Reading Notes, Inferno: Part B

 This story is part of the Dante's Inferno unit. Story source: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002)

I read the part in Daniel recently about the statue of different materials. I didn't know it spawned a saying about having feet of clay. Meaning weakness. I think Achilles may have been mentioned. Nothing about his heal, however.

So the parts about Muhammed have been taking out. I saw somewhere that a lot of Inferno is social commentary. That's quite bold to write about people you don't like being in hell. There's a videogame based on this story, and there's an animated movie based on the game. They both are disgusting. The story is changed a lot. Dante goes to hell to rescue Beatrice, but it's his wife. She was killed during the crusades that Dante was a part of. I think that's interesting since in the original story Muhammed, the founder of Islam, was in hell. Beatrice in the video game story dies because Dante isn't there to protect. I'm trying to say there's a connection there. I don't know too much about them, but I do know that the crusades don't seem in any way noble. 

I think my idea is to write about a person seeing their own self in hell. Each circle has themselves suffering for their own sin. Or maybe each circle contains a memory of them committing that sin. It could even be inspired by the Harrowing of Hell story where Jesus comes to save them at the end. The person in the story won't actually be dead. It will just be a recognition of their own corrupt nature and how Jesus ultimately saves them from it. 

I think a lot is from the poetry. I'm glad I've read some version of it now. I've been on the precipice of taking a class over the book several times now, but it never works out with my schedule. It still would be interesting to hear from an expert on the subject.

Nine Circles (Source)

Reading Notes: Inferno, Part A

 This story is part of the Dante's Inferno unit. Story source: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).

Who's the Greyhound? Even though the first page is very long, I'm reading it as if I'm actually interested. 

I remember reading this book and feeling fearful. I have no fear during this read. Maybe the pictures scared me so? Or maybe I was just more fearful back then. The idea of hell and demons was scarier.

The division of sin. The suffering, at least in this language, doesn't seem as bad as I would think it would be. I'm unsure why certain people are reserved from true suffering. The philosophers and the heroes seem mostly unscathed. The Harrowing of Hell legend is pretty. Laura already told me about, but I didn't read too much of it. I hope Jesus' sacrifice goes back in time, too, but I trust God with everything. Most of all this. I'm thankful I was born after. 

I thought about describing hell. I'm sure it has been done before. Many, many times. I think I've seen some documentaries about Dante before. Was he not in prison? Was he not in anguish at losing Beatrice? She becomes his guide later on, but did she just die, or did she leave him?

No. Beatrice was someone Dante loved from afar. The reason I thought he focused so much on the adulterous lovers was because he was cheated on in some way. I was wrong. However, it seems the lust they had for each other was a focus of Dante's. Was it because he the same love for Beatrice? The Googling I did would tell me differently. The love for Beatrice was beyond sexuality. Like God's love.

Is the Divine Comedy that humans go through so much suffering only to end up in paradise if they live a righteous life? Writing my own version of The Divine Comedy, and what it means to me, is a possible idea. I can't think of anything, though. Why is it always so lofty? 

The Inscription is On the Forehead (Source)

Microfiction: Two Sad Stories

It's Different But the Same

I know what to do. But

I love you.

Inspiration (Source: Unknown)

How I Feel

    I feel sad but the kind that's joyful

    I'd cry seeing Superman fly

    More examples...

    But I don't want to rhyme

    The best kind of poetry doesn't rhyme

    Its expression is its ideas

    Not whether you can dance to it

    I want to dance with you

    You're so far away

    I know when you'll be here

    I know when I won't be

    I don't even doubt

    I don't even wonder

    I'm just sad because I see Superman flying

    Except it's me 

    You're Lois Lane

    I come to save the day 

    No matter how many time you fall

    Jesus save me

Author's Note: The first story is based on a picture I've had saved on my phone for nearly four years now. I was in love at the time. I'm not sure why I knew this picture felt appropriate for the situation when I saved it. It was too early on. Perhaps it spoke to me on a deeper level past my circumstances. Sometimes knowing what to do is worse than not knowing what to do. Sometimes it's the other way around.

I saw someone in this class write out a 100 hundred word story off the top of their head so I did, too. Maybe it's the lack of prolonged sleep, but I have a tinge of sadness over me. No particular reason. I love life, though. Superman flying is a good representation of loving life for me. It also makes me sad.

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part A

 The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898)

I thought Robins were red (Source)

Is this finally my opportunity to write in a different way? Poetry in the style of ballads. I also had a idea to incorporate this into my portfolio stories. I have an idea for the next story. Junior as Jesus, will inspire and gain the workers of the simulation company as followers while angering the owners or executives of the company. A lot of strife. Whatever the company's owners motives are, they are the rich in the story. Jesus came for the poor, not the rich. Kinda like the idealized version of Robin Hood. But maybe I can do something with this gangsta Robin, too. 

I didn't know Robin Hood and Little John met each other as enemies. The ballad reminds me of scenes in movies where people approach each other with animosity and then end up respecting the other because they admire their talents. One of the things I remember from my research on Robin Hood was that it didn't make sense for these men to hang out in the forest year round. The temperature during an England winter went negative Fahrenheit. That's dumb that I have to capitalize that word! I was imagining the men sitting in a shack during a snow.

