Extra Credit Discovery Post

Posted on by
Reply

For my extra credit discovery post, I chose the Sirena story from the Penguin Book of Mermaids. This story is based in Guam, and part of the Chamorro culture. I wanted to read this story because one of my closest friends is from Guam. This story is an important contribution to my learning in this class because of the different cultural perspective it provides through intergenerational oral traditions and curses. 

At the beginning of this tale, a scene is painted of a grand-mermaid spending time with her nieces. The two young mer-girls want to hear the story of how mermaids came around, and beg her to tell the tale even though they have heard it many times before. “An ancient grand-mermaid sits on top of her pearly throne, brushing her long white hair. Upon her lap perch two little mergirls, their sparkling tails twisting and twirling… ‘All right, sit down and behave. I’ll tell you the tale of Sirena,’ laughs the grand-mermaid. Looking at the two mergirls with their rapt eyes, she slowly nods. And so the story begins…” (p.234). This type of storytelling is important because it follows the route of oral storytelling, as opposed to written word. Often, oral storytelling is used to teach lessons, as it is in this story; it is a story about the importance of responsibility. In addition, oral storytelling is more common in indigenous cultures, and the Chamorro culture is an indigenous one. When I talked to my friend from Guam about this story, she immediately knew what I was talking about without me even mentioning the title, and said it’s a legend there, and that both her grandmother and mother told this story to her when she was growing up. She said there’s also a statue of Sirena on the island, which shows how important this tale is to Chamorro culture. 

Another important part of this tale is the use of curses. When Sirena does not keep up with her responsibilities, and her mother is left to do her chores, her mother becomes very upset. She curses Sirena, which shows the power that an elder holds, as well as consequences. “‘Sirena!’ Her mother’s face loomed out of the darkness. Her angry eyes burned with wrath. ‘Shame, shame, shame on you! Careless, idle child! Your own sister of six can do better! Shame, Sirena! I had to walk over to your auntie’s house myself for the breadfruit. Sirena, if you ever go in the water again, you will become an ugly, fat fish!’ her mother screamed. Sirena knelt trembling in a corner, her godmother’s hand on her shoulder. ‘No, please, no!” Sirena wailed when she heard her mother’s curse” (p.236). This is an origin tale of a mermaid, created by a curse. Even though Sirena’s mother says she will become “an ugly, fat fish”, Sirena transforms into a mermaid when she goes into the water next. Whether this is just a mishap of the curse, or nature being more forgiving than a human, is unclear. What I found most interesting about this passage was that her mother has this power to curse her child. I wonder if there is more respect for elders in Chamorro culture, like there is in some East Asian cultures (when compared to the U.S.). Does this respect give them the power to curse? Can they curse anyone? Or can they only curse their offspring? Since this is a legend on Guam, it also creates fear for the children who hear the story, who then feel they must be responsible children otherwise something similar may happen to them. 

Take Aways

Posted on by
Reply

After taking this class I wasn’t expecting to learn the things I have and to really apply them to not only the rest of my college career but also my life after college. I would say one of my biggest take aways is the ability to question what I’m learning. I have had no other class be able to show the “so what” aspect of the class or why it’s important to learn what they’re teaching or if it’s even credible and how do we know it’s credible. A lot of my past professors have just lectured without the importance of why or how this is relevant and the moment someone questioned something it was almost like a crime to do so. This class showed me the importance of questioning what I’m learning and that it is okay to do so.

Another big take away is being able to have an actual discussion. Some classes before signing up are labeled as “discussion” but there’s nothing really to them, other than 20 or so students all staring at each other without a single thing to say. This class allowed for conversation to be built, where our opinions/thoughts mattered as it contributed to conversation in any way. There was really never a right or wrong answer with what we had to say but instead it allowed for either the conversation to grow further or it really just sparked a completely different topic.

Finally it allowed me to work better on my writing and really analyze what I was reading, why it’s important, how does it relate to the bigger idea we’re learning, and how does this impact my perspective on topics. This is one of the class I feel like I actually learned something not just about literature, environment, mermaids, but more about myself as to how to be better as a student but also in my writing for future classes. It was a challenging class but in the end felt worth it as I have taken away so much from my professor but also my peers.

