This course had some of my favorite readings for any literature-based class I've had, both because I already enjoyed folklore and because I got to read novels! The Narayan versions of the epics are fun to read, and I really appreciated being able to pick my own related readings for the second half of the class and branch out into things I'd been interested in before but hadn't had time to read.
Of the novels I read, I like Divakaruni's writing and storytelling more than Arni's, but The Missing Queen is a faster-paced book, so the excitement and quickness is nice. Breaking the Bow had some really great stories. My favorites were the ones placed in futuristic settings and also those where modern women take inspiration from the Ramayana, dealing with their own personal issues and often rewriting the endings in positive ways. I think I mentioned all of my favorite stories at the time I read them in the Reading Diaries.
If anything, I would've preferred more reading and less commenting assignments. At a certain point, having to do multiple sets of comments each week started to seem more like busy work, and I would have rather spent that time reading more stories or even exploring other writings on the epics, like maybe that "300 Ramayanas" article that I never did get around to reading...
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Week 15: Final Reflections
This has been a really fun class, with the storytelling assignments and especially with the readings. My favorite parts have been the readings; I'm so glad I picked the lively Narayan adaptations of the epics, and I've enjoyed the three free-choice readings. Sometimes I was pushing myself to do three sets of reading a week for the class, but it was worth it to read more books!
The effort I put into writing dropped off as the semester intensified, but I got in a few pretty good stories before that. "Updates from Exile," of course, I think is one of my best stories for the semester. I also enjoyed playing around with other folklore and literary motifs in my first story for the class and with anthropological theory in "A New God in Brindaban." Finally, I was surprised with my first Storybook entry, "Rama Navami," at how I felt Sita's voice took on a mind of its own as I was writing. This first story is definitely the strongest of those included in the Storybook.
The effort I put into writing dropped off as the semester intensified, but I got in a few pretty good stories before that. "Updates from Exile," of course, I think is one of my best stories for the semester. I also enjoyed playing around with other folklore and literary motifs in my first story for the class and with anthropological theory in "A New God in Brindaban." Finally, I was surprised with my first Storybook entry, "Rama Navami," at how I felt Sita's voice took on a mind of its own as I was writing. This first story is definitely the strongest of those included in the Storybook.
Week 14 Reading Diary, cont.: The Missing Queen
reading: Part B of The Missing Queen by Samhita Arni (Zubaan, 2013)
After two long-ish books, it's weird that I'm already over halfway done with this one. It's going by so fast! I keep skimming ahead, though, because it's fast-paced enough that it's difficult to stop reading without knowing what's coming next.
It's starting to delve more into the stories behind the stories. Surpanakha shows up briefly and we hear her side of things -- different than what's in the Ramayana -- which seems to be a theme for this book, of introducing a secondary character and quickly giving their version of events. Surpanakha raises some interesting points about Ayodhya vs. Lanka, mainly regarding women's roles. She brings up the freedom and equality enjoyed by women in Lanka, whereas Ayodhyan women are viewed as needing protection, especially of their chastity.
And then the storyline is also delving into the political. It brings up more of the epic's backstories, like with Rama killing a large group in the forest because they "threaten" Ayodhyans who are there for rituals and other spiritual matters. There's some intriguing questions raised about how much the war just uses Sita and that whole situation as an excuse to expand the Ayodhyan empire and take out a rival. It would explain why Rama enters into a terrible war unquestioningly and then gives up his wife who he was fighting for -- it was never really about her, which in some ways just makes the story even more terrible.
After two long-ish books, it's weird that I'm already over halfway done with this one. It's going by so fast! I keep skimming ahead, though, because it's fast-paced enough that it's difficult to stop reading without knowing what's coming next.
It's starting to delve more into the stories behind the stories. Surpanakha shows up briefly and we hear her side of things -- different than what's in the Ramayana -- which seems to be a theme for this book, of introducing a secondary character and quickly giving their version of events. Surpanakha raises some interesting points about Ayodhya vs. Lanka, mainly regarding women's roles. She brings up the freedom and equality enjoyed by women in Lanka, whereas Ayodhyan women are viewed as needing protection, especially of their chastity.
