Who is ultimately responsible for your mind?
This weeks assignment is two-fold, it tackles both persuasive writing, and it starts you thinking about the larger assignment for The Educated Imagination.
Write an open letter to the Ministry of Education arguing persuasively that mythology should become part of the Secondary School English Curriculum.
Use both Frye's The Educated Imagination and the mythology package that I gave you as starting points. Secondary sources are most welcome, but must be cited.
Use at least three rhetorical devices to persuade your reader. See the website for details.
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The ministry of Education
To those it may concern:
Mythologies, or folklores often using the supernatural to interpret the universe and humanity, are timeless classics and some of the most profound stories ever told; yet, they are not being taught at the secondary school system. There is a common misconception that myths are just pagan beliefs and morals, the worshippers of whom are long gone, whose values are no longer relevant in today’s society. That could not be farther from the truth, of course. In fact, mythologies are the earliest forms of narrative and of human imagination; the bible, a work still highly regarded by billions, itself is a form of mythology. In fact, mythology provides the basis of our society and arts – everything stems from it. In fact, the themes and archetypes found in mythology are universal, and are referenced extensively in modern cinema and literature. Mythological tales are universal and intended for all age groups; be it perceived as simple bedtime stories for the young, life lessons for adolescents, teachings or warnings for adults, or stimulus for reflections for the elderly. It is integral to include the study mythology in the secondary school English curriculum, not only for pupils to learn the history and evolution of literature, but also to ensure that the learner’s imagination and conception of literature grow and develop as early as possible.
Mythology is the earliest form of literature, developed by ancient minds in order to answer key questions about humanity and existentialism: Questions such as “Who am I? What is my purpose in the universe? Are we alone?” (Myth Intro package) For as long as mankind has existed, humans have tried to explain the purpose of everything around them, what it is to be human and identified the human with the non-human world – which usually resulted in a story of a god, later written and transcribed in a form of a mystical myth. Virtually every major civilization was preceded by, and arose from mythological origins: for example, the Classical myths gave rise to Greek and Roman civilizations while the bible’s Old Testament gave rise to the Muslim, Judaic, and eventually, Christian culture. Together, they form the basis of the western civilization, as we know it. However, both the bible and the Classical myth have variations in structure – “the bible is a continuous narrative from creation to the end of the world,” and, “The classical myths are much more fragmented and give us much more clearly the main episodes of a hero’s life,” (Frye, 67) – and it is therefore important to learn them both. Both these mythologies contain some of the earliest examples of romance, tragedy, comedy, and irony, which later gave rise to major literary works—providing a major incentive to learn, or at least be aware of, these mystical tales as soon as possible in order to gain a deeper understanding of literature. Frye summed it best, “If we don’t know the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table.”
All other literature that followed was based, on and inspired by myth; be it consciously or unconsciously. The writers wrote by convention, often using previous literature for guidance—thus, ultimately drawing upon mythology, or the earliest known literary works. The more modern literary themes are not very dissimilar to those portrayed in myth, because most themes deal with the basic, fundamental questions and principal themes of human existence; concepts of justice, revenge, jealously, or ambition, for example, have not changed for millennia, though the surrounding environment may have altered significantly. Therefore, mythology is at the core of literature origins, and literature, itself, is a form of constant interlocking web linking not only generations, but also cultures; like climbing an immense tower that soars the skies, ascent to the top begins at the tower’s foundation stones at the base, and so understating the pinnacles of literature begins with understanding the basics of mythology. Thus, the knowledge of mythology enables us to understand all of literature more completely. It is important that youth be familiar with myth, because these mystical fables are the historical seeds for literary works that attempt to answer the basic answers about what it means to be human. Students will not only learn the human evolution of language, but will also gain deeper understanding into the constancy of human nature and human desires; all by reading generally simple to comprehend, but interesting stories, full of action, plots and suspense. By reading mythology, pupils may not only become engaged readers, but unconsciously learn and start understanding their inner nature and who they really are.
The mythology not only provides the fundamental questions that we attempt to answer in our current writings, but it also provided the basic plot structure, archetypes, and types of stories that are presently universally used. In all mythologies the plot is structured according to the mono-myth cycle: the mysterious birth of a hero, the call to adventure, the crossing of the threshold, the flight, the battle, crossing of the threshold back, and the elixir. This basic structure introduced by mythology is now used continuously and incessantly in all forms of literature, and more recently, in cinema. For example, Homer’s odyssey is a classical play which closely follows the mono-myth cycle, and has given rise to very similar novels such as Ulysses. Furthermore, all of the stories worth being re-told, originated in mythology: the classic stories of Zeus’ revenge, Hercules’ and Iliad’s bravery and perils, the return of the wandering warrior in Odyssey, the victim of unaccountable fate in the book of Job, for example, are constantly being reused. For instance, the journey of peril and bravery is exemplified in Jules Vernes’ Journey to the Centre of the Earth, - the protagonists go on a wild and dangerous adventure to reach the centre of the earth – and the story of revenge is shown in the movie Sweeney Todd – hero returns home after escaping from prison and extracts revenge on the person who unjustly sent him there. Mythology has produced countless archetypes that have captivated audiences throughout the ages, because the classic Mythological characters embody everything that humans aspire to and can relate to. The heroes’ embed aspects that we, as humans, most want to become. Carl Jung identifies archetypes as “reflection of what has been called the collective unconscious, a shared body of knowledge, assumptions, and interpretations that an entire culture knows, sometimes even being aware of it.” They represent the human struggles, problems, conflicts, and dreams; they are outlines for basic human experience. For example, the journey to self discovery and the loss of innocence are common archetypes that all humans can relate to; everyone undergoes these journeys, whether they want to or not. The universal plot structures provide the audience the basis with which we can imagine the different possibilities of human experience and perhaps more agreeable models of the world.
The western classical myths have had such a large influence on the Western culture and civilization that they are constantly referenced in works of literature and are the some of the best known stories. As Dr. Frye tells us, “the central things in literature, the Greek and Roman classics, the bible [...] are echoed over and over again,” and, “The literatures of all modern Western languages are so full of classical myths that one hardly knows what is going on without some training in them.” This concept are seen everywhere. Examples of this are seen in the literature we read in grade 12 English. In Hamlet, there are multiple references to Greek mythology: Actor recites a speech about Hecuba, Hamlet compares his mother to Niobe, to list a few. Further, The Wars reference the betrayal of Dionysus by Ariadne. There are even whole novels and movies dedicated to mythology. Not all of the references are direct, and a person’s knowledge of mythology has to be profound in order to fully understand the more subtle messages portrayed in literature and cinema—for example, in the recent movie “No Country For Old Men” when Llewelyn crosses the river, pursued by a police dog, is a direct reference to the crossing the ‘River Styx’ while being pursued by the hound Cerebrus, signifying that he has crossed to the underworld/hell and that everything that is going to happen now will be terrifying, evil, and unexplainable, and he will have many obstacles to overcome. This set the mood for the whole movie and provides an explanation for the terror which occurs in it. Therefore, the knowledge of mythology is very important in order to fully understand the current arts. If the aim of secondary education is creation of well-rounded, educated youth capable of independent thought able to see beyond the stated obvious, and draw on historical past to make decisions for the future, then it is crucial to teach mythology in secondary curriculum.
To conclude, I implore that you include mythology into the secondary school system. Mythology not only expands our literary skills and knowledge, but it also develops and ‘educates’ the imagination and provides the foundation which supports the rest of our literary, creative writing and social development. It indirectly teaches us history, human sociology, philosophy, and basics of literary structure in a manner that is easily understandable, direct; be it sometimes unconscious. If students do not start learning mythology, they will not have the necessary foundation for thorough understanding of our more modern classics, our architecture, our art, the reasons behind our current laws and our current societal structure; thus hindering our understating of the interwoven ties with historical civilizations and the development of our imagination. With many of the current families already lacking the close contact with their elderly grandparents, be it for geographical and economic reasons, passing-on stories of the past, fables and word-of-mouth teaching are no longer common. With the increase emphasis on teaching technological advances and sciences in our schools, we sacrifice teaching of history, philosophy and arts—the founding blocks for developing young imagination and creative thought. Generations of historical and literary ‘ignoramus’ society will form. Societies composed of individuals of limited creative thought and imagination—because they were never taught the full spectrum of possible human societal models and experience; concepts so readily exemplified in mythological tales. The lack of mythological historical teaching, used here as a proxy for general lack of teaching of the arts, threatens the basic fabric of what made the western civilization so great, creating a ‘mob’ that endangers the very foundation of our society—society that very well may sink down like the city of Atlantis, becoming a legend and something of the past, while technological chaos ensues our future. It is the job of the government to ensure that even a small minority of people will be educated enough to withstand the imminent downfall and mob rule – and this process can be started by teaching mythology in high school.
Sincerly,
A concerned student.
Works Cited:
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved November 1, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Gill, N.S. (2008). Uranus' Revenge - Rise of the Olympians. Retrieved November 2, 2008 from http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa011398.htm
To the Ministry of Education,
It is within the Secondary School English Curriculum that I have grasped the importance of mythology in our literature. One of its significances, quoted in Northrop Frye’s ‘The Educated Imagination’ states, “The gods and heroes of the old myths fade away and give place to people like ourselves”. This letter is to say that as a learning student, mythology is not only a cluster of legendary or fictional stories, but also a guide in understanding ourselves as individuals, and the changing world around us. How?
As stated in Rosenburg’s ‘World Mythology’, “Myths symbolize human experience and embody the spiritual values of culture”. Up to this date, Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s ENG 4U course, the Secondary School English Curriculum has provided its students with 3 reading texts: Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’; Timothy Findley’s ‘The Wars’, and Northrop Frye’s ‘The Educated Immagination’. In each of these texts, myths are used to provide the students with a closer comparison between the characters and contents of the book, to our personal lives. But what if we had no idea what the myths were? What if we never even knew that the author of the given books weren’t mentioning characters in that particular book, but characters in a myth? The reader would be completely lost within the readings, and would lack a firm understanding of the story provided. Therefore, the reader—in this case, the student—would not be able to comprehend the proper message or theme that the writer is trying to present him or her with.
I never really understood the importance of myths in our literature—in our lives—until this past week. We had to do a seminar discussion in class about Timothy Findley’s ‘The Wars’, and my group was given Part 2 to analyze and explain. There were relationships between three characters that I couldn’t understand because at the end of the Juliet’s—the character speaking the recording—transcript of the three characters’ relationships, she would mention ‘Ariadne and Dionysus’. I didn’t know that she was talking about a myth. In fact, I didn’t even know what she was talking about. I decided to look research the two names—Ariadne and Dionysus—and found that it was a myth portraying the pain of rejection. Then I realized that the story she was telling was of rejection between her sister and two men, but also showing the reader the reality of how painful it is to come across rejection. But what else does it show us?
In Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, the main character, Hamlet, compares his father to god, whereas his uncle is compared to a scarecrow. By knowing who that god is, I am able to receive a close image of how Hamlet’s father was, and what kind of actions he made. By understanding the context of the myth that is being compared to a story or knowing the story of a god that is being compared to a character, it is much easier for the student to understand the situation, and the character involved. For example, what if a friend said that their boyfriend is Hercules? Knowing that he is a mythical character that defeated the undefeatable and becoming a god because of his bravery, I would perceive an image of her boyfriend that is physically built, undefeatable in a fight, and someone who is brave.
Mythology should be part of the Secondary School English Curriculum because myths are not just fictional stories that provide us with an imagination of heroes and heroines, but they provide us with a better understanding of real life situations. In doing so, it allows the students to understand why things happen the way they do, and erases the limits to the understanding of who we are—through the many ways we handle certain circumstances. If student were to read a text, and did not understand its context, they would be missing an understanding of a part of who they are, and a part of the world they live in. Everything is connected in a continuous web, and an understanding of everything connected is significant to the comprehension of who we are. “All themes and characters and stories that you encounter in literature belong to one big interlocking family”. What would happen if we left even just one piece out?
Sincerely,
An Inquiring Student
Works Cited:
Various Authors. Mythology Packages. 2007. Liconti. 02 Nov. 2008. < http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files >
Frye, Northrop. The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi House Inc., 1993.
Dear Minister of Education,
Have you ever read a novel, watched a movie or read a poem and after you were finished you started to wonder why the story, movie or poem reminds you of another you read or saw? Have you read a great novel and wandered what inspired the author and where he/she learned these amazing literary skills?
