Week 10: Essay- My High School Writing Experience

I went to a small private school in Oklahoma City for high school. So, I'd like to think that I was very prepared as a writer for whatever college was going to throw at me. Most of my English and history classes had about twenty people in them, so my teachers were able to give me a lot of personal feedback, which is what I think it takes for someone to improve in their writing. In particular, my  senior year, AP Literature and Composition, teacher helped me the most in my writing.

He did this in a number of ways. First of all, he gave us many different types of writing assignments-- Short argumentative essays, longer research papers and even some creative writing. I think each of these assignments incorporates a different element of writing and communicating effectively. I love to argue, so naturally, the shorter argumentative papers were the most fun for me. I really enjoy putting an argument into words, and watching in turn into a coherent essay. One way my professor challenged me in writing these types of essays was that he actively tried to find flaws in my arguments. There would be times when I would turn in what I thought was a great paper, and I would not do very well. He'd point out that I failed to examine my position from the other side, and that there was a lot more that I needed to explain or give evidence for. Regardless, I really enjoyed writing these kinds of papers. On the other hand though, I hated creative writing. Maybe I was just super self-conscious? For whatever reason though, I couldn't stand it. Even though I hated writing these papers, I think they helped me find my voice, and helped my figure out how to just let my imagination loose. I'll never forget that class, because I think that it was instrumental in turning me into the writer that I am today.

Fountain Pen, Source: Wikipedia

Next week, I'll talk about my writing experiences in college!

Week 10: Storytelling- Iktomi's Folly

I am Inyan. I am the Great-Grandfather. I have watched over these plains from my hillside for too many years to count. I have watched night turn today. I have watched the winter snow melt in the first light of spring. I have seen life, and I have seen death. I am the rock. I was yesterday and I will be tomorrow. I listen to the prayers of the children of the plain. Look now, one wandering child comes to me now...

"Help me, Great-Grandfather! I am hungry and afraid. Please give me some meat, so that I do not starve! Your child needs you!"

Oh it is my son Iktomi. Look at how he cries out to me. In all my years upon this plain, there is not a time that I can remember when a man called to me in such desperation. How could even my stone heart not break for this man? What then shall I do? I will call upon the Great Spirit. For through me, Iktomi's prayer might be heard.

Even now, the sun sets, casting a warm glow upon us. The Great Spirit has heard me.

"Ah I feel the sun upon my face! My prayer has been answered! Thanks be to you Great-Grandfather, for you have taken my prayer to the Great Spirit, and he has listened! How can I repay one such as you though? You, who don't need anything or anyone? All I have is my worn-out blanket. It is not worthy of one as noble as you. It is all I have to give though, so may you wear it upon your shoulders, and take it as an offering of my appreciation!"

I am well pleased with Iktomi's gift. It does little to keep me warm, for I have endured more winters than any man ever will, but he honors me with his attempt. There! He has found the fresh deer that his heart and stomach had longed for! Even as night falls, may it satisfy him as he hoped.

" This night wind is cold. I wish now that I'd never given my blanket away! Great-Grandfather has no need for it. Maybe I will take it back? He won't miss it!"

Iktomi, you fool! You cannot retake what has already been given. You will return to find your meal gone, and your hunger will ache in your belly forever. You will never be full again! And the blanket you so selfishly took from my shoulders will never hide you from the cold. It will pierce you to your very bones. Above all, I will not listen to your cries or be moved by your tears, for you have angered your Great-Grandfather, the Generous Giver. Woe unto you, Iktomi!

Black Hills of the Inyan Kara Mountain, Source: Wikipedia

Author's Note--

This is a story called Iktomi's Blanket. It is about  a Lakotan god, Inyan, which is a big rock on the prairie that warriors would go to pray to. Iktomi is a warrior who is in desperate need of food, and Inyan helps him. However, when Iktomi reclaims his offering, Inyan punishes him. The original is told from Iktomi's perspective, but I told it from Inyan's. I also made Iktomi's punishment a little more severe. In the original, Iktomi only loses his meal, but in my story, I wanted to punishment to be more permanent, and hopefully teach the lesson better.

Bibliography--

Old Indian Legends by Zitkala-Sa (1901).

Week 10: Reading Diary- Sioux Stories

These are my thoughts on the Sioux Legends...

The Rabbit and the Grouse Girls:

So the rabbit is still a trickster, even in Sioux legend. So is this the Sioux version of a "don't talk to strangers" type story? The grouse girls should definitely know better than to trust that tricky rabbit!

