George Baslous, Pd 5, 9/22/2020, Day B

George Baslous
9/22/20
Period 5
Modern Mythology 2021

Before reading different versions of the Cinderella story from Maria Tatar's 1st and 2nd editions of "The Classic Fairytales," I thought to myself that it would be very repetitive as I would be reading the same story over and over. Although the stories were conceptually the same, each one had a different cultural aspect to it which made it interesting to read. Take for instance the Chinese version of Cinderella called "Yeh-hsien." At first I thought it was funny how Yeh-hsien was praying to fish bones in order to get her dress and shoes, but then I had to remind myself that not only was it the Chinese version, but it was also written in 1697. At the same time, most other countries may find it confusing that a fairy Godmother appeared in the Cinderella story. Although it didn't make sense to me, it most likely made sense to people living in China during the time it was written. Reading this story as well as others such as "Donkeyskin," and "Catskin" helped me realize that each story has its own cultural background and each story brought a new aspect to the table.

By reading these Cinderella stories, I realized how each one described the characters very differently, especially in the way women are perceived in different cultures as well as time periods. In most, if not all of the stories, the mother and sisters take advantage of 'Cinderella' and she doesn't argue back, but instead stays speechless. Back then, it was more stereotypical for women to be submissive and act in a 'lady-like' fashion rather than going out and getting into trouble. I feel that if someone were to rewrite a new 'Cinderella' nowadays, you wouldn't see the same storyline of Cinderella being submissive to her mother. I think that although there is still much more room for improvement, women nowadays are not afraid to argue and stand up for themselves. Reading all of the Cinderella stories allowed me to realize how much more confident women are today compared to the times when all of the stories were written. I remember learning about lotus feet APWH freshman year which existed in China and forced women to disfigure their feet to they like more 'appealing.' Nobody was willing to speak up and defend themselves for a while even though they knew how wrong the foot binding was. Nowadays however, you see women out in the streets protesting and standing up for what they think is right which is a great thing. In the end, all of the Cinderella stories were able to, in the words of Tatar, "recharge the narrative and make it crackle with cultural energy," which is perhaps the most important aspect of fairytales in my opinion.

Marvin Alhaddad, Period 5, 9/22/20, Day B

Marvin Alhaddad
9/22/20
Period 5
Modern Mythology 2021

After seeing the summer reading for this class was to read the variations of the Cinderella fairy tale in Maria Tatar's "The Classic Fairy Tales", I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. I knew that the fairy tales I was told as a child weren't the same ones told all around the world, but until I picked up the book, or in this case my phone, and started actually reading them, I was unaware of just how different they could be. Of course, each story has a generally similar story being told, but the journey in each tale was unique to each culture. Some tales were more similar than others, while some ventured far from what seemed like the norm in most places. Many were akin to Cinderella, featuring a poor daughter who is tormented by her step-mother and sisters, until one day, a ball is held by the prince to find him the perfect girl to marry. Be it through the help of a fairy godmother or mother nature, the girl finds herself able to surpass the obstacles set in place by her tormentors and fully capable of going to the ball in disguise, where she catches the prince's eye who then seeks her out in the following days. After finally finding the girl, she becomes his wife and the step-mother and sisters are left to succumb to their own bad karma.

Even the seemingly minor differences in each tale tell a story of their own, however. When reading Yeh-Hsien and The Story of the Black Cow, I noticed that there was a large emphasis on animals possessing supernatural powers to help free the main character from their suffering. Yeh-Hsien features a fish that grows larger and larger, until the step-mother tricks it into coming out of the river by dressing like the girl and then kills it. Similarly, in The Story of the Black Cow, there is a black cow that tends to the boy by feeding him, as the step-mother barely gives him anything to eat. When she realizes this, she pleads for her husband to sell the cow, claiming she will not eat or sleep until he does. Reading these stories gives insight into the culture of the region from which each originates from, depicting how fish and cows might be considered almost holy by people from each of the respective cultures.

