Indian Epics Spring 2018

        I generally like getting feedback. A lot of times I ask my friends to trade papers with me to offer and receive feedback before turning in a big assignment. I want to make myself and my work better. Sometimes I'm defensive or I get angry, especially when I disagree with the feedback. The article Using Harsh Feedback to Fuel Your Career  points out that feedback is generally not a shot at your personal self and sometimes it's hard not to feel that way. People who give feedback are working to help you. It also mentions demonizing someone you disagree with and I'm definitely guilty of this, but I generally come to my senses later.         The second article I read, 8 Things to Do When You Make a Mistake  focused more on reaching out for help from the university and other students. I don't do this much and try to work on my growth mindset instead of reaching out. I have gotten better about talking to other students for feedback...

The first topic idea I'm considering is creation stories. Nobody really knows for sure how everything came to be, so seeing how different cultures explain different aspects of the beginning of our world is so interesting to me. I know a little bit about Hindu beliefs on origins from an introductory religions course my freshman year. I think the infinite cycle idea that Wikipedia's Hindu Cosmology Article mentions is really interesting. The next idea was to write about supernatural characters. We read a story this week, Goblin City , about Rakshasas and it's actually the one I chose to write my story about. I enjoyed the sinister magical creatures and would love to learn more about other beings in Indian writings. Another creature called Asuras interested me. Wikipedia's Article of Asuras says they are like demigods but can be good or evil. That kind of confusion could make a good story. Another possibility would be food. I love food and trying new things. Reading ...

        I met Janine in a bar less than a year ago. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She had this long blonde hair that looked impossibly soft. The second I saw her I knew I had to know her. For some reason, she was just as enraptured with me. Within a few months we were married. I never thought I was the kind of person to rush into a marriage, but I felt it was right and so did she. I'd never been so in love before.         Not long after that, I started to notice things that were odd. Janine would get out of bed in the middle of the night and not come back for hours. When I asked her about it, she claimed she had forgotten to do something for work and was on her laptop in the next room so as not to disturb me. The next time it happened, I checked the whole house for her, but she was gone. I didn't question her though. I thought there must be some kind of explanation. It was like I was under her spell and she could do no wrong...

I liked that, in the story of the rabbit, the lion saved the day. Lions are often portrayed as the king of the jungle, but they are generally not merciful and kind. This one did not harm the rabbit even after learning of the chaos he'd caused. The first turtle story is a great example of how foolish we are when we are afraid of something we don't understand. I'd like to rewrite this with something even more terrifying than a turtle. Maybe a spaceship or a foreign animal is discovered and the human race bands together to see what to do about such a horrifying thing. The combination of turtle stories shows how an animal like a turtle can be displayed in a wise or foolish light. Humans are the same way. One person can be both smart and stupid at the same time. I could write a story of a human who is very intelligent and successful but sometimes does dumb things. I enjoyed the characters in the crane story. One is cruel but smart while several others are foolish and ho...

For the weeks 3 and 4 readings, I'll likely choose the PDE Ramayana . This is mostly because the reading is available online for free. In Myth and Folklore, there were so many reading options. I enjoyed having lots of choices, but it was also a little overwhelming at times, so it's refreshing to have limited options in this section. The Ramayana comic books really interested me for week 5. I've never been much of a comic book person, but I think the images will be really interesting and helpful since I'm unfamiliar with the culture and writing of India. Specifically, Vali: The Downfall of an Arrogant King  caught my attention. I enjoy a good story of family drama. The description also made me think of Cain and Abel for some reason. I think, in week 9, I might try watching the  Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution . The video from another week looked interesting but it was very long. The playlists for this one seemed shorter and more manageable. Image Information: V...