Freshmen: Today we focused on the quarterly Prayer and Great Thoughts assignment; refer to the handouts I gave you often as you prepare your assignment. We also read a poem by Billy Collins titled "Introduction to Poetry." It can be found at http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/001.html. Please reread it and post a comment under today that answers the prompt: What did you like, notice, or observe about this poem? Your response should be at least a paragraph, and please reference what others say in your post as well. Sign in using your first name and last initial only. Thank you. Also, you have 20 minutes of reading homework tonight.
Sophomores: Today we focused on various creation myths and the common elements they shared. Please sign into the blog and answer the following prompt: What common elements are shared by multiple creation myths and what do these commonalities reveal about humanity as a whole? Please respond to what others have said in your response and sign in using your first name, last initial, and period number. Also due tomorrow is the reading from the introduction to the Tao te Ching.
CNF: Today we focused further on decision-making, as well as the construction of non-fiction texts. I'd like you to watch or listen to some piece of non-fiction and come to class with some thoughts on how that work is constructed.
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88 comments:
I thought this poem was very interesting. I think it is telling me to really get to know a poem I read and to really understand it. Its from a teachers perspective on how he/she thinks students treat poems. The first section is the most important. Its saying to shine a light on a poem because with a little light you can see the real meaning of the poem.
I was surprised by the numerous similarities between different cultures' creation myths. My own myth, the Hungarian, had a few similarities with another myth brought in, the Babylonian; both began with water as an important element in the myth, and both featured more than more person with a role in the creation. Creation myths share having some sort of creator, as well as creations, meaning most of us as humans look for some sort of higher power. Also, we are the final creation in the myth, meaning we think of ourselves as the ultimate creation.
-Erin S, Period 8
This is a great poem. I think it's saying that you shouldn't focus on the words in the poem. You should focus on the deeper meaning behind the poem. It also says, to me, that to make a poem you need to think creatively.
I found that nearly all creation myths have one thing in common; some sort of conception of an all powerful, divine deity(s). Many of them feature humankind as the most powerful creation, and as protectors of the world. Usually, life was created out of natural elements, such as clay, water, or through plants.
I think humans, although we view ourselves as the most powerful, have a belief in something greater than ourselves. We feel the need to find closure in how we came to be, and what our purpose is here. Without that purpose, than there is no point in even being here. So, more than anything, I think that people try to find where we come from to provide comfort for themselves. After all, we're all going to die, and I guess it helps to think you know where you're going to go.
Richard D. Period 2
This poem, like what Jonathan Sterner said, is truly about the meaning behind the poem not just the words. Also, in the paragraph when it says "But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with a rope and torture a confession out of it" to me, it means that you cant just read a poem once you have to go back and break down the poem to get the full meaning out of it.
Victoria P. Period 5
Zala Long P.4
I found out that almost all creation myths have a creator and creations. There is usually some kind of temptation and people either fail or prevail to the temptations given to them.The humans are the most powerful creations in the myths.I agree with Jami about how humans feel their is a prupose in life, and without that purpose there would be no reason for us to be here.
All of the creation myths read by my group started with a creator, God, or higher power. I also noticed, like Jami, that the basis for life in the stories came from a natural source which varied depending on the location of the civilization. Humans were created last of all other creation, and ruled over everything.
The fact that all cultures around the world share the similar traits in their stories tells a lot about humans as a whole. Obviously, we look to one all-powerful being as the source of all good natural things in the world. We all believe that somehow, as humans, we are special, and are responsible for protecting the rest of creation. The fact that we have creation myths at all shows the human need for an explanation to how the world was created in the way it was.
