A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in SAMMI’S COMMENT SECTION.
136 words? That’s 36 more words than required in Friday Fictioneers. Naturally I’m compelled to share a flash fiction. Couple that with the fact that I read on Google this morning that this is the anniversary of the lady’s birth. Happy 155th Birthday, Camille Claudel!
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 136
EXCUSE THE DUST ON MY BLOUSE
“It’s wrong for a girl to dirty her fingers in the mud.” Mère chided little Camille. “It’s against nature.”
Auguste stroked his thick beard. “You are a wonderfully talented sculptor, Camille. Quite a talent indeed. I shall make you my apprentice—take your gift to new heights.”
The nineteen year-old flushed. She couldn’t believe the great Rodin should consider her work worthy of his time.
Now her mother would eat her words.
Auguste pressed his lips against Camille’s neck. “You are as beautiful as you are gifted.”
She melted into his arms. “Mon cher professeur I love you.”
“Alas I cannot leave my Rose.”
Mère fumed. “I always knew you’d bring us shame.”
Camille left Auguste’s studio. Her work became her barricade against pain.
One critic described her as “A revolt against nature: a woman genius.”
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Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Hmm. Ulterior motive on Rodin’s part no doubt. So…..what’s the difference between a woman genius and a man genius? Oh, I see. A revolt against nature. Lol. Critics slay me, no matter there time period. Thanks for the history lesson. Well done.
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Dear Jan,
In those days women weren’t supposed to be geniuses, were they? I’m not sure who decided that. Men I’m guessing. 😉 Thanks, m’luv.
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Well done and to the heart of the issues that so many women had faced (and in many places still do face), and the exploitation this all too often leads to. For I will be hard pressed to believe that the two aren’t connected: limiting women’s creativity and equal opportunity forms the fertile ground for exploiting these very yearnings to ill intents.
She was magnificent!
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
I’m not sure who decided that women’s talents should be limited to cooking or sewing. I’ve faced that antiquated and erroneous notion in the past and it sets my teeth on edge. Camille was magnificent. And as natural as natural can be. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I can tell you who decided it … men who felt threatened by women and used religion and dogma and physical threat and discriminatory laws/rules/regulations that did not allow women to protest the very injustices placed upon them. … Add shaming and learned helplessness and you have the recipe for women taking on the role of keeping their daughters in line even when men weren’t there.
Can you tell this whole thing sets MY teeth on edge and my feet on a soapbox? 😉
Here’s to decency and equal rights and opportunity. Amen.
Na’ama
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On that religion and dogma thing. If God didn’t want a woman to use her gifts why did he give them to her in the first place??? L’chaim…life of women. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Indeed. And as my friend likes to say, “Women are proof that even God made a draft first …”
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That was really interesting, Rochelle. I remember reading about her when I was in art class at college. You captured her story.
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Dear Ted,
You’re one up on me. I don’t remember learning about her, but then I slept a lot through art history at the KC Art Institute. I often wish I could go back and take those classes I was too immature for at the time. Hindsight and all that…Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I was an art minor because I thought it would be easy. Ha. I loved art history class, but was a feeble artist until I tried ceramics, and actually became quite good at that. There were not that many women sculptress so it stuck.
Oh by the way, aren’t you the clever one. I was just googling something and saw the header. Well done.
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As I said, I was way too immature. I sometimes wish I could go back to the art institute knowing what I know now. I never delved into ceramics. I’m so pleased you caught me on the title. Often direct quotes from the protagonist make great ones. 😉 A mutual, very tall, silver-haired friend of ours used to be fond of saying a good title adds 100 words to a story. 😀
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Dear Rochelle,
You brought Camille Claudel to life. Yet another woman who had her hopes raised and dashed by a man. Wonderfully crafted as you so beautifully do. Now I am thinking of another French woman who was used by a man – Colette. He made her write and took credit, no less because, who would possibly read a woman? Can YOU?
Shalom and lotsa creative love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I find it so sad that a talented woman like Camille ended her days in an asylum. You’ve mentioned Colette before. Perhaps she’s another to delve into. 😉 Of course there is the movie. And then there’s also my fictitious albino Flo who writes under a man’s name. 😀 No way would I let my husband put his name on my writing.
Shalom and lotsa artistic and feminine hugs,
Rochelle
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It is beyond sad. Yes, I think you would enjoy Colette 😉
Not in this lifetime!
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Bonus. It’s on Amazon Prime.
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Woot!
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As a male of the species, I feel nervous about dipping my toes in the water right now, but here I am! Whilst things have improved, here in the UK, there’s an ongoing debate about gender pay differences, particularly within the BBC where men presenters have always been paid more than women for doing the same job. We are getting there, but there’s still a way to go.
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Dear Keith,
The battle of equal pay for equal work has raged in the US for decades. Things have improved, but things haven’t balanced out quite yet. I certainly don’t have anything against males, I raised three of them. 😉 (They all know how to treat and work with women.) Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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