Caleb's Myth-Folklore Assignments

Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini, Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence, Italy ( JoJan Wikimedia )            The first possibility I considered for my storybook is doing creation myths. I've always liked creation myths because they are typically straight to the point and a bit silly. How did the moon come to be? This guy got mad and threw a rock up there and now it's the moon. I don't know if that actually is a story anywhere but it sure does sound like one, right? Obviously, creation myths have a bit more depth and importance than a two line story. However, they're typically easy to boil down and understand for almost anyone. That's the point. They're stories that help explain why the world is the way it is to people. I think that's fun. I'd like to tell my creation myth using a very broad scope. I want to tell the story of how everything came to be. I'd like to do it in a comedic fashion as well. I think no matter what I choose for my topic, I will write it in a...

      The first article I read was  Make Good Art: Neil Gaiman’s Advice on the Creative Life . I also watched the video of the speech that was included in that article. I will start off by expressing my admiration for Neil Gaiman. He is a fantastic author and an extremely funny man. His commencement speech in this article highlighted both of those things. I think the advice that Gaiman gave is extremely important. It is especially important to somebody like me who wants to make a career in freelance writing. While the film industry and book industry are different, I'm sure a lot of the basic principles remain the same. This is the first time I've seen this speech, but I've been told most of his points before by other teachers and peers. The part that always sticks out the most to me is not the famously quoted phrase "Make good art." For me, it is the sentiment to just do what it is you want and if you don't know how, pretend you do. When I first decided I want...

Beauty and the Basilisk Basilisk  by Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch (1747-1822).           Once upon a time, a mother and her three daughters lived in a small hamlet on the outskirts of a once glorious kingdom. Of course, this kingdom no longer exists because it's the 21st century. It's probably a nest of freeways and a couple McDonald's now. I don't know. That's not important. What is important is the fact that while this kingdom existed, a mother and her three daughters lived there in a small hamlet on the outskirts.          One day, a market rolled into a nearby village. You know the type. It's not quite big enough to be a full blown town but still big enough to justify a seasonal market. Anyways, before heading off to this market, the mother asked her three daughters if they would like her to bring them back anything. The first two daughters each rattled off a laundry list of items that they absolutely needed. These ...

Beauty and the Basilisk For this first week, I am taking notes on  The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922). This story primarily interested me because I love the different approach to the beast. No long imprisonment and true love necessary. Just feed him for a few days and then cut off his head a couple times and you're good. I mean the whole "bring me your daughter" is still creepy. I'm sure there is definitely some level of Stockholm syndrome at play with the nursing but, overall it seems marginally better.  Basilisk by Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch (1747-1822). Basic Plot     In this story, a mother goes out to a market in a town nearby. She asks her three daughters if they would like anything. Her two superficial daughters ask for a myriad of gifts. Her third daughter ask only for three roses if it is possible and not inconvenient. As she is returning from the market with the large load of items, she gets lost and stumbles upon a castle with a rose garden. She...

Tentative Reading Plan Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: Jewish Fairy Tales Week 4: Homer's Iliad Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: Arabian Nights Week 6: Sindbad Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: Philippines Week 9: Congo Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: California/Southwest Week 11: Tejas Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: Celtic Tales Week 13: King Arthur Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14: Inferno  Week 15: Lang I Reasoning     I chose a large chunk of these stories and collections because they are classics that I know I should have read by now but I have just never got around to them. By assigning them to myself, I'll finally read them and hopefully have a greater understanding and appreciation for some extremely influential pieces of literatu...