Reading Notes: Italian Popular Tales, Part B

The Animal's Language: Having the child learn so many skills the teacher could not teach him anymore was a great start to the story. Putting the skill to use repetitively was a good plot.

An Incident in Rome: 'Who is neither saved nor damned.' I was very interested to see what was in the black hole and that is what held my interest in the story.

Crivoliu's Story: The introduction is so shocking I think it takes away from the rest of the plot. I think the author should add more information about the brother and sister.

The Cat and Mouse: I thought this story had an entertaining, cute vibe. The sounds the author used to show the animals singing were very creative.

Feast Day: The scene where the dog and cat help each other get the food was very descriptive and entertaining. I couldn't help wondering what would happen to the animals if they were caught.

Buchettino: The roles between Buchettino and the ogres flipped throughout the plot. First, it seemed the Ogre had outsmarted Buchettino, but towards the end you found out it was actually the other way around.

The Goslings: The ending showed a lesson learned and a happy ending for the gosling family. I thought the metaphor for the wolf being so greedy that he swallowed them whole instead of chewing was clever.

The Cock Who Wanted to Become the Pope: I thought this story was short, but sweet. It was sad that the characters most readers would be rooting for did not get to meet their goals.

Image Information: Proud Cock, Web Source: Flickr

Bibliography: Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane, Web Source: Italian Unit

Reading Notes: Italian Popular Tales, Part A

Zelinda and the Monster: I really enjoyed the relationships in this story. The awful sisters made you appreciate the selfless daughter's actions with her father. The monster's personality had it's ups and downs throughout the story.

The Fair Angiola: The jujubes gave the story a fun side. I thought the foreshadowing of the witch wanting Angiola was well done. Having the inanimate objects be living with the potential to turn the maiden in was a great twist.

How the Devil Married Three Sisters: I thought the third sister bringing the other two out of hell benefited the plot of the story. The writer did a great job of describing every character's feelings throughout the tale.

 Salt and Water: The morals behind this story are not recognized at the beginning, but that's what keeps the reader interested in the plot.

Poor Catherine: I thought making each character have their own fate was a great idea. I think most people would choose to enjoy life in their youth just in case they die young or get sick in their old age.

The Hunter, Snake, and Fox: The word usage in this story was great. 'Hunger does not observe promises' was clever and had a hint of an attitude. Foxes always seem to be helpful in stories.

Image Information: Eastern Fox Snake, Web Source: Flickr

Bibliography: Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane, Web Source: Italian Unit

Story Lab: TvTropes

For this week's story lab I chose to explore the TVtropes website. The writer described a trope as, 'a storytelling device or convention, a shortcut for describing situations the storyteller can reasonably assume the audience will recognize.' Comedy and Horror are my favorite genres, so i wanted to look at the tropes found in those stories. Coincidentally, there was a link that included both comedy and horror. The writers pointed out that movies/stories will use comedy in a scary entertainment to break the nervousness with a laugh. I have noticed this in a lot of books I have read. You have to keep the dominant genre more prominent or you risk ruining a scene or the entire story. If you kill of a character in a comedy, then you have to make it a humorous death or it won't make sense with the theme of your show/story. It was interesting to see how writers include tropes in their story and I bet this website could come in handy if you have writer's block!

Image Information: Comedic Horror, Web Source: Max Pixel
Story Lab Web Source: TvTropes

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm, Part B

I really enjoyed the characters and how they interacted with one another in Bearskin. I can tell Bearskin giving the poor man money for his family will be the good turn of the story. When the sister said the wedding will be great because bears dance well made me giggle, but it was a bit confusing because before that they seemed so concerned for their sister's future marriage. I did not think the sisters deserved to die or have their souls taken.

I thought there could have been more details to help with visualizing the story. This would have been really beneficial when the half-human half-hedgehog was born. The story was sad when the father just wanted the son to die even though he wanted a child so badly. There was a comical feeling to the story, especially if you consider this sentence, "Hans the Hedgehog, however, looked after his asses and pigs, and was always merry, and sat on the tree, and played his bagpipes." I am glad Hans the Hedgehog ended up happy in his own body and found love.