I am an English student writing to you with a suggestion for our secondary school curriculum in the field of English studies. The study of English is a very important subject in our curriculum because it teaches the most fundamental skills of our world, reading and writing. The subject also teaches students about language speech and literature which is also important in today’s world. A huge part of English studies is the study of literature. Literary works are works of writing such as novels, plays and poetry and these not only teach students the skills of language but also writing styles that are used when authors, poets and playwrights to make their ideas come together. I believe that along with learning the concept and techniques of literature. it is also important to learn the history of literature and where forms and genres come from. Literature that we know today is inspired by mythology, a collection of ancient folklore, myths and legends that are told by cultures which are believed to be true. Whether the stories or Myths are true or not mythology has introduced concepts, symbols and styles that many of history’s great writers have used and taken from the ancient stories and have made their works the classics they are such as William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Mark Twain’s American classic Huckleberry Finn.
I would like to give my suggestion to make mythology an important part of the Secondary school English curriculum because I believe that the study of mythology can help students to learn about the stories that have influenced some of the greatest literary works in history.
Mythology is a style of literature that has influenced story telling and writing for centuries. This form of writing has had an impact on not just reading and writing but also our modern day arts and entertainment. As mentioned before Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a story that was heavily influenced by the Myth of The Odyssey by Homer as they share the same concept and symbols even though they are holding different characters and set in different time periods ‘the better you know about the Odyssey and Huckleberry Finn, the more impressed by the resemblances: the disguises, the ingenious lies to get out of scrapes, the exciting adventures that often suddenly turn tragic, the mingling of the strange and familiar, the sense of human comradeship stronger than any disaster.” (Frye,23). These stories both possess a very common concept of literature that was first originated in mythology known as the monomyth (mythology package), the cycle which shows heroes journey as he goes through the world of the story. Mythological figures such as Hercules and Achilles are examples of an archetype that debuted in mythology known as the hero(mythology package). Though we do not know it these concepts are about as reused as a pencil and they will never stop being used because they are the formula for making the chemistry of literature come to life.
This style of literature is very well recognized and many people believe it is the foundation for the grand architecture of literature we know today. Adding mythology as a unit in our curriculum will give students these building blocks that can help them also become good writers and then maybe they can write their own Huckleberry Finn or The Odyssey. Would it not be nice if the next Shakespeare or the next Mark Twain came from our board? This is what we may have if we choose to include the study of mythology in the English curriculum and then we make not only know literature as just a form of art but as an art form that has valuable roots and is embedded in culture for thousands of years.
Work Cited:
Mythology Package, retrieved November 2, 2008 from http://sites .google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop.(1961). The Educated Imagination, Toronto ,House of Anasi Press
To whom this may concern from the Ministry of Education,
As a senior student currently attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel, I would like to request for a mythology unit to be added to English curriculum. As a student I believe that mythology is an important topic of study because it explains the relationship between humans and the primary beginnings of literature.
Mythology is apart of our culture. Every story, song, poem and piece of literature derives from the central themes of mythology. I did not quite understand this concept until I read “The Education Imagination” by Northrop Frye. He explains that “stories go back to a single mythical story, which may never have existed as a whole story anywhere, but which we can reconstruct from the myths and legends we have.” Frye is trying to explain that although myths are not real stories they still relate to human life in general. By learning about mythology, students will learn more about themselves as individuals and about the characters or events within the stories they read.
Students need to learn the basics of mythology at a younger age so they have a better understanding of the themes within the literature they read. They need to be informed about the importance of the Monomyth cycle, the different archetypes and the eight fundamental questions that are answered within every piece of literature. Learning about these essential units will help improve and expand the student’s imagination and ability to write and read with greater clarity. Without them it would be like teaching a dog to read. Dogs will learn to look at the pages but they can’t actually obtain any information like humans do. Without this fundamental knowledge a student is essentially growing up staring at pages rather then learning from the literature.
Mythology is like history in many ways, it is a subject about past events which have affected the world we live in today. If students have to be taught about the history of the world then why shouldn’t they be aware about the history of literature. Why should one be more important then another? Mythology is the starting point of literature and as students, shouldn’t we be given the resources to learn the primitive stories of the beginnings of time. Frye explains his theory by telling the reader that “we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table.” His theory explains that if we as students don’t understand the primary stories of Greek or Roman mythology then how can we as students understand books in general. We need to learn about mythology in order to understand literature as a whole.
Therefore if literature were to be placed into the English curriculum then I believe that the students will have a better understanding of the novels they read and their imagination would expand. After reading “The Education Imagination” I was able to learn and realize that mythology is an important part of history. By not educating students about mythical stories and their purposes, it would be the same as pretending that mythology does not exist. Would this mean that not a single piece of literature would exist either? That would be correct! Without it how would humans understand the meaning of the sun, the earth or even the simplest things as an oink of a pig or a meow of a cat. Everything has a purpose and mythology will help explain the importance, or the relationship it has with everything that exists in the world.
Mythology is the most important aspect of literature and I hope that as a group of educated people, you can add this part of history into all Secondary Schools English Curriculums. Please take in the important points I have mentioned and just consider making a difference in all of our lives.
Thank you,
Nancy L (Grade 12 student)
Work Cited
Mythology Package, retrieved November 2, 2008 from
http://sites .google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination, Toronto,
House of Anasi Press Inc, 1993.
The Ministry of Education
To whom it may concern:
It is very important to learn mythology, and it is rather a must, it should be part of the Secondary School English Curriculum. It should be one of the first things that students learn. This is because, if students understand mythology they can understand the books they read much better and therefore get much more meaning from them. When they can understand mythology, they are open to messages that just weren’t appealing to them when they had no knowledge of mythology. “Myth is given in the Christian Bible, and so the Bible forms lowest stratum in the teaching of literature” (Frye, 66). The myths in the Bible and of the Greeks and Romans are the basic building blocks of literature. “It should be taught so early and so thoroughly that it sinks straight to the bottom of the mind, where everything that comes along later can settle on it”(Frye, 66).
Myths symbolize human experience and embody the spiritual values of a culture. “The purpose of a myth is to either explain the nature of the universe or to instruct members of the community in the attitudes and behavior necessary to function successfully in that particular culture” (Myth package). So basically they are two kinds of myths. The first one is creation and fertility myths; the second is hero myths and epic myths. An example of the hero myth that derived from the “Classical Myths” is that of Homer. This myth has now become the basic structure of all hero stories we have today. So we can say with out myths, we cannot write anything new because we have developed our writing structures around what mythology has created for us.
Myths contain, universal messages, and portray universal meanings, that apply to everyone, and to any time. It focuses on stories that relate to the human nature itself, and the characteristics we have as humans. The point that I’m trying to make is that mythology is a broad thing that can be applied to anything in literature. This is also what Frye says, except he also adds that not only can you apply all mythology to literature, but that all literature can find its place within mythology.
Another reason why we must learn mythology is because, we know that all stories come from what we know pre-exists. Again we know that myths were the first stories of literature, therefore making it the building blocks, in which literature continues to build upon. Frye sums it up in one sentence: “If we don’t know the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table” (Frye, 67). This is like saying how you build a house with no bricks. It’s just not possible, the same way it is not possible for us to further our knowledge in literature, if we don’t learn mythology.
So to conclude we know that mythology is the basic building block of literature. We also know that we cannot build a building from top to bottom; we must start at the base. And the base of literature is mythology. Therefore, mythology is something essential to achieve growth and progress in literature. Please consider in making mythology part of Secondary School English Curriculum
Sincerely,
Michael L (A concerned student)
Work Cited
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved November 1, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
To the ministry of education:
In order to understand the universal theme in a novel, or the point the author is going to prove, we have to understand where it came from, right? Throughout the twelve years we attend school, the basics of math, english, and science are taught to us. In English, we first learn our ABC’s, followed by simple reading and writing and then more complicated words, until we are eventually able to read novels. During these years we have been able to read and “regurgitate” what we have just read back to our teachers in a summary. Often, we also write about the characters in the novel and their struggles, as well as the setting, mood, and point of view. Little emphasis has been put on the theme though, and isn’t that the most important part?
It wasn’t until this year, grade 12, that I have been told and retold about how important the theme of a novel is. In order to understand the theme, you have to understand where it came from. According to Northrop Frye, “…We can’t read the poem at all until we’ve placed the reference,” (38). In order to place the reference, we need to be knowledgeable in the origins of literature. Frye also mentioned, “To understand that literature is still doing the same job that mythology did earlier, but filling in its huge cloudy shapes with sharper lights and deeper shadows,” (32), that mythology was the beginning of the literature we have today. So, if mythology was part of the beginning of literature, and in order to understand the meaning behind works of writing you have to understand where it came from. I believe that mythology should be a part of the Secondary School English Curriculum. For example, math is extremely difficult to understand without knowing the multiplication table. This concept is also true with literature, as Frye says, “If we don’t know the Bible and the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but out knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table,” (40).
Another concept of literature is that everything is derived from the past. All concepts and themes have come from works before that time. Frye states, “…that there’s nothing new in literature that isn’t the old reshaped,” (40). These reoccurring patterns and themes are all the patterns and themes seen in myths. We can take different archetypes that have been derived from mythology and relate them back to any story or novel we have read. Everything we read relates back to things we have read in the past, and if all of it can be related back to mythology, then in order to have a better understanding of what we read, we need to have a strong understanding of mythology. The problem us students have today with picking out the theme of a novel is that we don’t have a strong enough backbone in the knowledge of works, like mythology, that have come before it. We struggle with looking beyond the storylines to find the meaning because we have only been taught how to summarize and tell the same story back to the teacher. In order to have a better understanding in the works we read, we heed a stronger understanding of mythology.
Every storyline follows a certain cycle, called the monomyth cycle. This cycle can be easily related to any mythological story, and was derived from the storyline of different myths. This cycle can be related to any story, but if it is difficult to relate it to a myth, it would be difficult to relate it to any other story. Myths are stories that are trying to explain our existence. Often, we may ask ourselves “Who am I? What is my purpose in life? Or is there an afterlife?” and mythology tries to answer these questions for us. Novels today also try to answer these questions for us, just without the use of gods or goddesses.
In conclusion, I believe that mythology provides the most important basic understanding of literature. Everything we see in literature today has been derived from mythology, whether it is Greek, Roman, or even the Bible. Without a strong foundation in the understanding of mythology, a student has a hard time making the references to different novels they read. I think you should take into consideration, adding mythology to the Secondary School English Curriculum, and helping students who come after me have a better understanding of the works of literature that came before our time.
Thank You.
Corina D
Works Cited
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Dear Ministry of Education,
I am a student currently attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School. This letter is concerning the Grade 12 University English course and why mythology is not apart of the curriculum. According to Wikipedia, “the word mythology means "a story-telling, legendary lore” and refers to a body of folklore, myths or legends that a particular culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity.”(Wikipedia). These myths, folklores and legends are what makes our culture what it is today because all of our literature and art is based on these tales. If students are not taught about mythology then they will not be able to understand how as a single person they fit in a society and how that society fits into the world.
High school is very important for teenagers because the identification process beings and usually finishes there. Mythology helps us connect with the world around us and help us answer the universal questions such as “Who am I? And what is my purpose in the universe? ” (Myth Intro package), in our quest to identify who we really are and how we fit in the world. Mythology also helps us to further understand the two pillars that hold up the western society which is an important in developing identity. The two pillars are Roman and Greek Mythology and the Bible. This is also mentioned in the Educated Imagination by Northrop Frye. Frye states that “the central things in literature, the Greek and Roman classics, the bible”. The Bible is a pillar Western civilization because many of the tales in the bible are based upon the four classifications of novels: romance, tragedy, comedy and irony. Greek Mythology is another pillar in Western civilization because for every archetype and theme in art, there is a connection, purposely or by mistake, to Greek myths. Therefore if we don’t know enough about mythology then how are we supposed to identify ourselves with a world we know nothing about?
One of the novels we have read during this English course was Northrop Frye’s The Educated Imagination. This novel has taught us to read more so we can get a better understanding of books and life in general. Also how when we read we educate our imaginations and in order to have a well rounded imagination we would need mythology. “If we don’t know the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow”. I would never have read The Educated Imagination if we weren’t doing it in school and the same would apply to mythology, but we aren’t allowed to learn about mythology because of the course curriculum.
