Myth-Folklore Unit: The Song of Hiawatha
1. The Four Winds- At first I was concerned I would have a hard time following the meter and style that Longfellow writes in but it is easy to follow and his language is very beautiful and descriptive.
2. The Four Winds (cont.)- This one was a bit difficult to follow, especially during the wrestling match between Shingebis and Kabibonokka. I couldn't tell who won the match.
3. Hiawatha's Childhood- I've actually heard this section before, but I can't remember from where. I do know that Looney Tunes quotes one of the lines but other than that I can't remember.
4. Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis- The names are a bit difficult to follow but it is still a very good poem.
5. Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis (cont.)- So Hiawatha didn't go to buy arrows but instead to court or at least see Minnehaha.
6. Hiawatha's Fasting- This section is like a vocabulary learning page, all it does is have Hiawatha see and name different animals and plants. However the last part reminded me of the Old Testament where Jacob wrestles God.
7. Hiawatha's Fasting (cont.)- I like this origin story of maize. During my Wellness in Native Communities class, I heard a much grosser version of how corn came to be where a grandmother got it from her armpits.
8. Hiawatha's Friends- I liked this section, I was getting a little tired of Hiawatha and this part portrayed his friends very well.
9. Hiawatha's Sailing- I kind of feel bad for the trees, the way they talk to Hiawatha is sad. Again, the way origins are told is really neat in this unit.
10. Hiawatha's Fishing*- I know its unrelated but sturgeons can grow to gigantic sizes. I like how Hiawatha does battle with one and how the smaller animals help him.
11. Hiawatha and the Pearl-Feather- The repetition is very powerful at the beginning of this section, and I think that the imagery in the description of the sunset and the moon rising is the best imagery I might have ever read. This is a pretty good build up for the conflict with Pearl-Feather.
12. Hiawatha and the Pearl-Feather (cont.)- When I originally decided to read Hiawatha, I just assumed it would be just poetry, but this has the makings of an epic.
13. Hiawatha's Wooing- I was wondering when Hiawatha would go after Minnehaha's hand in marriage. I liked the descriptions that were used to talk about his journey to the Dacotahs.
14. Hiawatha's Wooing (cont.)- I feel bad for the arrow maker, he seemed very sad when his daughter left.
15. Hiawatha's Wedding-Feast- I got a little lost in this section, it failed to keep my attention like the other sections. I guess the closest thing I could compare this to is in old Marx Brothers movies where everything is going along and then Zeppo has to sing a song, disrupting the flow of the movie.
16. The Son of the Evening Star- While this is a good section, it doesn't do much to add to the overall story. While Scheherazade's story in Arabian Nights serves a purpose, this doesn't.
17. The Son of the Evening Star (cont.)- At first I was concerned that this would end poorly, I was thoroughly impressed with the ending. It ended very simply and concisely, and I loved how it ended with Hiawatha being happy with the night and his wife.
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