Discovering The Power Of Myth Analysis

Discovering the Beauty of Flaws Throughout one’s life, they will constantly be asked the question, “What do you think God put you on this earth to do?” Many believe that every person has a reason for being here on earth, may it be big or small. Some people discover their reason, and dedicate their lives to that passion; while others will go through life constantly wondering what greater thing they should be a part of. Myths are believed by some to be clues, meant to be interpreted and studied, in the hopes it will help humans navigate through the crazy journey called life. As Joseph Campbell says in the Power of Myth, myths are clues to the wondrous human potential by teaching one that people make mistakes, and it is these loveable imperfections …show more content…
Joseph Campbell in The Power of Myth, states that people figure out how to solve a situation by testing out different methods, which usually leads to mistakes along the journey. Campbell claims, “The mouse who figures out, after it bumps its nose here, that perhaps he can get around there, is figuring something out the way we figure things out”(38). The mouse was able to figure out the solution to his problems by making a mistake and learning from it, by knowing the path one way was wrong, so the other path could be right. Without daring to make a mistake, the mouse would have gotten no further in solving his solution, but since he did, he made progress in solving the problem. Campbell compares humans to the mouse, because just like the mouse, humans also make mistakes as they solve problems, and then they learn from their mistakes. Through myths, humans realize it is okay to make mistakes, because often from one’s mistakes, a solution will appear; meaning a risk is worth it, since it could a step towards leading one to their human potential. In the myth Gilgamesh, by __, the main character, Gilgamesh, loses a very close friend, which causes him to embark on a journey in search of something to bring his friend back to life. While looking for a cure Gilgamesh cries, “How can I be silent, how can I rest when Enkidu whom I love is dust…Give me, oh, give me directions. I will cross the Ocean if it is possible. If it is not I will wander still farther into the wilderness” (10). Gilgamesh truly loved his friend Enkidu, and is willing to risk everything to bring him back to life. Granted, it is admirable how Gilgamesh is prepared to go to great lengths, but it also becomes his downfall when he gets obsessed with finding a cure. This then causes him to become more and more depressed,