Welcome to my portfolio! This is a compilation of stories that I have written over the course of my semester in Mythology and Folklore, based on various reading units of lore from around the world. Take a look around and enjoy!
Friday, November 28, 2014
Week 15: Reading Review
I have had a blast in this course this semester! I enjoyed every unit that I read in the Un-Textbook, and I think that the setup of the class makes it so that everybody can have the same pleasant experience. With all the different combinations of units, there is something that caters to every preference, and one is sure to find stories that interest him or her. The variety was probably my favorite part of the course for this reason.
Looking back at my reading diaries and essays over the course of the semester, I realized that the things I appreciated most about the readings were the introductions that gave background to the unit. Many times, these certainly helped greatly in my understanding of the reading, whether it was historical background, an explanation of certain words in the dialect, or a description of the author's intent. In terms of the actual text, I really enjoyed the different translations of the stories. I had the privilege of reading the Book of Mark from the Bible in the original King James Version, which was something that I had never done before. Later on in the semester, I got to read the Brer Rabbit unit in the original Southern Gullah dialect. Examples like these are why I love the diversity of the Un-Textbook--it expands students' horizons in terms of the vocabulary and styles of language that they read.
As I was taking notes via the Reading Diaries, I realized that I developed different strategies throughout the semester. In the first half of the semester, as I mentioned in my week 8 reflections, I tended to rely more heavily on plot summary of each story as my main method of taking notes. Like I also noticed previously, I liked to take detailed enough notes so that I could simply look back at my Reading Diaries to work on the rest of the assignments for the week. After I made this realization, I continued to try to do this during the second half of the semester, but my note-taking became more reflective: instead of just summarizing the stories, I tried to inject some more of my own thoughts and observations.
My biggest piece of advice for incoming students of this course would be to work ahead and finish assignments early. I got a good head start at the beginning of the course and it was nice to work on assignments week by week at a relaxed pace. Sometime in the middle of the semester, though, I lagged behind a bit and it was definitely stressful trying to get everything turned in on time--this certainly doesn't help with putting in my best effort and generating my best work either. Working even just a day or two in advance helps! It also gives you extra time to do extra credit assignments and possibly finishing the class early so it doesn't add to the stress of finals week at the end of the semester.
Looking back on the semester, this was definitely the most interesting class that I took. The workload was not too great and the reading assignments were all fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this course--it stimulated interest in folklore from around the world that I'm sure will continue for a very long time!
Looking back at my reading diaries and essays over the course of the semester, I realized that the things I appreciated most about the readings were the introductions that gave background to the unit. Many times, these certainly helped greatly in my understanding of the reading, whether it was historical background, an explanation of certain words in the dialect, or a description of the author's intent. In terms of the actual text, I really enjoyed the different translations of the stories. I had the privilege of reading the Book of Mark from the Bible in the original King James Version, which was something that I had never done before. Later on in the semester, I got to read the Brer Rabbit unit in the original Southern Gullah dialect. Examples like these are why I love the diversity of the Un-Textbook--it expands students' horizons in terms of the vocabulary and styles of language that they read.
As I was taking notes via the Reading Diaries, I realized that I developed different strategies throughout the semester. In the first half of the semester, as I mentioned in my week 8 reflections, I tended to rely more heavily on plot summary of each story as my main method of taking notes. Like I also noticed previously, I liked to take detailed enough notes so that I could simply look back at my Reading Diaries to work on the rest of the assignments for the week. After I made this realization, I continued to try to do this during the second half of the semester, but my note-taking became more reflective: instead of just summarizing the stories, I tried to inject some more of my own thoughts and observations.
My biggest piece of advice for incoming students of this course would be to work ahead and finish assignments early. I got a good head start at the beginning of the course and it was nice to work on assignments week by week at a relaxed pace. Sometime in the middle of the semester, though, I lagged behind a bit and it was definitely stressful trying to get everything turned in on time--this certainly doesn't help with putting in my best effort and generating my best work either. Working even just a day or two in advance helps! It also gives you extra time to do extra credit assignments and possibly finishing the class early so it doesn't add to the stress of finals week at the end of the semester.
Looking back on the semester, this was definitely the most interesting class that I took. The workload was not too great and the reading assignments were all fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this course--it stimulated interest in folklore from around the world that I'm sure will continue for a very long time!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Week 14 Reading Diary: Fairy Tales (Andersen)
This week, I chose to read the compilation of fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen.
The Princess and the Pea: I was surprised at how short this story was. I have certainly read versions of this story that were much longer and more detailed. I have always been confused as to why the prince only wanted a princess who was so delicate that she could detect a pea under twenty mattresses and that this would disturb her throughout the night. This never seemed feasible to me; the ruler of a land should be tougher than that, in my opinion.
The Emperor's New Suit: Another story of a leader of a nation who seems unfit to rule. This emperor does not seem useful in the affairs of his state (nor, as it turns out, do his "honest" advisors). This is one of those stories that I can hardly read out of embarrassment for everyone in the story due to the dramatic irony. It is wonderful that the one who calls everyone out on their foolishness is an innocent child--it just goes to show that those who are usually seen as the most naive perhaps embrace it better or are less ashamed of their naivety.
The Wicked Prince: The price to pay for pride as intense as this prince has is surely great humiliation. I didn't think he was so foolish in waging war with neighboring countries, but his attempt to conquer God certainly would lead to his downfall. It is ironic that the prince spends seven years to build up his army; this is a very biblical number. I'm not sure of its exact significance in this story--either way, I am glad that God chose something as small as a gnat to bring about the fall of the wicked prince, and I hope that the prince learned his lesson.
The Little Match-Seller: This was the first story in this unit that I had never read before. What a bittersweet story! It was heartbreaking to read about the little girl's home life, but I am glad that she spent her last day warm and happy and surrounded by (what she perceived as) beautiful things.
The Little Mermaid:
Part 1: This introduction gave the reader a wonderful description of the beauty that is the Sea King's domain. As someone living on land, I would love to see what life would be like under the sea--I guess this is how the youngest mermaid felt too: it is apparently in everyone's nature to not be content with knowing only what s/he already has, but to want to see how the other half lives.
Part 2: It is shocking sometimes how we forget to think of ourselves when someone or something else who is the object of our affection (or infatuation) is in danger. The little mermaid certainly displays this as she strives to save the prince from the storm, all the while forgetting that a piece of the ship could come crashing down on her at any moment and kill her. I did feel bad for her that the prince didn't realize that the mermaid was the one who had rescued him.
Part 3: The wisdom of the mermaid's grandmother is different from any advice that I have ever heard. Andersen certainly came up with an interesting comparison to humans' and merpeople's lives. It was heartbreaking to read at the end of this excerpt, however, the mermaid's decision. The risks that she takes and what she is willing to give up will not turn into fruitful gains in the end, especially not with the advice of the sea witch.
Part 4: Again, it is shocking sometimes the lengths that one would go to in order to find love. The description of the sea witch's lair is terrifying and it would certainly make me turn back and find another way. The little mermaid's perseverance is admirable but questionable--is there no other way to win the love of the prince? Even the witch says that the mermaid's wish is stupid and that it would bring her sorrow, but the mermaid still goes along with the witch's plan. To attempt to gain the favor of a prince who does not even acknowledge her existence by growing excruciating painful legs and losing her biggest asset--her ability not only to sing, but to communicate her thoughts and reason--the entire time I read this part, I questioned the mermaid's sanity. Finally, it should have been a warning sign that the evil polyps guarding the path to the witch's lair shrank away in fear of the potion: that alone should have deterred her from drinking the draught.
Part 5: The dramatic irony in this section was heartbreaking to read. I so wished that the little mermaid could just tell the prince that she was the one who had saved his life, whom he longed for, but due to her bargain with the sea witch, the maiden obviously couldn't. I felt frustrated for her, but I also felt frustrated at her because she did not seem to be bothered by this. The prince's reassurance that he would rather marry her than the daughter of the neighboring kingdom's ruler seems to satisfy her, but I didn't feel that she should have been content with that--if only she could tell him her story.
The Princess and the Pea: I was surprised at how short this story was. I have certainly read versions of this story that were much longer and more detailed. I have always been confused as to why the prince only wanted a princess who was so delicate that she could detect a pea under twenty mattresses and that this would disturb her throughout the night. This never seemed feasible to me; the ruler of a land should be tougher than that, in my opinion.
The Emperor's New Suit: Another story of a leader of a nation who seems unfit to rule. This emperor does not seem useful in the affairs of his state (nor, as it turns out, do his "honest" advisors). This is one of those stories that I can hardly read out of embarrassment for everyone in the story due to the dramatic irony. It is wonderful that the one who calls everyone out on their foolishness is an innocent child--it just goes to show that those who are usually seen as the most naive perhaps embrace it better or are less ashamed of their naivety.
The Wicked Prince: The price to pay for pride as intense as this prince has is surely great humiliation. I didn't think he was so foolish in waging war with neighboring countries, but his attempt to conquer God certainly would lead to his downfall. It is ironic that the prince spends seven years to build up his army; this is a very biblical number. I'm not sure of its exact significance in this story--either way, I am glad that God chose something as small as a gnat to bring about the fall of the wicked prince, and I hope that the prince learned his lesson.
The Little Match-Seller: This was the first story in this unit that I had never read before. What a bittersweet story! It was heartbreaking to read about the little girl's home life, but I am glad that she spent her last day warm and happy and surrounded by (what she perceived as) beautiful things.
The Little Mermaid:
Part 1: This introduction gave the reader a wonderful description of the beauty that is the Sea King's domain. As someone living on land, I would love to see what life would be like under the sea--I guess this is how the youngest mermaid felt too: it is apparently in everyone's nature to not be content with knowing only what s/he already has, but to want to see how the other half lives.
Part 2: It is shocking sometimes how we forget to think of ourselves when someone or something else who is the object of our affection (or infatuation) is in danger. The little mermaid certainly displays this as she strives to save the prince from the storm, all the while forgetting that a piece of the ship could come crashing down on her at any moment and kill her. I did feel bad for her that the prince didn't realize that the mermaid was the one who had rescued him.
Part 3: The wisdom of the mermaid's grandmother is different from any advice that I have ever heard. Andersen certainly came up with an interesting comparison to humans' and merpeople's lives. It was heartbreaking to read at the end of this excerpt, however, the mermaid's decision. The risks that she takes and what she is willing to give up will not turn into fruitful gains in the end, especially not with the advice of the sea witch.
Part 4: Again, it is shocking sometimes the lengths that one would go to in order to find love. The description of the sea witch's lair is terrifying and it would certainly make me turn back and find another way. The little mermaid's perseverance is admirable but questionable--is there no other way to win the love of the prince? Even the witch says that the mermaid's wish is stupid and that it would bring her sorrow, but the mermaid still goes along with the witch's plan. To attempt to gain the favor of a prince who does not even acknowledge her existence by growing excruciating painful legs and losing her biggest asset--her ability not only to sing, but to communicate her thoughts and reason--the entire time I read this part, I questioned the mermaid's sanity. Finally, it should have been a warning sign that the evil polyps guarding the path to the witch's lair shrank away in fear of the potion: that alone should have deterred her from drinking the draught.
Part 5: The dramatic irony in this section was heartbreaking to read. I so wished that the little mermaid could just tell the prince that she was the one who had saved his life, whom he longed for, but due to her bargain with the sea witch, the maiden obviously couldn't. I felt frustrated for her, but I also felt frustrated at her because she did not seem to be bothered by this. The prince's reassurance that he would rather marry her than the daughter of the neighboring kingdom's ruler seems to satisfy her, but I didn't feel that she should have been content with that--if only she could tell him her story.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Week 12 Storytelling: The Pig and the Fence
Dear Diary,
The walk was pleasant to begin with: we talked about the changing of the seasons and how she was getting her home ready for the winter. She told me that as she was cleaning, she found a sixpence and decided to go to the market and rescue a pig - me. That was considerate of her. She seemed unassuming enough, if not a bit too talkative.
About this time, though, we got to a very large fenced off area. I struggled and struggled, but it was too high for me to jump over. After a while, the woman got really frustrated at me, climbed over, and continued walking. I thought she was just going to abandon me there.
I stood there in confusion for several minutes, and after that, I began to panic. So much for being rescued; now I was stuck in the middle of nowhere all by myself. My thoughts began to race and I suddenly became paranoid of my surroundings. I began to wander around the fence, but the area seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, I just gave up and went back to my original spot.
I don't know how much longer I stood there, but eventually I heard the old woman's voice. Overjoyed and relieved, I started squealing in delight. As she drew closer, I saw that she had come back with an entourage of animals. I was surprised to see so many new friends, but I was so glad to be saved that I didn't pay much attention to this fact.
I watched from a distance as the old woman gave a cow some hay. After this, as they walked closer, I realized that this started a chain reaction in a flurry of activity. No, that was an understatement--it was mass chaos. The cow gave a cat some milk, and the cat drank the milk and pounced on a mouse, who was chewing on a rope, which started to hang a man who looked like a butcher. The butcher began to do his job and killed an ox, and as he was doing this, the ox drank some water, which began to put out a fire, but not before its flames engulfed a stick. This stick began to hit the leader of this pack, a dog, who then came charging at me and bit me!
So after that odd and terrifying series of events, before my mind could even comprehend what was happening, I finally launched myself over the fence in fear, and the woman and I walked home in silence. Now I'm in her home, living in terror of her after seeing what lengths she would go to just to get me to do a simple task.
The pig caught behind the fence. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of The Old Woman and Her Pig from the English Fairy Tales (1) unit. This is a cumulative story, where a series of events happens, and with each new event, the story escalates. In this case, a woman brings a pig home from a market and they reach a stile over which the pig cannot jump. In order to get the pig over the fence, she walks further and encounters a dog, stick, fire, water, ox, butcher, rope, rat, and cat, telling each of them to do something, but they refuse unless something else affects them first. Finally, she meets a cow and gives it hay, and the cow gives the cat milk and sets off a chain reaction ending in the dog biting the pig and ultimately getting him over the stile. This reminded me of a very extreme Rube Goldberg machine, in which a lot of energy is expended to perform a simple task (and certainly, a lot of deaths had to occur in this situation just to get the pig over the fence).
