Greek Democracy: A System Worth Copying?

It’s no secret the United States government system is based on Greek democracy; however, we need to ask the question, “is it a system worth copying?” To answer this, we need to examine both the pros and cons of the current and original democratic system.

The US government system is often described as a republic or indirect democracy; this means elected officials represent the people. In the Classical Age (480-338 BC), democracy became a firmly established form of government, Athens being the first of the Greek city-states to implement such a system. In Greece, the government was a direct democracy where the people, or demos, voted and participated in every aspect. The Athenian democracy was divided into four sections: assembly, council, magistrates, and law courts. 

In the fifth century, the assembly, or Ekklesia, would meet forty times per year; ordinary citizens heard reports from magistrates and city officials on any civic matter. These meetings were open to any Athenian citizen, and any citizen could share his opinion. There were also multiple boards of magistrates to survey the civic affairs of a city. Before 487 BC, these magistrates were elected from the top two social classes, but after 487, candidates were submitted to be chosen by random selection. This allowed ordinary citizens, not just the aristocracy, to participate. 

The council, or Boule, was comprised of 500 ordinary citizens, fifty men from each of the ten tribes. They were not elected, but rather appointed by lot. Each tribe would select their fifty representatives, called councilors, that would only serve for one year and then were out of the running for the next ten years, allowing almost every man to serve at least once in his lifetime. All of these non-elected positions truly represented the common man, not just the aristocracy like many systems before. 

Considering the notions surrounding democracy today, many people think the Athenian and Greek democracies fully represented everyone perfectly. It did not. While important to acknowledge all the benefits of a democracy, especially a direct democracy, we also need to acknowledge the shortcomings. 

One of the shortcomings is exclusion from the demos. Only a small percentage of the Athenian population were actual citizens: native-born free Athenian men over the age of twenty. This excludes a large portion of different groups of people, namely women and slaves. In modern society, we acknowledge that minority groups need to be represented in government to truly understand “the people” and their opinions. Not only were these groups not represented, but they were also marginalized. Women and slaves were viewed, and therefore treated, as inferior beings that only served a particular purpose, determined by the citizens (men). 

The image of the unseen, silent, doting, and waiting wife comes from ancient Greece. Athenian women from citizen families were viewed as a way to continue the family legacy by producing legitimate heirs. Non-Athenian women were either prostitutes or concubines, and much like the wives, were defined by their relationship to men. Even the myth surrounding the creation of women reflects the male attitude towards the female race. Zeus creates women as a punishment from men because Prometheus gave them the gift of fire. Women, therefore, are man’s affliction.

A slave was a body, not a mind, and therefore could be punished and treated accordingly. Physical torture was permitted because slaves were viewed as less than human, and therefore could not rely on their intellect—they either had none or they forfeited it when they became a slave. This is the clearest reflection of the power dynamics in Athenian society. 

In contrast to American slavery, the Greeks did not determine status on skin color but rather on Greek and non-Greek. This started towards the end of Persian Wars when the Greeks portrayed their enemy, the Persians, as weak in body, mind, and spirit, and this idea then spread to other cultures and peoples until “non-Greek” or “others” were viewed as inferior to the Greek male ideal. 

The only reason we have the Greek legacy of high culture thought and reason is due to slavery. The majority of agricultural workers in Attica were slaves. Therefore, Greek men were able to engage in subjects such as philosophy, poetry, and other high culture pursuits because slaves were doing all the menial labor that would have distracted from such leisures. 

Without a doubt, Ancient Athens and Greece provided a template for modern government, but we have to recognize it came at a price: the dignity and freedom of those subservient to citizens.

Author Spotlight: Matt de la Peña

This Wednesday, November 9th, the Big Read will have the joy of hosting author Matt de la Peña at Hope College at Jack H. Miller at 7:00 pm for our Author Event.  Matt de la Peña’s book The Last Stop on Market Street is the featured Little Read book for 2022.  To preview this much anticipated visit, let’s deep dive into Matt de la Peña.  

Photo Credit: Heather Waraksa

  Matt grew up in National City, a community of San Diego.  On his childhood in National City, de la Peña said in an August 2022 interview with the San Diego Union -Tribune: “[w]e struggled at times, but so did everyone around us, and you got the sense that the community was looking out for you. National City left a huge impression on me. It has found its way into many of the books and essays I’ve written.”  His family would then move to Cardiff-by-the-Sea, another neighborhood near San Diego, which de la Peña described as being “quiet and sleepy”.  In the same interview, de la Peña credits the two contrasting neighborhoods for helping merge his writing voice.  

