Week 10: Reading Diary B

Points of Interest

• Enemies yet family, want peace yet conflict only resolved by war
• Krishna is a strong character that moves the story yet doesn't really take the lead-- he has some parts by himself, but he's representing the Pandavas
• spurned advice is a theme with Indian epics... Duryodhana rejected Gandhari's advice... his own queen! (p. 140)
• Duty is important, and krishna emphasizes that with Arjuna-- it's strange to read about Krishna's ability to detatch when it comes to the greater good and be a god while being a human. If that happened to me, I'd also dry my tears quickly and get to work.
• "These men who stand before you are already slain through their own karma" (p. 148)
• They took a break at the end of the day and relaxed "with song and dance" (p. 149)
• Krishna calls out Karna! "Honour! How late you are in remembering this word!" (p. 163)
• Bhima-- the guy who gets things done (p. 165)
• War aftermath is never all glory, as evidenced after the war won by the Pandavas

Week 10: Reading Diary A

Points of Interest:

• Duryodhana learned that pride comes before a fall. There's so much humor and irony in this epic!!!
• Yudhistra took the high road in sending his brothers to save their enemies (p. 87)
• "Who is that friend you could count as God given? "A wife." (p. 91) awwwwwwww!
• Brotherly freakout about dice (p. 93) Yudhistira is a gambling addict, no doubt
• I really like Bhima's character-- he is a super manly man who loves to cook.
• Kichaka-- death by hug (p. 97)
• The Pandavas are always portrayed as the ultimate heroes-- they have so many great qualities
• Civil deciding of who gets custody of Krishna and his army (p 118)

Week 9: Reading Diary B

Points of interest

• Dhritarashtra is kind of like Kaikeyi in the Ramayana-- he is happy a first but advisers turn him away towards evil and hate
• Yudhistira's promise seems like it will come back to bite him.... Like so many broad promises often do in these epics
• Gambling leads to bitterness and conflict--- not much has changed there
• The game worsens the condition of the relationship between the two families-- and it's all fate!
• Draupadi is very smart and brave as she faces the whole assembly to argue her freedom!
• "Child, aggressiveness is not always good, nor is forgiveness" -- interesting, big departure from other religious texts that emphasize forgiveness always (p. 77)
• Super deep spiritual convo pgs 77-79

Week 9: Reading Diary A

Points of Interest:

• King Santanu has a thing for girls he randomly finds...
• It was noble of Bhishma to give up his place in order to give his father happiness
• Bhishma stuck to his guns when it came to keeping vows
• Funny how the mother's behavior affected the way her child turned out--made me think of how mothers who do drugs and drink alcohol can have babies with related conditions
• Dhritarashtra is blind
• Pandi is pale
• Vidura is normal
• So many guys are blocked from having kids! 
• "The Mahabharata may be said to be a tale of conflict between the two groups that never ceased except with death" (p. 10) Pandavas vs. sons of Dhritarashtra
• Well... that escalated quickly. The teasing of childhood soon became trying to write each other off
• Like Rama, Dhritarashtra cared a bit too much what his people thought
• Bhima is a super manly man-- caring for his family and sweet in that regard but super tough in facing the demon
• I like how Draupadi was born "Dark and beautiful" instead of fair, like what is valued in India. Not that being fair/dark matters, but it's great that the beauty standard is irrelevant when discussing Draupadi's beauty
• Similar to Ramayana: Draupadi's man must be able to string a bow and then shoot five arrows at moving target above by looking at reflection below-- skills!!!!
• "Draupadi watched the process of elimination with relief" (p. 32)
• Draupadi wanted a good man-- the behavior of the others repulsed her
• Good for Karna! She doesn't want you, so you back off. Women are not something to be stolen!!!!
• So awkward.... how it happened for Draupadi to go from Arjuna's fiance to the fiance of FIVE guys! So.... before there were sister wives.... there were brother husbands?????
• Well, she could never get bored, switchign husbands every year....