There are many of books that until recently I didn’t think related to me or this world in any way. Philip Pullman’s His Dark Material Trilogy was one of the classifications. The character in this novel follows the Monomyth cycle, which is the hero’s journey, and ends up redeeming her society’s problems. The way this connects to the world of literature is in Hamlet, when Hamlet has to set the order of his society beck to its original state, and in The Wars, when Robert Ross tries to preserve the innocence of everyone around him. This is related to mythology because all the novels listed above have many mythology archetypes included in their story and follow the same journey as many mythological characters such as Hercules. Now even with a brief knowledge of Greek mythology, I understand that even if an assignment is impossibly hard to complete, you have to try no matter what the outcome will be. If a simple understanding of mythology can give a student the ability to connect three novels from different times together, imagine what would happen if all students were exposed to mythology throughout high school.
In conclusion, I think that mythology should be apart of the English courses throughout high school. Without mythology, we are missing out on the essentials of our society and how we fit into the world, which as teenagers is a common struggle. So if you want high school students’ experiences to be boring uninspiring and dull then forget this letter but if you want your education system to be enriching, inspiring and memorable then add mythology to the English curriculum.
Sincerely,
Leanne M, a troubled student
Work Cited:
Mythology Package, retrieved November 2, 2008 from http://sites .google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop.(1961). The Educated Imagination, Toronto ,House of Anasi Press
Wikipedia.org
To The Ministry of Education
I am currently a grade 12 student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School taking a university English course. I have been quite disappointed to discover that mythology is not a part of the curriculum. Through our many years in school we are constantly reading and analysing different works of literature, and when we reach our last stretches in high school we think we know what literature is about. But do we really know what literature actually is? The issue that seems to come up here is we don’t have any understanding of the origins of literature, we don’t know where it comes from. This puts us at a disadvantage for fully understanding literature.
The Educated Imagination by Northrop Frye, which is a part of the current curriculum, tells us that mythology grants us a greater understanding of our culture and history. “Mythology begins to merge into literature, and myth then becomes a structural principle of story-telling.” (65-66) One of the structures that myth creates in literature is the use of the monomyth cycle. In most great works of literature, the plot follows this cycle. Each component is expressed differently but follows the same formation. Wouldn’t understanding the monomyth cycle help us understand the structure of the plot for each piece of literature?
According Frye, we use myths to identify aspects of human life to the non-human world, they are the elementary fragments of our imagination. “My general principle developed in my first four talks is that in the history of civilization literature follows after mythology. A myth is a simple and primitive effort of the imagination to identify the human with the non-human world, and its most typical result is a story about a god.” (65)
Myths not only symbolize human experience and are an important way to understand ourselves and the connection we have to other people, but they also deal with the fundamental questions we have. Understanding this portion of mythology shows an understanding of the origins of literature and myth, since myths are an attempt to answer the fundamental questions we have. In every culture, no matter the belief system, myths are created and they use patterns called archetypes or universal themes. These themes are repeated in many other works of literature. Over and over we see in the books we read and the movies we watch, that somehow they are all the same. So why do we continue to read? Why do we continue to watch movies when we know what will happen in the end? We read and watch movies because there are always the fundamental questions that we have that we need to be answered, and this is the resort we use to get the answers we require.
Myths and mythology are the origins, the basic fundamentals of literature. Without an understanding of these rudiments we have no basis and no proper understanding of literature as a whole. The expectation of students by the end of high school is to have a thorough understanding of literature. How is this possible if the foundation that we require to support this understanding does not exist?
I hope this will be considered, and that there will be changes made to integrate the basic fundamentals of understanding literature, and involve mythology as part of the current curriculum.
Thank you for your time.
- Megan G
Work Cited
Mythology Package, retrieved November 2, 2008 from
http://sites .google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination, Toronto,
House of Anasi Press Inc, 1993.
To the Ministry of Education,
To be able to understand Western civilization, the two “pillars” on which it rests must be understood as well: the Bible and classical mythology. The Bible is taught in the Catholic secondary school system, however mythology is not. Mythology is a fantastic collection of works that date back to the earliest of times. The themes and stories found in mythology are universal and are used in modern literature, making it relevant in today’s society. Shouldn’t it therefore be taught? If taught in the secondary school system, mythology can help students not only learn about the origins of literature, but also to educate their imagination and their conception of life as a whole.
Mythology should be introduced into the secondary school system because it is the earliest form of literature, and contains archetypes that can be applied to twenty-first century Western civilization. In order for students to understand modern literature, they must understand where it has come from. For example, an archetype is “an original pattern from which copies are made, or a model from which later forms develop. A literary archetype is a basic, universal theme, situation, or character that recurs in life and is reflected in the literature of all ages and languages” (Myth Intro Package). Two examples that prove this statement are two works read at the Grade 12 English level: Hamlet and The Wars. Each of these stories has similar universal themes and situational archetypes even though they were written hundreds of years apart. Was this an accident or is there a reason as to why this is the case? The answer to this question could not possibly be answered by students without the proper knowledge of mythology. According to Northrop Frye in his talk, The Educated Imagination, “every form of literature has a pedigree, and we can trace its decent back to the earliest of times” (17). By the earliest of times, Frye describes classical mythology, and that every form of literature can be traced back to it. If a person can understand this, they can understand modern literature and the universal themes that come with it.
Frye states that “we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table” (40). Frye makes the point that people must study mythology to understand or, better yet, educate themselves of the different aspects in literature because “the language of the imagination is literature”. Students should be able to educate their minds by studying the history of literature and discuss it thoroughly in class instead of sitting at a desk, being fed mindless answers like seagulls on the beach. Several terms relating to mythology must be studied to understand different themes in different stories, such as the heroic monomyth cycle, archetypes, and the fundamental questions that mythology raises: Who am I? How do I relate to the universe? (Myth Intro Package) And so on. If students do not study mythology, where the origins of literature are preserved, they cannot understand where the themes and types of characters come from, and therefore not understand simple novels in general. Students have been trained like dogs to recite a story back to their teacher, without actually understand what that story’s message is. Mythology shows students that every piece of work is interconnected by themes and characters, and not the obvious aspects of plot.
The purpose of studying literature is to be able to understand the themes and message within it, and use them as an advantage in life. As we read, we are supposed to challenge ourselves more and more to better educate our minds and imagination. As stated before, “literature is the language of the imagination”, and imagination helps us to fight against the illusions of society. We must look at models of different worlds through literature and use this in everyday life. I strongly believe that mythology should be taught at the Grade 12 secondary school level, as it not only gives insight as to why things are the way they are in literature, but also to help educate our minds to better understand and look past the illusions set in front of us in society.
Sincerely,
An inquiring student.
Works Cited:
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved November 1, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
To the Minister of Education,
According to John Maxwell, an internationally recognized leadership expert, “The depth of your mythology is the extent of your effectiveness” (Lewis). This corresponds with the ideas of literary critic, Northrop Frye, expressed continually throughout his six oral essays, synthesized in The Educated Imagination. The basis of Frye’s critical thinking is that the foundation of literature is made up of two parts: the Bible and western civilization; and, through—and only through—the development of knowledge of these elements, education of the imagination is possible. Therefore, in order to fully understand the complexity behind the literature students are exposed to throughout their lives, they need an awareness of the origins from which all literature blooms; mythology.
Frye’s definition of a myth is provided in his fifth essay, Verticals of Adam, “A myth is a simple and primitive effort of the imagination to identify the human with the non-human world, and its most typical result is a story about a god” (Frye, 65) These mythological stories are archetypical, meaning all literature is a derivative of myth. Because of this, excusing mythology from the secondary school curriculum is absurd. Students cannot be expected to understand and develop their knowledge of literature without a basic comprehension of mythology. Frye states in his essay, Keys to Dreamland, “This experience is uncritical, or rather pre-critical, so it’s not infallible. If our experience is limited, we can be roused to enthusiasm or carried away by something that we can later see to have been second-rate or even phony” (Frye, 63). What the entirety of secondary school students possess is this pre-critical response to literature. A response of this nature is a superficial one, and, as a direct result of the ignorance of mythology, society unwittingly limits students in broadening their educational boundaries. What they need is an experienced view of literature, or, what Frye refers to as a ‘critical response’, “This critical response, with practice, gradually makes our pre-critical responses more sensitive and accurate, or improves our taste, as we say” (Frye, 63). Frye goes on to further establish his point, stating, “The critic’s function is to interpret every work of literature in the light of all the literature he knows, to keep constantly struggling to understand what literature as a whole is about” (Frye, 64). Therefore, Frye is saying that, in order to educate the imagination, the exposure to literature must be vast. However, no matter how many novels are read or plays seen, comprehension of literature cannot be considered genuine or accurate without knowledge of the prototype. For this reason, the study of mythology is not only beneficial, but a necessity within the secondary school curriculum.
The Bible, which is included in the curriculum of Catholic secondary schools, is the largest collection of myth, and should be treated as such. It should be recognized as the masterpiece of literature that it is, and taught alongside Classical legend, not only in the curriculum of Catholic Schools, but in all Secondary schools. Frye says, in regards to the Bible, “It should be taught so early and so thoroughly that it sinks straight to the bottom of the mind, where everything that comes along later can settle on it” (Frye, 66), explaining how the Bible should be the foundation of all literary knowledge. He continues, “The first thing to be laid on top of a Biblical training, in my opinion, is Classical mythology (…) the literature of all modern Western languages are so full of Classical myths that one hardly knows what’s going on without some training in them” (Frye, 67). Here, Frye clearly states that people are incapable of completely understanding literature without an understanding of the archetypes from which they came. Students need to be exposed to mythology at an early stage of their secondary school career in order to develop an understanding of all literature; classical, modern and postmodern.
Despite the superficial cause and effect of absorbing mythological knowledge and consequently understanding literature; comprehension of mythology, has other benefits. The ability to think for oneself, form a critical response to advertisements and other propaganda, and separate illusion from reality, are all outcomes of an understanding of mythology. In his sixth and final essay, Frye discusses these advantages. “The fundamental job of the imagination in ordinary life, then, is to produce, out of the society we have to live in, a vision of the society we want to live in” (Frye, 86), Frye states, combining the former. By devising a view from existing society of a more utopian civilization, one exercises the effects of an educated imagination. Those without an understanding of mythology tend to embrace the contradictory position; aiming only to progress technologically, rejecting the truth that history repeats itself. Frye compares this never-ending race of evolution, to the Biblical tale of the tower of Babel, “What the myth tells us is that the Tower of Babel is a work of human imagination, that its main elements are words, and that what will make it collapse is a confusion of tongues” (Frye, 98). With tragedies such as 9/11 and the war in Iraq, it is easy to draw parallels between modern day occurrences and the myths offered in the Bible. Therefore, students must be exposed to mythology in order for them to develop a true understanding of the past, with the goal of complimenting their vision of the future.
The study of mythology, both classical and universal, encompassing the heritage of all ethnicities, will ultimately serve to provide present and future society with a better understanding of where we came from and where we need to go. You have the power to institute change; you have an obligation to do so; I urge you to fulfill your duty.
By unveiling the vast effects of an educated imagination to secondary school students, you will be ensuring a brighter future. Young adults, with an understanding of mythology, will have a developed critical response to literature which, when applied to societal views, will aid in producing a concrete foundation for the expansion and evolution of civilization. If you do not feel, at this point, motivated to include mythology as an integral part of the school curriculum, my question to you is, WHY?
Sincerely,
Sarah O., grade 12
Works Cited
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Lewis, Joan Johnson. (2006). Wisdom Quotes. http://www.wisdomquotes.com/cat_effectiveness.html
Dear Ms. Kathleen Wynne,
I am writing this letter to request that mythology become part of the secondary school English curriculum because it is rich with explanations of the self and the universe. Mythology presents stories that people of a culture believe in, in order to make sense of supernatural events. It also instructs members of a society to act in an acceptable behavior in the culture they are in. Northrop Frye explains that “the literatures of all modern Western languages are so full of Classical myths that one hardly knows what’s going on without some training in them.” For Westerners, there are still many myths they are not aware of and cannot relate and understand such cultures as the Gothic culture. Also, mythology helps students “identify the human with the non human world,” according to Donna Rosenberg. Therefore, mythology should become part of the secondary school English curriculum because it helps people understand others, themselves and religion.
Myths are structural principles of story telling and are an important way to familiarize one’s self with other societies. Myths were developed as stories to entertain people, but they also have an underlying message – a lesson people can learn from. Myths help explain the nature of the universe and instruct members of the community about the attitudes and behaviors necessary to function successfully in that particular culture. Is it not necessary for people to become aware of mythology in order to make sense of the other and what goes on around them? When a person feels minuscule compared to supernatural events that take place, his imagination becomes wide, leading to thoughts about creatures like monsters and dragons. Frye states that when a person is little, literature follows after mythology. Imaginative thoughts that lead to myths give birth to literature. In this case, literature, which is derived from mythology, becomes a way of looking into other societies and other cultures.
