Deck 3: Myth and the Origin of the Humanities

Question 1

Recent clichés such as "It is what it is" and "You only live once" might best be thought of as examples of

A) childhood mythology.
B) myths of the afterlife.
C) popular mythology.
D) Jungian archetypes.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "The Lotos-eaters," based on a section of Homer's The Odyssey, is considered an example of how myth

A) gives glimpses into the afterlife.
B) is updated to provide powerful parables.
C) persists into the twenty-first century.
D) continues to influence the humanities.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Early recognition, great deeds, and eventual loss of power are characteristic of

A) the monomyth.
B) non-Western myths.
C) the concept of life as a journey.
D) the hero archetype.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which famous archetype is associated with the Western journey?

A) the story of Siddhartha
B) the story of Theseus
C) the Holy Grail
D) the myth of Pandora

Question 5

Freudians may interpret the Minotaur myth as

A) a young person's arriving at sexual maturity.
B) the role of the parents in child development.
C) an illustration of how life presents riddles.
D) the unpromising childhood of heroes.

Question 6

The myths of childhood

A) are representative of how we absorb values.
B) are meant to teach valuable lessons.
C) always comfort children with happy endings.
D) usually contain a dark side.

Question 7

The type of myth most likely to contain fairy tales is

A) hero as world myth.
B) popular mythology.
C) myth of childhood.
D) myth as explanation.

Question 8

The myth also known as "the problem of evil" concerns

A) being cursed by fate.
B) human suffering.
C) the natural world.
D) gods as human beings.

Question 9

A myth is best understood as a

A) good way to understand the psychology of individuals.
B) story, perhaps historical, that explains something beyond the natural.
C) persistent erroneous belief.
D) story of a great hero who overcomes adversity.

Question 10

If the myth we are studying involves the notion that life is a series of happenings rather than a quest, that myth is an example of

A) the Western idea of life as a journey.
B) a Western hero myth.
C) the non-Western idea of life as a journey.
D) a non-Western hero myth.

Question 11

If we believe that some famous actors (such as Robert Downey Jr.) or wealthy people (such as Bill Gates) might be authorities on things such as politics, we are seeing a modern example of which mythical feature?

A) the special someone
B) the hero's great deed
C) the hero's loss of power
D) early recognition of the hero

Question 12

Jung's label for the idea that humans share inborn and instinctual models for understanding human experience is

A) archetypes.
B) collective unconscious.
C) migratory myths.
D) mythological motifs.

Question 13

With respect to childhood myths, Stephen's Sondheim's Into the Woods is meant to

A) provide comfort.
B) shatter comforting illusions.
C) show the rewards of being attractive and rich.
D) show the importance of names.

Question 14

A mythical figure known more for virtue and contributions to society than for singular exploits is an example of

A) an anthropomorphic god.
B) an Asian or Middle Eastern hero.
C) a monomyth.
D) the Western hero.

Question 15

The Oedipus plays and The Oresteia plays all concern myths of

A) being cursed by fate.
B) human suffering.
C) curiosity and disobedience.
D) the natural world.

Question 16

What does Carl Jung call the models that help us understand experiences and deal with the difficult task of being human?

A) archetypes
B) the collective unconscious
C) heroes
D) myths

Question 17

Creation myths deal with

A) bringing rich harvests to the earth.
B) natural disasters and human suffering.
C) the miraculous change from winter to summer.
D) the unsolved question of the world's origin.

Question 18

The problem of suffering, woman as transgressor, and curiosity are all part of the

A) Greek myth of Pandora.
B) Greek myth of Persephone.
C) Haida creation myth.
D) Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh.

Question 19

The 1959 Brazilian film Black Orpheus is an updated version of a myth involving

A) sailors who eat narcotic plants and must be rescued by a hero.
B) a handsome shepherd with whom the moon falls in love.
C) a descent into the underworld.
D) a mythical Titan who stole fire from the Gods.

Question 20

"What goes around comes around"; "Just desserts"; "All you need is love"; are all categories of

A) lessons from Aesop's fables.
B) lessons from fairy tales.
C) concepts heroes show in their deeds.
D) common sayings.

Question 21

What two things are meant by the term "mythology"?

Question 22

Choose a film or book version of a popular "superhero" of today, such as James Bond, Iron Man, or the Black Widow (from The Avengers). Write a detailed essay comparing this superhero to one of the heroes of mythology. Using the description of the hero in the chapter, explain how the hero of today relates to the hero of antiquity and what their similarities and differences might suggest about the continuity of values in cultures.
I. Identify and describe a modern superhero.
II. Relate the superhero to a hero from ages past.
III. Explain how the heroes are similar and different.
IV. Describe what these similarities and differences imply about the continuity of values in cultures.

Question 23

Write a brief essay describing a common myth from childhood that you now realize shaped some of your expectations of life. Analyze ways that that myth might be disenchanting or useful to children.
I. Describe a myth from childhood.
II. Detail how the myth shaped expectations.
III. Explain why the myth may be useful or disenchanting.

Question 24

What is a monomyth?

Question 25

Discuss the effects of today's mythic "us versus them" distinction mentioned in the chapter. Make clear in your essay whether you think this popular myth is helpful or harmful to society.
I. Describe the "us versus them" myth.
II. Detail the effects of it on today's society.
III. Explain why you think it is helpful or harmful.

Question 26

Describe whether the hero myth can help or hinder an adolescent in his or her development.
I. Describe the hero myth.
II. Explain how the myth can help or hinder an adolescent's development.

Question 27

What is the archetype of The Garden?

Question 28

Common sayings often present unexamined mythic beliefs about the world. Choose a common saying and analyze what the personal or social function of that saying might be. In what ways might this way of looking at the world be limited or narrow?
I. Choose a common saying.
II. Explain what the saying means.
III. Tell how such a myth functions.
IV. Explain how such a myth might have limitations.

Question 29

What are four of the seven forms of Myth as Explanation?

Question 30

What is meant by "anthropomorphism"?