OliviaJ

=Welcome to my mythology page!=

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__ **Assignment #1 My Hero** __
According to Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer, a hero is someone who " dedicates their life to something bigger than themselves." and they "achieve or accomplish something beyond the normal human range of accomplishments." There have been many people who have been deemed a "hero", and have received recognition throughout history for their acts. However, there are many, many unsung heroes in the world. One such hero is a Liviu Librescu, a professor of engineering and Holocaust survivor. At 76 years old, April 16, 2007, Librescu was teaching a mechanics class at Virginia Tech when Seung-Hui Cho, a senior-level undergraduate student, killed 32 people and wounded many others on a deadly unprovoked shooting rampage. As Cho was attempting to enter the classroom, Librescu, knowing that he couldn't climb out the window, held the door of his classroom shut, giving the students time to evacuate. Cho shot through the door, hitting Librescu various times, killing him. After Librescu was dead, all of his students but one, Minal Panchal, had escaped through a window to safety before Cho could enter the room. Unfortunately, Panchal was murdered. Aside from that, Liviu Librescu saved 22 lives, while losing his own. Even though that act of bravery didn't shape world history, if one thinks about it, it is as equally important and courageous as many of the known heroes. And for that, I consider Librescu a legitimate hero. {source} {source} {source} {source}

__ **Assignment #2 The Golden Age** __
I'm sure all people dream and fantasize about a perfect world where everything goes their way. I definitely do. My perfect world would not necessarily have a specific place, for the things in it would matter more to me. However, my ideal world would have amazing seasons because I would be able to control them! There wouldn't be the severe, hot summer or the icy cold winter, for I would just change it with a little dial! Rain, snow, sun all at my fingertips. My world would be big. It would have new interesting places to explore and discover. If I explored all of them, the world would expand, creating other unexplored places. Along with my best friends and family, there would be a large but close-knit society all living together in harmony. Everyone would respect one another and be friendly. When others are sad or mad, everyone is there to comfort them. Now, down to the specifics. There would be school, but it would have some small modifications such as the types of teachers and the overall atmosphere. The school board would take an anonymous survey of how the students' experiences were and their thoughts on each teacher. The school would take into consideration the input and modify their employees. Atmospheric wise, the students would be able to decorate the outsides of their lockers. The teachers would decorate their room in unique ways and they would stop and ask the students (after all of the necessary information had been covered) what they would like to learn about in the certain topic the class covers. The curriculum would be cut to only include the //vital// information and skills needed to be prepared for life. There would be chances to pursue topics interesting to oneself and career one wants to pursue. There would be less busy work and more fun. We humans have created such a complicated world. Adding all of the *ahem* pointless assignments and guidelines //may// input sometimes interesting information in our lives, but also brings on pressure and complication that is simply not needed. Along with my seasons control, I would also be able to start and stop time. I could pause time and read a novel, and unpause it with the whole rest of the day ahead of me. I would have tons and tons of books on a special bookshelf. After finishing a novel and liking it, the shelf would pop out another similar. I would have a wii, Nintendo 3DS, and computer for my nerdy side with so many games. In town, I would have an animal sanctuary with kittens, puppies, and so many other sweet animals. There would be infinite things in my world, but those are the main things. If I lived in that world, my life would be very, very different, but in a good way. {[|source]} {[|source]}

__ **Assignment #3 The God Teacher** __
Not everything in the world is //just// beneficial or //just// negative, that's for sure. I have really experienced this first hand recently. For Christmas I was given a Kindle because I love reading so much. I was so excited when I got it and downloaded many books. I spent most of Christmas break instead of on the computer or watching TV, reading books. My parents loved it and encouraged me to keep reading. However, I became so obsessed with it because it was so handy and easy to use that I stopped being with the family. I would sit around all day reading book after book instead of talking and interacting with them. They eventually had to give me a limit but I realized how much time I was spending reading and I toned it down. I read in moderation now once school has started and everything is okay. This is definitely a double edged gift because on one hand it was healthy to read instead of look at screens, but it also consumed my life in a way. {source} {[|source]}