-Olivia P. Period 4
As mentioned in one of the blogs above by Nathan H, the poem seemed to be written from a teachers' perspective. I also observed that too. In the poem, he said," I want them to waterski across the poem. But all they want to due is tie the poem to a chair with a rope." To me that shows the feeling teachers get when they're teaching poetry to a class, and their students over think the poems or want to have nothing to do with poetry.The teachers would love it if their students would explore their writers voice and style, and this poem shows that the teachers want their students to enjoy poetry and find it's light.One thing I liked about the poem was that the author personified the "poem". By doing that I think he created visual images for the readers.
I enjoyed hearing about all the different creation myths today. A majority of them have the same basic story; some sort of higher being/creator goes and creates Earth and all of it's inhabitants. In order to differentiate their creation story from other culture's creation stories, they throw in bits and pieces that allow them to personally relate to their version of the creation of Earth. Not only does this show that humans think of ourselves as the dominant beings on this planet, it shows that we like to think of our culture/religion as the one that is the most "true", whatever that may be.
Ethan G. Period 2
I found that "Introduction to Poetry" carries an important message, especially for High school students. I observed that the author is stating the point of loving poetry, and to explore the true meaning behind the poem to truly understand it. I also liked how Nathan H wrote earlier on how this poem is much like a teacher perspective on poetry is treated by students.
In this poems case, the meaning is to love poetry, and to discover the true meaning of the message the poet tries to get across.
The one thing that stood out to me the most, was that the author told the audience from the very beginning of the poem, how to love poetry and how poetry should be treated. Towards the end, the author then states how people normally treat poetry and it isn't loved and fully understood like it should be.
To conclude my blog, the aspect that I liked the most was the visual images the poet was able to project to his audience. An example of this is when the poet said, "I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore."
Mason M. Period 5
I thought that the creation stories have an interesting thing in common. They all have one power that is the controller. Like the Egyptians believe that Ra is the sun and controls all planets and all its inhabitants. In the Catholic views God controls all.
Lucas W. period 4
I noticed many different similarities with the different creation stories. Every one that I heard had a creator and their creation. They made the earth and all the animals and plants before they made humans, so the earth would be ready for them. Then once the humans got to earth, there was usually a test. In some of the stories the humans passed the test and in others they failed. This was the common theme in all the stories.
I think the main reason many cultures have the same sort of stories is that we all believe there is something else out there. Some of the stories actually say there was a god or deity, and others do not. All of the stories have the same idea, though they express them in different ways.
Harry P. Period 4
One common element I found was that all or a great mayority of creation myths will have a creator. For christians it is God, Islams Allah, for the Hopi Massaw (the creator of the earth) and many others. Creation myths also tend to mention that there will be an end, a day in which all mankind is vanished from the earth. To counter this we as humans perform celebrations, good deeds and or faith alone to forestall this as much as possible. It seems that we are in a constant fear of a higher power ending our world.
Carlo A. Period 8
The poem "Introduction to Poetry" was very symbolic. The author wrote it in a way that makes the reader have to think about what it is saying.
I believe that like Nathan H said, this poem is written from the perspective of a teacher. He seems to be saying that he wants kids to really find a love for poems and all the different parts of them.
I really enjoyed the imagery the author created throughout the poem, because they applied to almost all your senses.
Overall I enjoyed this poem, and it made me look at poetry differently.
-Mae R. Period 5
The ones that we read in my group were either exactly the same (Judeo-Christia and Islam) and the other ones were completely different. The other two involved the world being place on a giant turtle after the creation of an Eden and the other had no mention of a creator and was simply that the tribe walked out of a log into this world. But in all of them, the world which the people we brought into was already created whether the mention of a creator or not. All of these stories, however, involve a sort of heaven before humans entering a world and all involve animals and plants.
Some the the more ancient myths are generally polytheistic or worship some other creature or entity. But all of them have a sense that something is expected of us whether it be a more of a test that we are their tools to get something accomplished. Overall I think that all of these have and underlying theme that seems to be that something put us on this earth, either as their main creation or a part of a larger world.
