Week 15 Story: Dante's Inferno The Video Game

 

Video game

Nathan had finally convinced his mom to buy him the best birthday present ever. The all new, Dante's Inferno: The Video Game. Every kid at Nathan's school had it and he was itching to get his hands on it. It took some convincing to get his mom's approval, considering the whole game is one big escape from hell. But she managed to crack. 

Nathan sat in the backseat gripping onto the box with excitement. When he got home he was going straight to his room and staying there all day. He wanted to be the first of his friends to beat the game in its entirety. Nathan's mom pulled into their driveway and before she had even parked he leapt out of the car game in tow as he rushed into the house. 

He slammed his door closed and locked it, excitement oozing out of his pores. He pulled out his chair, slipped the disk into his Xbox and put on his headphones. The game started up and the start screen emerged from the blank monitor. The screen showed nine circular rings surrounded by a roaring red fire. Inside the rings in a simple font read, "Dante's Inferno: The Video Game". His finger hovered over the start button on his controller. He took and deep breath and began.  

It had been eight hours since Nathan firth sat down. He had taken no breaks. Didn't get up to go to the bathroom, eat or even just to stretch his legs. All of this resulted in him making it all the way the the ninth level. Each ring in Dante's Inferno was represented as a level in the game. He was about to come face to face with Satan himself. Nathan's bloodshot eyes drooped but he pushed through for the sake of finishing the game. He knew he needed to win. If he lost this level he would be sent all the way back to the first ring and have to completely start over. 

He watched the screen with intensity. His once sleepy eyes widened at the sight of the animated king of beasts. Satan was as tall as the buildings that he stood next to. He towered over Nathan's small CGI character. His heart rate picked up at the sight of three men in the three separate mouths on each head of the monster. 

The boy's focus was unmatched as he battled and battled for what seemed like hours. He didn't dare break his gaze from the screen to check the time because he knew if he did the final boss would find a way to end him. His headphones blocked out any outside noise replacing it with the sounds of swords and the cries of the dead. He hadn't even heard the creak of his bedroom door opening. 

One shot to the heart brought Satan to his knees. Nathan almost had him. He was going to win. He'd show all his friends at school when they came over and tell them how he defeated Satan first. He could smell victory as it grew closer.

"Nathan! It's two in the morning what on earth are you still doing up?" Nathan's mother had barged into his room with a scowl that could rival Satan's. She huffed in annoyance and pulled the plug connecting his game system to the outlet. 

The screen turned black and Nathan stopped breathing. he slowly turned to his mother. The look of defeat apparent. 

"Bed. Now." 

Nathan crawled into bed. Still unable to process what had happened he closed his eyes and hoped to play again tomorrow.

Athour's Note: I read Dante's Inferno this week. The entire time I was reading I couldn't help but compare the 9 circles that Dante and Virgil had to navigate, to video game levels. That's what gave me the idea to make Inferno into a video game. I wanted some comedic features so I added the part at the end where his mom pulls the plug. 

Bibliography: Satan, Dante's Divine Comedy translated by Tony Kline (2002)          

Reading Notes: Inferno Part B

Lucifer devouring Judas, Cassius and Brutus

I just finished reading the excerpts from Dante's Inferno. I was taken with the imagery Dante used to describe Lucifer's dwelling. I liked the way he described Lucifer as a very large being with three heads. He was able to juxtapose this by explaining how beautiful he was. I found it quite comical that he was able to describe him a beautiful and menacing all at the same time. 

The way he described Lucifer was something different than I had ever seen before. Most of us picture a red man with horns, a tail and a pitchfork. But this depiction showed him is as a monster of another sort. One with three faces and a set of wings. I like the idea of changing the way the audience usually perceives a known character. I might take that approach in future stories I write. 

One thing that stayed similar to the common knowledge of hell was the eternal torture. What was seen with Brutus, Cassius and Judas seemed terrible and horrific. It truly explained why Dante was so afraid and hid behind Virgil so much.

Bibliography: Satan, Dante's Divine Comedy translated by Tony Kline (2002)      

Reading Notes: Inferno Part A

Dante and Virgil 

Dante's Inferno is a classic from his narrative poem from Divine Comedy. The purpose of this story is Dante's quest to fall back into God's good graces and overcome his sinful actions. He goes through several "circles" while in hell, each having a punishment created by God. He is aided on his quest by Virgil. A Roman poet from 70-19 BC. He is the one who takes Dante through the nine circles of hell.