Although this one was somewhat morbid, I usually like cumulative stories because of their ridiculousness. I chose to retell this story because it had the setup of a nursery rhyme, which gave me ample opportunity to elaborate on details and provide background. I wanted to show it from the pig's perspective, because I imagine the entire situation would have been quite terrifying for him. This gave me some trouble because the pig would not have been able to see all that happened when the woman ventured on because he was trapped behind the fence, but I decided to remedy this by bringing all of the creatures back to him so he could see the chain reaction.
Bibliography:
"The Old Woman and Her Pig."
Joseph Jacobs, 1890.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Week 13 Storytelling: House of Thieves
I have seen too many women come into this dark place, never to leave again. They waltzed in naively, expecting to see their "one true love" (or so the story goes), ignoring all the warning signs. I didn't understand it, personally--this hovel is in the deepest thicket of a forest filled with dangers; I am baffled as to why the maidens don't turn around and go home immediately after seeing it.
This used to be a den of evil. The men who lived here were thieves and murderers. They went out into the world under charming guises and sought out pretty young ladies with whom to be betrothed. After that, the robbers lured the maidens back to this place, overtook them, and cooked and ate them.
As for me, I am but an old woman. I wandered into this place years ago with no other place to go after some hardships in my life. When the men saw me, they scoffed. I had heard of their reputation, but I placated them, saying I would keep their secret if they would let me stay with them. And so it had been for several years.
One day, a fair maiden--prettier than all the rest--came by this place. I had watched as she made her way down the winding path, looking wholly uneasy the entire way. As she walked, she left a trail of beans and lentils. When she made her way into the shack, my trusty pet bird called out a warning to her: turn back; this is a place of evil. She was visibly shaken, but continued to explore the rooms. Luckily, the men had gone into town for the day, so she was not seen by anyone.
She made her way throughout the house and finally reached the room where I was sitting. When I saw her full fairness and grace, I took pity on her and told her of the dangers of this place. As I was doing this, we heard the thieves barge through the door, hollering with excitement with what I was sure was another helpless maiden. I instructed the lost bride to hide behind a large pot until she could get the chance to escape.
What happened next must have been traumatizing for anyone watching: the men overpowered their victim and cut her into pieces. She had a ring on her little finger, and the thieves tried to remove it to no avail. After a while, they gave up and simply cut the finger off. It flew right into the poor maiden's lap behind the pot, and as I looked over, she was frozen in shock and I realized that she had seen the entire thing.
The drunkards seemed to lose interest in the finger, and shortly after their merriment were passed out. The young bride-to-be took her opportunity and bolted out of the den, taking the finger with her.
A few days later, some officials came to the door and arrested all of the men in this band of thieves. Apparently, at her wedding toast, the cunning bride revealed the robbers' secret and proved it with the finger. The men were all condemned for their actions and executed.
Looking back at this place now, I remember all of the horrors that took place in this kitchen, and am thankful that I never have to witness such things again.
-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of the Robber Bridegroom. The original story is in the third person omniscient, but I wanted to tell it from the point of view of the old woman who helps the maiden. Not much background is given about her, so it was fun to develop her character and explain where she comes from.
The plot of my retelling is very closely related to that of the original. I changed a few details in the behavior of the old woman as she helps the young woman. In the original story, the robbers want to find the finger with the ring after it is chopped off and lands in the girl's lap, but the old woman deters them from doing so, calling them to dinner and saying that "the finger cannot run away." She also slips a sleeping draught into their wine so that they will pass out and so the girl can escape. In my story, I left out these details and just attributed the girl's safety to the men's carelessness and drunkenness. As I was reading this story, I did not understand why the old woman would go to such lengths to rescue this particular girl when she had previously seen so many deaths. I tried to explain her pity in my story, but I didn't think she would take many more measures to prevent the girl's death than simply telling her to hide. I didn't want to portray her as totally heartless, however--even though she might have been systematically desensitized to the idea of death throughout the years, there is still residual trauma as she goes back to the place where she used to live and reflects on the terrible things that had happened there.
Bibliography:
The Robber Bridegroom.
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm.
Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm.
Translated by Lucy Crane.
Illustrated by Walter Crane.
1886.
This used to be a den of evil. The men who lived here were thieves and murderers. They went out into the world under charming guises and sought out pretty young ladies with whom to be betrothed. After that, the robbers lured the maidens back to this place, overtook them, and cooked and ate them.
As for me, I am but an old woman. I wandered into this place years ago with no other place to go after some hardships in my life. When the men saw me, they scoffed. I had heard of their reputation, but I placated them, saying I would keep their secret if they would let me stay with them. And so it had been for several years.
One day, a fair maiden--prettier than all the rest--came by this place. I had watched as she made her way down the winding path, looking wholly uneasy the entire way. As she walked, she left a trail of beans and lentils. When she made her way into the shack, my trusty pet bird called out a warning to her: turn back; this is a place of evil. She was visibly shaken, but continued to explore the rooms. Luckily, the men had gone into town for the day, so she was not seen by anyone.
She made her way throughout the house and finally reached the room where I was sitting. When I saw her full fairness and grace, I took pity on her and told her of the dangers of this place. As I was doing this, we heard the thieves barge through the door, hollering with excitement with what I was sure was another helpless maiden. I instructed the lost bride to hide behind a large pot until she could get the chance to escape.
What happened next must have been traumatizing for anyone watching: the men overpowered their victim and cut her into pieces. She had a ring on her little finger, and the thieves tried to remove it to no avail. After a while, they gave up and simply cut the finger off. It flew right into the poor maiden's lap behind the pot, and as I looked over, she was frozen in shock and I realized that she had seen the entire thing.
The thieves with the maidens in the den.
Illustrator: Helen Stratton. 1903. Source.
The drunkards seemed to lose interest in the finger, and shortly after their merriment were passed out. The young bride-to-be took her opportunity and bolted out of the den, taking the finger with her.
A few days later, some officials came to the door and arrested all of the men in this band of thieves. Apparently, at her wedding toast, the cunning bride revealed the robbers' secret and proved it with the finger. The men were all condemned for their actions and executed.
Looking back at this place now, I remember all of the horrors that took place in this kitchen, and am thankful that I never have to witness such things again.
-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of the Robber Bridegroom. The original story is in the third person omniscient, but I wanted to tell it from the point of view of the old woman who helps the maiden. Not much background is given about her, so it was fun to develop her character and explain where she comes from.
The plot of my retelling is very closely related to that of the original. I changed a few details in the behavior of the old woman as she helps the young woman. In the original story, the robbers want to find the finger with the ring after it is chopped off and lands in the girl's lap, but the old woman deters them from doing so, calling them to dinner and saying that "the finger cannot run away." She also slips a sleeping draught into their wine so that they will pass out and so the girl can escape. In my story, I left out these details and just attributed the girl's safety to the men's carelessness and drunkenness. As I was reading this story, I did not understand why the old woman would go to such lengths to rescue this particular girl when she had previously seen so many deaths. I tried to explain her pity in my story, but I didn't think she would take many more measures to prevent the girl's death than simply telling her to hide. I didn't want to portray her as totally heartless, however--even though she might have been systematically desensitized to the idea of death throughout the years, there is still residual trauma as she goes back to the place where she used to live and reflects on the terrible things that had happened there.
Bibliography:
The Robber Bridegroom.
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm.
Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm.
Translated by Lucy Crane.
Illustrated by Walter Crane.
1886.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Week 13 Reading Diary: Grimm's Fairy Tales (Crane)
This week, I read Crane's translation of a collection of fairy tales. I chose this one based on its description and those of the other fairy tale units. After last week, I wanted to read a collection of fairy tales to compare to the versions of the stories in the English Fairy Tales unit.
The Fisherman and His Wife: Oh, the lessons one could learn about being greedy. As I read through this story, I got more and more frustrated with the wife's demands and increasingly sorry for the husband. In the end, I hope the wife learned her lesson--to be content with what she has and not to constantly want more. In a way, this is a good moral for everyone as it could apply to daily life: we should be happy with the season of life that we are in and live in the present, and not continually be anxious about the future, or the "next step" in life.
Aschenputtel: The familiar story of Cinderella (German translation: Aschenputtel). I kept thinking throughout this story that Aschenputtel is both really quick-witted and quick on her feet. To be able to escape through the pigeon house, change out of her dress, and return to the house to sit by the fire in such a short time must have taken a lot of effort. Minor details, though...
I have loved this story since childhood because it puts its characters in their proper place. Aschenputtel, with her piety and goodness, deserves what she received in the end after enduring such harsh torment from her stepmother and stepsisters. The latter, although their punishments were extreme and gruesome, certainly got their dues as well.
The Robber Bridegroom: This story was comparable to the one of Mr. Fox in the English Fairy Tales unit (and indeed, as I look back at said story, the introduction states that Dan Ashliman has made a compilation of Robber Bridegroom variations). Who knows how many of the terrible crimes the gang had committed, but I was certainly glad when the young bride-to-be unmasked them.
The Six Swans: What I found interesting about this story was that it said nothing about the stepmother being evil until she finds the clew of yarn (although the king must have been relying his instincts when he first meets her, but this is not explicitly stated). Therefore, for the first part of the story, I was confused as to why the children had to be locked up.
The rest of the story was empowering. For the young sister to have the willpower to remain completely silent for six years is inspiring and a true testament to her love for her brothers. It is sad to see evil try to tarnish such a pure love, but it is encouraging to see that this evil is not rewarded.
King Thrushbeard: In this story, the moral that one should not judge based on appearance pervades strongly throughout. The maiden at first loses opportunities to marry a worthy king like Thrushbeard because she scorns his appearance (and that of other suitors). Then, when she marries the beggar and is sent to work in the marketplace selling pots, people buy her wares at first because she is beautiful, but she finds that she cannot depend on this for very long. In the end, she ultimately learns her lesson and it is fortunate that King Thrushbeard maintains his love for her long enough for her to humble herself.
The Three Spinsters: This was the first story in this unit that I hadn't heard before (or a variation of it). The entire time, I was expecting the maiden to go back on her word and not invite the spinsters to the wedding, or act ashamed of them, but I am glad that she did not do so. It is interesting, though, that this story seems to reward laziness--overall, the girl did hardly anything and successfully escaped spinning in the end.
Snow White: Ah, the classic fairy tale. I grew up with this story and I have heard countless different versions of it, so I was curious to see how this played out overall. Whereas in the original Disney movie, the evil stepmother only tries one time to kill her (with the poisoned apple), in this story, she attempts three times. Even though Snow White is only seven years old (which is, admittedly, a very young, naive age), I get frustrated at her for falling for the queen's tricks over and over again. However, the rest of the story was as it is usually told, and I am glad that Snow White ends up happy and the stepmother is brought to justice.
The Fisherman and His Wife: Oh, the lessons one could learn about being greedy. As I read through this story, I got more and more frustrated with the wife's demands and increasingly sorry for the husband. In the end, I hope the wife learned her lesson--to be content with what she has and not to constantly want more. In a way, this is a good moral for everyone as it could apply to daily life: we should be happy with the season of life that we are in and live in the present, and not continually be anxious about the future, or the "next step" in life.
Aschenputtel: The familiar story of Cinderella (German translation: Aschenputtel). I kept thinking throughout this story that Aschenputtel is both really quick-witted and quick on her feet. To be able to escape through the pigeon house, change out of her dress, and return to the house to sit by the fire in such a short time must have taken a lot of effort. Minor details, though...
I have loved this story since childhood because it puts its characters in their proper place. Aschenputtel, with her piety and goodness, deserves what she received in the end after enduring such harsh torment from her stepmother and stepsisters. The latter, although their punishments were extreme and gruesome, certainly got their dues as well.
The Robber Bridegroom: This story was comparable to the one of Mr. Fox in the English Fairy Tales unit (and indeed, as I look back at said story, the introduction states that Dan Ashliman has made a compilation of Robber Bridegroom variations). Who knows how many of the terrible crimes the gang had committed, but I was certainly glad when the young bride-to-be unmasked them.
The Six Swans: What I found interesting about this story was that it said nothing about the stepmother being evil until she finds the clew of yarn (although the king must have been relying his instincts when he first meets her, but this is not explicitly stated). Therefore, for the first part of the story, I was confused as to why the children had to be locked up.
The rest of the story was empowering. For the young sister to have the willpower to remain completely silent for six years is inspiring and a true testament to her love for her brothers. It is sad to see evil try to tarnish such a pure love, but it is encouraging to see that this evil is not rewarded.
King Thrushbeard: In this story, the moral that one should not judge based on appearance pervades strongly throughout. The maiden at first loses opportunities to marry a worthy king like Thrushbeard because she scorns his appearance (and that of other suitors). Then, when she marries the beggar and is sent to work in the marketplace selling pots, people buy her wares at first because she is beautiful, but she finds that she cannot depend on this for very long. In the end, she ultimately learns her lesson and it is fortunate that King Thrushbeard maintains his love for her long enough for her to humble herself.
The Three Spinsters: This was the first story in this unit that I hadn't heard before (or a variation of it). The entire time, I was expecting the maiden to go back on her word and not invite the spinsters to the wedding, or act ashamed of them, but I am glad that she did not do so. It is interesting, though, that this story seems to reward laziness--overall, the girl did hardly anything and successfully escaped spinning in the end.
Snow White: Ah, the classic fairy tale. I grew up with this story and I have heard countless different versions of it, so I was curious to see how this played out overall. Whereas in the original Disney movie, the evil stepmother only tries one time to kill her (with the poisoned apple), in this story, she attempts three times. Even though Snow White is only seven years old (which is, admittedly, a very young, naive age), I get frustrated at her for falling for the queen's tricks over and over again. However, the rest of the story was as it is usually told, and I am glad that Snow White ends up happy and the stepmother is brought to justice.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Week 12 Essay: Fairy Tale Transformations
This week, I read English Fairy Tales (1), which included excerpts from a compilation by Joseph Jacobs. As I read through the unit, I was struck by how many stories were based off of more well-known versions of fairy tales, and I was also surprised that even if they didn't contain the same story line, they still had similar themes and motifs.
The first story, Tom Tit Tot, was strikingly similar to the more famous Rumpelstiltskin. The background provided in the Un-Textbook was helpful; I had heard different variations of "Rumpelstiltskin" but I wasn't aware of other versions that incorporated different names. After skimming through Dan Ashliman's compilation of these stories, it was fascinating to see so many different styles and tones of storytelling in what is essentially the same tale. Tom Tit Tot and each of the other stories in this collection all had different introductions and ways in which the author set up why the daughter must spin straw into gold (or whatever the materials may be), but the trajectory of each story remained the same throughout the compilation.
