Famous Last Words: My Best Writing

Writing. Scrapbookoftruth.net

Writing is not something that has ever come easy for me. I am from an extremely small high school in literally the middle of nowhere and graduated from that school not even knowing how to properly write an essay. You can imagine that moving to a college setting, where writing is an extremely vital skill to have, I was lost. I visited the Writing Center on the University of Oklahoma campus more times than I can count and I worked with my professors to build my writing habits.

I have found that my habits in writing have changed somewhat in this course. Normally, I have to write somewhere where it is extremely silent. I can't have any background noise or distractions. However, in this course, I have found that my best writing happens in the lounge of the residence hall I live in. There is always a lot of activity happening here, and I write best for this class when there is some background noise. I think this has to do with the nature of the stories I have chosen to read in this course. For the most part, the stories I have read have been upbeat, fun, and somewhat whimsical.

I have also found that I like reading stories about different cultures more than I thought I did. I feel like I learned so much outside of writing in this course and I am really thrilled about that. This truly is one of my most favorite classes I have taken here because I have truly enjoyed what I was reading. In the past, I haven't always enjoyed what I was reading, but I liked that I had a choice of what to read and could choose the stories I wanted to read each week.

Week Thirteen Essay: Dante's Inferno

Dante's Infero. WikiCommons.

This week, I read the unit entitled Dante's Inferno. I chose this unit simply for the reason that I have heard about it many times before and knew the main premise of the story, but had never actually read it before. It was a story that I first heard about in high school and I was always so perplexed that someone could write a story like this. After reading it, I still agree with the fact that this is a story that is hard to imagine and was very interesting.

It is hard to pick out a favorite story because they all run together to make one long story. I do like the continuity of each story building on the one before it and creating one large and overarching theme and story within the unit. That being said, I didn't really have a favorite or least favorite story, as they were all important to the overall story as a whole.

The language used in this story was much more archaic than I had expected. Furthermore, there was much more symbolism used that I had anticipated. There were many times that I was completely lost because I didn't know much about the topic, story, or individual the author was alluding to in his writing. Many times, I would have to stop in the middle of a reading, go research something that the author was talking about and come back to start reading the story again. The background information provided in the unit was so helpful, but I still wanted to know more, so I went and did some background research as well in nearly every story.

This story fit into my goals for the class because it put me outside of my comfort zone while reading. Everything from the topic of this story to the symbolization used are things I am not used to in my reading or writing.

Week Thirteen: Dante's Inferno

This week, I decided to read Dante's Inferno. I have heard about this work many times in the past but have never actually read it. I figured this would be a great excuse to read a piece of literature that I have always heard about but don't know much about. This is also very different than the types of stories I have been reading in the past in this class so it will be interesting to change it up.

Dante and Virgil 
The story begins in a dark wood where the way could not be seen. The author, Dante, feared for his life, although he was sleeping. He finally reached the foot of a hill and saw the rays of the sun. His fear became calmer and he decided to rest for a while. He then saw a leopard and ran from it, as it did not run from him. All of a sudden, a lion appeared and even the air itself was afraid. Then in the distance, Dante saw a man and cried out to him. The man answered that he was Virgil, the poet. Virgil instructed Dante to take a different road to escape that wretched place. Virgil then decides to be Dante's guide through Hell so that he could escape that evil and they went on their way.

The Gate of Hell and Charon 
Dante entered the gate to hell and saw above it a dark message inscribed on the wall. Then the two men walked through the gate and onward to hidden things. There were many harsh sounds all around Dante and he learned that they were the never able to die and would always live in darkness. They continued through the wretched place.

Limbo
This story begins with Dante and his guide coming to the shore of Acheron, which was filled with cruel people who blasphemed against God. Charon, a demon near the shore, hit those individuals who stayed near with his oar. This was the place of all who die subject to God's anger. Dante then entered the First Circle: Limbo - The Heathens. Dante found himself on the side of a valley of a sad abyss. They entered the circle and heard nothing but sighing that made the air quiver. There were many individuals who were lost and tormented. Dante was overcome with sadness at the people and saw how they lived in limbo.

Poets and Philosophers, Heroes and Heroines 
Dante and his guide continued to move through Limbo and passed many great poets, Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. They welcomed Dante and made him one of their own. Dante and Virgil continued on and came to the base of a castle. Once inside the castle, they found many important people including Kings, Queens, and other important individuals. He then saw Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates and all the philosophers in the castle. Then he came to a region of darkness.