While being an esteemed author now, Matt de la Peña has stated his struggle with reading as a child.  In his formative education years, he was written off as a student who “couldn’t read” and didn’t finish a book until after high school.  De la Peña had his literature epiphany after a college professor made a deal with him to read a specific book in its entirety before his graduation.  In an article with NPR titled “Sometimes the ‘Tough Teen’ is Writing Stories”, de la Peña revealed that he started and completed this novel during a trip for a basketball game.  He was astonished to have finished a book, and within two days.  The book had struck de la Peña emotionally and the words on the pages stayed with him.  The book: The Color Purple by Alice Walker.  This led de la Peña to discover works by Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston.  

De la Peña understands the importance words have on people, especially children.  It pays to have everyone represented in literature.  In 2012, de la Peña visited a school in Tucson, Arizona after a student and the school librarian raised money to cover his speaker fee.  The student had just finished Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña.  In a 2012 article with the New York Times titled “Racial Lens Used to Cull Curriculum in Arizona”, the state legislature of Arizona had upheld a law that aimed to remove Mexican- American studies from the curriculum as law makers determined the subject matter to be “anti-white”.  This made books like de la Peña’s Mexican Whiteboy illegal to teach in the classroom, even as the book promotes cultural identity with its usage of “Spanglish” and the tension children feel being bi-ethnic or biracial.  His visit continued, but had deeper political meanings during a time in 2010 where Mexican-American studies were being targeted and curriculums restricted.  In the article, de la Peña is quoted at the event to have said: “If you are Mexican-American, embrace it.  If the classes are offered, take them; if not, try to get them back.”  Much to the surprise and joy of the students attending the event, de la Peña donated his speaking fee to supply each student with a copy of Mexican Whiteboy.   According to the New York Times article de la Peña stated, “I want to give back what was taken away.”  

Matt de la Peña is an advocate for literature and its ability to allow individuals to connect to the underlying message.  When talking about his book Love, de la Peña has said he wrote it for the kids who are not sure who they are yet, and that the confusion is okay.  Mexican Whiteboy offers connection to those like the main character who are half-white, half- Mexican in a community that try to push those into one box or the other.  Literature is at its most influential when it’s in the hands of the readers.  In his work, we see how de la Peña uses his craft to allow readers to identify with the words on the page and then feel inspired to act from there.  It’s our joy and pleasure at the Big Read and Little Read to host Matt de la Peña this week and to offer a platform to share with our community the importance of reading that de la Peña continually supports. 

BIG Potential for Small Children with the Little Read Lakeshore Partnership

It is November, which means it is officially Little Read month!  At Ready for School, we are so excited to partner and participate with Little Read Lakeshore during this month-long celebration of reading.  This year’s programming is focused on Matt de la Peña’s book Last Stop on Market Street.

Ready for School’s mission is “to PREPARE CHILDREN up to five years old for success in kindergarten by the integrated SUPPORT of the Holland, Zeeland, and Hamilton communities” and the Little Read Lakeshore is “a community-wide reading program that creates and fosters a culture in which reading matters to children’s families and those who support, advocate for and work with children.” From reading these statements hopefully, you can start to imagine what can be done for the community when Ready for School and Little Read Lakeshore partner together. 

As Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshores’ partnership enters its seventh year, I have three big takeaways.

1. Supporting Educators Is Important 

While the Little Read Lakeshore provides a book for the community to read, along with questions to consider while reading the book, a wonder may arise as to how the book gets into classrooms.  However, the goal is not that the book only physically ends up in the classroom. Rather, since part of the Little Read Lakeshore’s goal is to foster a culture in which reading matters, children need to be able to connect with the book in a way that is meaningful to them. Educators are masters at finding new and different ways to help children connect with books, but being realistic, our educators are strapped for time (this might very well be an understatement in itself). Enter the partnership between Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore.

Over the past five years Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore created professional development opportunities for preschool through 5th-grade educators that offered ways to incorporate the book into their curriculum. Over the years Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore partnered with individuals from eight different local community organizations to provide trainers for the professional development.  

In the five years that Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore hosted professional development trainings, we supported the continued professional development of 150 educators. And by the way, the pandemic did not slow us down, we just got creative and offered it in ways that made teachers feel engaged and safe. 

2. Books Open Up Possibilities 

Children are drawn to a book and develop a sense of being by finding ways they connect with it.  But, what does that statement mean?  It means Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore know that a story becomes more important and will stay with a child if they can relate to the story and its characters.