And then the storyline is also delving into the political. It brings up more of the epic's backstories, like with Rama killing a large group in the forest because they "threaten" Ayodhyans who are there for rituals and other spiritual matters. There's some intriguing questions raised about how much the war just uses Sita and that whole situation as an excuse to expand the Ayodhyan empire and take out a rival. It would explain why Rama enters into a terrible war unquestioningly and then gives up his wife who he was fighting for -- it was never really about her, which in some ways just makes the story even more terrible.
still from Sita Sings the Blues (Martin Teller's Movie Reviews)
Week 14: Review & Backup
Since it's coming up on the end of the semester and I've finished my Storybook project, I figured it was probably a good time to back up everything. :)
My favorite announcement this week was the one on Wednesday with the Harry Potter music Indian Jam. I'd never seen some of these instruments before (and was surprised to see the hammered dulcimer!), and it was cool to be introduced to new ways of making music in a fusion with familiar tunes.
I'm used to seeing hammered dulcimers in this kind of context:
My favorite announcement this week was the one on Wednesday with the Harry Potter music Indian Jam. I'd never seen some of these instruments before (and was surprised to see the hammered dulcimer!), and it was cool to be introduced to new ways of making music in a fusion with familiar tunes.
I'm used to seeing hammered dulcimers in this kind of context:
musicians Ridley & Anne Enslow at an 18th-century reenactment
(Dan Little, 2012, Times Union)
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Week 14 Reading Diary: The Missing Queen
reading: Part A of The Missing Queen by Samhita Arni (Zubaan, 2013)
I've heard good things about this novel, so of course I was excited to begin reading. Also, my copy is a cute little ex-library book, and the feel of a regular book after all the de-dustjacketed monographs and textbooks I'm usually reading through is so nice. :)
The beginning starts out pretty cool. The first character to meet is Kaikeyi, which is already a tip-off that this Ramayana story is going to be from a different perspective than usual. I'm still getting used to the setting, on the one hand feeling a little antiquated (with speakeasies and old films) and on the other very modern, with TV, laptops, and political debates surrounding a switch to democracy.
There's also digs at the usual epic narrative. Some are direct, with characters questioning how much of the story is told when it's told by the victors, but others, like Valmiki's officially-endorsed journalistic biography of Ram, are a little more discreet.
I thought this would read more like a mystery novel, but by the end of this first part, I'm realizing there's likely to be more violence and darkness than I expected. There's a bit of a dystopian feel right now, with the main character imprisoned under obviously not normal procedures. I might have already skipped ahead and skimmed some later scenes...definitely not the route I was expecting the plot to take, but should be interesting.
I've heard good things about this novel, so of course I was excited to begin reading. Also, my copy is a cute little ex-library book, and the feel of a regular book after all the de-dustjacketed monographs and textbooks I'm usually reading through is so nice. :)
The beginning starts out pretty cool. The first character to meet is Kaikeyi, which is already a tip-off that this Ramayana story is going to be from a different perspective than usual. I'm still getting used to the setting, on the one hand feeling a little antiquated (with speakeasies and old films) and on the other very modern, with TV, laptops, and political debates surrounding a switch to democracy.
There's also digs at the usual epic narrative. Some are direct, with characters questioning how much of the story is told when it's told by the victors, but others, like Valmiki's officially-endorsed journalistic biography of Ram, are a little more discreet.
I thought this would read more like a mystery novel, but by the end of this first part, I'm realizing there's likely to be more violence and darkness than I expected. There's a bit of a dystopian feel right now, with the main character imprisoned under obviously not normal procedures. I might have already skipped ahead and skimmed some later scenes...definitely not the route I was expecting the plot to take, but should be interesting.
still from Sita Sings the Blues (Coffee Coffee and More Coffee)
Week 14 Reading Diary: Breaking the Bow
reading: Part H of Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction Inspired by the Ramayana, ed. Anil Menon & Vandana Singh (2012)
The anthology ended on a high note -- the two last stories were excellent. "Vaidehi and Her Earth Mother" was interesting. It started out humorous, with an author whose main character has run off. Apparently she didn't like the "perfect Indian wife" roles she was assigned and completing to perfection. But then the story takes a psychological twist, ending darkly. It's unlike any of the other stories in the book, both playful and sinister. I'm wondering if the author's other work is like this, and just how much of the personal made it into the story.