Paolo and Francesca
This story begins with the Second Circle: Minos - The Carnal Sinners. Dante and Virgil found that this circle was much more painful, as there were many howls and screams. The Minos stands at the entrance of this circle and sends the wicked down as far as he deems necessary according to their crimes. Dante and his guide passed Minos and entered a dark place of much moaning and crying. Virgil then began to tell Dante about each of the sinners they passed including Semiramis, Empress, Dido, Cleopatra, Achilles, Paolo and Francesca. Francesca told him of her pitiful existence and Dante fainted out of pity.

Cerberus and Plutus
Dante then regained his senses after fainting in the Third Circle: Cerberus - The Gluttonous. Then there were more tormented souls in every direction in the cold, heavy rain. Ceberus was a fierce and strange monster with three heads who constantly tortured the souls living there. They kept moving into the Fourth Circle: Plutus - The Avaricious. Plutus croaked many strange phrases at the pair and confused them in the dark place. Dante did not recognize anyone in this circle.

Fortune and Phlegyas 
Virgil then began to tell Dante about Fortune and how she is concealed like a snake in the grass. The pair kept moving and saw a dark blue-grey water and the souls there were eating each other. Virgil told Dante that there were the souls overcome by anger. Then they came to the Fifth Circle: Phylegyas: The Wrathful. They came to the base of a high tower and saw the foul waters below them. A little boat came towards them through the waves and they climbed aboard to continue their journey.

The Fallen Angels 
This story begins as Virgil and Dante enter the City of Dis, located in deep Hell. All along the walls were fallen angels around the gates and who called out to the pair in a confused state. They entered the city and saw the lord's face, devoid of all expression. Dante asked the man if any others had made the journey to hell as he is making and he noted that it is a rare occurrence.

The Furies and Heretics 
Dante and Virgil then saw three Furies that looked like Medusa who were tearing at themselves with their claws. The pair turned their eyes as the actual Medusa was coming and could turn them to stone. Then over the waves came a loud noise and a strong wind, scattering many spirits in its wake. It was a messenger from Heaven, named Stygian who helped them. The pair kept moving and entered the Sixth Circle: Dis - The Heretics. Dante looked around and saw much torment as flames made everything red-hot. These were the arch-heretics and were made to suffer.

The Minotaur and Centaurs 
Dante and Virgil continued down and reached just above the Seventh Circle: The Minotaur. They saw the creature, chained to the mountain and walked past him descending to the seventh circle. They walked over fallen masses of rocks and came to the First Ring: The Centaurs: The Violent. All around the pair, centaurs raced and were carrying weapons. Then, three centaur leaders came forward and asked why they were there. The centaurs bade them goodbye and told them to leave.

The Harpies and Capaneus
Dante and Virgil then continued their journey along the red-hot blood where those being boiled were yelled loudly. People were as far in the blood as their eyebrows and the centaur said that those were the individuals who indulged in blood including Alexander the Great. They then entered the Second Ring: The Harpies - The Suicides. In this circle, there was a wood that was dusky in color and full of thorns. The Harpies, winged creatures made this place their home. They kept walking to the Third Ring: The Violent Against God. There were many people here laying on the ground or crouched. There were cries of pain and flakes of fire falling from the sky. It was a world of eternal heat and burning flesh.

The Old Man of Crete and Geryon 
The pair continued on and they found a place where the red stream came out of the wood. The guide told Dante that there was a deserted island in the middle of the sea named Crete where the world was pure. The stream they were looking at was from a different world. They then left the wood and came across a beast. It was a hairy man with the body of a serpent. They moved towards the beast.

Descending on Geryon's Back 
Dante and Virgil climbed atop the back of the beast and descended to hell. The creature shook all over, and began to fall. As they went down, Dante could hear moaning and saw fire and knew that he must keep his eyes forward. They then entered the Eighth Circle: Malebolge, were all the stone is colored like iron and there are many cliffs. In that place, there were ten moats and bridges that run to the base of the cliffs. Geryon then shook them from his back and they then moved forward.

Jason and the Demons
Within Malebolge, there are many chasms including the first of the pimps and the seducers. They saw Jason, robber of the Golden Fleece there and kept moving. They then came to the second chasm of the flatterers and heard people hitting and scratching themselves. The pair kept moving forward and Virgil told Dante to hide behind a rock since he had no fear. Many demons came forward and Virgil spoke directly to the demon Malacoda. Suddenly, many demons appeared and they were surrounded.

