Introduction to My Life
Hi everyone, my name is Joanna and I'm a senior with a double major in Accounting and MIS. I grew up in Rockwall, Texas, a small suburb in Dallas. My mom was born and raised in Sri Lanka, a small island in South Asia. She moved to Kansas when she was 17 to attend college and escape the dangers of the civil war that was taking place at the time. My dad was born in Sri Lanka as well but grew up in London. On a gondola in Venice. Source: personal photo Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. Source: personal photo One of my favorite things to do is travel. I think part of this has to do with the fact that I have family all around the world. From a young age I've been flying off to London almost every year to spend Christmas with my cousins. Some of my favorite places I've been to are Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and Switzerland. It's always been a dream of mine to visit Machu Picchu in Peru and I hope that one day I can. My dog Teddy is my best fri...
Hey Life of Mandodari! I enjoyed reading your story about the little girls asking their mother about happiness and her past. I was confused as to why the mother felt that lying to her young daughters was a solution or way to protect them from harm and hardships. It would seem as though it would have been a prime opportunity for a lesson to teach her young girls about love and how a man should really be treating a woman. I think you have a really important concept that you chose to share about in your story, and I think your dialogue was really interesting and fun to read along to. I was curious to read your authors note, and what parts of the reading your story relates to. I look forward to reading more of your work over the course of the rest of the semester! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHey Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI got to say, I absolutely love your concept for your storybook. In the readings, Mandodari was mentioned but never really got her screen time (for lack of a better term) and I really would like to learn more of the queen of the demon king. I am really excited to read more entries, as I really would like to see what happened to her post Rama killing her husband and basically wrecking their kingdom. I wonder if Mandodari was heartbroken when her husband and kingdom fell, or if she was so over run with jealously that she didn't mind as much. I could easily see how watching your husband drool over some girl he just met might make you a little less disappointing when his life comes crashing down (even if you are affected slightly.) What if throughout the story, the ghost of Ravana (or her memory of him) came in and had some dialogue, this could show that though she has moved on, she hasn't 100% let go of all of her pain. Great story and can't wait to read more!
Hey there, Joanna!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the Introduction to your project! When we were reading the Ramayana, I also had a lot of questions about Mandodari because she was mentioned occasionally but never focused on. I think the characters like that are the ones who make for a fresh perspective in story-telling. Creating an interpretation of a character and their history makes a story much more deep and personal for the reader! There aren't many suggestions I have, but I do have a couple of thoughts that could add a bit more flavor to your story and future stories! For one thing, you might try and decide what time period you're setting the story in. Obviously, the origin stories are generally not set in modern times. In fact, details about scenery, surroundings and technology are often left ambiguous in epics. If you wanted to set your story in a more modernized time period, you could play on some of the details of the story and wind up with a more unique product. And, of course, the same goes for a more ancient time period. For the introduction specifically, you might add some details about Ravana and his children. Perhaps they inherited abilities from their father, or resemble him in some way? This would give more of a moral depth to Mandodari's inner-conflict. I also really enjoyed the picture on your site!
Hi Joanna!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect introduction page you made! I think that introduction did a great job of pulling the reader in with just enough information without giving away too much of the stories to come. I also appreciated the detail that went into your dialogue between characters. It was very easy to read and follow along with. Your story the beginning was also one of my favorites I've read so far. The insight into Madhura's thoughts was something that I think added so much to the reader's experience. Knowing the motivations behind why certain characters make the decisions they do sheds new light on the story in my opinion! What a fun twist you put on this story! My favorite stories are ones that involve karma but I think that for the most part this turned out okay for everyone involved and I like those. It's not great that she was turned into a frog but there was a light at the end of the 12 year tunnel! Great job!
