Reading Evaluations

--> What readings did you like best?

If anyone has read any of my reading diary posts, they are probably aware that The Missing Queen by Samhita Arni. That was one of my absolutely favorite books and I am super excited that I now have a copy of it on my Kindle.

--> What reading diary strategies were most effective for you?

I just liked to write about how I felt after the reading and what the reading made me think about. That made it the easiest when I was writing the posts.

--> What did you think of the overall balance between reading - writing - commenting in the class assignments?

I thought it was a good balance. I especially like that we had the option for films. That also gave us a nice break from doing the readings.

  

--> As you look back from the end of the semester, what advice about the reading do you have for students who will be getting started next semester? 

My advice would be to look at all the options and pick any that look interesting. The reading options let you have a lot of fun.

EPILOGUE: reflection

I cannot believe it is the end of the semester! It flew by so quickly.

I know that I have said this before, but this class surprised me. I read so many reviews where people said that they highly recommended this class. I did not really understand why because India epics is not a very popular topic. It really grew on me and now I realize I am going to miss this class.

My favorite part of this class is definitely the Storybook. I am proud of how it turned out. I think having this project to work on was a great way to balance my classes. It really stretched my comfort zone with my creative writing skills.

I think that this class has really given me the confidence to share my writing with other people. I also feel happy that I have been able to learn more about the Indian culture.

Tech Tip: Blog Profile

I updated my blogger profile for this week. I read something Laura said about being proud of our work and letting people know that it was us who created these storybooks and blogs. So, I decided to fill out my profile a little bit. I put up a picture of my puppy. Surprisingly that was taken four months ago!

I have always been a little careful in regards to my social identity. In high school, I taught a class about online safety to some younger kids. In doing the research, I learned a lot about how information can be pulled by simply just tracking an IP address. Anways, that is why it is a picture of my puppy and I am not giving out my last name. I do think it is important to give credit where it is due, so I do like the "about me" sections in everyone's blogs.

Storytelling for Week 14: The Riddles [part two]

Continued from Week 12

“Boy, Goblin, you sure do take awhile to come up with these amazing riddles.”

He huffed. “Hang on just a second. It cannot be just any riddle. I definitely need to get you a good one, especially since you are one of those fancy, educated college kids.”

I looked at the sky and at the ground as the goblin pondered his next move.

“Please do not forget that I have to get to class. I would like this riddle as quickly as possible please.”

The goblin looked at me incredulously. “Boy, what they say about this generation is right. You all have no patience whatsoever. Fine. But just for your outburst, I am going make you answer two riddles. Let us start with our first one. It is a doozy. However, here you go:

A dad and his son were riding their bikes and crashed. Two ambulances came and took them to different hospitals. The man’s son was in the operating room and the doctor said, ‘I can’t operate on you. You’re my son.’”

The goblin now was staring at me expectantly.

“Okay. So the doctor can’t operate because the boy was the son? But his father went to a different hospital,” I mused. The goblin giggled a little. However, I was very determined to not let him win.

THINK THINK THINK

Maybe the son was adopted? Would that possibly be the answer? Or … wait!

“Ha! The doctor was the boy’s MOTHER!” I yelled with sudden mental clarity.

The goblin’s face fell. “You are right. Maybe that one was too easy. Let me give you a great one for the second riddle:

A man leaves home and turns left three times, only to return home facing two men wearing masks. Who are those two men?”

Well, dang. That goblin sure does have some good riddles up his sleeve. I tried to visualize this in my head but realized I just kept getting turned around. I picked up a stick and started making map.

I realized he made a diamond shape with the way the hypothetical man was walking. I chuckled. Too bad the goblin didn’t know that I was very into sports!

when I realized the answer

“The man is a baseball player. So, the two men are the catcher and the umpire!”

The goblin nodded thoughtfully. “You are right. Alright. I will let you pass the bridge.”

With that he went back to his hiding place and I crossed the bridge with no incident. I finished the walk to class as the sun came back out.

Author's Note: Here it is! Part Two of The Riddles. I suddenly realized that a lot of people were waiting for the second part of the story. So, thank you all for essentially pressuring me into completing this. I did not make up those riddles. Those are two riddles that I have heard a lot over my lifetime and I have always enjoyed them. They used to really stump me. In the original story, a goblin tells a king twenty-two riddles. There is one riddle everytime the king goes back to capture the goblin and the goblin escapes again. I thought I would switch it up and play with the "troll that guards the bridge" idea. The original story is in Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins (2009). 

Reading Diary B [Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins]

I read from Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins.

Well, I was not expecting that ending! I knew it was going to be something unexpected this whole time and it certainly was. I did enjoy reading this story for the past few weeks, though. It was very interesting and different from the other things we have read.

I do not want to give anything away because I do encourage everyone to read this story for themselves. It is an easy read and keeps you interested and trying to guess the riddles for the different twenty-two times that the king goes after the goblin.

The readings have been incredibly interesting. I have learned a lot about different styles of telling the same story. Also, I feel that I have been challenged in my writing skills and creativity in telling my stories. I am going to miss this class!

A place full of culture

Reading Diary A [Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins]

I read Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins.

Wow. These past few weeks have really taught me a lot about what I think about this story. I thought it was so strange that the king keeps going back for the goblin. Now, I realize that he is just kind of really stubborn.

Time has gotten away from me these past few weeks. Which is what I have been saying all semester. I keep saying that I am going to stay on top of the class. Which I manage to do for a few weeks and then I right back to where I started. I never used to have this problem. I used to be the super studious person. Then again, I was not essentially working a full-time job and going to school full-time. Also, I was not taking Human Anatomy, which is a beast in of itself. Life gets in the way.