Sorry I forgot my name and stuff
Max H, period 8
"But all they want to due is tie the poem to a chair with a rope and torture a confession out of it." That line stood out to me because many people struggle understanding a poem. They struggle connecting with it, they overthink it skipping over the meaning behind it. The poem suggests thinking beyond and outside the ordinary.
Reyna L. Period 5
I think that "Introduction to Poetry" is trying to teach a lesson about reading poems and understanding them. It shows that the author has a love for poetry, and he wants to share that love of poetry with others, but he is saying that people have a tough time understanding poetry, and what it really means. The author wants people to have the same kind of joy that he does, when reading a poem. He wants people to have a true understanding of what poetry is all about. I also agree with Mason M.'s statement, in which he said, "the aspect that I liked the most was the visual images the poet was able to project to his audience."
- Zachary S. Period 5
Oh poetry. How I have not read any this summer. The poem, Introduction to poetry , is both humorous and witty. The image I got when Billy Collins wrote "I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out". I imagined a mouse crawling beneath all the letters of a poem. The end was funny too since in a sense, we do tie poetry to a chair. I feel that we are sometimes less creative when it comes to poetry. We have been taught to extract a single meaning from out work, such as math or science. But with writing, its not always that way. Morals, messages, and metaphors are in writing and don't always have a single meaning to extract.
Tommy Kelly, Period 5
P.S. For all who read this, you can use the Html tag 'i' to italicize your words. Just make sure to add /i at the end of the italicized words, and surround 'i' and '/i' in the greater than and less than marks
My thoughts on this poem is that I enjoyed and found all the different type of word choice throughout this poem. I also found how the author used very well imagery a great depiction to make this poem just that much better. This poem has actually made me think about my writing and how I want my handwriting and I want my word choice and imagery to expand, I use some well placed imagery and word choice but I need to make my imagery and word choice just as good as this poem. In short this poem really painted some great pictures in my head and its a great poem.
The creation stories I heard had a creator/ deity, and saw humans as the highest of all life, and animals, were lower (yet in some myths they are considered equal or even higher than us). As humans, we all feel a want to know things. Things about how we came here and why? I also agree with others who say that we believe we are the last and greatest creation.
Today, i was surprised by how similar different cultures actually are. I found out that every culture has a creator and a creation. Through many cultures, human beings were created through things such as rocks or plants. Also in many of these cultures, us humans, see us as the highest power.
Tofa F, period 8
Creation myths from any religion are very similar. One thing that I saw appear in most of the creation stories that I learned about today was that there is a creator before everything else in the universe exists and the creator makes the Earth and all things inhabiting it. I also noticed that the first land mass made in these creation stories are islands. The most noticeable similarity amongst all creation stories are that humans were the first to be created, leading us to believe that we are seen as greater than the rest of the animals on Earth in the creators eyes.
-Tank S, Period 8
This poem sparked my interest as I read it. The meaning of the poem is that when students are told to decrypt a poem, they pick apart each word and phrase, creating a splintered, meaningless jumble. A poem should be read as a whole to understand the true meaning, and like Nathan H said, it only takes a little light to see the true meaning. I liked how this poem identified a process that I use to understand poetry, and made me think about how I will digest poems in the future. I thought it was unique and unexpected to see a poem about poetry as well. Introduction to Poetry will help me to remember how to access the true meaning of poetry as the year goes on.
Will R.
I like this poem because of its metaphors and the images it puts into your mind, as you can see the color slide or the poem being tied to the chair. Often, at least for me, when I read a poem I try to find the "meaning" as soon as I read it. This poem is telling me to slow down and that while the meaning may not always come to mind first thing, that it is okay to sit and break it down piece by piece.
-Madeleine B, Period 8
In all of the creation story's I heard there was a greater being who created everything. that greater being also created human which was his most prized piece of work. He provided for the humans. in each story the being tested the humans. all of these creation story's are similar to each other in some ways. like in all of them the humans were cherished as the greatest creations. I find it cool that all the story's are similar to each other. and the people had no way of communicating with each other and copying theirs.
