Mythology and Folklore Fall 2020

  Feedback is both a dream and a nightmare. I am always longing for feedback on my work to see what my strengths and weaknesses are, but I am always so afraid to confront my weaknesses. In one of my previous blog posts, I talk about how being a perfectionist has sort of hindered a growth mindset for me. While I hope this class will help me overcome that, I need to also put in effort on my own time to fix it.  The two articles I read have really inspired me to take action. The first article I read was "Seven Ways to Crush Self-Doubt in Creative Work" by John Spencer. I really liked this article because I am indeed my own worst critic and self-deprecation is one of the biggest obstacles I face in my life. I felt like the tips he shared are very relevant to my life, like how I shouldn't compare myself to others and to abandon my perfectionism.  I saw this tweet the other day that reminds me of the picture I have inserted below: it said something along the lin...

  Madame Gossip This storybook initially captured my attention because it was about princesses, which--as a Disney fanatic--is right up my alley. But as I began to read the introduction, I noticed that it was written in a way very similar to Gossip Girl , which is one of my all-time favorite shows! This storybook is really inspiring me to pick a topic on princesses and approach it as Gossip Girl would! I have no previous knowledge of any of these princesses, but I am looking forward to learning more about their stories (and gossip, of course!). The Fair Angiola Again, the Disney fanatic in me wanted to look into one of my favorite princesses, Rapunzel. I know the Disney version like the back of my hand, but this is pretty different (obviously). If I were to choose this as my topic, I think I would tell it more like the Disney remake and tell it from the perspective of an animal companion (like Pascal). Animal Tales This was one of the first three storybooks I read and wrote about. ...

In a town in the countryside of France lived a mother and her three daughters. They were a poor family with just a one-room cottage and one very scrawny cow. Getting by was tough, but they were happy nonetheless.  This particular day, the mother decided to go to the village to buy her daughters some gifts. The two oldest daughters wanted jewelry and dresses and dolls and so many other things while the youngest daughter stayed quiet. The mother promised them the finest gifts she could find. The mother then asked the youngest, Mary, what she wanted from the village. Quietly, Mary answered with, "three roses please." The mother smiled and declared she would find Mary the three prettiest roses in the whole world! Off she went to the village to buy her daughters some gifts. The mother spent hours searching for jewelry and dolls, only to find two little rag dolls for her oldest daughters. Satisfied with her find, the mother trotted off towards the cottage, taking the scenic route t...

  Fairy Tale: Beauty and the Basilisk The Three Roses by Josef Baudis mother + 3 daughters--2=greedy, 3rd=only wants 3 roses mother lost in forest, went to palace, remembered roses basilisk wanted to trade roses for 3rd daughter, mother forced to trade took 3rd daughter to palace (she didn't mind)--everything she wanted was there basilisk wanted Mary (daughter) to nurse him 3hr/day 3rd day, brought sword for Mary to cut off his head--forced her to do it serpent came out of body(holding golden keys)--cut off head again (asked again) serpent turned to handsome boy--got married I liked this story because it was the Beauty and the Beast before  Beauty and the Beast  (Disney). As a Disney fanatic, I felt compelled to read and I was not disappointed. It reminds me of a cross between Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. (Picture of Basilisk from  Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch ) Origin Stories: The Moon The Man in the Moon by Katherine Neville Fleeson blacksmith wished to ...

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: __Cupid and Psyche_______ Week 4: ____Bible Women_____ Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: ____Arabian Nights_____ Week 6: ____Ancient Egypt_____ Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: ____Brer Rabbit_____ Week 9: ____Japanese Mythology_____ Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: ____Alaska_____ Week 11: ____Pacific Northwest_____ Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: ____Celtic Tales_____ Week 13: ____Alice in Wonderland_____ Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14: ____Italian_____ Week 15: ____Hans Christian Anderson_____ I am not going to lie... I was worried I wouldn't find some of the units interesting. However, after browsing through the storybooks, I am genuinely excited for EVERY unit, especially European (that's where the Disney sto...