A very common variation that I was completely unaware existed was one where the husband, not a step-mother, is the antagonist. This is the case for stories like Donkeyskin and Catskin, where the mother dies and forces a promise onto her husband that if he were to remarry, it can only be someone who is better than her. The husband eventually looks for someone to marry and decides that only his own daughter fits the criteria his now-dead wife gave him. The daughter doesn't want to marry her father, however, and tries to stall the wedding by requesting seemingly impossible to make dresses. In the end, she runs away under the guise of donkeyskin or catskin, and nobody realizes because they think she is too ugly. Like all the other variations, the main character finds herself in the presence of a prince who sees her without the donkeyskin or catskin and is convinced that she is beautiful and they end up marrying, and after the father sees his daughter married to this prince he is filled with joy.

These tales have taught me a lot about the world and how important fairy tales are, not just for the lessons they provide, but for what they reveal about the people that passed them down. Tales of cruel step-mothers who love to watch others suffer, powerful creatures who are able to grant wishes, fathers who are "faithful" to their wives, even if it means marrying their own daughters (which they were never obligated to do). In fact, The Story of the Black Cow has yet another defining detail that sets it apart from all the other variations, as it has a male main character rather than a female one. I found it interesting that even when the antagonist varied between a male or female, the protagonist subject to oppression was a female. What this shows me is that the culture that would pass down The Story of the Black Cow didn't face the same issues of gender inequality that was seen throughout much of the world, and it's also one way that what I've learned from these stories can apply to real life. Many of the issues that fairy tales exaggerate can still be seen in some form in many areas, and these stories show us that even through all of these problems, there are still ways to triumph and fight back.

Angelica Baburova, Pd 5, 9/22/2020, Day B

Angelica Baburova

Modern Mythology

Ms. Fusaro

9/22/2020

        At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why

Many seniors in 2020, I  am facing college applications. Hundreds of thousands of students are applying without standardized test scores, or without ones that truly reflect their strengths, In addition, most of us haven't been able to effectively use our time starting in March as many things were shut down for public health reasons. In addition to this race to finish a holistic application in time, especially without key elements in our applications, I am no longer sure how I should approach higher education as a whole. Currently, my goals are revolving around making decisions regarding my future, from deciding whether or not to submit test scores to what I should even apply as. I want to be able to determine what I want to study and invest my time in. Recently, with my being at home significantly more than before, as well as the amount of internship/work/volunteer opportunities in decline, I have been able to really analyze my thoughts and think about -- what are my goals in life? 

Not only am I currently focusing on strengthing my application as quickly as possible as there is only a month left to do so, but I am also making sure that I am applying to something I have a chance to be successful in and enjoy. My eyes have been set on engineering, which means that no matter which specialty within it I would have had the opportunity to switch majors within it at my leisure fo the first two years. Now though, I have realized I have no exposure in anything else-- will I truly enjoy this specialty?

        How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

    To tackle these goals I remind myself that decisions made today are not the end all be all.  In addition, I know that I have to just focus on strengthening my applications as much as possible right now and to put all of my hindrances behind me. I know that people grow and change throughout their lives, and what I need to focus on at the moment is just starting myself on the path towards a successful and fulfilling career. Instead of worrying about my transcript, or my test scores, or specifically, which major I want to choose, I need to work to secure acceptances by focusing on my essays. Taking things one step at a time, rather than trying to solve every problem at once, is not only the most reasonable plan but the one that will keep me grounded in my work. 

        How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

    The world has two different sides to how it leads its newest generation into the workforce. While telling students to apply to schools with a specialty, major, goals in mind... it also tells us that we are free to change our minds whenever necessary. Isn't that what the American dream is? Everyone is free to work towards any job, degree, diploma-- no matter their age. Still, the pressure is put on us to success buy those surrounding us. The meaning of success varies from person to person-- but the central idea of obtaining a higher education and being at the top of your field remains constant. Even in the current uncertain circumstances, everyone is excepted to make do... I am just interested in seeing how this years acceptances works out in the end.