Another story in this unit that struck me in a similar fashion was the one about Cap o' Rushes. This story was another version of Cinderella, except, like in Tom Tit Tot, the introduction was different. In this tale, the maiden is kicked out of her home because her father asks each of his three daughters how much they love him, and Cap o' Rushes gives an unorthodox answer: "I love you more than meat loves salt." Because of this, her father believes that she does not love him at all, and sends her away to find another place to live. She finds work with a family elsewhere, and is treated kindly. When the prince of the state holds a ball, she claims that she is tired and chooses not to go (as opposed to the original Cinderella story, where the maiden's stepmother and stepsisters do not allow her to go). Later in the evening, she decides to attend the ball anyway. The rest of the story is the same: she goes to the ball, the prince falls in love with her, and they live happily ever after--including Cap o' Rushes's father, who realizes that meat really does love salt at the wedding feast.
In the story of the Rose-Tree, similar themes to those found in the original Cinderella popped up as well. I had heard a version of this particular story before, but I was curious to see if it borrowed ideas from Cinderella. The fact that the brother's tears watered the ground where his sister was buried, enough so that a tree would grow from it, reminded me of the fact that Cinderella's tears watered the ground where her mother lay and a tree also sprung from the land. In the original story, this became a place of guardianship, and Cinderella's mother watched over her and provided her with necessities. In the Rose-Tree, the brother gets the same kind of protection, and even though the rest of the story and the revenge that the sister takes is morbid, it was sweet to see this familial relationship.
After reading this unit, I realized that it reflected the themes that have been emphasized in this class. Throughout the semester, we have learned different methods of storytelling, and these fairy tales embody the very essence of good storytelling. The fact that, for example, Tom Tit Tot is just one version of a multitude of the same story shows the power of small changes within the themes of a story. If nothing else, this was certainly an inspiring unit to read; it gave me new ideas for different forms of storytelling.
The first story, Tom Tit Tot, was strikingly similar to the more famous Rumpelstiltskin. The background provided in the Un-Textbook was helpful; I had heard different variations of "Rumpelstiltskin" but I wasn't aware of other versions that incorporated different names. After skimming through Dan Ashliman's compilation of these stories, it was fascinating to see so many different styles and tones of storytelling in what is essentially the same tale. Tom Tit Tot and each of the other stories in this collection all had different introductions and ways in which the author set up why the daughter must spin straw into gold (or whatever the materials may be), but the trajectory of each story remained the same throughout the compilation.
Another story in this unit that struck me in a similar fashion was the one about Cap o' Rushes. This story was another version of Cinderella, except, like in Tom Tit Tot, the introduction was different. In this tale, the maiden is kicked out of her home because her father asks each of his three daughters how much they love him, and Cap o' Rushes gives an unorthodox answer: "I love you more than meat loves salt." Because of this, her father believes that she does not love him at all, and sends her away to find another place to live. She finds work with a family elsewhere, and is treated kindly. When the prince of the state holds a ball, she claims that she is tired and chooses not to go (as opposed to the original Cinderella story, where the maiden's stepmother and stepsisters do not allow her to go). Later in the evening, she decides to attend the ball anyway. The rest of the story is the same: she goes to the ball, the prince falls in love with her, and they live happily ever after--including Cap o' Rushes's father, who realizes that meat really does love salt at the wedding feast.
In the story of the Rose-Tree, similar themes to those found in the original Cinderella popped up as well. I had heard a version of this particular story before, but I was curious to see if it borrowed ideas from Cinderella. The fact that the brother's tears watered the ground where his sister was buried, enough so that a tree would grow from it, reminded me of the fact that Cinderella's tears watered the ground where her mother lay and a tree also sprung from the land. In the original story, this became a place of guardianship, and Cinderella's mother watched over her and provided her with necessities. In the Rose-Tree, the brother gets the same kind of protection, and even though the rest of the story and the revenge that the sister takes is morbid, it was sweet to see this familial relationship.
After reading this unit, I realized that it reflected the themes that have been emphasized in this class. Throughout the semester, we have learned different methods of storytelling, and these fairy tales embody the very essence of good storytelling. The fact that, for example, Tom Tit Tot is just one version of a multitude of the same story shows the power of small changes within the themes of a story. If nothing else, this was certainly an inspiring unit to read; it gave me new ideas for different forms of storytelling.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Week 12 Reading Diary: English Fairy Tales
This week, I read the English Fairy Tales unit. It was a fine collection of classics retold, and I enjoyed reading the different versions of well-known fairy tales.
Tom Tit Tot: This was an interesting retelling of the classic Grimm fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin. Whereas in the well-known version of the story, the childhood of the girl is not always told, this story gave more background as to why the woman was married to the king and had to spin so many skeins of yarn each day. Every time I read this story, I wonder why the creature--Rumplestiltskin, Tom Tit Tot, or any other being--would be so silly as to absentmindedly sing his name.
The Rose Tree: This was one of the few stories in this first part of the unit that I hadn't heard before. It reminded me vaguely of the story of Cinderella in which Cinderella's mother is buried in a plot of land, and when the girl cries, her tears water the land and a tree eventually grows from it. In this story, the girl's brother does this. Overall, this story was very morbid--it is somewhat alarming to see how wicked the stepmother is, and how the little bird gets her revenge.
The Old Woman and Her Pig: Cumulative stories like this make me laugh, but mostly only because of their ridiculousness. I always love reading the odd series of events that must happen for a simple act to occur, and this story was no exception to the rule. This story is a strong contender for a storytelling post this week; it is based off of a nursery rhyme, which can be easily elaborated, and the themes are silly, so I can have fun with them.
Cap o' Rushes: Yet another story that reminds me of Cinderella. This, again, has slight changes to the classic--the girl is thrown out of her own home and finds shelter with another family in return for cleaning their pots and pans. She is not mistreated; she has the opportunity to go to the dance but she claims she is too tired (yet she goes anyway). The ending was the best part--one doesn't normally think about fresh meat and salt being a combination that defines love, but Cap o' Rushes is a clever one. In the end, I'm glad everyone was happy.
Henny-Penny: What a throwback to my childhood when I first heard the story of Chicken Little! I loved the names in this story; they were silly but effective in describing what the animals are like. Again, this is a cumulative story, which I find entertaining in their length and repetition.
Molly Whuppie: Yet another story that is similar to a classic fairy tale. In this case, this tale reminds me of Jack and the Beanstalk in that the main antagonist is a giant with a rhyming couplet for a chant and a taste for young children. It was heartening to see Molly as a caretaker who helps the children.
Mr. Fox: Another morbid story. This reminds me of a horror story that my friends and I used to tell around a campfire on summer evenings. I certainly am glad that Lady Mary discovered who Mr. Fox was before they got married and that she got out of what might have become a horrid situation!
Johnny-cake: I'm not sure exactly what a Johnny-cake is, but this Gingerbread Man-like story made me chuckle. This tale really goes to show that hubris and being too vocally prideful can be one's worst downfall--as the Johnny-cake discovers when the wolf snatches him up and eats him in one bite.
Tom Tit Tot: This was an interesting retelling of the classic Grimm fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin. Whereas in the well-known version of the story, the childhood of the girl is not always told, this story gave more background as to why the woman was married to the king and had to spin so many skeins of yarn each day. Every time I read this story, I wonder why the creature--Rumplestiltskin, Tom Tit Tot, or any other being--would be so silly as to absentmindedly sing his name.
The Rose Tree: This was one of the few stories in this first part of the unit that I hadn't heard before. It reminded me vaguely of the story of Cinderella in which Cinderella's mother is buried in a plot of land, and when the girl cries, her tears water the land and a tree eventually grows from it. In this story, the girl's brother does this. Overall, this story was very morbid--it is somewhat alarming to see how wicked the stepmother is, and how the little bird gets her revenge.
The Old Woman and Her Pig: Cumulative stories like this make me laugh, but mostly only because of their ridiculousness. I always love reading the odd series of events that must happen for a simple act to occur, and this story was no exception to the rule. This story is a strong contender for a storytelling post this week; it is based off of a nursery rhyme, which can be easily elaborated, and the themes are silly, so I can have fun with them.
Cap o' Rushes: Yet another story that reminds me of Cinderella. This, again, has slight changes to the classic--the girl is thrown out of her own home and finds shelter with another family in return for cleaning their pots and pans. She is not mistreated; she has the opportunity to go to the dance but she claims she is too tired (yet she goes anyway). The ending was the best part--one doesn't normally think about fresh meat and salt being a combination that defines love, but Cap o' Rushes is a clever one. In the end, I'm glad everyone was happy.
Henny-Penny: What a throwback to my childhood when I first heard the story of Chicken Little! I loved the names in this story; they were silly but effective in describing what the animals are like. Again, this is a cumulative story, which I find entertaining in their length and repetition.
Molly Whuppie: Yet another story that is similar to a classic fairy tale. In this case, this tale reminds me of Jack and the Beanstalk in that the main antagonist is a giant with a rhyming couplet for a chant and a taste for young children. It was heartening to see Molly as a caretaker who helps the children.
Mr. Fox: Another morbid story. This reminds me of a horror story that my friends and I used to tell around a campfire on summer evenings. I certainly am glad that Lady Mary discovered who Mr. Fox was before they got married and that she got out of what might have become a horrid situation!
Johnny-cake: I'm not sure exactly what a Johnny-cake is, but this Gingerbread Man-like story made me chuckle. This tale really goes to show that hubris and being too vocally prideful can be one's worst downfall--as the Johnny-cake discovers when the wolf snatches him up and eats him in one bite.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Week 11: Famous Last Words
Whew! This has been a hectic week. I realized that I haven't done a Famous Last Words post since the very beginning of the semester. After this week, I thought it might be a good idea to gather my thoughts and reflect on what I have been doing lately, and hopefully get organized so that I can finish the semester on a good note.
This past week was the first time I have missed a Storytelling post. Even though I loved the unit that I read (The Canterbury Tales), I had trouble coming up with ideas to retell any of the stories in that unit. Most of that was because my mind has been elsewhere this past week, and I have been too stressed to sort through my jumbled thoughts.
Let me explain myself: I am a junior pre-med student, as some might know from my introduction. I guess about this time in such a student's undergraduate career is when things start to get really crazy. I am scheduled to take the MCAT in January, so I've been studying for that. I also found out over the summer about the MedStart program at the University of Toledo where students apply in the fall of their junior year and no MCAT score is necessary (so the exam in January would be a backup plan if I do not get accepted into this program). Understandably, this was an attractive option for me, so I decided to apply. The deadline to do so was October 31, and while I had most of my materials done beforehand, I got some last-minute feedback on my personal statement, so I felt rushed to fix and submit it.
Moral of this story: I need to stop and take a deep breath every once in a while, and better time management skills might help in this area as well. In the coming weeks, this will be my goal: to be more organized and less stressed.
This past week was the first time I have missed a Storytelling post. Even though I loved the unit that I read (The Canterbury Tales), I had trouble coming up with ideas to retell any of the stories in that unit. Most of that was because my mind has been elsewhere this past week, and I have been too stressed to sort through my jumbled thoughts.
Let me explain myself: I am a junior pre-med student, as some might know from my introduction. I guess about this time in such a student's undergraduate career is when things start to get really crazy. I am scheduled to take the MCAT in January, so I've been studying for that. I also found out over the summer about the MedStart program at the University of Toledo where students apply in the fall of their junior year and no MCAT score is necessary (so the exam in January would be a backup plan if I do not get accepted into this program). Understandably, this was an attractive option for me, so I decided to apply. The deadline to do so was October 31, and while I had most of my materials done beforehand, I got some last-minute feedback on my personal statement, so I felt rushed to fix and submit it.
Moral of this story: I need to stop and take a deep breath every once in a while, and better time management skills might help in this area as well. In the coming weeks, this will be my goal: to be more organized and less stressed.
Maybe smarter use of a planner would help. Source: Pixabay.
Week 10 Storytelling: Rabbit's Revenge
There he goes again, that Possum. Always prancing around, showing off how long and fluffy his tail is. Oh, I see that it's already covered in ribbons--it looks like Cricket has already gotten to him. The tail is beautiful now, yes, but just you wait, Possum. Just you wait.
Let me back up--my name is Rabbit. I once had a tail that was just as bushy and extraordinary as Possum's. That is, I did until that mean old Bear pulled it out. Oh, you didn't know that rabbits used to have tails as long as any other? Yes, it's a little known fact: my tail used to put Squirrel's to shame. One day, though, I got back from a meeting with Otter and all the other animals were angry at me for some reason! I felt ostracized and tried to run away, but as I was doing so, Bear grabbed at my tail and pulled it out. So now all I have is this fluffy little stub that saddens me every time I look at it.
Now, every time Possum goes waving his backside in my face, I just get so angry. Maybe I am a little jealous, but if I have to hear how handsome his tail is one more time, I think I'm going to scream. Just the other day, he asked me about the upcoming dance for all the animals. He had the audacity to say that he should sit at a place of honor at the table during dinner, simply because his "tail is so pretty" and he "wanted everyone to be able to see it." I mean, if that's not conceited, I don't know what is.
So that day, after I talked to that stuck-up Possum, I wanted to teach him a lesson. I went to see my good friend, Cricket. Cricket is the local groomer, and he's good at what he does. I told him to go to Possum's house on the day of the dance and cut off all of the fur on his tail.
"Cricket, I can't take this anymore," I had said to him wearily.
"Whatever do you mean, Rabbit?"
"I'm talking about Possum. I get so frustrated whenever he walks by. He's always bragging about his tail, and I don't want to hear it. Part of me gets jealous and it makes me miss my own tail, and part of me is just angry at how narcissistic he is. Is there anything you can do to make him stop?"
"Well.... I don't know."
"Please? You couldn't, maybe, I don't know... cut off all his hair or something?"
"I don't know, Rabbit. Doesn't that seem a little conniving to you?"
"Maybe a bit, but I can't deal with all of Possum's gloating anymore!"
"Well.... okay. For you, Rabbit."
The dance is tonight, so I think Possum will be headed over soon. I can't wait to see the smug look wiped off of his face when he discovers that his tail is bare. Maybe that will teach him for being so stuck-up and prideful.