Anyways, it just made me think of the king. He was very stubborn. After all, he went after this goblin twenty-two times. I just feel like I am stubborn in my ways and do not like to change my routine. Although it inevitably results in a day of catch-up. I have not reached the end just yet (I am almost there!), but I am very interested to know how this all turns out.

TIME (is disappearing before finals week)

Reading Diary A + B [Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins]

I read Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins.

I kind of wonder what the author of this book was like in real life. The word play on every single part of the story is very detailed. It is a very clever story and I am enjoying reading the riddles.

It made me laugh when the goblin said the equivalent of "Dude, why are you still coming back to get me? I keep escaping!" I thought it was funny because I am sure all readers are wondering the same thing. This king is rather stubborn. He is up to fourteen attempts to capture the goblin by bringing him back to the castle. This only makes me wonder more about what is going to happen at the end of the story. It seems like it is pointing to a big conclusion with something interesting happening to the king.

The riddles are still pretty interesting and I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out the answer. I am still enjoying this book very much and I cannot wait to read the end of it.

where the king finds the goblin

Storytelling for Week 12: The Riddles

All I wanted was to have a nice, normal day with nothing crazy happening. Silly me. Why did I believe that it was even possible?

It all started this morning. The sun was shining with a gentle warmth and birds chirped cheerfully along my route to school. Instead of driving to campus, I figured a walk would be a great way to start off my day. I had made my special coffee and had a healthy breakfast. Nothing was going to stop me today.

I blissfully strolled by trees that daintily dropped beautiful leaves on the ground. A squirrel chirruped a good morning as he scurried past me. I just loved these moments where all was right with the world and all my cares slipped away.

Autumn

I came to the bridge that transversed the gap over a bubbling stream. I was just about to set my foot on the gracefully worn wooden bridge, when all of the sweet birds suddenly

ended their songs.

The sun ducked behind a cloud like it was fearful of what was about to happen. Wind started a low, haunting whistle through the tree branches. The trees that had seemed fully decked out in autumn glory moments before now seemed to be ominous reminders of the coming dead of winter.

A voice arose from underneath the bridge. It sounded empty and eerie. "Who are you and why are you daring to walk across my bridge?" said the voice.

I was so confused and terrified at the same time. The shudden shift in mood had chilled me to my bones in anticipation of the unknown.

"I am just a college student trying to get to class. Is that okay? Do I need to go a different way?"

The voice laughed a deep, creepy laugh. "I am the goblin that guards this bridge. I do not know if I should let you go across."

Are you kidding me? Goblins are not real. They certainly do not guard bridges. That was just the stuff of stories. I guess, though, something was under the bridge. I decided to go along with ... well, whatever was happening.

"I am sorry. I crossed this bridge last week and I do not remember you being here."

"Ridiculous human! I just moved here."

"Okay, umm. Is there any possible way that I can get across? I do have to get to class."

"Well, I suppose. Education is important. Okay, I am feeling generous today. You can cross if, and only if, you guess my riddle!"

I had to get to class. So, I guess there was just one thing I could do.

"Okay, Goblin, bring it on."

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Author's Note: Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins is about a king trying to capture a goblin who lives in a corpse. As the king totes the corpse and goblin towards his castle, the goblin tells riddles to pass the time. The king is very quick and correctly guesses the riddles. He avoids the curses of the goblin. However, the goblin always escapes at the end of the riddle, but the king is persistent and keeps going back for the corpse-inhabiting goblin. I knew that I definitely wanted to recreate a story with my own version of the riddles. I was trying to re-imagine this story in a way that any reader could imagine it in a context relative to them. The original story can be found by reading Arthur William Ryder's Twenty-two Goblins (2000).

Reading Diary B [Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins]

I read from Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins.

I am starting to become very curious as to how dedicated the king is to capturing this goblin. Because the goblin has escaped his grasp eight times, but the king keeps going back for the goblin. You would think the king would become very frustrated with the fact that he has to keep going back for this creature. It makes me wonder if there is some important connection in this observation to the end of the story when we find out what finally happens to the king.

These riddles are very interesting. I still think that I am guessing the correct thing and then it turns out the answer was much different. It is okay. It is providing my daily mental exercise! I wish I could read the original translation because it would be interesting to see if there is a specific way that language was used to communicate more of the riddle.

Lord of the Rings: Bilbo and Gollum Guess Riddles

Reading Diary A [Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins]

I read Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins.

This was hilarious! Also, it was very interesting to read kind of a different version of an Indian epic. It was very curious to read about goblins going to live in a corpse.

For those who have not read it, a goblin has gone to live in a corpse. A king comes along and is trying to take it back to his castle with him. While they ride, the goblin tells the king a story that ends in a riddle.

I have only read the first three stories, but I have not been able to guess any of the riddles before I read the king's response. He certainly has a quick mind with how he is able to guess all of the riddles. I am starting to feel like it is a challenge to guess the riddle before I get to the end of the story.

Example of a Goblin

Reading Diary B [Sita Sings the Blues]

I watched the last half of Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

This film surpassed any expectations that I had for it. It could have been really strange or dull. However, that was probably one of the most creative movies I have seen in a long time.

It did make me sad for Sita. She really had a rough life. She was kidnapped by Ravana. Later, when she should have felt safe at home, her purity was doubted. I wonder if she was angry that Rama did not trust her enough to believe that she was pure. Her life had started out so magical with her being able to marry the man she had fallen in love with instantly. Did her downward spiral start with Ravana being too greedy and wanting a woman who was not his for his wife? It would sure seem that way.

I recommend watching Sita Sings the Blues if you have not yet. For one thing, the creator holds no copyrights over it. That is something unique. Second, you would definitely enjoy the way Paley spins the story into a fascinating visual effect that so effectively communicates the Ramayana.

