A Message Of Resistance

We have started a new book, or in this case scripture. Before I started this scripture I decided to do a little bit of research since I had no idea whatsoever it was about. So I looked it up following many sources. The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu scripture. It is a book of ancient wisdom and one of the most important texts in philosophy and literature. It is essentially a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna before the Kurukshetra war.

Once the research was done interpreting the text wasn’t as hard as I had thought it to be. In the first teaching Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya about the sons of Pandu and what they did when they went to battle. So Sanjaya begins to tell about Arjuna before the battle. Arjuna stops the chariot shortly before the battle and sees his family members. He is scared and doesn’t want to fight against them. “The magic bow slips from my hand, my skin burns, I cannot stand still, my mind reels. I see omens of chaos, Krishna; I see no good in killing my kinsmen in battle.” Arjuna is feeling the pressure to kill his family but his feelings won’t let him. This must have been a hard thing to face back then since the men had no choice but to fight in the sacred wars. Men were practically brought up without a conscience. Arjuna is showing resistance to society and the norm. This shows a lot about his character. Normally people who could stand to resist things like this are noble men or princes or kings. This shows hat maybe Arjuna comes from money. “Saying this is the time of war, Arjuna slumped into the chariot and laid down his bow and arrows, his mind tormented by grief.” There are lots of very impacting quotes in the first teaching. This one I think has a lot to do with resistance. He knows he has to fight but he won’t kill his own family. The first teaching as a whole I think has to do with honoring your family, and never hurting them, and resisting to pressures of society. This is a very good message especially back then when everything was about war. I am making a prediction of the rest of the scripture when I believe each teaching will have another message on life. Now I can see why they call it the book of wisdom.

Gilgamesh: Nether World Revive

Tablet twelve for me was the hardest to understand. I would first like to say, since it is the last tablet, a reference. As I have said in my previous blogs the Sumerian number system was built around sixty. Now in Gilgamesh’s journey he had to travel twelve leagues between the mountains. There are twelve tablets. They also said the sixty number system is what built our clock, and there are 12 hours on a clock. This is just another observation I have made. I don’t believe it is a coincidence. Now back to the tablet. The interesting new is that now Enkidu is back. It is hard to know whether Enkidu is the one disobeying in the Nether World or Gilgamesh. This tablet to me was very confusing. Gilgamesh goes into the Nether World yet he sent Enkidu to recover his drumstick. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh a set of rules to go down into the Nether World, but who appears not to follow them is Enkidu. This to me was all very confusing. In this there is a chant [Cry of the Dead: Naked the goddess mother lies in hell; naked Ninazu’s mother lies expose, the holy garment fallen from her shoulders, bare the breasts of the mother, Ereshikigal.] Pg. 86 Can anyone help me interpret this passage? Enkidu apparently revives at the end and tells Gilgamesh about the Nether World. He says all this stuff about men and the ones who have more sons having a better experience in the Nether World. This reminds me of the stories of kings and how they had to have a son to inherit the thrown. It reminded me of King Henry the 8^th in The tudors and how he had multiple wives just so he could have a son. [“How is it with the man who has five sons?” “They treat him in the Nether World as if he were a scribe of the court, dispenser of justice.”] The more sons they have, the better treatment. The epic ends in a nice way. The reader is hoping for Enkidu back ever since he dies and it is a good way to have the story flow to an end.

Gilgamesh: Wafers? Biblical Reference?

