Experiential Learning Project

Ramayama

The battle is at hand

Both God and demon make their stand

The hero fights for honor and his bride

The villain boasts his foolish pride

Drinking Alone With the Moon
The poet pens his adorations
Underneath the moon's vibrations
Three is company, or so they say
Man, Shadow, and Moon drink before the day

Basho

Inspiration to my sensei

His words at constant play

Journey far and wide, oh wise one

Across the land of the rising sun

Mirabai

Sweet lovesick maiden of Krishna

You sing songs of praise and worship

The villagers don't understand, though,

The nature of your courtship

Sunjata

Ancient "mean girl" behaviors appear

The young bride sheds a tear

Always judging one another

Instead of encouraging the Other

Petrarch

Always pining for your lady fair

How you wish to stroke her hair

Alas, she no longer breathes life

Fulling your soul with great strife

Sor Juana

Sister in Christ, patron saint of feminism

Your words too soon for the patriarchy's liking

To you we owe gratitude for your wisdom

The message you left was striking

Chandara's Punishment

He used you as a scapegoat

To save his brother's honor

Now your husband must reap what he's sown

As you face your final horror

In A Bamboo Grove

Only three people know the truth

But who do we believe?

It will take the work of a master sleuth

To ensure we aren't deceived

Forking Paths

Numerous decisions await you

But what do you choose?

Each path leads down a different avenue

Determining whether you ultimately win or lose

Stuck In Hell

They striped from you your dignity

Casting aside your clothing to be gassed

But then they striped from you your humanity

Casting aside your empathy to the past

Drunken House Wife

Solitude brings out her worst

Drinking so much she might burst

Lazing about in self-pity

Even though she believes herself witty

Head's Loyalty 8/4/19

The basis of loyalty can sometimes create controversy within a community. Bessie Head’s “The Deep River” tells the tale of a tribe torn after the death of their leader, especially upon discovering Monemapee’s youngest wife had been unfaithful to her husband. This story clearly indicates that the tribe’s differing opinions created a division in their very existence. Throughout the story, Head shows how the tribal elders stuff to older conventions, whereas Sebembele’s followers held loyalty to their rightful leader (1708).

Head brings her theme of loyalty and division to fruition with a good dose of conflict and some minor foreshadowing. She presents the conflict of Sebembele admitting he had an affair with his father’s youngest wife and was the true father of his youngest “brother” Makobi (Head 1705). This conflict creates the conflict of his two younger brothers suddenly realizing their youngest “brother” has now replaced them in line to the throne (Head 1705). The village counselors create conflict for Sebembele by posing the ultimatum that he renounce his lover and his son, which brings about foreshadowing that he will give up his throne to remain loyal to Rankwana and their son (Head 1706). These literary devices show a loyalty to family while also conveying the division of a tribe who either sides with the rightful heir or disagrees with his “unmanly” ways (Head 1706).

Although the tribe eventually splits, the Talaote people accept Sebembele’s decision and follow him to a new tradition. The younger brothers succeed in drumming out their competition while also dividing their tribe into two factions.

Works Cited
Head, Bessie. “The Deep River.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1704-1708.

Existence 7/28/19

Lispector’s character Maria seems to have had too much time on her hands while her children were away with their aunt. She begins questioning her very existence as a wife, mother, and woman, seeming to be experiencing a midlife crisis of sorts. Most importantly, Maria questions her own importance and existence in the grand scheme of things, as indicated while combing her hair, in interactions with her husband, and during her night out with her husband and his business associate.

Her dilemma with body image appears to be a recurring theme throughout the story. Particularly in the restaurant, she sees a young woman bedecked with jewelry and an eye-catching hat, and she immediately begins seething with rage towards the young woman (Lispector 1558-1559). Although she casts doubts about the young woman’s ability to bear children or be anything more than a frail wisp, Maria continually points out her own roundness. Was she perhaps feeling the strain of a more curvaceous figure after having children? Moreover, she questions her life skills while sobering up and realizing she had spent far too much time laying in bed while her children were away. She chastizes herself for being so lazy and resolves to scrub her home the next day as restitution (Lispector 1560).

All in all, Lispector’s Maria seems to have an existential crisis on her hands while realizing that she leads a rather domestic life -- rather than the grandeur she believes she deserves while drunk in the restaurant. Maria is disenchanted with the life to which she has become accustomed.

Work Cited
Lispector, Clarice. “The Daydreams of a Drunk Woman.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1555-1560.

Neruda 7/21/19

Although Pablo Neruda survived poverty while working and studying, he clearly remembered his humble roots when he became a diplomat (Puchner 1421). His experiences encouraged him to fight for the people’s rights and betterment, therefore painting his view of modernity and capitalism. Based on Neruda’s account in “Walking Around,” the emerging view of the city appears mundane and tawdry. Neruda seems dismayed by the modern appearance of his city.

