Question

Choose a myth of childhood: Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, a fairy tale, a comic book or movie hero, a ghost story, an urban legend, a literary character. What do you think is the best approach to understanding this myth based on the categories listed under “Myth as Archetype” and “Myth as Explanation” Using details from the myth, discuss its function in either or both of these categories.

Answer 1

Myth is something which has no known origin. Myths remain related with some real events but partial traditional elements also remain involved in such myths. Sometimes religious beliefs also remain involved in explanation of myths. When we consider myth as an archetype then we basically talk about human experiences which is being shared again and again.

A pattern can be felt in such archetype. For example, when we hear the word villain; then an image of bad person gets appeared in our senses. Our senses tends to dislike that figure. Opposite senses gets developed when we hear the word "hero".

We basically follow a universal pattern which we have learned through observation of our surroundings. Myths can be explained by creating our own characters. Myths are the essential part of tales because it creates a connection between this world and experiences of humans.

Myths can be passed from one generation to another because these are the simplest ways through which unexplained phenomenon can be explained to someone with the help of some fictional characters. When we start raising queries about scientific explanation and become unable to understand complex mathematical and scientific explanations then our mind chooses to catch easier explanations in form of myth stories.

Myths have abilities to answer even timeless question. Myths are also compared as the compass through which young minds can perform time travelling from one generation to another. It has abilities to raise someone's imagination to some other level.