Week 8: Reading Diary Assessment

I usually write my notes as I read, highlighting things that I find that capture my attention or things I might want to include in the storytelling or storybook projects. For the Ramayana, I focused on Sita because her character is so captivating to me. I used bullet point form because it was easier for me to go back and look up different things. I used page number references also, which I was very glad I did because it made finding things a lot easier. I really recommend using page number references, because it made my reviewing notes later a lot easier for me. I started off writing my notes in an essay-like format, but I found it harder to review later and it also was very time consuming. As time went on, my notes shortened because I focused more and more on the things I wanted to make sure I remembered. I think it might be helpful if I lengthen my notes to include more of my responses to what I read instead of sentence summaries of things I want to remember. I think from now on, I’ll use more of my thoughts about the readings in addition to references to outside things (other stories, modern day parallels, ect.). This might help me expand my writing style and incorporated different point of views into my retellings. Nevertheless, the reading diary has been useful in helping me remember the readings more so than I usually do for my other classes because I write it then look over it again and again in order to do assignments. I’m usually not so great with remembering reading assignments, so I just take notes in class and work from there. Overall, I’m really happy with how my diary notes are going because they help me process the story and reference parts of the books later in order to use it for assignments.

Week 7: Reading Diary B

Points of interest:

• "You are my Rama. Whatever you do is right." -Sita... I wonder what her thoughts were when she was banished (p.306)
• Hanuman playfully tells Bharata that Rama is back (p. 309)
• Sita's response to Manthara is grace (p. 315)
• Sita gives Hanuman her pearls (p. 316)
• If only the book stopped here! (p. 317)
• Sita tells Rama she is pregnant (p. 319)
• Rama was pushing his advisers to tell him the bad things people were saying... Perhaps he wanted an excuse to send Sita away? (p. 320)
• Lakshmana was caught between being Rama's subject and Rama's brother (p. 321)
• Kaikeyi was 9 years old when she saved the king! (p. 323)
• Valmiki may have orchestrated things: "First bow to the King as to a father, for he is the father of all living people in this land>" Also, their actual biological dad (p. 334)
• Rama thought the boys were just like him-- they must have looked just like him! (p. 337)
• Rama cries (p. 338) when Sita is coming back
• Sita returning to the earth was a happy occasion (p. 341)
• "Janaka said, "There's no other person as brave as Rama." Viswamitra answered, "There's Sita." (p. 342)

Week 7: Reading Diary A

Points of interest:

• When Sugriva attacks Thunder-tooth, he is not killed but instead has his body slammed down so that he has no torso. He escapes via a magical staircase. Will he return or play a significant role elsewhere? Hanuman just said to forget following him (p. 269).
• Suka is pretty up-front about what the people are saying about Ravana (p. 271)
• "How can you come to your senses when your senses have been stolen by Love?" -Suka (p. 271)
• The way Suka was talking when appointed messenger, he seemed to think he was off to his death or maybe that Ravana was. He gives what seems like a final compliment to Ravana (p. 272)
• Ravana gambled his life for love... and lost. (p. 274, 275) He went mad with love and did terrible things-- all because his twisted mind loved Sita
• In the midst of the war, there are elements of good on the side of evil. Honor, bravery... it's very interesting that the situation would be a little blurry, although it is obvious that Ravana is the bad guy
• Rama was still respectful to Ravana after he. dies (p. 284)
• I like Mandodari's end. It was sweet how her father came to comfort her and take her to a new life (p. 295)
• How did Sita get her change of clothes? It'd be awesome if her the nice demoness,  Trijata (p. 295)
• Hanuman loved Sita as much as he loved Rama
• "Here is Sita. Here is Love" (p. 298)
• I like this reuinion between Sita and Rama between than the other version-- theyr'e both sweet and in love 
• Hanuman's monkey nature shines in this version
• 
  

Week 6: Reading Diary B

Sita:

• Sita breaks when she thinks Rama has been killed and "let life slip and fall away through her fingers" (p. 233)
• Trijata is the woman every heartbroken girl needs to snap her back into reality
• Sita says Hanuman is powerful because of his love for Rama (p. 258)

