I will not elaborate over the great many myths presented during this class,
I cannot begin to explain the intricate entanglement of the ancient mythological tree, nor
the meaning behind every symbolic representation in the world of myth
but… I think we could all agree that is no the intention of this class.
Myth represents life, the past, present and future;
it is the story of separation, initiation and transformation in which life is defined at its finest.
As defined by Calasso, “myth is the precedent behind every action, it is invisible, ever-present lining.”
Stories are the map to life, and the actions of our hero act as our compass
The future will be distorted repetition from the past, while the present is an individual’s interpretation of mythological tales whether they recognize it or not.
As an engineer this class came as a shock to me, how could I endure an entire class based on nothing but lies, that contradicts everything I’ve been taught, in the engineering world if it can’t be proven or at understood than there is no point, it’s a bust
Not in mythology, if I seemed to understand something than I was certain I looking at it the wrong way.
This class has urged me to relearn if you will what has been repressed throughout my college career, my ability to interpret what I am reading in an abstract way,
The text book style of writing that I had grown accustom to had transformed the process of reading to a dull, transparent process with little to no enjoyment.
To begin to understand this class I needed to be truly interested in the discussion.
Interest is the most essential part of mythology, without interest what is the point of a story? There is none, it is simply lost.
As the class continued it seemed that each myth explored seemed to represent glorified desires of mankind to form some sort of a model that presents patterns in human life.
Connecting with these stories in a way was my initiation into mythology, all of a sudden I understood.
This concept of finding enjoyment finding a purpose can be a great challenge Sisyphus, a king who was sentenced to endure the most repetitive pointless job thinkable. He was forced to role a giant boulder up a steep hill where, upon arrival the stone would simple roll back to the bottom continuing the never ending process. Possibly one of the most painful punishments imaginable.If only Sisyphus had been able to find a meaning within his punishment he alone could have freed himself from his own fate. If an individual can find meaning in their actions then they will be free to fulfill thier life.
Myths tell tales, tales of betrayal, deception, love, pain… most of all pain, it is the sculpting knife for life. Pain of any kind, physical or emotional, is in itself initiation, a rite of passage that molds and defines an individual.
I have scars, many scars, scars from Ignorance, scars from stupidity, scars I couldn’t have prevented, scars provided by machines, by mother nature, none of which I would rather live without. Each scar represents a memory that will never be forgotten, a memory that will never fade.
Scars are tattoos, only with better stories
Now I understand life is adventure, and what is an adventure without stories to remember it by.
Pain is, now in a way humbling, it no longer is a sign of failure but more a test, an opportunity to shape my own story, in some ways pain seems immortalizing in a way that
Pain is powerful, pain is strength, never to be forgotten, pain is temporary yet lives forever for pain is a story and stories never die.
As I find myself approaching the end of my time in this class, and on this campus I find myself reminiscing on the stories I have created over the past five years. I could tell stories love, stories of loss, stories of pain, I could tell stories of stories I can’t fully remember for a verity of reasons. But what of these stories they are not unique, I am not a collegiate pioneer discovering the effects of alcohol and various other substances. No, these stories I have experience are simply renditions of far older tales, tales that have been passed down for thousands of years. Now I ask myself what I have learned from this class, I have learned the importance of these stories, I have learned that there is no path not traveled “for every step, the footprint is already there” all I hope for is the opportunity to create a new story, define an experience that in its self is unique and until this happens I wait patiently because to live life by myth is to live the life of a god, and living like a god ain’t so bad. Or at least that is what I have learned
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