Hi Joanna, first off, I love your title of the series "The Untold Tale of Mandodari". I think it brings a sense of unknown and mystery and it makes me want to dive in a read more. Regarding the first story, I think your details and imagery were great, but I think that adding even more about Mandodari herself would help fill in gaps of her backstory about her character, and doing this as another story itself would be a great idea! I am very excited to read that and see how she develops. However, I really liked how you used first person, as it was something I have not seen in a while, and it made me curious to read more as I felt more connected to the story itself. I think adding a comment link to each individual story would be very beneficial, but I may have just missed it if it was there. Other than that, great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Joana!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you write! You paint the story very well, and I can almost see the story while I read the words. You use just enough details that the pacing isn't too slow, but the story is still kept interesting with the right level. You could add more even about the backstory and it would not slow it down! I do a short backstory slide. You could do one too if you;re interested in that set up.
I like how you used first person. It frames the story very well for the reader. Often these the stories are so hard to relate too because they are placed so long ago and in a world so different than we live in, first person helps that process.
Are you going to talk about when Rama killed her husband? Many of us think of her with that incident it would be great to see her point of her view.
Hey Joanna! I just wanted to say I think your blog setup is so pretty. I really liked the pink hue and image of the beach you used as a banner. As for your story, I was so invested in the drama that unfolded for Mandodari I thought it was really cool how you told the story from her perspective and included a beginning that would make the readers want to empathize and cheer for her to grow from her mistakes. I thought your entire plot was creative and I liked the foreshadowing you cleverly peppered throughout the story (for example, with the young woman who she had later recalled had warned her about intervening between Shiva’s relationship with his wife). I wasn’t left with any questions after I finished reading, I felt resolved and satisfied as a reader and I still look forward to reading more additions to your story in the projects to come!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your storybook overall. I loved how the images correlated in a sense to the story. Your introduction set the scene very well for the next story, and I thought you did a fabulous job with that. The story pulled me in and kept me reading until the very end. I want more. I love how you tied in the birth of the girl with the story of her being turned into a frog. It all just meshed together very well. I also enjoyed the little image of the frog at the end of the story. I don't think I have much to say about how to make anything better, I just want to read more. I will suggest that you continue telling the stories as if she's telling her daughters. I wonder if you can relate any of her stories to her daughters? Also, I want to know who her current husband is, that wasn't clear to me.
ReplyDeleteHey Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading your story "A New Life," and I really enjoyed how you portrayed the thoughts and emotions of Mandodari with her husband. I am writing about the life of Ravana, and you're totally right, Ravana's weakness is wanting what he cannot get, and in this case it's Sita. I really liked how you made Mandodari want to fix Ravana, even though he was flawed. This really helped me understand why Mandodari stuck around so long, even as Ravana started to fall off the deep end in terms of his leadership. I wonder if Mandodari ever brought up her complaints to her husband about his infidelity? I can't even begin to imagine how that conversation would go. What if Mandodari consults with Sita when she is kidnapped? I would love to see the two love interests bond over their hatred for what Ravana is/becoming. Great work and I can't wait to read more!
Hey Joanna. That was such a cute story about how Mandodari came to be a part of her family. It is so sad that Mandodari seemed completely blind to the toxic and hurtful traits that Ravana had that could eventually corrode the trust and love she so deserved in their marriage. While blind obedience to authority and “maintaining peace” are both seen as ideal and rare traits in children by many, I found it interesting and important to note how those very traits also manifested into unhealthy habits as Mandodari entered her life as a young adult. Mandodari was paired with Ravana by her superiors and seemed to waive her own consent by justifying the decision because it was made by the authority figures she so respected. I think this is a pattern of behavior that is all too commonly exhibited in the female characters we often read about in these epics. Awesome story!
ReplyDeleteHi Joana! I would like to start off by saying that I really enjoyed reading your stories. I thought you did a great job at captivating the audience and keeping the readers entertained. Moreover, I also like how you decided to write about the story of Mandodari’s birth and life before Ravana. With that being said, I don’t remember reading about the character before I read your stories.
ReplyDeleteI thought your author’s note to your story was pretty well-written; however, there are a few things that you could add. For example, if I were you I could write about how writing in the first person point of view allowed you to take a step into the character’s shoe and recreate the story through her eyes. Furthermore, I really like how you decided to tell the story of Mandodari through the stories that she tells her daughters. I thought that it was a really sweet and cute idea.