Creation myths commonly carry a few traits, an all powerful power, the creation of man and woman, something to care for, and a temptation. The myth I read was the Egyptian creation. Unlike most others it did not place man in as important of a role. It instead focused on the gods themselves and how they were created.
I thought that there were many similarities between the different cultures. One of the main similarities was that there was a God or creator of some sort that created humans to be the highest of the animals on the planet. In most cultures it also shows that the world was made from natural things.
I believe that all humans are striving to find out who put us here and why and also how our beautiful world was created. I also think that all humans are not only trying to find out who put us here but why we are here and what we are supposed to do while we are here.
-Joey Walz
Period 1
What i liked about this poem was that it made me think of the first time we looked poems in my sixth grade class. We all wanted for the meaning of the poem to be spelled out for us, we wanted it to be something that was like a math problem were we got it right or wrong. Though we started out that way as the class progressed we realized that we had to take the time to go through each part of the poem and try to figure out what it could have meant. We started to understand that you can't ,as Billy Collins, said tie the poem to a chair and torture the meaning out of it. That as Jonathan S. said you need to think creatively to me this is what the poem represents. Besides the memories this story brings up I loved the way he used metaphor and colorful words to bring the poem to life.
Katelyn B. p 5
I agree with Tofa that humans see themselves above all other creatures.
-Tank S, Period 8
Today in class we went over multiple creation myths from many cultures in our world. They share many traits and these traits can all tell us something about humans as a whole. All creation stories have some type of greater being that created the world. I have found that a lot of cultures will have multiple greater beings. There also are always mentions of some type of other life such as animals but humans are always the highest being. This tells us that humans think of themselves as being the highest form of being in the world. It also tells us that we need some way to explain our existence that can not be proven but has to be believed by the people.
There were many aspects of this poem that I liked. I enjoy the different ways the author talked about poems and poetry in general and I realized how complex and interesting poetry really is. I have always enjoyed poetry and I like to think about what the author was trying to convey through the poem. In this poem, the author was trying to explain how delicate yet magnificent poems are, and how we as nosy humans dig to far into the meaning of the poem and try to find out exactly what the author meant, how they felt, and many other aspects, when really we derive our own meanings from poems.
Creation myths all have a creator, and the first thing that they put on the planet was the human race. In many creation myths there seems to be a serpent or snake of some sort, whether it be good or evil. There is almost always some sort of a gift, and a decision that must be made over a gift just given and something people are unsure about. There's a lot of temptation, and theres some sort of a test.
Kalia W. Period 8
After listening and reading the creation myth today I was really surprised that all of these myths have something in common. All of the myths that I heard today had the creator, and the creation. Which were just the base for all the stories. Then as it got more into the story it got a little more complex. The creator wouldn't just say something and the creation was there. Certain things happened. And everything happened for a reason. The final thing that noticed was that man, animals and nature were always included in all of these stories.
-Ben J. Period 2
All of the creation myths had similar traits. In each myth there was some sort of higher being or spirit that created the world. My myth was the Australian and it had similar traits with the Hungarian. In both of these there was a spirit who was married to the sun. Although all of these myths have similar traits, they all have their own twist to them as well. Humans think that they were the best and most important creation in all of these myths.
My thoughts on this poem is that it is telling us to really dig deep in poems to understand there true meaning. My favorite thing about this poem is that you need some creativity while reading poems. I agree with Jonathan on how we really don't have to focus on the words itself in poems, but the deeper meanings of its creations.
-Albert S. Period 5
Introduction to Poetry was mostly made up of similes comparing a poem to a color slide, a maze, and more. I think what the author was trying to say is that he wants students to feel the poetry, experience it. Not just skim it and then ask what it means. He wants them to be amazed at the word choice, or completely shocked at the end. I agree with Victoria on the fact that he wants students to re-read just to really understand the poetry.