Caiaphas
As Virgil and Dante were surrounded by many demons, they were told they had to go around, as the last arch was broken. Virgil told Dante not to be afraid, as they kept moving. They then found a group of individuals wearing cloaks and moving in a slow step: the hypocrites. A man in the group, a friar, passed a cross to Virgil.

Ulysses and Diomede
This story begins with Dante standing on a bridge and almost falling off due to the spirits in the fire. Virgil told Dante that in the next area, Ulysses and Diomede are tormented in punishment and have to constantly endure it. Ulysses' story was then told to Dante from his past and thee pair then traveled through the ninth chasm where the "sowers of discord" like Mohammad and the tenth chasm where the "falsifiers" are found.

The Giants
The pair passed through the valley safely and saw many giants around the pit and Dante was very afraid. The giants were huge, much large than any elephant or whale. They had long faces and savage mouths. They met many giants including Nimrod, Ephilates, and Antaeus. Virgil and Dante then continued on through the eighth circle of hell and its many chasms to the ninth circle to meet Count Ugolino.

Ugolino
Next, Dante was two spirits in a hole. One was gnawing on the head of the other. Count Ugolino told his story of grief and how he was forced to eat his own sons corpses in the tower of famine after they were imprisoned. He could not tell his whole story and began gnawing on the other spirit again in despair.

Satan
This story begins with the words, "The banners of the King of the Inferno advance." Virgil and Dante moved forward, against the wind, past many who were being tortured. Then they saw Lucifer, a large spirit who was once so fair. He stood up from the ice he was sitting in and the evil flowed from him. Dante was three faces on his head. He chewed a sinner between his teeth and Dante learned that it was Judas Iscariot. The pair then had to climb along Satan's body to get out, as they had seen all of hell.

Week Twelve Essay: Beowulf

Beowulf. Matherart.

This week, I read one of my most favorite stories from my high school literature class: Beowulf. I definitely enjoyed the readings this week. I found that I really enjoy when units have a flow of a story that happens in it rather than a lot of smaller, short stories. This way, the reader is almost forced to come back to read the rest of the unit. It gives the unit nice continuity in the reading and I definitely prefer this running story in a unit, rather than short, choppy stories.

I didn't necessarily have a favorite or least favorite story this week, as all of the smaller stories were needed in order to give the overall story its finished plot. Something I loved in the reading this week was the amount of detail provided in the stories. There were so many wonderful uses of imagery and description in the stories that made it so easy for an reader to put themselves into the world of Beowulf.

This unit didn't have notes on every page, however I didn't find that confusing or challenging in any way. The story itself isn't in a very antiquated language and is fairly easy to understand. I did do some back research to find out where this story came from, but the lack of notes on every page really didn't hinder my ability to read and comprehend the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Like I noted above, I did read this story in high school but I was excited to re-read it with different eyes. I have grown so much academically since my senior year of high school so I was excited to process this story in a different way than in the past. I would definitely recommend this reading to anyone who is interested in a story with a clear hero, lots of action, and great use of imagery.

Week Twelve Storytelling: Grendel Attacks

Beowulf and Grendel. BECUO.

It sure is good to be me. I have been growing in strength the past few months after moving regions to this place called Danesland. In the city, there are so many prime suspects for my mother and I to eat. Each night, we go into the city and take a man for our own. Our most favorite dish is the young men of the city. Their young blood is the elixir of life that keeps us going.

I guess I should back up and explain. I am what is known as monsters or giants to humans. We are green in color, with scales like snakes covering our whole bodies. I have heard many humans say that we are terrifying, yet I don't agree. We are huge creatures, larger than any other creatures to walk this Earth. We have yellow eyes that shine through the night and enable us to see at any hour of the day or night. Our gills allow us to swim underwater and let us live in our underwater cave.

In addition to all this, we have a special gift that no other monsters have. We are able to use magic to cast a deep spell on the citizens of the city. We are able to cause a deep stillness in the city that even the strongest of men cannot stir from. It is a strange gift to learn but now that we have mastered it, it has been very beneficial to my mother and I in our quest for food.

Back to where I was. I have heard rumors through the land that a man is coming to Danesland to try to conquer me. The people say that he is stronger than all men, with the strength of a thousand bulls and the ability to conquer anyone or anything with whom he comes into contact. Of course, this is something I have worried about when I heard of his existence. This man, Beowulf, is said to be coming to Danesland to kill me and my mother. We will see if he can find me because I will use my magic first.

