The Seeker — Myth and Meaning

You have probably read or heard fables such as Aesop’s, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” And you remember that the whole point of a fable is to teach a lesson through a story.

Myths go much deeper than fables. Myths are more complicated. They are bigger stories and contain supernatural forces or beings. Myths offer explanations for basic questions about life and death and good and evil, why the world works the way it does. Myths tell how something came to be, or about important ceremonies, signs and symbols that move us from childhood to adulthood.

Susan Cooper discusses why myths are important, and quotes a scholar named Joseph Campbell, saying, “When Joseph Campbell talks about myths he is talking about the tree of which fantasy is a branch… He says, ‘Myths are the world’s dreams. They deal… with great human problems. The myths tell me about how to respond to certain crises… or delight or failure or success. Myths tell me where I am.’” Some examples of myths include Native American tales like, “Why the Woodpecker Has a Red Head,” and the ancient Greek myths.