I have chosen to write my storybook over the character of Sita from the Indian epic the Ramayana.  She is such a complex and charismatic character, showing a range of qualities from bravery and humility to determination and stubbornness.  What is even more interesting about her is how she is viewed by everyone else.  Each version of the Ramayana portrays her just a little bit differently, with some versions omitting what I consider important points in her life.  She is a beloved heroine and the ideal wife and woman in Indian culture and is as well known in her native land as characters like Cinderella or Scarlett O'Hara are to western audiences. 
In my research I found out a few things that I had not known previously.  For starters it was fated in the stars for Sita and Rama to be married because they were both incarnations of Lakshmi and Vishnu, two gods whom were also married.  Because Sita is the incarnate of Lakshmi, she is endowed with the same qualities of prosperity, purity, and generosity.  I also feel that her humbleness is truly shown by Lakshmi choosing to became human in order to set a good example of what values should be present in other human beings.

One story that I have included is that of the birth of our heroine.  Her birth was anything but typical as she came into existence as a young girl, not a baby, and was found in a field by her future father, King Janaka.  This is why she was given the name of Sita, which means furrow or sown place.  I think that this is a very important story to include in my storybook because it not only sets up the long journey Sita eventually embarks on, but also introduces the audience and the person who reads her diary to who Sita is.

The second story that I have included is how Sita and her future husband, Rama, met.  King Janaka creates what he thinks is a foolproof plan to keep his daughter from leaving him and marrying, but after a few months Rama comes along and shatters that notion!  Sita isn't exactly thrilled at the thought of leaving her father either, but when she walks down the aisle and sees who she's marrying, all her anxiety flies away.

The third story that I have included is the series of events that follow Sita's marriage to Rama.  Her love for him is tested not long after their marriage when Rama gets banished to the forest by his father.  Despite this, Sita's love for him is unwavering and she along with his brother Lakshmana, follow him into exile.  This story is very important in linking Sita's past life without Rama to her future with him, which as we soon see, is very uncertain.  At the end of the story is kidnapped, but no one at this point knows by whom.

  The final story that I have included is what happens to Sita "after the honeymoon's over" as they say.  After going through the entire ordeal of being captured by Ravana, you would think that she had been through enough.  Unfortunately, Sita must withstand one more trial in the form of the cold shoulder from her true love, Rama.  I feel that this story is extremely significant to my storybook because it rounds out the life of Sita and it shows that she truly is strong enough to withstand anything.