Reading Notes: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche, Part A

The way that myths are written is very different than other stories that we read in the sense that the dialogue is much longer. Instead of having a conversation going back and forth between two people, the characters respond with long paragraphs. The characters are described in full, along with the settings of where the story takes place. When the author is describing the ocean and all the creatures surrounding Venus, it strongly resembles "The Little Mermaid". He mentions every sea creature that is present and what they are doing and it really makes you feel like you are in the story.
My other favorite part was when Pan was giving advice to Psyche, even though they had never spoken before and did not know each other. Pan gave helpful advice to Psyche about what to do about Cupid.


Cupid abandoning Psyche after declaring his love for her. By Coypel.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/apuleius-psyches-husband-revealed.html

Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche; http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-apuleiuss-cupid-and.html

Growth Mindset

I had never heard of growth mindset or Carol Dweck before taking this class. Growth mindset sounds very interesting and I would love to learn more about it throughout the semester. My classes are not difficult, but I struggle with procrastinating. I feel that I need to be more dedicated to my learning.


I thought this photo went perfectly with the last sentence.
http://growthmindsetmemes.blogspot.com/

Starting the Semester

The beginning of the semester seems to be when I am most organized. I have a lot of different ways that I like to stay organized and on top of things. I use different colored pens on my calendar to differentiate what homework I have for which class; if I need to remind myself of something to do later, I always write a note on my bulletin board or else I know I will forget. I am constantly setting reminders on my phone to remind me to do one thing or another. I am a forgetful person, but being organized, staying on top of things and not procrastinating are the keys to doing well and staying sane in college.

Photo of a very colorful and organized agenda.
http://www.lynnettejoselly.com/2013/08/how-to-organize-your-agenda.html

Reading Options

Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-apuleiuss-cupid-and.html
I enjoy reading fairytales and this one sounded particularly interesting. I like love stories and my favorite princess fairytale is Beauty and the Beast, which is based on the story of Cupid and Psyche. I am choosing to read Cupid and Psyche for my Week 2 reading.

Women Saints of the Golden Legend
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/myth-folklore-unit-women-saints-of.html
I've always been very interested in myths and the stories of the saints. I traveled to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City this summer and was able to read about the different saints that people worship throughout history.

Ovid's Metamorphoses
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/search/label/Ovid
This story is about the changes that the world has undergone. It incorporates the stories of the gods and how they fell in love and what their fates ended up being.


Painting of Saint Juliana.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/golden-legend-saint-juliana.html

Storybook Favorites

CSI: The Tale of the Seven Pilgrims
https://sites.google.com/site/talesofthesevenpilgrims/home-1
The title of this storybook sounded interesting and unique to me so I thought I would see what it was about. The introduction is funny, as it is a note to the rest of the CSI about who killed someone on board a ship, followed by mugshots of all of the pilgrims who are suspects. It is a very original idea and is well written. The design of the blog is plain, but the mugshots on the introduction page are funny and bring a little bit of life to the page.

The Weekly Beowulf
https://sites.google.com/site/patricksstoryboook/introduction
Beowulf is an interesting story and I wanted to see how this author turned it into something original. From looking at the title, it sounds like a newspaper, which is exactly what it is. The author did a good job of making sure the reader knows what it is about upfront without being too forward. The layout of the introduction is unlike any of the other ones I read. The way that the author is speaking to the audience is inviting and relatable and the phrasing he uses makes you want to read the storybook.

In a World of My Own
https://sites.google.com/site/inaworldofmyownstorybook/introduction
I liked the particular topic that the author chose for this storybook. Alice in Wonderland is such an interesting story and I like the spin that the author put on it. The author had a boy who represented the white rabbit and they go on adventures together down the rabbit hole. The title is easy to pick up on because many people know that the phrase "in a world of my own" is from Alice in Wonderland. This title is perfect, in my opinion, because it really shows Alice's imagination and also the author's imagination. In the introduction, the author began with the thoughts of Alice and then they added a second part that had the thoughts of Duke, the boy she goes on adventures with. The layout was kind of boring, but I like the picture that the author decided to use for the introduction. It looks magical and mysterious.

https://sites.google.com/site/inaworldofmyownstorybook/introduction
Wonderland painting by Gordon Tarpley (2010).