I wish him the best of luck, as it will be a battle to the death.

Author's Note:
This is an excerpt from the tale of Beowulf. In this retelling, I decided to tell the story of Grendel, a vicious monster from Danesland, attack on Beowulf. In this story, Beowulf, the strongest of the men in the land came to Danesland to save them from this vicious monster. He planned to fight Grendel from the time he came to Danesland and I thought it would be interesting to tell this story of Grendel's Attack from Grendel's point of view in the mode of a diary.

This storytelling method will allow readers to see the backstory of Grendel and see just why he is so angry. I used many details from the reading as well as changing the original story up just a little bit.

Bibliography
Book Title: The Story of Beowulf
Story Title: Grendel Attacks
Author: Stafford Riggs
Year: 1933

Week Twelve: Beowulf

I haven't read the story of Beowulf since high school! I decided to read this unit this week so that I could read it with new eyes. The huge amount of things I have learned since high school will continue to my clearer understanding of this story and I wanted to read a story this week that had some continuity from story to story.

King Gygelac of Geatsland
Long ago, there was a kingdom called Geatsland who had a ruler named Hyfelac. The Geats were very warlike, living in harsh terrain. They dealt with many monsters of the land and sea. The King and Queen of the land had valiant warriors among them who often told stories of their travels. These warriors told their stories to the younger men in the city and they listened with wide eyed eagerness.

The Young Beowulf 
One of the youths that listened to the many stories was a man named Beowulf, the nephew of the King. He had much strength and lived with his uncle. At times, his strength was too much and he broke everything he touched. When he was 16, Beowulf won a swimming race and swam for 5 days. One day, there was a feast thrown for Beowulf in the castle. Many of the lords were not happy that a man as young as Beowulf was being honored. Beowulf sat in gloomy silence and drank stonily as he longed to go to war.

The Wanderer's Song
The King waved his hand and the whole hall fell silent as a wander brought a song for them to hear from over land and sea. The mistrel walked to the front of the hall with his harp and began to sing of the North, of the forests, and of dragons. He sang of the grey sea and of monsters of the deep. The mistrel then sang of Hrothgar, King of the Danes and how a beast has struck fear into the hearts of those in Daneland. The monster was part man and part bird and called Grendel. None could slay Grendel.

Beowulf's Resolve
Beowulf was bewitched by the song. He wanted to seek out Grendel and slay him. He proclaimed this desire to the entirety of the hall and the lords began to murmur. The King charged him with killing Grendel in order to prove his worth. Beowulf finished his drink and received the King's embrace.

Beowulf's Journey
For a week, the kingdom prepared for Beowulf's journey. Beowulf wanted to go alone, yet the King commanded that a companion accompany him. Special shields were made and many cloaks were given to him. The King told Beowulf to uphold the honor of Geatsland and was given a golden collar. Beowulf boarded a ship and departed to the open sea.

Beowulf Lands in Daneland
The ship fought the waves and saw many monsters of the deep. Finally, they came to the coast of Daneland and a mighty storm arose, forcing them to find a small inlet and dock. As they landed, they were accosted by an old man with a huge spear. Beowulf told the man who he was and they took off to find the King of Daneland.

Beowulf Comes to Heorot
Beowulf and his companion trudged through the dense forest and finally found a marsh. They came upon a pillaged village with no life that could be seen. Finally, they made it to the castle and the King's herald appeared. The King appeared and the men introduced themselves. The King knew Beowulf as a child and warned him that Grendel would come. A feast was then prepared for the visitors.

The Words of Unferth
That night, there was a great feast for the first time in 12 years. It was not a joyful gathering, as there was much sorrow in the hearts of the Danes. Beowulf sat at the King's feet and was next to Unferth, who sat in moody silence. A gloom hung over the hall and finally Unferth cried out that Beowulf was not worthy and should return home.

The Words of Beowulf 
Unferth started at Beowulf in hatred. He had never taken up the fight of Grendel and that played largely into his frustrations. Beowulf told Unferth the true story of his fight in the sea and spoke with temperate words. At last, the King and Queen drank to the destruction of Grendel and the banquet resumed. Finally, the warriors departed and silence ensued.

