Essay: Parents/Elders and Children

    I really enjoyed this unit, Ovid's Metamorphoses. The story of Daedalus and Icarus stood out to me out of all the other stories. Reading this particular story, I believe that the moral of Daedalus and Icarus was it is important to respect and listen to your elders. It was clear from reading the story,  that Daedalus is a wise, intellectual, and practical man. Daedalus created the complex Labyrinth which housed the dangerous Minotaur. This is a great feat.
    Daedalus created wings for himself and his son to use to escape from imprisonment. He made the wings and thus one would think that Icarus would listen to Daedalus's instructions. He knows firsthand how the wings work; he made them. But Icarus succumbed into his curiosity and ignored his father's command. As a result, Icarus fell to his death.
   There is a reason people seek counsel from elders or parents. They have experienced life and therefore knows how life works. They know what life offers and what it takes away. Even though some elders may have not received a high education they are still wise in that they know how to survive and respond to certain situations that adolescents have yet to experience. These are things that one cannot simply learn from books or school. Experience is one of the best ways to learn. And elders have tons of experience.
     Children can sometimes look down at their parents or ignore their advice because they believe they know what is best for themselves, when really they do not. In this case, Icarus was so driven by curiosity he forgot his father's instruction and carelessly flew toward the sun. He believed he knew what was best for him. He thought that he was better than his father and therefore was capable of flying higher up. Icarus believed that his father was just being overprotective and hindering him from his full potential.
    Icarus's downfall was a result of his lack of obedience towards his father's command. The story of Daedalus and Icarus is a lesson to all of us that we should respect and listen to our parents or elders.

(Daedalus and Icarus)

  

Storytelling for Week 3: Finding Little Fish

It happened that a Fisher, after fishing all day, caught only a little fish. "Pray, let me go, master," said the Fish. "I am much too small for your eating just now. If you put me back into the river I shall soon grow, then you can make a fine meal off me."

"Nay, nay, my little Fish," said the Fisher, "I have you now. I may not catch you hereafter."

A little thing in hand is worth more than a great thing in prospect.

(The Fisher and the Little Fish)

Finding Little Fish

      Once there was a little fish swimming around the river hanging out with his friends. The little Fish's father strictly told him to not wander too far. While swimming around, the fish came upon a boat in the distance.The boat was floating in a dangerous area; his father specifically told him to avoid this area. The little Fish decided to ignore his father's wishes and he and his friends, driven by curiosity, swam to the boat.

    When they finally reached the boat, they stared at in awe. They have never seen anything like it. The little Fish's friends dared him to touch the boat. They started chanting. "Touch the boat! Touch the boat! Touch the boat!" Succumbing into peer pressure, the little Fish swam to touch the boat. As he was swimming to the boat, a Fisher caught him by scooping him up in a bag.

    The frightened little Fish did not know what to do. He tried negotiating to the Fisher, saying that if he let him go, he will find an even bigger fish for him. The Fisher replied that he did not care for a bigger fish because he was fishing not for himself but for his niece. The Fisher's niece has a birthday coming up and therefore he wishes to give her a present. A fish would be perfect; she loves fish.

    Eventually the little Fish's father heard the news that his son had been captured. The Father driven by concern was determined to find his son and bring him back home even if it meant swimming the whole river to get there. The Father left the comfort and safety of his home to embark on the most dangerous journey he had every been on. Stories of the Father's bravery soon begin to spread throughout the river. He surpassed hungry bears, birds, and other dangerous predators.

    While on his journey the Father made a friend -- a bird. Inspired by the Father's love for his son, the Bird decided to help the Father. The Bird knew where the little Fish was being held. He flew to the Fisher's home and saw the bag where the little Fish was put in. The Bird grabbed the bag and flew back to the river, where the little Fish and his father were once again reunited. The little Fish promised to never disobey his father. And the Father promised to be more open-minded. 

(Fisher and little Fish)

Author's Note:
This story is based on the story of The Fisher and the Little Fish. The story "The Fisher and the Little Fish" can be found in Aesop's Fables. "The Fisher and the Little Fish" is about a little Fish who is captured by a Fisher. The little Fish tries to persuade his way out but is unsuccessful. This story reminded me of Finding Nemo. For my story I made the little Fish Nemo and the Fisher the "dentist." I also included that the little Fish's father went after him and overcame dangerous obstacles to save him just like the father in Finding Nemo.