-Ellie H. 5th Period
It was interesting to know that different cultures share many of the same creation myths. First every story has some sort of creator. I'd have to agree with Tim that there is some greater being. For example, in my own myth which was the Norse, where all the gods lived in this place called Asgard. Then in the end humans are created in being that they are the most important creation because we will be the ones controlling the world, which is being created.
-Danny O, Period 2
In the creation stories shared today, I noticed that each story acknowledged a higher power that had created humans. This higher power didn't just create human beings, but also continued to keep contact with them. Humans were usually the most important part of creation. In some of the myths, the humans had a, "fall," in which they gave into temptation to something forbidden by their creator. Many of the creation stories revolve around nature, such as the Egyptian myth that revolved around the Nile River.
Sharing creation myths from around the world, and having them all acknowledge that there is a higher power than humans, shows that we are all searching for the reason why we are here on earth. Believing in a higher power tells us the means by which we were created, while also giving us a purpose for being here.
Rebecca H. Period 4
I agree with Danny that it was interesting that people from such different cultures shared similar theories and stories to how us, and life was created. By seeing that so many cultures felt the need to create such a story of how we were created shows me that we all have a inner longing to find our origins and to question something greater, and more powerful than us. It made me realize that even though culturally and ethnically many of us are different, we are all somewhat the same in this sense.
-Douglas G, Period 2
There were so many similarities between all the creation myths, I was surprised to see how all the cultures came together. My myth, the Australian Aborigine, had many similarities to the Egyptian creation myth. Both stories started with how the earth was made. Mainly with how the rivers and other bodies of water were made. Most creation myths tend to come from one single creator. The creator have something, or create everything itself. I agree with Erin S that all the living beings on the Earth look to a higher power. We are the final things to be created in most stories, so humans think of us as the Grand Creation.
~Sarah W, Period 4
In listening to many creation myths today, I found that most creation myths have creator/ higher being and a creation. The most important creation is usually the humans, and with creating the humans comes a temptation that either leads to a successful or failed result.
I agree with Olivia's view on Jami's comment; We as humans need tangible proof as an explanation of how the world began.
- Alicia Canales, Period 4
After reading the poem "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins, what first came to my mind was that we should dig deeper when reading. Usually, when we read a poem that doesn't make much sense to us, it's because we aren't looking into the true meaning of it. I thought Billy Collins perfectly described poetry in his own unique way. It caught my attention mostly because of how he put images into his thoughts. I agree with Mason McGowen, the way to read poetry is by loving it. When Collins said "I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out" I related it to a person reading a poem and not being sure what to take from it. It's as if the poem is a maze and the only way out is by realizing what it means. Collins tells us many ways to discover the meaning of a poem, and because of him I now know how to properly decrypt a poem.
In most of the creation stories there is a creator and the things that creator makes, creations. In my small group we made the connection that the creators use their physical body to create the creation. For example is the Hindu belief one of the creators splits himself in two for a male and female.
By having creation stories it shows that humans can't live with out reason. They need explanation for why thing are there, here, etc. Having creation stories may not give away everything one is curious about but it explains how you and the world around came to be.
-Lindsey P, period 8
Today in class we were listening to many myths, there were one thing that those myths have in common. I found out that in most cases, human believed that they were the most powerful creation among others (animal). Humans think that they are the center of the world, meaning that they were the one who pushing the word forward and backward. I also agreed with Ben Jones whose saying that "the man, animals, and nature were always included in all of the myths". The man, animals, and nature were always used to represents the tradition and culture or the thing that happens in those time.
Supansin C, Period 2
I really liked this poem because it really painted a picture. Also, it's like telling that you need to really think about the poems you read because some are very complex and have a deeper meaning. Poems can tell what some is thinking, feeling, etc. and this poem tells you that you need to really think about every aspect of the poem.
