Reading Options

There were so many units to choose from for the readings for this class that it was kind of overwhelming! In the end, I decided to choose topics that I didn't know much about. I think it's always a good idea to try and expand your knowledge on topics you find interesting, hence the reason I chose the topics that I did.

The first unit that I want to read for Week 2 are the Stories from Congo. These stories focus on "fetishes", which are both supernatural spirits and also the power of those spirits embodied in physical objects of some kind. I've always been interested in African cultures and practices, so I think this will be a good place for me to get started. The titles of the different stories also seem interesting and I found the text to be easy enough to read.

Women of the Congo; Wikimedia

The second unit that I am interested in reading are the Jataka Tales (Shedlock). This unit caught my eye because the stories told reflect on distinct Buddhist teachings. I've always found Buddhism to be extremely insightful but I haven't ever gotten a chance to really sit down and read about it. Choosing this unit would serve two functions: to fulfill requirements for this class and to also finally give me an opportunity to learn more about the teachings of Buddhism! The language in these stories also seemed straightforward so they shouldn't pose much of a problem when it comes to reading and understanding them.

The third unit that I wanted to read for this class is The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung. In the overview for this unit, it is mentioned that the monkey king is a warrior and a magician who rebels against heaven. I'm interested in this unit because one of my favorite characters in the Epics of India course was Hanuman, who was also technically a monkey. I want to see if there are any parallels between the two characters and am interested in how this rebellion plays out! This unit also includes Buddha, and since one of the other units I chose includes Buddhism, I think this one will fit nicely into the mix of things.