-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of Why Possum's Tail is Bare. In the Cherokee folklore unit prior to this story, Rabbit has a run-in with Otter up the river and steals his coat. When Rabbit returns to the other animals, they hear about what had happened and want to reprimand Rabbit. Rabbit tries to run away, but Bear steps on his tail and rips it out.
Now without his own tail, Rabbit becomes jealous of Possum's beautiful, bushy tail. Rabbit is frustrated at the constant flaunting and bragging, and decides to teach Possum a lesson. Rabbit hires Cricket, who is known as the barber of the community, to cut off all the hair on Possum's tail under the guise that he is grooming him for his big appearance at an upcoming dance. When Possum prances around later that day, he is met with laughter and embarrassment due to the loss of his fur.
I wanted to tell this story from Rabbit's perspective because the original portrays him in a malicious light. It is true that he let jealousy get the best of him and he did do some ugly things for revenge, but Possum was also wrong in being so prideful. Because both parties could have acted more graciously, I felt that Rabbit's perspective should be told as well.
Bibliography:
Myths of the Cherokee.
James Mooney (1900).
Web Source: Project Gutenberg.
Let me back up--my name is Rabbit. I once had a tail that was just as bushy and extraordinary as Possum's. That is, I did until that mean old Bear pulled it out. Oh, you didn't know that rabbits used to have tails as long as any other? Yes, it's a little known fact: my tail used to put Squirrel's to shame. One day, though, I got back from a meeting with Otter and all the other animals were angry at me for some reason! I felt ostracized and tried to run away, but as I was doing so, Bear grabbed at my tail and pulled it out. So now all I have is this fluffy little stub that saddens me every time I look at it.
Rabbit, after he lost his tail. Source: Wikipedia.
So that day, after I talked to that stuck-up Possum, I wanted to teach him a lesson. I went to see my good friend, Cricket. Cricket is the local groomer, and he's good at what he does. I told him to go to Possum's house on the day of the dance and cut off all of the fur on his tail.
"Cricket, I can't take this anymore," I had said to him wearily.
"Whatever do you mean, Rabbit?"
"I'm talking about Possum. I get so frustrated whenever he walks by. He's always bragging about his tail, and I don't want to hear it. Part of me gets jealous and it makes me miss my own tail, and part of me is just angry at how narcissistic he is. Is there anything you can do to make him stop?"
"Well.... I don't know."
"Please? You couldn't, maybe, I don't know... cut off all his hair or something?"
"I don't know, Rabbit. Doesn't that seem a little conniving to you?"
"Maybe a bit, but I can't deal with all of Possum's gloating anymore!"
"Well.... okay. For you, Rabbit."
The dance is tonight, so I think Possum will be headed over soon. I can't wait to see the smug look wiped off of his face when he discovers that his tail is bare. Maybe that will teach him for being so stuck-up and prideful.
-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of Why Possum's Tail is Bare. In the Cherokee folklore unit prior to this story, Rabbit has a run-in with Otter up the river and steals his coat. When Rabbit returns to the other animals, they hear about what had happened and want to reprimand Rabbit. Rabbit tries to run away, but Bear steps on his tail and rips it out.
Now without his own tail, Rabbit becomes jealous of Possum's beautiful, bushy tail. Rabbit is frustrated at the constant flaunting and bragging, and decides to teach Possum a lesson. Rabbit hires Cricket, who is known as the barber of the community, to cut off all the hair on Possum's tail under the guise that he is grooming him for his big appearance at an upcoming dance. When Possum prances around later that day, he is met with laughter and embarrassment due to the loss of his fur.
I wanted to tell this story from Rabbit's perspective because the original portrays him in a malicious light. It is true that he let jealousy get the best of him and he did do some ugly things for revenge, but Possum was also wrong in being so prideful. Because both parties could have acted more graciously, I felt that Rabbit's perspective should be told as well.
Bibliography:
Myths of the Cherokee.
James Mooney (1900).
Web Source: Project Gutenberg.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Week 11 Essay: Characters of Canterbury
This week, I read the Canterbury Tales unit. The units on British literature were the ones I was most looking forward to because I had a great experience with their unique language and nuances in high school. I distinctly remember reading the prologue to the Canterbury Tales during my junior year and discussing in depth each character and his or her morals.
In the unit in the Un-Textbook, the tales of the Wife of Bath, the Friar, the Franklin, the Pardoner, the Prioress, the Nun's Priest, and the Canon's Yeoman were all included. To refresh my memory, I re-read the prologue and found the sections where each of these characters is introduced. It is interesting to then compare the narrator's description of each to the personalities that shine through as they tell their stories.
First, the narrator introduces the Wife of Bath as having relatively loose morals, simply due to the fact that she has married five times. Certainly, this is a lot of husbands to have in one lifetime, and it is definitely understandable that one would think her to be morally weak because of this, especially in those times. However, as she reveals in her tale about the knight and the old woman, her experiences with her spouses revolved around the one thing that women want--to have obedient, loyal husbands. It is assumed, then, that she separated from her ex-husbands because they did not provide her with this indulgence, and she is now happy with her fifth and current husband because he does obey her.
The tales of the Friar, the Pardoner, the Nun's Priest, and the Prioress all have distinct elements of Church influences. Certainly, the Church was a big part of life in those days, so this would make sense. Chaucer injects subtle satire into each of these tales, however, and this indicates to the reader that the Church isn't as cohesive at this time as it would have liked to portray itself. For example, the Friar's tale attacks the Summoner and displays his corruption (and the Summoner's tale, which is not included in this unit, attacks the Friar and tries to show how he is contributing to the deterioration of the Church as well). Clearly, not everyone gets along and follows all of the rules, and this leads to a chasm within the system.
The tale that I liked the most was that of the Franklin. This was a refreshing change of pace after reading about the feud between the Friar and the Summoner. The Franklin is one of the only truly good people in this caravan, as the narrator points out during the prologue. His story, the Promise of Dorigen, was a beautiful story of love, trust, and honesty, and showed the Franklin's heart and strong morals.
Through both his clever, thinly-veiled satire and his words of praise, Chaucer shows the reader of the Canterbury Tales the true character of each of these travelers.
In the unit in the Un-Textbook, the tales of the Wife of Bath, the Friar, the Franklin, the Pardoner, the Prioress, the Nun's Priest, and the Canon's Yeoman were all included. To refresh my memory, I re-read the prologue and found the sections where each of these characters is introduced. It is interesting to then compare the narrator's description of each to the personalities that shine through as they tell their stories.
First, the narrator introduces the Wife of Bath as having relatively loose morals, simply due to the fact that she has married five times. Certainly, this is a lot of husbands to have in one lifetime, and it is definitely understandable that one would think her to be morally weak because of this, especially in those times. However, as she reveals in her tale about the knight and the old woman, her experiences with her spouses revolved around the one thing that women want--to have obedient, loyal husbands. It is assumed, then, that she separated from her ex-husbands because they did not provide her with this indulgence, and she is now happy with her fifth and current husband because he does obey her.
The tales of the Friar, the Pardoner, the Nun's Priest, and the Prioress all have distinct elements of Church influences. Certainly, the Church was a big part of life in those days, so this would make sense. Chaucer injects subtle satire into each of these tales, however, and this indicates to the reader that the Church isn't as cohesive at this time as it would have liked to portray itself. For example, the Friar's tale attacks the Summoner and displays his corruption (and the Summoner's tale, which is not included in this unit, attacks the Friar and tries to show how he is contributing to the deterioration of the Church as well). Clearly, not everyone gets along and follows all of the rules, and this leads to a chasm within the system.
The tale that I liked the most was that of the Franklin. This was a refreshing change of pace after reading about the feud between the Friar and the Summoner. The Franklin is one of the only truly good people in this caravan, as the narrator points out during the prologue. His story, the Promise of Dorigen, was a beautiful story of love, trust, and honesty, and showed the Franklin's heart and strong morals.
Through both his clever, thinly-veiled satire and his words of praise, Chaucer shows the reader of the Canterbury Tales the true character of each of these travelers.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Week 11 Reading Diary: The Canterbury Tales
This week, I chose to read the Canterbury Tales unit. In high school, I had read excerpts of the poetry in a British literature class, and I liked the morals and themes that it contained, so I thought I would delve into it more! I might also look at the Middle English version of it and compare it to the modern English--different translations have always fascinated me.
The Wife of Bath's Tale ("The Unknown Bride"): One thing that I found interesting was that the story of King Midas was from as early as the time of Ovid--I had never realized that. I appreciated the commentary before this story on this matter. The rest of the tale was a roller coaster of emotions: at first, I didn't really care for the knight because of his crime, but as the story went on and he realized that his wife, the old woman, carried her beauty on the inside, I grew to respect him a little more. Overall, the Wife of Bath lays out the theme that husbands should follow the counsel of their wives.
The Friar's Tale ("The Story of the Summoner"): I really hope the Summoner learned his lesson in this story--even though it might be too late. He tries to swindle an old, poor woman out of twelve pence that she does not have, and she in turn curses him and says she would sooner let the demon who is traveling with the Summoner take him than give him the money. Sure enough, the demon takes his soul into the depths of Hell. This story, which portrays a corrupt Summoner, in conjunction with the story of the Summoner, which portrays a corrupt Friar, shows their strained relationship as well as the split in the church of Chaucer's time.
The Franklin's Tale ("The Promise of Dorigen"): This is a refreshing change from some of the stories that other travelers tell, which involve immoral deeds. In the Franklin's Tale, he emphasizes love and faithfulness as being key components to a marriage and truth and honesty as being important to one's character. Dorigen and her husband Arviragus understand how crucial these aspects are to any relationship--she refuses to be untrue while her husband is away, and he insists that she keep her promise to Aurelius. I am glad that everything worked out for everyone in the end.
The Pardoner's Tale ("The Revelers Who Went out to Meet Death"): The Pardoner hammers home the point that money is the root of all evil. When the three drunken revelers go into the next town to find Death, they find a pile of gold coins. They send the youngest into town to get food and wine and the others stay and guard their pile. These two plan to kill the youngest when he gets back and take his share, and the other reveler has similar plans, so he poisons the wine. At the end, all three of them indeed meet Death.
The Prioress's Tale ("Little Hugh of Lincoln"): This was a morbid tale and it truly made me sad for the intolerance of the Christians of Chaucer's time. The background information given at the beginning was helpful in understanding the story, and the Prioress's title also explains a lot of her opinion that is injected in this anti-Semitic tale. I am glad that we can trace archives back to the root of immorality such as is depicted in this story so that we can change our behaviors and mindsets.
The Nun's Priest's Tale ("The Cock, the Hen, and the Fox"): Ah, the famous story of Chanticleer, his wife, and the fox. In this story, Chaucer describes humans' weaknesses by portraying animals as human-like. At first, Chanticleer is vain and gives in to the temptation and flattery of the fox, but he is cunning and escapes, learning his lesson and not listening to the fox's false praise again.
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale ("The Priest who Learned to be a Philosopher"): It is interesting that both the Canon and the Yeoman were not listed in the prologue of the original Canterbury Tales. This story must have been added after the original stories were published.
The Wife of Bath's Tale ("The Unknown Bride"): One thing that I found interesting was that the story of King Midas was from as early as the time of Ovid--I had never realized that. I appreciated the commentary before this story on this matter. The rest of the tale was a roller coaster of emotions: at first, I didn't really care for the knight because of his crime, but as the story went on and he realized that his wife, the old woman, carried her beauty on the inside, I grew to respect him a little more. Overall, the Wife of Bath lays out the theme that husbands should follow the counsel of their wives.
The Friar's Tale ("The Story of the Summoner"): I really hope the Summoner learned his lesson in this story--even though it might be too late. He tries to swindle an old, poor woman out of twelve pence that she does not have, and she in turn curses him and says she would sooner let the demon who is traveling with the Summoner take him than give him the money. Sure enough, the demon takes his soul into the depths of Hell. This story, which portrays a corrupt Summoner, in conjunction with the story of the Summoner, which portrays a corrupt Friar, shows their strained relationship as well as the split in the church of Chaucer's time.
The Franklin's Tale ("The Promise of Dorigen"): This is a refreshing change from some of the stories that other travelers tell, which involve immoral deeds. In the Franklin's Tale, he emphasizes love and faithfulness as being key components to a marriage and truth and honesty as being important to one's character. Dorigen and her husband Arviragus understand how crucial these aspects are to any relationship--she refuses to be untrue while her husband is away, and he insists that she keep her promise to Aurelius. I am glad that everything worked out for everyone in the end.
The Pardoner's Tale ("The Revelers Who Went out to Meet Death"): The Pardoner hammers home the point that money is the root of all evil. When the three drunken revelers go into the next town to find Death, they find a pile of gold coins. They send the youngest into town to get food and wine and the others stay and guard their pile. These two plan to kill the youngest when he gets back and take his share, and the other reveler has similar plans, so he poisons the wine. At the end, all three of them indeed meet Death.
The Prioress's Tale ("Little Hugh of Lincoln"): This was a morbid tale and it truly made me sad for the intolerance of the Christians of Chaucer's time. The background information given at the beginning was helpful in understanding the story, and the Prioress's title also explains a lot of her opinion that is injected in this anti-Semitic tale. I am glad that we can trace archives back to the root of immorality such as is depicted in this story so that we can change our behaviors and mindsets.
The Nun's Priest's Tale ("The Cock, the Hen, and the Fox"): Ah, the famous story of Chanticleer, his wife, and the fox. In this story, Chaucer describes humans' weaknesses by portraying animals as human-like. At first, Chanticleer is vain and gives in to the temptation and flattery of the fox, but he is cunning and escapes, learning his lesson and not listening to the fox's false praise again.
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale ("The Priest who Learned to be a Philosopher"): It is interesting that both the Canon and the Yeoman were not listed in the prologue of the original Canterbury Tales. This story must have been added after the original stories were published.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Week 10 Reading Diary: Myths of the Cherokee
This week, I am reading the lore of the Cherokee tribe. I chose this because I have always been fascinated with Native American culture, and the Cherokees are one of the largest and most well-known tribes, and I was interested in seeing how their traditions were portrayed in their folklore.
