For the extra credit half unit I decided to read the native american story:
Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1914). Below are my reading notes:
- The story opens up with the creation of the earth and I find it interesting how the "earth-maker" makes his decisions to create things. It is a logic of well if I create this then I must create this. It's the chain effect of creating a problem which creates more and more problems.
- I think it is strange that the Earth was depicted as all underwater at first and then the crawfish made the land for man. And then the justification for creating tobacco is comical.
- I like the agreement in which everyone finally gets something so that the bear will give them rice. There is a theme of heavy reliance upon nature and the animals in each story.
- Again then theme of animals is strong. I find it very interesting that the eagle was the one who taught the Indians to fish. The eagle seems to be a prevalent creature of the culture and this would make sense. Also I don't see the correlation between pigeons and wild maize, but it's interesting.
- The last interesting thing I wanted to note upon was the reasoning for why the children and Manabush had to work so hard anytime they wanted to make sugar.
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