Week 12 Lab: Crash Course Mythology

What is Myth:

    Wow. I had no idea that the definition of a myth would be so complicated. I guess I could have baseline told you before that there is some difference between a myth and a folk tale, I had never really thought about quantifying that difference. I think that the definition of myth is like that of "art". I think that staying power and humanistic significance are both important aspects to it. I would also add that I think beauty plays a role in both definitions. For "myth" this might present as "is it a good story- did I like listening to it". This aspect might have more to do with the storyteller than the story though. 

Theories of Myth:

    I think that a really interesting theory of myth is that of using it to explain the things that we don't understand. Isn't that the point of most stories? Fables use myths to explain morals that children might not understand yet in terms that they can (haha) come to terms with. I think that one of the big differences in myth and religion is- do we understand these things now. Thor and the legends that surround him are thought of much more in a mythological sense in current society. We now know how thunder and lightning work, so his stance as a religious figure is no loner quite so pertinent. However, we still don't know what happens after we die, so most of the tales that surround that particular issue remain in the realm of religion. 

The Hero's Journey and the Monomyth:

I really liked being able to look at this list of "heroism". I think that it will be a really helpful thing not only to keep in mind when I am reading other stories, but also when I am producing them myself. I like especially that the typical story of a myth includes the re-integration into society. I have been on a couple of really long trips in my life, and have found that "culture shock" is weirdly often worse when coming back than it is when starting a new adventure. You do not expect yourself to have changed so much on a journey, so it is often really disconcerting when your relationship with what is supposed to be a familiar setting is so different. 

(The newest book on my reading list. Source: Wikimedia)

Reading Notes, Babbitt Jataka Tales: The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking

Bibliography: Babbitt Jataka Tales. Story: The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking

Notes: I think I might have heard this story before! I tried to google it to see if an iteration of it also existed as an Aesop fable (I know that a lot of folk tales have a lot of overlap), but I didn't find anything. Maybe I have heard the Jataka tales before and I just haven't known what I was listening to. 

        I am someone who is both quite opinionated and is not afraid to express those opinions. I have found that this can be both a blessing and a curse. While I think it is good to be outspoken and talk about those thing that you are passionate about, there have definitely been situations in which I have found that I think things would have been better off if I had just kept my mouth shut. I think that the turtle in this story can definitely relate.... 

        I think it is a valuable skill to know when to talk- when to make the choice to engage in a conversation or not to and knowing what battles you want to fight and what hills you want to die on. Frankly, if you choose to talk all the time about the things that you feel passionately about, not only is it likely annoying to others, but it is also just exhausting. 

        In a society so fraught with all different kinds of turmoil, I think that the story of the turtle could definitely be relevant. Sometimes not talking about the things that are causing this turmoil is actually the best way to get past it- to just exist in a pleasant manner with friends- to spend time together having fun rather than having conversations with a capital "c". I don't necessarily know that this is the story I will choose to write this week- I am feeling slightly more inspired by my Ganga reading notes, but it's an idea!

(Turtle. Source: Wikimedia)

Reading Notes, Ganga: The Divine Beauty

Bibliography: Random Comic Book. Story: Ganga: The Divine Beauty

Notes: I have never been a big reader of comic books, but for the sake of pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I decided to go with it! I flipped though a couple of the random comic book suggestions (I don't know if that defeats the purpose of random, but here we are) until I found one about Ganga. I have always wanted to lean more about the mythology behind Ganga, so this was perfect! I actually have had the absolute honor to go with my family to Varanasi and see Ganga herself! 

           I actually thought that it might be interesting to, instead of doing a re-telling of the story that was outlined in the comic, explore some of the characteristics of Ganga. She is known to purify, and I know that actually one of the big problems with the River Ganga is that there is a lot of pollution from the Manikarnika Ghats and from people putting other things into the River Ganga to get purified. I think that this irony is something that could be explored in a story. 

            I have always really enjoyed reading the works of Neil Gaiman, and I especially liked his book "American Gods". I think that the concept that he explores in that book of thinking about what deities might be like if they were a part of our society- essentially if they had immigrated and developed along with all of the people who worship them. I think that a similar concept to this could be explored with Ganga. How has the goddess who purifies changed after years and years of pollution? What does she think about people worshipping her somewhat ironically by polluting her? I think that all of these questions and thoughts of Ganga's would be the basis of a pretty interesting story. 

(Ganga. Source: Wikimedia)