Aladdin from the Arabian Unit. I chose to include this image because reading the original story of Aladdin was one of my favorite readings I did for this class if not my favorite.
Source: Wikipedia
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Reading Review Week
Out of all the readings I've done so far for this class, my absolute favorite reading unit was the Arabian fairy tales. I really enjoyed reading the original Aladdin story as well as Arabian Nights. I also really enjoyed the Chinese Fairy Tales unit and the Saints and Animals unit. They were easy to read as well as unique and I usually did not foresee the ending to the stories which kept it interesting throughout the readings. When I took Indian Epics, I found myself writing paragraphs of information for the my reading diary and because it was a cohesive novel, that worked well. For this class, however, I found myself writing a paragraph per story (a few stories didn't get written about if I didn't have much to comment about), and I liked this because it kept my reading diary organized and gave me a good place to provide the link to the story. Also, I could put my image right below the story it was supposed to go along with right by my comments and the story's link. I used to read a lot for pleasure but since I started college, I have been unable to read for pleasure since I'm so busy. I look forward to reading a lot this summer, however, and I typically enjoy novels by Jodi Piccoult since they are always thought-provoking and put me in someone else's shoes so easily and thoroughly. I always feel emotionally invested in her novels and cannot put the book down until I am finished. Even re-reading her books is exciting. Because I am in mostly science classes, I don't see much connection between this class and my other clasess, but this class definitely ties into life since there are lots of moral lessons and anecdotes from different stories that I have read. I honestly don't have any improvements for the readings for this class. Although I don't enjoy all the readings, it is good to have the experience and opportunity to read all sorts of literature from different parts of the world, and I didn't foresee enjoying Chinese Fairy Tales as much as I did. If I hadn't been required to read from any particular units, I probably would have stuck with what I knew and not experienced the joy of reading literature from other cultures. I'm excited to hear that you are coming up with an Un-Textbook for Indian Epics - I have absolutely loved the Un-Textbook for this class and am excited at the idea of having one for the other class.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Famous Last Words for Week 7
Hey, everyone! Congratulations on making it to the end of
this week – I feel the need to congratulate you all because I’m not sure about
you all, but this week has been rough for me and sometimes we just need a word
of encouragement for doing simple things because those can be really difficult
at times. Anyways, rant over. To be honest, I haven’t written anything
besides comments for this week since I did it earlier in the semester and I can’t
remember which piece of writing I was proud of for this week. However, I did read other people’s work and
was very impressed. All the storybooks
were great and I was particularly impressed by someone’s story who wrote about
Yama. The introduction was mysterious
and the love stories were so wonderfully written – I was incredibly
impressed. However, all the storybooks I
read were great and I was super excited to read each and every one of
them. As for my other classes, they are
going. I am anxiously awaiting spring
break so I can get a little break from everything. I moved most of my rounds to February so I
could get the majority of them over with, but that means lack of sleep and
dealing with some crazy situations. I
love my job, but I desperately need to catch up on sleep and that will probably
have to wait until spring break. On a
happier note, spring break is only two weeks away which is hard to
believe. I feel like my classes are just
starting to pick up and I’m hoping that time flies because it’s been really
tough being in the full swing of things with everything going on. Dancing in Dale started back up so I’ve been
going to that and I’m looking forward to Kaleidoscope Evening with OU’s College
of Arts and Sciences tomorrow evening.
It’s going to be a very fancy event, and I’m excited to meet some
distinguished alumni and hear their stories alongside my fellow Leadership
Scholars.
This reminds me of Kaleidoscope Dinner - fancy tableware that I am not entirely sure how to use
Source: Wikipedia
Monday, February 16, 2015
Extra Reading Diary: Pacific Northwest Unit
Pacific Northwest:
How Silver-Fox Created the World:
This story is rather interesting. I have heard many theories on the creation of the world or how the world came into being, but this is the first one I have heard like this. I wonder if the tribes of the Pacific Northwest honored coyotes and/or silver-foxes or why those were the animals chosen to be a part of this story. It is certainly a unique tale and I haven't heard one like this before. I'm not really sure what to think, but I'm not sure I particularly care for this tale in all honesty.
Three Coyote Stories:
The first story is interesting. I'm not sure if there is supposed to be any sort of moral or take-away from the story, or if the story is more important in context of the others to show that the coyote doesn't have as much power. Either way, I wonder why the coyote went after the people he had created and the silver-fox didn't. The second story I feel like had more of a definitive purpose - to show why the coyote is the most cunning. I was a bit confused though because the first story of the unit and the first sub-story of this story was about the coyote and silver-fox creating the world and now an old man is attributed to having done it? The third story is strange as well. I wonder why the coyote is getting so much heat and now dying? What about silver-fox? Maybe the tribe hates coyotes although the first story didn't seem so bad.
