NEA Big Read Lakeshore

Last week we shared information about the Greek gods since they are characters within Greek Mythology that exhibit both human qualities and supernatural powers. This week we are rounding out the Mount Olympus family tree with the most notable Greek goddesses. 

Aphrodite 

Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty. There are a few different versions of her parentage. One states that she was born out of foam when Cronos threw the genitals of his father, Uranus, into the sea. Another story explains that Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, the goddess of the oracle of Dodona. Aphrodite married Hephaestus, but she has many lovers including the god Ares. 

Artemis 

Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She is the goddess of the hunt and other things like wild animals, wilderness, and childbirth. Artemis is well-known for her archery skills and her hunting abilities. As the goddess of the hunt and a protector of young girls, Artemis leads a group of young girls who rejected love and in return will stay young forever. 

Athena 

Athena serves as the goddess of wisdom and war strategy. She is the patron of the Greek city of Athens and the Parthenon is a temple dedicated to Athena. Her symbols are the owl for wisdom and the olive tree. There is speculation about who Athena’s mother is, but her father is Zeus. 

Demeter 

Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and oversees the seasons. She also serves as the goddess of sacred law and the cycle of life and death. Demeter is the daughter of Cronos and Rhea, who were both Titans. Zeus fathered Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, who eventually was abducted by Hades and became his queen of the Underworld. 

Hera 

Hera is the queen of the gods as Zeus’s wife. She is the goddess of marriage and birth. Thus, her husband’s various lovers caused her to be vengeful towards her husband’s flings and offspring. 

The gods and goddesses shared are not the only gods and goddesses, but the remainder of them tend to be minor Greek deities. These Greek figures come up the most in Greek myths and are the parents of several of the most notable heroes. 

Greek Mythology contains many heroes and themes, yet it also contains many Greek gods and goddesses. These gods and goddesses lived on Mount Olympus, which is the highest mountain in Greece. It is difficult to truly understand Greek mythology without having a background in the names and characteristics of the deities. 

Most Greek gods and goddesses have commonalities with human beings. These commonalities include them being portrayed as men and women, powers that could be used on other deities or humans, and a desire for vengeance or pleasure. 

This post will give an explanation of some of the major Greek gods, while information about the major Greek goddesses will be shared next week. 

Zeus 

Zeus is the king of the gods after overthrowing his father, Kronos, who was the king of the Titans. He fathered many children that are gods, goddesses, or half-bloods. As the god of the weather, the lightning bolt is his symbol and a means for him to influence others. Zeus is married to Hera, but he is known for being unfaithful to his wife. 

Hades 

Hades is the ruler of the underworld and god of the dead. Thus, he judges the sins of the dead during their mortal lives. He is Zeus’s brother and married to Persephone, who is tthe daughter of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. 

Poseidon 

Poseidon is the god of the sea, horses, and earthquakes. Among his children are the horse Pegasus, the cyclops Polyphemus, and several demigods. 

Apollo

Apollo acts as the god of distance since he is known for riding the chariot of the sun and working through the Oracle at Delphi. This oracle would guide heroes throughout their adventures by giving them a message. He is also the twin brother of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. 

Ares

Ares serves as the god of bloodlust and war. This god is known for having a temper and his attachment to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. 

Dionysus 

The god of wine and merriment was the son of Zeus. His symbol is the bull because of his associations with the sacred animal. 

Hephaestus 

Hephaestus is the god of fire and the forge. He is associated with craftsmen such as sculptors, carpenters, and metalworkers. His mother Hera threw Hephaestus off Mount Olympus at birth, so he is crippled. Additionally, he is the husband of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. 

Hermes

Hermes is the messenger god and oversees many spheres of the human world. He is associated with music, luck, fertility, and deception. Hermes also looks over heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. 

Greek gods and goddesses have captured the imagination of many people and endured through Greek Mythology or adaptations. They represent the way that Greek culture thought about the world countless years ago.

Most books, movies, tv shows, etc. all have clear protagonists and antagonists. For example, most children can identify that the Big Bad Wolf is a villain in Little Red Riding Hood and Maleficent is the villain in Sleeping Beauty. However, these one-sided stories do not leave room for understanding all perspectives. Oftentimes, media tells us who the villain is and as consumers, we follow those directions. 

Revisionist media is becoming popular, though, that reimagines villains and humanizes them with backstories. The TV show “Once Upon a Time” is an example of reimagining common Disney villains. Movies like Maleficent or Cruella give backstory about these villains. Even musicals like Wicked provide the causation behind the villains in beloved classics. 

These retellings of known stories highlight that all people have their own stories and perspectives that may be lost depending on how the story is told. There is a common phrase that you don’t truly know someone until you “walk a mile in their shoes.” These revisionist stories give viewers an opportunity to see the villain’s side of the story. 