Other points of interest:

• Rama has to be convinced by the animals to go to war 
• "Fools mistake patience for weakness" Rama (p.224)
• The squirrels helping to build the bridge is the cutest thing ever! (p. 225)
• "Are you afraid?" "Well, no, but my stomach hurts." Ravana and Sardula (p. 231)
• Poor elderly Malyavan...
• The blow meant for Nala only killed a mosquito about to bite him
• Everyone things taking Sita was a mistake-- everyone, except Ravana "What I don't like, I don't hear" (p. 245)
• Ravana cannot take on the form of Rama to trick Sita because he would have to become morally good like Rama (p. 246)
• sword becomes a woman (p. 253)
• Rama actually dies (p. 253)
• War as much physical as it is psychological-- the demons pretend to kill Rama and pretend to kill Sita

Week 6: Reading Diary A

Sita Notes:

• Even in captivity and starvation, Sita was beautiful
• She speaks logically with Ravana
•  Sita is so fiesty and strong to stand up against the guards
• Trijata completely changes the situation
• Sita and Hanuman's interactions are very sweet

Points of Interest:

• Hanuman wasn't really paying attention when they were trying to decide who would go to lanka
• Hanuman as a cat!
• Maybe Hanuman thought Mandodari was Sita because Sita could be Mandodari's daughter... makes Ravana's obsession much more disgusting
• Ravana: "The nicer I am, the worse you treat me!" (p. 199)
• I like this version of Hanuman-- he seems more monkey-like
• "Never fear to love well" Hanuman (p. 220)

Week 5: Reading Diary Part B

Sita Notes:

•  In this version, Rama goes after the deer after Sita asks him to catch it once. She doesn't persuade him, but Rama does it out of love for her and perhaps some kind of desire of his own, since he disregards Lakshmana's advice.
• Sita's response to thinking Rama is in trouble was very much the same between the two versions... she's uncharacteristically hysteric and whiny (p.137)
• Sita laughs at the incompatibility of her with Ravana. It's like "garuda mating with a goose", "a firefly courting the sun", and "a gnat trying to suck up a bowl of butter" (p. 138) Fiesty Sita!
• Sita's response to Jatayu's death was included: she held his head and cried for him(p. 141)
• Fiesty Sita returns! She curses Ravana and calls her prison a "kennel".

Things of Interest:

• Maricha seems like a somewhat fearful character. He gives Ravana good advice but not only ignores it himself but goes along with Ravana's plan and prepares to die! (p. 135)
• Basically Ravana: " Ravana looks at Sita and he thought--Mine." (p. 143)
• Indra is so funny! "Indra asked, 'Why me?' Brahma looked at him. Indra said, "I'll do it, sir." So funny!  (p. 144)
• Ravana was cursed, and that's why he didn't try to force Sita. (p. 146)
• Indra: "I think women are more cruel than demons. Very often they are, when they may be so." 
• Jatayu is so noble, and Indra speaks very very highly of him (p. 147)
• Rama "in every race of creatures lives the brave!" (p. 148)
• monkeys started because of a tear (p.150)
• Gender change because of diving into a river... but giving birth cures it (p. 151)
• Awww baby Hanuman (p. 152)
• Hanuman can't be killed (p. 153)
• "No women advises any man she does not love." (p. 159)
• There's so much suicide in the novels... Ex: Tara (p. 161)
• Swayamprahba is such a mysterious, alluring character! (p. 176)

Week 5: Reading Diary A

Sita Notes:

• Sita didn't want Rama to go to war because the demons had not done anything to them... (Yet) (p. 118) 
• She knew war would change him
•  Sita is kidnapped before the big kidnapping by a rakshaka! (p.126-7) but it's really a trapped musician in a demon's body who wanted to die

Things of Interest:

