As parents, we know that “lectures” don’t work, but sometimes we need to get a behavioral tidbit across to our little darlings. Have courage: before there was “the book you can’t put down”, there was “the story circle you can’t leave”. I have seen it time and again in my roles as a parent and as an educator: kids love mythology. Put it to use for you.
I believe that myths and legends keep a firm grip on society today because these are “reach-out-and-grab-you” tales. For instance, whether Homer, the author of Greek epic poems, was one person or he was actually a collective of blind/disabled beggars given the storytelling job to be useful in society, he/they kept their audiences riveted with action, heroics, and derring-do. It still works.
- Want to talk to your teenager about good decision-making? The Iliad, adapted into a film as recently as 2004, is one of the greatest stories in world history. Period. How many authors merit having their work celebrated more than two thousand years after its introduction? (And made into a Hollywood blockbuster starring Brad Pitt, no less…but I digress.) Greed, arrogance, family loyalty, and the consequences of one’s choices all are central to the story; the actual poem can be a challenging read for a teen, but there are graphic novels of The Iliad that make it more approachable. I have had fantastic life-issue talks with my son based on scenes from the movie Troy. (Note: the film is R-rated, but you can find appropriate clips of various scenes on YouTube.)
- Worried about alleged “role models” for girls in the media these days? Tell your daughter about the Greek goddess Athena, patron of wisdom and battle strategy. No, the Greek god of strategy was not a dude. The Greek god of war (Ares) was a dude. So, for brute force, the Greeks had a guy; for doing things the smart way, they had a woman. ‘Nuff said. Consider telling your daughter about the Greek heroine Atalanta, an Arcadian princess, whose father had her taken to a mountaintop and abandoned because she was born female. Atalanta survived, though, and became an acclaimed fighter who slew an ugly, oversized, trashing-the-place monster called the Calydonian boar. She would only marry a guy who could beat her in a footrace; even then, he had to trick her to win. Athena and Atalanta rock the house. Girls can learn a lot about can-do attitudes from them.
- Is your child working through anger issues? So was the Greek hero Hercules, who was so ferociously strong that, as an infant, he strangled a poisonous snake. People were afraid of Hercules, who had trouble controlling his temper (to put it mildly), but when Herc learned to behave himself, he became a hero and did a lot of good for his society. Hercules had to perform twelve famous labors as punishment for losing his temper (kind of an ancient-Greek style time out): he did such a marvelous job that he was invited to live with the twelve Greek gods on Mount Olympus… the only Greek hero ever to get that reward. Hercules can show your child the benefits of managing his/her temper.
These are simplified versions of myths and I have only scratched the surface, but you get the idea. Myth and legend had historical and educational purposes in the ancient world; put these intriguing stories to work for you in talking with your children. Kids love the plots and you will have a good time getting your point across. Tell the story, make your point; ideally, your child will want to know more about myths. If that happens, you will have a cornucopia of teaching opportunities at your fingertips.
Have you seen “The Hero’s Journey: a Guide to Literature and Life” spiral bound set of lessons for using this material in the classroom? I like your examples: they made me remember the book. I tend to think of myths and novels more than real life applications, so it’s fun reading about your approach.
Malcolm
No, but I will definitely look for that, it sounds terrific!