Skip to main content

Week 12 Reading Notes: More Jatakas A

Reading Jatakas is one of my favorite things to do in this class because they are such easy reads and they remind me of all the stories that I would hear as a child. One of the stories that I read today that stuck out to me was "The Empty Lake." there was nothing of significance as far as people surprising or out of the ordinary, but I loved how it took personification to the next level. It gave things such as wind, rain, and thunder life and I pictured them in my head that way. When Mother Earth's came down to drink the water away, I actually pictured Mother Earth as a human, coming and drinking the water from the lake. When Queen Rain began to fill back up the lake with King Thunder, I saw both of them working together to try and refill the lake.

If I were to write a full story with this as my source material, I would try an elaborate on the King Fish. They did not give him as much insight to him as they did the other characters. I dislike when a character is made a savior but without any personality to go behind it. I want to like a hero, but I want to like them for more than saving the day.

The second story I read was "The Master's Task." During the first page of this story I was extremely confused. This master wants his pupils to steal? I was not that surprised though, for some of the Jatakas I have read to not have the best morals to them. Then, it started to make since. I actually really liked the message it gave with "my self is watching." It is very deep to think about stuff that way, but it is just another way of saying to think before you making decisions. You would not steal or do something wrong in front of others, so why would you do it in front of yourself. Honestly, that does not sound like a bad tattoo either. I doubt I will get one, but just a thought. If I were to rewrite this story, I may make the master actually be a bad guy, and the smart pupil expose him for what he is truly doing. Sort of like a mystery.

(Pupil to Master. Source: Babel)

Bibliography: Twenty Jataka Tales
Labels:

Comments

  1. Asha ChandrasekarNovember 11, 2019 at 12:12 AM

    Hi Jacob! I like how you picked some jatakas which most people didnt use as it allowed me to read some new topics and see your take on the stories. I agree with you that having an individual or a character as the protagonist in the story without having a personality or meaning of them being in the story is useless. If there is going to be a protagonist running the story, I feel that they should have a say and have some meaning to why they are where they are in the story, otherwise, there is no point in my opinion. I like the example you gave for wanting to be a hero but having no purpose or use to it when you are a hero for a single day. Good job on this assignment, I am really looking forward to reading many more :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comment Wall

(Sea of Dreams. Source: Pixabay ) Storybook
25 comments
Read more

Introduction to Ya Boi Jacob Heath

Hey all, My name is Jacob, but I go by many nicknames: Jake, Heath (my last name), DJ (it is a long story). You can also just call me Jacob, which is what most people do. My major is microbiology/pre-med. Microbiology is an odd major because the first microbiology course I took was not until second semester junior year, so I am glad I enjoyed it or else I would have wasted my first two years on a major I did not enjoy! I eventual plan is to become a doctor. I still have a long ways to get there, but I am hopeful. People always ask me what specialty I am planning on, and I always hate giving them an answer. That part of my life is sooooo far away that I know my views and likes on different areas of medicine will change. Because most people expect an answer, I tell them sleep medicine because something about sleep and dreams interest me so much. I was the kid who had night terrors and sleep walked (I still do sometimes), so I think it would be a good fit for me. My biggest hobby wo...
16 comments
Read more

Week 12 Story: Seeking Refuge

A family of five stand in the long line at the Mexico/US border trying to get through. The mother asks the father if he has the correct paperwork needed to cross through. They believe there will be no issue as they are only seeking refuge in the states. With anticipation they wait. Longer and longer as the sun beats down overhead. Finally, after about six hours waiting, their turn comes. The border patrol asks for their paperwork. He stares at it for a long time as if trying to find something wrong with it. Eventually he hands it back to them and tells them to pass. The children start to get excited, but the mother tells them to calm down. They are not in the clear until the border is no longer in sight. As they begin the cross the bridge by foot, they are stopped by another patrol. He tells them to come over for a random inspection. The father does not know what they are going to inspect. All they have are the clothes on their backs. The officer searches each one of them, even t...
9 comments
Read more