__ **Assignment #4 End of Childhood / Experience** __
For the past two years I have slowly become much more self aware of my life and society. I can reflect on the times in which I was so naive and ignorant. Even though I'm sure there are many more lessons and aspects to life I have not fully encompassed, I am positive that I have become a //very// different person since 5th or 6th grade. I have always been a very perceptive person, and because of that I have caught onto things quite early before most other people my age. Recently a big coming of age experience for me was entering the 8th grade. I have learned so much and have gained so much responsibility. From more exams to harder homework, I have really come of age in many ways. Also friend-wise, I have grown up a lot. People at school can do not so nice things. And there is nothing I can do to stop them or control their impact on my life. I always thought that everything would work out in the end without my effort, but it //does// need my help. I control my life and my actions, and learn to tolerate others' I can't control. {source} {[|source]}

__ **Assignment #5 End of Childhood / Nursery Rhyme** __
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King's horses, And all the King's men Couldn't put Humpty together again!

I picked the Humpty Dumpty poem as my rhyme because I feel even though it is a classic and timeless nursery rhyme, it also pertains to the idea of growing up and the loss of innocence. When Humpty Dumpty falls off the wall and breaks, once he is repaired, he is never truly the way he was. Once you make that leap into adulthood or maturity, there's no going back. Humpty illustrates this in a very subtle way but still manages to get it across. {source} {source} {[|source]}

__ **Assignment #6 The End of Time** __
The earth was silent, loud, still And from up above what you saw was nil. There were atrocities and horrors being done From deceiving your friend to killing one's son

However there still was some good If you looked very close, under the hood There were acts of great kindness, friendliness, goodwill From the small little children, Molly and Will

They worshipped God amidst the chaos He noticed it, and He became cross Why must they live in this world? Full of hate and fear When their hearts are so lovely, so pure, so dear.

God devised a plan, with much care involved And felt the best solution was to destroy it all. And his two little children would step up to care For the soft new world that would soon be there

The kind little children travelled to the mountain To converse with Him his plan for the uncertain Also about their duty to serve and rejuvenate The people of the universe and all that follow

They climbed a solemn march into his arms And sat down with a strange hope Surrounding them like a charm He glanced down upon their faces And nodded with excruciating resoluteness

They smiled and accepted their fate Proud of his creations, He caressed them in affection And just like that, the world then mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm did mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmll end.

I don't think I'm like any of the people in the stories we have read. I feel like I am a mixture of different feelings. I accept the end of the world, but also don't want it to happen. {source}

__ **Assignment #7 Changes in the Stories** __
//The Flood,//a Greek myth, exhibits the archetype of change and metamorphosis in many ways. The story starts out in the Iron Age, after cycling through the preceding ages, Golden, Silver, and Bronze. After upsetting Zeus by cannibalism, the king of Arcadia, Lycaon was punished for his cruelty by being changed into a wolf. After that, Zeus decided to destroy mankind, for they were very cruel and inhumane. He spent a flood onto the city and it washed away all life. Before the flood, Earth was filled with savages and people who killed others for sport. After this flood rose and settled again, a great metamorphosis was brought. After this great cataract the only mortals who survived were Deucalion and Pyrrha. They were humble to the gods and kind to the earth around them. As they made more people out of stone, a new change was coming. For the lives of the people before the flooding, the change was a punishment, for their lives were lost. However, to the new generation to come, it was a reward for the new people and the one good man and woman. {source}

__ **Assignment #8 Changes in our World** __
Change is apparent and active in the world in many ways. One such way is the government and society. They are always changing. New bills, laws, proposals, and documents are being produced and discussed everyday. People are talking about different things and ideas. All of them are aimed to bring about a change in our life. If one thinks about it, ever since the Declaration of Independence to the controversy of abortion, change has been changing and changing. Just like the quote from C.S. Lewis, “Isn't it funny how day by they nothing changes but when you look back everything is different....” we can see the change that has happened in the past few years, even. Admittedly, some change is very noticeable and effective at the time. However, also it can so small and unnoticeable that it builds up over time to the point that when looking back everything is completely different. Overall, the change of society and government is very obvious and active in the world. {source}

