Week 4 Story Planning: The Healing Name of Ra

Most of my story will follow the original story. I will begin the story by establishing the fact that Ra has more than one name. Then I will introduce the antagonist of the story, Isis. I think I want to expand a bit on her backstory other than wanting to hold power equal to that of Ra's. Older stories sometimes lack character motivation, so I think this would be a great opportunity to add to the story. 

Next, I will want to introduce the character who will become ill due to Isis. I will want to establish a daily routine for this character and show how Isis will interfere with that routine. Do I want to keep a serpent? I could change it up a bit as it doesn't really matter. Maybe I'll choose whatever animal the god I end up using is most associated with. This could help me because that god would then probably trust that animal, and it would provide a reason that god would interact with the animal. This will allow me to change up how the attack plays out and not rely on an invisible creature.

Ra had company at the time of the attack, so I probably want to keep this aspect to provide writer's convenience. From here, I will need to decide who the chosen god will ask for. Ra called upon his children. Maybe I will use one of Ra's children, and then I can have the offspring call upon Ra in my story. This also might give a bit of an emotional tie to provide the motivation to Ra to reveal his name. 

However, as I type this, I question to myself why Ra wouldn't be able to heal his child. So maybe the selected god asks for Ra, but his company is Isis who then takes the god hostage. I could set up some reason Isis is aware and can help (with Ra's name revealed), but write it so that it doesn't seem like Isis is behind everything (though she is).

From here, I would then deal with the struggle of Ra keeping or revealing his name. Maybe he will try lesser things to see if it satisfies the unknown perpetrator. Now I need to decide if he will succeed through a clever idea that doesn't require his hidden name, if he will give up his name to save his child, or if he will forgo revealing his name and let his child perish. I think I should sleep on this decision and see what seems like the best direction after reflection.

~ ~ ~

Author's Note: I took the story The Secret Name of Ra and imagined it slightly different. The original story sees Ra become ill due to Isis' actions that were motivated by her desire to know the secret name. Ultimately, Ra revealed the name to Isis and became whole again. For my version, I wondered if Ra would reveal his name if it were instead another god in great pain. Would he be selfish and keep his name to himself, thus dooming the ill god to death? Or would Ra act out of mercy? I also changed the name of the story to better reflect the power of Ra's name.

Bibliography: The Secret Name of Ra, by Donald Mackenzie

Image: The Egyptian Goddess Isis, via Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Ancient Egypt, Part B

Something I like about the stories of part B is that it contains longer stories broken up into parts. As a writing strategy, I might want to tell one story separated into different parts. This kind of storytelling is very common in tales of great heroes who have to complete tasks so I might choose a hero and chronicle his journey of tasks.

Another story writing technique that is used, and is used in other stories, is essentially pitting two people (frequently, siblings in more ancient stories) against each other. There's something gripping about seeing a family working against each other. Obviously, the conflict must be strong and warranted. And just because the story is told from the perspective of one particular person doesn't mean the other is without justification. Ultimately, the conflict is resolved, and the family is at peace again.

In the Book of Thoth, it seems like Nefer-ka-ptah became possessed by the Book. These are usually fun stories because the character doesn't really have ultimate control over his being, though it is as a result of his own will. In addition, the knowledge imparted was ultimately regretted by the maker of said knowledge. Maybe a story I write could include the downfall of Thoth due to the book he wrote getting in the hands of Nefer-ka-ptah.

~ ~ ~ 

Bibliography: Egyptian Myth and Legend, by Donald Mackenzie

Image: Thoth, via Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Ancient Egypt, Part A

Like most creation stories I've read, this reading begins by going explaining how every being comes into existence. I also note the similarities between various religious stories. The story "The Secret Name of Ra" speaks of a great flood. The Egyptian mythology, as well as the Bible both, were created in the roughly the same region. This makes me wonder if both accounts were inspired by the same event, just with different explanations.

A storytelling technique I noticed in "The Secret Name of Ra" is that the focus of the story is never revealed. Isis persues Ra's secret name, and she does find out what it is. However, it is never stated. This exact scenario actually reminds me of the show Doctor Who. Only the Doctor knows his true name, and like Ra's, his name is thought to hold great power in and of itself.

