Mythology and Folklore

(Lightning Strike from  DeviantArt ) At the counsel of our professor, I have decided to have my story take place at a party being thrown by Indra. I believe this ties in close enough with my original idea for the story, as well as giving it a different view. Initially I was going to have the four gods competing for best tale against one another, but this setting gives them adequate reason to simply share tales with one another and marvel at each other's power.  One source I have not accessed yet but hope to towards the goal of showing off these gods is one that was also recommended by our professor: Indra And Vritra: The Demon Who Terrorized the Gods. This book is said to, and I quote, " show Indra in full weather mode," so I hope to be able to use the story in it! The story I have chosen to use for Thor is that of his duel with the giant Hrungnir. This story will add a bit of comedic value to the party scene I have laid out, but will also do well to hi...

(Feedback Communication Opinion Review Group from  MaxPixel ) I would like to start out by saying I heavily disagree with a lot of what is said in the Kamenetz article. I have never once found praise to have an inverse effect on me, nor have I heard anything of the sort from my peers. I grew up in a home where one of my parents was overly critical of my recreational activities (sports) and my other parent was overly critical of my schooling and schoolwork. I craved praise. I did really well in school, but struggled with my soccer, as I was not very athletic until I hit high school and started playing for a different club soccer team. When I actually got to the point where I was doing well enough to receive praise in both areas, I yearned for it.  The same goes for the other article I read about Managers avoiding praise. At all of the jobs I have had so far, I strive to make an impression and give my supervisors reasons to commend me. I seek praise consistently, an...

(Simpsons+Odyssey+1 from  DeviantArt ) Odysseus had some boats, E-I-E-I-O He came ashore and took some goats, E-I-E-I-O With a bit of meat here and a bit of mead there Here a drink there a drink Everywhere a good drink The men were fed on nice hot roast, E-I-E-I-O Odysseus found a cave, E-I-E-I-O And in that cave he found much cheese, E-I-E-I-O With a nice feast here and a nice feast there Here a feast there a feast Everywhere a nice feast The next sound that they heard was grave, E-I-E-I-O Polyphemus found some rats, E-I-E-I-O And in his cave ate them as snacks, E-I-E-I-O With a "crunch crunch" here and a "crunch crunch" there Here a "crunch" there a "crunch" Everywhere a "crunch, crunch" When he was full he took a nap, E-I-E-I-O Odyesseus hatched a plot, E-I-E-I-O I'll be nobody was his thought, E-I-E-I-O With a "hard stake" here and a "drunk giant" there ...

(Masque d'Agamemnon from  Wikimedia Commons ) One thing I greatly enjoyed from this piece was the personification that is used in the first section of the story. "Still, Circe of the lovely tresses, dread goddess with a human voice, sent us a good companion to help us, a fresh wind from astern of our dark-prowed ship to fill the sail. " The narrator talks of Circe providing help in the form of "a companion" and that companion is the wind. This instills a feeling that the wind is sentient, and is capable of being companions with people. It also personifies the ship with, "And when we had set the tackle in order fore and aft, we sat down, and let the wind and the helmsman keep her course. All day long with straining sail she glided over the sea, till the sun set and all the waves grew dark." This gives another impression that the ship is actually a living being, as it is referred to as a woman. I like personification of non-living objects in s...

(Head Odysseus MAR Sperlonga from  Wikipedia ) Each time I read Homer's Odyssey, I relearn what descriptive language should be. The use of adjectives, metaphors, and similes is something I adore, and in this piece there is no shortage of it. Prime examples include "rosy-fingered dawn" and "high-crowned oaks". This language gives an accurate depiction of what is being described, while appealing to the reader's imagination as well. I have also always been partial to the type of speech used in mythology. It is very "antique" sounding, or at least that is how I would put it, so I plan to use speech patterns and phrases of the same caliber in some of my own stories.  In this story, not only is there the use of descriptive text devices, but also most everything is described in detail as well. For example, "There were baskets full of cheeses, and pens crowded with lambs and kids, each flock with its firstlings, later ones, and newborn se...