Image Information: European Hedgehog, Web Source: Wikimedia
Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm Web Source: Brothers Grimm Unit
 

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm, Part A

I'm not sure why  but when the married couple referred to each other as 'husband' and 'wife' I felt like the relationship was less personal, or like it was missing love. The description of the forest was very attention grabbing. Normally, the mother has a more protective relationship with children so it is interesting that the father had more remorse for making the children leave home. I find that the units with just a few stories make it easier to be drawn into the story because the characters remain the same. I thought the duck carrying the two children across the water was an excellent addition to the story I am familiar with.

I was surprised when the father gave up Thumb and did not put up much of a fight. The word usage in this story was very creative. "In this little room the windows are forgotten," said he, "and no sun shines in, neither will a candle be brought," was my favorite line. The parents realizing selling their son was a bad idea was a good ending to a long journey.

Allerleirauh contained a plot twist in the beginning of the story. I would have never guessed that the King would want to marry the daughter. I don't see how he can see this as a solution because the mother would be so upset by this. Including the father and daughter relationship before he thought to marry her would have benefited the story.

Image Information: Allerleirauh by Henry Justice Ford, Web Source: Wikipedia

Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm Web Source: Brothers Grimm Unit
 



 

Reading Notes: Dante's Inferno, Part A

I remember seeing Dante's Inferno at the beginning of the semester and knowing I had to read that unit eventually. The author did a great job or reeling the reader in through the final sentence in the introductory paragraph. I was surprised to see that their would be a guide through hell, but I think this will make the story very interesting.

The words listed above the gate of hell, shown in the first paragraph, gave me chills. The description of the bugs around the first group of people found was so vivid.

'With eyes of burning coal' is such a strong description. I have heard of limbo before, but the place described in this circle was a bit different. 'A meadow of fresh turf' brings a green field into my head.

I was a bit confused by the second circle. I felt like the third circle could have included more details. I can see the relationship between Dante and his guide growing stronger as the story progresses. Reading about people being stuck under mud unable to breath was really sad.

The images included for Canto 9 did not match the people I was seeing in my head while reading through the unit. Dante's Inferno is a lot different than I imagined so far. I am curious to see what the rest of the tour entails.

Image Information: Dante's Inferno film poster, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: Dante's Divine Comedy by Tony Kline, Web Source: Dante's Inferno Unit

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part B

The Bishop of Hereford: I liked when the author said 'Robin Hood dressed himself in shepherd's attire.' The repetition of 'before the king you shall go' gives the story's plot clarity.

Little John a Begging: The title alone draws my attention because Little John is a scary guy, so I am wondering who could cause him to beg and for what. While reading this story I noticed that I imagine all the characters being bubbly because of the rhyming, but they are actually fighting frequently in the stories.

The Bishop: I enjoyed reading the dialect between the old woman and Robin Hood, especially after she agrees to allow him to stay with her.

The Golden Prize: Robin Hood was able to teach someone a lesson in this story without using violence. I thought that was an interesting turn of events. I was a bit confused because I did not think the priests would get anything from hiding the money, but when he found the money he said each person can take one part.

Maid Marian: I am excited to read this story because this is the first tale based on a female character. I thought Marian was brave and clever to disguise herself and find Robin Hood. This is my favorite story from the unit.

The King: I thought the names of the towns, Fountain-abby and Barnsdale, were creative and gave the story some character. 'Taste of our green-wood cheer' was charming word usage.

The Valiant Knight: Knight Sir William sounds like a familiar character. I liked when the author described the clothing as 'glittering armour bright.'  It was sad reading Robin Hood's death, but the final paragraph was a great ending.

Robin Hood's Death: Including two endings to a series of stories is very unique. I thought this ending was better because Little John was included more, and he was Robin Hood's most loyal companion so he should be.  

Image Information: Movie Poster for the Robin Hood Film in 1922, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons


Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child, Web Source: Robin Hood Unit
 

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part A

Progress to Nottingham: I really enjoyed the rhyme scheme in the story. The introduction of Robin Hood's character was very attention grabbing. It is a good idea to tell where the character came from before diving into stories about them because this gives your story more depth.

John Little: It is so ironic that this big, bulky man is called 'Little John.' I really enjoyed reading how their relationship formed, and the author did a good job of independently introducing John before beginning the story.

