Myths and Folktales

1
Myths and Folktales

• An introduction
• Grade 9
• Mr. Esner

2
Think of some questions a young child might ask.
Brainstorm a few in your notebook. Here is one to
get you started.

• Why is the sky blue?

3
Many of these questions have been answered by
science, but many still remain
4
Now that youre older and many of these questions
have been answered for you, what are some
questions you still have about life?

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This is where myths and folktales come in.
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The characteristics of the myth

• Myths are stories that attempt to explain sacred
  mysteries or questions about life and nature. Why
  does the sun rise and set? What are the stars?
• Myths also reflect the religious beliefs of a
  culture. Ex.- Our god is a fish because we live
  by the sea.
• They often illuminate the origin or purpose of
  religious beliefs, rituals, and historical
  events.

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More characteristics

• Myths can explain the nature of the gods and
  their relationship to humanity.
• Myths also teach moral lessons
• Most importantly, they reflect universal human
  concerns, life and death, fate and free will, the
  origins of evil, and the search for meaning in a
  puzzling world.

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So lets define our key terms

• Myth- An anonymous traditional story that
  explains a custom or belief, or mysterious
  natural phenomenon.
• Origin Myth- A story that explain how things
  came to be. The earth, people, land forms,
  etc.

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Other Important Terms

• Archetype- A pattern or model that serves as the
  basis for different but related
  versions of a character, plot, or
  theme.
• Pantheons- Family groups formed by gods and
  goddesses.

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Wrap-Up

• Do you think people today still have such
  questions? Do we still need explanations? What
  are some examples? How do we fulfill this need?
  Where do we turn for answers today?