Portfolio Guide

1. The Lost Prophets - This story explores a more modern and altered version of Rama, Sita, King Sugriva, and Lakshmana. I wanted my story to be filled with realism and a somber ending to show the reality of how when there is one ending there is always a new beginning that will follow.

2. The Final Stand - This short story represents three important characters in the book version of R.K Narayan's "The Mahabharata." The Kauravas or the sons of Dhritarashtra, the Pandavas, and their wife Draupadi are the three main characters. My story is a spinoff of the original story with some added realism.
3. The Forgotten - This story is a remake of the comic book story, "She Gave Her Heart to Krishna." Mira, a princess, gives her heart to Lord Krishna and promised to only serve him. Her loyalty was tested when she marries a prince who tells her she cannot worship Lord Krishna. My narrative is about the similar struggles Mira is faced with but in a more modernized setting.
4.The World War that Changed Millions - This story was inspired by a comic book story called, "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: The Miracle Messenger of Love." The story is about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who showed a simple path to God when they were under place of strict Muslim rule. He showed that religion is a great way to safety. My story is a depiction of a World War Two and how many ran to a belief during that time as a way of seeking some type of refuge. Much like the comic book revealed is important to do in everyday life.

Week 15 Improvements for India Epics

I honestly do not have much to say in the way this class is going. I was one of the people during the survey of this class and said I enjoyed every bit of it. I think the ideas Professor Gibbs gave are great ideas. I would like that the class was harp more on individuality within the stories though. I felt some stories within the class that students wrote could have been better if the professor pushed for each student to write more of their own thoughts within the story. I felt some students did not add much of their own twist to the story and stayed too close to the original so they did not have to think too much on what their story would be comprised of. In all honestly though it did not mean I did not enjoy reading some of those stories I just wished there was more creativity. My favorite idea that was given by Professor Gibbs was her idea on revolving the weeks reading around themes. I think that would help each student cover more within the class. I think I stayed more towards my own theme and never allowed myself to venture out. I think with this idea students will be able to cover more material and maybe find a topic they thought they wouldn't like but ended up really enjoying. Overall I enjoy this class and to me there isn't much I would want to change.

Storytelling Week 14: The Unlikely Hero

The Comic Book

The Comic Book
"Grandma, Look what I got!" As Billy said running towards his grandmother. She was now residing in a nursing home in the sunny state of Florida. She used to be more lively but age as brought more turmoil on her body. Things in her life used to be vastly different and it made her sad that her time on Earth was nearly over. She sat mainly in a wheelchair cause her body was too frail now to move much. She spent many years being active as she can be and now she knew that time has caught up with her. Billy brought to her a comic book. He was so excited because it was one of the first editions. It was called Hawkman and Hawkgirl. In this time period super heroes did exist. Superman was not just a fictious man but he was real. Most of the time the heroes parade around on TV but Hawkman and Hawkgirl have not been seen in a long time. Little did Billy know its cause his Grandma had something to do with that. As Grandma Joy sat there excited for her grandson she knew immediately what this was. She did not know how to respond to him or reveal this secret that she held deep inside. Immediately Joy went inside her head in deep thought to a different time.

Comic Book

60 Years Ago

Joy was a young 20 year old just trying to figure out the world. She was walking steadily down a street on New York City when a man bumps into her.

Man:  I, uh, joy? Its me. Do you remember me.
Joy: No.. I am sorry I have never met you before.

The moment felt a little awkward. This man who was close to her age felt like he knew her. He tried to convince her that they were somehow meant to be and that she had to take the leap to believe him. Joy calculated her risks too much. She spent the majority of her life abandoned  by her mother and she grew up in foster care. Somehow she always felt out of place. The man kept telling her there are reasons why if only she would just open her heart to him.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl

Later that day she was buying a pretzel on the New York City streets when a Taxi driver started going crazy and almost ran into her. She closed her eyes tightly thinking this would be her last breath and the same man picked her up and saved her. Although it was not just any man. He had wings in his back! He said again, " Joy, do you believe me now." Instantly a part of her changed. It was Roy. Her beloved. The man that for centuries it was said they would meet over and over again. They were meant to be. Her life finally made since. He flew her up to the top of a building. She overlooked the city that she now realized she was meant to protect. She jumped off with Roy and her wings began to unfold from her back. All it took is her remembering this part of herself. Her ancestors all had to do the same thing. As soon as they remember who they are then they receive their powers and their love. From that day forward she knew life would never be the same.

