Feedback Strategies

A "Good Job" Sticker

The two feedback articles that I read this week were both insightful as they both were centered around the notion of praise or in the case of the first article "good job." The first article I read tackled five reasons not to tell someone "good job," as it harmful for children especially. I specifically enjoyed the section where it discussed children struggling to accomplish their next task after being praised heavily on the first as it shows an interesting correlation between praise and success as well as the article providing multiple alternatives to the phrase. The second article focused on why managers seem to avoid praise, which started by explaining that roughly the same percent of managers avoid positive and negative feedback. This is interesting as they are both for different reasons as negative feedback tends to hurts people's feelings while positive feedback tends to boost ego in some cases and create a praise craving possibly. Regardless this article finishes by saying that praise is a good thing, but in moderation as it has some negative side-effects when unchecked.

Topic Research: Dante's Inferno

http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/07/project-idea-dante.html

Topic: Dante's Inferno

Map of Hell from Dante's Inferno

I chose to research this topic after brainstorming last week as it a legend that can be retold so many different ways as it comes down to the main principle of going through the various rings of hell meeting figures who represent that ring in some way. With that said I still would like to set the story in a different era and I think that that would be a unique take on this legend. The first idea I have would be for the retelling to be set in the 1980's and the people Dante meets in hell would be adjusted accordingly. The second idea would be to set it in today's world, but this feels slightly more played out as many legends are retold in the modern day. Despite this, a retelling of this legend in modern day could be a fresher take than I am giving it credit for. The last idea I have for retelling this legend would be to keep the legend in its era, but change the main character from Dante to another Greek historical figure. This idea came to me when writing about Homer's Illiad seeing many different interesting characters that were mortal ancient Greeks.

Week 3 Story: Achille's Sacrifice

Patroclus fighting Hector the Trojan prince

This legend begins at the ancient Greek city of Troy where the forces of Greece all gathered to help their king's brother Menelaus get his bride Helen back from the Trojans as the Trojan Prince, Paris, had stolen her from Sparta. Achilles and his dear friend Patroclus were in Achille's tent as Patroclus was trying to get Achilles to rejoin the Greek forces. Achilles was completely against the notion as he had been shamed by the king of the Greeks, Agamemnon by having his plunder taken from him for speaking out against him earlier in the siege. Patroclus knew the end was near for the Greeks as the god Zeus himself was on the side of the Trojans due to a deal Achilles made through his mother, Thetis, out of anger after Agamemnon's actions. The Greek ships were being burned by the Trojans as they spoke and Patroclus begged Achilles to at least let him use his armor to go into the battle and potentially turn the tide of the battle. Achilles reluctantly agreed and offered him a prayer to the gods as he left to keep him safe in the coming fight. Patroclus led the Greek forces from Achille's homeland in his signature armor and chariot to the Greek ships like a bolt of lightning from Zeus himself. Patroclus took down ten men before taking down the Trojan general Sarpedon. This caused the Trojans to retreat from the ships and give the Greeks a chance to save them all while being viewed by the mighty Trojan prince Hector. Hector saw Patroclus and his men charging his way, but stayed calm as he knew he was the superior fighter as well as having the god Zeus on his side. Hector and Patroclus met and exchanged blows as they whizzed by one another, with Patroclus taking a significant hit causing him to have to take a large turn to evade Hector momentarily. Achilles back in his tent felt a strange dread as if he knew his best friend was in danger, so he sprung on his feet and with only his famed Pelian spear. Achilles moving as swift as an arrow towards the battle could now see Hector and Patroclus clashing about 500 yards away. Achilles could tell Patroclus was weakening and lowered his head and began to take an adrenaline-fueled sprint towards the battle. Achilles took a massive leap and took a plunge at Hector as he stood over a near-defenseless Patroclus. Hector noticed Achilles attempt to save his countryman and flung his spear wildly to try and land a blow, but only grazed Achilles' heel before Achilles' speared plunged through his heart. Patroclus let out a cry as he saw Achille and Hector crumple to the ground as he knew from a feelin deep in the pit of his stomach that Achilles was gone. A golden aura rose from Achille's body as he was carried to Mount Olympus to be honored by the gods by his mother Thetis, and prophesied that Patroclus would be victorious in the siege of Troy thanks to Achilles' sacrifice.

