The Legend Of The Five Suns

Written Task 1- Short Story

Rationale

In class, we learned how language has the power to influence the mindsets of people. For my written task 1 I have decided to demonstrate my knowledge in this area by writing a short story about how the language used in the Legend of the Five Suns from ancient Aztec mythology affected the Aztec people–specifically what they thought about their actions, how they justified them, and how they viewed their own religious beliefs.

I chose to write a short story in order to creatively interpret how an Aztec individual felt in certain situations and how her religion affected her views. Using this text type I was able to use sensory details and vivid descriptions to elaborate on the events. By writing a short story I felt that I had an enlarged audience since it is not targeted at a specific audience. In my short story, I decided to write from the view of a middle-class, Aztec woman during the fifth day of the New Fire Ceremony, the event occurring every 52 years that signaled the possible end of the world, and use that fear and uncertainty of the future to have her contemplate her life.

I wrote in her point of view in first-person to easily show the reader what the woman believes is right and how the language of religious beliefs such as the Legend of the Five Suns are used to soothe herself or judge her people’s actions.

Although the beliefs of the Aztecs by today’s standards are considered as barbaric, the views of this character will show why the Aztecs thought their actions were