Once again, this unit starts off with the tribe's take on how the world was created. As I mentioned in last week's essay, the different points of view of the early Earth and how living creatures came to be would be a vast area of study in itself. It is intriguing to compare and contrast the perspectives on the development of the world. The Cherokee point of view is not so different from that of the Chitimachas: the pre-formed world, according to both of them, was submerged in water. In the Chitimacha culture, they believed that a crawfish (a symbol of Louisiana, where they originated) dug up mud from the bottom of the ocean and it spread out to form dry land; the Cherokees believed that a water beetle did the same.
First Fire describes the origin of physical characteristics of certain birds that were there from the beginning of the Earth. I always love reading explanatory lore; it is interesting to see the creativity that early storytellers had when justifying how certain things came to be. In this story, the reasons for the raven's black feathers, the screech owl's red eyes, and the hooting and horned owls' white-ringed eyes are explained.
A similarly explanatory tale in this unit is Why the Possum's Tail is Bare. I felt so bad for the poor possum in this story! In it, the trickster Rabbit had had his tail pulled off by Bear (after he cheated Otter out of his coat) and is jealous of Possum's beautiful, bushy tail, so he hires Cricket, the local barber, to cut off every single hair from the tail. To this day, possums' tails are completely bare and in stark contrast to the rest of their bodies. Undoubtedly, someone took note of this and decided to write a story explaining why. This tale is a portrayal of the lengths some go to because of envy or jealousy.
A lot of the other myths of the Cherokee involve the trickster Rabbit as well. He is not so successful in his tricks as others in lore, however. When he goes duck hunting, he tries to convince Otter that he can do exactly what Otter does--dive, catch, and eat ducks. The plan that he devises does not seem fruitful: he almost drowns, and then when he does catch a duck, he is carried through the air and lands in a hollow sycamore stump from which he cannot escape and almost dies of starvation.
The story of the Terrapin and the Wolves also explains the texture of turtles' shells. It is also interesting to see the relationship between these Native American stories and those that originated in Africa. The part where the wolves were threatening the terrapin reminded me of the story of Brer Rabbit in which he was stuck to the tar baby and Brer Fox threatens to throw him into the briar patch. Mr. Rabbit begs fervently (and strategically) for him not to do so, when in fact he feels most at home in the briars. When Mr. Fox throws him in, Rabbit easily scampers away. Similarly, the terrapin is most comfortable in the river but tricks the wolves into thinking that this is his greatest weakness, and this is also how he escapes.
When the Huhu and the Owl get married, it is interesting to see the culture of the Cherokees really shine through. Honestly, I was very taken aback to find out that the first man turned into an owl and I didn't really understand if there was a moral to this story. The tale of the huhu (I also still don't know what this is) was very similar. Even through the slight confusion, however, I enjoyed reading these stories and getting a glimpse into the traditions. I have a friend who is learning the Cherokee language, and I will have to verify with her in the future.
Once again, this unit starts off with the tribe's take on how the world was created. As I mentioned in last week's essay, the different points of view of the early Earth and how living creatures came to be would be a vast area of study in itself. It is intriguing to compare and contrast the perspectives on the development of the world. The Cherokee point of view is not so different from that of the Chitimachas: the pre-formed world, according to both of them, was submerged in water. In the Chitimacha culture, they believed that a crawfish (a symbol of Louisiana, where they originated) dug up mud from the bottom of the ocean and it spread out to form dry land; the Cherokees believed that a water beetle did the same.
First Fire describes the origin of physical characteristics of certain birds that were there from the beginning of the Earth. I always love reading explanatory lore; it is interesting to see the creativity that early storytellers had when justifying how certain things came to be. In this story, the reasons for the raven's black feathers, the screech owl's red eyes, and the hooting and horned owls' white-ringed eyes are explained.
A similarly explanatory tale in this unit is Why the Possum's Tail is Bare. I felt so bad for the poor possum in this story! In it, the trickster Rabbit had had his tail pulled off by Bear (after he cheated Otter out of his coat) and is jealous of Possum's beautiful, bushy tail, so he hires Cricket, the local barber, to cut off every single hair from the tail. To this day, possums' tails are completely bare and in stark contrast to the rest of their bodies. Undoubtedly, someone took note of this and decided to write a story explaining why. This tale is a portrayal of the lengths some go to because of envy or jealousy.
A lot of the other myths of the Cherokee involve the trickster Rabbit as well. He is not so successful in his tricks as others in lore, however. When he goes duck hunting, he tries to convince Otter that he can do exactly what Otter does--dive, catch, and eat ducks. The plan that he devises does not seem fruitful: he almost drowns, and then when he does catch a duck, he is carried through the air and lands in a hollow sycamore stump from which he cannot escape and almost dies of starvation.
The story of the Terrapin and the Wolves also explains the texture of turtles' shells. It is also interesting to see the relationship between these Native American stories and those that originated in Africa. The part where the wolves were threatening the terrapin reminded me of the story of Brer Rabbit in which he was stuck to the tar baby and Brer Fox threatens to throw him into the briar patch. Mr. Rabbit begs fervently (and strategically) for him not to do so, when in fact he feels most at home in the briars. When Mr. Fox throws him in, Rabbit easily scampers away. Similarly, the terrapin is most comfortable in the river but tricks the wolves into thinking that this is his greatest weakness, and this is also how he escapes.
When the Huhu and the Owl get married, it is interesting to see the culture of the Cherokees really shine through. Honestly, I was very taken aback to find out that the first man turned into an owl and I didn't really understand if there was a moral to this story. The tale of the huhu (I also still don't know what this is) was very similar. Even through the slight confusion, however, I enjoyed reading these stories and getting a glimpse into the traditions. I have a friend who is learning the Cherokee language, and I will have to verify with her in the future.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Week 6 Storytelling: The Monkey King
Well, hello there! Oh, I'm sorry--I didn't mean to startle you. Sometimes I forget that not many people are accustomed to having a rock spontaneously start talking to them. Well, that's right, I am a living, breathing boulder and I am here to tell you about the most fascinating thing that has ever happened to me.
It was long ago, when the world was still young and I was but a small stone. I found myself at the top of this wonderful mountain that we are standing on. I have always felt blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful flowers and fragrant fruits, but what I am most thankful for is the proximity to the heavens while also being in contact with the earth. I have had access to all the worldly and supernatural powers because of this closeness (these are what gave me the power to speak, you see). So, I knew I had abilities that my peers did not, but I didn't know that I could give rise to new beings. One day, I was surprised when I felt a low rumbling in my core, then suddenly, I burst open and a perfectly smooth, round stone came out. At first, I thought this was just an effect of erosion, but as the days passed, I came to realize that it was an egg. As I scrutinized the stone over the next few days, it shuddered periodically for a while, and finally, a stone monkey hatched from it.
I watched this monkey grow up through the years. Oh, nostalgia--I can still remember when he was just starting to learn to run and jump as a young chimp, such a far cry from his extensive abilities today. He grew to be the strongest and most agile being I had ever seen (a feat of which I was very jealous for a while, as all I can do is sit here and watch). He spent his days in rambunctious contentment and the world was his playground. His curiosity was endlessly insatiable, and he would constantly get in trouble--but no one could ever stay mad at him for long because he was so clever and charming.
I remember one exciting day in particular. The young monkey and his friends had been playing near a waterfall, but they had gotten too close and realized that they could get seriously injured if they weren't careful. They reconvened on the side of the mountain where I sat and discussed what they would do. "We are due for a king," they said. "Whoever can pass under the waterfall without getting hurt should be our new leader." Immediately, our stone hero volunteered. So the monkeys headed towards the waterfall again.
When they came back, they were buzzing with excitement about their adventure. As they discussed what had just happened, I learned that the stone monkey had indeed crossed through the waterfall (I was not at all surprised), and he had discovered an ancient chamber with stone treasures. The other apes, awed, now had to keep their promise and made him their ruler, calling him Handsome King of the Apes.
So he remained for three peaceful centuries, ruling firmly but justly, our wise leader.
-----
Author's note: This week, I read the story of Sun Wu Kong, the Monkey King. I felt like the introduction to this unit provided a good explanation of the king's unusual origins and personality. I retold the story from the point of view of the stone from which the monkey sprung because, although unorthodox, it would offer some unique insight into the thoughts of an outsider who was still involved in the situation. It was at first difficult to continue the story when the monkeys went back to the waterfall because, from the point of view of the boulder, who could not move, he could not see the adventures firsthand and could only know what happened through the monkeys. However, I tried to summarize the events as best as I could.
I wanted to take a tone of reverence throughout the rock's account. Sun Wu Kong (a name which he gets later on in his adventures), although boisterous and prideful, sometimes to the point of being conceited, is shown as a respectable ruler. Because of this, I wanted to convey an air of being a "proud parent" from the point of view of the boulder.
Bibliography:
"The Ape Sun Wu Kong" from the Chinese Fairy Book.
Edited by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
Source: Project Gutenberg.
It was long ago, when the world was still young and I was but a small stone. I found myself at the top of this wonderful mountain that we are standing on. I have always felt blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful flowers and fragrant fruits, but what I am most thankful for is the proximity to the heavens while also being in contact with the earth. I have had access to all the worldly and supernatural powers because of this closeness (these are what gave me the power to speak, you see). So, I knew I had abilities that my peers did not, but I didn't know that I could give rise to new beings. One day, I was surprised when I felt a low rumbling in my core, then suddenly, I burst open and a perfectly smooth, round stone came out. At first, I thought this was just an effect of erosion, but as the days passed, I came to realize that it was an egg. As I scrutinized the stone over the next few days, it shuddered periodically for a while, and finally, a stone monkey hatched from it.
I watched this monkey grow up through the years. Oh, nostalgia--I can still remember when he was just starting to learn to run and jump as a young chimp, such a far cry from his extensive abilities today. He grew to be the strongest and most agile being I had ever seen (a feat of which I was very jealous for a while, as all I can do is sit here and watch). He spent his days in rambunctious contentment and the world was his playground. His curiosity was endlessly insatiable, and he would constantly get in trouble--but no one could ever stay mad at him for long because he was so clever and charming.
I remember one exciting day in particular. The young monkey and his friends had been playing near a waterfall, but they had gotten too close and realized that they could get seriously injured if they weren't careful. They reconvened on the side of the mountain where I sat and discussed what they would do. "We are due for a king," they said. "Whoever can pass under the waterfall without getting hurt should be our new leader." Immediately, our stone hero volunteered. So the monkeys headed towards the waterfall again.
When they came back, they were buzzing with excitement about their adventure. As they discussed what had just happened, I learned that the stone monkey had indeed crossed through the waterfall (I was not at all surprised), and he had discovered an ancient chamber with stone treasures. The other apes, awed, now had to keep their promise and made him their ruler, calling him Handsome King of the Apes.
So he remained for three peaceful centuries, ruling firmly but justly, our wise leader.
The Monkey King at the waterfall. Source: China on Site.
-----
Author's note: This week, I read the story of Sun Wu Kong, the Monkey King. I felt like the introduction to this unit provided a good explanation of the king's unusual origins and personality. I retold the story from the point of view of the stone from which the monkey sprung because, although unorthodox, it would offer some unique insight into the thoughts of an outsider who was still involved in the situation. It was at first difficult to continue the story when the monkeys went back to the waterfall because, from the point of view of the boulder, who could not move, he could not see the adventures firsthand and could only know what happened through the monkeys. However, I tried to summarize the events as best as I could.
I wanted to take a tone of reverence throughout the rock's account. Sun Wu Kong (a name which he gets later on in his adventures), although boisterous and prideful, sometimes to the point of being conceited, is shown as a respectable ruler. Because of this, I wanted to convey an air of being a "proud parent" from the point of view of the boulder.
Bibliography:
"The Ape Sun Wu Kong" from the Chinese Fairy Book.
Edited by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
Source: Project Gutenberg.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Week 9 Essay: Comparisons of Creation
This week, as I was reading through the Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes unit, I quickly became intrigued by the differences in storytelling styles and tones as well as the content of the stories from the various tribes across this region. I focused mainly on the two stories of creation, one from the Winnebago people and the other from the Chitimachas. Possibly due to their geographic separation (the former were concentrated in Nebraska while the latter resided in Louisiana), their thoughts on the universe before the Earth existed as well as their perceptions of a great Creator, from His being to how He conceptualized the world, have some drastic differences.
For the Winnebagos, the form of the "Earth-maker" is not described at all. This story of creation simply discusses an empty universe, except for where the creator himself is sitting. First, he forms a small piece of earth to make the planet that we know today, then he throws some grass on it, taken from his mysterious seat. What is interesting to me is the next description of the first living creatures that he makes: the Earth-maker forms a man but calls him Tortoise. Was this a real tortoise, simply called Man because it was the most complex organism at the time, or was it a human being actually named Tortoise? Regardless of this fact, however, Tortoise acts in the same way the first humans did in the Chitimachas' tale of creation (see below).
In contrast, the Chitimachas described the figure (albeit invisible) of their Creator in more detail, as well as the order of events in the creation of the world. These details are laid out step by step, chronologically, in order to explain the ways of nature.
The tones that each of these tales have are dramatically different from each other. The story of the Earth-maker seems more abstract and is told in more of an existentialist style. The details are not fully fleshed out, and this gives the reader more room to interpret and expand on those that are on the page. On the other hand, the Chitimachas seem to have taken more of a didactic approach to their storytelling, using this tale as a way to explain exactly what happened in the creation of the Earth and why certain events happen--for example, why the Sun shines brighter than the Moon and why humans have a symbiotic relationship with the animals around them.
These are only a small subset of the many different beliefs from Native American tribes all across North America. It would be fascinating to explore other styles of storytelling from other tribes.
-----
Works Cited
"The Earth-Maker" and "Creation"
Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes.
Edited by Katharine Berry Judson.
1914.
For the Winnebagos, the form of the "Earth-maker" is not described at all. This story of creation simply discusses an empty universe, except for where the creator himself is sitting. First, he forms a small piece of earth to make the planet that we know today, then he throws some grass on it, taken from his mysterious seat. What is interesting to me is the next description of the first living creatures that he makes: the Earth-maker forms a man but calls him Tortoise. Was this a real tortoise, simply called Man because it was the most complex organism at the time, or was it a human being actually named Tortoise? Regardless of this fact, however, Tortoise acts in the same way the first humans did in the Chitimachas' tale of creation (see below).