Reflection

Posted on by
3

Wow! I can’t believe it is already the end of the semester. It is impossible for me to recite everything I have learned in this class but my biggest takeaway is how I view perspective now. To be more specific, the way we talk about history and how it is not one universal truth has really stuck with me. I have always been really stubborn and wondered “how do we know?” in a classroom or based on a textbook and it is sometimes difficult to get a productive answer. I feel like this discussion has allowed me to realize things don’t have to be right or wrong, left or right, and they can be a combination of anything and everything. There is comfort knowing that knowledge is so personal and dynamic, and that not everyone has to understand each others history. With that being said, I definitely am excited to continue learning and looking for new perspectives in all aspects of life, to continue asking why, and thinking of this class whenever I see a mermaid! So grateful for this class and everyone in it, cheers and good luck!

Final Essay Thesis Statement

Posted on by
Reply

In The Little Mermaid by Hans Christain Andersen, the high and low design of the stories landscape maps onto the vertical ascension of Christianity associated with hell, purgatory, and heaven. Each ascension correlates to it’s respective vertical plane and leads the mermaid closer towards a heavenly life. This transition from plane to plane involves sacrifice and encompasses the Christian tenet of the body may die but the soul lives on. Within the frame of Christianity and religious life (?) of the little mermaid, sacrificing ones own life in the name of a higher power is noble and elevates your position in the spiritual world. (connect back to religious propoganda)

Final Essay Proposal

Posted on by
Reply

I don’t have a set thesis statement, but it will discuss literatures use of mermaids as a lens to discuss the environment. This will be a culmination of my two essays about Sedna to further my analysis. It will dive into the way literature is a way of understanding the culture from which it comes from, and also how Sedna’s entangled hair is symbolism for pollution and how highlights a close relationship between human actions and the health of the environment. I may also include some exploration of the Shaman and close read/ analyze that area more. My goal for this final essay is to emphasize that literature is powerful by exploring how in this class, it helps with understanding humans’ relationship to the Ocean.

What I learned in this class…

Posted on by
1

One of the biggest things I learned in this class is to appreciate the Ocean and see it as a multifaceted body rather than a dark abyss. Growing up, a lot of media associated the Ocean to darkness, being lost, scary, dangerous, unknown, unexplored, which framed the way I viewed it. This class was a change in perspective, it allowed for the exploration of the Ocean in various ways through poetry, art, literature, scenography, and more. These new lenses removed the limitations I felt towards the Ocean, and I am amazed at how much the close reading we practiced in class unveiled about literature, mermaids, and the environment. Some of the elements that stood out the most were: the ocean as an archive, mermaids as a metaphor and lens, everything can be read (paintings, videos, etc) as literature, the Ocean is and gives life, and perspective is key,

“The salt of the ocean is the salt of tears” – Stephanie Burt

Posted on by
4

This week’s poem “We are Mermaids” by Stephanie Burt was an interesting read. There’s a lot to dissect from the poem, but one main theme I found was human connection to nature. The first stanza makes a clear comparison between humans and the Ocean, it reads, “The salt of the ocean is always the salt of tears, melancholy but at the right dilution, or concentration, life giving.” In this quote, salt serves as a commonality between the Ocean and human tears. Both are bodies of water, and this suggests they both carry sadness that can fruit new opportunities. I found this very interesting, if I had read this quote before this class I would have wondered “how is the Ocean melancholy?” I knew the ocean had power; I see it in the crashing waves when I visit the beach, but I had never associated it with having feelings. Now having the context of this class, I understand the Ocean not only as an archive that holds history but also emotions. Overall, Burt prompts a reevaluation of human relationship to nature to recognize the symmetry between the two.

