Week 14: Reading Notes (Italian Popular Tales Part A)

Zelinda and the Monster

This story is part of the Italian Popular Tales unit. Story source: Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane (1885).

• This is the Italian version of Beauty and the Beast 
• A poor man had three daughters 
• The youngest was the most civil and the fairest 
• Every January the man would travel to a fair in a neighboring town 
• One daughter asked for a dress, one asked for a shawl, and Zelinda asked for a rose 
• The man easily found the dress and shawl, but had to leave the fair to look for a rose for his dear Zelinda 
• He came upon a huge castle
• There was every kind of flower you could think of 
• The house looked dead and vacant, so he reached and picked a rose 
• All of a sudden, flames came from the Earth and a scary dragon shaped figure came from the castle 
• The monster wanted to kill then man, but instead settled for allowing him to return home and bring back the daughter that wanted the rose 
• Zelinda understood what had to be done and traveled back to the Monster with her father 
• They arrived and were treated very well, they were able to stay and the castle and they were provided a huge breakfast before the father had to leave Zelinda under the Monster's power 
• Once Zelinda's father left, the Monster was so nice to Zelinda. He treated her like a queen and asked if she would marry him 
• Zelinda couldn't commit because of the way the monster looked
• One day the monster called out to Zelinda in a haste 
• He said, "Listen, Zelinda: if you do not consent to marry me, it is fated that your father must die. He is ill and near the end of his life, and you will not be able even to see him again. See whether I am telling you the truth."
• He began drawing out an enchanted mirror and there she saw her father on his deathbed 
• Without hesitation Zelinda promised to marry the monster and be a loyal wife 
• She wanted to hug her father one last time 
• After she said those words, the monster turned into a handsome young prince

[Crane did not translate the rest of the story but just summarized it as follows: Zelinda and her husband strive to obtain his parents' consent to his marriage. They refuse and the young couple run away from the royal palace and fall into the power of an ogre and his wife, from whom they at last escape.]

(Zelinda, her father, and the Monster)

Week 13 Story: The Red Queen's Riddle

One day The Red Queen was enjoying a cup of tea and looking out the window of her big and extravagant castle. It was days before her annual "Riddle Me This" competition. This was a huge event where men trained their minds into thinking in the cleverest way. 

The Red Queen loves riddles, tricks, and puzzles. She believes that a clever mind is more attractive than all the gold in wonderland. She spends hours making her own riddles, doing puzzles, and her personal favorite playing sudoku. 

This year she wanted to really challenge the men competing. After all, the winner gets to go on a date with The Red Queen. She is very picky, that being said the annual event will come to an end once she finds her perfect match.

For this year’s challenge she is going to put the competitors in an escape room. The competitors will individually have to figure out all the clues in order to open the locked case to The Red Queen’s heart. The competitors will have to be knowledgeable on things they know about the queen, her likes and dislikes. She has been single for a long time and really wants to settle down with someone. So, this year it’s really important the best candidate wins her heart. She needed a little help coming up with clever clues in the escape room. She called up the Mad Hatter in hopes he could use his quirk to help. He was hesitate because The Red Queen is very intimidating, but soon realized he had no other choice. Once he arrived they brainstormed and began making some great clues and tricks to out in the escape room. The Red Queen felt very confident that the right man would be able to solve it and unlock her heart!

(The Red Queen)

(Queen's locked heart)

Bibliography: This story is part of the Looking-Glass unit. Story source: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

Week 13: Reading Notes (Looking Glass Part B)

Looking-Glass: Queen Alice

This story is part of the Looking-Glass unit. Story source: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