In the creation myths that we compared today there were many things in common with each one. I believe that the biggest similarity was that there was always a creator and a creation. Another similarity was that humans were the main creation. In each story the main creation seemed to have a test sent from the creator which would decide the fait of each being. I agree with Alicia that there was not a common result in each test, some failed others had success.
-Ethan A. Period 4
There were a lot of similarities between my culture, the Inuits' creation story, and a lot of the other myths. Both the Inuit and Shinto cultures shared the same idea of a first family, and the concept of only one creator. Even though both cultures believed the first family arrived at different points in creation they were a major part of the myth. I think this says humans feel the need to have an explanation for creation, and our place in it.
Lauren W, Period 8
I found many similarities in the creation myth for Hindu. All stories had a 'creator' and a 'created'. All of the creations were tested in some way but the outcomes for each test were different, some failed and some passed. The creator in all myths was a higher being of some kind and most make man kind the ruler of all things on earth. Like Erin S. said most use water as a symbol for creation. the Hindu creation story says that the world will be reborn as many times as there are drops of water in the sea. As well as when the world is destroyed all that remains is chaos and a vast ocean.
-Adam M. Period 4
All the creation myths that we read today were all very different, but had many similarities. I noticed a lot of the similarities had to do with the creator. Usually the creator of the myth was either itself or something with power. Two myths that were read to me today were about the creator making itself and its creations out of the earth. The creators want to make us believe that we are their best creation.
Grace N. Period 8
The ideas found in cultures throughout the world all consist of various similarities. First of all, the idea that God's word is law and so what he says becomes true is found in Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam. Also through out these creation narratives humans are not only the last to be put on the world, but they are seen as the "chosen people" or the "best creation." This shows a egotistical human race. The idea of Eden, or a paradise created by God is also seen throughout these myths. Those who read the old testament share "the Garden" idea with early mesopotamian religions and cultures. Creation myths show the need for humans to be dominant and the necessity to explain the unexplainable. When in doubt human urges force the people to create a reason why, an explanation to prove to themselves that life was meant to be. Humans are funny that way, but each culture, despite the twists and turns in the stories, seek to explain how life was created.
Tessa G, Period 8
The existence of a creator, or deity, was the main similarity between the different creation stories of today. No matter what culture the myth was from, they all centered around a divine power and its creation. Like Jami said, the humans tended to come from a natural source, such as water, clay, or plants. In the case of the Hungarian creation myth, the one I researched, humans were born from seeds that were buried in the bottom of the sea. A lot of the myths also included some sort of temptation to test the creation's spirit.
The similarities that arose between the stories showed us that all humans long for some explanation on how we came to exist. We need something to feel comfort in, to know that there is something greater out there than just humanity.
- Kendall T. Period 4
Quite a lot of creation myths from different cultures and origins have similarities. I found that a lot of these myths have a figure playing the role of the creator. Also, many of the myths obtained the creation of Man and Woman, animals, and food. Like Adam M. said, "the creator in all myths was a higher being of some kind and most make mankind the ruler of all things." I think that all of these commonalities reveal that humanity was created by a very intelligent being or figure and that humans have the capability to control most things on Earth. Only an all-knowing figure or being would be able to have the capability to create things that are complex, yet functional
-Austin C. Period 2
This poem was very clever and helpful for the future like Will Ryan said. I liked this because it is really true how we try to find the meaning of a poem by looking at the words and fraises separate. Well at least I do. I thought this poem was very unique because it was a poem made about poetry. This poem really sparked my interest for poetry and I think gave me knowledge for the future when trying to figure out a poems meaning.
Skylar L. Period 5
When I first read this poem, I didnt completely understand it. But when I read through it again, I really had to dig deep into the meaning. What I thought the poem was saying was that he wanted his students to get what the poem was saying by using his methods. But in reality, everthing can't go as you plan it, and when his students were beating and torturing the poem, you can tell that he wasn't expecting that. The narrator was caught off guard by his students method of disecting the poem.
