Week 5: Famous Last Words

For this week I believe that my best writing was done in the Storybook Introduction. I know this was written in week 4, but I spent this week revising it. For this post I spent a lot of time researching about each of my characters to create a different personality for them. It was exciting to pick who my ‘therapist’ would be for my Storybook, I ended up picking Ganesh. For the Introduction I tried to write using more dialogue, which was actually really hard to do. I also had more than two characters, which was the amount I have usually used in my posts this far. It was a difficult, but fun challenge to try. I believe this new style was a success.

(Large Ganesh Statue. Image Source: Wikipedia)

I really enjoyed reading some of my fellow students work this past week. I truly believe that there is some great talent in this class! I was reading through some of the posts and Allison took the story of the Himalayas and Vindhya and turned it into a story about a blanket fort! I thought that it was an awesome story! I think she did a great job of taking the story and making it truly her own, which is something I continue to struggle to do. This was a very interesting story to read and it made it more realistic and understandable to this day and age. She did awesome!

This past week was a pretty good week. My other classes have been going well. I just need to keep up with them and try to stay ahead as best I can. This week I have been really focused on filling out all of my study abroad forms to finalize everything so I can be ready to leave in May. It’s a very stressful, but also very exciting event!

When I was writing my storybook post I used a lot of dialogue. I realized that I did not know a lot of words to use in the place of ‘he said’ or ‘she said.’ So naturally I Googled it and found this website that gives you tons of words to use instead. You should definitely check it out by clicking here.

Storytelling for Week 5: Garuda's Diary

Dear Diary,

Today I learned of my Aunt Kadru’s treachery towards my mother. What kind of dishonorable woman would do that? Vinata is her sister, and now she is forced to be Kadru’s servant. I cannot even express to you my dear book, my confidant in all of life’s matters, how mad this knowledge makes me. I was just born from my egg and haven’t even had a chance to talk to my mother. She is always working, and doing Kadru’s work. I wish I could see her. Is life meant to be lonely like this? I don’t yet understand the ways of the world. I do know that I must do something to free my mother, Vinata. She deserves freedom and happiness. I must talk to Kadru, there has to be something that I can do. I will pay any price to free my mother.

Until next time…

Dearest Diary,

It hasn’t been long since I’ve written in you, but I’ve had some new developments with Kadru. I told her I would do anything to have her release my mother from her evil grasp. What do you know!? Of course there was something she wanted! She is never satisfied with the things she has. Oh you want to know what she wanted diary? Well, let me tell you. Kadru and her thousand children want immortality. How must I get it you ask? Well, I am to fly up to heaven and steal it from Indra.  

Wish me luck!

 

(Garuda, Wayang Kulit. Image Source: Wikipedia)

Diary,

Today was the day! I finally made the trip to heaven. On my way there Agni the Fire God tried to get me to decrease my power. He said I would ‘burn up everyone’ if I didn’t. He must have been crazy! I had a job to do and I was going to do it. I did ask him to give me some amrita though… But he would not!  I think it has something to do with that Indra! The next thing I know the whole building was covered with rows and rows of guards. Ha! They thought that would stop me?  I just beat my wings one time and blocked their vision with dust. That wasn’t the only obstacle I had to face though. They had fires, tons and tons of fires everywhere! I just drank some water and put those out. They were so protected for invasion, but they were not protected from me. I flew in so fast that the two serpents guarding the cup didn’t even notice! I took that cup and flew right down to Earth! Now it’s time to get back my mother!

Here I go…

Faithful Diary,

What an interesting day it has been! First I met Narayana the One Lord, he offered me immortality and a place on his flag. So I offered to be his mount for whenever and wherever he wishes to go. He even made me King of all the birds! Me, Garuda! What a special day it has been. As I was flying towards Kadru I was hit by a thunderbolt, which provided me with all the knowledge that there is now, and that will ever come later. I turned to this person who struck me with a thunderbolt, and it was Indra. He wanted to know why I was not drinking the amrita. Little did he know! I made plans for that too. I wasn’t going to give it to Kadru anyway. I just needed it to get her to give me my mom back. Well, it worked! I told them to give me my mom then I ‘suggested’ they cleanse themselves before drinking the amrita. So they went on cleansing their dirty bodies, while I got my mom and Indra took back his amrita. I did it! I really did it!

