One thing I love more than anything is hearing the stories of my parents’ and my grandparents’ childhood. Although every generation has its struggles, hearing their tales of yesteryear brings me back to a time that always seems a little less complicated than my own.
Until recently, I haven’t given much thought to my own story. Yet, as I grow further away from childhood, I begin to wonder what stories I will tell my children and grandchildren when they come asking.
With every passing day, it seems that one story in particular will stand out among all the rest as the defining moment in my lifetime; the story of one man’s unfortunate rise to power.
It is a tale about a person who cared only for himself. Narcissistic and self-obsessed, he put his concerns about his reputation and real estate above the plight of the needy. He hated anyone standing in the way of his own self-interest.
This was especially true when he came into the political scene. He hated foreigners. He claimed to fight against the “political establishment” that had created an influx of illegal immigration. One of his primary concerns was the increasing number of refugees in the country, a problem he was perfectly willing to solve through mass deportation, travel restrictions and a 10-foot-high border wall, without a care in the world what happened to those who were displaced.
He lacked any sense of civility and political correctness. He insulted and mocked his political opponents, going so far as to nickname one of his main rivals “little.”
It is no surprise to discover why his disapproval rate was so poor. He grabbed women when they did not consent, boasted about his qualifications despite his gross lack of experience and tactlessly intimidated people through fear and indecency.
This ugliness of character even extended to his outward appearance, as he is known for his less-than stellar looks. Unbeknownst to most, he somehow managed to marry one of the most beautiful and renowned women in the entire country, having three children with her, two boys and one girl.
In fact, arguably one of his only positive attributes may be his reputation, no matter how true or false the claim, as a family man.
It must be obvious to my readers that I am talking about Shrek, the green giant ogre who wanted nothing more than to live on his swamp in peace. But Lord Farquaad, the diminutive despot, negligently lead the kingdom of Duloc into ruin by allowing fairy tale creatures to inhabit Shrek’s swamp.
The violent and dreaded ogre managed to destroy Farquaad and leave the Kingdom of Duloc in shambles without strong or centralized leadership.
When my children and grandchildren hear this story, they will surely ask, “what did you do when Shrek exiled the fairy tale creatures from his land and claimed his swamp?” All I will be able to say is that I sat back and watched it happen.
Tyler Grudi is a staff writer for the Bona Venture. His email is gruditj15@bonaventure.edu
