Week 11 - Essay - English Fairy Tales.

For this week I will be assessing the chosen reading unit. This week I have decided to read about English fairy tales. Being eleven weeks into the semester, I think so far this is my favorite reading unit. I thought I had found my favorite unit last week. But I felt more engaged with the stories this week. I think that they were very exciting and a good and easy read.

My favorite this week was the story that I chose for my story telling assignment - Tim Tit Tot. I just felt that this story entertained me the most. I think that the girl in the story was rather fortunate. One: she was married to the king. So I’m sure she was lavished in every way possible. Then, even though she was unable to spin, she miraculously found someone to help her. However, everyone that came to her aid set conditions on her. The king wanted her to spin on the twelfth month of the year, and Tim Tit Tot wanted to keep her if she didn’t guess his name right. I also like how the story ended. I thought that it was quite a coincidence that the king randomly saw this creature singing his name, whilst he was spinning. Then he came to tell his wife. Not knowing that he had just saved her.

I also really enjoyed, The Rose tree, and Mr Fox. I think they too were marvelous stories. Also I like reading the story of the three little pigs. Although, it was not my favorite of the bunch. But it was interesting to read the difference in the story, in comparison to the one we are all used to. I strongly recommend this reading unit to anyone who hasn’t decided on a reading unit for week twelve.  I think the information provided prior reading the unit was sufficient to base a decision on. It really is a short and sweet reading unit.

 

 

 

Link: English Fairy Tales

Week 10 Essay - ASSESSES STORY

In this week’s reading, I decided to read American Indian tales. I really enjoyed reading the stories in this unit, as I felt a sense of the Indian culture. Living here in Oklahoma, the Indian heritage is very much valued. And to read some of their mythological stories was somewhat interesting.

For this week, I pretty much enjoyed reading almost all of the stories. However, a few stood out to me the most. As you already know by now, for this week’s story telling assignment I decided to retell the story about The son of the evening star. To me this story reminded me a lot of our modern day beauty and the beast. Bell fell in love with the beast despite his odd and ugly appearance, as did Owenee with Osseo. She, unlike her other sisters decided to pick whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She didn’t just settle for the most handsome, strongest; or richest young man. Whilst reading this story, when Osseo finally became beautiful (as granted from his father the evening star), Owenee lost her beauty. It made me think that did he consume all her beauty or was it just a test of their love? I think that it was a test as he stayed with her even when she wasn’t beautiful anymore. And as a reward, they were both given beauty, and all those that were not kind to them became birds and other creatures.

I also enjoyed reading about Lagoo, I think that he was a very wise man. As I would picture most of the native Indians to be at that time.

Collectively, I think that this was a very good reading unit, and I  would recommend it to future students. I think that there was enough information provided about the unit. I also enjoyed the fact that it was not a confusing unit and all the stories were being told by Lagoo. It really helped give the readers a good use of their imagination.

Link : American Indian Tales

Week 9: Essay - Assesses Reading Unit.

For this week’s reading unit I decided to read Native American heroes tales unit. Overall, I thought that this was a really good reading unit and I enjoyed reading about the different American Mythology. Being someone that prefers realistic story lines, I felt that this unit had a lot of that as well as the little imagination and adventure where needed.  The stories in this unit were a lot different to the ones I read in previous weeks. As the class progresses I have come to know that each genre or culture have different ways of telling mythical stories. Therefore, reading a diversity of stories from different parts of the world has definitely been an eye opener. One thing that I thought was really helpful reading this unit, was the fact that it didn’t have too many stories but rather a few stories that were short and sweet.

In this week’s story telling assignment I decided to write about my favorite story in the unit – Lodge-Boy and Thrown-Away. This story stood out to me the most as I liked the fact that the twin boys weren’t dead and that they went on to grow up in two completely different places. But in the end they found each other and were reunited as a family. I also enjoyed the fact that whenever they were warned by their father not to do something. They would still go and do it but made sure they conquered every obstacle. To me this story showed their brotherhood and closeness and it reminded me a lot of my childhood growing up with my brothers and sisters.

I also enjoyed reading about the jealous uncle. I felt that this story reminded me a lot of the time of Moses and the Pharaoh. When the pharaoh wanted rid of all the boys that were born in Egypt but Moses being the only one to survive.
My least favorite was The Son-In-Law-Tests. I can’t really pinpoint why I did not enjoy this story. But it was definitely the least appealing. I didn’t quite understand the concept as to why the father did not want his daughter to be happily married. Overall, I thought that this was a very enjoyable reading unit.


