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                                               (Plane: Image from Wikimedia Commons)

My Story Book:
https://sites.google.com/view/india-through-rama/home

Week 4 lab

Ted Talk Story Lab: The danger of a single story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

·        Our lives are influenced heavily by the things we see and read

·        Stories do not always need to be about foreign things but can also be about things close to us that have meaning in our lives.

·        The more you read of one topic the narrower your perception will be

·        A single story will always give you only one and usually wrong perspective of a topic

·        The modern-day single story is news, TV, and social media

·        Single stories are often a result of belittling someone or making yourself superior

·        A single story is not an accurate representation of its whole

·        “It is a not that the single story is wrong it is that it is incomplete. They make the single story the only story.” This quote gives you a great perspective as to why hearing multiple sides to a story is important.

·        It is just as important to take about the negative stories as it is to talk about the positive ones.

·        “Single stories rob people of dignity” “It emphasizes with we are different and not why we are similar.”

·        When we chose to reject and not accept the single story, we “regain a sort of paradise”. Meaning we grant ourselves the ability to not see just the bad or negative but to accept all perspectives so we truly understand.

Imaginary Friends and real-world consequences by Jennifer Barnes

·        People send so much time and money on fiction. Why?

·        We believe that fictional characters are fiction but we have this gut feeling that they are real.

·        We can draw emotional support from these characters in hard times like they are a real friend.

·        The benefits of real-world relationships have a very similar benefit to the relationships with fictional characters.

·        Our social circle includes both our real friends and family but also these fictional characters

·        People are more invested in fictional characters then people they are acquainted with. Probably because we have invested in the fictional characters and care for them.

·        The people in acting as these fictional characters represent someone in the real world like politicians. The attachments to these fictional characters can be a negative thing if based on how we perceive them. If all the fictional politicians are white males then our perception of politicians is going to change.    

                    (Fictional Comic: Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part D

     The Bridge by Donald A. Mackenzie

     There has not been much mention of water and its importance in this epic. It is not surprising that there is a King of the Ocean since there are many kings and queens presented in this epic. What types of sacrifices did Rama need to perform to summon the King of the Ocean? Is Rama stronger then the King of the Ocean? How different is this land under the sea from the one on earth, is it like what other myths of under the sea are like? Why does the king of the ocean grant Rama permission to have the bridge after Rama attacked his sea? Is there an island chain in this world that represents this bridge, if so, where would it be located? Rama does not seem to have much respect for the king of the ocean after he attacks the deep sea. Is this usual of kings to disrespect each other and to attack each other if they do not get what they wish for. Unlike any other story I have read there is no dialogue in this one. It is unclear if the author does this because the dialogue is not important or if it is more useful with no dialogue. Why was Rama traveling to Lanka, is it of great importance? The author of this story does not use very descriptive language and is not detailed in their writing. It leaves me asking a question, is this story very important to the topic of the whole epic?

                                                 (Rama's Bridge: Image from Wikipedia)

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part C

                                          (Ravana: Image from Wikimedia Commons)

     Story from: Sita and Ravana by Sister Nivedita

     

In this reading the author describes Sita as being the most beautiful thing, which describes why she is often targeted and loved by others. Ravana continues to be the horrible villain he has been in past stories. The scene is painted well but I am left wondering exactly what these places look like. It is interesting that Sita will not even allow Hanuman to carry her out of her captivity. She is so devoted and in love with Rama that she will risk her life to stay devoted to him. Sita is a larger part of this epic then I realized, she is not only a love interest but a major reason for so many of the conflicts and journeys in this epic. If it were not for Sita and her importance to Rama then this epic would not be what it is. It is unclear to me if Ravana wants Sita because he loves her or because Rama has her. He has many wives so what is so special about Sita that he wants her over the other wives. Why is Ravana giving Sita two months to change her mind about him before he kills her? Is he waiting to see if Rama will come or is, he really hopping Sita will change her mind? It is interesting that the author uses the dialogue to rhyme, it makes it fell less real and more like a poem. The writing style is very different compared to the written text because the dialogue comes at the end and is separate from the narrative.        

Feedback Strategies

The first article I read was "How to Give Feedback Without Sounding Like a Jerk". I really liked this article because giving feedback and accepting feedback is difficult and can come off in a negative way most of the time. No one wants to sound rude or superior when they are giving feedback but it is easy to do. One thing I agreed with is to not give the compliment sandwich, people know when you are doing it and I think it is more rude then just giving the feedback because the compliments are not sincere. I think that first taking yourself off of the pedestal and then giving the feedback is a good way to go.
The second article I read that I found useful was Be a Mirror. I enjoyed the part that talked about giving feedback that can be applied. Feedback is not useful unless it can be transferred. This is why I use the question type of feedback because it gives the author something to think about and indicates a part of the story that is unclear.