In his 1933 poem, Neruda expresses his dissatisfaction with being human. All the trappings of modern humanity depress Neruda to the point that he feels as though he’s “a root in the dark” trying to find the light (Neruda ln 18). He sees modern inventions and items for sale, which causes his inner turmoil regarding his manhood. Neruda implies that he’s simply existing until he arrives at the grave, simply drifting through life consuming as modern humanity expects. His perspective clearly encouraged Neruda to join the Communist Party of Chile in order to advocate for his community (Puchner 1421). Urban dwelling did not always provide the best living conditions for the poorest individuals. Even the birds appear stained by pollution, and clothing drying in the streets still drips with dirty water (Neruda 1424).

The emerging view of the city in Neruda’s poem illustrates how capitalism and modernization created social disparities and a separation from nature. By the time Neruda wrote “Walking Around,” he surely visited countless cities -- finding deplorable living conditions and an emphasis on consuming more than necessary. If one were to pair his poem with an image, the classic commercial featuring Iron Eyes Cody shedding a tear over litter seems most suiting to Neruda’s despair over the city’s condition (Waldman 1999).

Works Cited
Neruda, Pablo. “Walking Around.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1423-1424.
Puchner, Martin. “Pablo Neruda.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1421-1422.
Waldman, Amy. “Iron Eyes Cody, 94, an Actor And Tearful Anti-Littering Icon.” New York Times, 1999. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/05/arts/iron-eyes-cody-94-an-actor-and-tearful-anti-littering-icon.html.

Gender 7/14/19

After reading literature that painted women as commodities in the patriarchal world, “The Rod of Justice” illustrates a very different situation. Although typically the female role seems to be submissive to the male, Sinha Rita possesses a certain amount of power over the men in her life -- almost like a role reversal situation. Moreover, she asserts her dominance over the household slaves without the influence of a male master.

Body. Rather than seeing a female character fleeing an uncomfortable environment, de Assis presents Damiao, a young man studying to be a priest. Damiao realizes his male relatives will react with anger and send the poor boy back to the seminary because such running away was not very masculine behavior. However, he determines that his godmother will protect him in the traditional motherly manner. Not only does his assumption prove correct, but the woman vehemently demands that Damiao’s godfather plead with his father for salvation. In fact, she proclaims “‘They’ll find out what I’m made of! No, I won’t stand for any foolishness!’” (de Assis 916). On the other hand, Sinha Rita’s kindness disappears when interacting with her slave, Lucretia. As a woman of power, Sinha Rita turns ice cold when faced with punishing her distracted slave -- all while poor Damiao must appease his godmother to curry favor.

In “The Rod of Justice,” role reversal leads a perceived weak male character crying to his godmother to protect him from his father, godfather, and the seminary. Sinha Rita holds power over the men in this story, creating quite an opposite image compared to this week’s previous readings.

Work Cited
De Assis, Joaquim Maria Machado. “The Rod of Justice.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 911-916. Print.

Martí and Darío 7/7/19

Given Walt Whitman’s notoriety as a poet, it comes as no surprise that José Martí and Rubén Darío admired his poetry enough to emulate it. Darío’s “Fatality” and Martí’s “I Am an Honest Man” both share elements in keeping with Whitman’s poetic style, including his discusses of nature and death in “Song of Myself.”

Although the Norton Anthology only provides one of Martí’s poems as a comparison, the example offers plenty of similarities to Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” Whitman toys with his sense of mortality in “52” of his poem, saying “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow” (ln 10, 653). In a similar fashion, Martí expresses his honesty “before I die” (3). Both poets wished to express themselves before death came knocking, and both men harnessed this whim to create poetic harmony.

Of the selected poems from Darío, “Fatality” contained several elements reminiscent of Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” Darío particularly captured the simplicity of existing as an element of nature in comparison to living as a human being -- conscious of one’s mortality. The tree and the rock have no worries or fears, unlike Darío’s concerns about the future and all its possibilities (695). In “7” Whitman contemplates the fine line he walks between birth and death, realizing that birth inevitably brings death (1-4).

The saying that imitation is a form of flattery holds true when comparing Darío and Martí’s poems to the writing style of Whit Whitman. Between the two poems analyzed here, the senior poet’s influence clearly inspired his contemporaries to strive for similar poetic beauty.

Works Cited
Darío, Rubén. “Fatality.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 695. Print.
Martí, José. “I Am an Honest Man.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 681-682. Print.
Whitman, Walt. “From Song of Myself.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 648-653. Print.