The title is inspired by the movie Finding Nemo.

"The Fisher and the Little Fisher" from the Fables of Aesop (1902). Web source: Sacred Texts Archive.
   

Greek Myths: Ovid III - Reading Diary B

Greek Myths: Ovid III Table of Contents

My favorite story from this unit was the story of Daedalus and Icarus. I remember reading this story in my childhood. It was nice rereading it and refreshing my memory; it has been a while since I've read this story. The story of Daedalus and Icarus is one of my favorites because it portrays a father's love for his son. in the story it mentioned that while Daedalus was preparing Icarus's wings he was crying. I believe that he was crying because he loved his son so much that he hopes that he does not fail him -- that his invention will free them. Another aspect of the story that illustrated Daedalus's ovee for Icarus was hen he saw that his son Icarus had fallen to his death. Daedalus was devastated and blamed himself for his son's death. He also named the island after Icarus:Icaria.

(Daedalus and Icaru)

 

 

 

I also really enjoyed the story of The Shirt of Nessus despite it being a tragic story about the downfall of Hercules. .Unlike the previous story, Daedalus and Icarus, I have never heard of this story until now. In this story Hercules's wife is abducted by Nessus. In attempt to save his wife Hercules wounds Nessus. Nessus then gives Dieanira, Hercules's wife, his bloody shirt stating that it can be used as a love potion. Dieanira believed him and therefore gave it to Hercules to wear. Dieanira was unaware that the bloody shirt was poisoned. So she unintentionally killed Hercules.

Reading Diary A: Ovid's Metamorphoses

Ovid's Metamorphoses

I really enjoyed this unit. The Ovid's Metamorphoses focuses on females characters -- both mortals and immortals. One of my favorite stories in this unit was the story of Persephone's Fate. I liked how they used the story of Persephone to explain why there are seasons. Persephone is forced to divide her year between her husband and her mother. When she is with her mother for so many months the weather or seasons are nice but when Persephone is away from her mother, with her husband, the weather is cold and harsh.

(Persephone)

Another story that I really enjoyed was the story of Arachne and Minerva and Minerva Weaves a Web . Reading this story, I have found that the moral of story is to not gloat but to be humble. Arachne too such great pride in her weaving. She believed that she was better than even the Goddess Minerva, who is known for her amazing weaving. Arachne challenges Minerva. In the result of this challenge, Arachne is turned into a spider.

A story similar to Arachne and Minerva was the story of Niobe Rejects Latona. It is similar to the story of Arachne and Minerva in that it teaches the reader to not be selfish and arrogant. Niobe believed that she was so much better than Latona. So much that, Niobe believed that people should worship her and build an alter for her instead of for Latona. Because of Niobe's gloating and arrogance, Latona punished Niobe by killing her children. Niobe's children sufferred because of Niobe's arrogance.

Myth-Folklore Course Diary

Topic: Mortals and Immortals
Comments: I have always been fascinated with Roman/Greek mythology. I have taken several Latin classes since high school and alongside learning Latin, we read mythology. So as you can see the source of my interest in mythology goes back to high school. 
Possible Stories: I know that there are numerous mythological stories that entails mortals and immortals. I have already searched the Un-Textbook for stories that are about Gods and Goddesses and man and found a few. I know that there are stories about Cupid, Psyche, Zeus, and Hera. I am sure that there will be others as well.
Sample Story Comments: When I searched the Un-Textbook for stories about immortals and mortals, I found Homer's Illiad. In the Iliad, the Gods are divided. Some supported the Trojans whereas some supported the Greeks.
Bibliography Information:
Sample Story: Homer's Odyssey 
Book Title:  What Thetis Did for Her Son
Book Author:  Alfred J. Church

Topic: Opposites Attract
Comments:  I have a little romantic side to myself. I have always enjoyed listening to older couples talk about how they fell in love, despite being the complete opposite of each other. It is fascinating how how people can get along so well even though they are nothing like the other person.
Possible stories: On the top of my a possible story could be the romantic story of Cupid and Psyche. I am sure that there are other stories as well; I just have to do a little research.
Sample Story comments: In the Un- Textbook, the story of Cupid and Psyche stood out to me. Cupid is a God where as Psyche is a mortal. This causes conflict.  They are also different from each other in that one is driven by love whereas the other is driven by wealth and superficial things.
Bibliography Information: 
Sample Story: Cupid and Psyche 
Book Title:  The Golden Ass
Book Author: Apuleius

