Week 10 Story Planning: The Coming of the Horse

The American Indian values the animals that have been given to them by the Great Spirit, and for the tribes of the Great Plains region there are two animals that are held above all else; the mighty buffalo that provides their nourishment for survival and the Spanish horse that allowed for the indigenous people to reach their full potential. These new creatures were not native to the continent, but rather would brought to the land by foreign invaders arriving from across the sea in search of golf and other treasures.

A Native American on horseback, a classic sight of the American Frontier

source: Wikipedia 

I envision for this to be the opening paragraph followed by a line break as I have inserted here moving forward into the main bulk of the planned story. Greater depth could be added to the ongoing conflict that is described as occurring between the Comanche and Ponca in the course of the story. The description of the Comanche as “terrible fighters” is unclear and could be interpreted in different ways by different readers. This ambiguity is an area I believe needs to be addressed in one way or another before moving deeper into the main arch of the story. Why do the Ponca decide to attack the Comanche even after receiving aid from the opposing tribe in the form of horses and training on how to properly ride? This portion of the story is asking for more depth to be added, with perhaps a revenge theme or to defend the honor of the tribe possibly. The story the way it sits is rather short and straight to the point without too much information, even in situations where it would be well suited. I plan to refrain from creating a main character for the story, preferring to present it in a way that the readers are able to place themselves in the narrative.  

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains, Katharine Berry Judson (1913) 

Reading Notes: Great Plains Part B

The classic image of the Plains' Indian hunting a buffalo 

source: Wikipedia

 A trend that I have noticed during our time spent these past two weeks reading Native American stories is that there is a great reliance on tales with a rabbit being the main character. Stories concerning a rabbit as the main animal character have been a trend during the course of the semester, showing the importance the animal retains in cultures both here at home and abroad. The reading today really cemented that I do not want to write another story based around a rabbit whatsoever and that I will instead focus on the Ponca story from Monday explaining how they came to be in possession of horses and learn the skill of riding. This presents an opportunity for creativity and expanding upon an already interesting tale. 

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains, Katharine Berry Judson (1913) 

Reading Notes: Great Plains Part A

The tribal flag for the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma 

source: Wikimedia Commons 

The selection of a story from this tribe was a simple no brainer for me since it is the namesake of my hometown, Ponca City, Oklahoma. The story is simple and to the point of describing how the Ponca tribe came to be in the possession of horses. Trying to imagine the site of seeing a horse for the first time in person would be intimidating no doubt, even more so with a screaming adversary atop its back thundering toward you with the intent to kill you. The disruption of the encounters between the Comanche is interesting, the author calls the Comanche"terrible fighters, but I am curious if this means deadly or unskilled. I originally leaned to this meaning unskilled due to the description of their crude bow and arrows, however if they were so unskilled then how could they continue to fight the Ponca Nation so furiously and consistently? I think it would be interesting to provide greater detail as to how the war was fought or how long it may have happened. Even further background information could be provided to describe how the Comanche came to acquire the horses and learn to ride them with such a high level of skill.   

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains:Tradition of the Finding of Horses, Katharine Berry Judson (1913)   

Week 9 Story Planning: The Dark Days

The path of the Cherokee Nation on the Trail of Tears 

The first decision to be made when constructing this new story based upon the Cherokee tales of old is to determine the where and when for my narrative to take place. There are three major options when considering distinct points in a historical setting for the Cherokees; the traditional homelands in Georgia and on the east coast, the Trail of Tears, and the more modern place of residence here in Oklahoma. Placing the story in Georgia would fall in line with the birthplace of the tale, and thus continue the tradition set forth. However, constructing a narrative that occurs along the Trail of Tears would provide ample opportunity for the characters to be faced with an immense amount of difficulty facing them, with the only possibilities being to overcome the situation, or fall before it. Finally Oklahoma would allow for a modern setting that can allow for more connection between the narrative and the reader. In the end I think the story would be best suited during the Trail of Tears. As much as I would like to write the story in the form of journal entries of an individual who is suffering through the trouble of the long journey, however I have already used this approach during the course of the semester concerning the hero Sinbad. The story will be of an elder tribe member who is tasked with being the liaison between the tribe members and the United States’ government. The presentation suggestion for this week to be a bedtime story is an interesting one. This could be a grandparent telling the story to their own grandchild of the experiences passed down to them from their own family concerning how they handled the long trip westward during this difficult time. Further research into being able to vividly describe the terrain and atmosphere of the Trail of Tears would do well in providing greater detail for a darker style of “bedtime story”. 