Over the years Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore continued to think of different ways to help children see themselves as a reader. This was done some years by Ready for School partnering with local preschools and Herrick District Library to have book clubs for parents about the Little Read Lakeshore book. Book clubs support parents in two ways: they model how to engage children with books and bring a sense of community around reading.

This year Ready for School is working with the Little Read Lakeshore to bring this year’s author, Matt de la Peña, to Holland on November 9th. Author events are amazing because they motivate writing for children. Children learn authors are people, and they too need to work to get their stories from their heads onto paper. As much as stories are magical, magic is not what makes a story come to life. Lastly, author events help children to see everyone has a story, and stories are meant to be shared. Ready for School and Little Read Lakeshore work together to promote the importance of everyone’s stories.

3. Partnerships are crucial!

Over the seven years Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore worked together, the partnership bloomed and flourished. Excitement grew and more community partners were brought in to offer different and unique programming that worked to foster the idea that reading matters.  Now, thanks to hard work, 50 community organizations and 30 schools participate in the Little Read Lakeshore month-long programming during November.  

A thriving community requires mutually invested parties. Ready for School and the Little Read Lakeshore came together over the mutual goal of uplifting our youngest readers. We hope to see you at one of the many events this November. 

By: Megan Koops-Fisher
Megan Koops-Fischer  is the Director of Operations and Strategic Partnerships at Ready for School, who lives a life of adventure through all the wonderful books in the world.

Why I Care about The Big Read

Returning to Hope College this Fall semester, I have had the opportunity to work closely with the NEA Big Read Lakeshore that hosts a series of author events through November.  This year, the theme is Greek Mythology and the Hero’s Journey.  Organizing event details alongside Dr. Deborah Van Duinen, Director of the Big Read, has given me insight to this complex and exciting event. 

I was first introduced to the Big Read last year, as I sat in Dr. Van Duinen’s Foundations of Education course.  It was there I learned about Social and Emotional Learning as well as Culturally Relevant Teaching in the classroom.  Tagged along with the Big Read, which last year featured Poet Warrior by Joy Harjo and Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard, a determination sparked within me to promote literature that reflects the diversity of culture within the classroom.  

When I am not studying at Hope College, I take my drive around the lake until I am back home in northern Illinois.  Being a transfer student at Hope has widened horizons and provided new experiences.  I attended community college before my transfer last year, and there’s not an event quite like the Big Read in my area.  The mission of the Big Read was all but foreign to me.  Introducing classic stories from alternative perspectives was not only mind blowing, but also made sense.  Coming from a high school with a strong Latinx student body, I crave an experience to read classic plays,but with supplements that reflect not only my culture but the cultures of my peers as well.  An example would be studying Romeo and Juliet, but reading a book like Shame the Stars by Guadalupe Garcia McCall– a retelling of Shakespeare’s play but set in Texas at the turn of the 20th century.  

As a Creative Writing student, I understand the necessity for children to engage with literature that reflects their identities.  It’s this desire that encourages what I read and motivates what I write.  Working with the Big Read has allowed me to follow this passion in a proactive way.  Little Read author Matt de la Peña is visiting Hope College on November 9th to discuss his book The Last Stop on Market Street.  Getting to organize this event for students in the Holland and surrounding areas feels like a step towards the mission of my calling. 

The behind the scenes work gives me a glimpse of how much dedication it takes to engage with the movement of Culturally Relevant Teaching.  While I am not studying to be a teacher, my work with the Big Read is building experiences of how to prove that literature matters.  The content we read influences our manner and actions in the world around us.  The books that our teachers hand us at formative ages matter.  Being given books that don’t reflect ourselves or the communities around us limits our knowledge of our neighbors and the cultures that influence our environment.  It also inhibits those of marginalized cultures to view themselves and the individuality of their culture in the curriculum they are presented with.  It’s the Miles Morales of the classroom seeing himself as Spider-Man. Seeing himself as the hero makes the web-slinging adventures more fascinating to follow and hope the hero wins in the end.   

There are pockets around the country like my hometown in Illinois and Holland where the student body consists of marginalized groups who don’t always receive literature that reflects their cultures or life experiences.  By offering literature with alternative perspectives than that of the original text, we allow students to engage fully with the text and give them the opportunity to see themselves as the hero in the story. 

Greek Mythology and General Education 

You might be wondering, is Greek Mythology really relevant today? Well, in order to fully understand just how relevant it is, you first need to understand Greek mythology. Mythology is important for the understanding of history, art, and literature. Science, philosophy, psychology, astronomy, and many other topics were heavily influenced by Greek myth. This is one of the many reasons Greek mythology, and mythology in general, should be a part of the general education curriculum in schools.

