Humanities 130:
Myth in Human Culture
Section 1 (MWF
Instructors: Ella Jo Sellers Cliff Tyndall
Office: Building
1, Room 141 Building
17, Room 101
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
Phone: 910-879-5542 910-879-5651
Course Description:
This
course provides an in-depth study of myths and legends. Topics include the
varied sources of myths and their influence on the individual and society
within diverse cultural contexts. Upon completion, students should be able to
demonstrate a general familiarity with myths and a broad-based understanding of
the influence of myths and legends on modern culture. This course has been
approved to satisfy the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement general education
core requirement in humanities/fine arts.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course, students should:
- be acquainted with some major theories of myth
interpretation
- be able to understand myths of various cultures by
reading primary literature
- have a
broad perspective on the interaction of myth, religion, and culture
- have an enhanced understanding of the use of metaphor and symbol
- be
aware of the presence of myth in contemporary society and how it affects
and influences their own lives
Textbook and Required
Materials:
Leeming, David, and Jake Page. Myths,
Legends, and Folktales of
Each student will need to
purchase and maintain a course journal
Additional readings will be
provided by the instructors throughout the semester
COURSE MANAGEMENT:
A.
Class attendance
is expected. If you miss more than six classes, you will be dropped.
B.
No late work will
be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made with instructors.
C.
Tests will be
given only at the announced date and hour.
D.
Information/handouts
distributed in class will be available only during class.
E.
It is the
responsibility of the student to get assignments from someone in class.
F.
Cell phones will
be turned off or placed in “silent mode.”
COURSE EVALUATION:
The final grade will be based
on the following:
Class Participation:
Each student is responsible for attending class and
participating in discussions and in-class activities. This included being prepared for class by
reading all assigned materials and completing homework assignments. You may earn 2 points per class for a total
of 100 points. Lack of preparedness for a
class will result in loss of participation points.
Quizzes:
Ten random quizzes will be given during this course for a
total of 100 points. Quizzes may be
short tests on recently discussed topics, or they may be based on assigned
readings. Homework assignments can also
be counted as quizzes.
Response Journal:
Each student will maintain a course response journal that
will encompass all subjects discussed in “Myths in Human Culture.” For each topic, students will record their
personal impressions, responses to subject matter, and include additional subject
matter-related materials, such as photos or information from books, magazines,
or websites. The journal is valued at
100 points
Group Project:
The class will be subdivided into small groups for
presentation purposes. Each student will
contribute to this group project which will be presented in front of the class
during the last week of the semester.
Each student may earn up to100 points.
Tests:
Three tests will be given during the semester. Tests will each count 100 points and will be
largely essay based questions on topics we have covered in class. Some objective questions may also be asked on
appropriate material. Total points for
three tests: 300 points.
Participation
100 points = 100
Quizzes 10 x 10 points = 100
Response Journals 100 points = 100
Group Project
100 points = 100
Tests (including the midterm
and final exams) 3 x 100 points = 300
Total = 700 possible points
600-700 points = A
500-599 points = B
400-499 points = C
300-399 points = D
Below 399 = F
Academic
Integrity:
In
addition to good academic performance, students should exhibit honesty and integrity.
If there is any question that academic honesty and integrity are not honored,
students may be required to redo assignments in the presence of an instructor
selected monitor. Plagiarism is
academic theft. Any assignment plagiarized in this class will receive a zero.
Repeated offences may result in expulsion from the class.
COURSE INTRODUCTION:
Have you heard any good stories lately? Did you hear them from the friend of a friend? All cultures and groups have their own stories, and while they may appear drastically different, most myths and legends have striking similarities. People everywhere think about their origins—where they came from, their purpose in the universe—and the answers to these and other questions often tell us a lot about the people. For instance, a culture that worships a “thunderbolt-wielding” king is likely a warrior society; a culture that worships an earth goddess may be a primarily agricultural society. What about a culture that deifies tragic pop icons and celebrities who have fallen to their own excesses—or who were victims of conspiracy? In all of these examples, we learn a great deal about the groups by their oral tradition. Although the stories we tell may be different from the ancient Sumerians, or the Celts, or the Sioux, we will see that the basic concerns of our stories are often very similar indeed.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
(HIGHLY VOLATILE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE!)
|
Week One |
Course Introduction Overview of Myth and Legend |
|
Week Two |
World Mythology |
|
Week Three |
Native American Mythology |
|
Week Four |
European and Early American Myth |
|
Week Five |
Myth and Legend in US History |
|
Week Six |
|
|
Week Seven |
Modern American Mythology |
|
Week Eight |
Myths and Legends That Still Haunt Us Midterm Exam |
|
Week Nine |
Mythical Monsters |
|
Week Ten |
|
|
Week Eleven |
|
|
Week Twelve |
Urban Legends |
|
Week Thirteen |
Unexplained Phenomena |
|
Week Fourteen |
Unexplained Phenomena, cont. |
|
Week Fifteen |
Oral Presentation |
|
Week Sixteen |
Wrap-up and Final Exam |
The instructors are looking forward to teaching this new course and working with you this semester. If you have any questions or difficulties with the course, please contact one or both of us.