Bibliography: Myths of the Cherokees, James Mooney (1909)    

Reading Notes: Myths of the Cherokees Part B

The creator of the Cherokee Alphabet, Sequoyah 

source: Wikimedia Commons

I chose this specific image for the simple reason that we may not have these stories present for our reading today if it were not for this man here, Sequoyah. He created the alphabet that would allow for the Cherokees to track their history and stories in a more permanent form, compared to the prior practice of maintaining history through oratory purposes. Yes, these stories may have still made it to the present day, however they may not have arrived with the amount of detail that is found currently. The story that truly resonated with me from the second part of the reading was The Terrapin's Escape from the Wolves. A story of overcoming adversity and working toward a goal is nothing new to this course. This classic tale is one that can easily be reprimanded and used for my own creative purposes in creating a more modern take on a traditional story. There will still be aspects noticeable from the original story in my modern retelling, withholding the lessons intended to be passed along by the Cherokee Nation's elders. 

Bibliography: Myths of the Cherokees, James Mooney (1909)     

Reading Notes: Myths of the Cherokees Part A

The Cherokee Nation like many other tribal nations from the North American continent has its own specific stories pertaining to the world's creation and a variety of different topics. Animals play a central role in the storytelling process, being presented as humanoid in nature concerning their ability to speak and operate in a normal society similar to our own. The stories in the first half of this reading are surprisingly similar to the initial creation story of Christianity, with further cultural explanations for how the tribe came to be introduced to sunlight, fire, weather, and other features of nature itself that would affect members of the tribe on a daily basis. Focusing on a retelling of the discovery of fire would be an interesting story approach that does not lead me to trying to present a new story concerning the creation of the world, according to this specific tribe. The discovery of fire could potentially be made by a young tribe member who goes onto to become a chieftain in the nation, or may even be on the road to redemption when he or she discover the tool that would make the ultimate difference in the lives of their tribal members. 

Bibliography: Myths of the Cherokees, James Mooney  

Image: The Great Seal of the Cherokee Nation, source: Wikimedia Commons 

Week 6 Storytelling: From the Journals of Sinbad: Hamunaptra

The setting of our story, Africa in the year 1890

source: WikiMedia Commons 

18/03/1890: Suez, Egypt

Today is the beginning of our expedition westward into the desert. Supplies have been gathered and the camels have been prepared for the departure. We can only hope that the first leg of our expedition goes smoothly and we are able to reach Alexandria within the planned three days.

22/03/1890: Egypt

Four days into the expedition and we have already fallen behind schedule. A pack camel has broken its leg during an ascent of a sand dune, forcing us to lose a day determining a future course of action. Ultimately we were forced to shoot the camel and distribute the supplies amongst the other supply camels.

23/03/1890: Alexandria, Egypt

Two days late, but we have finally reached the city of Alexandria, where we will be gathering our remaining travelers. It is here that Dr. Nathan Walters, the proprietor of our expedition, joined us. Dr. Walters has faith in my research that leads us to believe there is a lost treasure in the desert. Hopefully I am able to deliver, for I fear if I fail the end result will be my own demise. 

01/04/1890: Sahara Desert, Tripoli

We have made our way further into the desert, following the directions from the various manuscripts I have spent the previous five years decoding. All of this work and preparation to now only be slowed by the travel time itself. We are moving slower than expected, several of Dr. Walters’ aides insisted on traveling with horses rather than camels. This foolish decision caused us to slow our pace when the horses become dehydrated.  

11/04/1890: Sahara Desert, French West Afrika  

Progress has been slow, but we are now only 800km outside of the lost city. It is becoming more real now than ever before just how close we coming to the possibility of finding Hamunaptra.

14/04/1890: Hamunaptra, Sahara Desert, French West Afrika

WE HAVE DONE IT! We found the city today. Dr. Walters is thrilled and his excitement even exceeds my very own. I still do not trust his aides though. There appears to be something off about them. As if they may be hiding something from the rest of the group. 

15/04/1890: Hamunaptra, Sahara Desert, French West Afrika    

Excavations began on the site today as we move into the second part of the expedition, finding the treasure room hidden here on the site. We have a set of clues to go off of here, but Dr. Walters’ expertise on these kinds of sites will be the ultimate guiding force behind our work efforts moving forward.