In contrast, the Chitimachas described the figure (albeit invisible) of their Creator in more detail, as well as the order of events in the creation of the world. These details are laid out step by step, chronologically, in order to explain the ways of nature.
The tones that each of these tales have are dramatically different from each other. The story of the Earth-maker seems more abstract and is told in more of an existentialist style. The details are not fully fleshed out, and this gives the reader more room to interpret and expand on those that are on the page. On the other hand, the Chitimachas seem to have taken more of a didactic approach to their storytelling, using this tale as a way to explain exactly what happened in the creation of the Earth and why certain events happen--for example, why the Sun shines brighter than the Moon and why humans have a symbiotic relationship with the animals around them.
These are only a small subset of the many different beliefs from Native American tribes all across North America. It would be fascinating to explore other styles of storytelling from other tribes.
-----
Works Cited
"The Earth-Maker" and "Creation"
Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes.
Edited by Katharine Berry Judson.
1914.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Week 9 Storytelling: Creation
Life under the sea is all I have ever known. It may seem boring, but I am content--I love to explore the depths with my friends. I have fond memories from when we were young crawfish of taking turns diving and seeing who could touch the ocean floor first.
For as long as I can remember, I have been friends with the Creator. Maybe the immediate attachment was because there weren't many other creatures with which to socialize, or just because I have always been intrigued by the being that He is and want to get to know him better. Either way, I've developed a close relationship with Him.
One day, during the early days of the Earth, He asked me for a favor. He requested that I dig up some earth from the bottom of the ocean so that He could have land upon which to set His new creation, Man. Of course, I was honored and agreed. For the next few days, I used the diving skills that I had acquired in my youth to reach the sea floor and pinch some mud between my claws. When I brought this mud up, I was surprised to see that it automatically spread out, creating vast amounts of dry land. 'This Creator really is something,' I thought to myself in awe.
This land came to be known as Natchez, and the Creator's next step was to bring Man into existence in this area. At first, I was frustrated by the naivete and unruliness of these beings--they did not heed the warnings that the Creator gave them, and therefore caused Him much grief. To solve this problem, the Creator sent down a substance that would calm the humans and make them less rambunctious.
I continued observing through the ages as He taught Man how to survive in the bitter wilderness with the help of Woman and other animals He created. Gradually, I was happy to see that they began to show the respect and honor to the Creator that He deserved. The tribe lived happily for many years.
-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of Creation from the Chitimacha people of Louisiana. This story detailed the order of events in the creation of the Earth from the perspective of the Chitimacha: at first, the sea and fish were created, then the Great Mystery sent down humans after Crawfish dug up some dry land. Afterwards, the humans had to learn how to fend for themselves, and the Creator graciously teaches them through the wise words of their animal companions.
As I was reading the original story, I got the feeling that the humans did not respect the Creator very much at first, and I wanted to show a tone of reverence throughout. I told this story from the perspective of the Crawfish because he was one of the first things ever made, and therefore feels honored to be in the presence of the Creator. It is because of this, then, that he feels frustrated when the humans are disrespectful when they first come to Earth, and that he feels relieved and glad when they eventually learn that they would not be able to survive without Him.
For as long as I can remember, I have been friends with the Creator. Maybe the immediate attachment was because there weren't many other creatures with which to socialize, or just because I have always been intrigued by the being that He is and want to get to know him better. Either way, I've developed a close relationship with Him.
One day, during the early days of the Earth, He asked me for a favor. He requested that I dig up some earth from the bottom of the ocean so that He could have land upon which to set His new creation, Man. Of course, I was honored and agreed. For the next few days, I used the diving skills that I had acquired in my youth to reach the sea floor and pinch some mud between my claws. When I brought this mud up, I was surprised to see that it automatically spread out, creating vast amounts of dry land. 'This Creator really is something,' I thought to myself in awe.
This land came to be known as Natchez, and the Creator's next step was to bring Man into existence in this area. At first, I was frustrated by the naivete and unruliness of these beings--they did not heed the warnings that the Creator gave them, and therefore caused Him much grief. To solve this problem, the Creator sent down a substance that would calm the humans and make them less rambunctious.
I continued observing through the ages as He taught Man how to survive in the bitter wilderness with the help of Woman and other animals He created. Gradually, I was happy to see that they began to show the respect and honor to the Creator that He deserved. The tribe lived happily for many years.
Crawfish on land, observing Man's interactions. Source: LA Tech.
-----
Author's note: This week, I retold the story of Creation from the Chitimacha people of Louisiana. This story detailed the order of events in the creation of the Earth from the perspective of the Chitimacha: at first, the sea and fish were created, then the Great Mystery sent down humans after Crawfish dug up some dry land. Afterwards, the humans had to learn how to fend for themselves, and the Creator graciously teaches them through the wise words of their animal companions.
As I was reading the original story, I got the feeling that the humans did not respect the Creator very much at first, and I wanted to show a tone of reverence throughout. I told this story from the perspective of the Crawfish because he was one of the first things ever made, and therefore feels honored to be in the presence of the Creator. It is because of this, then, that he feels frustrated when the humans are disrespectful when they first come to Earth, and that he feels relieved and glad when they eventually learn that they would not be able to survive without Him.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Week 9 Reading Diary: Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes
This week, I am reading tales from the Native American tribes of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes area. I chose this unit because I originally hail from the Great Lakes area and grew up with knowledge of the tribes that were there, but had never really read much of their stories and folklore. I am interested to see the themes present in this unit and how they relate to the cultures that I have learned about in the past.
The Earth Maker: This account of the creation of the Earth from the Winnebago tribe was intriguingly abstract. At times, I had to stop to re-read sentences because, though the language is simple, the ideas are hard to visualize. In a sense, the process of the creation of the Earth is similar to that detailed in the Bible: at first, there was nothing, then the land was created. After that, the creator made plants to grow upon the earth and creatures to roam the land. I was confused when the story said that the creator made a man and called him Tortoise, then later created the "two-legged walkers." Was this creature a man in the sense that we know the word, i.e., a human being, or was he actually a tortoise? If he were a human, I wouldn't think that he would be separated from the other two-legged walkers for any reason. I will look into Winnebago lore further to explore this.
Creation: It is interesting to compare stories about the same types of events and ideas between different tribes. This tale comes from the Chitimacha tribe from present-day Louisiana. The first paragraph describing the Creator of All Things certainly paints an odd picture: if its body were to become visible, one would probably see a headless body that could see and hear. The rest is fairly straightforward; this seems like a storytelling strategy that people have passed down through the ages: using folklore to explain certain events and behaviors, such as why the tribe hunts animals (to punish them for past transgressions) and why the Sun shines brighter than the Moon (because the Moon "forgot the sacred bathing").
Gifts of the Sky God: In the same didactic tone, the Chitimacha describe how humans received different gifts from above. What I don't fully comprehend is how these gifts correspond with the animals that brought them (or if there is even supposed to be a correlation). This is another aspect of culture I will have to investigate further.
The Earth Maker: This account of the creation of the Earth from the Winnebago tribe was intriguingly abstract. At times, I had to stop to re-read sentences because, though the language is simple, the ideas are hard to visualize. In a sense, the process of the creation of the Earth is similar to that detailed in the Bible: at first, there was nothing, then the land was created. After that, the creator made plants to grow upon the earth and creatures to roam the land. I was confused when the story said that the creator made a man and called him Tortoise, then later created the "two-legged walkers." Was this creature a man in the sense that we know the word, i.e., a human being, or was he actually a tortoise? If he were a human, I wouldn't think that he would be separated from the other two-legged walkers for any reason. I will look into Winnebago lore further to explore this.
Creation: It is interesting to compare stories about the same types of events and ideas between different tribes. This tale comes from the Chitimacha tribe from present-day Louisiana. The first paragraph describing the Creator of All Things certainly paints an odd picture: if its body were to become visible, one would probably see a headless body that could see and hear. The rest is fairly straightforward; this seems like a storytelling strategy that people have passed down through the ages: using folklore to explain certain events and behaviors, such as why the tribe hunts animals (to punish them for past transgressions) and why the Sun shines brighter than the Moon (because the Moon "forgot the sacred bathing").
Gifts of the Sky God: In the same didactic tone, the Chitimacha describe how humans received different gifts from above. What I don't fully comprehend is how these gifts correspond with the animals that brought them (or if there is even supposed to be a correlation). This is another aspect of culture I will have to investigate further.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Week 8 Reading Diary: Assessment
Looking back at my reading diary posts, I realize that I generally do not follow the advice that was given in the first week, which was not to give a mere plot summary of the stories. The majority of my reading diary notes are just that. This is something that my high school English teachers tried tirelessly to teach me, but I find it so easy to fall back on the trusty plot summary when I take notes.
The usual goal that I have with these posts is to be able to write my other posts for the week (essay, storytelling, etc.) by using just the diary without having to go back and look at the original story in the Un-Textbook. As I look at the progression of my diaries, I can tell that I was very diligent in the beginning, but the last couple of weeks have slacked a little in terms of length and content of the posts. I was still able to do the other assignments with the diary, but I found that it required a lot more contemplation later on, rather than just having my thoughts laid out from the start.
When I stray from the plot summary, this is where I find I make the most connections to other literature and media and where I can allude most successfully to themes in other novels, units I'd read previously, etc. Certainly, this is not easy to do, but the weeks where I have actively tried to analyze the text rather than just reading it for the surface details have been the ones where I have been most satisfied with my storytelling posts. It is definitely difficult to remember to do this every week; whenever life gets hectic, I tend to go back to my old habits of summary and paraphrasing.
Reflecting on this, I realize that I must be diligent in my analysis of the weekly reading so as to get the most out of the text. I truly am interested in the worldly literature offered in this course, and I would like to retain stories for future reference.
The usual goal that I have with these posts is to be able to write my other posts for the week (essay, storytelling, etc.) by using just the diary without having to go back and look at the original story in the Un-Textbook. As I look at the progression of my diaries, I can tell that I was very diligent in the beginning, but the last couple of weeks have slacked a little in terms of length and content of the posts. I was still able to do the other assignments with the diary, but I found that it required a lot more contemplation later on, rather than just having my thoughts laid out from the start.
When I stray from the plot summary, this is where I find I make the most connections to other literature and media and where I can allude most successfully to themes in other novels, units I'd read previously, etc. Certainly, this is not easy to do, but the weeks where I have actively tried to analyze the text rather than just reading it for the surface details have been the ones where I have been most satisfied with my storytelling posts. It is definitely difficult to remember to do this every week; whenever life gets hectic, I tend to go back to my old habits of summary and paraphrasing.
Reflecting on this, I realize that I must be diligent in my analysis of the weekly reading so as to get the most out of the text. I truly am interested in the worldly literature offered in this course, and I would like to retain stories for future reference.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Week 7 Storytelling: The Cat's Reflection
One fine summer day, a mischievous tomcat was strolling along a country lane. He had been enjoying his day off from antagonizing the mice in the barn where he lived and had decided to go for a walk in the fresh air.
As it was midday, all of the local animals were out running errands and enjoying the weather, the first uncharacteristically mild day of the season. As the tomcat walked by, he greeted each of them enthusiastically. He was an indoor, nocturnal cat, and it had been a while since he had experienced this flurry of activity during the day, and he had missed all of the hustle and bustle of his friends and neighbors.
After a while, he had walked the length of the road, but because it was such a nice day, he decided to continue exploring. He had never gone this far away from his barn before. Stepping off of the road and onto a patchy, grassy area, he felt the exhilaration of the unknown. As the cat realized his freedom, he pranced through the tall weeds, going in any direction his paws would take him. His senses were overtaken by the experience: he could see every fine detail on each blade of the tall grass, and he could smell the fresh scent of the warm summer air.
After a while of frolicking through the field, the cat saw an opening in some reeds up ahead. As he approached it, he heard a soothing noise unlike anything he had ever heard before. He walked up to the clearing and saw a small stream of rushing water. As he had never seen such a thing before, he was perplexed. However, he was determined to make the most of his day off. He said to himself, "I've come this far already. I might as well check this out."
He walked up to the stream and looked down. There, staring back at him, was a friendly face--that of another cat. Excitedly, he introduced himself. He was startled when the cat mimicked his words exactly, but brushed it off. "What a beautiful day, huh?" he continued joyfully.
The cat in the water continued to copy him. Now becoming confused, he asked, "How did you know what I was going to say?" Still the other cat mocked him, this time with a puzzled look on his face. The tomcat realized that this mysterious cat was even mimicking his facial expressions. "Stop taunting me!" he said, now annoyed at the other cat's rudeness. But it would not stop, instead continuing to annoy the poor cat. At this point, the anger on the water-feline's face was enough to be alarming to the tomcat. Now both frustrated and scared, he reached out his paw and tried to attack the other cat, and was startled when it mirrored his actions. Frightened and disturbed, he jumped up so as not to be attacked himself. This sudden movement caused him to slip off of the bank and plunge headfirst into the water. Too late did the cat realize that he was merely talking to his reflection in the clear water, and he bemoaned his ignorance and impatience.
----
Author's note: This is a loose retelling of the story of The Wonderful Tar-Baby from the Brer Rabbit unit. In the original, Brer Rabbit comes across a doll made of sticky tar, placed by one of his trickster friends, Brer Fox, as a form of revenge. As Mr. Rabbit tries to talk to the doll, it obviously doesn't respond, and he gets easily frustrated at the being. He begins to violently beat the doll, but only manages to get stuck in it.
In my story, I maintained a similar theme but changed the characters and removed the trickster: here, the only antagonist is the cat's own thoughts. In this case, instead of not responding whatsoever, the cat's reflection does a similarly impolite thing in mimicking the cat, which the cat interprets as mocking. The ultimate moral is the same as that of the original story, though: be patient and understand the entirety of the situation before acting rashly. The last line is intended to show the cat's regret, but that he has learned his lesson. The reader can only hope that he can survive in order to apply what he has learned in the future (I will try to incorporate a scene in which the cat is rescued so as not to make the ending so morbid).
Bibliography:
"The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story"
Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings
Joel Chandler Harris, 1881.
As it was midday, all of the local animals were out running errands and enjoying the weather, the first uncharacteristically mild day of the season. As the tomcat walked by, he greeted each of them enthusiastically. He was an indoor, nocturnal cat, and it had been a while since he had experienced this flurry of activity during the day, and he had missed all of the hustle and bustle of his friends and neighbors.