My Final Takeaway

Posted on by
1

This class was by far the best class I have ever taken. I loved everything about this class, mainly the confusion I experienced. There were so many moments in this class where I thought “What the heck does that even mean,” but in hindsight, I loved the confusion because it pushed me to dive deeper and think about why it confused me. I learned to be confident, in myself and my voice, but more than that I learned to be confident in my ideas and thoughts. So many times in our discussions I felt as if things I thought or wanted to say were irrelevant or pointless, but with the help of our amazing professor, I learned that thoughts and ideas are always worth sharing. Of course, confidence is a neverending thing you must work on but I am glad this class opened my eyes to sharing and having an open discussion and recognizing that each idea and thought you have can add a lot to a discussion

On top of this, this class made me have a huge mindset shift regarding mermaids and our environment. I have always loved and cared for the Ocean, but so many stories regarding mermaids and the Ocean made me grow an even deeper appreciation for the Ocean and how other cultures view and perceive it.

This class made me question things, to not just listen and accept what you are told or reading. It also taught me that we are all interconnected, there is no separation between humans and nature, and the Ocean does not belong to us, we belong to the Ocean. Every single person in this class has taught me something, and for that, I am extremely grateful.

The Requirement to be Useful

Posted on by
3

After reading this weeks poem, “We Are Mermaids,” the concept of usefulness and the land requirement of being useful in society and the unnecessary need of being useful in the ocean.

This theme was strong to me due to the last two stanzas of the poem, “You don’t have to be useful. You are not required to come up with something to say. You can spend your life benthic…”.

I had to read this section over a few times and am still trying to conceptualize what this means exactly, as there truly isn’t a purpose for everything in the Ocean. On land, people are held to high standards of contribution and are always expected to contribute financially, physically, mentally, etc. and when one is not contributing whether in a personal or group setting they are looked down upon and shamed. These are established regulations, stereotypes, and necessities that we as a society have placed upon ourselves and forced ourselves to adhere to. The Ocean is self-governed. I say this because it is important to understand, that the Ocean is self-governing and embraces all entities that contribute or do not contribute, there is no force or requirement to be something or say something, but to just be. The Ocean is one of the most if not the most powerful things on our Earth and governs almost all aspects of our life, yet it does so with light command and does not command its entities to behave in any specific way. On land, we are governed with constraints and are commanded to behave in specific ways, with laws, teachings, and regulations, that describe the way all societies must act to uphold their citizen standing. I’m not saying that this is wrong but it is interesting how two communities that are so invested in one another ( The Ocean and land) can be so opposing and different in their approach to governing and usefulness.

Week 15: We Are Mermaids

Posted on by
5

Stephanie Burt’s poem, “We Are Mermaids,” has a contemplative tone that provokes readers to consider how nature’s essence intertwines with the human experience. The opening line “The salt of the ocean is always the salt of tears,” establishes a connection between the grandeur of the ocean and human emotions. This interconnectedness between humans and nature is further established in the seventh stanza. The line “You can spend your life benthic, or brackish” invites readers to reflect on the various experiences life offers. “Benthic” refers to the bottom of a body of water while “brackish” refers to water that is a mix of fresh water and salt water. This line proposes that one can live a life grounded in stability, or in a state of ambiguity and change. Burt uses imagery in “Subsisting and even thriving where a fingertip / comes away saline and still refreshing” to explain that there is still sustenance in “brackish” environments. This line explains that one can grow in a state of uncertainty. The word “refreshing” proposes that while it may be challenging to find this wisdom it is also invigorating. The last lines of the stanza, “Exploring the estuary, the submerged lip / and congeries of overlapping shores / on the green-black water, the harbor, the bay,” may symbolize the boundaries between the water and land. “Congeries of overlapping shores” suggests the interconnectedness between nature and humanity— perhaps symbolizing the various life transitions humans experience.

In other words, this poem enables us to consider nature’s fluidity in relation to our own lives. As a college student, I feel that I am in a current state of ambiguity. Burt’s language suggests that we learn from the fluidity in nature. Humans are also a part of nature, and this poem reminds us that we can find wisdom in embracing uncertainties in life and, ultimately, learn from nature’s rhythm.