This is the last in a series that explores the part that fantasy might play in the behaviour of children... again where fantasy is indeed a reality. It seemed that TV characters may have an impact on how children and youth in care may build an identity for themselves at a certain stage of development. and help us find meaning in some of the behaviours we encounter in our work as child and youth care workers we encounter.... and quite frequently too. I am referring to TV series and movies that children and young people are watching now.. at the time of righting. Surely these will change and new fantasy characters and digital figures will emerge as having such an influence... possibly and particularly in the area of digital games.
First , there's Superman. Now, Superwoman is wonderful. He starts his day as the insignificant un-noticed Clark Kent - a nobody and a dogsbody.BUT, he st5ransformes when someone is in distress into a powerful, unconquerable , flying hero.
Superman flies at speed above the skyline. He is everything that dreams are made of and further, he saves downtrodden and unjustly treated people with his miraculous indestructible force.
Then there's Micheal Knight..... the Knight Rider.The black knight of the night in a car that is indestructible. He is the 'pretty 'boy'. charming and well mannered, YET, .... let some well, organised structure of planned injustice come to his attention and Micheal Knight climbs int o his car and literally penetrates it and blasts it to kingdom come . ... Micheal saves the downtrodden and unjustly treated with miraculous indestructible force.
Batman and Robin fit the same profile. But the most exciting of them is Spiderman.
Superman flies, but Spiderman !!!
Spiderman is a wonderful hero. He can climb buildings to save the distressed. ........ Masked and anonymous, he uses his miraculous indestructibility for the threatened and the downtrodden.
AND NOW ... LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... we are proud to present ....ten year old PHAMBILE ...He is a Superman, Micheal Knight, Batman and Spiderman ... all in one!!... a mousy no-body by day , but a dramatic hero when stirred. Phambile can climb buildings, throw a jujitsu blow like lightening n the name of justice and fairness and the fight against injustice. Phambile... ladies and gentlemen... is indestructible. He can even fly !!
And, in the system injustices abound. and call on Phambile to transform from the mousy, no-body he is in the day , to his avenging, justice- seeking, powerful self.:
rules that don't make sense and are used against a fellow inmate rather than for him
staff that rob the young persons of what should rightfully be theirs.. - its called 'creaming off'... taking the best of the donations for themselves ( clothing, food ,computer equipment ........)
a group given punishment for the misdemeanour of one
a child moved suddenly out of the programme with the excuse that she doesn't 'fit' the program
. The list goes on
But then when the power of Phambile strikes...staff.. watch your motor-car tyres, plates of food dashed against the wall , a breadroll at mealtime thrown at staff,..Phambilile at these times is totally unafraid of threatening and confronting staff...
Sometimes its the young persons and children that have to be taught a lesson in justice.... knocked out cold with the end of a broom. punched-up in the grounds, ... windows smashed ... piddled on whilst sleeping, . ribs broken.. even setting fire.
Don't forget that Phambilie can climb buildings....downpipes are up and down-pipes. Ledges and edges are grips and footholds... barbed wire means absolutely nothing to Phambile when he is on a mission to restore justice and fairness.
AND THEN ... when the whole world breaks into apparent chaos, superhero, Phambile escapes to return to his mousy daily persona.
"Jump Phambile, Jump" . It waas the chant from below. He was on the third floor balcony. The others were chaning from below as they urged Phambilie to test his remarkable, TV character abilities.
"Jump, Phambile. Jump"
There he stood on the ledge of the three story building , poised and ready.
The chanting crowd was hustled indoors.
The child and youth care worker sat on the other side of the cement balcony, lit a cigatette and said
"Come back in Phambile, You'll probably kill yourself. It's not such a good idea really."
With the chanitng stoped and the audience removed, Phambile hesitated, then suddenly flew past the child care worker into the building to lock himself ont the veranda of the boys floor.
He was Clark Kent again, crime reporter . The mousy one .. there, waiting to be galvanised into his persona, Phambile ...indestructible, justice-seeking and violent.
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