Sita Sings the Blues

Reading Diary A [Sita Sings the Blues]

I watched the first part of Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

This was definitely not what I expected when I started this movie! At first I was a little weirded out by it and then it grew on me. The way she changes animation type is very interesting. If I had thought about animation changing during one film, I would have said that it would be impossible to pull off. However, Paley did it so well. The way that all of the pieces fit together to tell the story is fascinating.

It did make me wonder if the "Nina and Dave" story had happened to Paley for real. So, I started looking into Paley herself to find out more about her story. It was so interesting! The way that she fights against copyrights is different. It made me think a lot about it. I did notice the TEDtalk that she did and I plan on listening to it. I always thought that copyrights were there to protect the creator of the work. So, that makes me wonder what points she brings up.

Opening Scene of Sita Sings the Blues

Storytelling for Week 10: The Godfather

“Is he in?”

The men nodded and I breathed a sigh of relief. It is not easy to catch the Godfather on one of his days in the office.

I was patted down to make sure I was not carrying any weapons and escorted through a dark hallway. The bodyguards stepped away and motioned for me to open the door. This was it. This was the big moment. This was the meeting that I had arranged for what seemed like my entire career. A moment with the Godfather was a moment that could make or break you as a person, much less a journalist.

I took a deep breath and swung the door open. The swivel chair behind the oak desk turned slowly – maybe the word is majestically? The large, older man gave me a look I could not describe. It was one that read my soul but also seemed unamused at being disturbed.

“How can I help you?” The Italian accent floated across the room.

“Well, yes … um, thank you for getting me in to see you. I was just wondering … if you would be so kind as to tell me … I mean …” I was embarrassed at how I was handling myself.

“I do not have all day. Please get it out.”

“Of course. Yes, I need to know what you know about Sita.” There. I had spit out a question that had ravaged my mind for weeks.

The Godfather chuckled slowly. “They always want to know. Most of the time they are much too afraid to publish what I tell them.”

“I promise I will publish this!” I said, way too eager for my own liking.

“Now, kid. Do not get ahead of yourself. You have not even heard what I have to say yet.”

I leaned back in my chair, cheeks red from embarrassment.

“Sita was running an establishment behind Ram’s back. She had a gambling business going. Although, no one understands why she had it. It did not seem that her and Ram were losing money. If they were, it was certainly covered up really well. Anyway, since Ram was away at all of these battles, he never realized what Sita was doing. Until the one day that he decided to surprise her at home two days early. He found Sita hiding money behind a brick. They got into a huge fight. I do not know if Sita was the one who left or if Ram forced her to leave. Whatever happened resulted in Sita out of the home and Ram covering up a huge scandal. I mean, what would the papers have to say about such a story?”

The real question is if you are going to publish it.”

I sat stunned in my chair. Who would have known that Sita was leading one of the biggest gambling rings? Also why had the story not been told? I felt like several reporters would have a great day publishing this. I was going to publish it.

Little did I know what obstacles I was about to face in getting this story to the press.

Godfather

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is coming from a retelling of Sita. It makes it difficult to do that retell of a retelling. So, I decided to go with an idea I had earlier about the Washerman in the original story and how he reminded me of the Godfather. I kept similar plot structure in the story, but spun it so the Godfather was a good guy and gave the reporter her needed information. If I were to continue, I would introduce the Washerman and his men as they attempt to keep the true story of Sita from getting out into the public. I really do not want to give important parts of the book away. I will say that what happened to Sita was not related to her running a gambling operation behind Ram’s back. That just came to me since I was already writing about the Godfather. I highly recommend that everyone watches the Godfather and reads this book. That would be a really fun time. The original story comes from Samhita Arni’s The Missing Queen (2014).

Reading Diary B [Arni's The Missing Queen]

I finished reading Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen.

I am so sad that it is over. This has been one of the most fun books to read for a class that I have had so far in my three years of college. However, I do not want to say too much in case someone else decides to read the story. I hope someone else decides to read this story!

I am going to say that it never failed to surprise me. Also, the ending was stunning. I could hardly believe that turn of events.

When I think of retelling a story, I think of this style. It makes such a difference if the author can magically take the basic structure and flesh it out in a new direction.

I highly recommend this story and I definitely plan on looking for Samhita Arni's other books.

The Missing Queen

Reading Diary A [Arni's The Missing Queen]

I read from Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen.

Once again, this was an interesting read. It never stops moving and the plot is always changing. I think this makes what could be a boring story turn into something fascinating that is able to keep readers on the edge of their seat the entire time.

I had to laugh. When she thought she finally saw Sita, I eagerly clicked to the next page and my computer took forever to load. It was quite annoying.

I do not really want to say too much because I want to encourage everyone to read it for themselves. In fact, I might just buy the actual book and send it around to all of my friends so they can read it for themselves.

Random Picture of India

Storytelling for Week 9: The Interview

Aruna choked on her coffee.

Did that reporter really just ask Ram himself about what happened to Sita?

Whoa.

Aruna remembered wondering why Sita disappeared. However, she would never have the guts to ask Ram what happened.

The mood had instantly shifted in the interview. Ram's eyes widened and Aruna thought she saw a hint of panic. Interesting. Was he hiding something?

"Actually, well ... I do have something to say. Something I have been wanting to say for a long time now," Ram started to say.

Now, Aruna saw Lakshmana's eyes widen in horror. He begin to signal people behind the camera.

Ram continued. "Sita was the love of my life and it broke my heart when she left. I thought we were going to be together forever. And now, she has been gone for so long!" Aruna thought she saw tears in his eyes.

