Epics of India

Mother Earth was the guardian of the world and the protector of all its creatures, who lived in harmony on the majestic landscapes of her body. Where her hip curved the waves of the ocean cascaded; where her knee bent the canopies of the forest bowed. Humans had always held a special fascination for Mother Earth. Their capacity to feel was unlike any of the other species that roamed her lands, and their lives were colored by a broad spectrum of emotions. She watched their tears mingle with the rains and their joy brighten the rays of the sun. The other creatures of the earth each had their own domain; the lion roams the desert as the monkey swings between the trees of the rainforest, just as the crocodile slips among the reeds of the wetlands and the penguin glides over the icy arctic floor. But humans were found far and wide, living among all the other creatures. They roamed and they settled, and then once more they would be on the move. Mother Earth watched intently as they ...

Jatayu -Divine origin, has taken the form of a great eagle -Wise and spirited -Friend of Dasartha on the battlefield      -“You are the soul, I am the body. We are one.” (page 62) -Watches over Rama and his companions in the forest; a guardian figure -Fights Ravana when he kidnaps Sita and is ultimately slain by the demon -Keeps himself alive until Rama and Lakshmana arrive in order to tell them what has happened An underappreciated character in my opinion! I would love to know more about this wise elder and the roads he has traveled to get to the forest. Jatayu bravely engages Ravana in a fight to the death. Source: Wikimedia Commons Soorpanaka  -Sister of Ravana -An asura disguised as a beautiful woman -Falls in love with Rama in the forest -Disfigured by Lakshmana; he chops off her nose, ears, and breasts When Soorpanaka glimpses Sita, her heart plummets; the overwhelming beauty of Rama’s wife seems to render the possibil...

Formatting Observations The narrator of the text does not remain silent, but rather exists as a presence in the story; there are several instances where the narrator breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the reader, commenting on elements of the story and injecting their own observations. This introduces a new dimension to the text, framing it as a story within a story. This is a stylistic element that I would like to consider incorporating in my retellings. Important Figures of Ayodhya -King Dasartha -Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumithra: wives of the King -Rama, Lakshmana, and Bharatha: sons of the King      -Rama is actually Vishnu in human form! -Sita: Rama's wife -Sage Vasistha: guru of the kingdom Thataka -Born a demigod -Married chieftan Sunda -Two sons: Mareecha and Subahu -Sons and husband were destroyers; they killed animals and laid waste to the land -Agasthya cursed Sunda to his death -She and her sons cursed by Agasthya to live as dem...

Negative Thinking ~ Read here I really enjoyed this little comic. Although it is short and contains very few words, sometimes by saying less you are actually saying more. It contains a very poignant message about how we perceive our circumstances, and how depending on the attitude of our thinking we may have very different experiences. I think the fact that the author uses negative space to illustrate negative thinking is also very clever; they have adapted a concept in art with similar language and used this wordplay to their advantage. I strive to exude positivity in my life, and because I am a visual learner, I will definitely keep in mind how I can actively visualize my attitude through positive and negative space. Make Good Art: Neil Gaiman’s Advice on the Creative Life, Adapted by Design Legend Chip Kidd ~ Read here "Make good art." As Neil Gaiman states, making art is something we alone have control over, and it is a power we can utilize to lift ourselves up ...

The Adventures of Hanuman  After encountering and briefly learning about several of the gods and goddesses these past few weeks, the god that has stood out to me the most is Hanuman. Many of his stories seem to involve epic quests or journeys of some kind; in the comic Guide: Hanuman to the Rescue, he goes searching for a medicinal herb to save the life of Rama's wounded brother. In one of the storybooks that I read, Hanuman believes the sun is a mango and takes a bite out of it, launching an epic saga of events and challenges he must overcome. The idea of Gods and Goddesses being linked to certain animals or animal personalities also fascinates me, and I would like to learn more about Hanuman's association with the monkey. Is his physical being actually part primate, or is the entire idea metaphorical? Why is he typically portrayed this way? Writing Hanuman's adventures sounds like it would be a lot of fun, and I would love to delve further into his wild personality. Re...

There once was a land covered in a majestic forest. The trees rose for miles in every direction, and their bold green leaves absorbed the golden dew of the sun, casting brilliant light across the forest floor. Travelers always observed that the ground spread far and wide as a single velvety layer of earth. It had been worn smooth by dancing feet, for within the heart of the woods lived spirits who loved to dance. At night the spirits took the form of beautiful women, and they would sing sweetly to attract men who might be passing among the brambles. Once these men heard their voices, they had no choice but to follow them; the music of the spirits was irresistible.  When the men arrived to the clearing that was home to the spirits, it looked as if they had stumbled upon a royal ball. The spirits were dancing under the veil of the ebony sky, their beauty illuminated by the stars. Mortal men could not resist this intoxicating scene, and they became caught up in the frenzy of ...

Notes for "Goblin City" Conflict dynamics: -Good vs. evil -Fantasy creatures vs. humans      -Can humans ever best the power of magical beings? In this story, the men who escape their fate as goblin food are the ones smart enough to listen to the warning of their comrade, who is alerted to their situation only because he happens to overhear the activities of his carnivorous wife. Even so, it is a fairy who actually helps the men escape; could they have gotten out alive on their own? -Women vs. men -Powerful females vs. weak males      -The idea of mystical feminine creatures seducing unsuspecting men and killing them is centuries   old. I was reminded of the sirens in the Odyssey, whose singing persuades men to throw themselves into the ocean and causes ships to crash into rocks and capsize. Formatting: I like the use of many short paragraphs. It makes it easier to approach the text, and helps to facilitate the movement of the story. Us...