The Sandman

This was a very interesting read. Besides the story, The illustrator really caught my eye. The detail in the illustrations mad the story that much more life like to me. it was almost like I actually pictured my self there as the story went on. As years of the story changed and the characters aged, i felt as if i aged with them and witnessed everything going on. At first i thought i saw a good vs evil plot with the actions of Doctor Hathaway and Mr. Burgess, but as the story continues you realize the trickery with Mr. Burgess. I also liked the fact that the author included the lives of other minor characters to keep the reader interested in the story. But once again big props to Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, and Malcolm Jones for their illustrations.

American Born Chinese

I really enjoyed reading this text. it stuck out to me more that anything else we have read for class this semester. I enjoyed watching the monkey king go through what he had to do to become "the great sage, equal of heaven" I believe there is a strong message behind the text. This message can be explained better by the song lyric of none other than rap artist Jay Z. The lyric goes "You can change your cloths, but that's just the top layer, Man you was who you was when you got here." What Jay Z means by this lyric is you can change what you look like or act completely different, but you'll always be who you originally are, where ever you go. This relates strongly to the actions of the Monkey King. Even though "The monkey king/ The Great Sage Equal of Heaven" mastered the Twelve Disciplines Of  Kung Fu, he is still a monkey. 

America Indian Myths and Legends -- When Grizzlies walked up right

I found this folktale particularly interesting because it reminds me so much of my family. In the folktale, the father of the little girl who was lost than taken in by grizzle bears is very similar to my father. Not that my father is a chief spiritual being in control of the sky, but because of the way he acted when he found out his daughter created another race. My father would go insane if i married a non Russian-Jew. He would have probably done the exact same thing the chief of the sky spirits had done if he caught me with someone out side of my Jewish-Russian heritage. I also found this folktale very interesting because of its "history." Although it may not  be true that Grizzle bears ever walked in a up right position, it was very entertaining to read about what may have once been.

MI    

Aesop, Aristotle, and Animals: The role of fables in Human life

    On page 180, in the second paragraph, Clayton goes on to tell us the lesson of the fable from Hesiod's Works and Days. Clayton states "In other words, might makes right, the weak suffer at the whim of the stronger, and rebellion by the weak is futile and only brings more pain and the potential for destruction". In my personal opinion, this is very true. All over the world we witness the the weak suffering from something the stronger has done. Weather it be corrupt government making their citizens lives harder (Africa) , or unfair working conditions from a grumpy boss who makes your life harder (personal experience). Might does make right in these situations, but sometimes might is limited. A person can only do so much when the problem they face is their own government. It all comes down to living with what is put on your plate, or die. Although rebellion may seem like the only way out of an unfair way of living, death is usually what the rebels are left with.

-MI