I quite liked the story of Dante and Virgil's encounter with the Furies and Medusa. I think it's interesting that Dante included not only Christian lore but Greco-Roman mythology in the hellscape. It trumps all preconceived notions of hell belonging to one religion. For me this is a much more plausible iteration of what hell could really be like. I would like to play with the idea of creating an original character that has to go through the circles. I could possibly even connect it to my Achilles story. After his death he finds himself in hell with no guide to aid him. 

I found it curious that when Virgil named each Fury he only described one; Megaera, the weeping one. I haven't done enough research as to why she is considered, "the weeping one". But that could be another interesting storyline. A look into why she was given such a name. And her relationship with the other two Furies. 

Source: The Furies and the Heretics, Dante's Divine Comedy translated by Tony Kline (2002)     

Reading Notes: Russian Part B

 

Female spirit

This week I chose to read about Russian folklore. Many of the Russian folklore from the unTextbook surround the supernatural (i.e. ghosts, vampires, witches and warlocks) This is right up my alley because I am completely obsessed with the supernatural. I am not sure if I am a believer in ghosts per se, but I really want to. The story that took me the most was the first one in the collection. The story is about a the child of a husband and wife. When the wife dies the husband worries about how he will take care of the baby on his own. To aid his worries he hires an old woman to take care of the child. The old woman notices that the child is unruly during the day but at night can sleep soundly. When investigating one night she heard somebody walk into the nursery. After alerting the father, the townsfolk gathered to do a group investigation as to who was entertaining the child at night. Upon investigation the watched as the dead mother walked into the room and breastfeed the child. I like how the author described the townsfolk as "terror-struck". Unfortunately, in the end the child was dead upon discovery. In my opinion, I felt that the mother felt that if she could not have this private time with her child she would take him away from the wandering eyes. Therefore, by killing the baby, she could essentially be free to do as she desires. Be a mother. I think that if I was to retell this story I would definitely modernize it. Instead of the townsfolk I would write in paranormal investigators. I could try to spin it as if it was a group of investigators filming for a paranormal TV show, like the ones I'm so obsessed with.

Bibliography: "The Dead Mother", Russian Fairy Tales by W. R. S Ralston (1887)   

Week 13 Story: "stan"

 

Harry Styles on tour in Nashville

In the city of Nashville where country music reigns supreme, there was a girl by the name of Olivia. Olivia, despite her peers' affinity for the sound of the south, was not a fan. She quite actually despised it. She found herself in her room listening to the sound of alternative rock most often. There was only one artist that could take her away from the continuous loop of guitar riffs and snare drums in her head. That was Harry Styles. She had been a devoted fan of his since the days of One Direction. And her love for the singer only grew throughout his solo career. 

On the day of Harry Styles' newest album release, Olivia found herself singing along to the new tracks while she walked through Downtown Nashville to go to his concert. As she passed by a nearby bar multiple men found themselves distracted by her head bobbing and singing. Enraged by their own prejudices against the artist they quickly banded together to teach the girl a lesson, even though she was doing nothing wrong. The men quickly left their table and followed the girl. Due to her headphones and being completely enveloped in the music she had no idea they were anywhere near her.

The men were finally able to circle around her and started to yell and criticize her taste in music and insult her favorite artist. Because she was one girl in the presence of a group of men she felt very vulnerable and scared. 

Olivia couldn't breathe. No words could escape her lips nor could she escape the situation itself. She feared for what might happen next with this group of drunken men until she heard a voice shout, "Hey!".

The group of men turned to see a swarm of girls flocking around them. Screaming at them the same way they had done to Olivia. Olivia felt a pair of arms grab her and pull her away from the men. She looked up to see a kind face looking down on her. Olivia joined the group of girls in efforts to scare away her tormentors. With victory, the squad of girls was able to scare away the drunken country fans.  

"Thank you so much for that I don't know what would've happened if you all didn't show up," Olivia breathed out a sigh.

