Extra Credit Reading Notes: Sita Part 2

• The depiction of Shurpanakha was fantastic.  I loved how when she turned into an angry demon, you could still see the shadow of the beautiful woman she was at the bottom.
• I really loved how the author showed what happened while Sita was held captive and what Rama and Lakshmana were up to through Haruman's song.  What an ingenious way to show both perspectives!
• Jatayu's death was even worse in this version since he'd been with them during most of their captivity.  He was so loyal even to the end.
• I really loved how even Sita's rakshasi guards started turning against Ravana in the end.  It really captured how people were starting to second guess starting a war for a single woman.
• I still wish we could have seen what happened to Shurpanakha in the end.  She just vanishes from the story.  Obviously she never got Rama so what did she do?  Did she just give up and never get revenge?
• This version where Rama holds himself back because of the law and Sita chooses to go through the purity test because she doesn't want to live with a mistrustful husband was much better in my opinion.  You could clearly see the anguish on Rama's face and it did seem as if he was very regretful.  It made more sense that he was sure she would prove her purity.
• I also really liked this depiction of why Sita went into exile.  Having her do it by her own decision is much more satisfying than having Rama reluctantly do it.  I love how she decided her own fate and tried to find out herself what the problem was.
• Her sons too were adorable and very well drawn.  I liked how eager they were to prove themselves and how excited they were to find out that their father was someone they had idolized.
• Sita's decision to retreat into the earth also made much more sense this way.  I loved seeing her thoughts about how forgetful people were and how this was the only way she could finally silence all the critics.  I just wish they had been able to be together.  The little epilogue at the end was nice though to see that everything turns out all right.
• One thing I didn't like though was the speech bubble placement.  Sometimes it got a little difficult to figure out which ones came first but maybe I'm just not used to reading comic books.

Sita asks Rama to catch the golden deer.  Web Source.

Bibliography:  Sita:  Daughter of the Earth by Saraswati Nagpal.  Reading Guide.