Story Lab: Week 12

 Advice to Writers

My favorite piece of advice that I read through the list was that of Kevin Barry titled "Literary Talent Isn't Rare." In his post, he talks about how nearly everyone is able to write creative stories with good characters and descriptions, but what people lack is the discipline to do so. I truly do agree with what he said and it gave me a new sense of motivation to write stories. My whole life I have thought of myself as the least creative person when it came to writing. I would avoid every personal narrative class I could, solely because I was not good at coming up with ideas to write about, especially if they were fictional. After taking this course and now reading this quote by Kevin Barry, it has solidified in my mind that anyone is capable of being a great writer, not only that, anyone is capable of being great at ANYTHING as long as they practice discipline. I think that discipline and hard work can get you anywhere you want to be, but often times people's emotions get in their way and distract them from making disciplined decisions. 

Kevin Barry - Author 

Reading Notes: Sacred Tales of India Part B

 The Slayer of Kangsa

The story is similar to the version that I previously watched in the Epified version. The story of Kangsa is that he was supposed to be killed by his own offspring, so every time he had a child he would have the baby killed. One night, his baby and a "baby" that Vishnu disguised himself as. Vishnu was helped across a sea through the assistance of a snake, who sheltered him from rain and the water of the sea. When Kangsa came to kill the baby Vishnu, Vishnu rose as the god he is and killed Kangsa, just as his death was predicted. 

Ananta 

Bibliography - The Slayer of Kanga

Reading Notes: Sacred Tales of India

 Snatched From Death

Savitri who is the daughter of a king falls in love with a man named Satyaban, who is the son of a hermit. Savitri's father wants her to marry a man to continue the offspring, so he holds a council for her to find a husband. She denies and tells her father that she is in love with Satyaban, a man who is of lower class in the caste system. The two get married but one day in the forest Satyaban is cursed and dies in Savitri's lap. She brings Satyaban back from the dead by being granted three boons by Yama, the king of the dead. She does not leave her husbands side so Yama grants her boons. In her final boon, Savitri asked Yama to grant her a hundred sons by Satyaban, each spread out by 100 years. Yama unaware of the complexity of this wish agrees, then later realizes that he must now bring Satyaban back to life. They live happily ever after together. 

Savitri and Satyaban, accompanied by Yama

Bibliography - Snatched from Death