- Anna L. Period 5
I agree with my fellow classmates. Many of these creation myths had a single creator. Too which all things would revolve around. Another common factor was that the world was created through a natural occurrence. In the shinto culture that natural occurrence was a cloud. The world also took time to develop just like the world in genesis.
River Rust, Period 2
All the creation myths seamed to have one ultimate creator that created the universe. They could differ though in the details. like one god created another and this god created that. Or one or more beings slowly made the earth, and people and everything came to place. But in all of them it is clear one entity made everything happen.
-Sean Bradley, period 2
This poem got me really thinking about how to look at poems in a different way. I feel that this poem was telling me to use all of my senses instead of just using my mind or knowledge. I think that this poem directed me to always look deeper into other poems.
As I read this work I could actually feel, hear, and see what was going on in the poem. Reading it this way was a lot more exciting than it was before and made me think outside the box!
I thought thought the poem was saying that instead of torturing and beating the poem let it settle and come to you. The way he said he would have the mouse probe its way out of the poem, the mouse is us and we have to understand the poem without beating and torturing it
Sam L. Period 5
Marren S.
period 5
8/21/13
I thought that there wouldn't be much similarities between the many creation myths, but surprisingly there were many common elements that all these stories shared. I thought that since there are all these creation myths, there would be many differences and stories wouldn't have a similar idea. But, most of these stories are based on a more powerful, upper being. Also, my creation story of the Native American Hopi had some similarities between other stories with animals having a part. I think these similarities reveal that the created always look up to a leader of some sort to guide them.
Katie L, Period 4
Today in class we looked at creation myths. They all had many similarities. Almost all of the myths had a creator and a creation. The myths usually had a temptation as well as people viewing themselves as the greatest most powerful of creation.
This shows that even though people think of themselves as the most powerful, they still try to figure out how and why we are here and how the world was created as Jami said.
Charissa B, Period 8
It was amazing to learn how each culture had their own significant creation myth. Yet, it was far more interesting to discover the common similarities that entwined all the different cultural creation myths together. I came to find that the Babylonians had similar traits as the Hungarians. Both aspects had multiple deities, there were different gods that created different parts of the universe. In all, they created the universe together, yet still they managed different elements of their creation. I agree with Aiden, these stories are a symbol of our own belief system. I feel as humans, we have a fear of not knowing the unknown. There for we create things/ or people to believe in because we cant logically explain how certain things on earth came about.
When reading the creation myths with other classmates, I noticed a couple of apparent similarities. First, all of the creation stories had some kind of deity, or higher power that the civilizations and tribes would worship. Most of the myths had a different belief about how everything in their world was created, but they were similar when it came to who created it. Every story had a mastermind behind the formation of their surroundings.
-Rylee K, Period 4
Today in class my group found a few similarities between the myths we read, but it seemed as if there was one reoccurring theme. It seems as if the human civilization tends to conform to a hierarchy system. When reading these creation myths there is always a higher power involved with creating that culture. A decent comparison to these creation myths would be the role of a parent. For example God in the Christian faith is known as our father who teaches and loves us. At times he scorns us for our sins, but he is also forgiving. The need to have a role model so to say is a worldwide human need. Which is why all the creation myths seem to all have the same idea! It is nearly impossible for us to believe we were just put on this earth by coincidence with all our physically needs in perfect harmony.
-Lexi Hoggan 8th Period
All these myths are different, but yet they each have the same theme of how our world soon became occupied with the human race, believing that the higher power brought us down to this world.
In groups we discussed how our stories shared traits; the myths that we told all mention the human race. How we were created and how we received the necessities of living like food, water, light and darkness.
The commonalities reveal how some believe the human race was created and by the higher power. The higher power put us on earth for a reason. We see ourselves as being the best, and yet we all make mistakes but we learn from them.
