Reading and Writing a Myth(matic)

When I began writing my myth, I was conscious of the elements that are common in myth, but it didn’t feel like I let it dictate my work too much. After studying poetry in this class, I made conscious efforts to include poetic devices in the work. For creating a myth, I only used these characteristics to get me started; from there, I took many liberties.

I think I felt so open when writing the myth because the myths we read in class were so strange that very little seemed “out of bounds.” It is possible that I got a little too creative and did not stay grounded enough in the “rules” for a myth, but I ultimately decided that I didn’t want to do something so traditional that it seemed boring.

I wouldn’t say this writing assignment really enhanced the study of myth for me as much as writing the poetry. I gained most new knowledge of myth by reading the explanations of the different types of myth, and then reading examples. However, this does not mean that I think it is an assignment that should be omitted from the syllabus.

Like the poetry exercises (last time mentioning poetry, I swear), we were given “prompts” to get us started writing. The study of myth served this same purpose. There is no question that creative writing plays an important role in education; though it may be difficult for many students, they benefit from practicing because they are forced to be aware of elements of fiction, as well as their own grammar. Getting students to write creatively sometimes requires giving them an outline. The myths and supplemental myth materials fulfilled this requirement. Armed with examples of myth and its purpose, I was much more comfortable creating one of my own.

Assignments like this also provide an outlet for students who often struggle writing academic essays, but thrive in a different creative setting. By having several assignments that require various types of writing, students’ writing ability become easier to evaluate. Often it will become clear if they are having a problem fundamentally, mechanically, or structurally. If it is clear that students can write eloquently when being creative, but suffer when writing academically, curriculum can be tailored appropriately.

Yep.