Lakshmana cleared his throat rather loudly and shot a death glare at Ram, who did not seem to notice. The reporter had a tissue from her purse and handed it to him. Was it just the one question that had needed to be asked in order to get answers that everyone had wondered about for years now?

Aruna was beginning to be greatly amused by Lakshmana's attempts to derail Ram while remaining as regal as he could in his stretched-out general's uniform. His face was beginning to turn bright red from all of the fake coughing he was doing.

"It really started one day when we had a fight. It was not even a big fight. It was something so little. I think Sita had wanted a pet. For some reason, in my foolishness, I thought it would be too much responsibility for her. After all, she had gotten herself kidnapped by Ravana years ago," Ram said as he shook his head.

Lakshmana had moved in on Ram. None of his not-so-subtle attempts were working to stop Ram from telling this massive secret. "Sir, um, I think we better consider what is best for your well-being," Lakshmana said forcefully. The reporter glanced at the people behind the camera. Aruna assumed that the producer was angry, because a look of fear crossed over the reporter's face.

"No! I want to say it. You know I have been wanting to say this for a very long time!" Ram turned toward the cameras. "Sita has disappeared because

Suddenly, Aruna's television screen went fuzzy. The show had gone off air because Ram was about to answer the question that had been on everyone's mind for years.

Aruna's TV

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow. That was so hard. I had such a difficult time with this week's Storytelling post because I had already been reading a retelling of a story. So, I had to retell the retelling in a way that was unique. It definitely took a few tries to get it to where I wanted the story to go.

In the original story, the reporter asks about Sita, who had disappeared years ago. She asked Ram, the name for Rama in this story, about it while on live television. Originally, Ram took a few political moves and dodged the reporter's question. The reporter then is followed by the powerful guy called The Washerman who oversees all of the media sources in their town. For my story, I wanted to re-imagine the scenario, but make Ram want to answer the question. This retelling is a political thriller, so what if Ram was being forced to ignore Sita's disappearance? I did not have Ram give away the answer to Sita's whereabouts since I have not read that far in the book yet! I suggest checking back in next week to see what happens! The original story came from Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen (2014).

Reading Diary B [Arni's The Missing Queen]

I read from Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen.

I was still eagerly turning pages for this part of the reading. This is one of the best retellings of the story I have ever read.

The part where she is sent to the prison reminded me so much of The Count of Monte Cristo. He was wrongfully sent to prison. The prisoner in the cell next to him educates him on everything he knows while they prepare to break out. Although it is slightly different in this story, she is still imprisoned for just asking the wrong questions. 

I think adding The Washerman as the all-seeing overlord of the network was a great move. That reminds me of The Godfather. I am just really enjoying how the author tied all of these story lines together into this story. Also, I am constantly intrigued because the story moves so quickly and in ways that the reader would not expect. 

Can't wait for next week's readings!

The Godfather/ aka what I imagine the Washerman as ...

Reading Diary A [Arni's The Missing Queen]

I read from Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen.

Wow. This was so fascinating I just wanted to read it all day! It reminds me a lot of what I what trying to make my Storybook out to be.

The way that the story opens with the reporter interviewing the older Queen Kaikeyi. She brings up the disappearance of Sita, which apparently no one knows the story behind. It makes me wonder how I would feel if the I was one of their citizens. Would I notice if the country leader's wife had gone missing?

I think one of my favorite parts about what I have read so far is the way that the author re-imagines characters into modern times and imagines how the years might have affected them. Lakshmana was my favorite one of these, The way he was described as being stately but having the belly in his general uniform matched perfectly to what I had in my head.

I am so excited to read more of this book!

I highly recommend!

Reading Plan

There are SO MANY OPTIONS. It is kind of hard to figure out what I want to do. However, I am going to do a rough plan. I have to have some kind of plan here, but enough freedom to be flexible with my options. I don't really consider myself Type A or Type B. I consider myself Type A-.

[cue the confusion]

I like to have a plan and be super strict about my perfectionism with some things. However, with other things, I am content to let it slide.

Now that we have that cleared up, here is my tentative reading schedule:

Week 9: Sita Sings the Blues (film)

Week 10 - 11: Arni. The Missing Queen. (modern political thriller)

Week 12 - 14: Maybe Ryder's Twenty-two Goblins? It looks pretty interesting. I'll leave it here. Once I get to these weeks, maybe I will re-adjust my reading schedule.

Looking forward to the next few weeks!

P.S. I know some of you were interested in seeing a picture of my puppy. Here she is posing for her glamour shots. However, she's not too happy that I'm reading Indian Epics and not paying attention to her.

Lovely Lola (personal image)

Reflections: Looking Forward

What would I do differently for the rest of the semester? I think I am doing well so far, so I do not think there will be a lot that I am going to change.

It took awhile for me to get on track, but I think I am okay now. I know how to keep myself on top of things because I know the trouble spots. If I am not on schedule during those times, I find myself getting behind.

If I change things, it might be to write my posts in the mornings. I am a little bit more clear-minded in the mornings. This is before the stress of the day gets to me.

College

Reflections: Looking Back

So far, this class has been very interesting. I have learned things I never thought that I would have before I started college. I took this class because I wanted to gain new experiences and learn about a culture that I knew very little about. I think I have accomplished this so far. At least, I sure hope so. If I have not, at least I have read some interesting stories!

The last time I read something like these epics was when I read about the adventures of Marco Polo. It was fascinating and a little bit strange. However, all of these stories have really stayed with me. I have thought more about the Mahabharata and the Ramayana than the book I am reading just for fun.

