Unit 1 Summary PDF

Creation stories - These stories tell us about the culture they come from and how those people saw themselves and the world. The word "myth" is derived from the Greek word "muthos," which refers to anything transmitted orally. A myth is a traditional story, especially one referring...

Creation stories - These stories tell us about the culture they come from and how those people saw themselves and the world. The word "myth" is derived from the Greek word "muthos," which refers to anything transmitted orally. A myth is a traditional story, especially one referring to a people's early past or explaining natural or social phenomena, and it typically involves supernatural entities and occurrences. Myths are stories that imaginatively and symbolically recount the complete and fundamental structures of a culture. Myths are frequently presented as facts. The audience believed these stories because they provided sensible answers. The setting of the story is typically ancient and set in a world very similar to our own, but with supernatural beings. Myths teach individuals how to conduct and live in accordance with the culture's fundamental values and beliefs. Myths contain an account of how something came to exist in the world, and most myths involve gods with superpowers. Archetypes: A symbol, story pattern, or character type that is found in the literature of many cultures. Common archetypes: ○ Birth ○ A supreme being ○ Life beginning below/above us ○ Creation of good and evil ○ Passive creator ○ Creation of humans Common order of myths: ○ Introduction of some type of “void” prior to Earth being created ○ Creation of Earth along with its vegetation/animals ○ Creation of man and introduction of good/evil Vocabulary Word Definition Archetype A symbol, story pattern, or character type that is found in the literature of many cultures. Myth A traditional story, especially one referring to a people's early past or explaining natural or social phenomena, and it typically involves supernatural entities and occurrences. Culture Culture is the shared way of life of a group, including their behaviors, beliefs, and values. It’s passed down from one generation to the next. Genre A category that describes a group of works with similar content and form characteristics. Plot The sequence of events that make up a story. Setting The time and place where a story takes place. Theme The central idea or message that an author explores in a work (universal idea). Narrative A story or account of events, typically in chronological order, that develops a plot with characters and setting. Tone The AUTHOR’s attitude towards the audience, the subject, or the character. Shown through dialogue and descriptions (author’s diction (word choice)). Mood Mood is the feeling the READER gets from the story. Shown through setting and atmosphere. Author’s Bias Bias in writing can be defined as: a prejudice against something an author is writing about. favoritism for something an author is writing about. an author letting feelings or emotions cloud their objectivity concerning something they are writing about. Author’s Purpose The reason or intent that the author is writing. 3 types - persuasive, informative, and entertaining. Characterization The process by which the writer reveals the personality of the character.  -Direct: The author TELLS us. -Indirect: The character SHOWS us. Allusion A literary device that indirectly references a person, place, event, or another work of literature. Historical Context Understanding the time and place when a story was written. Knowing about the historical events, social norms, and cultural issues that were happening then, can help you better understand the characters, plot, and themes of the story. Characteristics of a Myth: Role of women in a story = new birth or life – sometimes the woman is pregnant, but other times not. The woman’s presence in the story may lead to a new discovery, creation of human or animal life, or land/nature. Love or appreciation of nature Animals: humans may turn into animals or vice versa, or a story could demonstrate an animal being helpful or saving the day – represents tribes’ love and appreciation for animals Supreme Being Universal truth – moral of the story Diver myth – an animal or person is literally diving down into water to pull up the earth/create something new – this “diver” is usually the hero. Conflict that the characters in the myth need to overcome Earth on Turtle’s back summary: Before Earth existed, there was only water and a Skyland above it, featuring a beautiful tree with roots in the sacred directions. An ancient chief's wife dreamed of this tree being uprooted, prompting him to gather young men to fulfill the dream. Despite their efforts, they could not move the tree until the chief succeeded in uprooting it, creating a hole in Skyland. As the wife leaned over to look down, she fell into the hole, losing her grip on the tree and dropping seeds. Animals and birds in the water noticed her falling and worked together to save her. Realizing she couldn't live in the water, they decided to retrieve Earth from below. Many tried and failed until a determined Muskrat dove deep and managed to bring up a small amount of Earth just before losing consciousness. The Great Turtle appeared, offering his back as a place to put the Earth. Once placed there, the Earth grew into the entire world. The Swans then brought the Sky Woman down, who scattered the seeds from her hand, allowing trees and grass to grow and marking the beginning of life on Earth. When Grizzlies Walked Upright summary: The