• Alice is now a queen 
• She walked around rather stiffly to get use to the crown, she was afraid it would fall off 
• The White Queen and The Red Queen sat on either sides of Alice 
• She was very curious to how they came to be queens, but knew that wouldn't be a civil conversation 
• Alice isn't as intimidated as I would assume she would be with the queens
• She speaks out of turn and then The Red Queen yells at her, but she doesn't let that stop from her from being heard
• She is stuck in an impossible situation 
• The Queens invite each other to Alice's party 
• Alice doesn't know she's having a party in the first place 
• The Queens go on asking impossible and difficult questions 
• For instance, "what's one plus one plus one plus one plus one plus one plus one plus one plus one"
• They go on to talk about the differences in wonderland and where Alice is from 
• In wonderland they talk about days in sets, like the last sets of tuesdays' weather has been bad
• Whereas Alice takes a day at a time 
• Alice's time with the Queens is full of riddles and quizzes and lessons

(Illustration by John Tenniel)

Week 13: Reading Notes (Looking Glass Part A)

This story is part of the Looking-Glass unit. Story source: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

Tweedledee and Tweedledum

• Alice was walking and talking to herself and stumbles upon two fat little men
• She knew their names because they had DUM and DEE embroidered on their clothes
• She kept staring and looking for the word TWEEDLE embroidered 
• The two stood as still as statues 
• Alice kept thinking about a song she knew; It referred to Tweedledum and Tweedledee
• The two argue all the time and the song Alice knew referenced that 
• The boys reminded Alice of little schoolboys \
• She just needed directions to get out of the forest 
• The boys grinned and said that she needed to properly shake their hands and greet them first 
• Alice not wanting to upset either of them, shook their hands at the same time 
• As soon as she shook their hands she found herself dancing with them, spinning in circles
• The boys were definitely out of shape and couldn't dance for too long 
• The boys avoided Alice's question on hot get out of the forest and wanted to read her poetry instead

(tweedledee and tweedledum)

Week 13: Extra Credit Reading (Crash Course: Monsters, Horses, Dragons)

Extra Credit: Monsters, Horses, and Dragons

I have a lot of interest in Monsters, Horses, and Dragons from watching Game of Thrones. The new premiere of the final season came out yesterday and it really inspired me to take a closer look on monsters, horses, and especially dragons.

Monster means outside the bounds of normal behavior. This also means that some monsters are considered monsters just because of their physical appearance. For instance, shape shifters aren't monsters until they use their powers to be deceitful or malicious. According to Crash Course, everyone has the capability of coming a monster.

Dragons are the most popular mystical creatures. Dragons play a significant role in lots of different cultures. In my opinion dragons are the coolest mythical creatures. There are lots if different variations of dragons. Some dragons and serpents are incorporated in some cultures creation stories.

(Dragons)

Week 12: Storylab, Language

How Language Evolves- Alex Gendler

Language is something I don't often think about where it all came from. It amazes me that at one time there were small civilizations, that eventually broke off and created their own interpretations of communication. The thousands of languages existing today can all be traced back. As populations continued to grow, people continued to divide and start their own lifestyle. Being separated from one another gave everyone the opportunity to eat different foods, live in different climates, and adapt to nature in different ways. We use grammar and syntax to see how different languages are related.
Another question I came across how words become words. We already have 170,000 but continue to grow our language all the time. English borrows words from languages all the time. We make words by compound words or merging words together. Sometimes new words aren't really new words, but gain a new meaning. Language is so interesting and so fascinating!

(ted talk)

Week 12: Alice in Wonderland Reading Part B

Wonderland: A Mad Tea-Party
This story is part of the Alice in Wonderland unit. Story source: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

In the British and Celtic unit I chose to read Alice in Wonderland because of how familiar I am with the story. I want to focus on Alice and her character role. In the Mad Tea Party, I noticed the Mad Hare and the Mad Hatter were not as eager to make room for Alice. However, she held her own and sat down. What I really like about Alice is that she isn't timid or intimidated by the Mad Hare and Mad Hatter. There's a confidence about her that demands respect. I love that she is able to keep up with the Mad Hare and Mad Hatter in all their nonsense and unanswered riddles. Sometimes, Alice is not a party pooper, but a realist. She is the type of person that buds in and unintentionally kills the vibe of the riddle or story. Keeping in mind she is in a literal Wonderland and associating with "mad" people and animals!

Mad Tea Party