Overall, these stories follow the same formula as most other religions. I do, however, like to look at the contrast between polytheistic religions, such as this one, and monotheistic religions. It seems monotheistic religions focus heavily on the inhabitants of the creation, most likely because there aren't other deities from which stories may arise.

~ ~ ~

Bibliography: Egyptian Myth and Legend, by Donald Mackenzie

Image: Sun God Ra, via Wikimedia Commons

Famous Last Words: Week Three, the Week of Stress

Week three proved to be an incredibly stressful week. Life happened. There was nothing I could've done to make the week a bit easier. But I survived; I didn't shut down. Finishing the readings was difficult, but luckily I had the extra credit assignment to make up for the missed reading on Monday.

I feel like I wrote to get by, not to improve. Sometimes that's what it takes to keep going, but I can't allow myself to continue to just "get by". I did, however, read a great story this week. It was about Jupiter (the Roman god), and it was really fun to read. The writer gave Jupiter a playboy persona, and it worked incredibly well.

As far as my other classes, there's a really weird contrast between this one and all of the others. Being in the college of business, most of my writing is business-like: short, to-the-point, succinct. This class makes me want to make all of my writing creative and fun; all of my other classes make me want to make all of my writing direct and unimaginative. I think, however, that working with both styles will really help me, both in technique and in being able to switch back-and-forth between the two styles as needed.

On campus, UPB is having its first ever UPB Week. Each day, there will be an event with prizes and free food. It's really exciting, and there is even a hella-hype promotional video.

For this class, I'm hoping to get ahead. If life decides to suck again, I'd like to be in a position where I have one less class to worry about. Luckily that's possible. Now I just need to motivate myself to do it. Also, hopefully, I survive my world music class. I just found the syllabus (it was oddly placed), and there's a 7-9 page essay due at the end. Help.

~ ~ ~

Image: Don't Panic Button, via Pixabay

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part B

My first thing I noticed in reading Part B of this selection is how vengeful Venus is portrayed. It reminds me of many classic fairy tales; they all share one thing in common -- a mean-spirited mother. I wonder where and why this tradition started. Even men today are known for hating their stepmother, though maybe for different reasons. As I continue to read, I keep getting classic fairy tale vibes from the story. However, the one big difference from many of the more modern fairy tales is that in Cupid and Psyche, it's the man in trouble. 

Overall, the story feels very formulaic, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. Psyche has hardships to overcome. There are some tasks in her way. Obviously, this storytelling technique has survived ages, so maybe formulaic is good.

 ~ ~ ~

 Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline, source
Image: Psyche in the Underworld, by Hillemacher

Tech Tip: Hashtags and Retweets

One post I retweeted was about PBS Idea Channel's video on Westworld. I chose this particular tweet for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Westworld is one of my favorite shows to watch. It weaves thought-provoking questions about consciousness and what it means to be human represented by The Maze within the show. Link: https://twitter.com/OnlineMythIndia/status/820003746306543617

One hashtag that caught my attention was #DressLikeAWoman. Not surprisingly, there's another controversy with President Trump. Reportedly, the president has made claims that suggest that he expects women to comply with gender roles. By that, I mean that he expects women to wear dresses because that's what a "real woman" would wear. In response, people are tweeting photos of women in different kinds of outfits -- from jeans and a t-shirt to astronaut suits -- in defiance of his comments to show that an outfit does define the "real"-ness of a woman.

Week 3 Storytelling: Two Tickets to Paradise

Abel, son of Adam and Eve, awoke one morning to begin his daily duties. After saying his morning prayer, he ran over to a particular wall of the Cave of Treasures that was utilized for keeping up with the date -- a makeshift calendar. It was time! Abel dashed off to find his parents who were with his brother Cain. Cain and Abel always seemed to be scuffling with each other, but it was always ignored under the mantra "boys will be boys." For once in Abel's life, granted he was only four years of age, he wanted to make Cain feel special. So he first gave Cain the special news. 5,500 years had finally passed, and it was time to return to Paradise. Excitement grew quick in the Cave as the family rejoiced. No longer would they be exiled. The continued their day awaiting God.