After a while, he had walked the length of the road, but because it was such a nice day, he decided to continue exploring. He had never gone this far away from his barn before. Stepping off of the road and onto a patchy, grassy area, he felt the exhilaration of the unknown. As the cat realized his freedom, he pranced through the tall weeds, going in any direction his paws would take him. His senses were overtaken by the experience: he could see every fine detail on each blade of the tall grass, and he could smell the fresh scent of the warm summer air.
After a while of frolicking through the field, the cat saw an opening in some reeds up ahead. As he approached it, he heard a soothing noise unlike anything he had ever heard before. He walked up to the clearing and saw a small stream of rushing water. As he had never seen such a thing before, he was perplexed. However, he was determined to make the most of his day off. He said to himself, "I've come this far already. I might as well check this out."
He walked up to the stream and looked down. There, staring back at him, was a friendly face--that of another cat. Excitedly, he introduced himself. He was startled when the cat mimicked his words exactly, but brushed it off. "What a beautiful day, huh?" he continued joyfully.
The cat in the water continued to copy him. Now becoming confused, he asked, "How did you know what I was going to say?" Still the other cat mocked him, this time with a puzzled look on his face. The tomcat realized that this mysterious cat was even mimicking his facial expressions. "Stop taunting me!" he said, now annoyed at the other cat's rudeness. But it would not stop, instead continuing to annoy the poor cat. At this point, the anger on the water-feline's face was enough to be alarming to the tomcat. Now both frustrated and scared, he reached out his paw and tried to attack the other cat, and was startled when it mirrored his actions. Frightened and disturbed, he jumped up so as not to be attacked himself. This sudden movement caused him to slip off of the bank and plunge headfirst into the water. Too late did the cat realize that he was merely talking to his reflection in the clear water, and he bemoaned his ignorance and impatience.
The cat at the riverbank. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
----
Author's note: This is a loose retelling of the story of The Wonderful Tar-Baby from the Brer Rabbit unit. In the original, Brer Rabbit comes across a doll made of sticky tar, placed by one of his trickster friends, Brer Fox, as a form of revenge. As Mr. Rabbit tries to talk to the doll, it obviously doesn't respond, and he gets easily frustrated at the being. He begins to violently beat the doll, but only manages to get stuck in it.
In my story, I maintained a similar theme but changed the characters and removed the trickster: here, the only antagonist is the cat's own thoughts. In this case, instead of not responding whatsoever, the cat's reflection does a similarly impolite thing in mimicking the cat, which the cat interprets as mocking. The ultimate moral is the same as that of the original story, though: be patient and understand the entirety of the situation before acting rashly. The last line is intended to show the cat's regret, but that he has learned his lesson. The reader can only hope that he can survive in order to apply what he has learned in the future (I will try to incorporate a scene in which the cat is rescued so as not to make the ending so morbid).
Bibliography:
"The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story"
Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings
Joel Chandler Harris, 1881.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Week 7 Essay: Didactic Dialect
This week, I read about the adventures of Brer Rabbit. From the description in the Un-Textbook, I knew that the story maintained the original dialect, but I did not fully understand what that meant until I actually began reading. I was certainly in for a challenging surprise as I delved into the content.
The interesting thing is to understand where the dialect comes from. This story was in the African folktales section of the Un-Textbook, but these were adapted by a journalist from Atlanta, Georgia. It was fascinating to read the eye dialect that represented a Deep Southern accent--certainly, the unique spelling of some words was hard to comprehend at first, but as I began to read aloud, it made the assignment much less difficult (especially useful because I could then actually understand the plots and morals being taught by the stories).
It is intriguing to me how much a single language can differ, even within a country. I have always wondered about the nuances of accents--why is it that certain regions in, say, the United States have different ways of saying particular words as compared to other areas of the country? Where did the Southern drawl come from, and why is it so different from the Midwestern form of speech? It would be enlightening to trace the history of immigrants who settled in the distinct areas of the country and investigate their native tongues to compare them with how they would interpret and learn to vocalize sounds in English.
The interesting thing is to understand where the dialect comes from. This story was in the African folktales section of the Un-Textbook, but these were adapted by a journalist from Atlanta, Georgia. It was fascinating to read the eye dialect that represented a Deep Southern accent--certainly, the unique spelling of some words was hard to comprehend at first, but as I began to read aloud, it made the assignment much less difficult (especially useful because I could then actually understand the plots and morals being taught by the stories).
It is intriguing to me how much a single language can differ, even within a country. I have always wondered about the nuances of accents--why is it that certain regions in, say, the United States have different ways of saying particular words as compared to other areas of the country? Where did the Southern drawl come from, and why is it so different from the Midwestern form of speech? It would be enlightening to trace the history of immigrants who settled in the distinct areas of the country and investigate their native tongues to compare them with how they would interpret and learn to vocalize sounds in English.
Although the language might be confusing, Brer Rabbit's experiences are
meant to teach readers morals. Source: Wren's Nest.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Week 7 Reading Diary: Brer Rabbit
This week, I read the Brer Rabbit unit from the African folklore section in the Un-Textbook.
The description of the unit in the Un-Textbook said the stories are "told in dialect." I did not understand what this meant until I actually started reading. It was certainly a very unique way to write out a story (although it makes sense that it is transcribed just like it would be told; oral communication was the most prevalent method of storytelling in that setting). It took me a little while to get used to the style, but I found that if I read out loud, it helped me to comprehend the reading a little better.
My favorite story in this unit was the Wonderful Tar Baby. In this, Brer Rabbit encounters a doll made of tar, constructed by Brer Fox as a trick. When Brer Rabbit attempts to make conversation with the figure, it doesn't respond. Brer Rabbit gets frustrated, thinking it rude, and tries to beat the tar baby but gets stuck. The ending is somewhat ambiguous as the reader doesn't know if Brer Rabbit ever gets out of his trap ("Some say Judge B'ar come 'long en loosed 'im—some say he didn't.").
In How Mr. Rabbit was too Sharp for Mr. Fox, Brer Rabbit gets back at Brer Fox for the tar baby trick. Here, the reader truly sees Mr. Rabbit's cunning. Whereas in previous stories, he didn't seem too bright (after all, he did try to beat an inanimate object), he now proves his wits by acting humble when Brer Fox reveals his trick, asking him not to throw him into the brier patch. In reality, this is where rabbits thrive (he was born and bred in a brier-patch), and Mr. Fox takes the bait. Once Mr. Rabbit is in the field, he easily disentangles himself and runs free.
It is interesting to me that pride is a common theme in this story. A character--usually Brer Fox or Brer Rabbit--gets prideful, becomes the butt of a joke played by another character, and meets embarrassment and humility, but only for a short time until the next trick. This is prevalent in stories like Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman and Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match. This goes with one of my favorite quotes, "Modesty and unselfishness--these are traits which men praise--and pass by." Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox could certainly use some lessons in modesty.
The description of the unit in the Un-Textbook said the stories are "told in dialect." I did not understand what this meant until I actually started reading. It was certainly a very unique way to write out a story (although it makes sense that it is transcribed just like it would be told; oral communication was the most prevalent method of storytelling in that setting). It took me a little while to get used to the style, but I found that if I read out loud, it helped me to comprehend the reading a little better.
My favorite story in this unit was the Wonderful Tar Baby. In this, Brer Rabbit encounters a doll made of tar, constructed by Brer Fox as a trick. When Brer Rabbit attempts to make conversation with the figure, it doesn't respond. Brer Rabbit gets frustrated, thinking it rude, and tries to beat the tar baby but gets stuck. The ending is somewhat ambiguous as the reader doesn't know if Brer Rabbit ever gets out of his trap ("Some say Judge B'ar come 'long en loosed 'im—some say he didn't.").
In How Mr. Rabbit was too Sharp for Mr. Fox, Brer Rabbit gets back at Brer Fox for the tar baby trick. Here, the reader truly sees Mr. Rabbit's cunning. Whereas in previous stories, he didn't seem too bright (after all, he did try to beat an inanimate object), he now proves his wits by acting humble when Brer Fox reveals his trick, asking him not to throw him into the brier patch. In reality, this is where rabbits thrive (he was born and bred in a brier-patch), and Mr. Fox takes the bait. Once Mr. Rabbit is in the field, he easily disentangles himself and runs free.
It is interesting to me that pride is a common theme in this story. A character--usually Brer Fox or Brer Rabbit--gets prideful, becomes the butt of a joke played by another character, and meets embarrassment and humility, but only for a short time until the next trick. This is prevalent in stories like Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman and Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match. This goes with one of my favorite quotes, "Modesty and unselfishness--these are traits which men praise--and pass by." Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox could certainly use some lessons in modesty.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Week 5 Storytelling: The Genie's Lament
A sudden rattling woke me from my deep slumber. The walls that entrapped me began to shake violently, and I could feel the vessel that I was in begin to be pulled upwards by a strong force. After a while of this, a bright white light flooded my eyes. I was shocked at first, but then I realized that I had more room to spread out for the first time in centuries. Seizing my opportunity, I exploded out of the vase that had held me captive for so long.
I should probably introduce myself at this point. I am a lowly genie who made a critical mistake about three hundred years ago: I disobeyed the king of the genii. I was young and immature, and I didn't know any better. However, he decided to punish me by sealing me into a vase and enchanting it so that I would be trapped until someone freed me. Each day was torture as I did not know how long it would be until I saw my family again, how long I would be cooped up. I held out hope though--I told myself that if anyone freed me before the first century was over, I would bless him and his family with riches beyond belief. I was still faithful that I would be rescued during my second century of captivity. But after that passed and still nobody had released me, I vowed that I would immediately kill the person who set me free.
When I had escaped the vase completely and taken my true form, I examined my surroundings. Looking down, I saw a feeble fisherman. So, this was my savior, I guess. I scrutinized him, taking in his dirty, ragged clothes and his emaciated appearance. He didn't look like he'd put up much of a fight. He spoke to me as if he were expecting a reward; bitterly, I demanded that he show me more respect before I killed him.
This certainly caught him off guard. He hastily asked, "Why must you kill me?"
Wearily, I explained my entire story. I told him of my former king and his unjust punishment, and the thoughts that raced through my head during the entirety of my imprisonment. The fisherman just looked at me incredulously throughout my account. "But you are so large!" he said. "How did you fit into that tiny vase?"
My pride took over here, and I wanted to show this lowly human my powers. I turned myself into wisps of smoke and fitted myself easily once again inside the vase. Suddenly, I heard a loud clank. I looked up and realized that the man had replaced the lid, closing me in again. No matter how hard I tried, I could not push past the enchantment.
I cried out of frustration: how could I have been so stupid? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to wait for another liberator to come along. Maybe this time I'll be a little more reasonable.
-----
Author's note: I chose to retell the Story of the Fisherman from the Arabian Nights unit. In this account, I stuck to the original fairly closely, except for the fact that I changed the point of view from third-person omniscient to that of the genie. This story jumped out at me because of the fisherman's cunning, and I also wanted to tell it from the perspective of the bitter genie so that the reader could get more insight into his feelings. In the original story, the genie is shown as a wholly harsh, unfeeling being with no reason or logic behind his actions, and I wanted to change that a little and give him at least an inkling of compassion. I tried to do this by injecting a bit of remorse at the end when he is captured again. Of course, this story continues as the fisherman teaches the genie a lesson through another tale in this frametale, but I had to find a way to end this particular account.
Bibliography:
The Arabian Nights' Entertainments
Andrew Lang, illustrated by H.J. Ford
(1898)
Source: Project Gutenberg
I should probably introduce myself at this point. I am a lowly genie who made a critical mistake about three hundred years ago: I disobeyed the king of the genii. I was young and immature, and I didn't know any better. However, he decided to punish me by sealing me into a vase and enchanting it so that I would be trapped until someone freed me. Each day was torture as I did not know how long it would be until I saw my family again, how long I would be cooped up. I held out hope though--I told myself that if anyone freed me before the first century was over, I would bless him and his family with riches beyond belief. I was still faithful that I would be rescued during my second century of captivity. But after that passed and still nobody had released me, I vowed that I would immediately kill the person who set me free.
The vase that held me captive. Source: deviantArt.
When I had escaped the vase completely and taken my true form, I examined my surroundings. Looking down, I saw a feeble fisherman. So, this was my savior, I guess. I scrutinized him, taking in his dirty, ragged clothes and his emaciated appearance. He didn't look like he'd put up much of a fight. He spoke to me as if he were expecting a reward; bitterly, I demanded that he show me more respect before I killed him.
This certainly caught him off guard. He hastily asked, "Why must you kill me?"
Wearily, I explained my entire story. I told him of my former king and his unjust punishment, and the thoughts that raced through my head during the entirety of my imprisonment. The fisherman just looked at me incredulously throughout my account. "But you are so large!" he said. "How did you fit into that tiny vase?"
My pride took over here, and I wanted to show this lowly human my powers. I turned myself into wisps of smoke and fitted myself easily once again inside the vase. Suddenly, I heard a loud clank. I looked up and realized that the man had replaced the lid, closing me in again. No matter how hard I tried, I could not push past the enchantment.
I cried out of frustration: how could I have been so stupid? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to wait for another liberator to come along. Maybe this time I'll be a little more reasonable.
-----
Author's note: I chose to retell the Story of the Fisherman from the Arabian Nights unit. In this account, I stuck to the original fairly closely, except for the fact that I changed the point of view from third-person omniscient to that of the genie. This story jumped out at me because of the fisherman's cunning, and I also wanted to tell it from the perspective of the bitter genie so that the reader could get more insight into his feelings. In the original story, the genie is shown as a wholly harsh, unfeeling being with no reason or logic behind his actions, and I wanted to change that a little and give him at least an inkling of compassion. I tried to do this by injecting a bit of remorse at the end when he is captured again. Of course, this story continues as the fisherman teaches the genie a lesson through another tale in this frametale, but I had to find a way to end this particular account.
Bibliography:
The Arabian Nights' Entertainments
Andrew Lang, illustrated by H.J. Ford
(1898)
Source: Project Gutenberg
Friday, September 26, 2014
Week 6 Essay: The Monkey King
This week, I read about the adventures of Sun Wu Kong, the Monkey King. The accounts of his adventures throughout China, from his unique and miraculous origins to his defiance of the Buddha and his subsequent fall from grace in the heavens, and then to his restoration as a Buddha in his own right, are perhaps the most well-known stories in Chinese literature. The action in the storytelling is gripping and the reader certainly sides with the protagonist.
