Zoomorphism

Dear Reader, 

So, finally we have reached the letter Z. For me, the A-Z Challenge has been just that, a challenge. It is a challenge I may have technically failed, but for me, once this last one is completed I have succeeded on a technicality. That being said, it has been very useful in a number of ways, which I will share before the end of the week. There are a number of positives I will take from this as well as some lessons learned. 

So just to finish off this little odyssey I am camped in a bar in a London train station as I am shortly meeting some friends with the intention of watching the Manchester derby. Go City! Once again I have set myself a ridiculous target. Oh well.

Anyhoo, back on track, so the letter Z. Another big spender in the scrabble world, again there is a bit of shortage of options. I was prepared though. Right at the beginning of this I posted about anthropomorphism, the very human habit of applying human traits and behaviours to animals, in my case, my pets.

There is a logical opposite to anthropomorphism, which is zoomorphism. This is the habit of applying animalistic traits and behaviours to humans, amongst other things. Wikipeadia is a little sparse on this subject, which, although slightly disappointing, allows me to draw on my huge personal store of knowledge on this subject. Ah, damn spell checker. In the last sentence the bit after "allows me to" should read "make stuff up". Technology, eh? Getting distracted, must stop doing this.

So, zoomorphism. There is an example in classical literature I can draw upon that demonstrate zoomorphism.  That example of classical literature is Viz, a comic that satirised the British comic style of the 40's and 50's but made it modern, and in somewhat bad taste. One of the regular strips that ran in this fine publication was Billy the Fish. Billy the Fish was the goal-keeper for a struggling fictional football team called Fulchester United FC. 

Billy, in all his glory.

Billy would always manage to save Fulchester United FC from difficult situations with his fishlike skills. Well, until he died anyway. No matter, as his son, who looked just like him and was also gifted wish fish-like skills soon followed. This paragraph sort of sums up Viz for me.

I may soon, return to this post and update with some more zoomorphic entites but for the time-being that is  it for the A-Z Challenge anyway. I will, however, be back with a little analysis of the process quite soon. Time and battery life is against me as the biggest football match of the premiership season calls. 

More soon Dear Reader,

xx