Until my next adventure!

Author’s Note:

This story was based off of the story of Garuda taking the amrita from Indra, to give to Kadru. He sees that his mom is a servant to her sister Kadru so he wants to save her. Kadru wants the amrita for herself and her children. Garuda visits his dad for advice on what to do and his dad tells him he needs to go and do it. Then, Garuda flies off to heaven to retrieve the amrita, where he confronts Agni who wants him to stop being so powerful. Later, Garuda brings the amrita to Kadru to get his mom, but ends up keeping the amrita when Kadru and her children go to bathe.

            I chose to write this story in a diary form, so that we could experience Garuda’s feelings as he was living through this. I made it so the diary was very important for Garuda, so that he relied on it to show his feelings. For this story I kept the basic storyline the same, but I changed the view it was told from. I also took out some of the scenes that were in the book, such as Garuda eating the tortoise and elephant. I believe telling the story this way shows what Garuda was feeling when experiencing these new emotions.

Bibliography:

• Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. 

Week 5 Reading Diary A: Ravana and the Golden Deer

In Buck’s Ramayana he really elaborates on Ravana convincing Maricha to come and help him capture Sita. When the scene with Maricha was described it was talked about as if Maricha didn’t know what he was doing. It was written as if he was surprised that Rama was following him. This was interesting and surprising for me to read. Pg. 162-168

(Sita and the Golden Deer, by Evelyn Paul. Source: Wikipedia)

I am not sure if the previous book had Indra talking to Sita, but I thought that was a cool scene to add. He tells Sita why Ravana cannot force himself on her. Rama had previously raped a woman named Rambha. Ravana was later cursed by Nalakubra Rambha’s love.  Pg. 177

The story of Vali is different from the version in Narayan’s Ramayana. Buck said that Sugriva waited outside for only one year and then saw blood. In the other book it was for three years (if I remember correctly). Buck also describes the noises that led up to Sugriva closing off the cave. Pg. 191

The death of Vali is also something that I noticed was different from the two books. In this book Vali tells his son to help Rama, and this was not said in the other one. Also Tara, Vali’s wife, kills herself after Vali dies. This is an interesting change in the plot. Pg. 200

I found I interesting that out of all the expeditions sent out to find Sita, Rama gives his ring to Hanuman. As if expecting he will be the one to find her. It does make sense that he is the one to find her though. Pg. 202

Week 5 Reading Diary A: Bharata Seeks Out Rama

When the riders go to fetch Bharata we can really see how much he cares for Rama. His third question after asking about his parent’s health is asking how Rama was. This shows that he cares a lot for Rama just like Lakshmana.  Pg. 112

Vasistha tells Bharata what his mom’s life will be like. She will live many different lives, and each of them she will not understand what life is meant to be and what is True. Vasistha says this will happen to her unless Bharata forgives her. He says it is important to forgive people, especially his mother. Pg. 117

Bharata and all the people go to find Rama. It is funny to think of all those people going to get Rama back. It also shows how much he means to them. Pg. 119

Bharata spends a lot of time trying to convince Rama that he needs to return home. Rama gives him many reasons for why he cannot do that. Pg. 129-131

(Bharata takes Rama's Shoes. Source: Wikipedia)

Rama decides that they are still too close to Ayodhya, so they keep on moving to other places. They soon meet Atri and Anasuya, who take them into their home and give them gifts. Then they kept moving on, they would live in each place for a little amount of time then keep going. They did this for the first 13 years of the exile Pg. 135

They discuss the birth of Garuda, and how he winds back his mother. Uchchaihshravas is also talked about in this part of the reading, about how he comes from the milky water. They have a bet as to what color he will be. Pg. 146