This strategy can be employed in mythology, pop culture, history, and other contexts. It reminds me of the TED talk “The Danger of the Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This TED talk explains that misconceptions and misunderstandings happen when an individual only gets one side of the story. Adichie asserts, “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”

This TED talk captures the idea that popular stories oftentimes present only one perspective on who the villain and who the hero is. While this is not inherently bad and it makes for good stories, it can be damaging to consider only one point of view. There are two sides to every story and we encourage you to investigate as many different perspectives as possible. This is one of the fascinating parts of literature since each choice by the author, including a person (villain or hero), has a purpose and reason for their actions.

Last week our blog post discussed the attributes of heroes and how those traits change in different cultures depending on that culture’s beliefs. 

One thing that connects many hero stories across time and genres in our present day is the arc of the Hero’s Journey. The monomyth of the Hero’s Journey was developed by Joseph Campbell, who was an American writer and professor, and it outlines twelve stages that most heroes go through in their journey. 

Throughout this post, we’ll give definitions of the stages of the Hero’s Journey and use Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to illustrate these stages in a movie. You will likely find that many different movies follow similar arcs with some variation.

Part 1 Call to Adventure 

Stage 1: The Ordinary World 

In this stage, the hero is born and there are oftentimes supernatural circumstances or a notable ancestor of the child. Harry Potter begins with life with the Dursleys, Harry’s caretakers, where Harry appears to be an outcast as he lives in a closet under the stairs, speaks to snakes, and many strange things happen around him. 

Stage 2: Call to Adventure 

At first, the hero accepts or reluctantly accepts the call to embark on their adventure. Oftentimes, this call comes from a messenger or an external event triggers the call. The invitation to go to Hogwarts is Harry’s invitation to adventure. 

Stage 3: Refusal of the Call

The hero tends to refuse the call to adventure at first out of fear, hesitation, insecurity, etc. In this case, Harry does not refuse the call of adventure. Instead, the Dursleys refuse to let Harry attend Hogwarts. 

Part 2 Supreme Ordeal/Initiation

Stage 4: Meet the Mentor/Helper 

During this phase of the Hero’s Journey, the hero receives protection and help from someone. This helper is often a supernatural helper. Harry meets his mentor shortly after the Dursleys refuse to allow Harry to attend Hogwarts. Hagrid, the groundskeeper at Hogwarts, arrives to take Harry to the school of witchcraft and wizardry. 

Stage 5: Crossing the Threshold 

The hero embarks on his journey but must overcome some sort of test or ordeal to enter into the world of adventure. Diagon Alley marks Harry crossing the threshold into the wizarding world. In Diagon Alley, there is everything that Harry could need at school including a wand, robes, and an own named Hedwig. 

Stage 6: Tests 

On his adventure, the hero must undergo a series of tests that might include monsters, magic, warriors, or other barriers. Harry experiences several tests in Harry Potter. There are flying broomsticks, trolls on Halloween, three-headed dogs, and the Mirror of Erised. 

Part 3 Unification and Transformation

Stage 7: Approach 

This stage is also called the approach to the inmost cave. It may be representative of something in the hero’s story like a dangerous place or an internal conflict. The hero tends to struggle with the approach and must face any fears or doubts before continuing on the journey. The three-headed dog, Fluffy, protects the inmost cave, so figuring out a way past the dog and the other tests represents the approach to the inmost cave. 

Stage 8: Ordeal 

The ordeal is the dangerous test or crisis that the hero must face on his adventure. It might include facing the hero’s greatest fear or could be a deadly enemy. Once Harry reaches the inmost cave, he is alone since Ron, Hermione, and the professors could not accompany him. The ordeal represents Harry facing Voldemort alone. 

Stage 9: Reward 

The hero defeated the enemy, survived death, and/or overcame a personal challenge. This transforms and earns the hero a prize that may come in the form of a special power, secret, greater knowledge, or reunion with someone important. Harry receives the Sorcerer’s Stone and banished Voldermort, which makes Hogwarts a safer place for him. 

Part 4 Road Back/Hero’s Return

Stage 10: Road Back 

This represents the hero commencing the adventure and returning home from the quest. Returning home comes with a challenge though, and the hero must choose between his own personal desires and the aims of a higher cause. Since Harry was knocked unconscious, the readers do not learn about Harry returning back from his fight with Voldermort. 

Stage 11: Atonement 

The Hero comes to terms with the events that happened during the adventure and makes peace with what was learned and gained. Harry wakes up in the hospital and he is surrounded by gifts. Dumbledore is there to explain the events to Harry. 

Stage 12: Return 

The hero returns to the ordinary world after the adventure has finished. At the end of this book (or movie), Harry returns to school and eventually returns home to the Dursleys. 

