THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY: MAKING SENSE OF THE MYTHS
Use your Writing Notebook using two facing pages for each entry.
Choose from the following prompts below. Be thorough in your exploration, using plenty of specific references to the text in your responses. No response should be less than 150 words (half page typed), though it is detailed content that will determine your grade.
Myth-Specific Prompts |
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LEFT SIDE: QUOTATION |
RIGHT-HAND SIDE: FROM YOUR MIND |
Quote that relates to at least one of your sentence starters |
OPTION #1: The Creation Story |
Quote related to conflict, relationship or disobedience |
OPTION #2: Prometheus What conflicts are at play in this myth and how are they solved? What does this myth infer about the relationship between the gods and humans? Did Prometheus do the right thing in disobeying Zeus? Justify your answer. |
Quote(s) that explain Zeus's personality |
OPTION #3: Zeus |
Select quote(s) showing what kind of nut case Poseidon is. |
OPTION #4: Poseidon Psychoanalyze Poseidon. If Poseidon came to you and explained his troubles, how would you advise him? Use the following order of analysis to write your paper. Write the factors leading to his quarrelsome, unhappy nature. Write the major quarrels he got involved in. What did he do to either get his own way or win what he wanted? At the end, give advice to Poseidon on how he could become more popular. |
Quote that gives an overview of what the myth is about. |
OPTION #5: The Trojan War Paraphrase: Summarize the story of The Trojan War using your own teenage vernacular. Make sure you include major events. |
Write a quote that relates to your answer. |
OPTION #6: Helen A. Girls: What qualities of Helen would you like to have and why? What qualities of hers do you think would be important to avoid and why? What do you think was Helen's biggest handicap and why? What qualities of hers do you think you might have? B. Boys: What qualities of Helen make her so desirable? What are the biggest problems a man could have in falling for a gal like Helen? What qualities do think would be the most important to you in choosing someone to marry? |
Write some quotes that explain what Achilles is like. |
OPTION #7: Achilles Choice A: Compare the facts of this chapter with the movie version. Where did the movie deviate from the "true" story and what did the movie leave out? Choice B: Achilles could have lived. What decisions and personality traits led him to the path of death instead? Choice C: What part of this myth most impresses you and why? |
Write some quotes that explain what Athena is like. |
OPTION #8: Athena Choice A : Compare and contrast Athena and Helen. Choice B: Why is Athena one of the most respected deities? Choice C: What is your reaction to the story of Athena and Arachne? |
Quote(s) helping to substantiate what Cyclopes are like. |
OPTION #9: Cyclopes (read pages 69-72 only) Choice A. Acrostic:: Using the word Cyclopes write phrases related to this group of monsters Choice B: Brainstorming: Write all the things that come to your mind when you think of this theme Choice C: Outstanding artistic sketch: Draw a picture of a Cyclopes. Be careful, I'm expecting high school caliber art. |
Quote(s) related to your choice. |
OPTION #10: Eros and Psyche Choice A : Write a short play based on any section of this myth Choice B : Write a thesis statement about the message of this myth. Prove your thesis with details from the story. Choice C: What are some male and female stereotypes that may be depicted in this myth? |
Quote that relates to your answer. |
OPTION #11: Heracles (Herakles or Hercules) Choice A: Why was life so difficult for H? Infer from the text why H, a seemingly innocent guy, had so much tragedy in his life. Choice B: Compare this story of H to the Disney movie. List the differences. Choice C: Why has the story of H lasted so long? What about it appeals to people? Tell about other stories or movies have a character similar to H. Choice D: What do you admire most about H? Substantiate your opinion with examples from the myth. |
General Prompts |
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LEFT SIDE - QUOTATION FROM THE TEXT |
RIGHT-HAND SIDE - FROM YOUR MIND |
Choose a passage from the text that relates to your interaction |
OPTION #12 |
Quote(s) that spur you on to connect. |
OPTION #13 Make connections with the text: Look for ways to relate to the text, using the characters, the action, or themes, etc., to the world itself or to your own life. What challenges or problems are similar? What similar or dissimilar consequences occur? |
Select quote(s) showing a metaphor or analogy |
OPTION #14 Metaphors and Analogies (do both): A. Explain the metaphors in the text. What do certain characters, animals, or symbols stand for? B. Explain the analogy between the text and real life. |
Quote that gives an overview of what the myth is about. |
OPTION #15 Paraphrase: Rewrite an important part of the myth using your own teenage vernacular. |
Quote that gives an overview of what the myth is about. |
OPTION #16 Modernize: Rewrite a major section of the myth in a play format. Remember our school board and classroom policies about what you can write. |
Quote that best tells or infers the message of the myth. |
OPTION #17 Meaning: Explain what message this myth delivers. Substantiate with references to the text. |
Quote(s) helping to substantiate your point of view. |
OPTION #18 Impression: What is your impression of the integrity of the god(s) in this myth? Validate your perspective with reference to the text to prove your point of view. |
Quote related to psychological nature of character |
OPTION #19 Character analysis of major mortal, immortal or semi-deity. |
Quote describing personality of major character in myth |
OPTION #20 Character comparison. Compare the major character in your chosen myth to any other major character. |
Free Choice |
OPTION #21 |