Mythology should also be part of the secondary school English curriculum because it addresses questions to form one’s identity. Identity comes from the moral actions a person conducts. Literature and mythology interlock and relate to each other in order to help people understand themselves. Mythology is the root of identity. This is because people use metaphors from mythology to form their own identity. For instance, the famous warrior Hercules is said to have gone through many tasks, such as killing the nine-headed serpent and peeling the skin off the lion in order to reach success: immortality. Humans relate to Hercules because they go through different tasks everyday in order to be successful in life. Moreover, human beings are not perfect creatures, according to many myths. Knowing this will help students deal with their every day obstacles and flaws. Mythology is a key source to help people form their identity.
Mythology also aids in understanding religion, which is why it should become part of the English curriculum. Students must understand that the Gods who were worshipped in Greek mythology transferred to James Joyce in the Odyssey, which is a tale people are familiar with today. Furthermore, mythology plays a key role in Christianity. According to Frye, “The bible forms the lowest stratum in the teaching of literature”. Many myths have been compared to figures in the Bible. Such a myth would be Hercules who was compared to Samson. According to Christian beliefs, the Pharaoh of Egypt, during the time of Moses, ordered the killing of all newly born babies because he did not know the identity of Moses. The Pharaoh’s role in Egypt compares to mythology because he was considered a god and divine just like Hercules and his tale is told in the Bible. The Pharaohs in Egypt are also said to be incarnations of the Egyptian gods Horus and Ra. So knowing mythical stories makes it easier for people to compare, relate and understand religion.
Since mythology helps students understand others, themselves and religion, it should become part of the secondary school English curriculum. If humans feed their imagination, then they would be on a steady track to fulfill their needs. Mythology is viewed as a “golden key” that has many treasures growing out of it. Students should satisfy their imagination, and provide answers to their curiosities by studying mythology and its underlying messages.
Sincerely,
A concerned student
Works cited:
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination.
Toronto: House of Anansi House Inc., 1993.
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages.
http://sites .google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
To the Ministry of Education,
Mythology is the human response to the unknown, the supernatural aspect of life on earth. It is man’s most imaginative attempt at explaining the unexplainable; the nature of the universe, our place in it, our own identity. Mythology provides a base from which all literature is built upon; it is the roots of the tree. Using myth, people can connect forms of literature throughout history and gain a deeper understanding of literature as a whole. Reading mythology also educates the imagination, shaping creative people who can find the answers to life’s questions through things like math and science. Mythology provides a view into it’s society’s culture, and gives insight into our own, because myths talk about universal themes that can be applied to any time, be it Shakespeare’s or Arthur Miller’s or the society of present day. Myths help us find ourselves through our relation to their heroes. Mythology needs to become a part of the high school curriculum because it is the basis of all literature, it inspires the creative aspect of the mind, and it gives insight into culture and our existence through universal themes.
Mythology is the foundation of the house of literature; it provides the framework from which all other literature is birthed. Myth is required to have a true knowledge of literature, “If we don’t know the Bible and the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow,” (Frye, pg 40). In “The Educated Imagination”, Frye is referring to Biblical, Roman and Greek mythology, saying that without it, we cannot gain understanding of literature as a whole. These texts are needed so we can relate the literary conventions, cycles and patterns that we see in everything we read to something we know; which should be mythology. But it is not. And because we do not know mythology, we are missing a whole layer of understanding to be gained from what we read today as students. Mythology contains the timeless forms of writing used today, as said by Frye in an essay, within Michael McKeon’s, “Theory of the Novel”, “The relation of myth and literature […] is established by studying the genres and conventions of literature.” (McKeon, pg. 134). Romance, tragedy, comedy and irony are all forms of mythology. A great example of tragedy and irony is “Oedipus Rex”, where Oedipus unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. The aforementioned forms can be found in literature today and will be present until the end of time, and this is why we as students must learn their origins. Always, Frye stresses the importance of learning, before everything else, the Bible and classical myth, “[…] it’s the myth of the Bible that should be the basis of literary training, its imaginative survey of the human situation which is so broad and comprehensive that everything else finds its place inside it. […] Classical mythology, […] gives us the same kind of imaginary framework, of a more fragmentary kind.” (Frye, pg. 66-67). Again, these texts are ever present in today’s literature; through allusions and quotes, and saying in our thought processes. Mythology has a firm place in society and literature; it has withstood the test of time to be seen as still valuable, so it must be learned. Mythology is very important in understanding literature; just as we need to learn letters before we learn to read, we need to learn mythology before we can analyze literature properly.
Mythology educates the imagination and inspires the creative mind, allowing for subjects such as math and science to prosper. Frye says that everything using language comes from myth. “I have a notion that the myths and images of literature also enter into and give form to all the structures we build out of words” (Frye, Pg. 79). Everything stemming from literature and language is a product of mythology. This includes structures like science, not usually associated with literature. One area of study covers factual observations about the world, while the other looks at the observations of things more intangible. This leads to the belief of some ignoramuses that English is not a ‘real’ subject. In reality, English is the base from which all other subjects are built. And English is not just the language; it is its history in other languages and cultures. All that it comes from, mythology included, makes English what we see today. But for the English subject to be fully utilized, mythology needs to be taught so students can use what it teaches. Mythology influences the tangible aspects of life in a special way, “The world of the imagination is a world of unborn or embryonic beliefs: if you believe what you read in literature, you can, quite literally, believe anything.” (Frye, pg. 45). Mythology is the epitome of imagination, making real the unbelievable and unexplainable in the world. The ideas about life presented in myth lead to the desire to prove these ideas. For example, the gods of planets (like Mars, the god of war) in myth went hand in hand with an interest in astronomy in ancient Greece. Myth went with science. An educated imagination allows people to become more creative, and a creative mind is absolutely imperative to creating new scientific, mathematical and philosophical theories. With a properly constructed imagination, nothing is impossible. It is amazing how so many contributors to today’s society are from ancient Greece: Plato, Aristotle, Parmenides, Archimedes, and Pythagoras, to name a few. Even our system of government, the democracy, has origins in Athens, Greece. Many people raised in Greece around Greek myth have been creative thinkers. Is this a coincidence, or did a mythology based culture inspire these people to greatness? Mythology in the school system is required to advance our society, because it provides the questions that push us to find answers.
Myths help us understand ourselves, and our place in society and the world. Mythology is absolutely essential in discovering who we are, “Myths are an important way to understand ourselves and our connection to other people at a time when the welfare of each culture depends on attitudes and actions of other cultures.” (Liconti, pg. 2). Through hero archetypes portrayed in myth, people realize what they are always striving to be; godlike, heroic, timeless legends. Hero archetypes also highlight weaknesses and vices, which are present in everyone. A good example of a vice is hubris; pride and arrogance. We find these characteristics in heroes of mythology and relate them to ourselves. The heroes guide us in the journey of discovery, in finding ourselves. Additionally, Mythology asks basic questions about existence that thousands of years later, we still ask. ‘Who am I?’, ‘What is the universe, and what is my place within it?’ are common questions. Mythology seeks and creates answers to these questions with the imagination, “Although most of the myths in World Mythology were created by people who lived in societies that were much less complex than our own, they address fundamental questions that each thinking person continues to ask”, (Liconti, pg. 2). Mythology gets our minds working, helps us to philosophize about the world and our place in it. These are all necessary questions to ask, because the answers we create out of them make us who we are, “[…] the containing framework of the mythology takes the shape of a feeling of lost identity which we had once and may have again.” (Frye, pg. 66). Mythology is part of the journey of self discovery. Mythology is already a part of us, but it is a part of us we are missing, that we are desperately trying to find. Finding answers to the questions of humanity can be difficult, but mythology provides the answers other societies come up with, and we can use these for ourselves at our own discretion, “What is the use of studying a world of imagination where anything is possible and anything can be assumed […] its encouragement of tolerance.” (Frye, pg. 45-46). We are all connected in this world, and learning about cultures and their myths gives us insight into other belief systems. Through exposure to other societies, we as students learn to transvaluate cultural systems different from our own, and take something valuable from them. By becoming accepting of views other than our own, we expand our minds and become more accepting of ourselves as individuals, and our place in this confusing world. Mythology helps us to achieve this.
Students need mythology introduced into the secondary school curriculum because it is so integral to their development; it provides a basis for all literature, it inspires creative thinking, and it gives insight into the self and culture. Mythology provides the basic literary conventions, such as the monomyth cycle, from which all other literature is based on. This provides students with a reference point when comparing and relating literature, providing an opportunity for deeper understanding, the goal in English. Mythology also inspires the creativity present in all of us; it poses questions about the unknown, which we are encouraged to solve through tangible means, such as science. Mythology teaches us about ourselves, about our identity, culture and the cultures of others. I have just begun to delve into mythology and already I have been connecting it to all kinds of things. For example, for a recent English seminar, I looked into relating Robert Ross of “The Wars” to Greek Mythology and the Bible, and I found that Heracles and Jesus both go on quests of redemption, just as Ross does. And this was just with a five minute internet search that I found this. Imagine if I knew all about mythology; I would have a wealth of knowledge through interwoven literature and good insights into life, instead of just having empty space between my ears. I am behind now; I have to start learning mythology on my own, and make connections to things I have already read, instead of learning as I go, with an understanding of mythology already in my head. It would have been easier to do this before; I do not think students are being properly prepared in English classes and something needs to change. Without a basis of mythology, we are blind to what literature as a whole is trying to tell us about life. Mythology is necessary for students to discover who they are and find their place in this universe. Without it, a greater meaning is lost.
Thank you for your time,
Eli B, a tall student
Works Cited
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto:
House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
McKeon, Michael. (2000). Theory of the Novel: A Historical Approach. The John Hopkins University Press, 2000.
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved November 1, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files.
The Ministry of Education
To Whom It May Concern,
The reason for my letter today, is to request that mythology be included in the English Curriculum. I am currently a grade 12 student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School. I have found that although our English Curriculum has been interesting and challenging, there was always something missing. I believe that the missing piece to this puzzle is the lack of mythology in our English Curriculum!
In my Introduction to Mythology from World Mythology I learned that myths originated from ancient oral tradition, symbolize human experience and embody the spiritual values of a culture. The eight fundamental questions that myths address are key to understanding who we are. They also assist us in understanding how we relate to our universe. I’m sure you remember how confusing that was when you were a teenager! Myths expose the fact that “all cultures have shared concerns that tie human beings to one another across the globe and throughout history”. Recurrent themes of birth, death, and resurrection are also evident. Universal themes are rampant in what we read, listen to, and watch. The monomyth cycle is obvious as well.
A friend of my family works at Pixar studio in San Francisco, California. Pixar is well known for the superior quality of their films. Pixar’s movie The Incredibles is a Heroic Epic which portrays the main characters as superheroes. Although they all have amazing super powers, they also have human weaknesses and imperfections. These human characteristics cause our heroes to suffer, and reveal that even super heroes make mistakes. However, it is also important that we learn from these mistakes as well. The message I got from watching this movie is that it is okay to be less than perfect. This is important since as teenagers, we often suffer from low self-esteem. Knowing that we can just be ourselves, helps us become more confident in our abilities.
Mythology through the ages has also been a way for cultures to preserve their beliefs and experiences. It is a way to creatively express morals and beliefs. By making literature more interesting, I believe that people will retain the information better. Literature born from mythology is equally nurtured by students, readers, and authors. Since mythology uses the supernatural, it captures and stimulates the imagination. The book Twilight written by Stephenie Meyer is a supernatural story filled with literary forms like romance, irony, and angst. It tells the story of human and supernatural relationships. We are able to identify with the main character Bella, and can relate to her experiences. This vampire concept is derived from the famous Dracula myth, but with a twist.
The Educated Imagination states that “The Greeks and Romans, like the authors of the Old Testament, arranged their myths in a sequence, starting with stories of creation and fall and flood and gradually moving into historical reminiscence , and finally into actual history”. This confirms that we have to be exposed to myths at a young age in order to fully understand and appreciate our history. The book also indicates that literary forms like comedy and romance can be taught to young students, while tragedy and irony are better left for secondary students due to their complexity. This proves that the evolution of the human mind must start early. By exposing students to myths early in their English curriculum, you would be creating the basic foundation for their future development. Furthermore, this helps produce fully functioning members of society who can contribute to the best of their ability. Otherwise, how can they become such individuals if they are missing such an important part of their literary knowledge? Their opinions would have no value since they would be missing fundamental facts.