Just look up into the night sky and each constellation tells a story from Greek mythology. Look at almost any painting from the Renaissance and you will see aspects of Greek and Roman myth. To fully understand most classic literature, like any of Shakespeare’s works, you need to have a basic understanding of Greek myth. Even psychological theories have been based on Greek mythology; for instance, Sigmund Freud used the myth of Oedipus to help explain his theories of psychosexual development.

Greek mythology has shaped cultures, traditions, and history. In order to fully understand democracy and forms of government, you need to know the history behind it. There is a myth about a man named Lycurgus who was given the Great Rhetra by the oracle Delphi. The Great Rhetra is the Spartan constitution that gave most of the power to the people. This document was the first of its kind in the Western world and was the first step towards modern democracy. The Greeks even informed Western and Eastern cultures and their relationship today; for instance, the Persian Wars changed how the Western world viewed the East, and understanding this background is essential.

Myths don’t just inform the way we study certain topics, but they also give us insight into the human condition. Emotions such as grief, love, anger, lust, pride, and jealousy are all themes throughout Greek myth and most Greek heroes wrestle with these emotions. Reading about these mythological characters can give students guidance and assurance when dealing with their own emotions. 

Learning Greek mythology in the school setting would help students better understand their emotions, the context for modern society, and the background for most modern structures, systems, and beliefs. 

Firekeeper’s Daughter: The Hero’s Journey and the Ojibwe Medicine Wheel

The 2021 Big Read programming featured Angeline Boulley and her debut novel Firekeeper’s Daughter. Her book is one example of following the hero’s journey, but it contains a twist by also using the Ojibwe medicine wheel to create the story. She discussed the structure of her book at the Michigan Council of Teachers of English Conference on October 14. 

Boulley structured her book into four acts in order to overlap the four quadrants of the hero’s journey with the medicine wheel. She incorporated the medicine wheel by combining the plant medicine of tobacco into the story. Each act continues to highlight areas of the medicine wheel to capture this aspect of her Native American culture. 

We see a similar theme in our 2022 Big Read Lakeshore book since Circe is knowledgeable in herbal medicine and hones her craft throughout the book. One of the reasons we read stories is to learn about the culture and practices of different cultures. 

Angeline Boulley announced that her next book will be available next spring about a heist gone wrong. Keep an eye out for it! 

The Odyssey: Choosing a Translation

With over 60 English translations, knowing which translation of The Odyssey to read can be difficult. 

In the original Greek, The Odyssey is in blank verse, using dactylic hexameter, both of which are common attributes of Greek and Latin poetry. Some translators of The Odyssey choose to keep their translation in blank verse while others choose to change the style or instead write in prose. Because of these style choices, each translation highlights different aspects of the original. 

The first person to translate The Odyssey into English was the British poet and playwright George Chapman in 1616. Since then, men have continued to translate the famous epic, but it was not until 2018 when the first female translator published her version of The Odyssey.

Emily Wilson is this first female translator. Her translation of The Odyssey keeps the original blank verse, but changes the dactylic hexameter into iambic pentameter. Throughout the poem, she keeps many of the original Homeric similes. Another unique characteristic of Wilson’s translation is her portrayal of the female characters and certain situations; for instance, she translates male and female relationships without compromising the original meaning. Wilson’s translation is great for anyone who is interested in reading The Odyssey, whether a first-timer or a veteran.

George Chapman’s translation, one of the most advanced, is written in Elizabethan English. Similar to Wilson, he also keeps the epic in blank verse and turns the dactylic hexameter into iambic pentameter. Throughout his translation, Chapman adds descriptive, moral, and philosophical details and interpretations that are not in the original, making his translation more like a personal response. This translation is best for more advanced readers who are already familiar with The Odyssey.

Some translators choose to write their version in prose since it can be easier to read and understand. One prose version of The Odyssey can be found in the textbook World Mythology: An Anthology of the Great Myths and Epics by Donna Rosenberg. This is a paraphrased version best for younger students and individuals who are only interested in a summary of The Odyssey. Another prose translation by A. S. Kline can be found for free online. It includes hyperlinks to character descriptions and images which can be helpful for first-time readers. This translation is great for beginners since it keeps the integrity of the original translation while still providing a prose version that is easy to read.