How Old Man Above Created the World:
This story is interesting as well. One of the first things I noticed was that this story contradicts the others so it leads me to believe that these stories weren't told to children as truth since there was more than one version within one culture alone. Some differences I saw was the old man creating the world and the fact that the grizzly bear was feared (rather than the coyote). I like the idea that this story connects to the present and explains why smoke never rises from that location anymore. I think stories like that are more fun and add something extra to things we could see present day.
How Beaver Stole Fire:
I like this story for the same reason I like the previous story - it provides a fun explanation for why things are the way they are (today). I wonder why the beaver was chosen or why the beaver was the animal to have stolen the fire. I would have expected it to be a coyote because they are supposed to be cunning. I'm glad some more animals got to steal the show, though :)
Chinook Wind:
Same idea as some of the previous stories - it explains why things are the way they are. I didn't like this story quite as much because it involved deceit, revenge, and death. However, it was well-written, and I respect that.
The First Totem Pole:
This story was slightly confusing for me. Maybe it's moreso that I'm having trouble focusing. Either way, I found it hard to be engaged and would not say that this was my favorite story although like I said, I still respect the stories even though perhaps this unit is just not the unit of my interest.
How Silver-Fox Created the World:
This story is rather interesting. I have heard many theories on the creation of the world or how the world came into being, but this is the first one I have heard like this. I wonder if the tribes of the Pacific Northwest honored coyotes and/or silver-foxes or why those were the animals chosen to be a part of this story. It is certainly a unique tale and I haven't heard one like this before. I'm not really sure what to think, but I'm not sure I particularly care for this tale in all honesty.
Three Coyote Stories:
The first story is interesting. I'm not sure if there is supposed to be any sort of moral or take-away from the story, or if the story is more important in context of the others to show that the coyote doesn't have as much power. Either way, I wonder why the coyote went after the people he had created and the silver-fox didn't. The second story I feel like had more of a definitive purpose - to show why the coyote is the most cunning. I was a bit confused though because the first story of the unit and the first sub-story of this story was about the coyote and silver-fox creating the world and now an old man is attributed to having done it? The third story is strange as well. I wonder why the coyote is getting so much heat and now dying? What about silver-fox? Maybe the tribe hates coyotes although the first story didn't seem so bad.
How Old Man Above Created the World:
This story is interesting as well. One of the first things I noticed was that this story contradicts the others so it leads me to believe that these stories weren't told to children as truth since there was more than one version within one culture alone. Some differences I saw was the old man creating the world and the fact that the grizzly bear was feared (rather than the coyote). I like the idea that this story connects to the present and explains why smoke never rises from that location anymore. I think stories like that are more fun and add something extra to things we could see present day.
How Beaver Stole Fire:
I like this story for the same reason I like the previous story - it provides a fun explanation for why things are the way they are (today). I wonder why the beaver was chosen or why the beaver was the animal to have stolen the fire. I would have expected it to be a coyote because they are supposed to be cunning. I'm glad some more animals got to steal the show, though :)
Chinook Wind:
Same idea as some of the previous stories - it explains why things are the way they are. I didn't like this story quite as much because it involved deceit, revenge, and death. However, it was well-written, and I respect that.
The First Totem Pole:
This story was slightly confusing for me. Maybe it's moreso that I'm having trouble focusing. Either way, I found it hard to be engaged and would not say that this was my favorite story although like I said, I still respect the stories even though perhaps this unit is just not the unit of my interest.
Ketchican Totem Pole
Source: Wikipedia
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
Week 9 Storytelling: A Beggar Cinderella
Years ago in the outskirts of Chicago, there lived a young woman
about 17 years of age who was left to fend for herself. This young woman,
Katie, went to school everyday and was oftentimes mocked by those around her
for her ratty clothes and her scuffed up shoes. Whenever school was over,
she would walk back to the dumps and took care of the cats that she lived by.
The tabby cats were particularly fond of her and she commonly would feed
them any scraps she could find while also entertaining them with little wads of
paper she'd throw for them to run after. Sometimes, a kind stranger would
give her a meal but usually, she was on her own. One day, her school was
hosting its annual prom. Although she couldn't afford a dress, she always
dreamed about going to her senior prom in a beautiful dress and falling in love
with a boy. The tabby cats knew about this dream since the girl told them
about it often and were determined to give her the night of her life. On
the afternoon of the dance, the tabby cats appeared with a beautiful dress,
jewelry, shoes, and earrings, as well as a ticket to the dance. Katie was
so excited she could hardly wait, but the tabby cats told her, "If you go,
make sure you don't forget about us. We were your first friends and have
considered you one of our own." Katie promised to never forget them and
was shocked that they were even concerned about this possibility. She
went to the dance, realized she didn't know how to dance, and came back to hang
out with the tabby cats as if nothing had ever happened. Katie had
experienced her high school prom and realized it wasn't everything it was made
out to be. Thus, she returned back and was thankful for what she had even
though it wasn't very much to begin with.