Hi Joana! I really liked how you created your story in "Life of Mandodari." I also liked how well you transitioned the story and provide a good amount of details to provide a image. It is awesome how you made it in first person point of view, but there is something you might want to consider! If you want to make it all in first person, make sure the whole story is in first person point of view! For example you could fix, "I was the baby for them, they were sure of it." And since this is first person, maybe dive deeper in her character! Explain how she felt, or grew up living with brothers. The story jumped from baby Mandodari to getting married so sudden. Maybe add more details into her life! Also, I did not know Mandodari is the daughter until I read the author's note because she did not speak of her name in the story. So maybe add that into the introduction! Overall, this story was a great! Good job!!
ReplyDeleteHi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great concept for a storybook!
Your Introduction was sweet and nicely written. It worked well to make the reader like Mandodari and sympathize with her. I also liked the switch from third-person omniscient in the Introduction to first person narration in the actual stories.
I would have liked to see an Author’s Note on the Introduction – I’m curious to know how you decided to focus your whole storybook on Mandodari, since she wasn’t a very major character in any of the versions of the epic I read, at least. Maybe there was a reading you chose that featured her, but I want to know!
I really liked the tone of Mandodari’s narration in the stories themselves: it perfectly fit the personality you established for her in the Introduction and, all while staying in character, added emotional complexity and interest.
Nicely done! Looking forward to reading your third story.
Best,
A.M.
Hey Joanna!
ReplyDeleteThe concept of your storybook immediately intrigued me when I read the introduction, and I thoroughly enjoyed the two stories you have written thus far! Your writing style is wonderful and reads very smoothly. The narration also feels very personal; I was one of Mandodari's children, listening to my mother talk about her past as I was transported to the role of the curious child. There was only one place in the stories that gave me pause. You mention at the end of your first story that for the duration of Mandodari's curse she lived in a well, but at the beginning of the second story you write about her having lived in a cave. It might be helpful to clarify the setting for the reader, so that we can better imagine how she spent her cursed years. One final note: the moment describing Mandodari waking up in Shiva's bed felt just a touch out of sync with the time period. For me, it was evocative of the modern language we use to talk about one night stands. You might consider experimenting with other ways of framing their encounter that are more appropriate to the setting. Overall, excellent work, and I can't wait to read the stories to come!
Hi Joanna!
ReplyDeleteI like the approach you've taken to Mandodari, especially choosing to tell her life story from her perspective as she retells it to her daughters! I think the layout of the website is simple and accessible, and I think how you've separated the paragraphs allows an easy read and it flows well. I also really enjoyed how you told Mandodari's backstory. You made it seem very real and as if the mistake was only honest and human, whereas many stories make it seem as if her intent was more malicious when she was caught with Shiva. My only suggestion would be to separate the dialogue inside of the paragraphs from the actual story, as it would make them stand out a bit more. However, this is completely a stylistic choice and I don't think it's a big deal. Mandodari is a character I really like from the Ramayana, and I really liked how you took her perspective for your Storybook!
Hi Joanna! I thought you did really well in writing your stories! With that being said, I think you used paragraphs effectively to help readers navigate through your project. You did a good job at spacing out the dialogue and emphasizing the role of each person in your story. Moreover, the paragraphs helped pace my reading and follow the flow of the story. However, a suggestion that I have is to look at your more recent stories and separate different thoughts when necessary.
ReplyDeleteStill, I thought you did a really well job in writing your stories and creating your project. I loved how you chose to focus your project on Mandodari. With that being said, I didn’t even know who she was before reading your story. I think that it’s really cool that you chose to write about the queen of Ravana. I can’t wait to read your final story about her!