Robert Fitzgerald and Peter Green both wrote poetry translations of The Odyssey. Fitzgerald’s translation has been the most common modern translation since 1961. It has sold more than two million copies, and has been the standard translation for most schools and poets. The one aspect Fitzgerald’s translation lacks, however, is a rhythm; it is not written in a particular meter like Wilson or Chapman’s. Peter Green translated the original poem line-by-line which keeps most of the original integrity of the poem. Similar to Fitzgerald, Green’s translation is not in a specific meter; however, it maintains a lyrical tone, analogous to the original. Both Green and Fitzgerald’s translations are great for students and adults alike.

Although finding a translation of The Odyssey can feel challenging, when looking at the pros and cons of each translation, you can easily find one that fits your needs.

So You Want to Learn About Greek Mythology?

Question: Why did Achilles pull over to the side of the road? 

Answer: He heard Sirens.

Question: What game do Greek Gods play at birthday parties? 

Answer: Hydra and go seek.

Question: What did Poseidon say to the sea monster?

Answer: What’s Kraken?

If you are not laughing, either you do not have a sense of humor, or you need to brush up on your Greek mythology.

Learning Greek mythology may seem like an Olympic feat, but once you get started, you will find it is not all that difficult.

Fortunately, there are many free resources available to learn about mythology, especially Greek mythology.

One of the best resources is GreekMythology.com, which is an app, YouTube channel, and website. The website has the most information with a clear outline of each god and goddess as well as the famous myths.

Besides GreekMythology.com, there are many videos on YouTube that explain different aspects of Greek mythology. The best video is Greek Gods Explained in 12 Minutes which does exactly as the title suggests. Greek Mythology Stories: The Essentials goes through the origin stories chronologically and is needed to understand the Greek pantheon and other myths later on.

Do you want your kids to learn about Greek mythology? Greek Mythology for Kids is a quick video explaining the history of mythology as well as the Greek gods and goddesses.

If you do not have much time to sit down and read or watch something, I suggest listening to a podcast. 

The Greek Mythology: Short Stories podcast is best for a quick listen since most episodes are only five minutes long and talk only about one myth. This podcast can be found anywhere you get your podcasts. 

Let’s Talk Myths, Baby is another good podcast, but the episodes are about 20-30 minutes long. There should also be a content warning since the occasional swear word is used. This podcast also takes a political view on certain myths, which can be interesting. 

Whether listening, reading, or watching, any mortal can turn this seemingly Herculean task into an enjoyable afternoon. 

Heroes and the Home

They say home is where the heart is a trend which is true for many heroes as they leave home to embark on the hero’s journey. 

In one of the Big Read meetings for our area teachers, participants were asked what aspect of home they miss most when they go away from home. I answered that I missed a stocked pantry the most because my mom always has the one at home full of our favorite snacks. When I am away from home at college, I rarely spend the money to buy things to fill the pantry. 

One of our teachers linked homesickness to Odysseus’s travels in the Odyssey. He spends 10 years at war and then another 10 years trying to get back to his wife and son. Then, when he returns home he finds a home full of people trying to woo his wife, Penelope. This is likely not the homecoming Odysseus was expecting. 

Ties to Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, the goddess Hestia is the goddess of the home and the hearth. She’s one of the 12 gods and goddesses of Olympus and receives a portion of all the sacrifices made to any of the other gods.

Most gods and goddesses on Olympus are prideful and aim to gain power over the other Olympians. However, Hestia is arguably the best-liked Olympian. This is significant because it shows that the Greeks felt that home should be a place of compassion and peace.

The term nostalgia also has links to the Greeks. The roots of this word are derived from the Greek nostos (return) and algos (pain). This translates to mean the suffering felt because of the desire to return to one’s place of origin. 

A desire and a longing for home links people. It is even a natural part of the hero’s journey since the hero must leave what is familiar and cross the threshold into the extraordinary world. Yet, the hero usually returns home at the end of their quest. 

Let us know what you miss most when you leave home in the comments below!

The 2022 Big Read and Little Read Events are Live!

Now that you have learned a little bit about all of our 2022 Big Read, Middle Read, and Little Read books we are excited that our 2022 events calendar is live. The Big Read and Little Read has 100 events taking place on the West Michigan Lakeshore with help from our partners and libraries. This year is going to be bigger and better than ever! 

There are a variety of events for people of all different interests. We have author visits with Madeline Miller and Matt de la Pena, a murder mystery game night at Herrick District Library, book discussions, and a variety of other art and literature events. 

The goal of our program is to foster a community where reading matters, so we hope you will pick up a copy of Circe or another one of our books and join us for a few events! This year we are specifically exploring Greek culture, what we can learn from classics like The Odyssey, what constitutes heroes and villains, and so many other themes. 

We hope that you will read alongside us as our November programming grows closer! 

View the full calendar of events online.