Felicia Chan, Period 2, 9/21/20, Day A

Felicia Chan
9/21/20
Period 2
Modern Mythology 2021


Truth holds in the words of Maria Tatar when she says, “Fairy tales are always more interesting when something is added to them. Each new telling recharges the narrative, making it crackle and hiss with cultural energy.”

Through reading the versions of Cinderella in her 1st and 2nd Editions of, “The Classic Fairy Tales,” I began to become tired of reading them as most told the same traditional, classic storyline where Cinderella’s beauty, grace, and fairness awards her a happy ending with her Prince Charming. Though there were details that were added that made each story a bit different from one another, I was seeking for more flavor, perhaps suspense. I found myself coming across Cinderella being portrayed as a fragile woman who flees when distress comes her way. Her appearance is only of importance as it saves her from the crisis she is facing. I wasn’t fond of how Cinderella was depicted as a petite figure and where her beauty exceeds all standards. But as long as the shoe fits, she is granted happily ever after filled with royalty and wealth.

The reason I was finding myself to be so disturbed by these details of the storyline is that it relates to the continuation of these stereotypes of women that are still relevant today. Through the billboards we see as we drive by the highways, ads we pass in the subway stations, and social media posts we scroll upon, they are always surrounded by this pressure to be this ideal person the public makes them desire to become. Many women, especially teen girls, are becoming sub-conscious about themselves because of the expectations portrayed though these high beauty standards. With these stereotypes prevalent, many look down upon them and believe they aren’t fit to be granted a certain position or be involved in situations that are too “challenging” for them to handle.

However, I was excited to come across the version called, “The Story of the Black Cow.” Finally, I have come upon a story with a change to the characters from the typical Cinderella stories. The traditional female-gender Cinderella is now represented as a boy, who at the end marries a princess. Through the discussion I had with my group during our Zoom breakout rooms, my groupmate, Theresa Luo, brought up how this addition to the plot shows the cultural background of the Himalayas, where this version was written. She stated how the people of the Himalayas believed in gender equality which explains why the main character was depicted as a guy rather than a girl.

This huge change in the classical storyline of Cinderella brings back to the point of what Maria Tatar says about how twists in fairytales can “recharge the narrative and make it crackle with cultural energy.” I learned that people have the power to change and create their own story that doesn’t follow the traditional guidelines of the fairytale. This can be seen in modern Disney princess movies where they are moving away from the traditional female stereotypes. They are creating female protagonists who look and portray the realistic modern independent woman who comes in all shapes and sizes.

Lauren Blanchard, Period 2, 9/21/20, Day A

 

Lauren Blanchard
Modern Mythology
Ms. Fusaro
9/21/2020


As students in a STEM school, we are taught to think logically about everything. The world abides by a set of predictable laws. If we follow a specific process or solve a particular math equation, we get a definitive answer to our question. Reading, especially fairy tales, does not have one answer. I did not realize that until this year. 

In our most recent reading, Maria Tatar makes an interesting point. Fairy tales are not supposed to have one answer. They are a symbol of real life, which is often complicated and confusing. By extension, fairy tales are also complicated and confusing, despite appearing simple at first glance. 

Cinderella's story is one of the most basic fairy tales to ever exist. (At this point, I have read almost a dozen versions of it.) Most start and end the same way. The main character begins in a perfect family or kingdom, only to have it be ripped away from her by the stereotypical evil stepmother or the father that lusts after her. She undergoes a long journey, eventually finding her way back into high society by marrying a prince, lord, or scholar. Those who wronged Cinderella usually suffer some form of brutal punishment. But does that reflect real life? I don't plan on marrying a prince, or going anywhere besides college in the near future.

As I've learned, there is no singular answer. Fairy tales showcase our inability to predict what will happen next. We might not be forced to flee from our homes or become royalty, but we could have an inopportune sports injury or be gifted a surprise present. Fairy tales encourage us to be prepared for anything. We take a journey with its characters through the best and worst times of their imaginary lives. Cinderella, in her various forms, might not have much of a personality, yet we feel what she feels. We are excited when she gets to go to the ball. We are saddened by the way she is treated. We empathize with her. This is the true magic of fairy tales: emotions.