"Falling into the Earth" was also pretty cool. It's another story where modern characters connect with the Ramayana as they live out their lives, but wonder if they can find different endings. This has probably been my favorite framing device after the futuristic sci-fi ones; there's so much room for authors to both build on the epic and alter it in major ways. This particular version has a sweet ending, coming out of an unhappy marriage beginning and mental illness/chemical dependence to a revision of Sita's exile after the war. It's good to end the anthology in a story where Sita finally gets a decent ending.
The anthology ended on a high note -- the two last stories were excellent. "Vaidehi and Her Earth Mother" was interesting. It started out humorous, with an author whose main character has run off. Apparently she didn't like the "perfect Indian wife" roles she was assigned and completing to perfection. But then the story takes a psychological twist, ending darkly. It's unlike any of the other stories in the book, both playful and sinister. I'm wondering if the author's other work is like this, and just how much of the personal made it into the story.
"Falling into the Earth" was also pretty cool. It's another story where modern characters connect with the Ramayana as they live out their lives, but wonder if they can find different endings. This has probably been my favorite framing device after the futuristic sci-fi ones; there's so much room for authors to both build on the epic and alter it in major ways. This particular version has a sweet ending, coming out of an unhappy marriage beginning and mental illness/chemical dependence to a revision of Sita's exile after the war. It's good to end the anthology in a story where Sita finally gets a decent ending.
Rama and Sita from Sita Sings the Blues (Dharma Records)
Monday, April 25, 2016
Week 13 Reading Diary, cont.: Breaking the Bow
reading: Part G of Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction Inspired by the Ramayana, ed. Anil Menon & Vandana Singh (2012)
I didn't really get "Machanu Visits the Underworld." Perhaps it's just because I was unfamiliar with this part of the story, about Hanuman's son Machanu, but I just wasn't entirely sure what was going on. It did continue to play around with the overarching themes for this collection, though, things like multiple versions of the story and trying to rewrite it, but ultimately ending up in the same place again.
"Oblivion: A Journey," however, is another one of my favorites. I think the futuristic sci-fi setting is a key part of that; I came to this anthology expecting a lot of sci-fi, and I find that this genre seems to garner an amazing amount of creativity from authors looking at social issues and new versions of old stories. I always love a well-told, well-built sci-fi story!
Which Singh provides here. The protagonist is from a consciously Ramayana-inspired planet and sees themself as like a modern Ram chasing a Ravan -- but are their stories actually the same? The tale was a perfect blend of new material mixed with references to the old epic, with some moral questioning thrown in. All in all, it was excellently told.
I didn't really get "Machanu Visits the Underworld." Perhaps it's just because I was unfamiliar with this part of the story, about Hanuman's son Machanu, but I just wasn't entirely sure what was going on. It did continue to play around with the overarching themes for this collection, though, things like multiple versions of the story and trying to rewrite it, but ultimately ending up in the same place again.
"Oblivion: A Journey," however, is another one of my favorites. I think the futuristic sci-fi setting is a key part of that; I came to this anthology expecting a lot of sci-fi, and I find that this genre seems to garner an amazing amount of creativity from authors looking at social issues and new versions of old stories. I always love a well-told, well-built sci-fi story!
Which Singh provides here. The protagonist is from a consciously Ramayana-inspired planet and sees themself as like a modern Ram chasing a Ravan -- but are their stories actually the same? The tale was a perfect blend of new material mixed with references to the old epic, with some moral questioning thrown in. All in all, it was excellently told.
still of Ravana from Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley)
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