your attention?
I can only speak for myself, but this story made me think about my own career path. As an English major, I was basically told I could either teach or go into law, and after surviving 16 or so years of school and doing a brief legal internship, neither of those options appealed to me. So then (sorry you're getting my life story now) I stumbled onto the idea of copywriting. This was something I could do! But I don't interview well, and I didn't have a lot of experience, so I struggled to "get my foot in the door" for a traditional in-house or agency copywriting job. Then I discovered freelancing: something I hadn't even known was a possibility.
Stripes finally comes to the realization that no traditional employer will hire him. If he wants to achieve his dreams, he'll have to blaze a new path to reach them. I know it sounds like a cat poster, but it's true and it's possible and, guys, you can do it. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
In short, "Stripes Recruitment" is a neat little story with an intriguing premise, a fun style, and an empowering message. Instead of changing your stripes, change your worldview. Open your mind to conceive of new possibilities, and you'll find the world open at your feet.
Rating:
Until tomorrow.
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