An Essay on Man 6/30/19

Before major scientific breakthroughs occurred, religion sought to explain the world and how it works. Then people began studying and seeking answers outside of biblical reasoning, and the two entities became conflicting. However, Pope’s arguments that divine order can coexist with evil and chaos create a logical explanation for religion and science to exist together. His rhyming “An Essay on Man” blends religion, science, and good old fashioned poetry to defend his position.

For starters, Pope asserts that God knows the way systems work and can see the entirety of the universe as compared with the relatively miniscule field of vision for mankind (90-91). Although British society had advanced to such an extent that science and education became the norm, Pope also noted that cultures must begin in a primitive setting. He points out that the Native Americans saw God in nature, but he further asserts that such beliefs lead to happier outlooks -- rather than seeking slaves and gold (92-93). If discovery and education lead to corruption, are the supposed intellectual superiors truly moral and just?

At the end of the day, human beings need religion and science to live a more balanced life. Religion provides the moral compass to direct mankind through all situations, while science explains how and why things work. Alexander Pope’s “An Essay on Man” brilliantly argues that science and religion can coexist, even when people question how evil can exist under God’s watchful eye. After all, evil exists in balance with good, just as light coexists with darkness.

Work Cited
Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Man." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 90-97. Print.

de Navarre 6/23/19

The mark of a good ruler always shines through their treatment of their subjects. A fair and merciful ruler understands that life’s circumstances are out of one’s control, whereas a bad ruler abuses the power they were born into. Marguerite de Navarre’s “Story 8” tells the tale of a husband who attempts to become intimate with his wife’s chambermaid, who feels victimized and concerned for her mistress’ marriage. Although the husband and wife of de Navarre’s tale hardly count as royalty, they certainly hold a position of power in order to afford a chambermaid. Assuming for a moment the husband and wife are king and queen, the husband abuses his power by coercing the chambermaid to bed with him (de Navarre 1643). He and his friend plot to share the poor young lady as a means of amusement outside of marriage. Such behavior is unbecoming for Godly men, of course, but the chambermaid has no intention of becoming an adultress herself. Confronting her “queen,” the chambermaid reveals the “king’s” lecherous ways, which leads the wife to hatch a plan (de Navarre 1643). In this case, the royalty involved takes pity upon her loyal subject and protects the chambermaid from the “king.” She offers the chambermaid sanctuary despite the fact her husband would rather sleep with the chambermaid than the wife herself. Rather than becoming riddled with jealousy, the wife spares the chambermaid from sullying herself. As such, Pierre Bayle’s argument that Marguerite de Navarre is a queen who “grant[s] her protection to people persecuted for opinions which she believes to be false” proves accurate. De Navarre clearly refused to see the chambermaid be wronged by her master and stood up as the wife to prevent such persecution from progressing. Works Cited de Navarre, Marguerite. “From The Heptameron: Story 8.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1640-1647. Print.

Sunjata 6/16/19

In modern times, Western brides walk down the chapel aisle decked in white as they approach the wedding party at the altar. Her father escorts her to her husband as the ancient ritual of the father giving away his daughter. These days the custom merely symbolizes a rite of passage rather than the archaic exchange of property. The bridesmaids gather around their friend in solidarity. However, "Sunjata" portrays a much difference bridal experience.

Sologon Conde could not walk to her husband due to her health conditions, therefore the other wives carried the poor woman to her new home and husband (Sunjata lns 750-771). At first glance, this procedure appears friendly and helpful because the women are coming together to help their “sister.” However, their true intentions shine through when poor Sologon Conde’s headscarf falls off to reveal she is bald (Sunjata 773-774). Rather than assisting her and reassuring their “sister,” the other wives begin singing taunts about the “heron-head” (Sunjata 780). The custom becomes more of a bullying scenario with the wives teasing the new “kid.” Otherwise, the custom seems simply fascinating, not horrific -- within the context of the selected lines.

While some cultures practice various rituals when joining two people together as a couple, similarities can be found. Up to the point before the wives taunted Sologon Conde, the gathering seemed reminiscent of a bridal shower or bachelorette party. However, bullying is unacceptable across cultural boundaries. Given that Islam permits polygamy for men, "Sunjata" raises the question of bullying among Islamic wives -- a question for another time.

Works Cited
“Sunjata: A Western African Epic of the Mande Peoples.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1536-1537. Print.

Basho 6/9/19

The videographer’s combination of Japanese paintings and pictures with some of Basho’s poetry captures the feeling of an elderly man lamenting his old age. The references to death, autumn, and the passage of time become prominent, especially given the double use of the withered tree image in the video. The spring cherry blossoms are gone, and the summer cicadas are blissfully unaware of their imminent death. The cold air and perched crow foretell the narrator’s approaching death. The images almost paint a picture of the narrator’s life flashing before his eyes, recalling more youthful memories.