These stories are by far some of my favorite out of many of the storybooks and portfolios I've read. Mandodari was just cursed with loving many men in her lifetime. I'm always enjoying cheesy stories of love and romance. Having Mando worship and devote herself to a god only to meet him in the flesh and end up in his bed...it seems like such a dream! I do think that Mando is a little careless in giving her heart away. She should have known Shiva was married and being with him had consequences. I do like how Shiva knew as well but knew it wouldn't be him that would be punished...poor Mando. She's definitely been through a lot blinding following her heart. Even Ravana just loved he for her looks and his taste in women. It sucks that she's never respected in any of the stories about her, but sometimes life does that to us.
ReplyDeleteHey Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading your recent addition to your story book, "The War," and I absolutely loved/hated it for all the right reasons! It was so well written, especially the dialogue between Ravana and Mandodari! The whole all I could think about was how strong Mandodari was for staying with an awful husband like Ravana. Even though I wrote my story on Ravana and believe that he's not as bad as everyone thinks he is, I have to say that after reading how you portrayed Mandodari's emotions throughout your story book all I can think right now is screw Ravana! You detailed the life of the wife of the demon king so well throughout your story, keep it up! Also, I loved how "The War" could be interpreted as Mandodari's inner struggle of staying with her awful husband or moving on even though she knows there is still the old Ravana in there. Absolutely brilliant!
Hi Joanna!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, Slow Down There! You just kind of dump in our laps in a single sentence a whole bunch of background and then move on without really addressing it. You might consider just deleting that sentence and letting those elements come up naturally in the story. It kind of ruins the intrigue that keeps readers engaged if you give us the punchline right at the beginning. But, if we don't know that her first husband was madly in love with another man, then when Amita mentions that Mandodari was previously married to her current husband's brother, then readers want to know why the marriage failed, and so keep reading. That being said, I do like the premise and structure of this storybook. It feels more intimate and personal having Mandodari tell her daughters these stories. It makes me feel more invested in her as a person. Thank you for an informative, enjoyable story.
Hi Joanna!
ReplyDeleteI like how you have links at the bottom and at the top. It makes your page really easy to navigate. I think I might add that detail to my own page. You should add more photos! You describe the scene so vividly that it would be fun at the end of the page to see if the picture in my head matched with yours. I notice that you forget the comma between two complete statements joined with a conjunction. When you do your final revisions, look for it! Also, slow down! You go really quick introducing the background that it feels forced. Let it develop naturally! But otherwise, great job!
Hi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI really like the design throughout your entire website. Every single web page was very well organized so I easily understood what I was reading throughout the website. The navigation was also very easy to use. I could go through each web page of the website very easy. The images you chose for every web page on the website were also very good. Every single image helped to add to the immersion of the story for me as the illustrated different aspect of the story on each web page. I liked the continuity through every web page of the story. None of the web pages felt out of place or like they belonged somewhere else. I also like how it is easy to see the link to your comment wall so that readers can provide feedback easily. The secondary navigation you provided on your homepage is also good at helping people to navigate your website.
Joanna,
ReplyDeleteHappy dead week to you!
What a wonderful story you have told for us. The Life of Mandodari was well thought out and entertaining to read. I appreciate your choice to write the storybook in the first person. It certainly gave the intimate and personal feel that you describe to be seeking in your author’s note. You also achieved what you aimed to do by summarizing the answers to all of Mandodari’s daughter’s questions by the final storybook page. Finally, in terms of your narrative, it was nice to have a happy ending and to see the title character as having a much larger role than what the Indian Epics gave her. Your images are well thought out and contribute greatly to your story. Your color palette on the blog sets a very nice tone. Also, the storybook blog links on each page give your reader a very convenient experience in terms of navigation. Finally, I bet you are happy to be finished! I think we all are!
Hey Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to hop over to Indian Epics. I am from the Myth and Folklore class. First off, I love the layout and colors of your storybook. I think it goes perfectly with the flow of your story. Your writing is so well done. You can tell that you pay attention to detail and that sets you apart from the rest. The concept of your story really intrigued and I love the approach you chose tell Mandodari’s story. It was very entertaining to read and I really appreciated that it was told in first person. It helped me feel more involved and engaged with the story. Overall excellent job! Keep up the good work and happy dead week!