Lamarck, Paper Mache, Just Having Fun...

I was sitting and reflecting… letting my imagination run amok, looking at my pupils’ papier mache projects. I  was wondering where did my pupils get the inspiration to make papier maches of creatures that have no legs or arms…reptiles and nematodes like snakes and worms are legless, so, no wondering there. 


I was looking at the ovoid shaped-mega cephalic-limbless- benevolent looking-cute-but weird creatures that they have papier mached.

Mind you, I have nothing against these art works. They are great. I am proud of them. They are the product of my pupils’ efforts and imaginations. I didn’t give them  specific instruction on what to make or not to make except that they should not submit to me a papier mache of amoeba or germs. (Crumpled paper with some paint on it!)


Any creatures will do. So, I am happy that they did not create boring stuff like a detailed, lifelike paper mache of a flying grasshopper, crouching tiger, flying eagle, mating rabbits, etc. I gave them artistic freedom. So, they created what they wanted to do and not what I wanted to see. I respect the subjective in art.  


Anyway…I love these artworks because I see beauty. The real beauty in them: effort, creativity, humor and fun! (Form, symmetry, center of attention, balance etc...these word should not be discussed with children because these words are confining. A philosopher once said, "You cannot get substance from form."

I was  writing my lesson plan when a pupils came to submit this. At first, I was confused. What did I miss? I was tempted to say things like "is this a mutant yema" or "wow, this looks like Java the Hut with hepatitis C!"But the enthusiasm and the smile on her face was so contagious that I smiled and said, "very good!" I gave her good grade because she met my requirement: she had fun doing the project.

I ask what kind of animals or creatures are these? According to them, these creatures are from a computer game called Angry Birds. Being prone to computer game addiction, I stopped playing games. So, I was a bit at a lost about the new fad in online gaming. A couple of months back, I got so addicted  to Plants and Zombies that even  my bodily function was affected; I almost developed stones from not getting up to pee. So, I made a resolution to stop playing computer games…hmm, maybe, at least until the classes are over.

A good pillow...

Reflecting upon the papier maches...the name Lamarck popped in my head. Lamarck was known for his theory of heretibality of acquired characteristics. Before Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, natural selection, mutation etc. Lamarck proposed his theory that acquired characteristics can be passed to the offspring. Okay...look at the picture below:

Here's from the experts:

In Lamarck's view, we must imagine a situation in the past where the best food for browsing mammals was higher up in trees, the lower vegetation having been eaten by other animals. The ancestors of the giraffe—which we should imagine like antelopes or deer—needed to adapt their behavior to this changing environment. As Lamarck wrote, "variations in the environment induce changes in the needs, habits and modes of life of living beings ... these changes give rise to modifications or developments in their organs and the shape of their parts" (p. 179). So Lamarck imagined that over generations the habit of continually reaching for the higher browse produced in the giraffe's ancestors a lengthening of the legs and neck.


The giraffe with the short neck dies of hunger; and in the process, they eventually become extinct.  The giraffe with the long necks would naturally survive. Of course there are stages in between, their offspring maybe mixed some with long neck, some with short neck but according to selection, the short necked offspring would eventually die out because they could not adapt.

This one reminds of the pet alien creature from John Carpenter's earliest sci-f movie Dark Star.   Again, they enjoyed doing it...good grades from me.

The Lamarck view of evolution is that animals (or creatures) develops or modify their organs to adapt to their environment. So, if an organ is not used, these organs die off naturally. Like if an animal (or people) do not use their arms, the arms atrophies and die...maybe they will even fall off, as in, "Wow, me arms fell off. Guess, I am not using them that much!" 

What made this one special is its mass. When a pupil gave it to me, I almost lost  my balance. This was made from 100% recycled paper. No wire or bamboo stick skeleton, pure muscle, so to speak. I had fun...good grade from me.

So with the brains. "Aaccchooooo!" Look at that big snot that flew out of my nose! "Son, that's not a snot! That's you brain. Guess you are not using it that much anyway."

Of course, its true that organs that are rarely used are wasted away but according to Lamarck, these dying off, the wasting away of unused organs could be inherited. Goes both way, if we follow Lamarck, trumpet blowers should have developed large lungs, thick lips and enlarged testicles. According to Lamarck, these acquired characteristics could be passed off to the next generation.

At first glance, I almost shouted, "Bert! Is that you? What did they do to you? Ohh noo.. where's Ernie?!" I thought this was Bert's head. Again...what's important is we all had fun.

So,it is important to check what your ancestors line of work to better understand some of your features. Like, If you have fine delicate fingers, your ancestor could be a pianist. If you have thick lips and you walk like a duck, your ancestor could be a tuba player. Or, if you have an abnormally large big feet, your ancestor could be a spartan.

My co-teacher, Jayson Marquez, and I were discussing these two.  On the right is a cobra while on the left...hmmm... we came to an agreement, an amoebic poop. Artwork that makes me think and write...sort of... is way,way up there in my creativity scale. Most definitely, deserves an A from me. 

Anyway...where was I?  Lamarck....if Lamarck is right. These legless creature will...this is how we could look like: the future homo sapiens...the homo cyber potatoes. Why? More and more people are spending their time sitting down in front of the computer, game boy, PSP, etc...you do the math.