                                        

                                                       (Grouse. One of the characters in the Bluejay and his companions story)

Link: Native American Hero Tales Unit

Week 7: Essay - ASSESS THE READING UNIT

This week I read about African stories from Lang’s fairy tale book. I thought that this week’s reading was quite interesting. To be honest it was not my favorite but I enjoyed it more than last week’s reading. I enjoy reading books that have a variety of different story topic incorporated into it making it one. As I believe that it really helps keep the readers focus – well at least mine. The fact that it had a series of short stories allowed me to pick one and retell it in my own words.

A few of my favorite stories were The heart of the monkey as you can tell as I have chosen to retell it in this week’s story telling task. I loved the character of the monkey and how wise he was in preventing himself from giving the sultan his heart.. I also really enjoyed reading about the washermans donkey. One thing that stood out to me the most about this story is the reason why the donkey was tricked by the hare twice. I think it is rather intriguing how they use the heart to be the tool for thought and it being the reason she came back twice believing the hare, when I would assume that it would be your brain that is the deciding tool. I guess different cultures assume that different things are used to help make decisions and I’m guessing in this case because the donkey didn’t have a heart she made the same mistake twice. Finally my third favorite was the story of Makoma, whilst reading this story I felt like I was reading the African version of the story of Hercules. As Makoma too went on a mission conquering different obstacles making him the undefeated one as did Hercules with the twelve obstacles. And in the end Makoma being made a God as was Hercules (half mortal half god).

Collectively this was a really good reading unit, and I would also say it was a an easy read with a good flow to it.

Link: African Stories from Lang's fairy tale book

Week 6: Essay - ASSESS THE READING UNIT

This week I chose to read Japanese Mythology unit. Before this class I was not familiar with reading mythology. I more so enjoyed watching mythology based stories. Reading it is somewhat different. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I am not in any way familiar with Japanese mythology. So I thought it would be worth trying something different and new.I thought that this unit was quite interesting. I really enjoy reading units that consist of a collection of short stories as this one did. I think it helps keep focus and it does not drag on.

My favorite story in this unit was Uraschimataro and the Turtle. The reason for this is because it seemed the most like a fairy tale as he went to an enchanted world under the ocean. A world that he had never seen before. 

When reading this story, I hoped that it would go back and forth in informing the readers of the emotions his parents were going through when he didn't return home. I couldn't imagine being gone for as long as he was then coming back to a place that was no longer familiar.

I also very much enjoyed reading the cat and the elopement. As mentioned in my reading diary it really reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. As both cats were under different ownership which came in the way of their love. My least favorite was the sparrow with the slit tongue. It really didn't interest me at all. The only downside of this unit is that: When reading it you are not given a sense of what each chapter is about (as shown in some of the other reading units). So whether or not you will find interest in it you won’t know until you actually get through one of the stories.

Overall, I think this was a very interesting unit to read. I think it was an easy and fun read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mythology or reading as a whole.

                                                                                                                                                                

Link: Japanese Fairy tale (Lang)
(Image above showing Uraschimataro and the turtle) 

Week 5 : Essay

My thoughts on this week’s reading: At first when I chose this reading unit I thought I was in for the Disney fairy tale of Aladdin as that is the information provided in the weekly reading units table. But obviously I was wrong. To be honest I am actually quite happy that it was not a re write of the Disney version as it would not have been that interesting in terms of catching my attention.

Instead this unit kept the concept of the genie but in a much different light in comparison to the Disney story. One thing that really caught my attention was the way in which the unit is a collection of different story tellers telling a story and each chapter in the story is the narration of the person telling the story in the previous story that you read. So it was really a story inside a story. Which was a very smart choice in terms of captivating the readers.

Another thing that I also thoroughly enjoyed about this unit as I have mentioned above, was that yes there was still the concept of the genie. But each time we were introduced to the genie it was in a different story, and in a different sitting other than the lamp in the original Disney story. I think my choice was a very good one in terms of how it fits in with my blog so far, as I also chose a Middle Eastern unit in the week before. Therefore giving my blog a uniform feel.

I think the information provided in this unit is very clear cut and it does help paint a picture of each chapter before you go on to reading the chapter. Which in my case, sparked a greater interest into wanting to read the detailed story.


(Scheherazade)

Link: Arabian Nights

Week 4: Essay

This week I have chosen to write about wisdom again. The reason for this is because I really wanted to analyze the story of Moses and El-Khudr this week. As I think the topic “wisdom” fits perfectly with this story. Although I am sure one can find areas of wisdom that are also shown in the other stories in this unit (Holy Land Folklore Unit Reading Diary).