I am pretty happy with my Storybook so far. It is definitely coming out like how it was pictured in my head. I hope others are enjoying it as much as I enjoy creating it. I have been looking at other news sites to figure out placement of text, photos, and other elements such as block quotes. It has really taught me to look at the details.

what it looks like when I think about my Storybook

It took me a little while to get a good schedule figured out for this class. I had to unexpectedly take a lot more hours at work. So, for a time, I was struggling to balance full-time classes and essentially a full-time job. I ended up sitting down with a calendar and blocking certain times for this class and enough time that I could get decently ahead of schedule if I needed to in some weeks. I think it is working much better. I am at least not stressing out so much.

I am looking forward to the rest of the semester!

Storytelling for Week 7: The Newsroom

"I want that report on my desk at 4 o'clock SHARP!"

Arya cringed. Her boss was notorious for being one of the most demanding newspaper editors in the country. However, that voice grated on her nerves every time a command rang out.

Still, she should feel lucky. Not everyone gets to work under such famous leadership. Oh well.

Arya typed away at her computer and kept her head down. She wanted to get this report on the overgrowth of deer population finished and be the best thing she had ever written.

*DING*

News alert tones went off on multiple phones in the newsroom. Arya's heart leapt into her mouth. Breaking news! she thought excitedly. She needed something good. Something big enough to keep her boss from breathing down her neck.

Arya scrambled to pick up her phone with eager anticipation. She stared at the text on her phone.

"Mountain has moved"

What? Possibilities. So many possibilities.

Her boss was standing in front of her desk. "Go!"

Arya took off.

~*~*~*~

As Arya pulled up in her car, a crowd was beginning to form. Of course. Krishna! It all made sense now. The rain had been pouring the past few days. She had not really thought a lot about it but now she saw the nearby town was flooding.

Now it all made sense.

Arya realized that in the good of Krishna's heart, he was providing a way out for the villagers. While he stood there hoisting the mountain over his head, villagers were already gathering underneath to take shelter from the rain that had not let up for even a few minutes.

She stood in awe for a few moments.

Snapping out of it, she realized she needed to work. She moved to people gathering in the crowd. Noticing one gentleman, she approached.

"Sir! Can you explain to me what you saw?"

He turned towards her. "For sure, ma'am. Krishna was going by and he realized that we were trying to evacuate our homes. He looked at the flood waters and saw that we were about to lose everything. But then ... wow ... just wow. He walked over to the mountain and hoisted it up over his head like that. Then he yelled at us to get underneath.

There are just some people in this world that inspire me to be a better person. Krishna is one of those people."

Arya nodded in agreement.

Krishna holding the mountain

Author's Note: I enjoyed the reading this week. In the original story, there is about one paragraph dedicated to this time of Krishna holding up the mountain. Not only did he hold up this mountain, he held it up for an entire week! To me, that deserved a lot more than just a few words on one page. In order to really illustrate the dedication and amazing feat that Krishna pulled off for this village, I decided to show it from someone else’s perspective. This way, the reader can really admire this feat with those in the crowds. The original story is found in Cradle Tales of Hinduism by Sister Nivedita (1907).

Reading Diary A + B {Nivedita's Krishna}

I read Sister Nivedita's Cradle Tales of Hinduism.

First of all, when two massive tests this week in another class, I found myself studying for those but looking at my copy of the Mahabharata and wishing I was writing up a new post or working on my Storybook. Oh well, I am back here now.

I really liked this retelling of Krishna's story. The writing was clear and to the point but kept the story interesting the whole way through. I do not think of that as an easy task when dealing with stories like the old Indian epics.

I like how Krishna's story kind of provides the backbone for the entire story. It seemed like I was seeing the Mahabharata from someone else's point of view. This let the reader think about it in a different way and see things they might not have seen before. For instance, I now better understand why Dritarashta's wife kept a blindfold on for her life. She was supporting her husband.

Krishna

Storytelling for Week 6: Brothers

Timothy was so excited to be a part of his brothers' excursion into the woods. It had been so long since all of them had gone out together. He grinned when he thought of the swimming hole that they were heading for. Once there, they were going to have the ultimate time in one of the last few days of summer.

Jeremy and Jimmy were pointing at something in the trees. It was probably just a silly bird jumping around in the branches. However, those two really loved their birdwatching and they were dedicated to finding all of the birds on the recent edition of Birdwatcher Master Plus list.

Edward led the way as usual. Being the oldest, he was always the one the other brothers followed. George was behind them. He was such a happy-go-lucky kid. That certainly was characteristic of him being the youngest child.

As they took the double fork in the trail that signaled that they were about a half mile away from the swimming hole, they heard a rustle in the bushes.

An old man limped out with a distraught look. "Boys, I need your help."

The brothers looked at each other.

"A giant deer crashed out of the woods. It scooped my cane out of my hands, winked and ran away. Would you be able to catch him while running using those young legs of yours?"

All the brothers nodded simultaneously. They ran off in the direction that the old man pointed. Timothy briefly wondered if this was a good idea. After all, how well did they know this man? He brushed away the branches that hit his face. He stumbled a little, but caught himself. After he regained footing and looked up, he realized his brothers had disappeared.

"Guys? Where did you all go?"

He stumbled through the woods. In a few minutes he realized he had arrived at the swimming hole.
He did not see any of his brothers around the area.

Timothy gazed at the water. He suddenly became aware that he felt really hot and sweaty. "It would feel fantastic to just take a dip!" Timothy mused.

"Wait just a second, young man!"

Timothy paused with one foot in the air. "Yes?" he asked with hesitation.

"I need you to answer a quick couple of questions for me."

"Okay, shoot."

"What is black and white and red all over?"

Timothy paused. What in the world? Luckily, George was a fan of ridiculous jokes like this.

"An embarrassed zebra?"

"Correct! Your brothers thought it was a newspaper!"

Timothy realized this was probably super weird and he should be careful about talking to a random voice. In fact, why was he talking to this voice?