Modoc Tribe’s myth "When Grizzlies Walked Upright" tells the story of the Chief of the Sky Spirits who, seeking to escape the icy Above World, carved a hole in the sky and created Mount Shasta. As he descended, he brought life to the Earth, forming trees, animals, and the first grizzly bears, which could walk upright and speak. One day, a storm compelled the Sky Spirit's daughter to ask the Wind Spirit for mercy. Out of curiosity, she peeked outside and was blown away, landing in the forest where a grizzly bear found her. The bear's family raised her, and she eventually married the eldest son of the bears, having children who resembled both her and the bears. As years passed, the mother bear grew old and sent her grandson to inform the Sky Spirit of his daughter’s whereabouts. When he discovered she had changed and had children, he became furious, cursed the grizzlies to walk on four feet and no longer speak, and took his daughter back to the sky. The children of the girl became the first Indians, ancestors of all tribes, and this is why the tribes near Mount Shasta never harm grizzly bears, honoring their connection to the Sky Spirit and his family. Iroquois myth summary: The myth describes the creation of the world and the conflict between two twin spirits, the Good Mind and the Bad Mind. In a time before humans, a woman from the upper world fell into the dark, monster-filled lower world. To protect her, a turtle provided a small piece of earth, which grew into an island. As the woman gave birth, she died, leaving behind two twins: one good and one bad. The Good Mind wanted to bring light and order, creating the sun, moon, and stars from their mother’s remains, while the Bad Mind sought to keep the world chaotic and dark. The twins each created different landscapes and beings. The Good Mind formed animals and humans from clay, giving them life, while the Bad Mind’s creations often turned into undesirable forms. They eventually challenged each other, agreeing that the winner would govern the universe. After a fierce contest, the Good Mind triumphed, causing the Bad Mind to sink into the earth, becoming the Evil Spirit. After the battle, the Good Mind visited humanity, leaving them with a world full of life, light, and the potential for goodness, while the influence of the Bad Mind remained a lingering threat. Characterization: the process by which the writer reveals the personality of the character Direct: author TELLS us Indirect: character SHOWS us Mary Rowlandson Summary: The text recounts a deeply distressing experience of a mother who is taken captive during a conflict, caring for her wounded child. For nine days, she endures physical and emotional suffering as her child suffers, ultimately losing her at six years old. Despite her grief, she reflects on God's mercy in keeping her sane during this trauma. After being forced to leave her child's body behind, she struggles with hunger and the challenges of captivity, gradually adapting to the harsh conditions. When she encounters a group of her captors, her emotional turmoil surfaces as she weeps, feeling a profound longing for her lost home and life. A kind gesture from one of the captors momentarily comforts her, and she engages with King Philip, contemplating her past habits and the distractions they posed. Ultimately, she expresses a sense of resilience and gratitude for her survival amidst overwhelming sorrow. Hannah Duston Summary: The text discusses the statue of Hannah Duston, a 25-foot-tall granite monument in New Hampshire, honoring an English colonist who was captured by Native Americans in 1697 during King William's War. Duston, who became one of the first American women to be memorialized in a public statue, is depicted with a tomahawk and human scalps, reflecting the extreme violence of her actions. The narrative highlights Duston's life during a turbulent period marked by conflicts between English colonists and Native American nations. After her capture, Duston and another captive, Samuel Leonardson, killed ten members of the Native American family  holding them, including six children, before escaping. Most of what is known about Duston comes from Puritan minister Cotton Mather, who portrayed her as a righteous figure avenging her child's death. Mather emphasized the savagery of her captors to justify her violent retaliation, framing the conflict as a battle between good and evil. Over time, accounts of Duston’s actions became sanitized, with the narrative increasingly omitting the fact that she killed children, transforming her into a celebrated American heroine despite the gruesome nature of her revenge. Vocabulary Word Definition Sentence Predestination the belief that God has already The doctrine of predestination kept all determined everything that Puritans constantly working to do good happens — He's got a master plan, in this life to be chosen for the next and there's no deviating from it. In eternal one. theology, it's the idea that God has willed all events, especially the fate of individual souls. Hierarchy a system that organizes or ranks The Puritans believed in a hierarchy of things, often according to power or the family: The husband ruled the wife, importance. the parents ruled the children, and the masters ruled the servants. Salvation deliverance from the power and In Puritan writing, all subject matter is effects of sin. tied back to religion because the main purpose of writing is to glorify God. Salvation is only to be found in rebirth through Christ. Puritan Plain Style Characterized by its simple language, direct statements, and references to familiar