UnTextbook Selections

The UnTextbook has so many fascinating units that I would love to delve into this semester. The ones that caught my eye are: 

Buddha

This unit immediately got my attention as soon as I started scrolling through the sidebar because my entire family is Buddhist. When I was much younger, my parents would tell me a lot about the story of Siddhartha Gautama and his path to enlightenment. It's a little fuzzy now, but I would like to learn about it again and see how similar or different the stories will be. 

Monkey King

This is another one from my youth! My mom absolutely LOVES watching Chinese dramas and there was one called "Journey to the West" that told of the adventures of the Monkey King. I didn't really understand the dialogue in the drama very well because they used terminology too advanced for my eight year old self, so I just watched the character interactions and look at the gorgeous costumes. Just reading the overview brings back memories, so I definitely would love to read this unit in detail. 

Cupid and Psyche

Romance is one of my favorite genres and I also love classical mythology, so this unit is a win-win for me! I'd like to see how this story will unfold and whether or not it will be a happy or sad ending. 

Brothers Grimm (Crane)

I used to watch the first season of ABC's Once Upon a Time and a multitude of Disney movies that used stories from the Brothers Grimm, so I want to see how the media changes up stories to appeal to the public. I've heard that the original Brothers Grimm stories are much more gruesome and don't necessarily have that 'happily ever after' ending, so I'm definitely intrigued.

Dante's Inferno

I've heard good things about Dante's Inferno from my friends, but I have not gotten the chance to read it myself. The idea of 'the nine circles of suffering' appeals to me because I've always thought about what happens to someone after they die. Is there really a heaven and a hell or is it just nothing? Also, Buddhism has something similar called 'the eighteen levels of hell' and it would be interesting to see how eastern and western ideals compare!

Baroque painting of Psyche.

"Psyche Honored by the People" by Giordano. Source: Cupid and Psyche Unit

I chose this picture because I love the Baroque style. The colors and detail are absolutely gorgeous and each person in the painting seems to have a story of their own to tell, judging from their poses and facial expressions.