"You did so well on that that I will let you bypass the other questions. Here, I will release your brothers."

With that, four brothers fell from the trees. They sat on the ground trying to recover from what had happened.

"Wait! Who are you?" Timothy yelled to the sky.

"There is no need for you to know that just yet. You will find out soon enough. Just enjoy your day!" the voice responded cheerfully.

The brothers stared at each other, looked at the water, and began to walk home.

was the deer real or made up?

Author's Note: I have to admit I was feeling a little uninspired this week. I got slammed with tests and had to work overtime to cover shifts. The Mahabharata just did not have that spark to me this week. It did not really help that much of this selection of the pages was violent and gory. However,
I am stubborn enough to work through a bit of writer's block. I started with a story that I thought was somewhat interesting and let the words come.

In the original story, the Pandavas brothers do not heed the warning of a mysterious voice above the water. They just wanted to drink up and quench their thirst. The last brother decided to listen to the questions and was granted his brothers back to him. I wanted to twist it up a little bit and make it maybe more relatable. It certainly has the possibility of coming across as a little silly. However, if it makes you laugh during this tough week, I will say it was worth it. The original story was from The Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan (2008).

Reading Diary B [Narayan's Mahabharata]

I read from R.K. Narayan's The Mahabharata.

Wow. This last section of the Mahabharata was rather intense. The battle was rather gruesome and the descriptions were kind of crazy. For instance, the part where Dhrishtadyumna cuts off his head after believing his son is dead and the part where Bhima kills Duhshasana. Bhima drinks the blood of Duhshasana! This sounds like something from a vampire movie.

Also, the way that they tricked Dhrishtadyumna into believing his son was dead was so horrible. It almost could have been funny if it did not end the way that it did. They killed an elephant with the same name as his son. After they killed it, Yudhishthira told that Ashwatthaman was dead but muttered that it was the elephant. That was when Dhrishtadyumna cuts off his head.

I think both of the epics are interesting. I would have to say I like the Ramayana so far, but the Mahabharata is growing on me. I do find it to be more dark, though. It seemed like the Ramayana had a lighter note to it even though it was still serious.

However, the way this one ends is with so much death. Even Yudhishthira mentions that he is not happy about winning the battle and needs time to grieve over the deaths.

Krishna and Arjuna

Reading Diary A [Narayan's Mahabharata]

I read from R.K. Narayan's The Mahabharata.

I would have to say a favorite part of mine was when Duryodhana was planning on humiliating the Pandavas. Except it ended up being so turned around that Duryodhana was shamed. I could not imagine how he must have felt when he was captured and then released. That was a definite humbling experience.

Also, what is the significance of deer in these epics? I would not imagine India to be overrun by deer but this is at least the second reference to deer. First, there was when Sita sent Rama to catch the golden deer for her, which we all know was a trap allowing Ravana to come kidnap Sita. Now, there is a story told about a giant deer that stole the Brahmin's staff. This leads to the Pandavas going after the deer and eventually find a lake that has a voice. Only one brother passes the test that was actually being presented by their father. So, do the deer have a connection to traps and trickery? Or are they so rare, Indian people associate them with something devious?

Another deer reference in the Mahabharata

Storytelling for Week 5: Thoughts

I brushed my long dark hair out with contemplative strokes while gazing at the white, fluffy clouds that graced the sky. I smiled for what seemed the first time in a long time. Life was not that bad in this particular moment.

the sky on the fateful day

Memories came back to me of a particular time I would rather forget. I stood before five brothers who just argued all of the time. Did they not realize that they were presenting themselves to be just five immature little children? They had not been thinking of my feelings in that moment for sure. The least they could have done is actually presented themselves to be men worthy of having me as their wife. After all, was I not the princess?

Who could really reason with them, though? After all, they had forced me to be the wife of five men. Of five men! I was really astonished that this was a thing. It had been mentioned that it was inappropriate for a woman to the be a wife of five men. She would be considered a "public" woman ... no, I was considered a public woman. I pondered this sadly for a few moments. I used to have a great reputation. Now, look at me. The humiliated woman who had five husbands.

Some indignation arose. How was it that a man could have five wives and not be considered immoral? There was an astonishing lack of equality in society. I could not do a thing about it, though, because I was a woman.

I thought of my mother and how she would have been deeply saddened to see me in this situation. She had higher hopes for me and my future. I had higher hopes for myself.

"Draupadi!"

I was startled from my thoughts and turned to see one of my handmaidens come running in a desperate rush. She looked somewhat terrified as she stopped to catch her breath,

"What is it?" I asked with hesitation. Did I really want to know?

"They ..." she gasped, "They have gambled you away to another man."

My heart sank. Why does this happen to me? Why always to me? I stood frozen in shock while her words slowly ran through me. Another man? I was to have six husbands? Or just one? What had my current husband done to me?

I realized I had to think quickly. Knowing his gambling problem, I was probably not the first thing he had lost.

“Go back and ask if he gambled away himself first.”

Her eyes lit up as she realized what I meant. She took off out of the room. I waited with my breath held and the hope that this was going to work.

Author's Note: This story is very close to the original. Draupadi, the princess of Panchala, had been given to five brothers as their wife. It had been brought up that her reputations was going to be ruined since she would be considered a “public” woman. However, it was done and she became the wife of five men. It was worked out that she would spend one year with each man. After that year, she would then move on to be the wife of the next brother for a year. In turn, the brothers had to agree to erase her from their mind at the end of their allotted year. So, Draupadi received the wrong end of that deal. She was not even going to be remembered by her husband with whom she had just spent an entire year. My hope in writing this story was to help the reader see more of Draupadi’s side. I want them to see how this situation must have made her feel. It was not good in any possible way. It was a horrible situation and it is somewhat astonishing she was able to still think quickly to attempt to find a way out of her circumstances. The original story comes from The Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan (2008).