images. Archaic Language Words that were once in common use but that are now considered old-fashioned and out-of-date Inversion/Inverted Sentence structure in which the Syntax expected order of words is reversed. Apostrophe A figure of speech in which someone absent or dead or something nonhuman is addressed as if it were alive and was able to reply. Conceit Strained metaphor that compares the connotations of two wildly different entities. Imagery descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures for the reader. It helps convey emotions, setting, and atmosphere by using words that evoke sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. Provoke v. to anger Appease v. to calm; satisfy Forbearance n. tolerance or restraint Inconceivable adj. unimaginable; beyond understanding Induce v. persuade; force; cause Puritan writing dominantly consisted on sermons, histories, journals, and some poetry. All subject matter tied back into their religion as the main purpose of writing was the glorification of God. Sermons specifically preached on the evils of the world and how temptation would lead to damnation. Salvation can only be found in rebirth through christ. Sinners Sermon Analysis: The text emphasizes the weight of sin and the constant threat of divine wrath, portraying a bleak view of humanity’s condition without God's mercy. It describes how individuals are precariously suspended above hell, with their only protection being God’s restraint. This imagery highlights the belief that all creation is in bondage to sin and that worldly possessions or personal merit cannot save one from damnation. Relation to Puritan Beliefs: 1. Original Sin and Human Depravity: The text aligns with Puritan beliefs about the inherent sinfulness of humanity, rooted in the doctrine of original sin. Puritans viewed humanity as fundamentally flawed and deserving of God’s wrath. 2. Sovereignty of God: The emphasis on God’s control over fate and the precariousness of human existence reflects the Puritan belief in God’s sovereignty. They believed that only through God's mercy could one escape judgment. 3. Salvation and the Need for Redemption: The text underscores the necessity of being "born again" and relying on Christ for salvation, mirroring Puritan views on the importance of personal faith and a relationship with God for salvation. 4. Fear of Judgment: The vivid imagery of impending doom and hell resonates with  Puritan teachings, which often stressed the reality of judgment and the consequences of sin, serving as a moral warning to encourage piety and repentance. Overall, this text serves as a stark reminder of Puritan theology, emphasizing sin, divine wrath, and the critical need for divine mercy through faith in Christ. The image of redemption in the text is rooted in the idea of salvation through Christ. It emphasizes that individuals must be "born again" and indwelled by the Holy Spirit to escape the impending judgment and wrath of God. Here are a few key aspects: 1. New Heart: The concept of receiving a new heart signifies transformation and a genuine relationship with God, highlighting that true redemption changes one’s nature. 2. Divine Mercy: The text illustrates that it is God's mercy, not personal merit, that holds back judgment. This underscores the belief that redemption is a gift from God rather than something earned. 3. Escape from Hell: The stark contrast between the imminent danger of hell and the hope of salvation through Christ serves as a powerful image of redemption, illustrating the transition from condemnation to grace. 4. Personal Responsibility: It stresses the urgency of turning to Christ for salvation, suggesting that redemption is available to all who genuinely believe and obey Him. In summary, the image of redemption is depicted as a life-saving act of God’s grace, offering hope and transformation to those who turn away from sin and embrace faith in Christ. Verses Upon the Burning of Our House Summary: In this poem, the speaker reflects on a devastating fire that consumes their home, awakening them with fear and sorrow. Initially distressed by the loss of material possessions, they turn to God for comfort and recognize that everything they had was ultimately His. As they survey the ashes of their former life, the speaker expresses acceptance of their loss, acknowledging that their earthly treasures were temporary and that true wealth lies in spiritual matters. The poem concludes with a shift in perspective, encouraging a focus on heavenly treasures rather than worldly possessions. The speaker affirms their faith in God’s promise of a permanent home and riches beyond what was lost, ultimately resolving to let go of their former attachments and place their hope in the divine. TPCAST T - Title: Before reading the poem, analyze the title. What does it suggest about the poem’s themes or subject matter? P - Paraphrase: Summarize the poem in your own words. This helps clarify the meaning and main ideas. C - Connotation: Look beyond the literal meanings of words to explore their emotional implications and associations. Consider figurative language, imagery, and sound devices. A - Attitude (or Tone): Examine the speaker's attitude toward the subject. What emotions or feelings does the speaker convey? Is the tone serious, ironic, joyful, etc.? S - Shift: Identify any shifts in tone, perspective, or mood within the poem. These shifts can signal changes in the speaker’s thoughts or feelings. T - Theme: Determine the poem’s central themes or messages. What ideas does the poet convey through their choice of language and structure?