This one stood out to me the most as El-Khudr (the man whom Moses was told to accompany) was not a prophet, a messenger of God, or even a man of great status within the community. Instead he was amongst the villagers or the people of the city at the time of Moses. I think this is a great example of us not underestimating the powers of someone who is below us no matter what our status maybe. Even if we are someone of higher status as Moses was at the time in comparison to the man.

 Yes, one might argue that El-Khudrs actions cannot be portrayed as being wise or possessing wisdom of any sort. As all three of the events Moses witnessed with him were things that would be considered to be really bad. However in the end of the story we learn that it is not his action that we must focus on it is the bigger picture. The reason I say this is because if he had not done the things that he did a lot of bad would have come from it, so we are told in the story of Moses and El-Khudr. So one might go on to say that they were preventative actions in which he was given the authority or the command to do by the will of God.

In this story we see that Moses was clueless to something’s and that although Moses was a great man of his time he did not know it all.

(Allah written on the wall of a mosque)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy Land Folklore

Week 3: Essay: The Wisdom of Noah

 

In the story of Noah and the Ark, we have a man chosen to be the messenger of God in that he may guide mankind on the path of righteousness. As at the time of Noah corruption had spread the earth’s surface. The reason I have chosen wisdom to be the topic of discussion here is because in from the Legend Jews text it is said that Noah praised God at birth causing his father to flee from him, as he had seen nothing like this. From birth Noah shows the wisdom of God. As his grandfather before him was also a wise man.

 

story is a prime example showing that no matter how wise one maybe if people choice to be against your teachings or follow your guidance all the wisdom in the world will never be enough to capture their attention. Noah’s wisdom is portrayed by the people as him being deluded or even arrogant. To them he probably appointed himself to guide the people even though his action was based on the command of God. However the sinners as they are referred to in the book are not interested in acquiring any knowledge as what they are accustomed to is enough for them to survive the flood. So you could say they have no wisdom or even common sense for that matter. As it is said that there were giants amongst them who claimed they would stop the floods from both above and below. So they refused to seek the knowledge of God. In comparison to Noah who was always seeking the light and guidance of God.

 (Shem, Ham, and Japheth; James Tissot)

I think the message in this story is that as human beings whatever the path in life that we chose there will always be people there to criticize your work or actions, and how you deal with this will make or break you. In Noah’s life of nine hundred and fifty years he only had but few followers. This goes to show that it is not the quantity of your work rather that quality as from the people of the ark mankind and all that lives on earth was able to reproduce again despite the loss of plenty and here we are today living on earth by the masses.

 

Link: Noahs ark

Weeks 2: Essay Blog post - Gods and Goddesses

From reading both books (Adam and Eve and Noah and the ark) both books very much involved the works of god. As I believe both books to portray the same god. In both books god is portrayed as the almighty, the most high and a very supreme character amongst all. His speech is very majestic in the orders and the commands he gives.

The reason I say this is because with Adam and Noah he gives them strict commands, in which they must follow. And in Adams case he falls out of the commands of God and thus is punished by expelling him and Eve from the gardens of Eden. Throughout the story Adam and Eve both keep falling out of god’s way but then we see gods forgiving character and continues to forgive them time after time. As done with Noah, he is constantly forgiven by god. So we see his forgiving and merciful nature.

However in the both books there is almost a mistrust of God by both Adam and Noah as both believe they or their people will be punished again. So they feel the need to have some form of reassurance from god. Hence God makes a convenient with them both. Here we see that he is a being of his word.  I wouldn’t say that it is evil of him to bring such punishment on the people but I think that the peoples actions and Adams and Eve’s action was used by God as an example for the generations there were to come. So you could say that his character is also portrayed as being a punisher- the consequence of good deeds being endless bliss but if you sin against god then you will be punished for you deeds.

He is also a god of unity as he does not want to share his thrown with anyone. As he warns both do not commit blasphemy nor associate partners with me. Here one can tell that he does not want to share his authority over all with none but himself. As he destroyed the Nimrod and his people as they began idol worshipping. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he is a jealous god, because I believe that God has no reason to be jealous of none as he has the dominion and power over all. But some of you may defer with me on this. All in all god is a good god as he doesn’t send plagues on the people of these stories unless they have strayed.

 

 

(Tower of Babel, by Joos de Momper)

 

Links: Noahs Ark

EveAdam and Eve