• Rama's forest bow wasn't good because the ma who made had been having an affair with someone's wife and was nervous and Agastya knew! (p. 115)
• Foreshadowing: Agastya says the deer are harmless
• "Demons do not love men, therefore men must love each other." (p. 117)
• "Dharma leads to happiness, but happiness cannot lead to dharma." (p.118)
• Indra is such an interesting character- he seems petulant at times
• Surpanakha was super ugly (p. 127)
• Worst pickup lines! "My dear, why keep that skinny girl?" and "I am Surpanakha! I have chosen you for my husband!" (p. 128)
• "a co-wife is misery" Rama's opinion on polygamy

Week 4: Reading Diary Part B

Sita Notes:

• Sita is ever-positive and loyal to Rama (pgs. 59-60)
• Sita is incredibly generous, giving her possessions and even her palace to the poor.  (p. 61)
• The story does not recount Sita ever arguing or feeling angry about Rama's banishment. She is so supportive of him, and she wants to go with him, even if it means leaving everything behind and living in the forest
• She wants the best for Rama, as evident in her prayer (p.80)
• Sita is shown kindness just as she showed kindness to others (p. 109)

Things I Found Interesting:

• Advisers are really important in this story, and Dasaratha had good ones
• I don't like Manthara any better in this version-- she's so evil! 
•  Rama's banishment was fate (p.77)
• Dasaratha's encounter with the blind boy's parents was a little different in this story- he was good to the parents, but karma would come back for the life he had taken and his son would be taken from him
• Kaikeyi's actions are somewhat dismissed (p. 102)

Week 4: Reading Diary A

Sita Notes:

• Sita has sons!.. and was banished. But Rama still loves her! (p. 4-7)
• Sita is golden and Rama is green- I wonder if the colors mean something significant?
• I liked the description of Sita and Rama falling in love in the Narayan version of the Ramayana. The drama was lost here when the minister just told the king she had seen him and was already in love.
• I do like that Sita was given a say in whether she married Rama or not. 
• Sita: The Star of Beauty born from Earth (p.45)
• Sita physical description: page 45
• The concept of birth-fire was really interesting to read about and how Sita's and Rama's was put together when they were married (p. 46). The ceremony overall was quite beautiful

Things I Found Interesting

• It was really interesting to read this version after reading R.K. Narayan's summarized version-- so much more vivid detail!
• So much god drama! It would be interesting to explore the different levels of authority. I thought the different interactions were really interesting, albeit somewhat confusing
• Physical description of Rama (p. 13). He was green?
• The specific ages of time seem to be important (first age, second age, and third age)
• Ravana was not popular with man nor god (p. 16)
• "When the master carpenter no longer goes out into the forests to choose his own tree, when he no longer cuts it down himself and saws his own boards then say farewell to the arts!" (p. 19)
• The cause of Vibhishana's going against his brotyer is his request of Brahma to know dharma (p. 23)
•  Ahalha knew Indra wasn't her husband!!!! That puts the story in a whole new light.
• Rama is such a genuinely good person (p. 47-48)

Week 3: Reading Diary B

Sita Notes:

• Although her female wardens threatened her, Sita did not yield to fear (p. 132)
• She remained loyal to Rama and rejected Ravana (p.132)
• For Sita, it's Rama or suicide (p.133)
• Sita stays true to her decision that she'd rather die than be separated from Rama, but she tries to die because Rama is cold and distant. This showed everyone how loyal she was to Rama and dispelled any gossip about her purity

Interesting Things I Noticed

• Hanuman took the noble path and warned Ravana of Rama's coming wrath. (p.133)
• Rama and Ravana are opposites when it comes to how they deal with issues-- Ravana is pumped up by his numerous advisers and doesn't listen to the one correct man. Rama rejects the incorrect (but well-meaning) majority and agrees with the lone wise adviser.
• The battle was large and epic, but Rama still kept his moral standard 
• The story ends on a positive note, omitting the story of Sita's twins and exile. It's very interesting that an ancient epic so linked to tradition and religion would have several different endings.