                                                 (Feedback: Image from Wikimedia)       

Topic Research

1. Rama's Exile - Using google maps I would create a map of key routes that Rama took during his exile. Adding a story pop up of where they stopped or where a key story took place.  Having an interactive map could be a good way to engage my readers and tell the stories. The website Maps of India could be used as a tool for this project.
2. Ravana in Lanka - I could create a travel brochure based on the Ramas time in Sri Lanka. I can include cities, temples, and other structures that represent Rama and its companions in this story. One tool I can use is a tour guide through India based off of the Ramayana.
3. Forest Life -  On google maps I can create a map of where Rama went in the forest and what events occurred during his stay there. I can include why the forest story is important and where Rama had visited. The website Maps of India could be used as a tool for this project.

                                             (Rama's Journey: Image from Wikimedia)

Week 3 Story

Bibliography: Story adapted from R.K. Narayan's Story Ravana and Maricha. 

The Princess saves herself (and everyone else) in this one:

Sita, wife to Rama, is often a common target because of her high power and high beauty. On an excursion with Rama and his brother Lakshmana because, they were banished from their kingdom, Sita asks her husband to catch a deer for her and he obliges. What the three of them did not know was that this deer was a demon and by trying to kill him they unleashed his wrath.

Rama yells to Lakshmana “Hurry, take Sita to a safe placed while I kill this demon.”

Lakshmana happily agreed and took Sita just far enough away that they could see but also remain safe. Sita began to see that this was a powerful demon, possibly more powerful then Rama. She demanded Lakshmana to go help his brother in defeating the demon and assured him she would be safe alone and there was nothing to worry about. Again, what the three of them did not know is that demons do not travel alone, they travel in partners. The whole thing was a decoy to get Sita alone and away from her companions. The demons knew she was a valuable person and figured they could benefit greatly by holding her captive and just like that the demon took Sita away to their home miles away without being seen.

Upon arrival to the demon’s home Sita asks “What am I doing here and what do you want from me?”

The demon responded “I have taken you because I know you are worth a lot of gold and no on knows where you are now so no one can save you.”

Sita was fearful for her life and was worried that the demon was right, that no one would ever find her. However, Sita was determined to see her husband and friend once more and this helped rid her of her fear. Sita began to brainstorm different ways she could escape and she became fearful again that she would not be able to find Rama and Lakshmana after she escaped. She was also afraid that they would not be alive. Sita knew she had to act fast because if she didn’t her friends would either be dead or long gone. Then it hit her she knew how to defeat the demon.

Sita knew that the demon would not hurt her because she was to valuable and they would be rewarded more if she was unharmed, she used this to her advantage.

Sita being tied to a tree with rope explained to the demon “I am so hungry and feel weak demon would you please fetch us food so I will be well and get you more money as a reward.”

The demon was specious at first, but was confident in his ability to tie Sita to the tree and knew she would not escape. “I will fetch us food so you can remain silent until I get our gold reward.” Said the demon. And the demon went off out of site to get food. Sita knew this would be her one and only chance to escape the demon so she broke her pearl bracelet against the tree and used the sharp edge to cut her way free. Sita began to run until the tree was almost out of site and then she stopped. She realized if she did not defeat the demon now he would only comeback and take her again. Therefore, Sita ran back to the tree beating the demon there and stole an arrow from the demon’s home. She pretended to act as if she was still tied to the tree. The demon returned with food for the two of them and after he ate began to feed Sita. The demon still believed Sita was tied to the tree until he got close enough to feed her the last bite and she stabbed him. The demon was to weak to fight back and died right there under the tree.

Sita then ran back miles from where she was to happily find Rama and Lakshmana. However, they were still fighting the demon and it was obvious they were quickly growing tired and weak. Sita approached quietly not letting her presence be know and used this to her advantage.

Right when the demon looked like he would prevail and cornered Rama and Lakshmana, Sita discretely comes up behind the demon and stabbed him with the same arrow she killed the other demon with. The demon collapsed and fell dead. Rama and Lakshmana could not believe there eyes that Sita had saved their lives and had saved her own.             

                              (Sita before she is taken by the demon: Image from Wikipedia)

Authors note: This story is based off of R.K. Narayan's Story Ravana and Maricha. In this story Sita wishes for her husband to catch a deer for her. However the deer is not only a deer it is Maricha, Ravana's uncle. Sita worries Rama is in trouble and sends Lakshmana to help him, leaving Sita alone. This is how the story ends, with Sita alone and unprotected. The story above provides an ending to this story.