"No worries, we would never let a fellow Harry stan get into trouble. It's just like he says, 'Treat People With Kindness'," The girl that had helped her escape winked back at her. 

Olivia's heart swelled at the thought that a mutual interest in a musical artist could have saved her that day. She went to the concert and felt an even bigger sense of community than she had felt only a few hours prior. Olivia had never been more grateful to be a Harry stan. 

Author's Note:

This story is surrounded by fan culture terminology. If you don't know, "stan" is a word that was created to describe someone who is a fan of something. But not just a usual fan, "stans" are completely enveloped by the content. Whether it be a musical artist, actor, or even a book series. Because this could be loosely related to religion I decided to use it in my retelling for "The Prioress' Tale: Little Hugh". Originally written by Chaucer but retold by Eva March Tappan in The Chaucer Story Book written in 1908. In the original a boy named Hugh is killed on behalf of Satan for his public singing of a hymn about the Virgin Mary. His body was left hidden but the VIrgin Mary allowed him to be found by placing a grain on his tongue that allowed his voice to carry even in death. For my retelling I decided to change the ending and not have my protagonist die. But to use the person my character looks up to and have a way for them to save her life. (p.s. Yes, I understand that I basically wrote a Harry Styles fanfiction, let's just pretend it didn't happen.)

Reading Notes: British/Celtic Part B

The Blessed Mother

The  story I decided to focus on was called The Prioress’s Tale: Little Hugh. The story follows a young boy named Hugh who has an affinity for the Virgin Mary. One day in school he hears a hymn his classmates are singing and is captivated. After asking an older classmate what the song means he karen’s that it is a dedication to the Blessed Mother. The boy was delighted and somewhat obsessive over the song. I believe that his obsession over the Blessed Mother and this song in general could signify devout Christians. High would sing the song to and from school. Eventually Satan grew tired if hearing this boy and called upon the Jews to discard of the boy. They hired a murderer to take care of the boy. I can also see this as a metaphor for those who seek to disprove those with faith. High is killed and left for dead in a ditch. But is found because even in death his voice rings out singing the remembrance song of the Blessed Mother. I found that the end of this story was a bit unnecessary. The fate of the Jews and an explanation of how the boy was able to sing was revealed but if I rewrote this I think I would leave it up to mystery as to what happens. 

Bibliography: “ The Prioress’s Tale: Little Hugh” The Chaucer Story Book by Eva March Tappan (1908)

Reading Notes: British/Celtic Part A

 

Old crone from The Unknown Bride

From the first section of reading the story of the knight and his bride stood out to me the most. When sentenced to death a knight is given a chance at survival when he is asked, "what is it that women most desire". On his venture for the answer he stumbles across a haggard looking woman who agrees to answer his question but at a price. The knight must agree to whatever the woman requests no questions asked. Desperate, he agrees and his life is spared with the answer. The old woman shows up before the knight after giving the queen his answers and demands he fulfill his part of the deal by marrying her. He initially begs for any other  request of him but eventually gives in. While with the woman, she tells him about the more important features to a spouse. Money and beauty weren't the only thing the worry about. I found this a great message and a classic way to convey it through storytelling. There have been many examples of "ugly" women or men that change the protagonists mindset. And when the knight finally accepts the woman as his wife, flaws and all, she transforms into a beautiful girl. I couldn't help but think of the Princess and the Frog and wonder if it was possibly based of this story. 

Bibliography: "The Unknown Bride" The Chaucer Story Book by Eva March Tappen (1908)  

Reading Notes: Ancient Egypt Part B

 

Ancient Egyptian plowing

The story that stuck with me the most throughout this second part of reading was the story of "The Two Brothers". This story also had themes of familial deception and betrayal, similar to Part A. In this story A younger brother lives with his older brother and his wife. The wife makes a move on the younger brother. He of course rejects her out of respect for his older brother. But the wife calls for her husband telling him his brother made an advance on her. This family betrayal is an interesting theme I have been seeing in the Middle Eastern and Indian units. I think this could be a good theme to incorporate into my storybook project. My storybook project is surrounding the Greek mythology, however, they are all related and have sibling rivalry or backstabbing parents. In the end the brothers make up and go to save the younger brother's wife from a king together. I could bring together the family in my storybook by having them complete a common task.   