Robin Hood and his Blokes

Kept Inside Because the Snow

Stopped them Cold of Robbing Rich Folks

Made them Rob Each other Instead

Dang, that is terrible. I went ahead and capitalized almost everything because of Fahrenheit. I'm getting a "Hateful Eight" vibe. 

An arrow flew across the room. The arrow narrowly missed a man's face. 

"Sorry, mate. I was removing the frostbite from your nose."

Listening to the videos of the ballads makes it clear that the poetry needs to sound good sung. So if I go that direction, I can try to imagine what it would sound like sung. Because whenever I read what I above, I can only do it to the melody of the Disney song. 

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part B

 The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921)

The Evening Star makes me think of Lucifer, but I think he's probably the Morning Star if anything. Or maybe he has no relation to either of those titles.

He does like to call himself venerable all the time, doesn't he? He does very well at whatever he does. He excelled as the stablemaster even though it seems like a lowly job. He never complained. The expanding rod is in Dragon Ball as well.

Dang. The very next episode he complains about his title and its lowly nature. Don't speak too soon, Drew.

These devil-kings can't be good news. I suppose this is the start of the war with heaven.

I wonder if he'll find out about his empty title. The Morning Star does seem pretty clever.

3600. There was something about 360 in part A. I wonder if people thought there was only 360 days in a year at this time. Or maybe the number has some other significance.

I learned about Laozi. It's interesting how this story is an amalgamation of so many different traditions. I guess you could say that about Christianity and everything else as well.

Ha. I'm starting to feel creepy. What an odd thing to say.

He's really a joyful creature. Even when he's fearful, he finds a way to have fun the next moment.

I wonder if he'll ever break the promise he made to his first teacher.

Buddha coming and finally putting Sun in his place is like an Avengers movie. It doesn't really seem like the Buddha would belong in this story, and yet here he is. It's very interesting. 

There's a pig in Dragon Ball named Oolong who has the same characteristics as the pig in "Journey to the West."

That is a nice ending for Sun. I need to take a nap to think of what I'll write about myself.

Monkey King Shrine (Source)

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part A

 The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Thousand Mile-Eye and Fine-Ear are certainly interesting names.

That was a little rude of the Handsome Monkey King to beat up and rob the first human he ever saw. At least he learned how to conduct himself over the span of nine years. 

This painting just feels right (Source)

Ha. After discerning a great truth, Sun Wu Kung begins jerking around. That's a funny word to use.

Is it Baptists who don't like dancing? This reminds me of that. King David danced and worshiped like a wild man once. I can't remember the reason now. 

That's pretty cool that the master is telling Sun all about the different way to reach holiness. I learned about many of these ways in a religion class. They're the different schools of faith within Buddhism. 

Goku could only fly on a nimbus cloud originally. Then he learned to fly all by himself. Maybe Sun Wu Kong will also overcome his current limitation. Yep. The very next story has him learning a better way.

Dang what a sad ending with the master. Goku has a monkey mind, too.

Thievery and deception aren't too nice. Sun Wu Kang seems to play by rules of his own making. 77,000 monkeys. Is the number seven holy in all cultures?

He didn't treat the Dragon-King very well. I suppose a person who goes to war with heaven has to be a little evil.

Sun Wu Kung is a little crazy, but he is likeable. I don't know where I would go with a story about him right now. Maybe I could just take the chance to write some Dragon Ball fanfiction. That's a little embarrassing, though.

Maybe it would be cool to have the Monkey King fight Goku. Perhaps they would be friends because they have similar personalities and a desire to whip the strongest opponents. I'm not for sure on Sun liking that. I'll need more context from the next part tomorrow. 

Week 8 Progress

     I'm a little bit ahead in terms of overall points. I believe that's because I did some assignments during the break week. I have no real reason to get super far ahead, but it would be cool to finish super early. My routine isn't anything perfect. At the beginning of the semester this was my only class where any real work was required because my other classes had such a slow start. Now that everything has picked up, I do the assignments for this class whenever I can. There's really no reason for me to not have a routine, though. You can't routinize my creativity! Except you can. I usually like writing under a deadline. However, if I look back at my writing at the beginning of the semester, there were was no deadline because I was so far ahead. 

    I really should be utilizing more of the extra credit options. I usually do the extra commenting because I like reading more stories. It sounds not as time consuming to me on the surface, but it can be time consuming to write a comment for a story that I didn't connect with. I can't imagine what it's like to be a teacher grading a bunch of writing... I guess I can, though. You just do it and see the good and try and elevate that. I look forward to the stories I'm going to read in the coming weeks. I hope they inspire me. This is my favorite class this semester. I would say it's in my top five of all of college. That's nice to have my last semester. I think a class like this should be mandatory. I wonder what those who don't take their writing seriously think of their class. Do they think their going to retell the same story in their own words every week? Or are they freed by the grading system and want to try their hand at writing something more original? The option is awesome, and that's what I love about this class.

Word (Source)