The Rabbit and the Bear:

This is kind of like an origin story. It explains why bears are so few and far between, and rabbits are practically everywhere. It's really too bad for the bear chief, because all he wanted to do was help the rabbit make his flint arrows, but he ended up being chopped in half! I'd probably run away too if I'd done what the rabbit did.

The Story of the Lost Wife:

It's kind of a cool concept that nature always takes care of us, or at least I think that would be what the Sioux people would believe. I also think it's interesting that the coyotes are the servants of the wolf tribe, because they are certainly the lowliest of the animals there.

The Simpleton's Wisdom:

You can learn about a society from the way that they honor and mourn their dead. This story gives a glimpse into what it would be like to experience a death in a Sioux tribe. I like that their conclusion in the end is that it is better to live for the living than to die for the dead.

A Little Brave and the Medicine Woman:

I like Brave. He's got a good sense of humor. I think this story gives us a sense of the superstitions of the Sioux people. Even the older, wiser, men had a little bit of fear about the Medicine Woman's grave.

The Boy and the Turtles:

I wonder why the boy earns the name, "Sees holy?" It doesn't seem like he really did anything special. He just saw a group of men swimming in a lake while he was hunting for turtles. Maybe there is some kind of significance to his discovery that I don't understand?

The Hermit, or The Gift of Corn:

I still don't know what the thing was that kept waking up the hermit. Maybe it was a raccoon or something like that? I think I would be pretty terrified living out in the middle of nowhere, completely alone like that hermit.

The Mysterious Butte:

More superstitions! I would be be terrified if I was one of those warriors who had to crawl through tiny openings to get to each chamber. I'm super claustrophobic haha. Anyways, it would be super useful to have cave paintings that predicted the future.

The Wonderful Turtle:

So I'm definitely picturing this wise turtle like the turtle in Kung Fu Panda. That's what comes to mind when I think of a wise turtle that is able to settle disputes and reconcile enemies. Anyways, the poor turtle gets left behind, so it seems that all does not go well for him.

The Pemmican Man and Unktomi:

That selfish spider was his own undoing. If he hadn't kept pursuing the fat man, even after he and his children had gotten much to eat, then he would probably be alive. Anyways, this shows that fat man's ingenuity got him out of danger. So, I'm going to guess that cleverness is a desirable quality.

Unktomi, the Two Widows, and the Red Plums:

Temptation always seems to bear the color red haha. Anyways, Unktomi is a total jerk. He isn't one of the trickster types that just messes with people for fun. He killed two babies just for the hell of it. That seems pretty messed up to me. He takes advantage of people's hospitality.

Unktomi and the Arrowheads:

So these Lakota and Unktomi (spiders) have a sort of symbiotic relationship in this story. The Unktomi make flint arrowheads for the tribe, and in return all they want is to be left alone. Seems like a pretty good deal if you ask me.

Iktomi and the Ducks:

Pride always goes before the fall, and Iktomi is extremely arrogant and cocky. He never thinks that anyone is as clever as he is, and he laughs when simpletons get caught it his traps. Therefore, it is ironic that he gets his foot caught in a tree and loses his duck feast.

Iktomi's Blanket:

I like that these stories fit together. It allows us to get a more complete picture of Iktomi. We learn just how selfish and foolish he really is, even if he thinks he is clever. Trying to reclaim an offering to a god would unmistakably be a bad idea.

Iktomi and the Muskrat:

This story is a good lesson on hospitality and generosity. If Iktomi had offered to share his fish with the Muskrat, then he wouldn't have lost all of it. I wonder if Iktomi actually learned his lesson, or if he will still be just as selfish as always?

Iktomi and the Coyote:

This coyote is not as inept as the Loony Toon's Wily Coyote. He tricks Iktomi into thinking that he has died. However, his pride almost gets him thrown into a fire. But he does teach Iktomi a valuable lesson: don't just assume something is dead.

Iktomi and the Turtle:

The Turtle gets his revenge haha. Iktomi tried to take advantage of him, and use him for a free meal. However, Iktomi ends up just getting himself drowned. I'm sure from all of these stories, that it would be clear to Sioux children that they ought to avoid spiders at all costs.

The War Like Seven:

So the fish and the turtle turn out to be some real warriors! They defeat a whole village, including that trickster, Iktomi. Once again, ingenuity often beats raw strength. Ont eh whole, I really enjoyed these stories.