(Cupid and Psyche)

Topic: Heroines
Comments: I thought that the topic of heroines would be interesting. I feel like not a lot of people know about many women and their incredible feats.
Possible Stories: There several stories about heroine and their incredible accomplishments. Some possible stories are the story of Esther and Saint Teresa.
Sample Story comments: In the Un- Textbook, the story of Esther interested me the most. Esther marries the King and goes onto become one of the greatest heroines because of her just, merciful, and just actions
Bibliography Information: 
Sample Story: Esther 
Book Title:   Bible women

Topic:  Knight in Shining Armour
Comments: I have always liked the story of King Arthur and his knights growing up. I have not read about King Arthur and his knights in a long time so I would like read more about it to refresh my memory.
Possible Stories: Looking in the Un- Textbook, I found several stories pertaining to King Arthur and his nights. I am sure that I can also find more on other sites such as Wikipedia.
Sample Story Comments: In The Sword Excalibur, I read about King Arthur and his quest for the sword Excalibur. It entails the story of how King Arthur obtained the sword Excalibur.
Bibliography Information:
Sample Story:  The Sword of Excalibur
Book Title: King Arthur

Homer's Iliad-- Extra Reading Diary

Homer's Iliad Table of Contents

In high school in my Latin class, I translated Homer's Iliad from Latin to English. So to refresh my memory of the story of the Trojan War, I chose to do my extra reading diary post on Homer's Iliad.

The story begin Of How the War with Troy Began. In this chapter the character Helen was introduced. She was very beautiful and many men desired her. It was not very long until another man fell in love with her and stole her away from her husband. This is how the Trojan War began.

My favorite part of Homer's Iliad were the chapters Hector and Andromache and Hector and Andromache (cont.). I really enjoyed these chapter because Hector has always been one of my favorites. He is noble and unselfish. Even though Paris is at fault for causing the Trojan War by kidnapping Helen, Hector leads the Trojans to war. This makes him and brave. He protects his loved ones: Andromache and their child and Paris.

I also think that the romantic story behind Hector and Andromache is very sweet. I enjoy it a lot more than Paris and Helen. Hector and Andromache are very loyal toward each other. Hector will do whatever it takes to protect his loved ones and his country. Even if it mean leading the Trojans to war, making him the most vulnerable to being killed.

I also really enjoyed reading The Embassy of Achilles. Reading this allowed me to see that Achilles is very independent. He does not take orders from anyone but himself. He is not loyal to anyone but his loved ones.

(Andromache, Astyanax, and Hector)

Storytelling for Week 2: The Samaritan Hedgehog

A Fox after crossing a river got its tail entangled in a bush, and could not move. A number of Mosquitoes seeing its plight settled upon it and enjoyed a good meal undisturbed by its tail.
A Hedgehog strolling by took pity upon the Fox and went up to him: "You are in a bad way, neighbour," said the Hedgehog; "shall I relieve you by driving off those Mosquitoes who are sucking your blood?"
"Thank you, Master Hedgehog," said the Fox, "but I would rather not."
"Why, how is that?" asked the hedgehog.
"Well, you see," was the answer, "these Mosquitoes have had their fill; if you drive these away, others will come with fresh appetite and bleed me to death."

(Aesop's Fables)

The Samaritan Hedgehog

    There was a Fox journeying through the forest. The Fox was minding his own business when suddenly a swarm of mosquitoes flew towards him and attacked him. The Fox, caught off guard, was not able to defend himself from the surprise attack. The mosquitoes mercilessly left the Fox in the middle of the Forest. The Fox was in so much pain; he could not move. He laid on the ground hopping that a Good Samaritan would pass by and help him.