Frye’s The Educated Imagination encourages conversation, discussions, and even debates. It focuses on how we the reader can learn from those around us like family, friends, and teachers. Imagination frees us from the bonds that society imposes upon us. It allows us to dream, and achieve our heart’s desire through reading and writing. It also allows us to express what we feel inside, when we are unable to talk about it. Imagination enhances and affects how we express ourselves verbally, in written works, and even in our choice of extra curricular activities.
In conclusion, it is critical that you consider incorporating mythology in our English Curriculum from kindergarten through high school. This will enable us to build on what we learn .As well, I believe students like me will be better prepared to face our destinies. If reading is fun and stimulates our imagination, then more kids would read regularly. This in turn would improve their reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. The end result would definitely be an increase in the number of students passing the Ontario Literacy tests in grade school and high school.
Thank you in advance for considering my request.
Sincerely,
Ashley N.
Works Cited
Frye, Northrop. The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Meyer, Stephanie. Twilight. Little, Brown and Company, 2005.
The Incredibles. Dir. Brad Bird Perf. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel Jackson, Sarah Vowell. Pixar, 2004
Various Authors. Mythology Packages. 2007. 1 November, 2008. http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
To the Minister of Education,
As a student currently in grade 12 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, I would like to express my concern in the content, or lack thereof, of mythology in the English curriculum. One of my first academic exposures to mythology came in my grade 12 ENG4U1 class, and since that contact, I have understood how important mythology is in not only literature, but our existence in a whole. The reason I am writing to you is to persuade you to introduce mythology to the curriculum from young. I think this is necessary because mythology is worth it due to its literary value and how it has given us the foundation and beginning of literature, and it helps us understand our lives.
Mythologies are some of literatures best works. The stories that are instilled within mythology are timeless classics; the literary value within them is unmatched. According to Northrop Frye, in the Educated Imagination, much of our current literature derives from mythology, as one can see “Comedies derive from the phase in which god and goddess; tragedies from the phase in which the lover is cast off and killed while the white goddess renews her youth and waits for another round of victims.”(Educated Imagination), this makes sense as “You keep associating your literary experiences together” (Educated Imagination), and since “literature can only derive from itself: they can’t exist outside literature” (Educated Imagination), it would only make sense to teach students the beginnings of literature and these beginnings is mythology. As Northrop Frey proves, all literature relates back to mythology, and by teaching students mythology from young, it would give them a base to which they can identify all the stories that learn to, because new literature can “provide only content; they don’t provide new literary forms.” (Educated Imagination), by learning mythology, one learns the literary forms that are used in all literature up to today. Mythology gives us a base on which to learn, we can understand what a lack of knowledge of mythology does, when Frye contrasts English to math, he points out that “If we don’t know the Bible and the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but out knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table,”. By teaching mythology we provide a means of identification, which would lead to a better understanding of literature and a true appreciation for it.
Mythology does not only lead to a better understanding of literature, but it also leads to a better understanding of oneself. Mythology helps answer questions that are common to humanity and existence, such as “Who am I? What is the nature of the universe in which I live? How do I relate to that universe?”(Myth Intro package). One can take much from mythology, as it was written for this purpose, for example “The heroic myths and epics of a society teach its members the appropriate attitudes, behavious, and values of that culture.” (Myth Intro package), for example, from the story of Achilles we can take away that even the best of us have weaknesses. Mythology also teaches us archetypes, which is a “recurring theme that is common to all humanity”. We experience these archetypes not only in other literature, but in our lives, as we often have that unhealable wound, and we believe in heaven vs. hell, and in supernatural intervention, we also deal with father-son conflict, and the temptress. Mythology gives us a source to which we can refer to and identify with when these problems do arise, it also helps us choose a path of action, as we can identify with the protagonist and we can see the result of his choices. Won’t teaching students about problems that they will face in real life help them? That is one reason why mythology should be taught in schools, it gives a source to which students can learn from and relate to later in literature, and their lives.
In conclusion, what mythology gives us is priceless; we cannot afford to not teach it in the English curriculum. Mythology gives us literature of the highest quality, which has shaped all literature that has followed. We must teach students from a base, to which they can identify, and that base is mythology, it gives us a source to which we can relate, for example I learn about common deception through the Trojan War. It is easier to build an English student if we use a base, and by introducing mythology to the curriculum we have what we need to develop students that will not only apply literature to English class, but to their everyday lives. Mythology allows a student to identify with literature and relate it to not only academics, but to their everyday lives. The introduction of mythology will result in a better understanding of English, it will also help students appreciate it more, as they can identify their literature with the common stories that we see in mythology.
Sincerely,
Ian Marques (A concerned student)
Works Cited
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto:
House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages.
http://sites .google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
To Whom It May Concern,
My objective for this letter is to try and educate you in what I believe are the reasons why mythology is critical to learn about in today’s society. While reviewing the curriculum for English courses offered at the university level in secondary school, I noticed that there was no unit that directly discussed mythology. Personally, I see this as a major downfall for the students because of how much mythology has shaped literature since humans have been able to verbally tell stories or write them down.
Reading and learning about different myths would not only benefit the student in his or her English class because ancient myths can be used to learn about spiritual values of religions in past times. Depending on what the culture felt was most important to learn about was what lead the students to choose what myths they would believe. Some cultures were more interested in the creation of the universe, while others were more focused on myths that explained the origin of their own people. I believe learning about this is an advantage for students in a religion class because even though the same monomyth cycle is used while writing stories, the way in which a story progresses and the archetypes used, tells the student a lot about a certain religion. Journey, death and rebirth, magical weapons- all shape different values and beliefs of people that a certain myth relates to. Altogether, the students would only improve their understanding of myths in English class, which would also improve their understanding of myths in religion class.
Even though myths follow the same cycle that does not mean that there is no unique part of a story and it would be a waste of time for teachers to read and discuss these stories with students. This common cycle is known as the Monomyth Cycle. Not teaching students about mythology is truly robbing them of the opportunity to find themselves in literature the same way they try to find themselves in characters viewed in their favorite television show or movie. What makes me so sure that they try to find themselves in different shows or movies? The fact that almost every scary movie makes the character being chased run up the stairs but everyone still watches scary movies or the fact that the same television show can run for an entire decade and not lose any viewers. This proves that it does not matter if the same cycle is repeated; students will always try to find a way to relate media or literature to their lives. Shouldn’t the students learn that it isn’t a coincidence that every book they read or every television show they watch has the same storyline to a certain extent?
“The art of listening to stories is a basic training for the imagination,” was what Northrop Frye stated in his book, The Educated Imagination. I believe this statement supports what I have been trying to say in my letter because what Frye is trying to say is that the more you observe stories, whether it be literature from mythology or scenes from a movie, we as humans analyze what is happening to see if that is the kind of world we want to live in. Analyzing expands our imagination which leads us to thinking about what kind of world we would like to live in and even more importantly, how we are going to get to that point. Finally, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter as I feel it is not a subject we should ignore. I hope my passion to help students learn about mythology has been strongly stated to make you recognize how important this is to any future grade twelve students.
Sincerely,
Jenna M
To whom it may concern,
I am a grade 12 student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School. In my past 3 years of high school, I have been reading because I have to. When I read I never analysed what was really going on in the story, missing the meaning of a lot of books. In my fourth year studying English at the secondary school level, I have learned to read each word for itself and analyze what the author is saying.
I have read that “Myths symbolize human experience and embody the spiritual values of a culture. Every society preserves its myths because the beliefs and world view found within them are crucial to the survival of that culture. . . Some explain origins, natural phenomena, and death; others describe the nature and function of divinities; while still others provide models of virtuous behaviour by relating the adventures of heroes or the misfortunes of arrogant humans. Myths often include elements from legend and folklore. They depict humans as an integral part of a larger universe, and they impart a feeling of awe for all that is mysterious and marvellous in life.” That being said, a myth is universal, it is something in which everyone can relate to in some way.
I believe that I have discovered a flaw in our curriculum because, while I have read the quote above, I have not had the opportunity to actually study mythology. For example, if I read a story and it related something to ‘Oedipus and the Sphinx’, I would be at a loss to actually understand the reference. References to mythology mean very little to me right now, but I believe that given the opportunity to study mythology, would open that world to me and increase my comprehension of every form of literature. Northrop Frye, a brilliant scholar said “If we don’t know the Bible and the central stories of Greek and Roman literature, we can still read books and see plays, but our knowledge of literature can’t grow, just as our knowledge of mathematics can’t grow if we don’t learn the multiplication table”. This tells me that I am losing a great deal of intellectual growth and missing the significance behind the writing. I note that as students of mathematics, we begin with the basics and build on that knowledge all through school. That same principle should apply to our studies in literature.
As grade 12 students, our goal is to gain knowledge, but by not having the opportunity to study mythology, we are missing some of the basic building blocks of literature. Frye also says in his lecture ‘Verticals of Adam’, “In other words, it’s the myth of the Bible that should be the basis of literary training, its imaginative survey of the human situation which is so broad and comprehensive that everything else finds its place inside it.” I don’t believe that Frye’s intention is to denigrate the Bible, but his reference to the earliest known writing is key.
As students, we have a thirst for knowledge, and I believe that our opportunities should not be limited by a narrow curriculum. By adding mythology to our secondary school curriculum you will be giving future students the opportunity to expand their literary boundaries. The door to a better education could be opened to those students giving them insights which we don’t now share.
Yours Truly,
Julia D
Works Cited
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
To the Ministry of Education
To whom it may concern,
Today I write this letter with a great deal of outmost concern. Mythology has played a significant role in our society for the past thousands of years. It is one of the pillars modern civilization rests upon as we know it today. As a grade twelve student, I was recently told that mythology is not included in the course as a unit, which troubles me greatly since it makes me believe that the school board does not care about the roots of our modern civilization and believes the misconceptions, modern society dwells. Mythology is the earliest form of literature we can possibly relate modern literature to. It is the earliest evidence of the human imagination, according to Mr.Liconti, an English teacher at my school. Mythology was once considered to be a religion and later evolved into literature as more sensible religions were introduced. As time passed by, it evolved into more famous pieces of literature that we are all aware of today. Ironically enough, these great works are included in the course but the mother of them all is not.
The word Myth itself means “story” (Liconti) and therefore mythology means “telling a story”. In the evident existence of mankind, we asked questions that we continue to ask to this date. Questions like “who am I”, “why am I here”, “how do I fit in this world”, revolved around our minds. Different cultures produced myths to explain the answers in their own ways to preserve their culture while explaining the functions of life and natural phenomenon. Although mythology can be found around the world and in different languages, they have a significant similarity that people came to notice later on. The “Hero” of the stories was basically the same and had the same kind of journey. By this I mean that Heracles from the Greek mythology (myth intro package) and Rama from Indian mythology are exactly the same in terms of their traits and their journey. As I already mentioned that our society itself rests on mythology, it is evident that any story involving a hero can date back to ancient Roman times.
As a genius named Northrop Frye once mentioned in his famous verbal essay The Educated imagination, that literature derives itself from mythology, and since one of the best collections of early literature is The Bible, it can be suggested that the way people live, derived from mythology. Frye suggested that literature is evolved from religion and religion comes from mythology. This makes sense because we can find many examples of a universal story or idea. For example, the story of Cain and able is the first murder story in the Bible (also the Qur’an and Torah)in which a brother kills his own brother, yet in Hamlet we see Claudius murder Hamlet SR and in The Godfather by Mario Puso, we see Michael Corleone order a hit on his own brother Fredo Corleone. One can think of at least a hundred more examples of this reoccurring theme. Mythology is the past, on which literature is based on, and since people nowadays do not read that much, literature has taken a new form, of television and music. Since this is the case, I can say that I am no different than Robin Hood or Spiderman since we all go through the same adventure every single day.
The journey of self discovery or individualization is an adventure that we all go through in our lives; this can be connected to the adventure of a “hero”. A hero is an archetypical person who goes on an adventure and returns with an achievement. As I said earlier that literature is derived from mythology, so now it should make sense when a person connects a mythological hero with a hero that we see in our everyday life. For example, a student wakes up early in the morning and goes to school to get an education, he returns back with a little more knowledge then he had before he left, similarly when the Greek mythological hero, Heracles, finishes his twelve labors, he has an achievement at the end just like the knowledge the student receives.