Thoughts About My Comments

So, everyone has been super encouraging with the comments they leave on my wall. I really appreciate the feedback. At first, I was a little nervous because I am not used to putting out my writing like this on the internet. However, everyone has been so welcoming and nice about it. My favorite comments are those that give me specific feedback on the things I am incorporating into my stories, such as dialogue or sound effects. It helps me see what other people see when they read my posts.

I hope that my comments have been helpful for people. I have tried to mention my overall feelings about the post and then go into specifics about what I liked best and what stuck out to me the most in their writing. 

Reading Diary B [Narayan's Mahabharata]

I read from R. K. Narayan's The Mahabharata.

So, I realized I mentioned a story in the last reading diary that I was technically supposed to read for this reading diary. Oh well. Sometimes getting ahead in your schedule can create a little bit of confusion.

I still think Draupadi learning that she was the stakes in a game of dice was one of the craziest stories from this part of the epic. I would be so upset and would feel terribly betrayed if I was in her place. However, she demonstrated great courage and quick thinking. When they went to break the news to her that she had been essentially gambled away, she asked if her husband had staked himself first. So, she had already started looking for a way out of her predicament. Also, when they were going to so horribly rip off her clothing in front of them, she pleaded with Krishna and he came through for her. Draupadi demonstrated that she was always thinking even when in pretty horrible situations.

I think that the women of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana are some interesting characters. Even though they are almost overlooked by the other characters, they all have strong personalities and are not afraid to act independently of the men. That is why they are going to be the focus of my Storybook Project.

another powerful portrayal of Draupadi requesting Krishna's help

Reading Diary A [Narayan's Mahabharata]

I read from R. K. Narayan's The Mahabharata.

This was very interesting. It was similar but also very different from the Ramayana in my opinion. I do not know if the language was updated somehow, but it was a little easier to read than the Ramayana.

I thought the opening story was an interesting way to start this story off. Santanu must have thought that Ganga was extremely beautiful to basically ignore her strange request. He let her drown seven babies before he finally realized he should probably stop this odd behavior. The situation kind of begs the question of was Santanu ever afraid of Ganga? Surely he felt like he was walking on eggshells at times when he knew his wife was murdering their children.

I would have to say the part of the story that describes Draupadi being given to five men is very strange. It was brought up that her being the wife of five men makes her look like the wrong kind of woman. However, in that same speech, it was discussed that it was okay for a man to have five wives. This shows the change in thinking for cultures.

Krishna comes to Draupadi's rescue

Famous Last Words

Well, I had a really crazy week for sure. I had three anatomy tests in the span of one week and two papers besides the assignments for this class. I had to reminding myself to take a breather while I was going from studying for one test to the next one.

I think it became more stressful because I struggled to keep up with everything. I think it was a good lesson for me about keeping on top of my schedule. It is tough balancing a full-time school schedule and even just a part-time job, but it is possible. I just have to be more careful about staying ahead of the rough weeks in the schedule. Five classes can definitely collide and cause a busy week for a student.

This upcoming week, I plan on getting ahead in this class since we have the ability to work ahead of the current week. That is a definite bonus and will help when I near the end of the semester and finals week rears its ugly head.

Otherwise, I have learned a lot in all of my classes. I feel like my brain is a little full. But I have an open day tomorrow and Lola, my puppy, will be at the doctor all day. She is getting spayed and she has to stay under observation for a few hours afterwards. She has been getting spoiled all day today since she has no idea what is coming tomorrow!

Lola!

Lola is a mystery breed. We thought she was a German Shepherd and a Labrador mix. However, she is almost four months old and only fifteen pounds. I am wondering if she has maybe husky or smooth-coated border collie. If anyone wants to take a guess and let me know, that would be great!

                                                                                                                                                

Reading Diary B {Devee Sita and Promila}

I read from Devee's Sita and Promila.

After reading this version, I realized just how helpful those reading guides are to understand what is going on fully. When I read Promila's story, I had to keep going over passages I already read to try to completely realize what happened. I even tried googling for a reading guide but could not find anything.

I really enjoyed the courage of Promila and how she is not afraid to take action for what she wants.  She was not even afraid to take an army of her maidens to go after her husband and see him. I like how Rama recognized her devotion and realized that he was not going to be able to stand in the way of her.

The ending of her story was so sad, though. They were so happy together and then of all things, her husband is killed! When he was killed, it was a little heartwrenching when his first thought was of his promise to Promila that he would come back. He was so upset about having to break his promise that it did not seem important to him that he was dying.

Indrajit in battle

Reading Diary A {Devee Sita and Promila}

I chose to read Sita and Promila by Sunity Devee.

I think what I enjoyed most about this was the way it went more in depth with Sita's side of the story. This is similar to what I want to do in my Storybook Project, so I was loving the details in this story. I think women more often than not want to know more about how characters felt throughout the different scenes.

My favorite part was where Sita was watching Rama with the bow. The way it was written demonstrated her desperation for Rama to win the privilege of marrying her.

This retelling of the Ramayana is a great example of short and sweet writing. It is done very well but it gets the point across and all the necessary information without being too wordy. I would consider it to be the type of story that more women in today's world would select from the shelf.

what Sita saw from her window

Styles For Miles

TOPIC: For my topic, I will be writing about the women of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. More specifically, I am interested in Sita and also Draupadi. In the Ramayana, Sita has such interesting depth. She was the woman that Rama fell madly in love with, so much so that he could describe her feet enough to set her apart from other women. I would like to look into her side of the story as much as I could. Also, Draupadi would have so many interesting aspects of her story to explore. She found out that she was the prize in a chess match. No woman ever wants to find out she's the object of a game. If I gave her a voice, I think she would have a lot to say.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic by R.K. Narayan (2006).

