1. World View, Myths and Folktales

2. World View/Beliefs In order to better understand literature, the reader needs to understand the author’s world view. –Beliefs about The nature of the physical world Social order/appropriate behavior Human nature and good/evil

3. Take Five Where did the earth come from? How do you know what is the right thing to do, or the wrong thing too do in any given situation? Who decides what is good? Who decides what is evil? Are people basically good or evil?

4. Myths: Definition Definition: anonymous, traditional story that explains a belief, a custom, or a mysterious natural phenomena. From the Greek Word mythos, which means story Passed down orally from generation to generation Helped people… 1.Find order and pattern in life 2.Feel sense of harmony with the world 3.Explain mysteries of life

5. Myths: 7 Main Functions Main Functions: 1.Explain the creation of the world and the universe 2.Explain human condition 3.Explain natural phenomena 4.Explain the nature of gods and goddesses 5.Explain the meanings behind religious rituals,customs, and beliefs 6.Explain historical events 7.Teach moral lessons

6. Take Ten Turn to a classmate and come up with one example for each main function. You may use the two stories you just read.

7. Origin Myths Definition: Stories that explain how things came to be –Can be just about the beginning –Others comment on the end Norse mythology – Surtur Some comment on a “Lost Golden Age” –Everything good for a time –Introduction of evil ruins it all

8. Folktales: Definition Definition: a story that is created by the “folk-” the common people- and passed on along to other generations. Forms 1.Legends 2.Tall tales 3.Fables 4.Trickster Stories 5.Fairy Tales 6.Ghost Stories Examples?

9. Folktales: Trickster Stories Usually Native American, but also American Conflicting characteristics –Shrewd yet foolish –Mean yet kind –Cunning yet careless Takes form of different animals –Coyote is most common Trials meant to create unity

10. Similarities Includes supernatural events Explains origins of rituals Explains human experiences Poetic and imaginative Explains important truths about life Addresses deepest needs and engage a sense of wonder Stories of the human family Features: –Magic –Transformations –Enchantments

11. Differences Myths are a direct expression of a culture’s religious beliefs; folktales are secular: 1. Can teach social and moral lessons or just entertain 2. gods and godesses may take part in the story, but they are not the main characters Heroes: –Myths: superhuman offspring of gods or goddesses and human parents –Folktales: common, everyday folk with special powers

12. Take Ten Work with a partner and create one hero, then… –One person gives the character mythic qualities –The other person gives the character folktale qualities

13. Archetypes –Developed by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875 – 1961) –Definition: a pattern or model that serves as the basis for different, but related, versions of a character, plot, or theme

14. The Heroic Quest: Monomyth Monomyth – the one story that gets told over and over again in different cultures, but has the same basic characterization, plot, theme.

15. The Heroic Quest: Character Character: Mythic Hero Male or female Remarkable birth Possesses qualities of both mortals and immortals May be unaware of special attributes/origins –May be raised by foster parents –Will show early signs of superhuman strength/powers

16. The Heroic Quest: Character Character: Folktale hero Male or female Ordinary person –Step-child, neglected, orphaned Special abilities not supernatural, but reflect exceptional positive characteristics (kind, clever, resourceful)

17. The Heroic Quest: Character Character: Similarities 1.Both called or forced to participate in an adventure or a series of tests. 2.Both may first refuse, but suffer for the refusal. 3.Both eventually forced by circumstance to take up the quest and overcome obstacles.

18. The Heroic Quest: The Quest The Quest 1.Searches for a prize 1.Person 2.Abstract concept (truth, justice…) 3.Treasure/magic item 4.Answer to the question “Who am I?” 2.Receive help – sometimes for repayment of prior good deed 1.Friends 2.Magic beings 3.Animals

19. The Heroic Quest: The Quest The Quest continued… 3. Tempted to leave the quest via fatal flaw –Woman –Greed 4. Descent into darkness – figurative or literal –Somewhere normal people would not dare go –May even be hero’s own death 5. Rewarded in the end –Marriage –Live happily ever after to the end of his days…

20. The Heroic Quest: Today 1.Symbolic 2.Universal truth 3.Universal struggle 4.Universal hope