The concept of the decorum is core to Jellybean’s world. The founding of this concept comes from my wish to avoid—in our world—the dangers that come when a new “magic” begins its ascent.
Jelly’s story is not a literal representation of anything happening in the real world. Their story represents the symbolic cycle that occurs as societies change as well as the roadblocks that hinder such change.
While I would like to keep Jelly’s world as free from current events as possible, I also know how important it is that the story’s symbolism not be misunderstood.
American Society has changed greatly over the past few decades. People are more aware than ever of creating a more just and equal society. They are also aware that much more work needs to be done. This movement—if it were to represented in Jelly’s world—would be represented by the ascending magic.
The little creatures, phantoms, denizens of the icon worlds as well as those who live outside the houses of power all have access to this ascending magic as it gains power.
The established magic—in Jelly’s World—empowers the decorum.
In our world, America has had an established status quo. In the last few decades the history and legends that many Americans have believed in have been questioned. This is the weakening of the old magic—the breaking of the old decorum.
The strife we are seeing in our own world is caused by the tug-of-war over what America should be. Many know there needs to be change and that this change cannot be stopped any longer. The other side sees their treasured traditions being mocked and dismantled.
In Jelly’s world the ruling houses know of the inequities that have developed over time, yet they refuse to address these deeply rooted problems lest their own power be jeopardized.
In our own world, our struggles to evolve as a society are further complicated by the fact that those who seek to preserve their idealized version of our country’s founding feel that any change to the decorum threatens their very relationship with god.
When a country’s history is hallowed in this way, it makes it impossible for the changes that need to happen to occur.
This is the plight we face. We need change. Yet, there are those who feel that such change is the very definition of defying god. This entrenchment of ideas will lead to a fatal fracturing of our society unless we realize that decorum can and must change for us as humans to thrive.
Evolution denied leads to revolution.
The time has come to scrutinize not only what we believe our nation stands for, but what our religions demand we believe. Our sacred texts need to be updated to include all of us, not a treasured few.
There is no doubt that the decorum will change—science, technology and culture have come to this conclusion long ago. We mustn’t let our outdated beliefs dim our future.
I believe in the Magic. I believe it wants us to grow and change. Like a parent, it’s proud when we figure out where we have gone wrong and it delights when we learn to think in new ways.
It’s time we understand that any decorum that exists—be it communal, national or religious—is not given to us from on high, but created by us in an attempt to survive on a planet that we’re just beginning to understand.
—Tessla, Lost Soul Found