Cognitive criticism focuses on the emotions in fairy tales' impact on its readers. It is a critical perception that puts a aside the single answer formula, and wonders about the connection between readers and what they are reading. It has softened my formerly harsh feminist perception of fairy tales to an appreciation. Fairy tales have a purpose other than to entourage little girls to be princesses. 

Understanding the inner turmoil of Cinderella's step mother might not seem necessary; however, understanding those we do not agree with is a useful social skill. We need it in group work for school and, eventually, to get us out of the unpredictable thing fairy tales have prepared us for since we were children. Author Neil Gaiman agrees. We need empathy to stop us from being "self-obsessed individuals." If we can do that, we can try to have empathy for the real people fairy tale characters symbolize. Then, maybe,  there is hope for a kinder school, a kinder city, a kinder country, and a kinder world, with the complicated lessons of fairy tales leading the way.  

Connor Campbell, Period 2, 9/21/20, Day A

 Connor Campbell

Modern Mythology

Ms. Fusaro

9/21/2020

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

As a senior (which is so weird to say as I still feel like a freshman), I think the main goal on everyone’s mind is getting through what seems to be one of the most peculiar college processes in history. I remember back in January having this set plan on exactly how I was going to navigate the college process: first SAT in March, second in August, subject tests in June, possibly an ACT in October. I was going to start asking teachers for letters of recommendation after school and start drafting my common application essay in the summer. I was going to take a road trip to the south to see all the schools that are hours and hours away. All those plans came crashing down on March 15th, when the mayor announced that all New York City schools would be closed until April 20th. April 20th turned into the end of June, The end of June turned into September 10th, then September 21st, and now the first date of in-person learning stands on October 1st. Between March and the present day, countless SAT and ACT tests have been canceled, with some students having only taken one, some have no score to their name at all. I've watched two of my own tests take the ax and with them, months of hard work seemingly wasted for nothing. Most colleges have gone test-optional, but with that comes even more uncertainty. What do these colleges want to see from us now? Countless magazines have written countless articles, each with their own claim of “How You Can Get into the College of Your Choice!” I’ve read a bunch of these articles myself, and I’ve left them even more confused about the current college process than I was before I clicked that link. My goal at this point is simple, do the best that I possibly can with what I’m given and continue to look forward. I can’t change the fact that I spent hours and hours each day prepping for a test I don’t get to take but I can write the best essay I’ve ever written. I can write a supplement that displays my extreme passion for the schools I’m applying to. I can ensure that I’m a standout without a score that stands out for me. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I do all of that, and hopefully, my payoff is a seat in one of my top schools... hopefully. 

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I believe my first step is to make up for lost time. At this point, I might have to stay on my computer that extra hour to read through my essay or visit an extra school website to look up specific courses and traditions I want to present back to them in a supplement. My first deadline is slightly over a month away, I don’t want to be in on Halloween with the common application site crashing on me (if there even is a Halloween this year). Very early in my athletic career, I learned that every extra second counts, whether it’s during the last moments of a game, or getting extra shots up during practice, or extra swings in the cage, all of that extra time will be effective in the end. I just have to understand that I have to put the time in now so that I don’t struggle to find time later. Being home is a blessing because I have all this extra time on my hands. No longer am I in school for 12 hours, getting home at seven, and starting my work at eight. Now, class ends at two, homework ends at five, now I have all this time to prepare for my deadlines, as long as I stay efficient. I also believe another sign of resilience is being able to control my emotions. Because everything has been so uncertain, everything can change in a matter of minutes. Both my tests got canceled while I was studying for them. If something like that happens again, I just have to stay calm and brainstorm plans of action for the coming days and get myself back on track. I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered those two actions yet, but I’m working very hard at making them second nature, as I know it’ll help me out in a big way come November and January. 

