Episode 18: Mary Anne's Bad-Luck Mystery

The episode for "Mary Anne's Bad-Luck Mystery" was originally released on June 27, 2016. **You can listen to it here.** This episode is 45:44 long.This week's ghostwriter: none.

*Previous:* Episode 17: Jessi's Secret Language | *Next:* BSCC: Little Sister - Karen’s Witch | *Or,* see all episodes.

## Official Episode Description

It all goes down this week: Claudia loses herself, Logan reveals his true self, Mary Anne finds her faith, The cat-people have taken Louisville, and Jack and Tanner spend WAY too much time talking about 6th century philosopher Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius. But that's what you tune in for, right?

## Music Credits

* Haunted by Ross Bugden
* Triple Threat by Eliminate, INF1N1TE, & Nato Feelz
* Overture by The Lionheart
* MIDIworld.com
* Intro by Original Baby Boy Scott Lamb

## Book Description

Jack: "The quiet unremarkable life of 13 year old Mary Anne Spier is turned upside down when she recieves a sinister letter in the mail that promises her a terrible fate. From that moment on things start to go horribly wrong in her life threatening her friendships, he relationship with her boyfriend, and her very understanding of what is and isn't real. As Mary Anne digs deeper and deeper into this terrifying mystery, she is pulled irrevocably into a supernatural web of evil, deceit, and other worldly horror. It won't be long before she learns that some mysteries might be better left - unsolved. Mary Anne's Bad Luck Mystery."

Tanner: "I mean, you missed a lot. You missed the culminaton of the supreme war between the ghosts and the witches - which, happened in this book. You missed Claudia turning into a doll. You missed the big reveal that Logan is definitly, if not demon, at least affiliated with a demon." Tanner does a great job this week.

## Segments

###  Burn Of The Week

Jack: David Michael makes a burn on Karen Brewer re: her witch mask. Tanner didn't capture one.

###  Claudia's Closet

 ###  Strike Against the Patriarchy

Jack’s conclusion to the episode is that it’s all the patriarchy’s fault, and all the symbolism points to this. “She dreams about tearing down the patriarchy.”

Daddy Stew is ritualistically burnt. They make their own way, because they have faith.

###  Tanner Googles

Tanner Googles while Jack is talking, re: dreams and omens.

Tanner Googles #2, where Tanner figures out the theme song to the segment while Googling Freud quotes. “Tanner will always Google. That’s your faith.”

###  Tearful Moment

Tanner: My Tearful Moment is considering my own existence.

## Theories

###  Doll Theory

Eternal Sadness of Claudia: in the Chapter Two, Claudia has been described as a doll, “perfect complexion”. Is Claudia slowing being transformed into a living doll? Does she realize this is happening to her?

###  Factions

* Logan is a Cat Person. The Cat People have already taken Louisville. Logan and his family are refugees
* There has been a climactic battle between the witches and the ghosts playing out in the background of the novel. ###  Witchcraft

	+ The fatalistic letter was never explained.
	+ The thought of being with six girls researching witchcraft is too much for Logan.
	+ On Witchcraft, Cotton Mather, from 1692.
	+ Dreams and omens.
## + Sparrows and their importance in witchcraft; Margo Pike has power over dolls and the creatures of the air, as well. The girls have divine protection.Jack's References

	+ Intricate intertextuality between this book and Episode 2: Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls
	+ Book is about fate, faith, causality, fortune.
	+ The Parable of the Mustard Seed is Matthew 13:31-32 “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
	+ Our first Boethius reference!
	+ Medieval Latin
## + Artemidorus: dreaming about a mountain is a symbol of fear.Tanner's References

	+ ”Wheel of Time” by Robert Jordan, a series of fantasy novels
	+ Wheel of Fortune, the hit game show starring Pat Sajack
	+ ”I thought Justice was blind?”
	+ Chaucer
	+ Freud

## Notes

	+ Logan Bruno: Snake in the Grass
	+ Dawn suspects Logan's involvement in the occult plot.
	+ It’s Halloween Hop time again.

		From Jack’s original notes on babysittersclubclub.com website, now accessed through archive.org:
		- Boethius wrote his Consolation of Philosophy around 526 C.E., while imprisoned for treason and "engaging in magic" after attacking the corrupt policies of the emperor Theoderic. The Consolation is a "prosimetrum" (prose with verse interspersed), and it deliberately avoids a theological outlook, despite the author's devout Christianity, focusing instead on metaphysical lessons imparted by a personified Philosophy. Boethius writes about the rota fortunae (Wheel of Fortune) therein:  "I know how Fortune is ever most friendly and alluring to those whom she strives to deceive, until she overwhelms them with grief beyond bearing, by deserting them when least expected. … Are you trying to stay the force of her turning wheel? Ah! dull-witted mortal, if Fortune begin to stay still, she is no longer Fortune."  This would doubtless have been of some consolation to Mary Anne had she been aware of the text.
		- As always, I recommend Ricoeur for a thorough exegesis, though you can't go wrong with Crossan either.
		- Artemidorus, Ὀνειροκριτικά (On the Interpretation of Dreams) is a delightful 2nd Century insight into the Greek view of dreams and dream interpretation.
		- On Witchcraft, by Cotton Mather, was published in 1692.
		- Sadly cut out of this episode for brevity reasons was a fairly important analysis of Anne M. Martin's theory of "Powermasters," alluded to in a discussion between Jessi and Kristy about the origins of their misfortunes. I will leave it here and allow Baby Nation to draw their own conclusions:  “Hmm,” said Kristy. “I see what you mean. Like, is it someone we know? Or is it someone evil and unknown — an evil powermaster, or maybe just an evil force?” Jessi shivered. “Evil powermaster. You’re scaring me, Kristy.” Notable Non-Sitters

	Grace, Cokie Mason, Margo Pike Sign Off

	Claudia's wearing a bra now...References & Links

		- Random Page | The One Where...