Grendel Attacks
The story continues as Beowulf is dreaming. Suddenly, there was a rustling in the trees and a shadow appeared in the moonlight and it was Grendel. Beowulf was under a spell, causing him to be groggy and grew more and more sleepy. Then, the door burst open and Grendel came through, causing Beowulf to be awoken. He saw the monster and was struck with horror at the creature. Grendel devoured Hondscio, one of the men with Beowulf and he leapt from his bed ready to fight.

The Battle with Grendel
The fight between Beowulf and Grendel ensued, as they fought silently through the streets of Heorot, as the town was under a spell of deep slumber. The fight turned to mortal combat and Beowulf had the upper hand. Finally, Beowulf tore off Grendel's arm and the spell was broken. The soldiers who had been in a deep sleep woke up and the men took the mangled arm into the city. People crowded around and viewed the token of Grendel.

A New Misfortune
The King and Queen entered the hall and found Beowulf, rejoicing in his accomplishment. There was a great feast. Suddenly, a messenger came to to tell that Aescher was murdered by a fiend; Grendel's mother. Beowulf then grabbed his sword and called the men to kill the monster. A man gave Beowulf his sword and took off to find Grendel's mother.

Seeking Grendel's Mother
Beowulf rode off to find Grendel's mother in search of the beast. Finally, they found a evil lake filled with many monsters. Beowulf knew that he had to go into the lake to find the monster. He wanted to go alone and ran into the lake. He sank down to the bottom and felt things brushing against his legs. The water then began to glow and saw a forest made of living cora and flowers. He was attached by jellyfish and killed a hundred-armed monster. he kept sinking and began to wonder when he would find the monster he came to kill.

Beowulf Battles Grendel's Mother
Beowulf continued to sink and something grabbed him around the waist and dragged into a glowing cave. The monster was ugly, equipped with a full head of snakes as hair, fangs, and burning eyes. She grabbed Beowulf and he saw Grendel in the corner of the cave. Beowulf was petrified, as he was smothered under the monster. He drew his sword but it fell to the ground and the fight ensued. Beowulf was able to grab the sword and cut her in half. He cut off Grendel's head and threw the two bodies into the flames. He floated back to the top of the lake.

Beowulf's Triumph
Beowulf was gone for so long that his companions left him and went home. Only a few stayed and when they saw the water has been stained with blood, began to worry. They saw Beowulf rise to the top of the lake and shouted in glee. There was much rejoicing as they went back to Heorot. Beowulf noted that his task was done and was to return home. He was given many riches and then set sail back home.

The Arrival of the Dragon
Many years passed and Beowulf was regarded as one of the greatest heroes of the north. There was great prosperity and Beowulf grew in stature and strength. One day, a stranger came to see the King and he wished to speak to Beowulf. The visitor fell upon his knees and told a great tale to the King and Beowulf.

Preparing for Battle
The stranger told a tale of riches that could be plundered when suddenly a roar rung out to the crowd. The warriors went to secure the door but blue flames burst through the door, as a dragon rushed in. Beowulf got everyone out as dawn came. Beowulf gathered his men in the forest to go to battle as they discussed a battle plan. They decided to fight the dragon and drive him from their land.

Battle with the Dragon 
Night fell as they neared the spot where the dragon was. Beowulf told his followers that he would have to fight the dragon alone. Beowulf yelled to the dragon and called him to battle. The dragon was huge, covered in razors and billowing fire and smoke. The battle began, each contender weaving left and right to avoid each other's grasp. Beowulf tried to find the soft spot on the dragon and his legs shook beneath him. The world around him began to spin.

The End of Beowulf 
Finally, Wiglaf, Beowulf's friend, came to his aid and they fought the dragon side by side. Beowulf was caught by the dragon's tail and he sank to the ground. Wiglaf sunk his sword into the dragon and no sound came from it. The dragon was slain and Wiglaf turned to Beowulf, who was dying. Beowulf died as the greatest and truest of heroes. His body was carried to his home and men and women gathered from near and far to marvel at the dragon. Beowulf was laid to rest and he was passed onto his own gods.

Week Eleven Storytelling: The Drawing of the Sword

Arthur and Excalibur. Art.com

I am so tired of waiting. Waiting, waiting, sitting and waiting. That is all I do day in and day out. I am waiting for my savior to rescue me from this lonely and terrible place. Knights come here nearly every day to try to pull me from this wretched stone, but none prevail. How I wish that someone would come to my rescue.

Wait, I'm so sorry. I'm sure you have no idea what I am talking about. Let me start from the beginning to tell you how I became the sword that many have searched for, many have spent endless hours pulling at my handle, and left in frustration.

