Feedback Thoughts

I believe that feedback is extremely important is nearly every facet of life. Everything from school or work to sports and more can be improved through proper use of feedback. The first article I read was 5 Tips for Taking Feedback Like a Champ, which talked a lot about how to receive feedback in the best possible way. It essentially said that the best way to make all feedback positive is to try and not take it personally, but instead use feedback as fuel to improve. The second article I read was Be a Mirror. This article talked about the Growth Mindset that we read about earlier this semester. The whole idea of the article is to offer feedback as neutrally as possible, with no judgment. I completely agree with that idea and I think the best feedback is that which fosters the Growth Mindset and improvement in whatever you are doing

Feedback (Pixabay) 

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Week 3 Story: The Jealous Brother

The city of Ayobhya lies on the river Sarayu in the kingdom of Koshala. The ruler of these lands is Dasharatha, who is king. Dasharatha has little family, no children of his own to take his place as king. He does have 4 incarnate sons born to his wives through special rice from the gods: Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. As Dasharatha ages he must decide which of these incarnate sons will be his successor. 

On his death bed, Dasharatha names the order of his sons to become king. He names Rama to be the next king, followed by Lakshmana, Shatughna, and finally Bharata. Rama is honored to be chosen as Dasharatha's successor and is crowned the day Dasharatha dies. At the coronation, Lakshamana and Shatughna support the decision and support Rama as king, but Bharata is furious. "How could Dasharatha put me last in order? Does he not believe i am fit to rule?! I'll show him."

Bharata hatches a plan to get himself into the thrown and be ruler of the kingdom of Koshala. He starts with getting Lakshamana and Shatughna out of succession. He tells them of the ancient legend about a ten-headed monster who lives in the waters of the Ayodhya, and how it is their duty as successors to the kind to deafeat the monster. The two agree and the set off with Bharata to fight the monster. Upon reaching the river, the ten headed monster emerges from the river. Lakshamana and Shatughna race into action and begin fighting the monsters, but Bharata sneaks back into the jungle, out of harms way. Lakshamana and Shatughna are killed in the fight and Bharata goes back to the city to alert the citizens. 

As he walks into the city, Bharata comes up with a plan to get rid of Rama as well, and thus taking the thrown for himself. He begins telling everyone of the deaths of Lakshamana and Shatughna. Once everyone knows that the two successors are dead, Bharata begins to spread a rumor that Rama tricked the two into fighting the monster, kowning they would die. He said that Rama tried to trick him into going as well but Bharata was too smart. Bharata told everyone Rama wanted them dead so that he wouldn't have to share Dasharatha's wealth with them. 

The rumor spread and eventually everyone believed it to be true. Rama was sent into exile an the thrown was passed down to Bharata. Bharata had gotten what he wanted more than anything else in life, but was consumed with guilt for what he had done to get there. After a few years of ruling the kingdom, Bharata could no longer handle the guilt and took his own life, but with no children, there was no direct successor to the thrown. Before he dies, Bharata admitted to framing Rama and getting him exiled. After Bharata's death, Rama was able to return from exile and take his rightful place as king of Koshala.

The End. 

Rama being exiled (Wiki Commons)

Author's Note:

This week I read Narayan's Ramayana. I found it interesting that in the story Bharata was angry about being named king because you don't often seen characters being angry about getting more power. I decided to flip the story and make Bharata power hungry and villainous. 

Bibliography:  Narayan's Ramayana (Link)

Reading Notes: The Ramayana, Part B

I find it interesting that Bharata is angry about becoming king. In my story I am thinking about switching that around and making Bharata's desire to be king the main plot. Instead of Bharata trying to get Rama to return from exile maybe he will set Rama up to get in trouble and be exiled so that he can be closer to becoming king. Also maybe Bharata will have something to do with Dasharatha's death so that he can become king. After Bharata makes his way to king I might make him be a sort of dictator and see where the story goes from there. Maybe some kind of overthrow and Bharata gets exiled and Rama comes back or Dasharatha's death was fake?

Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana (Link)

Rama as King (Wikimedia Commons)

Reading Notes: The Ramayana, Part A

The setting of the story seems similar to one of the stories I read last week, which may help develop the setting when writing later this week. Reading about the issue with Dasharatha having no children gives me some ideas for my story, like adding an unknown son or something along those lines. Also, the parallel story about the ten headed rakshasa is very interesting. I was thinking about switching that around in my story and saying that there is a monster that humans cannot defeat and they are trying to get help from the gods.

Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana (Link)

Ramayana (Flickr)