Frye suggested in The Educated Imagination, that it is very important for us to expand our imagination. To do this, we need to first understand the basic building blocks of literature, and then feed on literature itself. As grade twelve students, we have a journey ahead of us. For some of us, this will require a broad spectrum of an imagination which requires us to educate ourselves with literature. We have to understand why and how literature is based out the way it is. For this we need to educate ourselves with mythology and since we do not have mythology as a unit in ENG4U, we miss a great deal of understanding of literature, which ironically leads us back to the basic questions, why and how?
To conclude this letter, I just want to say that humans are incomplete without literature and literature is incomplete without mythology and by leaving out this very important link, we are driven away from understanding the society. I would appreciate it greatly if you could please consider my request for putting mythology as a unit in grade 12 university English. I do not make promises that I cannot keep but I can definitely assure you that it will lead to a brighter future for us and therefore Ontario.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Raza K.
Our lady of Mount Carmel secondary school.
Works cited:
Mythology Intro package, Mr.Liconti.
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination, Toronto, House of Anasi Press
Rhetorical Devices and Style, English Dept, Our lady of Mount Carmel secondary school, http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/writing/rhetorical-devices-and-style
www.encyclopedia.com
Heroes, www.mythweb.com/heroes/heroes.html
Ministry of Education
To whomever this may concern,
As Northrop Frye once said, “Myths of this kind come into the stories of Perseus, Theseus and Hercules in Greek myth, and they lurk behind many of the stories in the bible.”
Myths are universal, and originated before the introduction of literature. They were passed down orally from one generation to the next. Myths deal with the basic questions we ask ourselves on our journey to self discovery, whether it be the nature of the world or human experience. These myths are used to help shed light on the countless aspects of a culture. As defined above myths help us to better understand who we are, as they ask the questions we ask ourselves like, why am I here, who am I etc. For this reason alone, by including mythology into the secondary school English curriculum it would help us teens better understand who we are.
As one of the earliest forms of literature mythology being about heroes, gods, demons etc. is very beneficial for teenagers because it helps us along in our journey to self discovery. In various ways mythology can be related to many of the works of literature we have today, through the monomyth. This cycle is present in all narratives found around the world, because ‘the journey’ is one of the key factors in literature. Monomyth can be found in the bible, myths, works of Shakespeare, and so on. Whether its Jesus, Hercules, or Hamlet they are all on the same journey. Therefore since myths relate to many of the works of literature we have today, its another great reason as to why Mythology should be included into the secondary school English curriculum.
Greek, Roman or biblical myth they all share one thing in common the storyline, birth of the first humans, gods get angry with the humans causes a flood to restore the innocence that man had lost by starting of fresh, god gives birth to a son to do his will on earth. This is a brief summary of how all Roman, Greek and Biblical myth are the same and relate to one another with only one difference the characters. Therefore Mythology would be a great addition into the secondary school English curriculum.
Concepts of myth can be seen in many of the literature we read in grade 12. For instance Shakespeare’s Hamlet, he is on a quest/journey to set right all the wrongs Claudius had created. Here we can see the monomyth, derived from mythology, is the reason for Hamlet’s existence, he exists to set the chain of being back to the way it was. Another book that has influence from mythology is Timothy Findley’s The Wars. The main character Robert Ross is on a journey of self discovery to find out who he is, as well as the investigator is on a journey to figure out who Robert is. This work of literature clearly illustrates the fundamental questions, through Robert’s life as he goes on his quest of redemption, by going off to war. This can relate to the myth of the twelve tasks of Hercules after killing his wife he sought redemption for what he had done. Robert seeks redemption for Rowena and Hercules for murdering his wife and children. Therefore mythology is the basis of all literature today with its recurring universal themes making it the perfect addition to the secondary school English curriculum.
To conclude, the themes shown in the myths we know, are recurring in all forms of literature we have today. Therefore making mythology a section that is not included in the secondary school English curriculum, worth studying. So, I think as a grade 12 student that mythology should be added into our curriculum so that myself and others can learn more about ourselves through the universal themes of mythology, as well as the fundamental questions myths answer.
Sincerely,
Michael S
Works Sited:
“The Labors of Hercules” retrieved November 2, 2008 from, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html
“Mythology definition” retrieved November 2, 2008 from, http://www.latinart.com/glossary.cfm?sort=M
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Mythology Package, retrieved October 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
The Ministry of Education.
To whom this may concern,
As a senior student of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as well as a ENG 4U1 student I would like to ask that the mythology unit be added to the English curriculum. The reason for this is that our western civilization is supported by two pillars, those pillars are the bible, and Greek mythology. Greek mythology is the structure that our literature is built on, compared to that of a house, would you build a house with no foundation. Without the foundation that a knowledge of Greek mythology provides, one is unable further build upon there skills in literature.
Among every from of literature there is a key universal truth that exists, this is what we call theme. The end goal is that the theme of a piece of literature, answers any key questions such as “Who am I? What is the nature of the universe of which I live in (Intro to Mythology)”? These questions have been asked since the dawn of man kind, and therefore in order to answer these universal questions, we must not only look to the present but we must look to the past. In order to fully grasp a theme in a piece of literature, one must have a prior knowledge to that theme. Our civilization is based on Greek mythology, therefore we must focus on the universal questions posed in Greek literature that moulds our civilization. I believe that in order to grow a tree you need to plant a seed, if the tree represents our literature than the seed is Greek mythology. Without that prior knowledge we as students will never fully be able to comprehend and grasp the full meaning of a new theme if we haven’t been introduced to it before. “Later on, mythology begins to merge into literature, and myth then becomes a structural principle of story-telling (65-66)”. As stated before our literature is based on Greek mythology, this is true for every piece of literature. In the educated imagination there is a line that states that all literature comes from pre existing literature. If all literature came from Greek mythology, which is truly evident in every book we have read so far, then why are we as students denied to learn that basis of Greek mythology in order to fully succeed?
Mythology is not only a basis of literature but it is a basis of who we are as people. How are we to understand ourselves if we do not know the deep rooted connection we have we people who have existed before us. “Myths are an important way to understand ourselves and our connection to other people at a time when the welfare of each culture depends on the attitudes and actions of other cultures (Intro)”. As humans we build up our culture from pre-existing cultures, if we did not have Greek mythology than there would be no culture all together. Greek mythology is history, and it is the basis to everything that we are. Without establishing a connection between the past history of Greek mythology and today’s society we are loosing valuable information that can help us in understanding literature. As humans we are constantly developing ourselves, and our culture, but without a knowledge of the past how are we to expand onto the future. To pose another question, If you had to build a whole civilization without blueprints or any previous knowledge to how a city should look, the outcome will be one that does not fit into our society. So how are we as humans to fit into our society without a basis to those in Greek literature?
I have mentioned many times in this letter that without a previous knowledge in Greek mythology the content of any modern day literature is much harder to understand and compare to without that basic structure. First off I would like to bring up the example of Hamlet. In Hamlet, Hamlet makes a comparison between his father and his uncle, said comparison is one of Hyperion to a Satre. Once I read this I was unaware who Hyperion was, this made it difficult to understand not only the context but the theme of the play. A second example coming from the wars, is the stained glass with the St. holding the butterfly. In Greek mythology the butterfly represents the human soul, I was completely unaware of this until it was taught to me by my teacher. This was a key theme in the wars, and by missing one simple reference to Greek mythology, my understanding of the theme can be thrown of completely. Hopefully these two occasions serve as enough proof that having Greek mythology in the English curriculum is a must.
In conclusion, I am eager to learn more about literature, but in order for me to do so, I must have a background in mythology. I am not the only student who feels this way, there are many more. In the best interest of the school, our future, and our communities future, I propose that Greek mythology be incorporated into the English curriculum. Thank-you for the time you devoted to this letter, I hope that you will make a decision that will not only benefit me but many other people, because we are the future.
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Mythology Package, retrieved October 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
To the Ministry of Education,
As a student of Our Lady of Mount Carmel I feel that is my duty express the importance of mythology for youth. In this letter my objective is to allow mythology to be a part of the Secondary School English Curriculum. Mythology is the foundation of literature, it helps students relate to neighboring cultures, and helps the student develop a moral conscience.
The Bible and myths, are the basis of our literature, they contain a variety of stories. Authors relate to either the Bible, myth stories and/or characters in their own work. Even the reader of these modern stories can relate it to commonly known myth and Bible stories. Of course the stories are not identical, the context is different but the overall theme and method of the story can relate to myths. This is proven in the article “A literary odyssey:”, the author Philip Marchand and Rob Salem use well known stories and compare them to well known movies and TV shows. “New stories are born from old-it is the combinations that make them new.”, whether the stories are reshaped on purpose the point is the repetition still occurs. That is why it is important for students to have a complete understanding of mythology before being introduced to imitations of the original stories. The basics are important to improve the our literary knowledge. If the student is not familiar with mythology how can they be expected to understand works that follow mythology. It is similar to swimming if a person does not know how to float, how can they be expected to perform breast strokes. There is the method of going backwards which may work in several other areas but it does not efficiently apply to the study of English. Mythology is the starting line for literature and depicts several aspects of cultures.
Myths are a way of using stories to demonstrate the values of that certain culture. By understanding other cultures myths we can understand the values instilled in that particular culture. This is especially important for Canadians as Canada continues to develop and grow through immigration and understanding cultural differences becomes an even greater priority. Allowing mythology into the curriculum gives students the opportunity to understand other religions or ethnicities; not to change and follow them but to broaden there understanding of them. This problem of accepting other cultures is common throughout the world and authorities can prevent this by educating students about accepting other customs. It can be argued that myths are ancient and therefore unnecessary however, these very myths depict the core understanding of society in a way that students can comprehend. For instance, the ongoing situation in Tibet between the Tibetan people and the Chinese government. The Chinese are being ignorant of their traditions and have taken over it, forcing the Tibetan people not to worship the Dalai lama publicly. China is ruled by communism, but if the people of china were taught about the Tibetan myths it could help the Chinese understand them. Which leads to the question, does Canada want its youth to be discriminative towards other cultures? If Canada allows there high school students to learn about mythology this influence can only be beneficiary. Canada has developed into a multicultural country; it is about time the board of education assists in the development of the students to mature individuals that are sensitive to the differences of various cultures.
The knowledge that is given through mythology can begin to develop students into mature adults. The characters found within myths are given godly characteristics, which brings a feeling of awe. These godly attributes are used to form a role model for the readers, even though some of these characters make mistakes it shows how even the greatest of people are not perfect. Frye explains this quite well “And because with all his superhuman strength he’s still up against something he can’t understand, there’s an ironic perspective too.”(Frye,36), this allows the reader to view the story in a nonbiased way. By being illustrated a story, the reader can relate it to humanity as a whole and discover its flaws. This realization of imperfection amongst man is not what helps students deal with certain situations it is how the characters deal with problems, that provide an important lesson. We are able to recognize the characters situation and evaluate it without being biased. This is a creative way to instill morals amongst teenagers at an age where their morals are not completely developed. This lack of development leads to poor judgment, but by assisting students with examples they can develop better judgment. Myths clarify the wrong act and the consequence that follows that act. By having this clarity students will have the idea in the back of their head of the difference between right and wrong. Students may not directly remember it as being from that myth but it does stay in their collective unconscious mind; without realizing the student has this understanding in their mind. If the ministry allows mythology into the Secondary School curriculum it will benefit the students by having an additional source to assist in our moral growth as an individual.
Agreeing to bring mythology to the Secondary School curriculum can only benefit the students. It is a stepping stone for further knowledge in literature, it helps them associate with surrounding traditions, and assists in the development of students. Would it be fair to prevent students from such a significant source of knowledge?
Sincerely,
Natalie Lopez
Works cited:
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved November 2, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Tibet Online. (2008). Tibet Online-The invasion and occupation of Tibet. Retrieved November 2, 2008 from http://www.tibet.org/index.html
To the Ministry of Education,
Once upon a time...how many times have you heard that in the beginning of a sentence? My name is Kristina S, and I am a very concerned grade 12 student. In kindergarten you start to learn more about the English language, but until this year was I able to put the pieces of the puzzle together. After reading Northrop Frye’s “The Educated Imagination”, I noticed that there was something missing in the English curriculum.
Mythology has been around since the beginning of time. Myths are stories that try and explain to us about the aspects of human existence. These are stories about gods and hero’s and their journeys. Also there is Classic Mythology which has had a great impact on the European and American culture that had derived from the Greek’s and Roman’s. Northrop Frye had said that “This story of the loss and regaining of identity is, I think, the framework of all literature.”, and that statement says it all. Every story that has been ever written or told was based on the same theme. It is all about a journey and self discovery. Myths are made up stories, and also when Frye say’s “The world of literature is a world where there is no reality except that of the human imagination.” All these stories come from our imagination. People study mythology to try and find some meaning in their own lives or in what’s unexplainable.