In contrast, The Norton Anthology highlights more optimistic works from Basho’s journey through the “Deep North.” The excerpts illustrate the actual trip itself, leaving the poems in the context Basho originally intended. The video takes specific poems to evoke the overall tone of the content. Combined with the images and somber music, the poetry presents a different emotion than that of the Norton excerpts. Perhaps Santiago-Sebazco intended to highlight how Basho passed away in his autumn years, never making it to his winter years. Puchner et al. states that Basho lived from 1644 until 1694, meaning Basho was only fifty upon his death (324). Basho did not begin his travels with his friend Sora until 1689, a mere five years before his death (Puchner et al. 324).

During Basho’s journey, he seems more inclined to channel the same appreciation and respect for nature as the Tang poets. “Aw inspiring!/ on the green leaves, budding leaves/ light of the sun” (Basho 327). Basho revels in the changing of the seasons, and he becomes especially delighted by the summer. Due to the climate of the “Deep North,” such a change in weather likely brought about great joy to the locals he encountered. However, towards the end of the Norton excerpt, Basho begins discussing autumn. Although he may have been unaware at the time, Basho may have foreshadowed his own untimely death when admiring the helmet of Sanemori (335).

Works Cited
Matsuo, Basho. “From The Narrow Road to the Deep North.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 325-336. Print.
Puchner, Martin, et al. “Matsuo Basho.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 324-325. Print.
Santiago-Sebazco, Raul. “Matsuo Basho.” YouTube.com. 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXvzgR3A9_I.

Classic of Poetry 6/2/2019

In “Classic of Poetry,” ten poems offer several interpretations of morals and virtues that transcend time. Work ethic, loyalty, purity, and reverence for nature all permeate the lines in each poem, extolling the virtues of goodness and patience. “Fishhawk” repeats “Gentle maiden, pure and fair” several times throughout the poem, indicating that a woman is more attractive when her beauty radiates from within -- her purity (759-760). Followed by the “Peach Tree Soft and Tender,” the message of purity and loyalty continues to assert that a woman must be faithful to her family and husband, maintaining her purity once again (760). In “Plums Are Falling,” once again the the maiden must remain pure and faithful to the one who will become her husband. “Many men want me” repeats the narrator, who must choose amongst the fruit -- men -- courting her, but she can only be the “bride of one” (760). In contrast to the first three poems, “Dead Roe Deer” implies a young maiden has gone into the forest with a young man where they likely become intimate with each other against the cautions of the previous three poems.

“Huge Rat” and “She Bore the Folk” set more guidance for worth ethic and respect for nature. The narrator of “Huge Rat” pleads with a rat to stop eating their crops, seemingly ready to give up life due to the hardship caused by nature’s wrath upon their farm. Leaving the rat for somewhere happier seems to indicate the narrator is contemplating suicide, rather than determining a way to stop the rat from destroying the millet, wheat, and sprouts (764). Finally, Lord Millet grows into a prosperous farmer, cultivating crops to feed future generations and encouraging the successors to continue striving for bountiful harvests. Nature can give or take, but hard work and faith pay in dividends.

Works Cited
“Classic of Poetry.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 759-766. Print.

The Red Lotus of Chastity 5/26/2019

Somadeva’s “The Red Lotus of Chastity” presents several instances of women disguising themselves in order to deceive others either as a means for good or evil. Devasmita, the nun, and the nun’s pupil Siddhikari all utilized disguises to achieve their desired goals, with the latter two using deception to commit acts of crime against other individuals -- male and female. The nun and Siddhikari are motivated by monetary gains, whereas Devasmita is motivated by love and loyalty.

To begin with, the corrupt nun entertains the four merchants’ lecherous intentions to test the validity of the red lotus’ powers. She uses a more direct presentation when confronting Devasmita; however, she disguises her intentions, seeking to fool the young woman into believing this nun experienced a previous life as a promiscuous wife. The nun seeks the reward offered by the merchants (1275).

Next, the nun’s pupil Siddhikari also uses disguise and deception for dubious purposes. First, Siddhikari fools a man in order to steal his gold. Next, she fools the drummer into believing she was attempting to commit suicide and catches him while he demonstrates using the noose. She also fools the servant into believing she was enamored by him in order to cause him to fall out of the tree and frighten away her jilted lover. The nun’s pupil creates an image that women seek to deceive men for their own profit, while also illustrating that men also possess weaknesses to such deception. (Somadeva 1276.)

However, Devasmita’s acts of deception and disguise are meant to punish the four merchants, the nun, and Siddhikari, while also protecting her husband and marriage. Devasmita portrays a pure, chaste woman who loves her husband enough to remain loyal even in his absence. The nun and her pupil receive harsh punishment (1278), whereas Devasmita remains pure and protects her husband from harm.

Works Cited
Somadeva. “The Red Lotus of Chastity.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. Shorter Third edition. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 1272-1279. Print.