Let's start from the beginning; the part that no one knows. I am an ordinary sword under a magical spell by an ancestor of the great Merlin. The story begins with an angry King of many years past. He was a tyrant, leading his nation into many wars and conquering kingdoms across the land. He and I went into many battles together, always conquering anything in sight.

The King grew old and his adviser, Malon, cast a spell on his sword so that only those worthy of being the next King could reign. He placed me in a rock while muttering a strange incantation that I did not understand. The words "He who pulleth out this sword is by right of birth King of England," assuring that the King's son, who only wanted to carry out the will of his tyrant father, could not be the rightful King of England.

And then I was all alone. It has been years since the day when Malon cast the spell and yet I am still here in this rock, wasting away. I couldn't tell you how many years it has been. One hundred? One thousand? It could be more than that, yet I sit here day after day, year after year as knights by the hundreds try to see if they are the true King of England.

The worst part about my existence is seeing the continual disappointment of the knights. They arrive, excited and anxious to begin the rest of their lives. However, when they leave, they walk away with slouched posture, bowed heads, and curse words under their breath. This disappointment soaks into my very soul every day, telling me I may never be freed from this stone prison.

Who is that coming now? He looks like a young man, handsome, with no sword of his own. "Arthur!" a boy next to him calls out. "I tried this last year and now it's your turn!"

The boy canters over to me, peering over the rocks to where I am wedged. I pray that this will be the one; that Arthur will be the one to set me free. He grabs my handle and pulls ever so slightly. I spring to life as I am pulled from the stone sheath. Free at last!

Author's Note:
This week, I decided to try something new in my storytelling method. I haven't written from the view of an inanimate object yet, and I have been wanting to try this. So, this week, I decided to retell the story of The Drawing of the Sword from the point of view of the sword, Excalibur.

In this story, the sword has been in a rock waiting for an able knight to come pull it from the stone. The original story doesn't note how the sword got in the stone, so I wanted to tell the backstory of the sword and tell the story from the sword's point of view.


Bibliography
Book Title: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table
Story Title: The Drawing of the Sword
Author: Andrew Lang
Year: 1902

Week Eleven: King Arthur

This week, I am reading the King Arthur unit. I remember reading books about King Arthur and the knights of the roundtable when I was a child and being fascinated with that period in history. I am excited to read these stories again and possibly some new ones!

The Drawing of the Sword
The story begins in ancient, kingless Britain. There were many knights who tried to seize the crown but Merlin, the magician, saw a sword in a great stone. He said that whoever pulled the sword from the stone was the be the rightful King of England. Many knights tried to pull the sword and many were unsuccessful. One day, a tournament was held to see who could gain the sword and a man named Sir Ector, his son, and a boy name Arthur were in attendance. Arthur needed a sword and pulled the sword from the stone as if it was nothing. His uncle knew it was not his sword. Sir Ector told Arthur that he was the rightful king, as he had removed the enchanted sword. Arthur took the sword and offered it to the altar where he was crowned king.

The Questing Beast
Now that Arthur was King, he had many battles to fight and conquer. He often listened to Merlin for help and was helped by his magical sword. One night Arthur had a strange dream that the earth was overrun with creatures that killed his people. He went to the forest and a beast came after him. It was a strange beast. The King watched the creature and followed it until he killed it.

The Sword Excalibur
This story begins with King Arthur becoming wounded and being healed after being put in a magical sleep by Merlin. Arthur was without a sword, and an arm came out of the lake holding a sword. Merlin and Arthur looked at the maiden standing in the water and gave him the sword as long as he would give her a gift in return. They brought the sword back to land and found that when one is wearing the scabbard, he cannot be wounded.

The Round Table
The story of the round table begins with Arthur wanting to take a wife but not having time to while fighting so many battles. He asked Merlin what he should do because the woman he loves is unattainable. Arthur asked for Leodegrance's permission to marry his daughter and he was able to. Two young men were dubbed knight as the story ends.

The Passing of Merlin
Sir Tor, who was crowned at the Round Table, was given a seat there. Merlin saw that Tor and his wife were happy together. One day Merlin who showed Vivien some powers was then betrayed by her as she killed him with the powers he taught her. Merlin was buried alive and the damsel left with joy.

King Arthur and Morgan le Fay
This story begins with Morgan le Fay, a magical sister of King Arthur. She was very vengeful, but let no one know of her intentions. One day, Morgan left the country with the blessing of Queen Guenevere and rode until she found her brother. She told the scabbard and went away. The King went looking for her and she continued to run away. Arthur gave up and went back to the Abbey to rest. He was angry with his sister.

