Week 3: Famous Last Words

In this class, I think my best writing came in the form of my story retelling. I love taking small excerpts of stories and running with them. I think I like doing this because it gives me the ability to unleash creativity. Instead of being tied down to certain elements of stories, when you use a small portion as a prompt, it allows creativity to flow more freely.

Another form of writing that I really appreciate comes in the form of letters. I love getting letters. They are so thoughtful – no matter how long or short they happen to be. This week I wrote a letter to a friend of mine. I might have made a mistake when I tweeted before I left for camp, saying “Favorite this tweet for a letter from me!” Over ten letters later, I’m finally finished. I think I like writing letters because it allows us to convey kind words in a way that isn’t awkward.

I also wrote a paper this week that I’m quite proud of. It’s a response paper for my class The Rebirth of Israel with Professor Carsten Schapkow. I wrote about the perception of the Jews in the mid 18^th century, how they became accepted, and how they began to assimilate into secular culture. I found it fascinating how the individual Jew seemed to be accepted, but Judaism as a whole seemed to be rejected. I also felt a sense of empathy from some of the concepts. It seemed as though the Jews assimilated in order to be free and equal men, but they tended to do so with heavy hearts. They held onto their traditions, but they still hoped to become relevant. It’s an interesting subject to analyze, if any of you guys ever get the chance.

Image Information: Handwritten Letter

The Lost Art of Handwriting

Source: The Guardian

Week 3 Storytelling: Off to War

Jonathan loved Catherine very much. She was devastated when the draft came. In a time of war, it was every American’s duty to serve his country. He hadn’t been married to Catherine for very long, but he knew she was his prize; she was all that he longed for. He was worried to leave Catherine and his son Jack at home alone, but he knew his brother Stephen would take care of them. Stephen was a kind man, and he loved his brother very much. He was a free spirit, which explained his singleness. Girls loved Stephen, but he was content without a wife. He looked up to his older brother Jonathan, but he knew marriage at such a young age wouldn’t turn out for him the way it had turned out for his brother.

When Jonathan left for war, he looked at his brother, and shook his hand firmly. “You’re in charge, baby bro. Take care of Catherine and Jack. You three are the only family I have, and you’re all the only reasons I’m going overseas to defend this country.”

“I’d love nothing more, brother. You have my word – I will protect and provide for your family while you’re gone.”

Stephen moved into the house and slept in the guest bedroom. He took care of Jack and he took care of Catherine. He picked up an extra job and even started a college fund for Jack. He loved them well, as if they were his own wife and child. It was an odd circumstance, but he promised his brother that he would protect his family. He had a pure heart, and never laid a finger on Catherine.

Twenty-eight long months passed, and Jonathan returned. With his PTSD, it was a rough transition back into his own home. He was extremely jealous of Stephen, and acting abnormally, chased him out of the house within the first week. As Stephen fled the house, Jonathan yelled after him. “You think you can steal my wife and child? They are MINE.”

Image Information: Active Duty Soldiers

Source: USMA

Author's Note: This is an adaptation of Sugreeva watching over Vali's kingdom in R.K. Narayan's translation of The Ramayana. Vali chased after a demon, and Sugreeva was in charge of the kingdom in his absence. When he returned, Vali was unjustifiably angry. Thus, Sugreeva was exiled from the kingdom, just like Stephen was exiled from the home. 

Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana.

Week 3: Reading Diary B

Hanuman finds Sita, but only after he figured out that he mixed up Ravana’s wife and Sita. She was guarded by demons and ready to commit suicide. Hanuman gives her Rama’s ring, and she gives a piece of jewelry to Hanuman. Hanuman lets Ravana’s son capture him and bring him to Ravana. He advises Ravana to surrender.

Ravana is extremely upset that he was attacked by a giant monkey, who he is prophesied to be avenged by. He has protection against monkeys, but not humans. Rama allows Vibhishana’s request for asylum.

Ravana tries to show Sita a fake decapitated head of Rama, but she doesn’t believe it. Rama and Ravana fight, and Rama shatterst he crown of Ravana. When the day ends, Rama lets Ravana return home to get new weapons. The battle continues the next day, but Ravana’s little brother Kumbhakarna is awakened. He is of good character, and chastises Ravana for being fueled by lust. However, he still swallows thousands of monkeys. Ravana faints from exhaustion, but Rama won’t kill a man who is asleep. Rama ends up shooting an arrow into the heart of Ravana and killing him. Rama ordered a grand funeral for Ravana.

Rama tests the purity of Sita by letting the gods vindicate her in a fire, and after fourteen years of exile, Rama returns to Ayodhya as king.

Week 3: Reading Diary A

Coming out of the context of Ravana abducting Sita with the help of his uncle:

Rama is called the “ideal man” with all of his faculties “in control in any circumstances, one possessed of an unwavering sense of justice and fair play.” The controversy comes when he attempted to kill a creature “who had done him no hard.” (p. 90)

Context: Rama traveling to the forest regions of Kiskinda, a kingdom ruled and inhabited by giant monkeys. He is met by Hanuman, the watchmen for intruders.. Hanuman talks about Rama calling him “noble-looking” and says that “they appear to be incomparable beings. No way of judging by comparison. Are they gods?  - but they look so human.” (p. 91)

When Rama met Sugreeva, he felt an “instinctive compassion and also felt tat this was a momentous encounter, a turning point in his own life.”

Sugreeva: king of the giant monkeys, but only because Vali (who had freedom from death and possessed the “resplendence and the cool complexion of the full moon) had pursued a demon called Mayavi. He pursued him, but had been gone for 28 months. Sugreeva was made the ruler of Kiskinda in his absence.

Vali returns, thinking Sugreeva has attempted to seal him out of the kingdom. He chases Sugreeva mercilessly until Sugreeva takes refuge on Mount Matanga where Vali could not go. Vali went home, resumed authority as king, and took Sugreeva’s wife.

Rama offers to help Sugreeva. Hanuman senses the divinity within Rama, but Sugreeva needs more proof. To prove his strength to kill Vali, Rama shoots his arrow through the trunks of seven enormous trees, the seven worlds, seven seas, and “all things in seven.” Then the arrow went back in his quiver.

When Sita had been kidnapped, she threw off her jewelry, which had been found by the giant monkeys. Sugriva agrees to help find Sita, and gives her jewelry to Rama.

Rama kills Vali with his arrow.