Hawkmand and Hawkgirl

Present Day

She looked at her grandson so full of hope and as she looked at the comic book that was created for her and her now fallen beloved. She smiled. For the secret she bared will never be spoken. Until maybe her next life.

Author's Note:
My story was inspired by multiple different things. I wanted my story to reflect a comic book about Hawkman and Hawkgirl that is part of DC Comics. The story about these two is they are from ancient Egypt. These two were created as protectors of a world. They are also deeply in love and every time they die or killed they are born into a new life. In this new life their mission is to remember who they are cause after they die they forget than after they remember one of them has to find the other and get them to do the same thing. I wanted to write a short story for this but I felt adding when they first met and when she remembered would be a good background story for my readers. Also because of that part of the story I was able to add some parts from the Indian comics I read. The story I got ideas from is called, "Karna: Brave, Generous, Ill-Fated Prince." Karna was also abandoned like my character by his mother and he had his own fate in the end like my character. They both have duties towards specific people. Also Karna had a set of skills and Hawkman and Hawkgirl did as well, they just could fly and he could not. Also with Karna's death and after life he is appreciated more so was my character. Joy spent much of her life protecting people but she did not get the recognition she wanted deep down until her grandson Billy showed her a comic book that was actually about her. I wanted my story to be simply yet still gather concepts from stories I read. This way my story can be somewhat of my own but still inspired by stories I enjoy and can somehow relate them together.

References:
Karna: Brave, Generous, Ill-Fated Prince

Reading Notes- Part B, Karna: Brave, Generous, Ill-Fated Prince

For my final selection for my story I decided to read a comic book story "Karna: Brave, Generous, Ill-Fated Prince." I would like my story to be focused on just one story and maybe some ideas come from the other two stories that I have already read. I like the idea of Karna because he was this child who was born as a gift, yet he was abandoned by his mother Kunti. Then he was found by another family who were poor and was brought up by them. He also was a great archer but it was taken from him because he did not possess the right "birth right." Through another slew of events and a battle he dies but in his death his mother finally opens her heart to him and basically the Pandava Family was forced to pay ritual praise to him. I would like to use a part of this in my story because he was a real and genuine character. Many people do not reach their full potential because they did not have someone there for them or the resources to be able to turn into the best they could be. When I read this story and the background I kept thinking about the many children even today that get abandoned. This story and what happened to Karna is not an ancient action. People still are selfish today, and not everyone gets to grow up in a loving parental home. I want to allow one of my characters to experience a little of what Karna did so my story can reflect more realism than idealism. I like how the theme of my stories is to touch on subjects many may be fearful to but I think the more real I am the better my writing can be.


Adoption

References:
Karna: Brave, Generous, Ill-Fated Prince

Reading Notes A part 2, Megasthenes-Ambassador, Traveller And Observer

During last week I read a comic about a princess born of fire. I was not able to put together a story last week due to time constraints. I decided for this week I will piggy back off the idea I had last week. I read a story today about a man named Megasthenes who was an ambassador, traveler, and observer. He went to India during the time of 4 BC and 5 BC, which I found out by researching some more on the background of the story. He traveled to India during a prominent time for Indian history. He documented what was happening in India. The story is what explains what he saw and what was happening. He wrote it all in a four volume book. I decided to use this as part of my last story this week because I could use this type of writing style to tell my story. I have wrote every story in a similar tone and way. I want this last story to be told in a different point of view and seen a little differently. I could still write a similar story about Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Instead of writing it in a narration I could tell the story in a new way. I could tell it in a way like someone is watching everything unfold and retelling the story of what they saw. The person can be a traveler in a different time who sees situations unfold and is telling his grandchild what he experienced. I have seen this type of storytelling done within movies. There is usually a character who is older and is retelling an experience later on in life. For example in, "Saving Private Ryan." This movie started with an older man visiting a military grave site with his family and then in another scene it is the same old man but younger and in the war. I want my story to be told in a powerful way like that.


Back to The Future



References:
Megasthenes- Ambassador, Traveler, and Observer

Reading Notes A, The Fire Princess

I read in a graphic novel about Draupadi, the fire born princess. I only read the first part of the story just in case I decided I wanted to either read the second portion next week and do a two part story or if I decided I want to go a different direction I can. In the story a prophecy is said and she is born as a beautiful princess from a sacred fire. The princess loves one prince Arjuna, the Pandava prince. In strange events she finds herself wed to all 5 of the brothers. Their cousins, the Kauravas try to harm her and her husbands. There is where my story reading has stopped. I decided I could go a few different ways in retelling my story but I decided to take out the five husband deal already and write about Draupadi and Arjuna. I wanted to give my characters more complicated issues but I did not want all these lovers be one of them. A possible idea I have about writing a story would be to mix my characters with the comic book characters called Hawkgirl and Hawkman. I could crossover the two stories between her being born of fire, yet having this old destiny that Hawkgirl and Hawkman have of being together. Since she is born of sacred fire she can symbolize that rebirth and forgiveness of sins as she dies and is reborn from the fire. I can allow my characters to go through their own complications with their own villains and also somehow incorporate the Justice League, which they both make an appearance through DC comics. With the retelling of my story I can also bring to light the story I read to bring about a moral and lesson that each person should learn and know about.


