Week Three: Reading Mythology

True Grit, a great novel written by Charles Portis in 1968 and later made into two great adapted films, one in 1969 and one in 2010.  The novel takes us on a thriller adventure, seeking justice for a young girl’s father during the time the western parts of America were being discovered and Native American tribes still running strong.  When we meet Mattie, her dad Frank is heading off to Fort Smith, Arkansas. He travels with a hired hand, Chaney, who later decides to gambling his paycheck.  He then after gets drunk and decides to go get his money back. When Frank tries to stop this disaster, Chaney shoots and kills him.  We follow Mattie Ross, the young 14-year-old girl, on her journey to find Chaney.  She first seeks out and tries to persuade Marshell Ruben Cogburn to help track and kill Chaney, to which he agrees to.  Along Mattie’s journey, another man seeks out Chaney, a Texas ranger named Le Boeuf.  Through this roller coaster of emotions and drama, the character goes on to learn valuable lessons such as respect.  And through this, Cogburn sort of becomes a father-figure to Mattie, which was a nice experience.

During this time of the wild west, anyone could get killed and easily get away with it, robberies and gangs were a norm and just a dangrious time to travel or live out west.  What really breaks the myth in this story is Mattie’s strong character.  Cogburn and Le Boeuf had strong important roles but the main focus was Mattie and her quest.  During the time this was first written and time frame its depicted in, women or young girls didn’t really have strong leading roles.  Females would usually play some damsel in distress.  Mattie’s ambition and thrive to achieve her goal is what to me really helps bring this story together leaving me satisfied.

Towards the end of the novel, Mattie confronts her father’s killer.  She gets her justice by shooting him.  Unfortunately matter falls into pit of poisons snakes.  Cogburn comes over for the save like a hero/father-figure but to only further the circumstances of Mattie with the snakes, she comes to lose an arm due to a snake bite to her arm.   True Grit follows the story tone, mythology, ideas during the wild west times when anything can happen.  Seeing a character do what it ever it takes to achieve their goal is an interesting story arch, especially when its breaking the mythology and using a young female as the main lead who is put though tough wild west scenarios.  This story can still find connect to some parts of the world with its mythology, morality and human nature.

Week 2: Prologue of Me (Jose)

            Reading and I was never a good comp for me.  Growing up I had a speech impediment and when it came to read in class as a kid kicked up my anxiety and made me hate books.  I low-key enjoy reading but just don’t do it.  I don’t do it because of laziness and haven’t put the time to looking for something of my interest.  In middle school I found a few books I enjoyed but just had no thrill for them.  As I got older I lost the little passion I had for the small category of books I enjoyed. 

When I did enjoy reading, I enjoyed fantasy, horror, comics, and Action & Adventure.  With reading assignments becoming longer pieces to read for school assignments, my own time for reading things I wanted, become very limited.  But from middle school to high school there were some books I enjoyed and was inspired to possibly make into an adaptation film.  The only book I can remember I would create an adaptation to is The Last Book in The Universe.  The book was a fictional book about a post-apocalyptic world in search for the last book in the universe.

Towards my senior year in high school and even today I try to read books that will help me in my career.  So I tend to sticking to non-factual books that talk about cinematography, lighting, writing, and directing.  I also tend to read books that talk about self marketing and networking.  I plan to start looking towards fictional books to stimulate my creativity for creative writing and character development.

Week One: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue & Tale

Upon returning to the first day of classes for the spring semester, one of our first assignments was to read about The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale and with creating a blogger page.  The story itself was pretty interesting and a reflection to how women were treated and scene back during the Chaucer’s time, since they were a strong controlling factor.  The story begins with how a wife is open about her sexual life and has had several husbands.  Being an expect in marriage, love, and sex, she seems to have the knowledge in controlling her man.

In The Wife of Bath’s Tale this was more of an exemplum to help illustrate the idea into a story.  The tale is about providing an answer to what women most desire.  A knight is being punished for a raping a maiden.  A queen and ladies of the court determine the knight’s fate, which he is given a year to discover a women’s desire.  After a year passes with no luck, the knight riding back sees 24 maidens dancing & singing.  They disappear, the only female left behind is an old foul woman.  The ugly old woman helps the knight with his quest only if he will do what she demands for saving his life.  After the knight tells his correct answer to the queen, the old lady demands that she be his wife, the knight agrees.  The day of the wedding the knight confesses he does not like her looks, she reminds him of the cons that come with a beautiful woman.  Whereas the old lady’s current state of look, the knight won’t have to worry about other men going after her.  The old lady gives the knight a choice but he in tells the old lady the choice is hers.  They kiss and lived happily.

To this whole thing about women desiring power other men, I can’t say I agree.  I’m not married but from my previous relationships and my parents, I would say marriage should be a 50/50 thing or something else unique.  I would also the key to a successful happy marriage would be to understand one another and support each other through thick and thin.