Introduction: Bradlee Borgfeldt

My name is Bradlee and I am a junior at OU. My major is public relations and my minor is Spanish. Some of my favorite classes that I have taken so far throughout my college career have been my Spanish classes. This upcoming summer I am hoping to be able to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain and become completely fluent in Spanish. In my opinion, learning a second language is so important because not only do you get to further understand another culture, you also get to know people that you would never have been able to meet before. This summer I traveled to New York City, my favorite city in the entire world. There are so many fun and active things to do in New York and I especially enjoy seeing Broadway shows and eating at cool restaurants. I would love to be able to work in New York after I graduate from college. I also had the opportunity to travel to Beaver Creek, Colorado this summer. I have been going to Beaver Creek with my family for about 16 years now. One of my favorite things to do during the colder months is ski with my friends and family. In the summer, however, there are so many different things to do. I hiked, mountain biked, white water rafted, and zip lined. Although I love the city, I also feel at home in the mountains. There’s just something about the smell of a fire and roasting marshmallows under the stars. Some other hobbies that I have include drawing, listening to music, and taking pictures. I am artistic and I enjoy things that involve creativity and thinking outside of the box. Being able to express yourself is very important and I like how that is accepted and preached in both Colorado and New York.

Picture of Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs, CO, a place I hiked to this summer. http://dastornews.com/2015/08/glenwood-springs-colorado/

Story: The Dog and the Rabbit

Author’s Note

Based on the fable “The Dog and the Shadow”. I decided to elaborate on the journey home from hunting through the woods, and the obstacles he had to face on the way home. The dog is confused by his reflection in the water and mistakes it for another dog. The greedy creature lunges for the piece of meat in the other dog’s mouth, only to be splashed in the face with a cold surprise.

Bibliography. “Aesop’s Fables” by Joseph Jacobs. The Dog and the Shadow. Web Source: https://archive.org/stream/fablesaeso00aesouoft#page/28/mode/2up

There is a dog named Max. Max is loved by his owner and is always ready to chase the next squirrel. Everyday Max runs into the woods and helps his owner hunt. Some days it’s small animals like birds and rabbits, but other days they hunt deer. Max loves to run as far as the eye can see and then he runs right back to his owner. On this day, Max and his owner were hunting for rabbits. Max ran over the log, past the brook, and sat down behind a tree with his owner. They waited patiently and finally his owner stood up. They heard a rustling in the bushes near by and out hopped a rabbit. Max’s owner gave him the command and off he goes. Max is rolling on the grass and is soon up in a flash with the rabbit hanging from his mouth. His owner runs over to him and bends down to receive a lick from Max. They start back for the house, passing over the brook; except this time, Max sees his reflection in the water. He sees the rabbit hanging from what he thinks is another dog staring back at him. He lunges towards the water and peeks his head back above water. The rabbit is nowhere to be found, but Max’s owner pulls him out of the brook. He gives himself a shake and he and his owner go back out and catch another rabbit.

Picture of a dog holding a rabbit. By Sir Edwin Landseer. http://madamepickwickartblog.com/2012/03/back-to-the-salon-trititude-and-tritism/

My Favorite Place

My favorite place to travel to is New York City. I fell in love with it when I was younger and have always wanted to live there after I graduate college. I love the hustle and bustle and how there are a million things to do everyday. 

One of my favorite things to do while I'm in New York is ride a bike through Central Park. 

Personal photo of central park from the top of the Rockefeller Center; June 2016.

Personal photo of the Empire State Building from the top of Rockefeller Center; June 2016.

Comment Wall

Bradlee's Comment Wall

First Post

Mythology is cool.