Week 3: Reading Diary A

Notes about Sita:

• Sita is always described positively up to the point when she believes Rama is in danger. When she thinks something terrible has happened to Rama, she nags Lakshama and event insults his relationship to Rama in order to manipulate him. This sounds like how Kooni manipulate Kaiyeki. However, Sita is like this because she believes her husband to be in danger, and she truly is scared. 
• Sita's innocence and naivety is very clear when Ravana shows up!
• Sita believes Rama will save her and defeat Ravana and all of the asuras
• Sita threw away her jewelry for Rama to find it (p.104)

Interesting Things I Noticed:

• Lakshama is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters- he is strong, wise, and brave. I liked the way he dealt with Sita's panic, even though he eventually gave in to her desire for him to go after Rama. He wants the best for Sita and Rama, but when Sita threatens to kill herself, he leaves her to dharma and does as she wishes. (p. 91).
• Ravana Logic: "I would have crushed and eaten you, except for the fact you are a woman and I want you and will die if I don't have you" (p. 93). 
• Why was Ravana cursed to not touch a woman? It was cunning of him to get around it by taking the ground along with Sita.
• Poor Jatayu. Yet another example of a character so devoted to Rama and Sita! 
• The story of Vali and Sugreeva could have been Rama's story with his brother, had Rama not been so humble and good. (p.99-101)
• Tara knew better than Vali, but he refused to listen" "Oh, foolish creature, you are betraying a woman's intelligence and a gossiping tongue" (p.105). In the end, Vali was foolish and Tara prudent. 
• Rama defined humanity as a knowledge between right and wrong (p.111)
• KARMA: Kooni was so antagonistic because Rama was cruel to her when he was young. He has since learned his lessoni.
• Tara saving her husband by speaking to Lakshmana reminded me of the biblical story of David and Abigail. Abigail spoke on her husband's behalf to prevent David from attacking her husband.
• Rama describes Sita's feet to Hanuman in order for him to recognize her

Week 2: Reading Diary B

This Reading Diary details things that caught my interest in R. K. Narayan's The Ramayana, pages 53-89. This time I will be doing it a little bit differently, highlighting the things I noticed in bullet point form.

• The response to Rama's exile: The people and animals were all devastated. As much as everyone loved and were broken by the news of Rama's undeserved punishment, they hated Kaikeyi with equal fervor (p. 53). When Rama left, they left with him and continued on until Rama was able to escape their presence. Rama's half-brother, Lakshmana, maintains his loyalty for his brother and is furious with Kaikeyi. He is a hero in the story because he supports Rama instead of doing what would support his own gain of power. He also reflects the expected response or the response of the reader. While Rama is strangely calm about the whole situation, Lakshmana has a very visceral response of wrecking anyone who dares oppose Rama and wanting to make Rama king. Despite Rama's protests, Lakshmana decides to leave with Rama (p. 56) His love for Rama and selflessness reminded me of the biblical story Jonathan, who knew David would become king of Israel and supported him, even though Jonathan was the rightful heir. Sita decides to stay with Rama, no matter what happens. My two favorite lines come from this section. Sita says, "My place is at your side wherever you may be." She also says, "I am alive only when I am with you" (both quotes from p.56). Vasishtha, the sage and Rama's mentor, also tried to stop Rama from leaving. The king, Dasaratha, has the most extreme response. Rama's plight and his role in the exile has ruined his already fragile death, and Rama's departure kills the king.
• Two kings denying the throne: Bharatha, Rama's half-brother and son of Kaikeyi, overcame the evil actions of his mother. Instead of seeing the empty throne as an opportunity, he denied his mother her despicable plan and pursued Rama instead. As evil as Kaikeyi's actions are, Bharatha's response was moral and respectful of his brother's rightful place. In the end, he respected Rama's decision yet only temporarily. He refused to take the throne officially but ruled in Rama's stead until Rama's return. The love of people for Rama, even people who could benefit from harming Rama, is apparent in Bharatha's response to his mother's actions. Rama is truly an inspiring figure because he fulfilled the command of his father and refused to return until his exile was over.
• Rama and Sita:The Love Story Continues... I loved that despite the harsh circumstances, Rama and Sita's devotion to one another only grew. As they were journeying, everything beautiful that caught Rama's eye reminded him of Sita (p. 66). Even Soorpanaka, seductress and evil sister of Ravana, realized how beautiful Rama and Sita are together. She denies to herself their love because "no wife would care to face the hardship of a forest existence" (p.70). Rama saw the true nature of the seductress and chose his wife. When they were attacked by Soorpanaka and an army, Rama's first concern was Sita's safety (p. 76). While fate played a part, Rama pursued the golden deer to see his wife's smile again and to please her (p. 88). Sita sacrificed so much to remain with Rama, and he wanted to honor her sacrifice.

