The Quest — Winslow Eliot

Based on the medieval text of Parzival, "The Quest" is a collection of original stories written by teenagers. The stories are set against the great panorama of the Middle Ages, when brave knights wore shining armor and rescued lovely maidens in distress, and castles loomed before one then disappeared in mysterious gray mists; where vital quests awaited those heroes adventurous enough to seek one; where the qualities of chivalry, honor, and loyalty warred with desire, greed, and dogma. Parzival is the tale of a simple, naïve boy who longs to become a knight and serve King Arthur. The story of Parzival is the story of all teenagers - a quest to navigate the tumultuous waves of adolescence in a passionate search for their authentic selves, using honor, chivalry, loyalty, and love as guides. Like the original tale of Parzival, each tale is set against the thrilling Medieval backdrop of jousting, castles, crusades, kingdoms, and strange mythical creatures - but each is as fresh and original as the students themselves. The students all attend the Great Barrington Waldorf High School, which provides an education for adolescents that seeks truth, develops imagination, nurtures growth, fosters responsibility, and honors inner freedom in an atmosphere of academic excellence, artistic fulfillment, openness, and mutual respect. This work stems from the pedagogical philosophy of Rudolf Steiner and seeks to meet the educational, artistic, and social needs of students, that they may engage in life with intelligence, wisdom, and moral commitment.