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Two Paragraphs for Value of Mythology for English 9A
We have discussed the value of mythology and what myths do. It is now your time to take the two
major aspects of mythology and discuss each of them thoroughly in TWO WELL-DEVELOPED
paragraphs. This will involve strong topic sentences and plenty of support in the form of examples
and your discussions about how the examples prove your point.
In these two paragraphs, you will be proving that the “value” of mythological stories is that they
taught ancient peoples how to behave, and they helped explain to man the unexplainable events
around him. Use the chart handed out in class to decide for yourselves which stories you have read
that best demonstrate that myths taught and explained. Each body paragraph should have at least
two examples to prove your point. If one of your paragraph begins, “One important function of
Greek mythology was to explain things that could not be explained, like phenomena in the natural
world…”, be prepared to discuss two stories you have read that reveal this idea. Follow up your
description of the essential elements of the plot of each story with an explanation of how these
examples reveal the Ancient Greeks used myth to make sense of the unknown. End your paragraph
with a thoughtful clincher sentence that wraps up your main point.
TAKE GOOD NOTES THE DAY WE DISCUSS THIS ASSIGNMENT!!
Here is the list of mythological stories we have read that teach, explain, and entertain:
“Arachne”
“Prometheus”
“Pandora”
“Persephone”
“Daedalus and Icarus”
“Phaethon”
“Narcissus and Echo”
“Orpheus and Eurydice”
Scoring:
Content
 Topic sentence that directs reader to what will be proven
 Two examples that support the claim made in topic sentence
 Each example is discussed so that reader sees HOW the examples prove topic
 At least one quoted passage use to discuss events of myth
 Clincher sentence that is not redundant
Language
 No run-ons or fragments
 Lead into quotes properly
 No use of “I,” “me,” “we,” etc.
 Proper spelling/Correct word choices
You may not use the specific ideas presented in the following example of a body paragraph, but you
may use the “style” and some wording of sentences.
Sample – Purpose of Myth Paragraph
One purpose of mythology for the Ancient Greeks was to teach fellow citizens how to
behave in society. The Greeks did not have written codes or laws dictating how to live in the
world—they had no “book” of rules, but they did have the stories of gods and mortals. For instance,
there are several myths showing what happened to both mortal and some divine beings if major gods
were not shown proper respect. One myth, entitled “Arachne,” describes the fate of a very skilled
weaver who refuses to thank Athena for her ability to spin cloth better than all other mortals. She
even challenges the gray-eyed goddess to a contest, showing hubris and no fear for her actions when
insulting not only Athena but other deathless god of Olympus. The result of her arrogance and
brazenness is a curse from Athena: Arachne is transformed into the first spider, to weave her
beautiful webs as an arachnid. This myth certainly shows the consequences for humans who believe
themselves as great as the gods. The message here is that Arachne had been blessed by the gods, but
she did not see the gift; instead, she denied their charity and paid the price for it. Another example
of a Greek myth teaching an important cultural value is “Phaethon.” In this myth, the title character,
a boy, needs to know if his father is the sun god, Helius, so he travels to his heavenly palace to ask
him. Helius is, indeed, his father, and as proof, he grants Phaethon any wish he desires. Phaethon
chooses to drive his father’s sun chariot to usher in the new day, and, despite his father begging him
to change his mind, he is determined to try to do the job only a god can do. The experience is a
fiasco, and Zeus must intervene and kill Phaethon before there is nothing left of a scorched earth.
Clearly this myth shows that humans have limitations. Like Arachne, Phaethon felt he could
compete with the gods, but he could not, and he paid the ultimate price. The gods were divine, and
humans were mortal, and there were severe consequences when mortals thought differently. In
essence, the Ancient Greeks may not have had specific laws or written religions texts to live by, but
they did have the stories their gods.
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Another purpose of mythology was to explain the unexplainable events in man’s natural world. This
is seen in the myth of “The Rule of Uranus.” In this story, first there is Chaos, who is described as,
simply, a vast emptiness. From Chaos is born the Earth, the Underworld, and a god of love “whose
presence enabled much of creation to occur.” The Earth goddess eventually gives birth to the starry
sky, and together they populate the universe with gods and goddesses who will produce many other
offspring that will become rivers and mountains and planets and the moon. It is clear that this myth
is man’s response to not knowing how the universe began. It also is an attempt by human beings to
explain phenomena such as planets, the sun, the moon, and various other objects that science has
explained over the years. Similarly, the myth of “Prometheus” is an example of early stories trying
to explain something that we humans now have a better grasp on, specifically, the origin of man.
According to the myth, the Titan Prometheus “…created all the living creatures from a mixture of
earth and water,” and “…from the image of the immortal gods, he fashioned man.” The myth
further explains the reason for man’s advanced adaptability toward his environment. According to
the story, Athena and Hephaestus equipped human beings with intelligence and fire, offsetting their
weak and slow bodies. Like “The Rule of Chaos,” “Prometheus” explained ideas that fascinated
human beings. Thousands of years ago, evolution was not the predominant theory of explaining
how species came to be, but humans still required answers, and the myths provided them. In fact,
the myths gave man the answers to many unexplainable events for which the causes were mysteries.
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