Week 4 Reading Diary: Sita Sings the Blues Pt 2

Author: Nina PaleyTitle: Sita Sings the BluesYear: 2008

Full cartoon can be watched here

• Rama seemed to have this internal doubt that Sita wasn't faithful to him when she was in captivity. However, the test of fire was supposed to prove her innocence. 
• Rama's true character is shown when he cares more about what the people are thinking about him than about his pregnant wife. He completely shirks the responsibility to take care of his future child.
• What is done to Sita seems even worse when it is shown in today's time. 
• The "Rama does what Rama must" song is funny. It's satirical that they act as if it is a song of praise for Rama when it actually highlights all of his inconsiderate actions.
• How many times does Sita have to be mistreated before she will get over Rama?
• If Sita told the story to Valmiki who wrote it all down. How would the story have been if it was told from Rama or from Hanuman's perspective?
• I was waiting for the film to end with the girl in New York to make her boyfriend realize that he was making a mistake, but tell him that it was too last. It never happened.
• What happens after Sita is swallowed by the earth? Do her children go back and live with Rama? Are they angry that their mother decided to leave them? Is Sita still alive?
• There were some parallelisms that occurred between New York and The Ramayana, but I feel like more connections could have been make to make the story be even more relatable to today's lifestyle.

Valmiki Writes Ramayana (image info)