Last week our blog featured storytelling and the ways that this helps create understanding between diverse peoples. A central aspect of these stories is the heroes that are featured in them.

What do you think of when you think of a hero? I tend to think of the countless Marvel movies that were released since I was a kid, such as Iron Man, Captain America, Spiderman, the Hulk, and so many more. Yet, heroes are a reflection of culture, so mythology, beliefs, definitions of what it means to be a hero differ throughout history. 

To show how stories reflect culture, let’s look at the characteristics of Greek heroes and what our American culture seems to values in a hero. 

Greek Heroes:

• Unusual conception or birth – Oftentimes heroes have one mortal parent and one immortal parent. Zeus fathered many heroes with mortals. 
• Performs amazing feats at a young age – This allows the heroes to prove that they are destined for greatness.  
• Favored by the gods – Heroes are the offspring of gods, so they usually find favor with gods in order to bestow on them favor or gifts.  
• Travel to the Underworld – Even though heroes are mortal, they often had to travel to the Underworld on their quests to confront death. 
• Hero’s Quest – Heroes oftentimes defeated monsters, evil kings, or righted wrongs to make the world a better place. These feats earned them recognition since it was a heroes’ goal to be immortalized. 
• Suffering and Ignoble Death – Heroes in Greek Mythology have gifts from their parentage and their patron god or goddess, but they also have flaws that often result in their deaths. 

Heroes in American culture:

• Selflessness – Serving people who are in need voluntarily without the expectation of reward or external gain. 
• Bravery – Heroes are not afraid to face their fear for the common food. Heroes tend to run towards problems instead of away from them. 
• Moral integrity – A strong moral compass is important for heroes, while they may mess up their moral compass tends to help them do the right thing in the end. 
• Confidence – Heroes oftentimes are charming and able to gain the trust of others by keeping their cool in tricky situations and being able to lead well. 
• Skills and Strengths – A hero has the right training or has been given the physical ability to make them capable of helping others. These skills and strengths can come from a variety of sources, but it helps them serve the people. 

One of the biggest differences that stands out to me between Greek Mythology and our modern idea of a hero is the fact that a hero does not have to be born of a certain parent and their gifts may come later in life. In contrast, Greek heroes were born of gods or goddesses that gave them gifts from birth and these gifts were visible earn in their lives. 

Another difference is the character of the heroes. Our American culture values bravery, selflessness, and confidence, but Greek Mythology often had heroes who were most recognized for their ability to prevail in battle or in their quest. Therefore, American heroes are most recognized for doing the “right thing”, while Greek heroes were recognized for prevailing in battles. 

Reading about a culture’s mythology provides a lot of insight into their beliefs and ideas about the world. The actions and characteristics are one way that a culture’s values are reflected, but the plots and themes of the stories also allow readers to learn about others. This is one reason it’s important to read stories from different backgrounds. Gaining knowledge about others, from past or present, can help us shed light on and even push against our own stories, heroes, and values.

As an education student at Hope College, I get to join a classroom at various times throughout the week to learn about education from a practicing teacher. One of my placements teaches a Greek mythology elective, which is one of my favorite classes to observe because of how engaging it is. 

This class made me think a lot about what is more commonly taught in English classes like the ninth-grade courses I also observe in this placement. This class does not seem as clearly connected to typical literature practices since it incorporates a lot of history and religious aspects as well. Yet, this class is closer to the study of language than I gave it credit for because many texts began as oral traditions or storytelling for a culture that was passed down and eventually recorded. This is something common to different cultures and the traditions within the cultures. 

Oftentimes, we look to stories as entertainment through books, movies, podcasts, or other mediums. In the past, these stories have been a way to connect people across generations or places and also a way to preserve beliefs and cultures. Comparing stories across time or other barriers tells a lot about the different values and beliefs of those people based on what they focus on or communicate at the center of the message. 

This Greek mythology class understandably talks a lot about myths, but there are many other versions of stories that circulated in the past and made their way into print. 

Myths are stories that try to answer life’s overarching questions. They might explain how the Earth was created, what happens after death, why the seasons change, or anything that lacked a clear explanation. Each culture has its own unique explanation about how the world was created and usually, they incorporate a set of heroes or gods to show good and bad behavior. For example, the Great Flood is an example of a myth found in various cultures from Native American tribes to the Chinese, to the Christian Old Testament to the ancient Mesopotamians. 

Another area of storytelling is folktales, which are fictional stories about people or animals. These tend to incorporate morals or lessons unlike the function of myths which is to explain some phenomenon. Fairytales are examples of stories that teach moral lessons or even fables like the Tortoise and the Hare. 

The ways that we communicate and preserve our stories have changed over time with advancements in technology. Now we do more things digitally since taking pictures preserves memories and posting on social media connects people across the world.