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The one thing I’ve been telling myself over and over again is that this same stuff is happening to everyone. Everyone’s tests are getting canceled and everyone is in this same sense of uncertainty about how they’re supposed to go about this process. Telling myself that calms me down a lot to know that I have people in the same situation as me. The hardest part of the college process is the fact that I’m competing with a bunch of other people, that my success is being compared to the success of someone completely different from me. The fact that everyone is struggling just as much as I am gives me a lot of hope for the result of the college process, that I may be able to receive a “congratulations” in my email from a school I thought I had no shot of making. I have a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities and I pride myself on my optimism. Having the confidence to make the top schools even without my best scores might be that little push I need to work a little harder and make my application a little better. Overall, I just hope that the rest of the college process can function smoothly for myself and any other seniors that have been affected by the whirlwind of “what’s going on?” that’s taken over the last 6 months. I’m hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, that’s all we can do at this point. 

Welcome to Ms. Fusaro's Class Blogging in 2021!

Dear Students and Families,

I am so excited to welcome you to my 2021 classroom blogging initiative! Student blogging has an important role in our classroom because each student will function as a "scribe" and be responsible for group learning.

We had a great deal of success with posting blogs in 2019 and 2020. 

Goals:

• To become effective global communicators.
• To have every voice speak with the same volume.
• To summarize and reflect upon each day's lesson.
• To become responsible digital citizens.
• To become creators of information.

Technical Requirements of the Blog

• THREE students per class, per cycle will be responsible for blogging. Blogs will be checked on the next cycle. (For example: John Doe is in Period 5, Day B. If Day B is September 17th and that is his turn to blog, his blog is due by September 22nd - the NEXT Day B.]
• Title of the blog should include:
• Student's full name, class period, date, and cycle letter. (For example: John Doe, Period 5, 9/17/20, Day B).
• Please use the date assigned, not date due.
• Students MUST LABEL their blog with “Modern Mythology 2021.”
• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is their time to blog by completing the Blogger Sheet.
• Students are to comment and respond to one another, including asking questions or asking for clarification.
• Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience is GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.
• How to make sure your blog is formatted correctly.

What should the blog content include?

Pick ONE category and respond to all of the questions related to that category.

• Literacy & Learning
• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.
• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.
• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?
• Goal Setting & Growth
• At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why
• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)
• How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)
• Socio-political Consciousness
• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?
• Creativity & Fiction
• Craft a piece of fiction that addresses one or more of the following: 
• Literary elements (i.e. structure, tone, diction, mood, irony, and figurative language) to craft a narrative and/or poetry.
• Structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.
• Multidimensional characters to develop themes and create socio-political metaphors.

When Do I Blog?
Please refer to the Google Sheets Blog Date List.

Sample of Excellent Blogs (They had different requirements)

• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/sabrina-zhou-112719-period-2-blog-1.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/112719-edmund-yuen-pd-7.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/david-gao112619-macbeth-and-his.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/selena-zhong-112619-period-2-blog-1.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/112619-alicia-yu-32-period-7-modern.html

What does your blog grade mean?

• MASTERY (MAX): Great work, you nailed it! You covered an amazing multimedia summary of what happened in class using a clear, easy-to-read format. Most importantly, you absolutely included fantastic reflection which addresses all three main questions with depth beyond the classroom.
• APPROACHING (APP): Your summary got the general gist of what happened in class, but could definitely use some elaboration OR your formatting is not aesthetic OR your reflection may be basic (such as just reflecting on how it can be applied in your schooling instead of the real world).
• DEVELOPING (DEV): You probably didn’t include a reflective aspect at all or your summary was so minimal it was hard to have any idea what happened in class.
• NOT YET (NY): Incredibly basic and/or the tone was rude, offensive, or inappropriate for a school, public blog.
• M: No blog written on your assignment day.

Blog Revisions and Reflections

• Blogs will receive a mastery grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
• Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

How to Blog