Caitlyn's Blog for Myth-Folklore Fall 2018

Topic Brainstorm (Alice at the tea party, by artist  Arthur Rackham : uploaded by Obakeneko ) I am interested in Alice in Wonderland as a possible topic for my storybook. The story of Alice is something I have always enjoyed, but I have only been exposed to the movie adaptations of the novel. I have some knowledge of the story due to that, but I would like to learn more about it by reading the original novel. If I were to write my own story based on Alice in Wonderland, I would probably write the story from the perspective of a different character that already exists in the story or create my own new character that will interact with Alice on her adventure.  Stories from the Japanese Mythology unit, specifically from The Romance of Old Japan are also possible topics for my storybook. I have read the stories involving Izanagi, Izanami, and their children before, so I do have prior knowledge regarding this topic. These stories interest me very much because I learned many

Feedback Thoughts ( cheezburger ) I read A fixed mindset could be holding you back and Neil Gaiman's Advice on the Creative Life . Both articles address issues related to feedback. We previously read about growth mindset versus fixed mindset, which the first article here talks more about. I agree with the many great points that are made in the article, which include things like fixed mindset is associated with not being able to handle negative feedback appropriately. People with a fixed mindset are more likely to not step out of their comfort zones to try something completely new or something they may not be great at. They are used to sticking to what they know and avoid mistakes to the point of restricting themselves from many experiences that could be helpful for their learning. The article concerning Neil Gaiman's advice mentions something similar by urging people to make mistakes in order to learn more and live a fuller life. I think all of the points made here ar

Week 2 Story: The Lion, the Man, and the Lesson NOTE: This story has been added to my Portfolio! Please click  here for the current version of the story. (Lion: photo by Serg Zhuravlev ) This story is a continuation of The Lion and the Statue , author's note included at the end. The words of the lion left the man silent. He thought for a moment that perhaps the lion was correct. What the lion had said made some sense, yes. But would the man set aside his pride to admit that? As the man wondered to himself for a bit, the lion began to turn and take his leave. The man was pulled from his thoughts after noticing the movement and stopped the lion. “Wait! If this does not convince you, then what other proof could I show?” the man asked. The lion gave him a thoughtful look before saying, “Perhaps start with yourself. Instead of using the work of others as proof, do something of your own that will convince me. Only then might I acknowledge that there is truth to

Reading Notes: Myth-Folklore Anthology (Lion: photo by Bluesnap ) The Lion and the Statue  from The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs (1894) A man and lion discuss the strength of their respective species, and try to decide which is stronger. The man tries to prove that men are stronger by showing the lion a statue of Hercules defeating another lion. The lion points out that it is not proof, since the statue was created by men. I like this story in particular, because the lion points out the biases that exist within the man's alleged proof. The lion does not say or do a lot, but he conveys a very important message with the small amount of involvement that he has. The line in italics at the end is also something I enjoy, since it ends the story by explicitly stating the theme, "We can easily represent things as we wish them to be." Androcles and the Lion  from The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs (1894) I enjoyed this story mainly for its ending and the chara

Reading Options (Susano-o, a character from the Nihon Shoki: photo by Tobosha ) I am very excited to read more of the content from the Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang) , Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki) , and Japanese Mythology units. I found these to be the most interesting because I have actually read a few of the stories in these units before, but I wish to read more of them since I enjoyed what I have read previously. I have taken many Japanese classes in the past which include literature, language, and history. I have had a general interest in Japan's culture for a very long time, and am excited to learn more about their stories and mythology. I am also interested in the Alice in Wonderland unit. I have never actually read much of the full novel, but have found the parts of it that I do know to be very interesting. I am also a fan of all the different movies associated with the novel, so I think it would be a cool experience to compare what I have seen to parts from the