20/04/1890: Hamunaptra, Sahara Desert, French West Afrika

My distrust of Dr. Walters’ aides has proven to be true. Members of the group have begun to disappear after asking too many questions that these men did not seem fond of. Everyone is uneasy now, including Dr. Walters who seems to be the most fearful of us all here.

01/05/1890: Somewhere in the Sahara Desert.

It has been three days now since Dr. Walters was marched in front of the expeditionary force and shot by his “aides” for failing to find the treasure room in time. After witnessing this I began my plan to escape and take whatever I can with me. I have managed to get away with a map of the city and excavation grounds, along with enough rations for a week. God help me in finding help before my supplies run out. Or worse yet, the “aides” track me down.

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sinbad  

Image 1: View of the Suez Canal, Egypt, source: Wikimedia Commons
Image 2: View of Alexandria in Egypt, source: Col. Turner of the 3rd Regiment of Guards 
Image 3: The front of the temple Al Khazneh, source: Wikimedia Commons

Author’s Note: This is a new story told in the first person that centers on an adventurous character by the name of Sinbad. The inspiration for this work of fiction comes from the Voyages of Sinbad, a series of short stories depicting the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor and is told in the first person perspective. Sinbad is depicted as a strong and capable character in these stories, with the ability to overcome overwhelming odds when faced with a challenge. I chose to depict it as if you were reading his actual journal entries, providing a greater connection to Sinbad himself and a more personal look into his thoughts. The date is patterned in the European style due to the setting of North Africa, which also accounts for Sinbad using the European spelling of “Afrika” when writing in his personal journal. Further inspiration comes from the Indiana Jones film franchise and other adventure-based films from Hollywood. The city of Hamunaptra is actually taken from The Mummy series of films starring Brendan Fraser. The setting of Africa at the turn of the century remains true to the region of Sinbad’s traditional stories, while also capitalizing on the exploration fever that occurred during this period. Wandering through the desert in search of lost treasures may be a stereotype, but it is one that is always capable of producing an interesting story.         

Week 8 Growth Mindset

Have I experienced growth during the course of the semester? The simple answer to a seemingly simple questions, but one that bares far deeper meaning is yes. Initially I was not sure my creative writing would be able to advance in any significant manner, however as the semester has worn one I have realized there is more to my personal abilities than I had previously given myself credit for.

source: flickr 

 The writing requirements of this course have allowed for myself to grow creatively and in my own writing skills. It certainly has been no easy feat forcing my mind to reach beyond its traditional limitations to reach a new level of creativity. With half of the semester now over, there remains only a select bit of time to further my abilities and to continue growing in a progressive manner that will best suit me in the long run. 

Week 8 Reflections

source: Wikimedia Commons 

This course so far has certainly been challenging me to extend beyond my comfort zone when it comes to my writing abilities. Prior to this course my only writing experience centered around professional styles, mainly for school purposes, rather than personal enjoyment. In terms of upcoming stories I am excited for the Native American section that we will be introduced to in the week following Spring Break. In terms of connecting with my classmates, the course has allowed for me to experience a wide variety of different writing methods, based upon a wide variety of stories that I have never read prior. I look forward to the second half of the semester and the further experiences this course offers me. 

Story Planning: Henry the Hyena

Henry the Hyena 

source: Wikimedia Commons

The original story content told a series of different short stories compiled into one conjoined novel, with different messages being presented within the stories. My plan is to focus on animal centered stories, with a central character being the focus of the learning process; similar to the stories told by Disney with the Winnie the Pooh character. My main character for a series of short stories will be an animal that is typically an outsider and the “evil” character in a majority of stories using it; my choice for a main character is the hyena. The hyena’s name will be Henry and he will be an average size for his species, with an unusual spot pattern that lead to Henry being bullied as a young pup by the other members of the pack. The opening story will be introducing his background and the upbringing he has experienced while growing up in the Southern Nigeria bush of Africa. The hyena will naturally begin the story as a carnivore chasing after other creatures of the savannah, looking for his next meal at all times. This will continue until he meets Andy the Antelope and the two form a bond, showing to Henry the power of friendship and how it may overcome any task when it is strong enough. This opening story is relatively cheesy, but it lays the groundwork for Henry to build and evolve through a series of different encounters with animals he once chased down for food, that he now calls friends. The final story could be one of Henry facing down against the other hyenas that once mocked him for his different spot pattern, that have now shunned him completely for his decision to stop eating meat. Will Henry face off against his old family members, or will he attempt to convince them of the friendships they are missing out on by eating the other animals of their society?  

Bibliography: Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, collected by Elphinstone Dayrell