Previously, telling stories was a common pastime and a way to build community. This change is one reason why it is important to continue to read stories with Greek mythology being one of the most common examples of this. It is a way to learn about people from the past and what they used to believe to be true. 

March is National Reading Month, which typically is used to encourage readers across the ages to read every day. Reading more sounds like a great idea in practice, but I often struggle to fit in time to sit down and read a book. 

Yet, we discuss in many of my English and education classes that reading happens all the time even when you are not consciously thinking about it. If you are feeling like you’re already falling behind during reading month, here is a little encouragement for you. 

Reading Menus- This is something I take for granted that I am able to read the menu when I go to a restaurant. If you were unable to read, this would be a difficult place to go to. There typically are no pictures on the menu. Even being able to read a menu, I often look ahead of time so I have a better idea of what I want when I get there. In my literacy in the content area class, we watched a video from Proliteracy called “Mom shares her secret after 40 years: Effects of Illiteracy” about a woman who struggled with reading and she got whatever the waiter recommended at a restaurant. 

Magazines, Comics, Newspapers- I love seeing who or what made it onto the cover of magazines in the checkout line at the grocery store. The comic strips and the opinion line are also commonly read at my home. Additionally, reading magazines in waiting areas at doctors’ offices is also popular. These types of reading pop up and are often done in short spurts, but they are still reading. 

Manuals- I always joke with my dad and two brothers that I “don’t speak car.” They are able to open a manual or read instructions and fix most things. Even using instructions to assemble various kits engages with literacy skills. Whether it is reading instructions to install a car part or assembling a kit of some sort, this type of reading comprehension impresses me. 

Traveling- Remembering the meaning behind all of the road signs worried me when I first went to take my driving test at 16. Driving and traveling from place to place requires a lot of close reading of signs that indicate the road conditions or the towns nearby. As a passenger on road trips, I would also read things like license plates or play games that involved findings signs with specific words on them.

Social Media and Games- Most people use various social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more that promote reading. This often is a mixture of pictures and captions, but scrolling through feeds requires reading captions, tags, or locations. Popular games also require reading or skills with words. A lot of college students have been doing Wordle and board games also promote reading and literacy skills. 

Chances are you are reading throughout your everyday life maybe without even consciously realizing it. Hopefully, you are finding time to read a few books this March, but no matter what reading is all around you! 

March is both Women’s History Month and National Reading Month. Women’s History Month was established by Congress in 1987 but stems from work throughout the 20th century by women to achieve suffrage and equal right. Furthermore, March became National Reading Month in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2. These two themes are both important to our community and our program since our Big Read team is primarily composed of women and we strive to encourage the community to engage with literature. 

We wanted to begin the month of March with several female authors throughout history, who have become well-known for their craft and contributions to literature. 

1. Maya Angelou is an American poet, writer, and an activist throughout the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. She is best known for her poem “Still I Rise” and her autobiographical novel “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Angelou expressed her views and experiences in her pieces, thus contributing to literature that allows readers to understand different perspectives in history. 
2. I first read a novel by Virginia Woolf in a Literature of the Western World course in the spring of 2021. The novel we read, To the Lighthouse, was different from other novels in the class because of the stream of consciousness within it. This introduced something new to literature when she wrote the book in 1927. Woolf also is remembered for her book Mrs. Dalloway and the feminist messages within the book that continued to advocate for women’s rights. 
3. Toni Morrison’s work has earned her the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Beloved, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, and was the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Morrison influenced literature by focusing on African American life and race relations. She recently passed away in 2019, but her work continues to be taught and inspire other writers. 
4. Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753 and even though she was an enslaved woman, she was educated and became the first African American and the second woman to publish a book of poetry. She wrote her poetry about a variety of subjects related to religious and moral issues. These works helped both the abolitionist movement and helped show that African Americans were equally capable of intelligent and creative pursuits. 
5. Mary Shelley is best known for her Gothic novel, Frankenstein, which was the first science-fiction novel. She wrote this book in 1818 and since then science-fiction has become a popular genre. Shelley wrote this novel during a time where women were not prominent contributors to literature, thus her contributions continued to pave the way for other female authors. 
6. Oftentimes taught in a historical context, Jane Addams is a social reformer and activist. She established a settlement house in Chicago called Hull House and her work earned her the honor of being the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. While she is a historical figure, she also published several articles and books about her experiences. One called Twenty Years at Hull-House was an autobiography about her experiences working with women in Chicago.

This list only highlights a few female authors, but we hope you recognize some of the names and research other significant female writers or poets. Many of these women wrote about their unique experiences and social or historical issues that help readers relate to perspectives in the past. These women helped fulfill one goal of literature, which is to learn from others and better empathize with the experiences of others.