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

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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)