Reading Diary B: Week 6

-Jambavan sounds like a good warrior and I am glad he pumps Rama up to go into battle and try to get Sita back

-Jambavan also sounds like he knows all the demons they have to face that are ahead, he is a good asset to have in battle

-it is sad that so many lives are being put on the line just for Rama and Sita and Rama ends up not even with Sita

-It is very convenient that Nala has the power to float stones in the ocean, making the bridge to cross to Lanka possible for the troops of Rama

-I think this time apart from Sita has changed Rama’s character somehow, he seems less compassionate and more stone cold in his emotions and actions

-Vibhishana is one of many people who warn try and warn Ravana and tell him to give back Sita, but Ravana does not listen and he is idiotic in this so it is his own fault that his family members die

-welcoming Vibhishana shows more of the Rama I had known throughout this story and not killing him or deeming him untrustworthy right off the bat like Sugriva had

-it is weird how Sita is fooled by the fake head of Rama on an arrow in this version and she cries and wants to die instead of showing little emotion then brushing it off as surely an illusion, this further makes me feel like Sita in this version is kind of a ditz or at least has less composure to stand tall

-Trijata is a good person, demon, woman, friend, whatever she is to Sita I think that her presence in this epic is great

-“Someone said that already” – Ravana to Anagada when he is giving him advice like many before him have, I found this quote humorous

-The mentioning of Dharma by both the armies of Rama and Ravana make them seem like similar people under the same rules and ethics but they are too prideful to come to an agreement, mainly due to Ravanas stubborn ways

-Prahasta seemed like a pretty mighty warrior

-Kumbhakarma also warns Ravana he is making a mistake but agrees to fight for him anyways, it is clear there are very loyal family members of Ravana to fight for him against Rama for a reason they themselves do not see as right. “He put sympathy aside and put his heart into the stone age” then he fought, its interesting how feelings can be manipulated easily when done by own self

- Indrajit, in my opinion was good then he seems horribly bad. His ability to kill almost all the warriors including Rama was awful and I was really surprised at the sadness that was in this part of the story. I could see how Hanuman’s inability to die comes in handy for the lives of everyone when he goes to the mountain and is able to bring their lives back to health.

- at first I thought Sita was really killed, if I had not known the outcome already then I would be really biting my nails at this point