The thing that captured my attention most in this unit was the influences of culture that could be seen throughout. China has a rich history with diverse traditions. It was especially interesting to see the accounts of the deities that people worshiped in those days (Thousand-mile Eye and Wind-accompanying Ear, for example).
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, this unit holds a certain sense of nostalgia for me. These tales have been passed down through the generations since they were conceived. My parents are Chinese immigrants, and they grew up with these stories. As such, during my childhood, I also had the privilege of hearing and watching the wondrous tales of the Monkey King. I used to watch a set of children's cartoons based off of the literature and now that I have read the unit, I can safely say that I am impressed with how closely the cartoons followed the original stories. They didn't seem to have watered down the themes simply so children would understand them (although, I will admit, I probably did not comprehend some of the deeper meanings when I was mindlessly watching the show as a child).
I loved the images that were incorporated throughout the unit. I have seen these stories depicted in live theater, and although some of the costumes are not what people would typically think of first, they reflect the culture through their colors and patterns. This is a vibrant story, and the dress certainly emulates that. Overall, I had a great time reading this unit--it was exciting and enlightening, and, in a way, gave me a chance to revisit my childhood.
The thing that captured my attention most in this unit was the influences of culture that could be seen throughout. China has a rich history with diverse traditions. It was especially interesting to see the accounts of the deities that people worshiped in those days (Thousand-mile Eye and Wind-accompanying Ear, for example).
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, this unit holds a certain sense of nostalgia for me. These tales have been passed down through the generations since they were conceived. My parents are Chinese immigrants, and they grew up with these stories. As such, during my childhood, I also had the privilege of hearing and watching the wondrous tales of the Monkey King. I used to watch a set of children's cartoons based off of the literature and now that I have read the unit, I can safely say that I am impressed with how closely the cartoons followed the original stories. They didn't seem to have watered down the themes simply so children would understand them (although, I will admit, I probably did not comprehend some of the deeper meanings when I was mindlessly watching the show as a child).
I loved the images that were incorporated throughout the unit. I have seen these stories depicted in live theater, and although some of the costumes are not what people would typically think of first, they reflect the culture through their colors and patterns. This is a vibrant story, and the dress certainly emulates that. Overall, I had a great time reading this unit--it was exciting and enlightening, and, in a way, gave me a chance to revisit my childhood.
Sun Wu Kong, as depicted at a Beijing opera. Source: Wikipedia.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Week 6 Reading Diary: The Monkey King
This week, I am reading the Monkey King. This is a Chinese fairy tale of sorts; my parents would tell me different stories of the adventures of the great Sun Wu Kong when I was a child, so I am familiar with the mischief and and heroism of the Monkey King. I have not been reminded of these stories since then, however, so it has been many years since I have read any part of the account of his adventures. This was definitely a trip down memory lane.
Handsome King of the Apes: It is uncanny that, even after all these years, as I read this story, I can picture the cartoon version that I watched as a child in my head and see the events unfold. The King sprung from an enchanted rock and spent his days running and leaping in the glade. When he was old enough, he was crowned king of the forest after passing through a huge waterfall. If I recall correctly, this is very symbolic: countless times the reader/viewer will see him go under waterfalls throughout the unit.
Sun Wu Kong Gets His Name: I also remember this part of the Monkey King's history. He approaches a saint in his search for the truth, and when asked for his name, he replies that he has none. He tells the religious leader that he was born from a stone, and in return the saint gives him the name Wu Kong, meaning "empty," referring to his origins but certainly not reflecting the magnitude of his future actions.
The Master: In this chapter, the King demonstrates both his stubbornness and cleverness. When trying to learn from the Buddhist master, he certainly is not the most cooperative student, but he quickly understands the symbolism of many things. It is this wit that the reader sees throughout; while he can be very rambunctious, he usually sees through the lies of tricksters with ease and logically deduces many things that others may miss.
The Devil-King: Here, Sun Wu Kong has learned some of the tricks of the trade (but unfortunately has been kicked out of the temple by the Master), and is now in the world beginning to fight evils. Here, the reader sees that his training paid off: although there is not much detail about it in the previous chapters, the King can definitely fend for himself in a fight when defending his hometown and the people he loves.
Handsome King of the Apes: It is uncanny that, even after all these years, as I read this story, I can picture the cartoon version that I watched as a child in my head and see the events unfold. The King sprung from an enchanted rock and spent his days running and leaping in the glade. When he was old enough, he was crowned king of the forest after passing through a huge waterfall. If I recall correctly, this is very symbolic: countless times the reader/viewer will see him go under waterfalls throughout the unit.
Sun Wu Kong Gets His Name: I also remember this part of the Monkey King's history. He approaches a saint in his search for the truth, and when asked for his name, he replies that he has none. He tells the religious leader that he was born from a stone, and in return the saint gives him the name Wu Kong, meaning "empty," referring to his origins but certainly not reflecting the magnitude of his future actions.
The Master: In this chapter, the King demonstrates both his stubbornness and cleverness. When trying to learn from the Buddhist master, he certainly is not the most cooperative student, but he quickly understands the symbolism of many things. It is this wit that the reader sees throughout; while he can be very rambunctious, he usually sees through the lies of tricksters with ease and logically deduces many things that others may miss.
The Devil-King: Here, Sun Wu Kong has learned some of the tricks of the trade (but unfortunately has been kicked out of the temple by the Master), and is now in the world beginning to fight evils. Here, the reader sees that his training paid off: although there is not much detail about it in the previous chapters, the King can definitely fend for himself in a fight when defending his hometown and the people he loves.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Week 5 Essay: Genies in "Arabian Nights"
This week, I read Arabian Nights, also known as Scheherazade, named after the protagonist and storyteller of the frametale. Throughout the unit, there were many mentions of different beings like genies, but not in the sense to which the general public is accustomed. There clearly have been some recounts of the original stories found in this unit where details have been changed, and it was interesting to see the mindset of the culture and how it influenced the original and compare it to the retelling, fit for Western societies.
In the first half of the unit, two different genies appear. Rather than being the obligingly grateful beings they have been portrayed in media, however, they are bitter about being trapped in their prisons in the first place and seem incongruously unreasonable when they are first freed, even going so far as to inform their liberators that they (the genies) must kill them. Obviously, the rescuers are confused and taken aback at this--did they not just save the genies from a torturous imprisonment? The genies carry none of this logic, however: they remain angry and hold on to their grudges. This is certainly a far cry from, for example, Disney's Aladdin, where the Genie is a friend and is more willing to help than harm.
Moreover, whereas the Genie in Aladdin is joyful and witty, the genies in this frametale each seem not to have much of a personality at all. They are cold and calculating and apparently do not think before they act. In the tale of the fisherman and the genie, the old man tricks the genie with ease: he asks how such a great monster could come from such a small vase, and the genie unwittingly turns himself into a cloud of smoke and fits himself back into his vessel long enough for the fisherman to trap him again. Clearly, there was not much thought behind this behavior.
It was intriguing to see the influences of culture on these stories. Literature certainly does not exist in a vacuum; this folklore was shaped by the type of government of the day, the customs and traditions, and more. This unit was a look into a rich history of the East and provided valuable insight into the differences between our culture and theirs.
In the first half of the unit, two different genies appear. Rather than being the obligingly grateful beings they have been portrayed in media, however, they are bitter about being trapped in their prisons in the first place and seem incongruously unreasonable when they are first freed, even going so far as to inform their liberators that they (the genies) must kill them. Obviously, the rescuers are confused and taken aback at this--did they not just save the genies from a torturous imprisonment? The genies carry none of this logic, however: they remain angry and hold on to their grudges. This is certainly a far cry from, for example, Disney's Aladdin, where the Genie is a friend and is more willing to help than harm.
Moreover, whereas the Genie in Aladdin is joyful and witty, the genies in this frametale each seem not to have much of a personality at all. They are cold and calculating and apparently do not think before they act. In the tale of the fisherman and the genie, the old man tricks the genie with ease: he asks how such a great monster could come from such a small vase, and the genie unwittingly turns himself into a cloud of smoke and fits himself back into his vessel long enough for the fisherman to trap him again. Clearly, there was not much thought behind this behavior.
It was intriguing to see the influences of culture on these stories. Literature certainly does not exist in a vacuum; this folklore was shaped by the type of government of the day, the customs and traditions, and more. This unit was a look into a rich history of the East and provided valuable insight into the differences between our culture and theirs.
A genie freed from his lamp. Source: Press Release Distribution.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Week 5 Reading Diary: Arabian Nights
This week, I read Arabian Nights, which is a frametale, or a collection of stories that Scheherazade tells to her husband, Sultan Schahriar. These are not just any stories, however: it is a matter of life or death that the Sultana keeps her husband entertained, as the reader sees in the introduction, Scheherazade.
As I read the first story in the unit, The Merchant and the Genius, I was struck by how similar the merchant's and Scheherazade's fates were. They both are facing the threat of death, and they both use the guise of telling stories to put off death a little longer--indeed, Scheherazade frames the stories so that she may continue to do this.
The interesting thing about the frametale is how detailed Scheherazade makes it. In the Hind, the narrator of the story within the story, the first old man, addresses the genie (and this is a running theme throughout, between both the old men and the genie and Scheherazade and the Sultan). It is interesting to see the genie's reaction to the tales and I imagine it is comparable to the Sultan's reaction to the stories.
In the Story of the Fisherman, Scheherazade continues this "story-within-a-story" way of telling her tales, and invents a wily fisherman. No doubt the Sultana is very clever and can dream up a cunning fisherman, as she herself is very witty. At the end of the story, she weaves another level into the storytelling: the fisherman explains to the genie that he cannot trust him and release him from the vase in which he has sealed him once again because he might meet the same fate as a Greek physician--then continues to tell that tale, effectively adding more depth to this frametale. It is interesting to me that Scheherazade is telling these stories to save her life, and previous protagonists in her stories have told their tales to save either their own lives or someone else's, but now the fisherman is simply giving the genie this account to teach him a lesson.
In the story about the Greek King and the Physician Douban, the frametale gets even deeper. As always, Scheherazade is telling the outermost story to the Sultan about the fisherman, who is in turn telling the genie the story about the king and the physician. In this story, the king's vizir becomes jealous of the physician and approaches the king, where the king tells him another story. As I read, I found it a little difficult to keep track of what level the stories were at, but it was like a fun puzzle to backtrack and figure it out.
The last story in this unit was a long one, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. This tale was an interesting change to the normal story of Aladdin that Disney told. It eliminated (or rather, the Disney version added) the animal sidekicks, and it the original also involved two genies instead of one and a different story line in terms of Aladdin's relationship with the princess. In this tale, there is no forbidden love between street urchin and princess; Aladdin easily wins over the woman's (and her father's) heart with jewels and gold. However, the conflict arises with the evil magician, just as in the Disney movie. Here is where the plots converge: the magician wants control of the genie in the lamp, and Aladdin takes ownership instead, so the villain gets envious. He cunningly tricks the sultana out of Aladdin's old lamp and unfortunately, she innocently gives it to him. However, Aladdin and his wife are wily as well, and devise a way to kill the magician and take the lamp back.
It is here where the story diverges again. It turns out that the magician has an equally evil brother, and he causes the couple grief when he hears about the death of his brother. Luckily, the genie in the ring sees through his tricks and warns Aladdin, and he is able to get rid of the evil for good. Aladdin and the sultana take over the kingdom after her father dies and they live happily ever after.
As I read the first story in the unit, The Merchant and the Genius, I was struck by how similar the merchant's and Scheherazade's fates were. They both are facing the threat of death, and they both use the guise of telling stories to put off death a little longer--indeed, Scheherazade frames the stories so that she may continue to do this.
The interesting thing about the frametale is how detailed Scheherazade makes it. In the Hind, the narrator of the story within the story, the first old man, addresses the genie (and this is a running theme throughout, between both the old men and the genie and Scheherazade and the Sultan). It is interesting to see the genie's reaction to the tales and I imagine it is comparable to the Sultan's reaction to the stories.
In the Story of the Fisherman, Scheherazade continues this "story-within-a-story" way of telling her tales, and invents a wily fisherman. No doubt the Sultana is very clever and can dream up a cunning fisherman, as she herself is very witty. At the end of the story, she weaves another level into the storytelling: the fisherman explains to the genie that he cannot trust him and release him from the vase in which he has sealed him once again because he might meet the same fate as a Greek physician--then continues to tell that tale, effectively adding more depth to this frametale. It is interesting to me that Scheherazade is telling these stories to save her life, and previous protagonists in her stories have told their tales to save either their own lives or someone else's, but now the fisherman is simply giving the genie this account to teach him a lesson.
In the story about the Greek King and the Physician Douban, the frametale gets even deeper. As always, Scheherazade is telling the outermost story to the Sultan about the fisherman, who is in turn telling the genie the story about the king and the physician. In this story, the king's vizir becomes jealous of the physician and approaches the king, where the king tells him another story. As I read, I found it a little difficult to keep track of what level the stories were at, but it was like a fun puzzle to backtrack and figure it out.
The last story in this unit was a long one, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. This tale was an interesting change to the normal story of Aladdin that Disney told. It eliminated (or rather, the Disney version added) the animal sidekicks, and it the original also involved two genies instead of one and a different story line in terms of Aladdin's relationship with the princess. In this tale, there is no forbidden love between street urchin and princess; Aladdin easily wins over the woman's (and her father's) heart with jewels and gold. However, the conflict arises with the evil magician, just as in the Disney movie. Here is where the plots converge: the magician wants control of the genie in the lamp, and Aladdin takes ownership instead, so the villain gets envious. He cunningly tricks the sultana out of Aladdin's old lamp and unfortunately, she innocently gives it to him. However, Aladdin and his wife are wily as well, and devise a way to kill the magician and take the lamp back.
It is here where the story diverges again. It turns out that the magician has an equally evil brother, and he causes the couple grief when he hears about the death of his brother. Luckily, the genie in the ring sees through his tricks and warns Aladdin, and he is able to get rid of the evil for good. Aladdin and the sultana take over the kingdom after her father dies and they live happily ever after.
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