Writing Across Cultures

This morning, please pick up The Stone Gods by Jeannette Winterson (see below). When you return from the library, please help yourself to a bagel. Then take the online quiz on Odd & The Frost Giants . This is NOT an open book test! After completing the test do one of the following while you are waiting for others to finish: 1. Work on your horror/suspense/weird story draft 2. Begin reading The Stone Gods 3. Finish reading part 1 of "The Call of Cthulhu" (your homework from last class) When all are done with their quiz, let's continue reading "The Call of Cthulhu." HOMEWORK: Work on your portfolio. You will have about 3 weeks when you return to complete your portfolio. For those of you who need extra time to read, begin The Stone Gods . We will be heading completely into gender issues when we return from winter break. As you read, apply feminist and gender critical theories to the text. Have a nice winter break & holiday! 

Let's begin reading "The Call of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft in class. "My reason for writing stories is to give myself the satisfaction of visualising more clearly and detailedly and stably the vague, elusive, fragmentary impressions of wonder, beauty, and adventurous expectancy which are conveyed to me by certain sights (scenic, architectural, atmospheric, etc.), ideas, occurrences, and images encountered in art and literature." -- H.P. Lovecraft   The great American horror writer, H.P. Lovecraft wrote a little book called  Supernatural Horror in Literature  in 1927 and an essay entitled: "Notes on Writing Weird Fiction". He also continued to train other horror writers of the time, as well as influence new horror writers of today. He wrote: "The true weird tale has something more than secret murder, bloody bones, or a sheeted form clanking chains according to rule.  A certain atmosphere of breathless and unexplainable dread of outer, unknow

Gender & Mythology: Why women? Mothers & Daughters ( archetypes and female divinities: crash course) As we watch the film "Sita Sings the Blues" apply key feminist criticism questions to the text. Then We'll try to discuss... With time remaining, let's begin reading "The Call of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft in class. See homework. HOMEWORK: Continue reading  Odd & The Frost Giants  by Neil Gaiman. Write a creation myth of your own based on your own pantheon of Gods/Goddesses; use a myth and update it in a clever or creative way. Notice how the book uses male & female archetypes to teach boys (and maybe girls) contemporary values. There will be a test on this question, so examine, examine, examine. Note taking is suggested. Bring "Cthulhu" back with you to next class.

Gender & Mythology: Why men? Fathers & Sons ( archetypes and male divinities: crash course ) A final example of Indian mythology:  The Ramayana . Ramayana Crash Course . Now that you have the basics, how might an author use the myth creatively to discuss gender? Let's take a look at Feminist criticism (see handout). As we watch the film "Sita Sings the Blues" apply key feminist criticism questions to the text. HOMEWORK: Continue reading  Odd & The Frost Giants  by Neil Gaiman. Write a creation myth of your own based on your own pantheon of Gods/Goddesses; use a myth and update it in a clever or creative way. Notice how the book uses male archetypes to teach boys contemporary values. 

Please upload/submit your presentation to Google Classroom. Types of Creation Myths (cosmogony): Creation  ex nihilo  (out of nothing): creation from nothing Earth Diver: a "diver" (aquatic) animal digs up the earth from the abyssal depths of an ocean. Emergence: the world appears from the body of a primordial being or through metamorphosis or passes through other "worlds" to come into being. Cosmic Egg: creation from a cosmic egg Order Out of Chaos (creation from chaos): order/the world is created from primordial chaos Presentation Topics: Chinese Japanese Norse Incan Aztec Australian Dreamtime Maori Oceania Egypt Zulu Iroquois Hindu Navaho Gender & Mythology: Why men? Fathers & Sons ( archetypes and male divinities: crash course ) A final example of Indian mythology: The Ramayana . Ramayana Crash Course . Now that you have the basics, how might an author use the myth creatively to discuss gender? Let's take a look at Fem

Mahabharata  Discussion  - Complete Socratic seminar sheet The Mahabharata  has influenced Indian culture for thousands of years. Consider & discuss how the following cultural ideas are found in the epic: Gods Caste system Dharma Ashrama Reincarnation Epics Myth Criticism, what do we learn from the epic about:  Love Life Nature Death Society Truth, justice, goodness, mercy, sacrifice Evil, conflict, betrayal, illusion, lies, anger, violence After our discussion, please read/discuss: "Savitri" (short story/myth): how does a female hero's story differ from a male's? What are some similarities? With the rest of your time in class, please continue to work on your creation presentation projects.  HOMEWORK: Complete your presentations by Monday, Dec. 10. Workshop or write for your portfolio.

Mahabharata key scenes from Peter Brook 's film. Birth Game of Dice Bhagavad Gita Nirvana Mahabharata Discussion - Complete Socratic seminar sheet The Mahabharata has influenced Indian culture for thousands of years. Consider & discuss how the following cultural ideas are found in the epic: Gods (a limited list): Brahma (the creator) Vishnu (the preserver) Shiva (the destroyer) Ganesha (the opener of ways, son of Shiva) Krishna & Rama (avatars of Vishnu) Parvati, Kali, Durga (primordial goddess; mother (Parvati); but also blood/disease/darkness or time in shadow form (Kali or Durga); consort of Shiva) Lakshmi (goddess of luck, wealth & fortune; consort of Vishnu) Yama (god of death) Caste system : while officially removed in 1947 (August 15 Independence Day), much of India is still influenced by the caste system. Here's the breakdown: Dharma - Moral rightness; (10 rules of dharma: 1. patience, 2. forgiveness, 3. piety/self-control,