Hawkman and Hawkgirl


References:
Draupadi- The Fire Born Princess

Storytelling Week 12: The World War that Changed Millions

Zweiter Weltkrieg/ World War 2
There were raids happening for weeks trying to find those who were Jewish. Johnny was one of them. He was of polish descent and was sent into hiding like many other children during this time. Although he is polish since he has been hiding in a catholic orphanage on the border of Germany he has been able to learn some German so he can speak to the other kids around him. At this point it has been recorded that at least half a million kids have been eradicated and about a half a million were about to meet their maker soon. Johnny was one of five children who were Jewish that were hiding in the church. If they were to be found out the church and others around them were going to be punished. But this group of people did not care. They wanted the children no matter what religious descent to be safe. Through this love and kindness he was able to find God and found that refuge in Him could only keep him safe now. His parents were already killed about 4 months prior to this moment and it was during one of the house raids of Hitler's regime. All he remembers his mother saying was, "Uciec" which is a polish term for run away. He turned out of fear and ran and hid in a hole already dug in the backyard and he covered dirt on top of himself to hide from the Nazis. He heard the Nazis speaking from under the dirt.

Children

"Wo ist dein Kind?"
" Es ist ganz sicher, Sie brauchen keine Angst zu haben."

He could not understand most of what was said but he did know the word Angst meant afraid in German. He felt like they were trying to say he was safe and he shouldn't worry. Johnny was a smart ten year old and knew that he shouldn't feel safe at all.
After a considerable amount of time had passed he picked up his head from under the ground. Johnny heard his parents scream go from loud to soft. He was scared and dirt and tears were all over his sweet innocent face. The soldiers said, "Heil Hitler." Then sped off from what he could make of the surroundings from the dirt hole. Johnny's next move had to be discreet but he did not know what to do. He looked over at another family that was in a hole and decided to make a run for it. He knew they had to be nice for the fear in their eyes is the most familiar face he knows now for he wears the same one.

In Sicherheit/ In Safety
One, two and three and he began crawling out of the hole and running towards the backyard and through the barbed fence that stood between the yards. Johnny arrived at the hole and jumped in. In this big hole that was dug there was two small children like him and the parents were in the hole next to him. The mother and father were headed to a catholic church that they know are hiding Jewish. The family was waiting for the signs be clear of the Nazis and for night to fall.
As Johnny looked at the door of the catholic church he wondered where he be if he did not find this German family and if he did not take the leap of faith running to them. The war was over soon and soon he will be able to begin his new life. The family decided to adopt him and make him a part of their family. The lives of the 6 million who died will rest in paradise from this awful event. All Johnny knows is that because of the refuge he experiences in his God he has the path that he needs to follow.

Child in hiding

Author's Note:
I wrote my story based off the comic "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: The Miracle Messenger of Love." The story is about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who showed a simple path to God when they were under place of strict Muslim rule. He provided a new way of seeing Hindu religion. There was a quote that said, " Forsaking all dogmas of religion, take refuge in me." His message is to show that this religion is the way to all safety. I used this as part of my story by allowing my character to be of Jewish descent yet truly finding his God when he finally takes refuge in Him. I first thought of World War 2 because I know a lot of soldiers or people impacted by the war find a God usually. The idea of a protector during war is seen as comforting to people who are in the midst of danger. I felt like World War 2 was a big indication of the fear that was instilled within people of this religious background. I know because I have studied German and the language that there were many people who opposed the Hitler and also did something about it. I used stories I have heard from Holocaust survivors I met when I was younger and with the history I know about Germany to make my story. I was told a story about a survivor who really did hide in a hole for two weeks to hide from the Nazi soldiers that would come in and raid homes. I wanted this to be the focal point to show that with God at Johnny's side he was able to be safe and even found a family. This relates to the comic I read because they both relate to God and how religion tends to save people.

References:
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: The Miracle Messenger of Love