Week 2: Reading Diary A

I'm excited to keep track of things that interest me in reading R.K. Narayan's version of The Ramayana. In the reading of the first 51 pages, the characters that stood out the most to me were Rama, Sita, and Kooni.

Rama, the titular character of the epic, is portrayed as a compassionate, strong, humble, and good-looking, even from a young age. He is the avatar of Vishnu, who became Rama in order to defeat Ravana, a ten-headed demon. In the passage I read, Rama was not aware that he was Vishnu. His characteristics are demonstrated by his interactions with others and their descriptions of him. When faced with the terrible demon Thataka, Rama hesitates, not out of fear but out of honor because he doesn't want to kill a woman (p. 13). However, he is reminded that she is a monster, not a woman, and he proceeds to kill her. He shows his compassion when he comforts saints performing a religious ceremony and tells them to continue their ceremony and not fear (p.16). He also comforts Ahalya when she is turned back into a human, encouraging her to reunite with her husband and let go of the past (p. 22). My favorite part of the reading was Rama and Sita's situation of love at first sight and how they were destined for each other. It was very Disney-esque. Rama, of course, is manly and does not bother to show his infatuation with Sita until he is alone. I liked how Sita was also an avatar of Lakshmi, Vishnu's wife. When he is alone, Rama describes, to himself of course, her beauty and muses amusedly that he has been conquered by a women instead of weapons (p. 26). As they are destined for one another, Rama wins her hand by handling a bow that had belonged to Shiva that no one other man could wield. The courtiers discuss his strength and beauty, and they are overjoyed when he succeeds (. The last important passage of the reading selection was the failed crowning of Rama as king. Throughout the whole ordeal, Rama is respectful of those above him and even grateful for the undeserved punishment of banishment (p. 48-49). Rama is shown as a morally upright and god-like character.

Sita's response to Rama was almost comical. She is the swooning damsel who cannot function until she encounters her man again. After seeing Rama for the first time, she becomes faint and listless. The beauty of the world fades, and she is angry that she wasn't able to watch Rama longer. Her extreme response, while amusing, also shows how deeply dedicated she is to Rama from the very beginning. They are also tied together as the incarnations of deities that are eternal lovers, but they fell in love all over again (p. 24). It was a charming bit of the story I enjoyed. In addition, she is so in love with Rama from one glance that when she discovers a man has won her hand, she claims that she will kill herself if her future husband is not he (p. 30). Sita is portrayed as consumed by love for Rama.

One very interesting character who changed the course of the story was Kooni, who was one of the favorites (servant or friend,, I'm not sure) of Kaikeyi, wife of the king. When Kooni overhears the plans to crown Rama as king, instead of deciding to inform her mistress, she decides to stop the coronation. At first Kaikeyi is very likeable. She is playful towards Kooni and very glad to hear the news of Rama's coronation. In fact, she considers Rama her son  (p. 41). However, Kooni slyly insults Kaikeyi's age, her relationship with the king, her prominent status, and her naivety. She pretends to have Kaikeyi's best interests in mind, but instead she uses Kaikeyi's innocence against her. However, the reader has to wonder if Kaikeyi was ever innocent because of her cold, calculating nature later on in the story. Kooni breaks Kaikeyi and then rebuilds her as a heartless woman. Kooni demonstrates the power of the friends we choose; friends truly can have a hold over our emotions, beliefs, and actions. Friends can either improve us or tear us down.