Marissa U Period 8
Hey Coach,
Why are you making my sisters stay up so late for your homework? The only creation myth you need to teach them about is the legend of Jeffery Marshall Baird! Don't fool around! After this comment i shall stay off your blog and continue on my email, my sincerest apologies for loosing control of our conversation.
Over and out,
Nater
Period 9
Of the creation myths that I heard in the classroom, I noticed that many had an almighty creator who created their earth. There also seems to be a fight between good and evil in many stories. These commonalities reveal that humans are weak, but see ourselves as powerful. Why else would we believe in stories that we have no proof of? We believe to hope. Also, we're a t a weak state when we decide between good and evil, which is sometimes a hard decision.
-Anna N. Pd. 8
I think one common theme throughout every creation story is that all people throughout the world think there is a creator and creation. We as a whole, all want to believe there is some higher power dictating what happens to the world. Also, all the people involved in the creation story have to make some kind of decision. Usually the decision made will effect more people than just them. We as people also see ourselves as the most important therefore, we create these stories that make our species look like the most important
One common aspect of most creation myths is a higher being that has unlimited power like in Greek/Roman mythological creation stories the most common is the one that has Chaos first then Chaos gave birth to Gaia who then gave birth to the titans and so on and so forth. In all these myths there is one being in the beginning and then multiple come to life. But that is in all polytheistic religions.
Almost all creation myths have basic elements in common. Most Important: There is always a creator. The creator has many different names but his task is always creating everything we know about. So there is always a creation. In many creation myths the creator loves his creation and is very satisfied. An other thing creation myths have in common is that the human is the highest and best creation. The human rules the other life forms.
Creation myths show us how the humans are interested in a story, in something that gives their lives a meaning. Creation myths help us to find an answer on questions like: Where do we belong? Who made us? Is there a God?
The fact that the human is the crown of creation reflects the sometimes arrogant attitude of humans: „We are the best, we can rule the all.“
There are a number of similarities in these myths of creation. They all seem to have a creator that is the hierarchy to the universe, They all have a natural factor that plays a role in the creation, and they mostly have a fall from grace depicting mortality of man. The Norse creation myth was a little longer than most of the others that I heard. It had most of the same factors of the others, but strange ways to create these elements.
Most of the myths start by saying that in the beginning, there was the light (or the dark) and the creator came and brought water, life, animals, and humans through his mighty power. Man usually is the last of the creation and the sentinel of it.
Jake B, Period 2
I Noticed a couple reoccurring themes in the creation myths. In most myths there was a creator, who created many things and was very proud of his works. I also notice the the bad guy in many of the myths was a serpent or a snake. Also in most creations it was the humans screwing up and them loosing the trust of the creator. Some creation myths where very short and others where very long but they all basically told the same version of one story.
Nick Richardson
per. 8
P.S. Sorry for the tardy.
I thought that this was a great poem. I think that the author portrayed poems as different objects that humans interact with or watch to find out something. He also portrayed it as something we would torture, which symbolizes people who just look at a poem and don't find any meaning.
Hugh M, Period 5
I thought this poem was telling me to really get to know a poem inside and out. Many people simply look for the meaning without disecting the poem. Once you go through the poem several times do you really find its meaning. Like Nathan said, this poem sounds like it came from a teachers perspective because it was trying to teach us something without straight-up telling you.
Jack Boomer Per.5
I think that this poem is about racking your brains and discovering the poem instead of just writing it. I liked how he made the poem come to life. I think the author is saying that you need to spend time with a poem for it to be good.
-Isa B., Period 5
The similarities were that in both myths the humans blamed somebody else for something they did. Also, there were snakes/serpents in both myths. in both myths the creations disobeyed the creator and were punished for what they did.
Max W. Period 8
This is a very interesting poem. I think that what the author is trying to say is that the point of a poem is not just to find the meaning. You have to look and enjoy the small things too. Although finding the meaning of a poem is great, there is much more to a poem.
-Marcus Corbett
Period 5
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