Tablet eleven is the longest in the book, yet the one I found most interesting. It was very interesting to see a connection in this tablet with the bible. Gilgamesh was the first known work of literature (2000 B.C) the bible was the first printed book, but written previously on stone. In this tablet there is a huge reference to Noah’s Ark. The Sumerians must have known the stories of the bible in order to write this peace. But what if it was the other way around? What if Noah’s Ark was taken from the Epic of Gilgamesh? This was fascinating to read, it brought so many questions to my mind. My very catholic family I’m sure would not even consider this theory. But would it hurt to think about it? Now the earliest writings of the bible were known to be in aprox. 1400 B.C. Still the Sumerians or the bible had to have taken information one from another. The similarities are clearly no consequence. This once again brought me back to reading my old social studies book, to which I’m sure I will reference to more often now. [A dove flew free and flew away from the boat, seeking a place for its little feet to alight,…] Pg.72 Am I the only one who by reading this thinks Noah’s Ark? [No breath of life was meant to be kept safe from its obliteration in the flood.’] Pg. 74. Noah was told that unless he could find on other person who was healthy and not a bad person there would be a flood meant to destroy the human race with only himself and his wife to spare. The flood in Gilgamesh was also meant to rid of the human race. There is also a couplet or two that mention a sheep sacrifice. [I slaughtered a sheep to make a sacrifice; the gods collected like flies about the altar.] Pg. 73 Back in this time a sheep sacrifice was most common. Gods sacrifice was Jesus Christ whom he sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins. This is why Jesus is known as “The Lamb of God”. There is yet another interesting part to this tablet that I have not uncovered the meaning of. [as he lies sleeping, you must bake a wafer and place the wafer near him, making a mark…] Pg. 76. The whole thing about the wafers I don’t understand. What is the meaning of the rotten, moldy, white crusted, dry, soggy, etc… wafers? 

Gilgamesh: Sumerian Discovery

After his grief Gilgamesh begins his journey to immortality. After seeing Enkidu deteriorate until the point where insects were destroying his body he becomes fearful of death. [And weeping saying: “Enkidu has died. Must I die too? Must Gilgamesh be like that?”] Pg. 48 He decides to go on a dangerous journey to become immortal. He passes twelve Leagues* It seems that in each league he begins to lose attributes for survival and it gets worse and worse. He first loses sight due to the darkness, then it begins to get hard to breath. It is interesting how the monsters (mountains) say it is only for the sun to pass, no mortal has made it through. They are using a lot of personification as the mountains talk and the sun “passes through”. [“No mortal has ever journeyed through the mountain. This is the path of the sun’s journey by night.] Pg. 50 This is said by the mountain. At the end of the leagues Gilgamesh sees the sea and a garden. This is sort of a new image in the context of the story. It refreshes from the image of a kindom, fights, violence, and dark forests. It is a relief from the darkness of the rest of the epic. In tablet 10 there is a lot of repetition. Gilgamesh repeats the same story, the same exact words in the epic, to the tavern keeper, Urshanabi, and Utnapishtim. This is very interesting. This must do with when they would tell the story orally night by night and have to recap information. Gilgamesh destroys the stones and talismans, and according to Urshanabi he made his journey harder. Because of this Gilgamesh must go and cut “Sixty poles, and sixty more”. [Cut sixty poles and then cut sixty more, each pole of sixty cubits; fit them with rings…] Pg. 60 This brought me back to Mr. Hickeys eight grade social studies class. I remember learning about the Sumerian civilization. The Sumerians invented a system based on the number sixty. I remembered this since it seemed interesting that they said “sixty and sixty more” instead of 120. The Sumerian number system is also where we get our sixty seconds minute and our sixty minutes hour. As I read through my old social studies notes I am beginning to see the relation of this epic to the Sumerian civilization. Gilgamesh is the first work of literature written in Sumerian Cunei Form (quoted from my notes). This to me is fascinating to be able to relate the epic to a previous class. “It centers on the hero Gilgamesh and his struggle for immortality”, this I have just read out of my note book. The irony is that these to tablets are the perfect ones to represent his quest for immortality.

