My Big Fat Armenian Wedding

Woman by a well by John D. Batten Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree This was such an interesting unit. I chose it because I gave always enjoyed reading fairy tales and other such made up or inspired stories. My literary tastes have always been founded in fiction rather than non-fiction. So all the stories in this unit are exactly what I was looking for in a reading selection. The story that stood out to me the most was the Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree. The idea of a king and his wife having titles involving types of trees gave the story a whole new flavor that I really enjoyed. I think that ridiculous names for characters gives them much more depth in a story telling. I also liked that the story was mostly dialogue and did a great job of keeping the reader engaged the entire time. This story is part of the  Celtic Fairy Tales (1) unit . Story source:  Celtic Fairy Tales  by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).  Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree

Pipes;  drawing by Dennett Congo: Ngomba's Balloon This unit was a great read! It is always really cool to learn about other cultures and what their possible influences could have been on my own culture. I have always been interested in this era of writing so that I why I chose it for this reading assignment. The story that stood out to me the most was Ngomba's Balloon. The style of writing and the dialogue really captured my attention at once. The way the writer wrote a sentence and then puts brackets around the action that what taking place while she was talking made it seem like much more real, and helped me to picture the scene as I was reading it. This is definitely a style of writing I will be incorporating.  This story is part of the  Congo unit . Story source:  Notes on the Folklore of the Fjort  by Richard Edward Dennett (1898).  Congo: Ngomba's Balloon

Child Preparing for bed by Andrew Lang Nursery Rhymes: Jingles This unit is really my favorite! I have had so much fun reading these stories, and I really think they will help to add a fun twist to my story telling later this week! I am really looking forward to applying some of the themes used in these stories. The jingles story in this unit was especially fun to read.  I think that I could write a jingle for my next story telling, where it talks about nonsensical happenings where a character is placed in various circumstances where he has to decide which path to take. The original story provided nonsense jingles such as:  DEEDLE, deedle, dumpling, my son John Went to bed with his trousers on; One shoe off, the other shoe on, Deedle, deedle, dumpling, my son John. I think that adding more depth to the jingle will help the reader to engage more with it and gain some understanding.  This story is part of the  Nursery Rhymes unit . Story source:  The Nursery

Nursery Rhymes: Riddles Woman telling stories by Andrew Lang This unit was a really good read and will provide great material for future writings! I especially like the Riddles section. I have always like reading riddles, ever since I read the Hobbit when I was in Jr. High School. One of the riddles that stuck out to me the most was: I WENT to the wood and got it; I sat me down and looked at it; The more I looked at it the less I liked it; And I brought it home because I couldn't help it. The answer is a thorn. I never would have guess this one without seeing the answer. But I will definitely be using this in the future with other people. Another Riddle I really like was  LONG legs, crooked thighs, Little head, and no eyes. The answer is a pair of tongs, the personification that the writer provided definitely through me off and I would never have guessed the answer.  This story is part of the  Nursery Rhymes unit . Story source:  The Nursery Rhyme Book  edited by A

Potiphar's Wife, by Orazio Gentileschi Bible Women: Potiphar's Wife I chose to read the Biblical unit for the extra credit reading assignment. The story that stood out to me the most was the one titles Potiphar's Wife. I liked this one the most because I have heard the story before, and I was cool to read about it from another perspective than the one I grew up hearing. But it turned out that the story was written nearly the same as was presented in the Bible. This story had so many lessons that can be learned. The story begins with David being so well liked by Potiphar that he makes him the overseer of his house when he is gone. This was a great honor for David. One day, Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him and get him in bed with her. But David was a righteous man, and refused. However, Potiphar's wife stole a garment from David, and later used it as proof to her husband when she accused David of sexually assaulting her. Potiphar believes his wife over Da

Grendel and Beowulf Fighting by  Henry Pitz The Battle with Grendel I think that for my story telling, I will open with the fight between Grendel and Beowulf, and then flashback to how it all began in the middle and then finish the fight at the end of the story. This type of story telling provides an amazing literary roller coaster that I enjoy very much and that I hope others will as well. Beowulf is defending his sleeping companions from the silent attack from Grendel in their hall. At first it appears that Grendel is winning but then the tide turns as Beowulf gasps a hold of Grendel's hand and holds it in an iron grip.  Beowulf grapples Grendel to the ground and holds him there in a vice. Beowulf rips off Grendel's arm, and as he lets out a cry of pain, the men in the hall are awoken, and we learn that they had been in an enchanted sleep the whole time the fight had been going on. Presumably Beowulf's strength had kept him from falling under this spell. Afte