Origins and Encounters

1. Origins and Encounters The World on a Turtle’s Back

2. Literature terms to know • Myth—a traditional story, passed down through the generations, that explains why the world is the way it is. • Creation myth—explains how the universe, earth, and life began. • Instills a sense of awe toward the mystery of the universe • Explains the workings of the natural world • Supports and validates social customs • Guides people through the trials of living • Definitions from THE LANGUAGE OF LITERATURE

3. Vocabulary • Void—an empty space • Ritual—a ceremonial act or a series of such acts • Devious—shifty; not straightforward • Contend—to compete/vie • Succumb—to give up or give in; yield • Lacrosse—game of Native American origin that is played on a field with long-handled sticks with webbed pouches.

4. Characters • Main Characters—events center on the lives of one or more people, animals, or other beings • Minor Characters—interact with main characters and help move the story along. • Static characters—tend to stay in a fixed position over the course of the story. • Dynamic characters evolve as individuals, learning from their experiences.

5. A man/husband in Sky-World His wife Birds of the sea Fish and creatures of the deep Daughter Man with arrows Twins Minor / static Main / dynamic Characters in“World on a Turtle’s Back”

6. Cause and Effect • Cause/Effect—one event that brings about the other. • Example from story • Effect: Earth • Cause: Woman walked around in circle on a turtle’s back. • What cause and effect did you find most interesting?

7. Theme • Central idea or ideas the writer intends to share • Lesson about • Life • People • Actions • Different readers can discover different themes in the same work.

8. “World on a Turtle’s Back” • Themes • an Iroquois myth which explains how the world was created • expresses a Native American ideal of people living in harmony with nature • the world is made up of forces that seem to be in opposition to one another • these opposites are needed for balance and harmony

9. Discussion Questions • How did the animals help the woman who fell from the sky? • What are the differences between the twins? • What was the outcome of the duels between the twins?

10. More discussion questions • Why do you think that the people sing and dance for the left-handed twin? • How does this compare to other creation myths that you have heard? • How would you relate the left-handed and right-handed twins to the concept of good and evil?