__ **Assignment #9 My Favorite Season of the Year** __
I love winter. A lot. Many people absolutely despise it, but I find it very attractive and enjoyable for many reasons. First of all, it's beautiful outside. When it snows, it is silent and gorgeous. The surroundings are serene and peaceful and the world feels as if it has slowed down. Also, snowball fights! For some reason, even though it's extremely cold and all you can think about when you're outside is getting back inside you simply cannot resist when a ball of powdered ice comes flinging at you. Who wouldn't want revenge?! Not to mention, once you get started you forget all about being cold. No other season can you play with the weather...ever heard of a rain ball fight? Or a sunshine fight? Not going to happen. Another perk is no yardwork. It might not seem like such a big deal to you, but my dad hates doing yard work out in a blazing sun. So when the ground is covered with snow and everything else is died off and he don't have to go outside to make our yard look nice (because it already does due to snow). There's also hot chocolate. There is nothing like waking up and realizing you're cold and then realizing you have the perfect drink to warm and wake you up. Hot chocolate. Speaks for itself. To add on to that, food is amazing this time of year. I'm talking about cookies, breads, hams, and all those other baked goods. Christmas is coming! Once the snow hits or the temperature goes down,I immediately start thinking of my preparations for Christmas, which is the best holiday in my opinion. To me, people are kinder and you can feel the spirit. People really stop thinking so much about themselves and start to realize the needs of others around them. It's a great feeling. Aside from that, winter really cleans everything up. Just like the flood archetype, after winter comes and everything's dead, new life grows. Winter is kind of like the wasteland, except it's a pretty one. :) {source}

__ **Assignment #10 What Have I Learned?** __
In this unit, __Man the Myth-Maker__, it has gone over some valuable lessons and realizations. For me, it has brought together the pieces of the cycle and meaning of life so that they fall perfectly in place. The archetypes strangely fell into place with the context of the life cycle. I can even apply them to my own life right now. When I was a baby, I was in the Golden Age. Everything was happy and smiles, and I didn't care about anything besides food and snuggles. Now, I don't consider myself a baby anymore. I'm growing up. I feel that I have now passed into the End of Childhood archetype. Not quite a baby anymore, but not an adult. I lost my innocence and have gained experience from the world. As I grow up, I will go through lots of changes, the next archetype. From learning who my real friends are to discovering myself, these are all changes in my life. However, there will also be not-so-good changes that I will have to deal with and accept. Lastly, as I grow older and older, I slowly get into the flood, another archetype. I'm not saying that when someone is older their life is hard and burdensome, but your life and our body is getting closer to being "flooded". The Flood is a cleansing and renewal of the earth, body, or anything else. In reference to the Hindu beliefs, one may be reincarnated after one dies, and in a way that is the "new life" after death. Your old body is a wasteland, and in your next life you start over, with new, innocent life starting over. This unit has really helped me make vital connections to what we have learned not just in this class, but to all of the other courses I have taken in the course of my life. I have made many new self discoveries like that I have my own responsibility to make this world a better place. Don't text and drive, smile the strangers, and any other small act that could contribute to a plethora of other, greater things. I have learned that I really do only have one life to live, and that I need to make the best of it. I am not small or insignificant, no matter how much it looks like it. Even though I am one in 7 billion, I still have equal opportunity and responsibility just like anyone else.

Another thing I have really gained knowledge in is the metaphors and deeper meanings. Everything seems to represent something. Either personally, or individually. Water represents the life cycle, a flower represents new life, and many other small symbols are learned throughout this unit. I feel this is very interesting in that nothing is ever just a shallow, boring thing. It can be anything. There are connections to be made everywhere with everything, that can bring new insight and knowledge into one's life. If one thinks about it, life never gets boring then. Just step back and try to seem the deeper, underlying meaning, and the rest will follow. {source}