    Hours had past and still no sight of anyone to aid the Fox. Eventually though, an owl emerged. The owl, flying above, saw the unfortunate Fox laying on the ground and said, "Perhaps if I was not in hurry and had things to do, I would help this poor creature." The owl looked at the hurt Fox with pity and went on his way without helping the Fox.
    After a while a, the Fox heard a stirring in the forest. There was a rabbit. The rabbit looked like he was late for something. He kept on yelling "I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!" The rabbit saw the Fox but thought nothing of it. He was too busy worrying about be late.
    As Nightfall begin to near, the Fox became fearful. He was certain that if no one came to help him soon, he would not survive for wolves like to prey or hunt during the night. If the wolves do not get him the freezing night will get him. The Fox begin to lose hope.
   As the Fox was thinking of this, a hedgehog came upon him. The Hedgehog looked like he was in a hurry as well. Like the Fox, the Hedgehog was worried about nightfall. He needed to get home as soon as possible before the wolves come out. Despite it being near nightfall and dangerous being out and about, the Hedgehog took pity on the Fox and stopped to help him.
    The Hedgehog helped him walk to safety, fed him, and cared for him until he healed. The Fox was finally able to leave the care of the Hedgehog and be out on his own. Before he left, he asked the hedgehog, "Why did you help me? You were noticeably in a hurry yet you still helped me." The Hedgehog replied, "I helped you because I would have wanted someone to help me as well if I were in your position." The Fox was forever grateful for the Hedgehog's help and hospitality.

(Fox and Hedgehog) 

Author's note: This story is based on the fable "The Fox and the Mosquitoes," This story can be in the The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs. "The Fox and the Mosquitoes" is about a Fox that gets attacked by mosquitoes. A Hedgehog passes by and tries to help the Fox. This story reminded me of the biblical parable the Good Samaritan. For my story I made the hedgehog the Good Samaritan and the two other creatures the passersby that do not offer any help.

The title is inspired by the biblical story of the Good Samaritan.

"The Fox and the Mosquitoes" from The Fables of Aesop(1902). Web source: Sacred Texts Archive.

Cupid and Psyche-- Reading Diary B

I started the second half of Cupid and Psyche being disappointed. I was disappointed in that Psyche did not trust Cupid. She broke her promise to Cupid and instead listened to her wicked sisters. Consequently this led to Psyche's Despair. Cupid has left her and her sister are not to be trusted. This leaves Psyche alone -- stricken with grief.

When reading the chapter Venus and Psyche, I was shocked at Venus's high degree of jealousy towards Psyche. Venus tormented and belittled Psyche and all just because her beauty threatened her. She ripped Psyche of her beauty and forced her to complete near impossible tasks. From this chapter, I could discern that Venus is a cruel, superficial, and an arrogant goddess.

I felt like the purpose of the tasks in Venus and Psyche, Psyche's Next Task, and The Third Task were to portray Psyche's undying love for Cupid. The tasks seemed impossible but that did not stop Psyche. Even though Psyche did receive help from others, her willingness to attempt the task and complete it is still an amazing feat.

After finally reading about the cruelty of Venus and Psyche's hardships, I was to discover that the story had a happy ending. I was also happy that despite Psyche's betrayal, Cupid still loved her and came to her rescue. In the Wedding Feast, Psyche and Cupid reunited. They married and Psyche gave birth to a child. This all happened with the help of Jupiter. This shows that there are some bad Gods and there are some good Gods.

(Cupid and Psyche's Wedding, by Raphael)

Cupid And Psyche-- Reading Diary A

Cupid and Psyche Table of Contents

I chose to read Cupid and Psyche because I really enjoy reading Greek/Roman mythology and remember reading this specific story in high school and enjoying it. I only remember parts of this story so despite reading this story for the second time, I still learned some new things.

The story begin with the The Captive Woman. This kind of caught me off guard because I assumed the that this was a story about Psyche not some random bride. As I progressed into the story, I realized that this was just a way for the story of Cupid and Psyche to be told. (An old woman affected by the young bride's grief begin telling her the story of Cupid and Psyche to perhaps cheer her up.)

 One of my favorites parts of this story was the My Mysterious Husband. I like this part of the story because this is the portion when Psyche and Cupid actually get to interact with each other. From this part of the story we can see that cupid deeply cares for Psyche. Psyche on the other hand does not know what to think, which is understandable considering she is unable to see him and knows nothing about him.

I was shocked at the fickleness of Psyche's sisters in The Jealousy of Psyche's Sisters. In the beginning they were lamenting and in grief of their sister because they did not know her whereabouts but as soon as the discovered that she was well they begin plotting against her. So really they only cared for Psyche when she is inferior to them but as soon as she is seen with riches and appear to be superior to them they envy and hate her.

(Cupid and Psyche)

   

Week 1 UnTextbook

Cupid and Psyche
I've always enjoyed mythology. In my Latin class in high school we read the story of Cupid and Psyche and loved it. It is probably one of my favorite mythological tales. I am interested to read it again. It has been a long time since I've read it so I don't remember much about it. All I remember is that it is about a romance between an immortal and a mortal.