Bibliography: "The Two Brothers", by Donald Mackenzie (1907)

Reading Notes: Ancient Egypt Part A

Egyptian Goddess Isis

This week we were to read Middle-Eastern and Indian mythology. I chose to learn about the Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. Part A started out with the creation of the gods. Nu was the essence which was found in the water. He created a son by the name of Ra. Ra was far more powerful than his father and became the "Mighty One", reigning over all the gods including his own father. It was from Ra that all the other gods were born. Ra had a child by the name of Isis. her story intrigued me the most. It dealt with unknown family betrayal. Isis was the the goddess of magic. But she was dealt to roam the lands as a woman. She grew tired of the ways of mankind and sought to walk alongside her father with the other mighty gods. Ra was given a secret name, from which his power derived. She betrayed her father in order to strongarm him into giving her the name as power of her own. The author's descriptions made this seem like it was a betrayal for a throne. Similar to the first Thor film. Loki found his father too weak to rule and brought along frost giants to put him in the Odinsleep. I believe that children defying and betraying their parents is not an uncommon theme in mythology. I just thoroughly enjoyed how Donald Mackenzie portrayed it in this retelling.

Bibliography: "The Secret Name of Ra", by Donald Mackenzie (1907)

Storybook Plan

 

Zeus and Hera

    

    For this storybook project I think I want to zone in on all the scorned lover stories from Greek mythology. I want to take these stories and put them into a high school setting. Half of the "lover scorned" myths seem like they could be turned into petty high school drama. I could especially have fun retelling the ones surrounding Hera and Zeus. As Zeus seems to have a problem staying faithful to his wife. 

Possible Stories

Eros and Psyche

Persephone and Hades

The Story of Medusa and Athena

Hera and Leto

Storytelling Styles

    I think that I will somehow connect all these stories in a way. Whether that be a connection as they all go to school together or the victim's (the women) of the gods' wrath will have some sort of school club where they talk about stories after the fact. I want the reader to be able to connect to these stories. While the stories are outlandish, I want the audience to be able to pinpoint a story and be able to connect it to some part of their life where maybe they had relationship drama or heard about it happening in high school. 

Comment Wall

Comment Wall

The Greek God, Zeus

Click Here for Storybook

 

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche Part B

Cartoon Donkey

    The ending of this story was very surprising in a way and definitely branched away from fairy tale norms. We are used to a knight in shining armor heroically coming in to rescue a damsel in distress. Instead we get a comic relief in the donkey coming in to save the fair maiden. I think this was a good example of using irony in storytelling. I like using this type of literary device in my own storytelling processes. I can see myself using a surprise ending and irony in a retelling of this story. It also did a great job of having a leaving all loose ends nicely closed, but also leaving some room for a cliffhanger. 

Bibliography: "Cupid and Psyche", by Apuleius translated by Tony Kline.  

 

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche Part A

 

Cupid and Psyche

    I am not as familiar with Roman mythology as I am with Greek mythology so the story of Cupid and Psyche was pretty new to me. However, for last week's comments assignment I got to read somebody adaptation of the story. It gave me an idea of what I was getting into before reading the actual one. The first thing that I noticed was that this story is in first person narration. That is different than most of the other stories I have read so far. It left me wondering who's point of view this story was being told from. Eventually, I realized that it was a story inside of another story. A woman is captured by a group of bandits and held for ransom. I thought the author did an interesting job of using irony and juxtaposition in this story. The thieves claim that the woman shouldn't fear her life or honor because all they were doing is holding her for ransom. They had no intentions of harming her. But the woman still feared them. Claiming to an old woman that they were going to hurt her and that she feared for her life. Another thing I thought that was interesting was the delivery of the story. I had the story read to me and it was a completely different experience. I felt like I was the captive woman being told the story by the old woman. It brought me back to the days of actual storytelling, no books or e-readers. If anybody is intrigued by that than I highly suggest you try it!  

