Before I read this unit, I have always thought of a myth as something that was used by people of ancient times to explain something they couldn’t. I have always believed that with each myth, there was some truth to be found. For example, someone was being slain in offering to a god to have bountiful crops, or to avoid devastation to their crops. The truth was it depended on the weather, of which they had no control. The strength of the customs of the time however controlled much of their “flawed” thinking.
The most fascinating thing about this weeks reading came in the form of the hidden messages that I had never really thought about in mythology, especially the myths of childhood. On page 77 it talks about the importance of reassurance. It also discusses how in the 3 little pigs that the true meaning of the story is about hard work and diligence that pays off, and not fun and games. I have never really thought about what the message was behind the story. This chapter has made me re-look at a lot of things that I have read, or even to examine the children’s stories that I read to my family more closely.