Week 2: Famous Last Words

I believe that my best writing this week was with my storytelling.  I discovered that it is a lot easier to actually write if you are able to connect with the character you are focusing on.  This week I was writing about Thataka.  I was able to concentrate on her because I felt like she was mistreated and punished unfairly.  While I do not have any personal connection with her, the fact that her character actually made me feel for her allowed me to write about her.
In the future, I am hoping to use a wider variety of techniques in my stories.  One of the techniques that I liked was how Ryan used a running inner monologue to display what was going on in his story.  It made the reader see what Rama was experiencing as he did.
Outside of this class, I have been focusing on human rights issues in the majority of my other classes.  While it can be interesting to learn about at times, it is also depressing a majority of the time.  I wish the classes would present ways to help the less fortunate without making it sound like America and other first world nations should feel guilty for taking things for granted.  One of the things that I have noticed is the connection between humanitarian action and the way Rama focuses on helping those around him.
Outside of schoolwork, I have joined the reading group for "The Lies of Locke Lamora."  I haven't really gotten very far in the book yet, but I am looking forward to reading more of it.  I am also excited that Labor Day means we have a shorter class week.  I am already looking forward to the weekend so I can go shopping with some of my friends.  I am also hoping to see "Expendables 3" at some time in the near future.  Other than that, I am just hoping to do well in the coming week!

(Cover of "The Lies of Locke Lamora; Photo source Wikipedia)

Storytelling for Week 2: Thataka's story

   Thataka was a demoness of great power.  She controlled fire and turned the once fertile lands into a waste land.  This was not always the case, however, as she was once a demigod. She was a gorgeous, willful woman at one point, before the loss of her husband drove her mad. 
   Growing up, Thataka knew that she was beautiful.  When she came of age, she married Sunda.  He was a chieftain that she had previously met.  Upon meeting, they had fallen deeply in love, deciding that they would one day get married.  Much to their joy, this desire came true.  Their union was then further blessed as they had two sons.  Thataka's two sons, Mareecha and Subahu, inherited great strength from their mother.  As her father was the demigod of valor, strength, and purity, they inherited a great deal of power.  Unfortunately, they could not control it.
   Though she knew that her sons stood to inherit power from her, Thataka was not expecting the amount that they received.  As such, she was not prepared to teach them how to control it.  While their powers grew stronger, the boys began to grow arrogant and prideful of their skills.  Sunda did not help this, as he thought that they were just acting as boys normally would.  In fact, Sunda believed that they were playing much of the time.  Because of this, he would often go out and join them in their activities.  These ranged from hunting down all creatures in the area, to ripping trees out of the ground in feats of strength.
   After a period of time, the saint Agasthya began to take notice of the destruction being enacted by Sunda and his sons.  He cursed the person who caused such harm, causing Sunda to immediately die.  When Thataka came to rightfully seek vengeance on the person who killed the love of her life, he cursed her and her sons to transform from demigods into demons.  Doing this stripped them of their beauty, making their appearances fearful to behold.  After this occurred, Thataka was abandoned to her own devices and her sons went to seek other demons.  As time passed she grew more and more bitter towards humans.  She destroyed the land she dwelt in and killed all who dared to attempt crossing through her territory.  It continued in this manner until she was slain by Rama.

(Image of Thataka facing Rama and companions; Image source Wikipedia) 

   For this story, I chose to retell the story of Thataka by giving more of her background.  I thought that she was punished harshly for the actions of her family, and I wanted to make her seem more justified in her response.  I felt it was unfair for her to be transformed into what was basically her opposite solely because she grew angry and wanted revenge on the person who killed her husband.  

Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana.

Week 2: Reading Diary B

Rama was exiled by his step mother.    She changed from being happy and supportive of Rama's appointment as king to being completely against it.  She used the fact that the king gave her two boons to exile Rama from the kingdom to the forest, as well as to place her son in power. 
When Bharatha returned, he found that his father died from the shock of losing Rama.  He and the rest of the kingdom turned against the queen.  Her actions made them hate her and think of her as a devil.  Bharatha attempted to give the power to Rama, but he was refused and made the regent until Rama's 14 year exile ended.
Ravana's sister Kamavalli tries to convince Rama to marry her.  She believes that Sita has seduced him, not knowing she was his wife.  Though Kamavalli appears to be a beautiful woman, she is really the demon, Soorpanaka, that is trying to seduce him, transforming herself through magic.  She falls deeply in love with Rama, yet she is rejected.  She then tries to take him by force, attempting to kidnap Sita.  When this fails and Lakshmana protects Sita, Soorpanaka flees to her brothers to get them to defend her.  Her first brother, Kara, is defeated quickly.  She then goes to Ravana and makes him fall in love with Sita.  After plotting, Ravana kidnaps Sita with the intention of marrying her.

Week 2: Reading Diary A

Rama's Initiation

• First introduced to Viswamithra, the sage who becomes the mentor to Rama and his brother Lakshmana.  
• Dasaratha, father of Rama and Lakshmana, initially attempts to have Viswamithra take him on the voyage instead.  He is turned down and consents to his sons aiding the sage.
• The trio begins their journey to Sidhasrama, a holy area that Viswamithra wants to perform a yagna at. He teaches the boys different things as they travel.
• Thataka's story - This story seems to be used to show the destructive qualities of anger, particularly how it can take over and destroy everything.  It is also one way to explain the creation of the desert.
• Mahabali's story - When Rama was Vishnu, Mahabali took control while Vishnu was meditating.  After other gods came and begged Vishnu to retake control, he tricks Mahabali into granting him control of the land he steps on.  When he asks he is a small human.  After Mahabali grants this request, he retakes his form and takes the heavens and the earth back.
• Ganga's story - This seems to be a story regarding perseverance and hard work.  It also promotes loyalty to family.  This also talks about the origins of the Ganga river and the powers that the water carries.
• Ahalya's story - This was a sad story where the woman, Ahalya, was punished because she was deceived into sleeping with someone who took the form of her husband.  When her husband discovered this he transformed her to stone.  Rama's stepping on her released her from this curse and returned her to her husband.
• The next chapter deals with Rama and Sita glimpsing one another and falling in love at first sight.  Though she only saw him briefly, thoughts of Rama consume Sita, allowing her no rest.  When Rama manages a feat no one else has been able to do, stringing the bow of the god Shiva, he wins her hand.  The kingdoms then begin to celebrate and prepare for the wedding.