From the second part of the Japanese Mythology unit, I was drawn into this world by the first story I read. In this story, Yamato is enthralled by the many wonders and delights of Benten, a sea goddess. This was the story of a man who had apparently gotten tired of having a faithful and loving wife, so he went off in search of something else. For some reason, his wife's constant devotion to him was somewhat of a burden. This is not at all the reason I was drawn to this story. Why I liked this story was because of the way the story was told.
The visual details of each part of this tale were vividly described in a way that made me think about and see things in a new way. Colorful words like emerald and golden brought new layers to the elements that were part of this plot. This painted a picture that truly helped to bring this story to life. I had not realized until now how few stories really emphasize these details in favor of explaining more in depth what action or dialogue is happening. These details are what really help to flesh out a story and bring an image into the reader's mind. I personally cannot fully immerse myself into a story if I cannot picture how the world looks in my mind.
Adding meaningful and compelling visual details is a method I would like to strengthen in my writing. I need to consider that if I cannot picture what is going on by the words I have written, then this will be even harder for the reader to piece together. Of course, creativity is a key value to making sure there is enough description for the reader while enough flexibility for the reader to also use their imagination.
Bibliography
The Labors of Yamato: The Grotto of Love, Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
Image Information: Benzaiten, Wikimedia
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