Famous Last Words: Final Thoughts Fall 2017

Finals; Flickr

Wow, I can’t believe its finally finals time! I would like to start off by saying this class has been so much fun! I learned a lot. I didn’t just learn about how to better my writing, but also how to work with technology! I feel like I am technologically challenged sometimes when it comes to new techniques like using pages instead of posts. It took me forever to figure out how to start my project this semester for some reason, but I am happy with the outcome! I got to learn about blogger, the difference between a website URL and the URL to the actual post. My favorite part was definitely the stories. If I had to pick between Epics of India and Mythfolklore, I think I liked Epics of India more.

These next two weeks are definitely going to be a challenge, but I feel I’m ready to tackle it on! Mind over matter is what I keep telling myself. I have my first final Thursday in my Organic Chemistry class, and I am beyond ready to get that over with. I feel that will be the most challenging final, but I sure am glad it’s the first one I have.

I’m mentally preparing myself for long nights at the library, lots of food, water, and tea. I plan to keep my workout schedule in check to release stress and tension, and be able to stay awake these next few days. I also started drinking Pomegranate juice! I don’t know how much energy it provides, but its great for the immune system! I think I have mentally prepared myself for the craziest two weeks. I don’t think you can have finals week completely down even as a senior, but you can always improve on how to take it on each year. Wish me luck!

Week 14 Storytelling: Chuck and Eva

Chuck Bass; Wikipedia

There once was a pretty girl in a village with her father in France. Her name was Eva. She had beautiful blonde her, blue eyes, and a kind heart. She wanted nothing but good for the world. In her free time, she would bake pies, and send the pies to the less fortunate. However, she wasn’t very fortunate herself. She had three dress she wore, and shared a room with her two not so kind sisters. Her father was her best friend. Her father was getting ready for his annual trip to the city, and asked each one of his daughters what they would like. His first daughter said a new outfit, the second daughter said new jewelry, and Eva asked for a rose.

 So the journey began. Eva’s father gathered the few things he had, and started his journey with his horse—Potter. As their journey continued, the weather started to get a little terrifying. It seemed like a blizzard. The father continued when he pulled up to a huge castle. In awe, he got down from the horse, and looked around. He found a rose lying in the snow perfectly untouched. He picked it up, and continued his journey.

Little did he know, a beast was watching from the castle of the name Chuck. Chuck used to be one of the wealthiest young gentlemen in the city. However, his fortune didn’t last long, and a witch disguised as a beautiful princess—Blair, cursed him. Blair told him he shall never have anything if he does not open his heart to goodness.

Chuck demanded his wolves to go find Eva’s father, and bring him back immediately, so that’s exactly what his minions did for their ruler. Chuck awaited Eva’s father to awake.

Eva’s father finally woke up scared, hungry, and lost. The beast looked at the father, and asked for his rose. The father denied giving him Eva’s gift, and Chuck asked to see a picture of this beautiful daughter of his, and when he did, Chuck fell in love. He had never seen such a beautiful young lady. He decided to let the father leave on one condition—bringing Eva to the castle for a grand dinner with the three of them.

The father didn’t see harm in a dinner, so he went back to the village, and brought Eva with him this. Eva was confused as she saw the castle, and wondered why a beast like Chuck would want to see her. She opened the large door, and was greeted with flowers everywhere, a chandelier, and a table filled with every food imagined, and sleek, suave, well-groomed young man at the end of the table. Eva believed in love at first sight, and this was truly that. They both danced away, and Chuck fell in love with her kind heart, and decided to give what’s left of her fortune to her village.

He placed the rose in her hair, and the rest was history. 

Bibliography:  Thomas Fredrick Crane's Italian Popular Tales: Zelinda and the Monster 

Author's Note:  

This story was inspired by the very popular tv show - Gossip Girl. I decided to use Eva and Chuck Bass from the show to put a twist on "Zelinda and the Monster." The original story is from Italy. The story included a dragon as the beast. I wanted my beast to be Chuck because in the show he plays a "beast like" with a heart. The original story ends with Zelinda possibly being the beast's wife after she finds out he was cursed by a witch. The witch in my story was Blair. Blair was the first girl Chuck falls in love with in the show, but the love could not be returned at the time. I hope you enjoy my twist on this tale of Zelinda and the Beast.

Reading Notes: The Language of Animals (B)

Birds; Flickr

The Language of Animals was filled with so many emotions. There were scenes of embarrassment, sadness, pride, guilt, and more. My favorite scene in this story was the end where the son comes back to his father, and mentions how he is the son that he wanted to kill. I was glad he came back to see the father, so the father could realize his worth.

I was not expecting the father to be so brutal towards his own child. I was a little shocked at the fact that he wanted him killed, and to have his heart brought back. I feel the moral of this story was that everyone is special in their own way, and sometimes it’s hard to understand how someone is special, but once it’s understood, others realize their worth. This is the take I got on this story, and something I could use to write my own version.

This story reminded me a lot of my brother and his two pet birds. He absolutely loves them, and takes care of them as if they were his kids. Haha. I can use my brother’s love for his birds as my inspiration on my twist on this tale. I also really enjoyed the journey the son was on after he was unwanted. I feel he also realized his worth on this journey. This was one of my favorite parts as I was reading, as well.

I feel this will be a fun story to put my own twist on! I look forward to writing about self-worth, and unique ways everyone is special. I also plan to include the many emotions from the original story into my own. One thing I wish there was more of was dialogue, so I plan to use dialogue and imagery. Wish me luck! 

Bibliography: Thomas Fredrick Crane's Italian Popular Tales: The Language of Animals

Reading Notes: Zelinda and the Monster (A)

Dragon; Wikipedia

Okay, so after reading this I immediately thought of Beauty and the Beast! I thought the story was super cute and really creative. My favorite part was the rose. Roses are my favorite flower, and I think it’s perfect for this story. I plan to keep a rose in my story. I also really admired Zelinda’s character. She represented selflessness, bravery, and courage. I would like to include these factors into my story, as well! I would like to apply imagery throughout my story to create a beautiful scene of romance and tragedy. I would like to make my story more tragic because I haven’t gotten to write a tragedy just, and I think this would be a perfect story for this theme.

I would like to make the sisters more complex b making the play a bigger role of evil in my story. However, I admire the father’s character, so I would like to keep him the same. One thing in the original story that caught me off guard was how the beast was a dragon! I feel like this would be a great detail to keep in my story. My favorite scene in the original story was how calm Zelinda stayed when she heard what happened to her father, and asked to be taken to the garden. This was such a mature scene.

If you can’t already tell, I’m a big fan of Zelinda. I think I will really enjoy making her grow in maturity even more, and I her character will allow me to write a fairy-tale like romance. The story of Zelinda and the Monster, and the many versions of Beauty and the Beast I’ve watched inspire me to create my own version. Wish me luck! 

Bibliography: Thomas Fredrick Crane's Italian Popular Tales: Zelinda and the Monster