Author's Notes:
First established a bit of background information that was the original myth to let reader's know the story's setting. Then changed the ending of Homer's Illiad by not having Patroclus die to HEctor, but instead have Achilles sacrifice himself to save him. This also differntiates from the original material as PAris does not kill Achilles by firing a bow at his heel, but instead by Hector.
Bibliography:
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-homers-iliad-retold.html
(From the UN-Textbook)

Reading Notes: Homer's Illiad, Part B

Homer's Illiad retold by A.J. Church (from the UN-Textbook)
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-homers-iliad-retold.html)

The second portion of the Homer's Illiad reading begins right where the previous had left off, over the dead body of Patroclus. After an intense battle between the Trojans and the Greeks over the body, Hector took off his arms, but his body was rescued by a fired-up Ajax. Hector put on Patroclus' armor that he had gotten in the fight, which was formally Achilles' armor. He charges at Ajax and the others due to their jeers in his new armor, but this upsets the god Zeus. The battle rages on over Patroclus' body and Menelaus had Antilochus go and inform Achilles of Patroclus' death in an attempt to convince him to come and fight the Trojans. Upon hearing the news Achilles was heart-broken and cried out so much so that his mother Thetis came to ask what was bothering him. Upon hearing his request to fight and die as it is prophesied that he will shortly after Hector's death, Thetis went to get new arms for Achilles from the god Hephaestus. Zeus then sent Iris to tell Achilles to go immediately to the fight as his presence alone would cause the Trojans to retreat. Athene equipped Achilles with a large shield on his back and a fiery halo. Achilles shouted three times shocking both sides and causing a frenzy of panic. The Greeks were able to get Patroclus' body back to Achilles tent so that he could mourn. Hector insisted on fighting rather than staying within Troy's walls and Achilles was making way to the city gates. Achilles would have gotten in if not for Apollo intervening and switching place with a Trojan general and transporting safely back in the walls while sending Achilles after a phantom clone. All the Trojans rushed into the gates except for Hector, while Achilles argued with the Apollo phantom. Old Priam, Hector's father, begged Hector to come back into the city walls as he was so important to the city. Hector stopped and thought about the idea of staying outside of the wall and what the outcome would be until he sees Achilles charging at him. Hector instantly runs away to the city gates with Achilles gaining on him, which caused the gods to meet and discuss what Hector's fate would be. As Apollo helped Hector evade Achilles running around the city gates several times, Athene finally appeared to Achilles and assured him a victory over Hector. Athene then took the shape of Hector's brother and came to him to make him feel as though he could face Achilles. They exchanged spears and when Hector asked for another the clone vanished, so they charged to fight one another. Achilles being the far superior warrior landed a fatal blow on Hector and fastened his body to his chariot to drag to the ships. Old Priam struck with grief contacts the gods and sneaks into Achilles' camp after sending a massive ransom for Hector's body. As Old Priam slept that night in Achilles' tent, Hermes came to him and urged him to flee the camp thus ending the Illiad.

Achilles fighting Hector outside the gates of Troy

Reading Notes: Homer's Illiad, Part A

Homer's Illiad retold by A.J. Church (from the UN-Textbook)
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-homers-iliad-retold.html)

This story begins in ancient Greece, where a Spartan King's daughter Helen was being married to a Greek prince of her choosing. With every prince in Greece offering their hand in marriage, Helen chose Menelaus of Mycenae who was "the chief of all of the Kings of Greece." Everything was great until Prince Paris of Troy came to Sparta and fled with Helen and an assortment of treasure. Menelaus called his Greek allies to help him take the city of Troy and get his wife back, but after nine years of siege they all but gave up leaving a small unit to stay at Troy and sending the rest to other cities. When the Greek army took the nearby city of Chryse, Menelaus' brother Agamemnon was given a priest's daughter by the name of Chryseis. The priest begged and offered money for the daughter, but Agamemnon refused. The priest prayed to the town's god Apollo and Apollo, upset with how his priest was being treated, came and fired arrows at the Greek army for days. After ten days, Achilles called a meeting to figure out why Apollo was angry and after finding out and arguing with Agamemnon he leaves the army after almost attacking Agamemnon. Achilles later that nights has his girl taken by Agamemnon as payment for Chrseis being returned to the priest. In his grief, Achilles asks Thetis to convince Zeus to help the Trojans take down the Greeks. Thetis convinced Zeus to help the Trojans thus upsetting Hera upon Zeus' return home to Olympus. Zeus finally decided to send a false dream to Agamemnon telling him he would take the city of Troy. Meanwhile in the city of Troy, Hector has Queen Hecuba make an offering to Athene. Later on, the Greek chiefs meet with Achilles following a feast and try to bribe him to come back to the Greek army as they are beginning to take heavy losses. Achilles refuses them, telling them he is leaving so that he may live to grow old rather than fight and die for Agamemnon who he despises. During the fight, Patroclus approaches Achilles wanting to use his armor and take Achille's troops to try to turn the tide of the ongoing fight. Achilles prayed to Zeus for PAtroclus to gain strength and he did so regaining the Greek ships and killing Sarpedon the Lycian. Finally, Patroclus drives the Trojan forces up to their gate but after taking out some Trojan warriors, Apollo strips Patroclus of his armor and blinds hims. In his vulnerable state on the battlefield, Patroclus was killed by Hector's spear.

Hector of Troy

Notes:
Menelaus (Umlaut on the U)
Chryse (Accent on the E)
Chryseis (Umlaut on the I)
Athene (Accent on last E)