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Myths

Myths. Ms. Mitchell Freshman Literature Andover High School. “ And there were so many fewer questions when stars were still just the holes to heaven…” --Jack Johnson “Holes to Heaven”. The Nature of Man & the Universe.

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Myths

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  1. Myths Ms. Mitchell Freshman Literature Andover High School

  2. “And there were so many fewer questions when stars were still just the holes to heaven…”--Jack Johnson“Holes to Heaven”

  3. The Nature of Man & the Universe • How does mankind establish and define a place in the universe at large? • What is the purpose of an individual’s life? • To whom or what is a person’s ultimate allegiance? • What makes a journey significant?

  4. Purposes of Mythology • To explain natural phenomena • To educate people on the values or history of a culture • Social codes • Heroes • To establish and define the relationship between divine figures and humans • Do all this while being entertaining!

  5. Why do we study mythology?? • Cultural capital • Knowledge that helps you understand references and other literary works • Helps us maintain perspective • See things from someone else’s shoes • Fun! • Wonderful pieces of literature exist in the genre(n. type/grouping of literature that shares a specific style, form & content)

  6. What is a myth? • myth: (n) traditional story that shows the relationships between deities & men and provides guidance or explanations • Types: • Explanatory myth • Heroic saga • Folk tale • Symbolic Story • Romance

  7. explanatory myth heroic saga folk tale romance symbolic story Characteristics of the types of Myths Shared Traits Unique Traits Similarities

  8. Characteristics of Myths • Explanatory • Help explain natural phenomena or confusing areas of life (why the sky is blue, why we are alive, etc. • Heroic Saga • Folk Tale • Told by common people, primarily for entertainment but also to teach cultural values and behaviors • Symbolic Story • Deeper meaning. Like a metaphor. • Romance

  9. Other names for related stories • legend: (n) usually a heroic saga, it presents the history; often a synonym with heroic saga or myth • fable: (n) type of symbolic story where the characters are animals • parable: (n) type of symbolic story that tells a complicated lesson • allegory: (n) type of symbolic story where events and characters stand for something larger, characters are often big concepts or abstract things (i.e. Love, Fear, Death, etc.)

  10. Characteristics of Gods in Mythology • Reflect human traits & concerns • Look like humans • Have human emotions • Have genealogy (family lines) • Immortal • Have some kind of powers • May or may not respond to human requests • piety: (n) reverence for a divine figure(s) and fulfillment of religious obligations • Can be cruel or compassionate (sometimes both)

  11. Story Telling  • Oral tradition: (n) cultural and historic knowledge and traditions that are passed down from one generation to the next verbally [without being written down] • Lots of memorization! • Often in verse form and formulaic (repeated ideas, phrases or plot elements to aid memory)

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