Essay Week 14

I have had lots of different types of experiences with writing. The first thing I can remember is my sophomore year of high school. I had a really great teacher who taught me a lot about writing. That was the year that I felt like being in all Pre-AP classes would be too heavy of a course load so I decided to take a grade level english class. This was my first time in high school to not take an accelerated level class. It was the weirdest thing ever. For the first time I was surrounded by people who really did not care whether or not they did good in their classes. Many of the people in that class did not care about getting into college one day. My teacher could tell from the beginning that I had different passions that the other students in my class. I learned a lot about creativity and writing in his class. He was the one I went to a couple years later to edit my college application essays. He challenged me a lot more because I would often come to him with help on my assignments and he taught me a lot about taking ownership over my writing. We wrote a very lengthy essay over To Kill a Mockingbird in that class. Whenever I think of that book I think of his class because that was the first time I studied it in school. In college I have not had too much experience with writing. This class has honestly been my favorite (which is why I am taking it as a second class with Professor Gibbs) because of all of the freedom to be so creative with writing. I took my college english classes in highschool so I never really had the OU english experience. I will definitely miss this class and getting to write creatively and I hope that when I graduate I will still be able to write. Something I really try to do is write people letters. I love snail mail and will probably try to use it more after I graduate!

Image Information: Cover of To Kill a Mockingbird taken from Wikipedia

Week 14 Storytelling: The Nerd and the Beauty

My name is Lesley Simmons. I have never been the most attractive girl or he most talented or the most popular girl in my school. I have always wanted to climb my way to the top. I never believed it to be possible but one day I thought all of that would change. Apart from my flaws that I feel I possess, I know one thing for sure is that I am an excellent artist. I have been winning art competitions since I was in kindergarten and next year I plan on going to the Savannah College of Art and Design on a full scholarship. Just because I do not have many friends doesn't mean i can't dominate art like I do. Well one day the most popular girl in school found herself in a pickle. I was working on my art project at the workshop when I saw the most popular girl at school crying over her project. She had a lot left to do and I could tell that she did not know how to finish. This was our final art project and if we failed this one we would have to retake the art class in the summer and we would not be able to walk at graduation. I knew what I had to do. I went over to her and asked kindly if she needed my help. She told me she would love that. I told her I would help her if she would just acknowledge me and say hi to me in the hallways. Maybe that way people would talk to me. She agreed and passed her project.

I saw her in the hallway last week and, of course, she said nothing to me. I walked up and said hi to her and asked how her friends liked the art project. She asked me who I was and made all of her friends laugh. That one really hurt. I was completely convinced that she would be changed and realize that it was possible to do something nice for someone else. I guess I should blame myself for thinking that she would change. It was very embarrassing but it ended up working out for good. I sat by myself outside that day at lunch, crying. A boy named Micah came up and asked me what was wrong. I began talking to him and told him what was wrong. When I told him my name, he told me he recognized it from my art on display. Turns out he’s going to SCAD next year as well. Goes to show that you can’t trust anyone but any situation can fool you.

Image Information: Original photo from The Lion and the Crane

Author's Note: I wrote my story based on The Lion and the Crane. In that story, the crane helps the lion and then expects something in return but the lion is selfish and does not do anything for the crane. My story was similar in that a girl needed help like the lion and did not reciprocate the help.

Bibliography Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

Week 14 Indian Fairy Tales

Indian Fairy Tales Unit 

The Lion and the Crane

• The crane helps the lion get a bone out of his throat but when the crane wants something in return, the lion does not help. 

The Broken Pot

• This is a story about being greedy. The man is planning out everything he will buy using the rice and eventually is the one that causes there to be no more rice. 

The Magic Fiddle

• The beginning of this story reminds me of Joseph and the dream coat from the bible. The brother's wives try to kill their sister but she takes revenge on them in the end. 

The Cruel Crane Outwitted

• The crane tries to outwit the fish but ends up getting outwitted by the crabs. 

The Tiger, The Brahman and the Jackal

• The tiger tries to kill the Brahman but instead the brahman and jackal trick the tiger to go back into it's cage. 

Harisarman

• The Harisarman starts poor but is eventually given everything he could ever want.

The Charmed Ring

• The story reminded me of a mixture of Lord of the Rings and the prodigal son from the bible.

The Talkative Tortoise

• The tortoise was riding with the ducks but fell because of the fact that he opened his mouth. 

The Gold-Giving Serpent

• The Brahman's son tried to kill the serpent but he turned around and killed him instead.

Pride Goeth Before the Fall

• The robbers learned not to trust everyone

Why the Fish Laughed

• This one was my favorite because it had such a deeper moral than just about a fish.