Famous Last Words for Week 6

This week was an exhausting week. I had an exam on Tuesday morning after I had been on campus for three days straight from running a speech tournament. However, it is Friday and I have made it through, so far. It was nice to be able to get some extra sleep on Monday too, because my only class is at 9:30, so I didn’t have to go in thanks to the ice.

In this class, I enjoyed writing my Storytelling post for the week. I didn’t write one last week because I got too busy, and I felt like I had missed out. I still need to write my Storybook story for the week, but I do have plenty of great ideas in my head about it, so I am confident it will go well.

In Japanese, I had an exam on Tuesday (it was supposed to have been Monday), which went pretty well. However, since we are a day behind now we have to really rush through the material for the class, which is kind of hard. And in Intercultural communication we chose our topics for a big group project. My group is doing traditional funerals in Japan. So I get to do a lot with Asian countries this semester!

Last weekend at my speech tournament, I did pretty well. I went toe to toe with national competitors, and one of the most respected coaches in the country told me that I had a lot of talent. I was so nervous when I learned that he was judging that round. I have another tournament this weekend, which is the state tournament. I am hoping to do well, especially because if I do then I can qualify to go to a very exclusive national tournament. I went to this tournament last year and ranked among the top forty in the nation, so I am hoping to do even better this time if I get to go!

I love cooking, so look at this awesome chicken marsala that I made this week!

Image Information: Personal Photo of My Cooking; Taken: February 2015.

Week 6 Storytelling: To Wake a Sleeping Giant

You don’t know how well you have been sleeping until one disturbs your sleep and you wake up for the first time.

I, Kumbhakarna, was sleeping in one of the greatest slumbers I had ever even imagined when the smell of food filled my nostrils. Groaning, I tossed one arm over my nose and turned my head. Whoever was going to receive that meal was one lucky man, because it smelled wonderful. But I just wanted to continue sleeping.

It seemed like only moments until I was in a state of slumber again, and I was at peace. I kept hearing a noise next to my ear, though. Some small noise that sounded like that of a mouse squeaking. No matter, I could sleep through such a thing.

Yet again, I was brought out of my slumber when I felt some weight against my chest. I tried to brush whatever it was off, but it merely continued. And that was when I’d had enough, so I sat up with a large huff.

As soon as I had sat up, food was brought before me. Ah, so I was the lucky man who would be eating this fine meal. What had I done for karma to take such favor with me? However, as Suka began speaking to me and telling me all that was happening in Lanka and everywhere around us, I realized that I would not be as blessed as I had thought.

Suka kept speaking about some man named Rama, and how he and Ravana were about to go to war. So this is why they had woken me? To be frank, Ravana sounded like the stupid one in this ordeal, so why couldn’t I just go back to sleep and let my brother deal with this himself.

But, I was already awake. So I figured I had to actually do something about it. So I left my large mansion and went to wash my face in the lake, cleaning six months of grime from my body, and bringing myself to alertness.

After washing, I went to visit my brother. Oh, how I hated crossing Lanka. It was such a small kingdom, and I am such a big man. Could they not have made it easier for me to move in this place during my time asleep?

No matter.

I frankly told my brother about how stupid he was acting. He had stolen another man’s wife. What sane man did such a thing and did not expect to have revenge taken against them? Although I already had my answer, Ravana of course.

I wasn’t going to help him, because this was futile. This was my brother’s war and I did not want any part of it. I instead wanted to spend my day one day being awake eating and having my fill of the beautiful women of Lanka. However, something changed my mind. The way that Ravana kept speaking of this woman the he had taken from that Rama. Was my brother really so in love with this woman?

He even denied my advice to take on Rama’s form to trick her. Did he really care that she loved him this much? I couldn’t help but to sigh. If he felt this serious about such a woman, then perhaps I could oblige him. To have my brother so deeply in love in front of me, how could I deny him now? Besides, what was the worst that could happen?

Image Information: Waking Up Kumbhakarna; Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Kumbhakarna is the brother of Ravana who sleeps for six months for every day in which he is awake. He is a massive man, a giant. He is woken up just as Ravana is about to go to war with Rama so that he may aid Ravana in the war. Kumbhakarna originally refuses because he believes that Ravana is not in the right for taking Sita. However, Ravana convinces him to change his mind, and Kumbhakarna fights for him.

I wanted to tell the story of Kumbhakarna being awoken and choosing to fight for Ravana from a first person’s narrative. I wanted to be able to show more detail in him being awoken, and what must have gone through his mind when Ravana requested that he join the war. I just wanted to expand on that part of the story, and show exactly what had made him change his mind and decide to aid Ravana’s fight against Rama.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. 
• Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Week 6 Reading Diary B: Rama and Ravana's War Part I

• So Samundra lets Rama through the oceans by allowing him to build bridges if one of the monkeys in his party—Nala—wishes and commands it. Sumandra lets this happen because Nala is able to put anything on the water and it’ll float. That’s pretty cool (Page 275).
• I love stories about how animals received certain traits, so I thought it was cool that it showed the squirrels getting their three stripes on their backs by Rama stroking them (page 277).
• Poor Vibhishana was just trying to speak some sense into Ravana. He knew that if Ravana carried out his plans then it would all end badly. But Ravana didn’t listen and instead cast Vibhishana out (pages 278-280).
• Note to self: Hanuman paying back Vibhishana by persuading that Rama take him as an ally is here (pages 280-281).
• Dear Trijata is there to help Sita in her time of sorrow, her only friend who dispels the belief Ravana gave to her that Rama is really dead (page 287).
• Um… Prahasta has a lot of odd things tied to his chariot. It’s nearly comical (page 295).
• Ravana is just so obstinate. Even Kumbhakarna who has been asleep for so long, tells Ravana that he is stupid, yet Ravana fights back and believes that what he is doing is not in fact wrong (page 300).
• Ravana is so keen on illusions in this war, both towards Sita and Rama. He plays so hard on their mental pain as well as their physical pain.
• Also, everyone tried to tell Ravana that his plans were stupid, and that he should just give Sita back to avoid all of the deaths and pain that would come to him. He ignored them, only to be surprised when his son and brother were killed.

Image Information: Kumbhakarna Fighting Hanuman; Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Week 6 Reading Diary A: Hanuman's Search for Sita

• I really liked the imagery in this line: “The speed of Hanuman’s jump pulled blossoms and flowers into the air after him and they fell like little stars on the waving treetops” (page 225).
• It is nice that Hanuman got a little help from Mainaka in repayment for how Hanuman’s father, the wind, had helped him in the past (page 226).
• “Three times I take refuge in Rama, who is the safe shelter of all who flee for help from any thing” (page 229). This is such a good description for Rama, who really does take in any being from any situation and helps them in whatever they need help in.
• Poor Hanuman thought that Ravana had killed Sita, and the thought hurt him so much that he began to cry in despair (page 239).
• I’m proud of Sita for standing up against Ravan and not falling into his grasps. She is strong, and instead speaks of Rama and death to him (page 245).
• “Don’t be too bold with me. I would never even spit upon your unwashed king. Fall in love? No, but he will truly fall! Asking and answering, Rama will find the way and come and get me” (page 247). You go, Sita!
• Hanuman’s got some sass, “Don't make me laugh!” Hanuman grinned. “Don’t worry, I won’t!” (Page 259).
• Note to self: Vibhishana tells Ravana not to kill Hanuman in this version lays at page 261.
• And finally, Rama knows that his Sita is alive and unharmed, and of course Hanuman makes him promise that he will go an kill Ravana (page 270).  

Image Information: Hanuman Finds Sita; Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.