The Quest of the Holy Graal
This story begins with an explanation of the Holy Graal. It is a vessel used by our Lord brought to Britain by Joseph of Arimathea. The relic is invisible to men because of their sins but now and then it appeared by angels or floating in a heavenly light. The Knights made a vow to find it and that became their only job, against the King's will. This story is compared to a beautiful dream.

The King's Pilgrimage
The King decided to go on a pilgrimage to find the Holy Graal. He went forth with a youth so he would not be alone. The youth, named Chaus, had a strange dream the night before they left. He dreamed that the King had left without him and he found the King in a chapel. Then, by a scream of a squire, the King and Queen were awoken from their slumber and the youth told them of his dream. Because of the dream, King Arthur went on the journey alone and resolved to bring peace to his kingdom.

The Coming of the Holy Graal
The story begins on the eve of Pentecost with the knights at the round table ready for a feast. They heard a loud crash and a sunbeam appeared and in floated the Holy Graal. The Graal left and the King knew he had to go after it. The next day, he bid the kingdom farewell and went to see the Holy Graal.

Sir Galahad and the White Knight
Sir Galahad went to the White Abbey to rest after traveling for many days. He talked to two knights who had came in search of a shield that could cure all men. They saw the white shield in the Abbey and King Bagdemagus took it and rode away. He was not the noblest of all knights, as the shield did not protect him. They learned that the shield was meant to save Sir Galahad only. He hung the shield around his neck and met the White Knight. They each went off in search of the Holy Graal.

Sir Lancelot's Vision
This story begins with Sir Lancelot finding an old chapel with a high altar inside. He laid down by a cross in the chapel and all of a sudden, a candle floated toward him and so did the Holy Vessel of the Graal. Lancelot was then cured of his illness. He kissed the cross and wondered if what he had seen was a dream or not. Lancelot looked around and saw that his helm and sword were gone and his horse was gone also. He wept and left on foot quite sadly.

The Adventure of Sir Percivale
Sir Percivale begins this story with his own dangerous adventures. He came across Sir Lancelot who was without a horse. Percivale rode as fast as he could until he saw a woman before him. The woman lent him her horse, but the horse was a fiend. Percivale then fought a strange creature and saved a lion from harm.

Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights
This story begins with Lancelot moving through the forest and finding out that Sir Galahad was his son who was in search of the Holy Graal. Lancelot then left the hermit he was staying with and found five hundred knights riding on horseback. A war broke out and Lancelot helped the lesser of the sides, the black knights. After the battle, Lancelot left and came across a nun who told him of his future.

Sir Gawaine and the Hermit
Sir Gawaine rode along the countryside alone before he met Sir Ector de Maris and was happy. They talked and all of a sudden, they heard a voice that told them that Galahad would die a holy man and Gawaine left immediately.

The Adventure of Sir Bors
Sir Bors went off in search of the Holy Graal. He came across a man on a donkey and they rode together into the hermitage. Sir Bors then left and had many adventures, once almost killing his own brother. He then went to the sea and on the shore found a vessel as well as Sir Percivale. They shared their adventure with one another.

Sir Galahad and the Mysterious Ship
This story begins with Sir Galahad leaving a hermitage for another adventure. He reached the sea and found a ship where Sir Bors and Sir Percivale were lying. They found a ship that only the best of knights could navigate. He found a sword and tried to grab it. Neither Sir Bors nor Sir Percivale could grab it, yet Sir Galahad could.

Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad
Lancelot came to a water and fell asleep. He went to find an adventure and found the dead woman from the previous story with the tale of her adventures. Galahad and Lancelot met, enjoying each other's company. They lived in that shit for half a year and after that time, went into the forest to quest. The father and son then bid farewell and Lancelot went back to Camelot.

Sir Galahad and the Graal
Sir Galahad went to find the Graal. He rode until he found a ship awaiting them and saw the Holy Graal covered with red samite. The Graal healed him and he was given a place at the round table back home. At the end of the year, Galahad was crowned king and sent Percivale and Bors away. He was praying when his soul suddenly left his body. Percivale died shortly after and Lancelot fell to his old sins again.