Gilgamesh: Grieving From Two Points Of View

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhnU9IYTD9c

Enkidu perseves a dream which results to be true about his death. In tablet seven Enkidu is scared and is fearing death. [Then Enlil said that Enkidu must die but Gilgamesh, the gifted, must not die.] Pg. 37 Was not Enkidu made as a replica of Gilgamesh’s powers? [They called the goddess Aruru saying to her: “You made this man. Now create another. Create his double and let the two contend. Let stormy heart contend with stormy heart that peace may come to Uruk once again” Aruru listened and heard and then created]. Why it that they say Gilgamesh has so many more gifts than Enkidu? Gilgamesh begins to feel guilt and sorrow when Enkidu falls sick. [“Why am I left to live while my brother dies? Why should he die and I be spared to live?”] Pg. 5 He is basically asking the same question as I am. I find it interesting and poetic how he repeats the same meaning of the text twice in different words. This is a sort of unusual repetition. Enkidu begins cursing everyone with his fear and anger of death. Enkidu begins cursing everything that made him more civilized and brought him to Gilgamesh. When I think of this I think of the effects of modernization on Indian tribes. Modernization is destroying lots of there beliefs and the first thing they would turn to cure is everything that modernized their culture. This however is natural for someone in fear of death. For example I’ve seen people with cancer act in similar ways, they want to deny death. It’s painful to see a loved one in this state, for I know it with my own eyes. Gilgamesh is watching the pain of his loved one. Seeing a person who you love die slowly and painfully eats you up inside, it is one of the worst feelings I have ever had. I could relate so much to this piece in the book. The ending of tablet seven was very abrupt. [After that Gilgamesh heard the death rattle.]Pg. 43 Although you know his death is coming, the grieving lasted so long that you don’t expect an abrupt death. His whole death in general was very abrupt. In any other story, the story would end without one of its main characters. In tablet eight you feel Gilgamesh’s pain towards Enkidu’s death. This is another part I could relate to. After my loved one passed after a long wave of pain, everyone felt it. Here Gilgamesh is making the whole city feel his pain. [The grief of Gilgamesh for you has been the cause of woe and wailing in the city.] Pg. 47 When someone is grieving everyone around that person can feel the grief. This book is very feeling conscious. Although the events take place a long while back, you can relate to them with your personal experiences. 

Tablets 4,5: Man V.S Civilazation

Man has conquered the world since the beginning of time. Man was made to conquer. Man was built with ambition, and the sense to stomp on anything in its way. These tablets are the perfect example although it is hidden.  The cedar forest is the wilderness for man to conquer. Enkidu and Gilgamesh are a representation of man going and conquering an unknown land. I related this to guns, germs, and steel with different objects representing each. The gate at the end is the division between man and nature where civilization ends and nature begins. This was a very interesting reading in which you really had to think to get to the true meaning. Like I said before these are the reading I most enjoy; the readings that make me think. There was also an obstacle which was Huwawa. This obstacle in the times of guns germs and steel may have been the Indians. With these kinds of books or epics you really have to reflect in order to understand the message. There is a message n everything. The readings remind of the bible or other books of wisdom from the time. They are essentially teachings in stories. In Spanish these are called “fabulas” in Spanish. I think this book has a lot of these. This was a very interesting reading though since I could relate it to my global studies class and the conquering of the worlds. I am going to keep reading the epic to be able to reflect more next time. 