Homer's Iliad
In my high school Latin class, we translated the original Iliad from Latin to English. The initiated my interest in the story of the Trojan War. I have the novel, the Iliad, but have yet to read it so reading this perhaps encourage me to read the whole novel.I've always enjoyed stories that were about war, warriors, bravery, and sacrifice so I'm excited to read and learn more about Homer's Iliad.

Homer's Odyssey
 Although I have read numerous mythological stories, I have yet to read Homer's Odyssey. All I know about Homer's Odyssey is what others have told me, which is little. All I know about Homer's Odyssey is that it involves sirens or mermaids. This is why I chose Homer's Odyssey. I want to learn more about it.

Andersen Fairy Tales
I really enjoy fairytales because anything can happened. Though I know a lot of the fairy tales. I am ware that there are thousands of fairy tales  that exist so there are probably some that I have not heard of yet. This is why I am interested in the Andersen Fairy Tales. I am not aware of the Andersen fairy tales so I am sure I will be reading some fairy tales for the first time.

Below is a picture of Helen of Troy: "the face that  launch'd a Thousand Ships." I chose this picture because it portrays an important variable that played a role in initiating the Trojan War. Perhaps if she never existed there would have never of been a war.

Image Information: Helen of Troy, Source: Homer's Iliad

Week 1 Storybook Favorites

The first Storybook I looked at was The Prince Diaries. I picked this one because the title caught my attention. As a child I loved watching the Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews Princess Diaries movies. They were one of my favorites. I think that it is creative that the author of this story book used "prince" in place of "princess" in the well-known movie title "The Princess Diaries." The Introduction did a good job of explaining the topic. It prompted me to desire to further read and explore the storybook. It is always interesting to hear the male character's perspective in a fairytale especially since most fairytales are in the female character's perspective.

The next Storybook I viewed was the Friends: The One with All the Stories. The reason why I chose this Storybook was because the Friends television show is one of my favorite shows; it is pretty much a classic. I've seen every episode at least three times. From the introduction, one could tell that this Storybook was about friendship and how one central meeting place, Central Perk,  played a role in this particular friendship. Central Perk was pretty much the glue that held the characters of Friends together. Each of the characters had separate jobs and lives from each other but when they came together at Central Perk their separate lives came together and intertwined with each others' lives.

The final Storybook I read was The Dark Side of Fairy Tales. I was drawn to this Storybook because as of late there have been a lot of movies that are just fairytale movies redone -- in a darker style. For instance, Alice in wonderland that was directed by Tim Burton. I enjoy this new take on fairytales. The physical layout of the of pages supported the theme of what I believe the author was trying to portray: darkness. The dark and gloomy colors suggest that this Storybook may be about fairytales it is not all about happily ever afters. It is about the dark and sad obstacles the fairytale character endured.

Below is a picture from the Storybook, The Dark Side of Fairy Tales . As you can see it adds to the theme of the Storybook: dark and gloomy. 

Image information: Grimm, Source:Myth-Folklore

 

Introduction, Week 1

Hi!

    My name is Sarah Nguyen and I am currently a junior. My major is Psychology pre-pt. I hope to one day become a physical therapist. In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, running, and watching movies. Some of my favorite books are the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and the Road by Cormac McCarthy.

    I also really enjoy traveling. Last summer, I was fortunate enough to study abroad. I studied abroad in Ireland for a month and during that time I was able to visit London and Brussels, Belgium. I enjoyed my time at each of these places. I loved Ireland because of the greenness of the natural environment, the hospitality, and the cheerfulness of the Irish population. London was great because while I was there it happened to be the Queen's official birthday so I thus got to see the Queen, Prince William and Harry, an Kate Middleton in front of Buckingham Palace. And I really enjoyed Belgium because of its delicious food. While I was there I got to try Belgium waffles, Belgium chocolate, and macarons. It was delicious!

(Image information: personal photo of myself on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland; June 2014.)

I’m a huge fan of the TV shows House of Cards and True Detective. At first I was reluctant to watch House of Cards because I thought that you had to be very politically informed to be able to comprehend the show but you really don’t. Although politics is a large component of the show, the show is more focused on the character’s development and relationship with other characters. I really enjoy True Detective because of the style it is portrayed in; the atmosphere of the show is dark and gloomy throughout the show. It is really interesting how the environment of the show parallels the main character’s personality.