Bibliography: "Cupid and Psyche" Written by Apuleis. Translated by Tony Klein

Feedback Strategies

 

Feedback Image: Source

    After reading up on the effects of of praise vs feedback I was pleasantly surprised to see how much The Difference Between Praise and Feedback coincided with Carol Dweck's concept of growth mindset. I also was able to relate to these article because this is how my coach acts. It is not enough to simply say "good job" to somebody for their efforts. If there is any time during a practice where a stunt group hits a stunt but it was hit with a struggle we will be reprimanded if we respond to the group by telling them good job or encouraging them. This example supports the idea of fixed talent. Thus, we would be less inclined to try to new skills or improve our technique because we believe if it hit, even if it was a struggle, then it should be good. I do believe that "good jobs" are also very vague, as it states in The Trouble with Amazing: Giving Praise that Matters. It doesn't do anything for the other party. There is no instruction that could help them evolve their work. It just seems like a lazy response. In order to give the best feedback, you should be critical in order for the other person to get the most and be able to expand of their previous work.   

Topic Research

 

Mount Olympus Gods

    1. Zeus Loves: Leto

    Source

    2. Zeus Loves: Persephone

    Source

    3. Zeus Loves: Metis

    Source

Week 3 Story: Achilles' Diary

Achilles quarrel with King Agamemnon

Dear Diary,

    It has been a few days since I last quarrelled with King Agamemnon. I have taken my people to a seashore ways away from my companions of the Greek army. I couldn't help but weep in despair over the injustices that had been made over me. Agamemnon had no right to slight me of my spoils. My poor mother couldn't consol me. I wonder how she is doing on her voyage to Olympus. I asked for her assistance in persuading Zeus, the king of gods, to aid me in my troubles. My request of his aid to the Trojan effort may sound naive and immature but how I long for Agamemnon to feel the foolishness that that was driving away the strongest warrior the Greeks have ever seen. They must understand that they will fall without my swift of blade. 

    I do fear that I will not know what to do with myself during my time out of battle. For I do miss the cries of the wounded and fearsome on the battlefield. But I must say that this time away from the Greeks has opened my mind some. I constantly think back to my mother had said to me. She told me of my fate, dying in my youth at Troy with an astounding legacy or going home and living a long eventful and meaningful life. My name not scratching the surface of the ancient scrolls. As of now I have no fame, Agamemnon has shamed me in front of the people. How would a life of anonymity serve me? Why I could be back at my home of Phthia with my father. I could swoon a fair maiden and create a harmonious family. I could teach my sons the skills of a warrior. What kind of reward does a man get for fighting anyways. We are all honored the same. So what should it matter if I decide to stay home all day instead of battle. Death comes to us all equally. That's it. It has been decided, I will stay out of battle. Nobody could convince me otherwise. I would rather cut off my own foot than serve under that Agamemnon. I will stay here with my noblest and most loved companion, Patroclus. 

-Achilles 

Author's Note: After reading the story of Homer's Iliad, I felt a certain attraction to Achilles' character. This diary entry is to be set in between What Thetis Did For Her Son and The Embassy to Achilles. During this time Achilles leaves the Greeks but we don't know what he was up to or how he felt before the other chiefs came to persuade him to come back. I felt that because of his change of stance on war, we needed to have some sort of look into his mind during this time. I pulled most of the events straight from Achilles dialogue in "The Embassy to Achilles". 

Bibliography: "Homer's Iliad" (retold by A.J. Church)  

        

Reading Notes: Homer's Iliad Part B

 

(Greece scene of the Trojan War vase)

    The second part of the Iliad focused on Hector, the son of King Priam. In the first part of the story Hector is stubborn and naive and doesn't recognize that if Achilles joins the fight he is pretty much done for. It seems that his character has changed and that he has come to the conclusion he will die and it will be by the hand of Achilles. It's interesting to me because Hector and Achilles oddly parallel each other. They both had a sort of revelation about the fight. Achilles found that fighting would waste the amount of time left he has in his life. Although, he does decide to retaliate after learning of the death of his most loved ally, Patroclus. And Hector comes to terms that he must stand outside the gates of Troy and battle with Achilles for his city. I liked that the two central characters were given similar character arcs. It gives me plenty of ideas for what I could do in the future. If I were to rewrite this story I would probably play into the similarities between the two warriors a bit more than it does here. 