The End of Arthur 
This story begins with Arthur lying wounded on a battlefield. He told Sir Bedivere to take Excalibur and throw it in the water. Instead of doing this, Bedivere hid it under a tree and Arthur knew he was lying and Bedivere did it again. King Arthur was then put on a barge and died. Queen Guenevere stole away after hearing of his death. She became a nun. Lancelot often visited the tomb of his parents, Queen Genevere and King Arthur. Sir Lancelot then died in his bed from sadness and was taken to heaven.

Week Ten Essay: Visiting the Writing Center

Writing. OU Writing Center. 

This week, I did something that I have never done in my time at the University of Oklahoma. I am currently working on a term paper that will determine my grade in one of my political science classes, so I decided to visit the OU Writing Center.

It is somewhat embarrassing that I haven't ever been to the Writing Center before. It is a very helpful place and I preach about it all the time. As a Small Group Leader for Camp Crimson and a Peer Teaching Assistant for Freshmen Programs and Gateway to College Learning. My students always ask me to proofread their papers and I do so and then tell them to visit the Writing Center just to double-check. I probably tell people to visit the Writing Center at least twice a week for the past three years and I have never been myself.

I went into the session knowing that I needed help organizing my thoughts and correctly using APA style. My professor was very specific about the type of citations we had to use and I needed some help double-checking my citations. Furthermore, another big goal I had for the session was to make sure that my ideas made sense to someone else. They made sense to me because I have been working tirelessly on this paper for weeks but they might not make sense to someone else.

The tutor I was paired with was so helpful! I have heard good and bad things about the Writing Center before but, didn't know exactly what to expect. My tutor was very patient with me with all my questions about citations. He didn't act as if I was dumb or act annoyed and was very calm in his approach to writing. I really appreciated the calm way he spoke and how helpful he was.

I took away a lot from this session. First, I gained some valuable insight into strategies for better formatting. I was able to run my ideas by someone to see if they made sense at all, and I realized that I have been missing out and wished that I would have went to the Writing Center sooner.

I will definitely be using the OU Writing Center again in the future for research-type papers. They were so helpful!

Week Ten Storytelling: Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts

Eskimo Folk Tales. Abela Publishing.

Diary Entry #1
Today, I am alone and needed someone to talk to. I figured that writing here would help me have someone or something to talk to. This is so hard for me to do, but I heard once from the elders of the village that those who can write should record everything we can so as to keep history up to date. Today I lost my family. They should have known better about the seaweed, but it took both my parents and my older sister as well. Now it is just me and the fierce tides that beat against the island.

Diary Entry #2
Today was a hard day. Some strangers came to take me away to look after me. My family knew of my disability and never made fun of it. However, these strangers just don't understand me. They do not understand how hard it can be living in a body where half of it just doesn't work. I can't walk around normally as others do and they act as if it is a joke. I hope that I will soon like my new home, but today I do not.

Diary Entry #3
The strangest thing happened to me today. I was in our hut alone with the family was out hunting and I heard a noise. It frightened me so I hid behind the skins hanging on the wall. All of a sudden, a ghost walked in, drank some water and left. I was so confused and when I tried to tell the family after they returned, they did not believe me.

Diary Entry #4 
I'm not sure what is happening to me. I could be going crazy or I could be dying, but I keep seeing ghosts. Today, the ghosts appeared again and began to play on the floor, rolling and laughing with each other. But, as soon as the family returned home, the ghosts fled, leaving me alone again. This might be strange, but when the ghosts are here, I feel a sort of strength that flees when they leave. I have grown to love their presence because they help me feel less lonely.

Diary Entry #5
Today is a day of great rejoicing, although it did not begin that way. The day began with the ghosts coming back, bringing me strength with them. This time, my parents were with them. I had never been so happy in my life to see them and they asked me to go away with them. I am writing this last entry as a ghost, happily living with my family again. They turned me to a ghost, no longer disabled, and we are able to live here in happiness!

Author's Note: 
This week, I decided to tell a somewhat sad story. In my storybook, I have been writing very whimsical stories of nursery rhymes but when I read this story of Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts, it really stuck out to me. In the story, Qalagánguasê is a lame boy who sees many ghosts and tries to tell others what he has seen. The people around him do not believe him and it makes him very angry.

In the end, the boy decides to go with the ghosts to their land so he would no longer be disabled. In the beginning of the story, Qalagánguasê also looses his family so I thought a diary entry from this character would be beneficial to hearing his thoughts and feelings.

Bibliography
Book Title: Eskimo Folk-Tales
Story Title: Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts 
Author: Knud Rasmussen
Year: 1921