One of the most famous questions is “Who am I?” Myths have been created to try and explain the answer to that question. Myths help us try to understand someone’s purpose and the purpose of humans as a society. The study of mythology is what would help us expand our imagination. Frye says “Literature as the science of human emotion — the constructs of the imagination tell us things about human life that we don't get in any other way….” Frye is trying to explain that literature as a whole is what helps us understand who we are and why we are here. Our imagination is what keeps the real world and the world we want to live in separate. Kids, from a younger age should be learning about this a lot earlier then they are now. Many children do now have an interest in reading, but they need to be pushed so that they can learn and understand more.
Mythology is a very important aspect of literature it is the foundation on which literature is built on. Cultures around the world have kept mythology alive, and what had started off as just entertainment had grown into something so much bigger. Mythology is all around us, in every story we read. This is why it needs to be put into the curriculum, it is the foundation of literature, so how could a child be able to understand everything they are reading, if they are not starting from the beginning. In today’s society children turn to television and game’s for their answers, and many no longer pick up a book to look for the answers to their questions.
For the sake of the future generations and their imaginations, mythology should be put into the English curriculum, and be taught in the beginning to help them understand the meaning of the world around them.Students need to know other sources they can go to for answers.
Thank You,
Kristina S, a concerned student.
Work cited:
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Mythology Package, retrieved October 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
The Ministry of Education
To those it may concern:
"Words, words and more words”, if this were a response from a teenager about literature, what would your first reaction be? Shocked. Then of course your comment would be, “This child clearly has not been taught the significance of literature and the background of it”. Hello, I’m a grade 12 student in Our Lady of Mount Carmel high school, and I have been aware that mythology is not a part of the English Curriculum, but I do recommend that it should become part of the secondary school English curriculum, because it is more then just a “myth”, it is the foundation of our lives. According to Rosenberg, “Myths are a significant way to understand ourselves and our connection to other people”. I do feel that it is a very essential topic to be taught by a teacher, and of course to be discussed towards the children of the new generation, because they will shortly be the ones to create the future. And if these children don’t have that knowledge then literature would be meaningless. Mythology helps us educate our imagination, on how we perceive poems, novels, film, and even artwork. Also, it gives us a type of model of human behaviour for our society and as well the basic structure of our existence.
After reading Northrop Frye, The Educated Imagination, I thought of my pre-response of reading the first talk “Motive for Metaphor”, which was “I don’t understand what he is talking about, this is so pointless”. Now, I can say that after I read all 6 talks, I have become more knowledgeable about literature, and I do understand the purpose of all 6 talks. It is about, escalating your knowledge by reading books, and more books. However, mythology of course takes place in all of this; because the understanding of mythology will help you learn and appreciate the pieces of literature you may come across. According to Frye we “reconstruct literature from the myths and legends we have”, this indicates that literatures importance had been created from Mythology. If you are not aware of the structure of literature, then you cannot escalate your knowledge. For example, I could not build a house, if I did not have any material, or if I don’t have the proper experience or knowledge of how to build one. Mythology, is that essential knowledge that helps you widen your imagination, and if this is missing from those who are beginning to grow up, and mature, then the meaning of literature would not be recognized. Which then makes literature less meaningful and accepted as just “words, words, and more words”, and even Frye can agree that “ if we shut the vision of it completely out of our minds, or insist on its being limited in various ways, something goes dead inside us, perhaps the one thing that it’s really important to keep alive”. Therefore, without the imagination progressing, or even having it, it will then take away something so significant from us that should stay with us forever. Could you actually live, with the feeling of not having something so significant in your life? Or perhaps should we not have to be worried of that lack of significance, and just be educated with Mythology.
Mythology is not just entertaining stories, with characters that do miraculous and outstanding things. These characters are basically the form of human behaviour in our society. When you think about it, a well known Greek Hero, Hercules was known for “ making the world safe for mankind”, he also was a warrior, and was known for his strength, he also played a fair game, which included to not use any of his strengths or powers of his advantage. Anyways, Hercules is in all of us and even though this is a Greek Myth, the type of positive attitude and actions, reoccurs in ourselves. We might not be praised by our society, or well known by our fellow classmates, but we still do very good things, like sticking up for your friends in a fight, helping little children read, or even cleaning up after yourself in the school cafeteria, so you can make life a little easier for the janitors. The above examples are very little and simple things that can construct you to be as special and outstanding as a Greek Hero like Hercules. Learning more about Mythology, will then educate you by knowing who were the Heroes? And why? By acknowledging Heroes that are in mythology, we learn more things about ourselves, which then lead us to ask fundamental questions like, who am I? What is the nature of the universe in which I live? How do I relate to that universe? These questions, are only asked, when myth is presented to that person. If myth is not presented, the curiosity of oneself would not be recognized. However, everyone needs to ask these fundamental questions, so then your own existence would not be less meaningful, but well examined and more meaningful. According to Frye, he believes that, “The gods and heroes of the old myths fade away and give place to people like ourselves”. We then can say that by learning mythology’s heroes and their actions, we then reenact what they do, because it is essentially the right behaviour for humans to follow.
As a final point, I’d like to mention that Mythology is the structure to our lives. “Every society preserves its myth because the beliefs and world-view found within them are crucial to the survival of that culture”. If you don’t finish reading a book, you have no right to say whether or not the book was good or not, because you didn’t finish reading it. This is an example, of learning mythology. You cannot believe in anything, until you learn where it has originated from. And by not learning where literature comes from, which is mythology you then are prevented to really understand and interpret the message or median in the poem, novel, film, or art work.
To conclude, I do believe that it is necessary that mythology should become part of the Secondary School English Curriculum, because mythology is so essential to our lives. It helps us understand ourselves, it can escalate our imagination so we then can interpret literature with creative, and distinct thought or ideas that can keep literature alive. Also, mythology gives us an idea of the right human behaviour, so we can interpret and become a better person. A final word from Frye, “ Consequently we have only the choice between a badly trained imagination and a well trained one”, so lets hope that you can make that better choice to make the imagination of all the future students, and present have a well trained one, with the teachings of mythology in our English Curriculum.
Thankyou,
C.gurgz
Works Cited:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules
Northrop Frye, The Educated Imagination
Intro to Myth. Booklet (Mr. Liconti)
http://www.virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm (A Handbook of Rhetorical devices)
The Ministry of Education
To whom it may concern,
I am writing to you as a grade 12 student, who has wondered where authors of books or creators of T.V shows get their ideas, and how you can continuously use the same story line and people will still be interested in them. Throughout each of my high school years, I am encouraged to read books on my own and try to find the meaning. Each year we also read books as a class, and as students we do not find the meaning but are told it by the teachers. I believe as students, we are not taught what we need to find the meaning behind words and saying throughout novels, which is mythology. Myths are one of the earliest forms of literature and teach us about the meanings of the world. As students, we are taught so much about the past and history, so why not include myths? We cannot get an understanding of literature because we have not been taught about one of the origins of literature, which are myths.
Many novels we read refer back to gods in Greek mythology, and having no knowledge or understanding of Greek mythology we cannot fully understand the meaning behind these references. When authors mention a story from Greek mythology we cannot make the connection because we do not have any knowledge of it. Adding mythology to the grade 12 English curriculum, it would improve our understanding of all literature, which in turn would also us as students to be able to participate more and make the connections we are expected to make. In English class, you learn that you can relate all novels, plays or poetry to each other because all literature comes from the same thing: mythology. As Arthur Frye states in The Educated Imagination, “My general principle, developed in my first four talks, is that in the history of civilization literature follows after a mythology”.(65) Frye is stating that all literature follows mythology, and having no understanding of mythology does not give us much understanding of all literature.
As we read novels, we often try to put ourselves in a characters position and relate to them. We often try to find ourselves in a character, just as a character tries to find who they are throughout the novel. Putting ourselves in that characters position is our imagination. It allows us to wonder what we would do or how it would be different for us. “No matter how much experience we may gather in life, we can never in life get the dimension of experience that the imagination gives us”. (61) Myths would give us better understanding of novels and with that understanding we could better our use of our imagination. Expanding our imagination, as Frye says, comes from reading more literature. To understand that literature we need to know all the information we can, to understand it the best we can. If mythology is the earliest form of literature which can be related to all, why would we not be taught it?
As a student, you are expected to learn and take in all that you can about literature but I feel that we are unable to do so without the background information we are missing. Being taught about myths would help us get figure out the meaning of the literature in front of us. It would challenge us as students to make the connections and realize that all literature can be related. I do not understand why we would not be taught the most essential part of literature in our grade 12 year. I believe that mythology should be added the curriculum to help students understand literature as well as expand their imagination.
Sincerely,
Taylor S.
Works Cited:
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Mythology Package, retrieved October 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Ministry of Education
Public Inquiries Unit
2nd Floor, 880 Bay Street
Toronto ON M7A 1N3
To Whom It May Concern:
It has been brought to my attention that a vital component of literature has been neglected in our Secondary School English curriculum. This absent component is capable of allowing students to grasp literature with ease. It is also important in understanding where we, as a civilization, came from. Finally, it assists humans in answering the fundamental questions of human existence as well as exploring the nature of existence. This missing component is mythology.
Mythology explains that which humans have asked for centuries. They “address fundamental questions that each thinking person continues to ask;” (Various Authors, 2007) most prominent is the nature of the self and the universe. Who better to ask these questions, in the mode of universal themes and metaphor, than a writer? When students read any form of literature, including poems, epics and novels, they are searching for answers. However, reading is useless unless a student can understand its origins. This is clarified in Frye’s The Educated Imagination: “we can’t read at all until we’ve placed the reference,” (38). The references he is speaking of primarily include Greek mythology and the Bible, along with Shakespeare, Milton and a few others.
But why should we teach Greek mythology when religion classes are already being offered in Catholic schools? This is because Greek myth is not a supplement for religion and is not to be taken literally. When Frye states that "there is nothing new in literature that isn't the old reshaped," (40) he is implying that all literature derives from Greek and Roman mythology, as well as the Bible. Therefore, is it necessary to teach both subjects.
To conclude I would like to refer again to The Educated Imagination. Frye explains that the "language of human nature," (Frye, 98) is a concept in which no single language is dominant and that language itself is useless. To truly understand one another is to understand what it means to be human. Only then, does actual language become useful. In this sense, it is essential to understand that all humans live according to the same fundamental values and beliefs. These fundamentals are illustrated in mythology. Therefore, to understand mythology is to understand one another and the world we live in.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I truly hope you will look further into this matter.
Sincerely,
Stephanie D
Works Cited
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved [Online] November 2, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Ministry of Education:
The purpose of this letter is to impress upon you the importance of including the study of mythology in the Secondary School English Curriculum. Since encouraging youth to enjoy reading literature is an ongoing challenge, and since myths offer an interesting means of raising awareness with respect to the importance of human values, attitudes and behaviors, especially during the high school years when peer pressure is a its peak, incorporating mythology into the English curriculum would be effective in both helping to shape students into well-rounded individuals as well as inspiring their desire to read literature.
Mythology is simply the study of myths which are stories that symbolize the experience of what it is to be human and incorporate spiritual values that are significant to a specific culture which answer questions that human beings are faced with like: Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my purpose for being here? How should I live? What is the right thing to do? What is the universe? How did it all begin? Myths help to explain natural phenomena and death as well as provide us with virtuous role models through the adventures of heroes. Myths are effective in illustrating that humans are an integral part of the universe as a whole, and leave one with a sense of awe regarding that which is both incredible and mysterious in life (mythology package).
The study of mythology will increase a student’s awareness of human values, behavior and attitude. Myths provide us with a better understanding of ourselves and how we should relate to other people. Through the biblical epic story of ‘David and Goliath’ we learn that the size of the enemy has nothing to do with the outcome of the battle (mythology package). Who wouldn’t enjoy reading such an exciting heroic adventure story to gain a better understanding of our own human weaknesses and strengths? Similarly, through the epic story of ‘Moby Dick,’ we learn that in the face of disaster, the importance of human comradeship. Melville connects the white whale to Greek myths and the Bible by explaining how it belongs to a similar group of sea monsters that are seen in their stories (Frye, p. 23). Who wouldn’t enjoy reading such an exciting adventure/survival story to reinforce the importance of human comradeship?