Bibliography: "Homer's Iliad" (retold by A.J. Church)

Reading Notes: Homer's Iliad Part A

 

Achilles in Battle

    When reading about Achilles during the battles against the Trojans, I couldn't help but wonder if there was going to be any part that told his "origin story". Most of us know Achilles from the phrase Achilles heel. The story where his mother, Thetis, dipped him into the River Styx by his heel. After coming out of the river he was invulnerable. Except for his heel, where his mother had held him by. Upon doing some after-reading research. I found that Achilles' origin story wasn't Homeric. Therefore, I couldn't have read anything about his childhood. 

    Something I found quite interesting was Achilles' new outlook on life. In The Embassy to Achilles; Odysseus, Phoenix, and the two heroes Ajax, were sent by King Agamemnon to convince Achilles to rejoin the Greeks in their attempts to thwart the Trojans. No matter how much money or how many cities were included in a dowry, Achilles stood his ground and said no. Achilles is the most fearsome warrior of the Agamemnon army and he even said so himself that in his youth he was always down for a fight. Now, after having his people pull out from battle for a while, he understands what is truly important in his life. Dying a fulfilled life unknown seems more important to him then dying young and famous. I would be interested in possibly doing a retelling of this but bridging the gap between his departure from the Agamemnon army to when the chiefs come to convince his return. I feel that I could illustrate the character development in his beliefs. It would be enjoyable because Achilles' character is the one that I felt more entranced by. 

Original Story: "Homer's Iliad" (retold by A.J. Church)

Feedback Thoughts

 

Feedback: Group Communication

I wanted to look into the negative side of feedback and how our minds find a way to twist feedback into criticism. I read in Why rejection hurts so much — and what to do about it that our brains are hardwired to think that way. The same area of our brain that experiences pain is the area that is activated when we experience rejection. But nonetheless, most of the pain is self-inflicted. We become self critical when we receive negative feedback on something we thought was good work. Thus, the second guessing of ourselves starts. The good news is we can stop this from happening. The article says that if you reaffirm things about yourself that are valuable you can help rebuild your self confidence after taking a blow. Another thing one can do is revel in the positive feedback you have been given. Most likely somebody is going to leave you with positive feedback as well. Dig into the positive suggestions and believe what they say. I read these tricks on Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head. Overall, even if our brains are wired to focus on the negative there are many things you can do to avoid having a pity party for yourself and actually take the feedback for what it is. Somebody giving suggestions in order to help you!  

Topic Brainstorm

Gothic Vampire

The Soldier and the Vampire

This story is a part of a collection of Russian ghost stories. It involves a soldier going to his home village to find a vampire terrorizing the town. He was able to destroy the vampire and bring a couple of newlyweds back to life. I have always had a very strong liking to vampire lore. "The Twilight Saga" and "The Vampire Diaries" are two of my favorite film/TV adaptations from books. I can see myself taking this story and putting a modern spin on it. In the original story, the vampire is described as a warlock. The actual word vampire isn't used at all throughout the story. I'd like to take this plot and add my own ideas into it!

The Tri-Delta Ghost

This story I was already familiar with. I personally own Jeff Provine's "Campus Ghosts of Norman, Oklahoma". I think being able to create a storybook out of the ghost stories that surround campus could be such a fun experience. Ghosts and the paranormal may just be my favorite type of lore. I watch Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel every Friday night. I could easily make these stories narrative driven from the point of view of a student or even from the perspective of a psychic medium. For this topic the possibilities seem endless. I also can't help but be excited at the thought of writing scary stories. 

From Asgard to Utgard 

The Norse gods have interested me since I started getting into the Marvel movies. Thor, being one of the Avengers, always intrigued me. After reading this story of his adventure to Utgard I think I could find a new way to retell it. Because he is very well known for appearing in the marvel comics and films, I started to brainstorm how I could tell this tale in the setting of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It would make it entertaining to read as well as establish a connection to help the audience understand more of his background while seeing him in a setting they're used to. 

Hera, Leto and Zeus

After some research on the greek gods and their trysts, I found this story of Leto and Zeus to be quite interesting. Hera is quite the vindictive goddess. While reading I couldn't help but compare it to high school drama. This gave me the thought of turning this story into a high school set drama series. I could keep the characters the same with their powers and all. Just change their eage and place them in a high school for the gods. I could include small nods to other Greek mythology in the narration. Overall, I believe this could be a really fun assignment to take on.