As part of the total word count, you should include a discussion about why and how you wrote
your story, explaining what elements of your story reflect aspects of Indian attitudes as expressed
in the Ramayana for example, ideas about family, women, the gods, demons, honor, etc. This
discussion should be around 300-500 words of the total.

A short story based on the Ramayana

As part of the total word count, you should include a discussion about why and how you wrote
your story, explaining what elements of your story reflect aspects of Indian attitudes as expressed
in the Ramayana – for example, ideas about family, women, the gods, demons, honor, etc. This
discussion should be around 300-500 words of the total.

First assignment (India)

A short story based on the Ramayana
The assignment will be due by Friday evening, October 9, midnight.
1. Upload it on the Moodle page under the assignment drop page (under the “October 5-October
11” section). Assignments must be in Word or pdf format. If you prefer to hand your assignment
in on paper, you can drop it off at the Asian Languages and Literatures mailbox outside the main
office (220 Folwell Hall) before 5:00 PM on Friday, October 9.
2. Make sure that your paper includes a title and your own name at the top.
3. The assignment will be worth 15 points.
4. Length will be 1400-1600 words total. That is about 4-5 pages double-spaced.
5. As part of the total word count, you should include a discussion about why and how you wrote
your story, explaining what elements of your story reflect aspects of Indian attitudes as expressed
in the Ramayana – for example, ideas about family, women, the gods, demons, honor, etc. This
discussion should be around 300-500 words of the total.
6. Your story can be humorous or satiric if you like, or set in the modern period – but make sure
you explain what traditional aspects you’re making fun of or altering!
Some possible story ideas (these are only suggestions – feel free to do something else, if you
like!).
1. Tell me how Mandodari, Ravana’s first wife, reacts to Sita’s presence at Lanka after Sita has
been kidnapped. Jealous? Angry? Sympathetic? Indifferent?
2. Sita decides she’s actually in love with Ravana.
3. Rather than attacking Soorpanaka, Lakshmana decides she’s quite attractive and falls in love
with her.
4. Dasaratha ignores Kaikeyi’s demands and decides to enthrone Rama anyway.
5. Sita becomes jealous of Rama’s friendship with Hanuman.
6. Hanuman decides to bring Sita back to Rama on his own.
7. General feminist take on the story: retell part of the story from the point of View of one of the
women characters (EXCEPT Sita, since our film Sita Sings the Blues does that already to some
extent).
8. Retell all or part of the story as if it were taking place in the US right now.

A short story based on the Ramayana

As part of the total word count, you should include a discussion about why and how you wrote
your story, explaining what elements of your story reflect aspects of Indian attitudes as expressed
in the Ramayana – for example, ideas about family, women, the gods, demons, honor, etc. This
discussion should be around 300-500 words of the total.

First assignment (India)

A short story based on the Ramayana
The assignment will be due by Friday evening, October 9, midnight.
1. Upload it on the Moodle page under the assignment drop page (under the “October 5-October
11” section). Assignments must be in Word or pdf format. If you prefer to hand your assignment
in on paper, you can drop it off at the Asian Languages and Literatures mailbox outside the main
office (220 Folwell Hall) before 5:00 PM on Friday, October 9.
2. Make sure that your paper includes a title and your own name at the top.
3. The assignment will be worth 15 points.
4. Length will be 1400-1600 words total. That is about 4-5 pages double-spaced.
5. As part of the total word count, you should include a discussion about why and how you wrote
your story, explaining what elements of your story reflect aspects of Indian attitudes as expressed
in the Ramayana – for example, ideas about family, women, the gods, demons, honor, etc. This
discussion should be around 300-500 words of the total.
6. Your story can be humorous or satiric if you like, or set in the modern period – but make sure
you explain what traditional aspects you’re making fun of or altering!
Some possible story ideas (these are only suggestions – feel free to do something else, if you
like!).
1. Tell me how Mandodari, Ravana’s first wife, reacts to Sita’s presence at Lanka after Sita has
been kidnapped. Jealous? Angry? Sympathetic? Indifferent?
2. Sita decides she’s actually in love with Ravana.
3. Rather than attacking Soorpanaka, Lakshmana decides she’s quite attractive and falls in love
with her.
4. Dasaratha ignores Kaikeyi’s demands and decides to enthrone Rama anyway.
5. Sita becomes jealous of Rama’s friendship with Hanuman.
6. Hanuman decides to bring Sita back to Rama on his own.
7. General feminist take on the story: retell part of the story from the point of View of one of the
women characters (EXCEPT Sita, since our film Sita Sings the Blues does that already to some
extent).
8. Retell all or part of the story as if it were taking place in the US right now.