A pair of tabby cats
Source: Wikipedia
Author's Note: My story is based off
of The
Girl and the Turkeys from a
book written in 1929 by Stith Thompson called Tales of the North American
Indians from the Native
American Marriage Tales unit. In the
original story, the girl had turkeys who she cared for and she went to a
festival/dance that was customary for the people instead. At the end, she doesn’t get back to the
turkeys at a decent hour so they give up on her and leave. I didn’t like that so I changed the ending
and made it more modern.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Reading Diary B: Native American Marriage Tales
Native American Marriage Tales:
The Dog-Husband:
This is a weird story as well. It's a nice idea that it was common for a dog to sleep at the foot of a girl's bed to protect her, perhaps, but it is a little weird that she had kids with this dog - at least he was partially man. It would be hard to raise five kids on her own - I can't imagine. It's neat that they can turn into human form, though. I feel like the mom shouldn't have been so angry when she found that out though.
The Youth who Joined the Deer:
It's weird that this man was friends with deer although he was so good at hunting them - that doesn't seem to make sense. I wonder how the deer discovered that throwing their bones in the river would revive the killed deer. It's a little messed up for them to eat each other even though they come back to life - that would be such a weird feeling. I'm glad that the man felt guilty and thought of his wife and child at home, but I'm very frustrated that even though he consciously thought of them, he still went with this new woman. It's interesting that the deer wanted to help this man keep his new wife so much that they helped him beat the other bucks off for her. It's a neat ending that he taught others about how to treat the deer.
The Girl and the Turkeys:
This story seems to be set up very well - the author described in great detail the poverty the girl lived in, her kind heart, and her relationship with the turkeys. It stinks that the people did not show her more kindness - I'm assuming she is an orphan since there's no mention of her parents. It's an entertaining thought that the turkeys would present her in a way that would make every man wish to marry her and hopefully then she would have someone to take care of her. I'm really enjoying this story - how the turkeys were able to clothe her in such beautiful garments and how when she arrived, everyone's eyes were on her. I can only imagine the commotion she caused among everyone who seems to think they had never seen her when really, they had been ignoring her this whole time (when she appeared as a beggar). It is sad that even though she went back for them, it was too late in the eyes of the turkey and she was transformed to her old form and it was as if nothing had happened. This time, however, she didn't even have the turkeys to watch over.
The Dog-Husband:
This is a weird story as well. It's a nice idea that it was common for a dog to sleep at the foot of a girl's bed to protect her, perhaps, but it is a little weird that she had kids with this dog - at least he was partially man. It would be hard to raise five kids on her own - I can't imagine. It's neat that they can turn into human form, though. I feel like the mom shouldn't have been so angry when she found that out though.
The Youth who Joined the Deer:
It's weird that this man was friends with deer although he was so good at hunting them - that doesn't seem to make sense. I wonder how the deer discovered that throwing their bones in the river would revive the killed deer. It's a little messed up for them to eat each other even though they come back to life - that would be such a weird feeling. I'm glad that the man felt guilty and thought of his wife and child at home, but I'm very frustrated that even though he consciously thought of them, he still went with this new woman. It's interesting that the deer wanted to help this man keep his new wife so much that they helped him beat the other bucks off for her. It's a neat ending that he taught others about how to treat the deer.
The Girl and the Turkeys:
This story seems to be set up very well - the author described in great detail the poverty the girl lived in, her kind heart, and her relationship with the turkeys. It stinks that the people did not show her more kindness - I'm assuming she is an orphan since there's no mention of her parents. It's an entertaining thought that the turkeys would present her in a way that would make every man wish to marry her and hopefully then she would have someone to take care of her. I'm really enjoying this story - how the turkeys were able to clothe her in such beautiful garments and how when she arrived, everyone's eyes were on her. I can only imagine the commotion she caused among everyone who seems to think they had never seen her when really, they had been ignoring her this whole time (when she appeared as a beggar). It is sad that even though she went back for them, it was too late in the eyes of the turkey and she was transformed to her old form and it was as if nothing had happened. This time, however, she didn't even have the turkeys to watch over.
A domesticated male turkey
Source: Wikipedia
Reading Diary A: Native American Marriage Tales
Native American Marriage Tales:
The Piqued Buffalo-Wife:
This story certainly is unique. A man gets a cow pregnant and the boy and woman are human at first? Then, the man strikes his wife with fire and they revert back to their original form? I think it's very unique but also sort of disgusting. Unique in the fact there is so much form-changing between animal and human form and then back, but it is quite disgusting that a man would mate with a cow. Nasty. I would be interested to know if the reason this story is told is because it is the origin of the Bull and the Horn societies (although it's not even possible) or why it would be preserved and told among generations.
