Eng 2D : Unit 1 – Stories, Short Stories, and MythsMr. Roynon (with files from Fama, Flynn and Merlini)

What are stories? Entertaining Didactic Records Investigations Therapeutic

There are many types of stories, bro. Short stories Novels Films Poems Plays Histories

These can all be NARRATIVES – or stories that involve events, characters, and what the characters say and do.

The oldest narratives generally come from a tradition of storytelling AKA ORAL Histories.

Because of their age and content, some ORAL Histories are often characterized as MYTHOLOGY.

Guess, Just Guess, Go Ahead and Guess! There are three main types of stories

that often fall under the heading of mythology:

That was so “epic”! (any other uses that need to die?)• Epic: a long narrative; usually composed

by one poet; has a considerable scope in time, space and characters; and has a hero of noble (sometimes godly) proportions. It is sometimes intended to arouse national pride.

The Legend of the Nice Mother-In-Law

• Legend: legend has a grain (but only a grain, what is a grain?) of historical truth in it. The central character is usually a hero, a mortal man who performs wonderful deeds. It aims at pure entertainment.

Save the best for last: Myths

Myth: a story by which ancient people (Blackfoot, Cherokee and Greeks for us) attempted to explain things they experienced. Things like natural phenomena (ex. Why does it get dark at night?), and rituals (Why do we celebrate the first day of spring), and ceremonies (Why do Kings wear crowns?).

“I have no idea.” Vs. “Let me tell you a story.”

Myths were usually connected to religion (think about the Greek Gods like…) and philosophy (Where do we come from? What is the meaning of life?)

In fact you can think of Greek mythology as if it were a religion that we no longer believe in today.

So Myths are, like, symbolic of the real world? Mind = Blown Yep, they were didactic. Not only that but the symbols, ideas and

imagery that originate in mythology have become (or always were, depending on how you look at them) UNIVERSAL.

More on that in a moment…

Quiz This animal is the king of the jungle.

Quiz You are on the set of a western movie as

an extra. You’re gonna be an outlaw. What colour hat do they give you?

Quiz You are on your way to visit your

grandmother at her 22nd floor apartment. Which floor are you actually on when you knock on her door?

Quiz If you had to draw a picture to illustrate

your love for your new boyfriend/girlfriend, what could you draw so they would understand immediatly.?

Quiz You wish to surprise your new LOVE with

flowers, which colour roses do you buy?

Myths and Archetypes Myths are among the first stories ever

told. Somehow, many cultures share very similar stories and symbols even though they are separated by geography and time.

These common symbols, ideas and beliefs that are shared across cultures are called Archetypes (first forms) and they are the basis of our entire 2D course.

Archetypes

Carl Jung, the famous psychologist, argued that we are linked unknowingly with every other human being in one collective unconscious.

Within this collective unconscious are symbols, beliefs, patterns of behaviour and values that are somehow common to most if not all people. These are archetypes.

“You talkin to me? I didn’t think so.”