Greek Mythology: Styles Brainstorm

Topic: My storybook will be about stories from Greek mythology. I wish to find four different stories about Immortals and how they relate to mortals. One story I would like to include is the story of Cupid and Psyche and another story I wish to use the Homer's Illiad, Hector and Andromache. I an not worried about finding more stories about immortals and mortals in Greek mythology. There are numerous stories about how immortals are similar to mortals in that they make the same mistakes and go through similar emotional obstacles. My criteria for selecting a particular Greek mythological story is that I would like each story to involve different characters. I do not want the same character to reappear twice.

Bibliography:
1) Cupid and Psyche, from The Golden Ass, by Apuleius (2006).
2) Hector and Andromache , from the Iliad, by Alfred J. Church (2013).

Possible Styles:

A servant or bystander as the storyteller. I would like a servant or bystander to be the storyteller because I believe that they know a lot more than they are credited for. They are like a fly on a wall. People believe servants are insignificant or inferior to them thus they believe that servants will never amount to anything dangerous or threatening. Therefore , they believe that they can do whatever in front of them and be safe when really servants probably know the most because they are everywhere and have access to almost everywhere.

Mortals & Immortals. My storybook will most definitely have to include both mortals and immortals. It cannot just be about Gods and Goddesses or just immortals. The importance of this is to see the relationship between Gods and Man. I wish the reader to be able to see how Gods relate to people. It could be a romantic relationship or a maternal or paternal relationship.

War. I would like some type of war or obstacle to be in my storybook as well. I want my characters to develop as the story progresses. It would add onto the plot. It could be a war between the Gods and other Gods and Goddesses or between the immortals and mortals or just among the mortals. I'm pretty lenient about what kind of conflict it can be. It could even be an internal war in someone.

Other than Earth. My storybook could take place anywhere even where the Gods reside, such as the underworld or Mount Olympus. It does not have to on Earth. The significance of this is that it will allow readers to know where and how Gods live. It will also allow a lot of imagery.

(Cupid and Psyche)

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.