Journal 5 --The Matrix = Daoism???

Once Mr. B told us we were allowed to blog about The Matrix I made the decision that I would take advantage of writing on something I really like and had prior knowledge on. After watching the first portion of the movie I realized I didn’t have too much prior knowledge of the real plot of the movie because I didn’t remember much of it. Before today what I knew about The Matrix was it’s a movie about fighting some agents and Neo, friends, along with the agents, could virtually do anything, but Neo was better at anything than anyone else because he was the one. That sounds like a very kid-like summary and I realized why…. It’s because the movie was made either in or before 1999, I was only 8 years old then. I don’t think I have seen this movie in the last 7 or 8 years but I did remember that I liked the movie so I was excited to watch it. Mr. B told us to watch the movie as we do when we read our text and I’m thinking like this isn’t going to be anything like what we read because it is about guns and fighting and superficial things. Watching the movie I listened to his instructions and now understand why; Daoism is very similar to the Matrix. There is a margin of belief versus disbelief in the movie especially when it comes down to the part of living in the world of computer programs, but who’s to say that none of it is real? It could very well be unreal and impossible to all of us and the way of life to those who believe in it. This movie illustrates Daoism very plainly to me although it isn’t the exact same idea it is very similar and I believe that’s why we are watching it. I like how Morpheus tells Neo he can’t tell him what the matrix is but would have to show him and then the movie is set in a white room where the setting becomes whatever Morpheus makes it. That is a Daoism way of thinking, minus the fact that Morpheus and his whole team are explaining and showing Neo their definition of the matrix to the best of their knowledge. In the real Daoism I think it says if you know what Daoism is then you don’t know what Daoism is. Which kind of bugs me because I’m learning about it and I feel like I’m in a lose – lose situation. If I don’t know what it is I’m probably not gonna make a good grade and if I do know what it is then I’m just misinformed and just simply think I know what it is, but I’m completely wrong. I can truthfully say I don’t like Daoism at all, but the irony in it is I really like The Matrix and even more after today. I like the way it challenges the mind to believe things that aren’t reality and if I saw this in my life, I wouldn’t even be totally against believing it for truth. Although the theme or message behind the two are closely related, I have opposite reactions toward them.

Jounal 4 -- Gawain and the Green Knight

Ok so I know I should have probably done at least one other post before this but we are done reading the green knight story. I don’t have a lot to say about this one because honestly I didn’t read all of it, sorry Mr. B if you are reading this. The first day it was assigned I was really happy and excited to read it because we had just finished reading Sakuntala which was like a chick flick to me. Like Sakuntala , all chick flicks aren’t terrible and boring, but they all have those touchy feelings in it that girls love, without anything manly things and it’s harder for me to get into. I knew this one was about some knights and there were a few fights in it so I was pumped thinking I’m getting ready to read something full of action, somewhat like Gilgamesh, but more human-like and less imagination required. Of course there was some action packed parts of this one. I mean, who doesn’t find thrill in a normal guy cutting the head right off of this huge green giant? That kind of stuff makes a story interesting but for some odd reason I just couldn’t get into this one like I should have. I did read enough to know what was happening, at least I tried, but after my reading I had to go to sparknotes and back up all of my info. I didn’t have to do this with the other two readings for the class, but this one I did which I find unusual. I believe it could possibly be because of the way the poem was written I wanted it to rhyme so bad that I found myself reading lines over and over. That especially happened after the sections with intended rhyme I goofed up after those parts a lot. I noticed the alliteration in the poem as well it didn’t throw me off wasn’t very consistent as far as I know. Maybe after reading the first day I kind of gave up on liking the story and it went downhill from there, because that was the part of the reading where not much happened in the text; mostly a bunch of descriptive lines about how fun the festival was or how green this armor-less knight is, details galore! After the first two sections of reading was when the meat of the story took place, that’s when the king of the castle went hunting and Gawain was seduced by the Queen. This stuff is interesting, but I didn’t find myself enjoying it while reading it. The story was more interesting to talk about in class. The last reason I can guess why I didn’t like it as much as I thought could be because it had morals and was about lying versus telling the truth. I know knights are chivalrous and they live by their virtues and all but I would have rather have seen some more French-like qualities in the knights as Mr. B explained to us in class. Then maybe he wouldn’t have turned down the queen who he admired so deeply, but then again that could have created some graphic reading I’d rather pass later in that section. Maybe it could have been something else Gawain lied about as well. Now that I think about it, if I could rewrite the plot of this story, or even the character Gawain, I would make him an undercover anti-knight who everyone believes to be a great knight of many virtues but deep down inside is a tricky, sneaky, evil person who always does the wrong thing. Then he would do all the bad like sleep with the queen, lie to the king, steal from the king, and even lie to the other knights when he got back to Camelot. I think the bad guys should sometimes win.

Jounal 3 -- "The buffoon"