The Ranger: 'Forester bold' is very nice word usage. I have to admit I am use to reading short stories with consistent rhyming, so reading something lengthy slightly takes away from the plot itself.

The Bold Pedlar: 'All shall gang with thee' made me smile because I thought of the common phrase 'gang' but he was just referring to his pack. I am glad no one was seriously hurt from the fight.

The Shepherd: This story was the easiest to read. I think the words flowed better, especially when there was dialogue between characters. My favorite line was: 'this hook of mine shall let thee know a coward I do hate.'

Robin Hood's Delight: I love the time descriptions in this story: midsummer's day, or 'from eight a clock till two and past.'  This story seemed to take bits and pieces of The Bold Pedlar and The Shephred. 

 The Pedlars: 'It pierst the skin of his backe within' was great word usage. The 'trash talk' in these stories is all so entertaining.

Allen a Dale: I thought the pair up of Robin Hood and this villain, dressed in scarlet red, was a great protagonist/antagonist combo. It kind of bothered me that the name in the title was spelled differently than in the story. I did not expect a marriage to take place in the story.

Image Information: Robin Hood and Little John by Louis Rhead, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child, Web Source: Robin Hood Unit

Story Lab, Week 12

I have always been interested in learning at least two more languages. I think this is an important skill for traveling, which I plan on doing a lot of once I get established in my career. Using grammar and syntax to see where languages originated and split instead of words that sound similar is an interesting approach. I thought the concept of borrowing words from other cultures being caused by borrowing the things that the word is describing was very intriguing. I think looking at the history of a word and how it has changed overtime can really surprise you.

I use to be pretty good at grammar in high school English, but I think I have forgotten some of the rules. Semicolons can break sentences up, but also form connections. Basically, semicolons should be used to connect two related clauses or when listing things. I think watching the Ted-Ed video will be helpful while writing out stories now, especially during lengthy paragraphs!

Image Information: The Importance of Grammar, Web Source: Flickr
Web Source: Ted Talk

Reading Notes: Welsh Fairy Book, Part B

Owen Goes a-Wooing- While reading this story I really got a feel for the narrator's personality. There was a surprise at the end when Owen found out he had been missing for over a month instead of hours.

The Fairy Reward: It was really easy to imagine the fairies bringing in the babies and taking care of them. I was surprised that the wife married the man before knowing how he earned his money.

Why Deunant has the Front Door in the Back: I was confused when the farmer  made old Beti say "Rhad Duw ar y da" because I have no idea what that means. I thought having the man put his foot on the other's foot was a unique way of giving him a vision.

The Bride from the Red Lake: The details are very vivid when the author is describing the vision emerging from the lake. I wonder why the woman could not have clay thrown on her and why she was so happy to leave if they were happily married.

Melangel's Lambs: The introduction paragraph was very descriptive and 'dense thicket' really grabbed my attention. The second to last paragraph had a bit too much word usage and it was a little confusing.

The Men of Ardudwy: I really enjoyed the word usage in this story. 'They now feigned flight' was a beautiful description. The fighting scenes were very insightful.

Hu Garden: Afanc interested me because the monster caused a huge flood, but was easily tricked by a girl to come out and be chained up. The way they trapped Afanc at the end was very clever.

The Devil's Bridge: I thought the relationship between Megan and her cow was sweet. She was so worried about him being on the other side of the river. I really liked Megan's character because she was really smart to outwit the Devil.

The Martyred Hound: This story was so sad to read because I love dogs. I was intrigued throughout the story to see why the dog did not go on the chase and then to see where the baby was. I wish Llywelyn could have saved the hound from dying.

Image Information: Diogenes Sitting in His Tub (1860) by Jean-Léon Gérôme, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas, Web Source: Welsh Fairy Tales Unit

Reading Notes: Welsh Fairy Tales, Part A

Arthur in the Cave: I really liked the way the author had the stranger and Welshman communicate with each other. I could clearly tell what the vibe of the story was and how both characters felt while speaking. The scene where the characters enter the cave and see Arthur's army required very few details of my own imagination.

Red Dragon: Asking a question as the story's title is always a good way to draw in the reader. I actually use this approach for my storybook project. The wise man describing the pool with a red and a white dragon was a really pretty image.

