American Horror Story:Freak Show

(2)

Madeline's POV:

My name is Madeline, Madeline Barnum to be exact. My father, well known, world famous ringleader of the circus-PT Barnum. His wife, Charity Barnum, is my mother. I have two younger sisters- Caroline and Helen Barnum.

Ever since I was young, I have spent my whole life in the circus. I would watch all kinds of animals-from the biggest of all elephants, to the smallest of monkeys that climbed its walls.

My favorite act in my father's circus was watching Anne's trapeze act. She inspired me to become one myself-and that's what I did, I started out small, but it became my passionate profession.

Anne and Phillip made history as one of the most amazing couples together of color- as Phillip was white, and Anne was black. Of course, in those times, it was considered a 'taboo.' They married, of course, and took over the circus together as leaders after my father gave up his position as leader to Phillip.

-Backstory of my family-

As a child, my father was poor, living in poverty, with his father. He would attend work with his father, who worked for a rich family. Their daughter, Charity, and my father fell in love.

They often dreamt of their world together. But, it continued as my grandparents sent Charity away to an all girls' private finishing school. When she was sent away, he was devastated.

When his father died that same winter, my father became alone and scared. He fought very hard to fight the trials that came with being extremely poor. It was the people, the people who were considered 'different' that helped him in those trying times of his life.

He would eventually go from selling newspapers, to traveling the world and working for the American Railroad. That is where he became a man, and married my mother, when she finally returned from school.

As poor as they were together, they are able to find a small apartment, and their dreams began with the births of my sisters and I. He worked at a bank, and my mother stayed home with us, but that stopped when the bank declared bankruptcy.

At first, he bought a museum full of wax figures, but then he turned it into a circus. He hired people whom were considered 'freaks' by society. Our first show was a success, but as much as it was successful, there were also people who disapproved-like the protestors and some of the critics.

We moved into the house that my parents dreamed about as children. Caroline began to attend ballet school-her first performance was darling, but the other girls in the class made fun of her because of our low status and our father's job occupation.

They one time got to meet the Queen of England, and that is when my father met Jenny Lind-she was a famous opera singer, known as, 'The Swedish Nightingale.'

He dedicated his life then to help Jenny become an even bigger success here, in this part of the world. But, as he did- he began to shut out his employees at the circus. Days and nights became lonely without my father home, as he went on tour with Jenny.

I knew that this is not the life that my mother wanted for us, or for her and my father. My father did not see that. He did not see that we were happy, even when we didn't have anything in the world-not a penny to our names.

It was devastating that next morning. In the morning papers, on the front page, was a picture of my father and Jenny kissing. It broke our family apart, and we soon packed and moved away from our mansion home.

The circus burned to the ground, as the protestors battled the employees, and it turned into a brawl. When it went up in flames, we were all shocked and devastated by the results. Phillip fought hard not to succumb to his severe burns and injuries from the fire.

My father eventually did realize his mistakes. He took ownership for them and he apologized to my mother. We all forgave him, and returned to the lives that we once knew.

The circus building became a tent, and the rest is history.

'The noblest art is that of making others happy.'-PT Barnum