I’m going to approach this entry a little differently than the others I’ve tried before. I’m not positive that it will work out for Mr. B, but the idea is creative and I believe it is worth a try. I am going to retell the story of Sakuntala from the point of view of the buffoon. Well first off, the buffoon is a character in the story that brings a comedy relief and does a good job of it. I think his role could have been bigger in the play to make it more interesting and fun, but I wasn’t the director so my opinion doesn’t count at the end of day. So in my effort to get the buffoon more credit this is his version of the play Sakuntala: Ok… so I really have to leave my freakin comfortable bed at the mansion filled sexy girls, good food, and of course nice gear? I was living like Hue Heffner’s side kick and now I’m out here playing Kunta Kinte for this wanna-be crocodile hunter. We finally get to stop and chill and we’re in this bummy place where they don’t even drink Fiji water and the food really sucks too. I’m tired of being here I wanna go back home where we belong but mister King here has his eyes locked on this chick and wants to stay. Doesn’t he have enough wives by now? If not I’m sure he’s had relations with many women he has no relationship with, such as the girls carrying his stupid oh so precious bow and arrow.
Now, in pain, I gotta listen as he tells me all these lovey dovey chick flick-like stories about this girl Sakuntala and I pretend as if I care and it’s way different than the last 50 times. No, no your kingliness, you are good enough for her, who wouldn’t want such a manly man like you? You deserve her and her beauty and her obedience to almost any and everything you say and all the other things she comes with. Wait did you say that your mother needs some assistance back in the city? In the place where the food is delicious, the work is easy and no more galloping around shooting animals? Aww sir don’t feel pressured to make a decision….. now of course I will go back to Paradise, I mean home, for you to talk to mom. I mean she thinks of me as one of her own right. No problem let your wishes be my dreams! You just take care of your little situation here, update your roster of wives and I will catch back up with you on the other side where the grass is greener.
Ok now this really sucks, you come back so soon and act like nothing ever happened. Did you fun in that ghetto, and how did it go with the honey you were checking out? Oh yea, I figured it was just going to be another fling sir is that the end of the story? It’s not, there’s more? What do you mean she tried to trap you? Well is it yours, I mean I don’t put it past you, I mean you are the king and stuff that’s what kings do right? Oooohhhh so she claims not only that you’re the baby’s daddy but you married her too. Is this girl delusional or something? OMG so your telling me this whole time the whole story is true and now your in funky mood because of it? This needs to be on Maury!

Journal 2 -- The format of Gilgamesh

As good as the story of Gilgamesh has been so far, there was a lot of stuff left out of the version that is in the text book we have, and it can get somewhat annoying. A few lines being missing isn’t that bad, but not knowing what happened in the 40 passages missing or the entire last part of the biggest fight scene of the story so far just completely not being mentioned kind of bothers me. I’m sure the translator could have guessed what the originator was trying to say, and if he or she couldn’t then I would have much rather him or her just make up something real tight. Nobody really knows where this stuff came from anyway so it could all be made up. The one good thing I can definitely point out about them losing pieces of the story is it is a heck of a lot shorter. Imagine if all of those lost passages were put into our version….. It would take us twice as long to finish!!! (and I don’t like super long stories). Also, another negative I found with the structure of Gilgamesh is it can get aggravating reading the same lines over and over and over. There are many sections of Gilgamesh that are repeatedly repeated and the repetition wares out the reader. I know it is suppose to emphasize the thoughts or actions, but the author or maybe the translator reiterates himself more than needed in the story. It’s like come on, we get it by now Gilgamesh is going to wake up and ask Enkidu why did he wake up so urgent, was he touched, did a god walk by or about his muscles trembling and bla bla bla we got it the first five times. I think if they wanted to put some extra stuff in the story they could have just filled in the original content where it was suppose to be. Not only could it get more intense and interesting, but then it wouldn’t be so stretched out, but more full. Since Gilgamesh is as old as dirt, literally, I can’t blame it for its flaws, besides there could be a lot more wrong with it. The bible is just as old and it is so much harder to read and understand. So I’m thankful for the way Gilgamesh was presented as whole and that’s just my views of the way the story is being presented to us. Many other people would probably rather it not have more made up parts because it wouldn’t be original, but me, I don’t care about that as much I want to read exciting things. As far as the plot of the story goes, it is already very fascinating so I can’t talk too bad about the negative sides without going into depth on the positive sides of Gilgamesh as an epic. The positive feedback outweighs the down sides in my eyes because no story is going to be perfect to anyone. So to please a reader such as me (a non-reader) as much as it did made it successful piece of work.

Journal 1 -- Beginning of Gilgamesh

After reading the first 5 tablets of Gilgamesh, I’m no longer worried about it being some old ancient story written in such a way only the teacher would understand. I usually have a problem reading things older than me which isn’t very good since I’m only 19, but the story of Gilgamesh was different. I believe anything can be easy to read to anybody as long as the literature can keep the interest of the reader. Gilgamesh is actually a very interesting epic to me because I can relate to the main characters in it. I have a best friend and we are also equal yet opposite likewise with Gilgamesh and Enkidu. I now see why Mr. B is so excited for us to read it. I know he is kind of a geek like he said, but after enjoying what I’ve read, I guess we all have a little bit of geek in us. Honestly, who doesn’t like a real good story/movie with a larger than life, superior, non-realistic hero that controls the story? To make it even better, there were two super beings and they conquered things together that’s like double the fun in one. We see it in all action movies, all comic books, some TV shows, and all the epics (so I’m told). It makes it better to know that I can find interest in things other than entertainment I choose, especially when its in a class I didn’t particularly choose.
What makes Gilgamesh even better than the other epics is it has two idealistic heroes that take over the plot. Gilgamesh and Enkidu, they can both be looked at as the main character in the story. I perceive the two as equal but opposite best friends who are similar in some ways but opposite in many as well which is very common and real life and gives the story ammunition to spark readers interest. They are both supposed to be stronger than anyone, smarter than anyone, both loved by the gods, unbeatable; except they stand for different beliefs so far. The way the interpreter makes them so much greater than an average human also makes it an epic story in my eyes. I say an epic story as in something to remember not in the sense of the literal definition of epic, though it fits that as well of course. We don’t really see them being best friends until the end of the scheduled portion for us to read and it happened after their one and only fight. I remember when me and my best friend had that same fight. It was like the mark between being friends and best friends after that day. Their different views on Gilgamesh’s sex habits were the start of the whole situation and I read it as neither one really won. If one would have won or loss, there probably would have been another fight and not as good of a story.