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.
Friday, October 31, 2014
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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