2. The Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan (2000).


POSSIBLE STYLES:

Newspaper Reporting: This would definitely be in the Third-Person format. I was imagining it like a reporter finding either Draupadi or Sita after the whole story happens and getting their thoughts. Or it could be more like a reporter on the scene just reporting what he sees. The images could be in a style like photojournalism. The whole Storybook website could also be designed to look like a newspaper.

Coffee Shop: I do not know how sold I am on this particular style. I imagine this to be Sita and Draupadi meeting in a coffee shop like so many good friends like to do. They find a cozy couch and just talk about the things that went on in the past week. This would be a very interesting way to get into the very depth of their feelings on their lives. There is nothing really like two good friends and coffee to get two women to talk about their stories. It would be the most interesting if I told it from one of their sides. So, I could tell the story from Draupadi's point of view and that would even allow readers to see her thoughts on Sita's story.

PTA Moms: Going off the last idea, it might be interesting to imagine these two women as moms involved in their children's schools. Ravana could turn into an evil principal from another school who admires Sita's PTA organization skills. This idea is seeming a little out there and more on a Doctor Who level of storytelling.

Miss America Pageant: A last idea could be imagining Draupadi and Sita as contestants in the Miss India pageant. It would be rather easy to include the craziness of Sita being kidnapped and perhaps Draupadi is the stakes in a gamble on who wins the pageant. This would definitely be a Third-Person Storytelling type of project.

 

 

 

Draupadi



 

Storytelling for Week 3: The Visit

*knock, knock*

Tressa looked up from her book. She had been thoroughly engrossed in her new copy of Gardening in Indian Climates for Beginners. She would develop that green thumb one day and show Michael that he had not married a girl without the ability to cook.

*knock, knock*

Tressa was slightly confused. She and Michael were new to town and had not really met anyone would just come on over for a visit. Should she open the door? She had sent Michael to the store for a new bag of rice, so no one was at the house besides her.

On the other hand, she could just picture the happiness on Michael's face if he came back and found her chatting with a new friend while they both held cups of steaming tea.

*knock, knock*

"Coming!" Making up her mind, Tressa moved to the door. Opening it, she found an older gentleman.

"Hello, my dear! I noticed you and your husband had moved into the neighborhood and wanted to introduce myself. I brought cookies!" With that, he presented a tin decorated with charming deer in a lovely grassy area surrounded by woods.

Tressa hesitated. This seemed a little off, but he did seem like a sweet old man. And how could she refuse cookies?

imagine this full of cookies

"Of course! Come right in!" she opened the door for him to shuffle inside.

"Thank you, dearie, thank you so much," he settled into the sofa she motioned him towards, "There are not a lot of people who would be willing to spend time with a lonely old man like me."

Her heart softened. Why did she have misgivings about this situation again?

"No, I bet you are just lovely. I was just thinking that I needed to meet some people in the area. Oh, and my name is Tressa," she paused as she waited for him to give his name.

He did not share his name. "Oh, my dear, I am surprised you are not swamped with visitors already! But tell me, is your husband out?"

"Yes he is," as soon as Tressa said this, she regretted it. She should not have mentioned that she was here alone.

The old man began to chuckle. Tressa was very confused. As his chuckle grew louder and slowly morphed into an evil laugh, she realized she had made a very big mistake.

"Who are you?" she cried as light began to encircle him.

The light was blinding and then it vanished. The man was no longer a cute old man. He was blue! He had ten heads!

"I am Ravana, the lord of the demons! I am here to take you hostage!"

"What in the world??" Tressa couldn't breathe. Ravana scooped her up with the ground surrounding her and ran out the door with an evil chuckle.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the original story, Ravana disguises himself and meets with Sita while Rama is away hunting the golden deer (which coincidentally made an appearance on Ravana’s cookie tin in the above retelling of the story). Sita let him in although the reader obviously knew it was a bad guy. This made me wonder what it was like from Sita’s point of view for the whole situation. I thought it was kind of a hilarious encounter when Ravana scooped up Sita and took her away. It made me wonder what had been going on in Sita's mind during their little "visit" and how she was probably terrified when Ravana transformed into the ten-headed lord of the demons. So, I tried to imagine what she was thinking with some different characters in a slightly more modern setting to help readers relate to the shock and terror when she finally realized what was going on in her house. Except I just kept laughing when I thought about her seeing him with the ten heads. I hope the seriousness and the comedic touch came through in this retelling. The original is from R. K. Narayan's The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (2006)

Reading Diary B [Narayan's Ramayana]

I read from R. K. Narayan's The Ramayana.

It seems really strange to be finally finishing the story. Good battled evil and good won. I would have to say that my favorite part of these pages comes from Narayan's epilogue. I like where he explained that Hanuman had been advised to dedicate his like to serve Vishnu. He did this without even thinking about it when he realized who Rama really was. This demonstrates some awesome loyalty. It even was stated that if Rama's name was whispered, Hanuman was there. Even if the story of Rama was told, he would be present. Narayan states that Hanuman is one of the most important characters in the Ramayana and the narrator will often pay a tribute to him when the story is told.

If this book was a movie, the battle of Ravana and Rama would be the part where audience members were perched on the edge of their seat, holding their breath, and wondering how Rama was going to be able to take down the evil Ravana. It would definitely turn into one of the most talked about movie scenes of the season. I wonder if Rama would have been able to take down his enemy if he had not dedicated so much time to really think about his next moves.

Ravana and Rama in Battle