This podcast is a final project for an NEH Summer Institute on "Remaking Monsters and Heroines." One adaptation we studied was It's Alive: The Podcast (https://itsalivepodcast.com/). When I listened to this piece, I felt as though such an undertaking was far outside of my abilities. Plus, I wasn't sure quite how I wanted to refigure the Frankenstein story.
Luckily, during the institute, I was inspired by the use of local stories and family history during Still on the Hill’s musical performance during the program. My mother’s family has deep roots in Louisiana, so I wondered how I might tap into that tradition as I tried to reimagine the Frankenstein story. Originally, my vision was to recast Frankenstein as a Cajun Folktale. However, as I tried to write the text for a picture book detailing such a tale, I found that the form would not accommodate the amount of detail and text that I was generating.
As I was struggling with form, I was researching folklore and stories based in Southern Louisiana and the swamps outside of New Orleans. Of the stories I reviewed, I was struck by the stories about Julia Brown, who, in many stories, predicted the obliteration of the town of Ruddock by a 1915 Hurricane. Finally, I realized that a mock documentary might be the best choice, as I could chunk the story into smaller segments while also providing a significant amount of detail.
In considering how I might mash up the Julia Brown story with Frankenstein, I considered LaValle’s Destroyer, which explores the power of maternal grief as a natural force that destroys as much as it creates. In turn, I also thought about Mary Shelley’s own experience with grief for her lost children, husband, and even her own mother. On a more practical level, this project was also a chance to begin developing some sound editing skills, especially since I already have two podcasting projects planned for my students this upcoming year.