The study of mythology would appeal to the interests of students as they often depict young heroes or gods who’s adventures, although successful, often end in them being either betrayed, deserted or killed. Myths of this nature are present in such stories as Perseus and Greek myths such as Theseus and Hercules (Frye, p.27). What student wouldn’t enjoy reading such exciting adventure stories?
The study of mythology will promote the enjoyment of literature by students simply because myths themselves are extremely exciting stories. Through the study of mythology, students will be introduced to the world’s greatest adventure stories which will result in both stimulation of their imagination as well as add relevance to their life experiences. By promoting the enjoyment of reading through mythology, a student’s reading comprehension will also be enhanced. (Rosenberg, 3).
By including the study of mythology in the Secondary School English Curriculum, you will not only increase students’ awareness of human values, behavior and attitude, but also appeal to the interests of students therefore promoting their enjoyment of literature. Who would not want to see students’ enjoy reading literature and benefit from the valuable lessons mythology could teach them?
Sincerely,
David Farace
Works Cited:
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved November 1, 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Rosenberg, Donna. (1994). World Mythology. Illinois: NTC Publishing Group.
The Ministry of Education
To whom it may concern,
I would like to bring to your attention an issue of particular importance. As a student concluding my secondary education I have examined a plethora of noteworthy literature- those of which include the classic theatre or poetry that have marked the pinnacle of creative achievement. With literary triumphs of this magnitude, it is fairly simple to understand why the Ministry of Education has removed mythology- fanciful stories that tell of epic quests and heroic victories- from the high school curriculum. Government officials would claim that over centuries, mythology has been separated from modern civilization- its concepts becoming foreign and ultimately irrelevant to a society that has disassociated itself from traditional gods and goddesses. The problem with this theory, however, is founded in a superficial- and therefore inaccurate- assessment of the value of mythology. While it is logical to claim that such events have no literal association with contemporary times, one cannot overlook the importance of mythology in the exploration of human existence. I implore you to reconsider the inclusion of mythology in the high school curriculum- for we cannot reject the foundation upon which our society has been built without suffering its eventual destruction.
In order to appreciate the value of mythology, one must first recognize its application in modern literature. Northrop Frye, in his discussion The Educated Imagination, illustrates how traditional archetypes in mythology are continually incorporated into contemporary works. Frye indicates that, “...every form in literature has a pedigree, and we can trace its descent back to the earliest times” (Frye, 1997, p.19). As a civilization, we have an instinctual need to relate the concepts we discuss in literature to the generic archetypes first established in mythology. We have witnessed the Greek hero Odysseus, who is manipulated by forces beyond his ability to control, evolve into that of Hamlet, a character who must contend with obligations to the state of Denmark. We have witnessed Hamlet evolve into Robert Ross, the protagonist of The Wars, who struggles with developing his own identity. While the idea of conflict in these examples progresses from an external to an internal environment, the notion of struggle and subsequent discovery remains constant. We must therefore conclude that a student cannot analyze what Frye has deemed “literature as a whole” while presented with only select fragments of a universal theme. As a result, we cannot presume that one form of literature takes precedence over another in curriculum- that relatively modern theatre, poetry, etc. have priority over mythology (on the contrary, I may argue that mythology is required to first establish a foundation for reoccurring archetypes or themes, and must consequently be examined before other literary works).
I am also compelled to address the significance of situational archetypes- “a shared body of knowledge, assumptions, and interpretations that an entire culture holds...” (http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files)- in the understanding of human nature. Our society deems the repetition of these concepts socially acceptable because it allows us to identify with personal experience. We begin to perceive a connection between the characters of mythology and the events of our own lives, whether or not this behaviour is a conscious effort.
Joseph Campbell elaborates on this theory in his novel The Hero with a Thousand Faces, "The mighty hero of extraordinary powers...is each of us: not the physical self visible in the mirror, but the king within. [...] In his life-form the individual is necessarily only a fraction and distortion of the total image of man" (Campbell, 1972, p.365, 382). Let me demonstrate this concept through two situational archetypes prevalent in all traditional myths, the journey and the initiation. During these stages we observe the mythical hero struggle for some truth of information, enter into maturity, and ultimately achieve a newfound awareness. Once we delve past the self-evident aspects of the myth, we begin to approach the initial stages of philosophical thinking relevant to humanity as a whole. The struggle for truth seems to now parallel civilization’s struggle for identity; the newfound awareness seems to communicate a desired sense of purpose. In examining mythology we are consequently forced to confront our own existence. It is during this contemplation that the questions, “Who am I?”, and perhaps more importantly, “What is my purpose?”, are proposed. In excluding mythology from high school curriculum, we have suffocated any opportunity for significant philosophical development. Without myths we are incapable of relating personal experience to the origins of humanity- this, in turn, presents an obstacle to the understanding of our own identity. Would the Ministry of Education have students, who possess infinite potential for monumental accomplishments in society, proceed through their lives unable to postulate the fundamental questions of human existence? Would the Ministry have those of us who may emerge as the next Einstein, the next Rembrandt or Shakespeare, remain ignorant of the very concepts essential to our own humanity?
Throughout history, we have witnessed the effect of intolerance on the development of civilization. We have observed the conquest of countries, the enslavement of races, and the near extinction of entire ethnic groups. Frye expands upon this condition when discussing The Vocation of Eloquence, concluding that “...if [an individual] recognizes no other society except the one around him, he can never be anything more than a parasite of that society” (Frye, 1997, p.94). What Frye is attempting to communicate pertains to individuals in all aspects of society- without a thorough understanding of other cultures we impose limits on our ability to accept foreign beliefs and values (Albeit a rather extreme example, this notion was evidenced in the genocide of approximately 6 million Jews during the Holocaust of World War II). The study of mythology is essential in providing the foundation for our knowledge of literature, and by extension our capacity for tolerance. In the Vocation of Eloquence, Frye additionally includes The Tower of Babel from the Book of Genesis as a metaphor for our society (Frye, 1997, p.98). When we limit our comprehension of literature through excluding the examination of mythology, we construct a civilization, or “tower”, that becomes progressively isolated from humanity. Thus, the purpose of including mythology in the secondary school curriculum is to discontinue this illusion of “approaching heaven”, and begin the pursuit of our identity in the origins of human existence.
I would like to imagine that this letter has served some measure of purpose, if only a single government official no longer views mythology as a collection of “fanciful stories” devoid of any meaning. Perhaps the most relevant explanation of my arguement is summarized by Frye in the following statement, “...if we shut the vision of [literature] completely out of our minds, or insist on its being limited in various ways, something goes dead inside us, perhaps the one thing that it’s really important to keep alive” (Frye, 1997, p.48). It is crucial to recognize, then, that to deny the significance of mythology is to deny the essential nature of what it means to be human.
Sincerely,
A concerned student,
The future of our civilization.
Works Cited:
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. New Jersey: Princeton University Press,
1972.
Frye, Northrop. The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 1997.
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology. Retrieved November 2, 2008, from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files.
Dear Sir or Madam:
Greek mythology is greatly reflected in the framework of today’s literature. That is why Greek mythology should be taught in secondary school curriculums.
According to Frye, the stories in the bible or Greek/Roman mythology that deal with entities or events that are ‘bigger’ than humans are actually about humans, or at least something we can relate to. In other words, it’s a mode of identification. In many works, the characters’ journeys are always based on finding out who they are. The same could be said for ordinary people. However, a person’s life is not long enough, or even eventful enough, but literature – and even films – puts a person in a situation where they can learn who they are.
Another reason it should be in the curriculum is that myths are the base for all great works. The simplest theme from novels was derived from the Greek/Roman mythology. These archetypes can be seen in every works, especially in the book which is most read: the bible. For example, death and rebirth is seen when Jesus Christ rose on the third day after he was crucified. Another example would be the infamous story of Harry Potter: when Voldemort tries to kill Harry, he dies, but a hero is born. These two stories are nothing alike and the only thing that could link the two is the archetypes that are predominant in mythology.
But my point isn’t to show you that there are similarities in myth and other works. If it were, then why not continue with the study plan as it is, right? My point is, that in learning directly from the source (mythology), then a student can write his own story that would fit the criteria of best-sellers (given that the student has taken proper grammar and spelling lessons.)
To refer back to Frye’s talk in “the Educated Imagination”, he states that all works are related to each other, that you wont understand the allusion if you don’t understand the story in which it came from. Since Greek/Roman mythology is one of the earliest forms of literature, then a lot of allusions or references would be made about those stories. If a person makes an offhand comment to another that goes something like, “Oh, there’s this boy who is as strong as Hercules,” then the other person must know who Hercules is to be able to follow conversation.
There’s an animated show on “Teletoon” that my siblings watch called “Class of the Titans” or something like that. To summarize the show, it’s about the descendants of Gods like Achilles and Narcissus who happen to have the same characteristics as their ancestors. Now, these kids must go through the same adventures as their predecessors in the modern day world.
Upon my first viewing of the show, I was only entertained because of the adventures that the characters get to have. But after reading Frye’s “The Educated Imagination” and spending a week discussing the importance in being educated in classic stories, I realize that I could have been further amused if I knew the back story of the original titans. I would have understood why Achilles’ descendant always has a wrap around his foot or why Narcissus’ descendant seems to be the stereotypical “pretty boy.” Sure, I could have searched for these stories online, but there’s a difference between blind engine searches and a structured curriculum, where every student is on the same level of understanding.
Anyway, to summarize my reasons as to why I believe that mythology should be in ever secondary school curriculum: it helps us as people understand ourselves better by understanding who came before us, the archetypes and main themes of Greek/Roman mythology repeats itself in every work and will definitely keep recurring and lastly, we can finally understand western civilization better because it was based partly based on mythology. Other than that, the glamour of Gods and the exploits of heroes would be a very interesting lesson to learn.
Sincerely,
Trisha Lanceta
Works Cited:
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
Mythology Package, retrieved October 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
To the Minister of Education,
The education now a days is increasingly challenged by convention, or already stated hypothesis, which often confuse the untrained mind! Due that , “all this convention is pressing towards uniformity or likeness” (Frye p. 50) I believe it is of greatly importance that we start educating our mind, rather than following everyone else’s way of thinking.
To educate our imagination is to look outside our day to day conventions, and push towards knowledge based on tolerance. We do this by studying our 3 society pillars, which lay upon our traditions and values as a culture.
By including mythology into our Secondary School English Curriculum, you will be giving us the necessary tools to analyze and educate our imagination from intolerance and misinformation.
Myths are the backbone to any society, “Myths symbolize human experience and embody the spiritual values of a culture” (Myth package- Rosenberg p.15). Culture and education go hand by hand, because “a culture's mythology is a powerful tool for psychology, casting light on the culture's shared unconscious” . Meaning that a culture’s way of thinking, whether they are conscious of it or not, rests in their beliefs, dreams and ideals which are often based on traditions (myths).
By growing up in a Catholic-based society I realize my understanding of the world is, indeed, much different than the beliefs of people from any other culture.
Just by understanding the different figures of power, lets say Jesus or Zeus, we are able to understand different traditions, and even thought we may not agree with them, we build up tolerance which is much needed as our interpretations of the world changes, and our information does too.
Or in other words, “Literature is a world where phoenixes and unicorns are quite as important as horses and dogs” (Frye p. 51). Showing how every piece of literature should be studied in order to create an educated imagination, “the moral of all this is that every form in literature has a pedigree, and we can trace its descent back to the earliest times” (Frye p. 19).
By saying this I do not mean to imply that everyone should share beliefs, but rather the opposite. By having certain beliefs forced upon us, or certain “conventions” as Frye may say, we cannot truly call ourselves literal beings, because “the world of the imagination is a world of unborn or embryonic beliefs: if you belief what you read in literature, you can, quite literally, believe anything” (Frye p. 45).
Showing again, how we need free thinking and broad knowledge in order to be able to accept, or reject any thoughts or ideas presented to us.
To conclude, by introducing the three pillars of our society, the Greek mythology, the Roman mythology and the Bible, in our English curriculum, you will be allowing and encouraging tolerance and free thinking among the students.
Sincerely,
Virginia Lopez
Works cited:
Various Authors. (2007). Mythology Packages. Retrieved in 2008 from http://sites.google.com/site/mrliconti/eng4u/eng4u-files
Frye, Northrop. (1961). The Educated Imagination. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc, 1993.
David Abraham (2001). Education & Literacy & Love of Learning-
The importance of mythology Retrieved November 3, 2008
http://www.davidkabraham.com/OldWeb/Beliefs/Education/mythology.htm
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