Trickster

“I can consider a tree,” Martin Buber states in his book I and Thou, “I can subdue its actual presence and form so sternly that I recognize it only as an expression of law” (22). This idea of Buber’s that humanity’s classification demeans the true value of an item or individual is a motif that the writers of the poems “Adam’s Task” and “Naming the Animals” employ in response to the creation myths of Genesis. In both of the response poems, John Hollander and Anthony Hecht focus upon the task of…

Fried, poached, scrambled, boiled, deviled-these are all methods one can cook an egg. In the end, one will still be left with an egg, regardless of how it was prepared or looked. The myths related to the creation of the world are very similar to the concept the various preparations of an egg. The basic components are similar; however the specific way that it is attained differs. Specific differences are found in the creation myths of the Iroquois, the Igbo, and the Christian faith; however the…

Origins The “colonial period” of America is characterized by the influx of settlers from many different places around the world. Whether the inhabitants of the New World are descendants of Spanish conquistadors, poor Irish potato farmers, African slaves, or even Native Americans, their origin in America is crucial to their cultural identity. For the Native Americans, there is no story about the voyage across the Atlantic; however, their creation stories play a crucial role in their identity and…

The Starry Witness The ancients that came before us lived most of their lives looking up. They looked to the sky to tell time, to determine what the weather will be like, and to seek the face of their God. Scripture is filled with examples in which God speaks to humanity through the wonders displayed in the heavens. Psalm 19:1 tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God, that the skies proclaim the work of God’s hands. Job learned this lesson directly from God in the midst of the most…

The Two Creation Stories Typically, when two stories conflict in detail, one tends to question the authenticity of either or both accounts; however, in stories such as the creation stories and in particular, Judaism, the differences only helps one better understand the duality of God or Yahweh. The creation stories are meant to charter fundamental values of society and the two stories differ in the sense that the first one depicts a more perfect, idealistic, world, whereas the second story is…

There is a starting point for everything in life. Each myth has a story that explains the beginning of time and how everything was created. There are some strong similarities between the Lakota Sioux, Wakaranga African, Aboriginal Australian, and Hopi myths. The first similarity between all four creation myths is the creator. Each myth has a specific force that starts the beginning of time on earth. Each creator helps build earth to its entirety. Multiple creators for different purposes…

The myth of creation plays a large role in many cultures. Not every creation story is told the same way. One creation story can be very different from the nest, but as different as theses stories are, they all have common factors that link them together. The myth of creation has shaped the actions of people over generations and can be used to relate numerous cultures to one another. There are many differences between creation stories. Christianity even has two contradicting stories to…

[and] stir things up. In the end, the trickster gives people what they really want, some sort of freedom.” Tricksters exist in all types of literature. They take part in poems, books, short stories, and even cartoons and movies. One piece of literature that contains examples of tricksters would be the short story, Tselane and the Giant. This story is a great example because it contains more than one example of a trickster. Another excellent example of a trickster would be the well known cartoon…

Example: The Trickster Throughout this whole course, I have constantly seen the trickster character archetype. Tricksters tend to be crafty, mischievous, and usually funny. Sometimes, they can change their roles in a specific story. The most important thing about tricksters is that they are not nefarious by nature, but they just enjoy humor even if it is at the expense of others. They also are used to teach life lessons and morals. The best thing about a trickster is that it can be anyone from…

Cultures around the world have different ideas on how they were made. These creation myths have ben passed down through these societies and are a big part of whom they are. Creation Myths can provide a window into each individual culture and what they do or do not value. Even the gender of the deity can be a sign of either a patriarchal or matriarchal culture. For example, the Huron creation legend shows that they value the woman and her relationship with nature. On the other hand, Genesis 1-2…