Gilgamesh Tablets 1,2,3: In the eyes of 2 cultures

At this moment I have begun reading tablets 1,2,3 of Gilgamesh. I love this style of writing precisely because it puts me back into the time it was written. I can almost picture the carvings on the tablets. I sometimes get lost in my imagination of the time period and have to reread the passage, since I didn’t concentrate in the first place. Although this may have to do with my short attention span, otherwise known as ADHD. There are only 2 types of books that get me distracted; 1 a boring book and 2 a book that makes me reflect and think about the context. This book requires a lot of thinking and reflecting which is why I enjoy it so much. What is the fun of a book that doesn’t make you feel or think? Those were the kinds of books that we read when we were learning how to read. Right now we learning to reflect and this is exactly what this book makes me do. I have been thinking so much about how it was in those times, how hard reality must have been. They made up these stories I believe to escape from the reality of it all. If you notice a lot of the stories from this time period have to do with heroes or magic. I found it very interesting in the part of the prostitute. Although many have probably given reference to this, it was what stood out the most to me. The prostitute was looked on with normal eyes where as today prostitutes are looked at as dirty and cheap. It was almost as if there was a sort of respect towards her. The writing is also very different. There is a part where it says Enkidu and Gilgamesh kiss and hold hands. In our culture this is immediately interpreted in a homosexual context. Back then this probably was just a way of expressing friendship they had for each other. Another interesting aspect of this book is the printed text itself. The book is written in poetic couplets, something I wouldn’t have expected a story to be in. I am guessing this is either the translation or it was meant to have a poetic feel to it. Either way this really stood out to me. I also like that everything is written to the point and it doesn’t give you a huge introduction before saying something that could take one sentence. You could say it is very eco friendly not taking up huge paragraph to get one idea through. Every couplet says something new and blunt without giving a whole bunch of information that we don’t need. It is interesting how it can be so blunt, yet it can still make you feel and think. Maybe the bluntness in itself is what makes me reflect so much. This contradicts the rule of showing and not telling yet it is still very interesting because it tells you but it doesn’t state the obvious. To get the idea or hidden message you really have to reflect. Anyway I am going to have to reflect some more in my next blog because bed time= 9:30, I’m almost 16 fml.

Asian Ramblings, my opinion

http://www.asianramblings.com/life/reflections/14-photo/

A. What is the title of the blog?

Asian Ramblings- 14 Tidbits and a photo

B. What is the blog about?

A man from Canada who is basically telling us everything on his mind from his experience living in China. To me this blog is extremely entertaining and funny. He tells us how he is adapting to his new accommodation.

C. Why is this title fitting?

He is writing to us from China and basically saying whatever he has on his mind. Asian Ramblings is the perfect title for a blog like this.

D. How does the blogger offer information in a way others don't?

He offers a humorous yet not racist point of view on living in China.

E. Compare this blog with another of the same topic.

I could compare this blog to the "wannabe" blog a woman is posting from Indonesia. She has the same humorous twist to life as he does. Yet hers is a little more on her earlier life where as his is in the present.

F. Evaluate this blog. Is it good or not? How can it be improved?

I think this blog is perfect, it shows all the humor in visiting a foreign country and choosing not to live the ritzy life but the realistic one.

Questions for bloggers on blogs

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21013

A. According to this author where does the word blog come from?

It is a portmanteau word for weblog. James Joyce coined the word weblog. Then Peter Merholz separated the word as "we blog" and the word blog emerged.

B. Why might the writer object to a book about blogs? What is the difference between a blog and a book?

"Books are tight. Blogs are reckless. Books are slow. Blogs are fast. Books ask you to stay between their covers. Blogs invite you to stray. Books fret over copyright and libel. Blogs grab whatever they want with impunity—news, gossip, pictures, videos." He claims making a book out of "bloggy material" would kill it.

C. How have blogs changes recently?

Blogs are expressing so much more. There are so many themes and they are wildly open to the public now. There are also new technology blogs like video, photo, and cartoon blogging.

D. Why might you read a blog rather than a book, or a magazine, or a newspaper?

Blogs are easier to find and shorter to read than a book. You can read a lot more points of view faster. It is easier to find specific topics. You can also give your personal opinion on the blogs.

D. Is there reason to doubt the objectivity of a blog? Why? Why not?

Yes. It depends on how the blog is set up. If you are using your emotions to inform then it is subjective where as if you are using proven facts it is objective.

E. If you kept your own blog, what would you title it?

I named my blog "second opinion?” I find that it is an attractive title that can be interpreted in different ways. It is taking my opinion into consideration before making a decision. 

F. Find three blogs that mention our summer reading.

http://scienceguy288.wordpress.com/2010/01/17/science-soul-book-review-ishmael/

http://www.csrinternational.org/?p=5095

http://ronakmsoni.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/of-talking-gorillas-and-deep-and-subtle-points/