1. Elements of Myths 11 CP Notes Mrs. Bukowski

2. What are myths? Fictional tales that explain / express: 1. The actions of gods and heroes 2. Questions in nature (something impressive or extraordinary) 3. The conquering good over evil 4. A religious belief of a people

3. More About Myths… They were composed orally and passed down through generations. They are the earliest form of literature. Why? ***We didn’t always have the ability to write things down and reprint them! Think of “whisper down the lane” as a means of storytelling. Every ancient culture has its own mythology or collection of myths.

4. A myth can do one or more of the following (4 Functions): COSMOLOGICAL: Tell how a universe or culture began METAPHYSICAL: Explain something in nature, such as thunder. PEDAGOGICAL: Teach a lesson SOCIOLOGICAL: Express a value, such as courage.

5. We are going to begin with… Cosmological Myths – Also known as Creation Myths which explain how the universe, life, and earth began. We will begin with American Indian Creation Myths