Native American Literature “Columbus did not discover a new world; he established contact between two worlds, both already old.” The Spanish Seaborne Empire – J. H. Parry

Journal: Finish the starter below – ¾ page Once upon a time, a poor but kindly couple had a son. Although he owned little of this world’s wealth, the child was cheerful and clever………

Important Literary Terms to Know Myth – an anonymous traditional story that is basically religious in nature and that usually serves to explain a belief, ritual, or mysterious natural phenomenon Archetype – a very old imaginative pattern that appears in literature across cultures and is repeated through the ages. An archetype can be a character, a plot, an image, a theme, or a setting

The purpose of Native American literature was to show: Beliefs about the nature of physical world Beliefs about social order and appropriate behavior Beliefs about human nature and the problem of good and evil Preservation and communication of spiritual beliefs

Characteristics of Native American Myths Major role in the stories is often played by animals Ordinary people, animals, and places were divinities All were originally oral stories passed down for many generations The stories and legends often have ritual beginnings and endings Progress and change are shown as cyclical, not linear as many western thinking normally follows Many of the stories have a “trickster” character Often uses repetition of elements

Common Themes Movement from a sky world to a water world Fortunate fall – creation story Earth diver myth usually involving an earth made from mud or a flood after the universe is created Theft of fire Emergence myth – movement of beings from under the surface of the earth