Breakfast had just ended when two angelic figures appeared before the family. "Behold! God's promise is fulfilled!" the first one proclaimed. The second one then extended out an envelope in hand. As soon as Eve grasped the envelope, the visitors were gone. Many years had passed since Adam and Eve first entered the Cave of Treasures, and the outside world now referred to itself as "2017 A.D." Inside the envelope, Eve found two pieces of parchment, nearly identical in appearance. Unaware of what they were to be used for, they quickly fell to their knees and prayed.

"Dear Lord, the time has come for us to be with you again! We know not what these signs mean, so we pray that you reveal to us your mighty plan." Adam finished up his prayer and awaited an answer. Soon the Lord's Word came upon Adam and Eve, and all was made known. The two pieces of parchment were airline tickets. Using these the family must board an airplane to Paradise. All within a moment, the excitement transformed into concern. Adam and Eve had tickets, but their sons were without. They began packing what little they had within the Cave, finding passports that must have been delivered from God. Surely God would lead them to answer to their conundrum.

As it neared time to leave the Cave of Treasures once and for all, they realized that they must find another way to take Cain and Abel with them. God held onto his promise, only He did so much more strictly than they anticipated. When God made an oath to bring back Adam and Eve, He meant just that. Adam and Eve. No one else was a part of that promise, including offspring. But they knew they must bring their own children with them. And with that, they devised a plan.

Passing through the airport, flashing their passport every few moments, Adam and Eve finally were able to board the plane. They carefully moved down the aisle until they found their seats. Adam took the window seat because he wished to gaze upon the Creation of God. Eve wanted the aisle seat so that she may quickly access the bathroom. Adam and Eve never seemed to have conflicting wants or ideas. Maybe it is because Eve was made from Adam, and this was a sign of mercy from God. Better yet, maybe it was simply because 5,500 together in a cave makes a couple learn the significance of compromise. They both plopped down their carryon bags below their feet and gave a loving gaze to each other.

A loving gaze that was soon interrupted by an elderly woman claiming she had the seat between the two. "Excuse me! Excuse me! I believe I am between you two!" Without a word further, she stepped over Eve's feet and sat down in the middle seat. At first, neither Adam nor Eve knew how to react. Who was this woman? Why was she between them? The only thing Adam could muster up was an offer.

"Why don't you take this window seat so that I may sit next to my wife?" Adam pleaded.

"No thank you, sonny. Looking out the window makes me nauseous," responded the woman.

"Then take my seat! It is quite convenient being able to just get up without having to step over anyone," Eve suggested.

"Last time I sat in the aisle, the flight attendant spilled tea on my new jacket as she had walked by! I just got this blouse, and I will not risk ruining it!" And with that, it was obvious to Adam and Eve that this would be an annoying flight.

All throughout out the flight, the couple endured incredibly probing questions. "When are you having kids?" "How is he in bed?" "How much money do you guys make?" "What are your religious views?" "Did you vote for Hillary?"

Though the elderly woman meant no harm (she was just one to try to make the most of the time when around new people), Adam and Eve had to sheepishly dodge many of the questions. Just as she started to talk about her oddly located moles and black hairs, the plan had landed. Adam and Eve quickly exited the plane with their carry-ons in hand. They exited the airport unsure where to go next, but it was pretty clear once a car with the sign "Holy Uber" rolled up. They got inside the car where they could finally open their bags.

"I could hardly breath! We're never doing this again!" cried Cain. Abel was simply begging for water. The two brothers had been stuffed in their parents' bags to avoid purchasing two more tickets! The Holy Uber came to a stop, and they were there. Paradise. And Cain and Abel never again had to be stuffed in bags.

~ ~ ~

Author's Note: I based this story mostly on The Forgotten Book of Eden. God promises Adam and Eve that he would bring them back into Paradise after 5,500 years. I imagined a scenario where society still reached its current form. Essentially, this serves as a sequel. I took inspiration from the Bible to include Adam and Eve's two most well-known children, Cane and Abel. I found this entire thought to be absurd, so I decided it would probably be best to make the story itself outlandish. I kept Cane and Abel at a young age because I figured it could be the basis of the conflict present in the story.

Bibliography:  
The Forgotten Book of Eden, edited by Rutherford H. Platt, Jr. (1926)
The Bible (KJV)

Image: Boarding Pass, generated using MusicAirport