Myths and Fables

Fables A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral. Some fables you may be familiar with include The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Hare and the Tortoise, The Goose with the Golden Eggs and The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.

Myth - A myth is a story with a purpose. It tries to explain the way the world is. Myths also try to explain the relationship between gods and humans. Even though the events in a myth are usually impossible, they try to send a message that has an important social or religious meaning.

Myths Continued Here are some examples of some Greek myths that have been made into films. Clash of the Titans Hercules Troy Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

The effect of Myths and Fables on communities and cultures For years fables have been used as a way of teaching children lessons. Their stories are timeless as are their lessons. Fables help parents to teach their children responsibility, life lessons and the right way that people should be treated.

Myths are cultural stories that are passed down through generations. Some myths date back thousands and thousands of years and have been passed down like the game ‘Chinese Whispers’ and were never written down. Myths are often used to explain creation and the way in which the Earth works.

Characterisation - Fable Characters in fables are unique. Usually they include animals that have been personified, taking on the personality of humans. This is done so that smaller children can relate to the storyline and connect with its meaning. Fables do not have many characters and are designed to be simple. Do not make your characters too complex as they do not need to be.

Characterisation - Myth Characters in myths usually include people and gods. Sometimes the gods are in human forms and sometimes they are warped in some way. For example Medusa was a Greek monster generally described as having the face of a hideous human female with living venomous snakes in place of hair.

Stereotyping in characterisation Definition: A stereotype is “...a fixed, over generalised belief about a particular group or class of people.” (Cardwell, 1996). By stereotyping we infer that a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. Stereotypes lead to social categorisation which in the case of myths and legends isn't necessarily a bad thing. Have you ever noticed that in stories there are certain animals that are always portrayed in a negative light and others in a positive? As a class brainstorm a list of each types of characters. When you write your myth or fable make sure you keep this in mind as in this case stereotyping is helpful in getting your story across.

Allegory An allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning which is typically a moral or political one. - After you write your myth or legend you are to write a paragraph which discusses the meaning behind your allegory.

Metonymy Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated such as the ‘crown’ being used instead of using the word ‘royalty’. Other examples include ‘Hollywood’ which is used as a metonym for the US film industry. Another example is the word ‘hand’ which is used as a metonym for ‘help’.

Examples of Metonymy in sentences 1. The crown never approved of marriages between royalty and commoners. 2. I need a hand with this piano. 3. The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings. 4. We have always remained loyal to the crown. 5. He is a man of cloth.

Metonymy In your myth or legend you must include an example of metonymy and highlight it on the final copy so that it is easy to identify.

Audience Who will be the audience you aim your story at? Consider this when both writing and presenting your story. Before presenting your oral, let the class know your intended audience.

Editing Editing is vitally important in achieving effective communication. By not editing your work you send messages to those reading your writing. For example if you didn’t edit your resume then your possible employer may assume that you wouldn’t take your job seriously. If you do not edit your school work then your teachers may assume that you do not take your school work seriously. In society it is assumed that you can apply simple editing to your writing and this begins in school.

Editing Checklist Title Name Capital letters Commas and full stops Paragraphs Full sentences – ranging from short to long Spelling Apostrophes in the correct spots Read the writing out loud to hear anything that doesn’t make sense Check you have met all the requirements of the assessment task

Presentation Skills As a class brainstorm what makes a good and entertaining oral presentation? As a class discuss how varying levels of presentation can affect the reactions given by the audience and the overall grade given. Teacher to discuss anything further on the topic of presentation skills or have students demonstrate particular skills if needed.