Week 8 Reading and Writing

 Looking Back

Looking back at this semester, I have really enjoyed reading different stories from different cultural backgrounds and writing my thoughts about each one. I am happy with how the reading and writing assignments are working for! Each week, I write short summaries of each story so it is easier for me to go back and write micro-fictions later in the week! I decided to adjust the layout of my blog for a refresh, but overall I believe it is functioning well.

My favorite reading unit so far has been the biblical unit! I loved this unit because I already have a significant amount of knowledge when it comes to traditional bible stories, but I loved reading more about them and I learned things I didn't know before. The women in the Bible stories were very interesting and pointed out some characters I wasn't familiar with. I also loved getting to read the Gospel of Mark through a translation I wasn't as familiar with as well!

Through these readings, I have learned some new reading strategies along the way. Firstly, creating mini summaries of each story allows me to really focus on which details are most important and which ones can be left out. Also, doing these in-depth readings has me reading with a more critical eye. I am more aware of looking for symbols, motifs, repeated phrases, imagery, and more. 

In regard to my storybook project, I am loving how everything is turning out. I love getting to write stories with a dark twist on classic fairy tales like Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel. I love the creativity involved with this project. I think my biggest accomplishment so far is the storybook topic I created of these characters telling first-hand accounts of their stories behind bars. It's unique and I have never heard or read something like it before!

Image: I chose this image of a painting of Mark from the biblical unit when I studied the Gospel of Mark. This image was my favorite because I loved this story the most out of all the stories I have read so far! The painting beautifully depicts Mark and shows him as a true disciple of Christ. I loved getting to see various depiction of Mark and what artists believed him to look like, but this image was my favorite representation! I loved reading this gospel with fresh eyes and I picked up on new details I hadn't picked up on previously! 

(Andrea Mantegna depiction of Mark: Wikipedia)