Bear-Woman and Deer-Woman:
This story is sort of messed up, too. It does not seem to be a marriage tale, either. It simply is a tale of friends betraying one another and animals eating other animals. I would have thought that the point of this story was to show why certain animals are no longer friends (sort of like the cat and dog story I read earlier - I think it was from the Chinese Fairy Tale unit).
Splinter-Foot-Girl:
This is a very strange story. I was hoping the bull was simply a name given to a man but apparently not. It is also weird that the child came out of someone's leg - I wish there was more explanation for this and wasn't brushed off so lightly - that would have been interesting to read about. The bird is clever to send a different bird to convince the guys to let them have their daughter. I wonder if the bird was trying to protect the people from the buffalo's rage. I think that this is an interesting take on why buffalo are now considered to be "under men's control." Again, I'm surprised this is a marriage tale since it seems that the main focus is more on the men fighting the buffalo and why they're no longer friends. I'm glad the fathers were willing to accept hardship and danger in order to keep their daughter safe from crazy guys.
The Fox-Woman:
This is a very strange story. This man had unknowingly married a fox who would do nice things for him such as cook, clean, and do laundry. It would be creepy to see fox skin hanging and creepy that suddenly a woman would appear. I'm surprised the man wasn't more alarmed. I think it's sort of neat though that someone (the fox) would be so helpful without looking for credit or any sort of reward for the nice things she did especially since they weren't married (in reality) or anything. If she was under that illusion, though, it was still nice.
The Woman stolen by Killer Whales:
I wonder why this story chose to portray killer whales and sharks in these different lights. I'm also surprised the Native Americans knew about killer whales and sharks since these are salt-water animals found in the deep - certainly not in shallow water and not inland where many Native American tribes would be.
The Bear-Woman:
This is a super weird story. It would be very comfortable to see a human/bear set of lovers. I also wonder if the older sister had this bear-transforming ability before she met her bear-husband or if she gained it afterwards. This is a cool explanation for the stars in the shape that they are - I wonder if other cultures have their own explanations or if this one is simply accepted and not many others think of a need to explain it.
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The Piqued Buffalo-Wife:
This story certainly is unique. A man gets a cow pregnant and the boy and woman are human at first? Then, the man strikes his wife with fire and they revert back to their original form? I think it's very unique but also sort of disgusting. Unique in the fact there is so much form-changing between animal and human form and then back, but it is quite disgusting that a man would mate with a cow. Nasty. I would be interested to know if the reason this story is told is because it is the origin of the Bull and the Horn societies (although it's not even possible) or why it would be preserved and told among generations.
Bear-Woman and Deer-Woman:
This story is sort of messed up, too. It does not seem to be a marriage tale, either. It simply is a tale of friends betraying one another and animals eating other animals. I would have thought that the point of this story was to show why certain animals are no longer friends (sort of like the cat and dog story I read earlier - I think it was from the Chinese Fairy Tale unit).
Splinter-Foot-Girl:
This is a very strange story. I was hoping the bull was simply a name given to a man but apparently not. It is also weird that the child came out of someone's leg - I wish there was more explanation for this and wasn't brushed off so lightly - that would have been interesting to read about. The bird is clever to send a different bird to convince the guys to let them have their daughter. I wonder if the bird was trying to protect the people from the buffalo's rage. I think that this is an interesting take on why buffalo are now considered to be "under men's control." Again, I'm surprised this is a marriage tale since it seems that the main focus is more on the men fighting the buffalo and why they're no longer friends. I'm glad the fathers were willing to accept hardship and danger in order to keep their daughter safe from crazy guys.
The Fox-Woman:
This is a very strange story. This man had unknowingly married a fox who would do nice things for him such as cook, clean, and do laundry. It would be creepy to see fox skin hanging and creepy that suddenly a woman would appear. I'm surprised the man wasn't more alarmed. I think it's sort of neat though that someone (the fox) would be so helpful without looking for credit or any sort of reward for the nice things she did especially since they weren't married (in reality) or anything. If she was under that illusion, though, it was still nice.
The Woman stolen by Killer Whales:
I wonder why this story chose to portray killer whales and sharks in these different lights. I'm also surprised the Native Americans knew about killer whales and sharks since these are salt-water animals found in the deep - certainly not in shallow water and not inland where many Native American tribes would be.
The Bear-Woman:
This is a super weird story. It would be very comfortable to see a human/bear set of lovers. I also wonder if the older sister had this bear-transforming ability before she met her bear-husband or if she gained it afterwards. This is a cool explanation for the stars in the shape that they are - I wonder if other cultures have their own explanations or if this one is simply accepted and not many others think of a need to explain it.
A brown bear running across the grass.
Source: Wikipedia
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