Enion and the Lady of the Greenwood: This story had my attention throughout. I really liked that the Goblin disguised himself as a woman and a man to trick the husband and wife. I thought this villainous idea was very creative.

March's Ears: I thought this story was a bit strange. I understand why the barber had to see the ears in order to cut his hair, but having his head cut off was a very intense threat. I am glad he came to turns with his ears at the end of the story.

Stray Cow: The first paragraph describing the lake was a great way to set the scene for the story. It gave off a gloomy, mysterious vibe. It was easy to imagine as the story progressed.

Bala Lake: 'Fertile valley' was such a different term, it threw me off when I first read it. It was foreshadowing that the prince would have a child. The ending was really impressive, the author was very descriptive of the lake and clever in having the harp floating on top.

Dick the Fiddler's Money: The relationship between the Fiddler and his wife was clearly portrayed in this story. As a drunk, he was very clever in tricking the landlord. I really liked the Fiddler's character.

St. Collen and the King Fairy: I was unsure of the meaning behind Collen's actions in this story. I did not understand why he hid in a cell so close to the people he was tired of. I also didn't understand why he got rid of the castle and everyone in it.

Helig's hollow: The author did a good job of introducing the characters in this story. There was a lot of background information provided along with the relationships between everyone.

Image Information: Illustration of two Dragons Fighting from a 15th Century Historia Regum Britanniae Manuscript, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography: The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas, Web Source: Welsh Fairy Tales Unit

Learning Challenge: Digital Distraction

I was already aware that having electronics at the tip of your fingers can be a distraction for learning. You do not have to read through books to find the answers to questions when you can just pull up Google or any other search engine. I did not know that it was hindering our ability to focus on one goal or task at a time. Multitasking is very beneficial, but being able to just keep your attention on one object can also be effective. The author talked about increasing anxiety or stress because of these digital distractions and that scares me. I do have a lot of friends that have some sort of anxiety or depression, so I think I will do some extra research to see if this correlation has been tested anywhere else. I had an interview at OSU medical school and they have a room specifically for relieving stress and they had a video game that helped you calm down. The most popular version was one that had a flower that would grow when your heart rate slowed or was constant. This read really opened my mind to how having a phone 24/7 or playing too many video games can have negative impacts on all aspects of your life.

Image Information: Student Hiding Phone behind Book, Web Source: Flickr

Famous Last Words: Holiday Season

This last week was pretty stressful for me. I had a lot of homework and studying for each class I am enrolled in and I worked every night except for Monday. I did get promoted to Phlebotomist at my work, CSL Plasma. I am really excited to learn this new skill, but it is a bit scary! All of my coworkers have been supportive which is a big help.

I am sad Halloween is over, but looking forward to the holidays ahead! It also helps that my birthday is in December. Everyone always asked if having a birthday a week away from Christmas sucked and the answer is yes, yes it did. If I had a nickel for every time I heard 'this is your birthday and Christmas gift' I'd be rich. I am still excited for the next two months because it means I will get to spend time with family and friends, and who doesn't need a little break from classes to relax?

Classes are going pretty well, but my Ornithology class is really hitting hard with the work. We have a group paper to write and present in place of our project. We also have to learn 150 birds for our lab practical which is as hard as it sounds. I love learning about birds, but I still struggle to tell some species apart from others. Later today I plan on writing my second story for my semester project in this class, and I am so excited to reveal another side of Wonderland.

I have had a lot going on with my family because my Grandma passed last week and we have been planning the memorial service. I am glad to celebrate her life and I know she would want me to keep my head above the water for the next few weeks and finish out the semester strong. 

Image Information: Sunflowers, Web Source: Pxhere

Week 11 Review

The image I found really interesting was the one showing the popular names in the United States throughout the years! Jessica was the most popular in 1994 and 1995. I was born in 1996, but it is kind of funny because the name Emily was popular in Texas at the time. Here is the link to the graphic: Name Popularity Over Time.

I thought the video was very intriguing. I have always been a believe in karma and in the video they connected karma with the soul. After watching the video I am really interested in learning more about Moksha.

Video Information: Moksha - Freedom from Life and Death
Image Information: Map of the United States of America, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons