ipl-logo

The World On The Turtle's Back Myths

709 Words3 Pages

Myths have existed throughout all of human history, explaining how we came to be, why we exist, and how our actions exist to teach lessons. Both myths, “The Story of Corn and Medicine” and “The World on the Turtle’s Back”, explain that humans will make good and bad choices, but these experiences will teach lessons about evil and the choices we must make to change our ways, and to expand our knowledge and advance the world.

The first lesson taught but the myths is evil and greed have inherited the earth, and will continue to if humans do not change their actions. The World on the Turtle’s Back uses the wife to explain the root of greed in the world. She “decided that she wanted some bark from one of the roots of the Great Tree” and her husband did not like the idea, “but she insisted” and “was filled with curiosity” (Iroquois). …show more content…

If the wife in The World on the Turtle’s Back had not insisted on knowing what was beneath the tree, the world would never have existed, and we would not have learned the lesson of controlling our greed inside of us. The twins, as stated, “made a balanced and orderly world” but what would have happened if they had not existed? (Iroquois ). We would not have learned the consequences of our evil actions, and we could be living in a world of greed and selfish desires. In “The Story of Corn and Medicine”, there was a domino effect of actions that taught a vital lesson. If the boys had not let the animals escape from the cave, then we would not have had to learn to establish a harmony with the animals: “In these early days, the plants, the animals, and the people all lived together as friends” (Cherokee 8). If the harmony between man and animal wasn’t present, then the further generations would not have learned to pray “for pardon for his affront” for the killing for the humans gain (Cherokee

Show More
Related
1061 Words | 5 Pages

The relationship between Taylor and Turtle demonstrates how people need the generosity and empathy of others in order to survive. In the beginning of the novel, Turtle starts out as an unhealthy and uncooperative child. “‘Sometimes in an environment of physical or emotional deprivation a child will simply stop growing…’ ‘ But she’s thriving now…’

Read More
1132 Words | 5 Pages

One of the significant proceedings that occurred in the book was when Turtle was abused, again. The climax was where readers established an understanding toward the second incident, “All these months we had spent together were gone for her. I knew it from her eyes: two cups of black coffee…” (Kingsolver 222). This part of the plot was the most outrageous part because this time Turtle was hurt but the difference was that no one knew if she will ever go back to her happy self, not to mention it effected Taylor’s behavior toward everything.

Read More
499 Words | 2 Pages

In the allegory “The Turtle,” the author John Steinbeck explains that as life gets harder people work hard to succeed, and people may try to get in the way. Although the story does talk about a turtle climbing an embankment, people can relate to this story on an emotional level because they can understand overcoming the struggles in life. The struggles in life depend on what goals people set out to achieve. In this paper, the writer will examine the allegorical meanings of the turtle.

Read More
600 Words | 3 Pages

The differences between light and dark, good and bad, are blurred in the Iroquois Creation Story. The narrator captured two different views in this story, blurring the line between what is considered right and wrong. The Iroquois Creation Story does not have just the black and white, but also the gray areas as well. It makes readers question what is really good and what is bad. The overall use of light elements gives the story a light feel, but also has a dark undertone when looked at closely.

Read More
843 Words | 4 Pages

Where do myths come from? What is their function and what do they mean? In A Short History of Myths, Karen armstrong introduces the array of approaches used to understand the study of myths. Armstrong provides various stories about myth meanings and it functions in our lives by introducing different time periods. The concept of myth is central to all cultures because it lives in our stories and every culture in human history has created its own mythologies to understand how the universe works.

Read More
232 Words | 1 Pages

The two stories of creation we 're very similar in both Christianity, and the Iroquois. They both had the same outline, but each of them added their own personal twists that made it their own. Their first similarity was the amount of children they had. They both had 2 kids, that we 're opposites. One of the differences about this was that one of the stories was how in one, the kids we 're dire opposites.

Read More
707 Words | 3 Pages

After comparing and contrasting, “The Earth on Turtle’s Back,” to Genesis 1, one can see that both of these creation stories have two distinctive tales about how the Earth was

Read More
718 Words | 3 Pages

In Genesis and “The World on the Turtle’s Back”, shared characteristics include the central tree, a fall from the heavens, and the beginnings of the earth from the primordial sea. Through these similar aspects, however, the Christian god is shown to have dominance over his creation, while the Iroquois gods are depicted to be like the natives, susceptible to weaknesses and temptations. Their reasons for the conditions of their present life differ as well, for the lives of the Iroquois depend upon the woman’s fall, while the loss of eternal life for Adam and Eve interfered with the main reason for their creation. With these interpretations of the archetypal settings, the Iroquois and the Christians perceive the same world through different eyes, giving them a basis for their unique cultures and

Read More
1106 Words | 5 Pages

The Iroquois creation story is a renowned Native American myth written by a Tuscarora historian, David Cusick. He is also the author of David Cusick’s Sketches of Ancient History of the Six Nations, which is known to be the first Indian-written history printed in the English language (Radus). The Iroquois creation myth exists in twenty-five other versions. It describes how the world was created from the Native American perspective. It begins with a sky woman who falls down into the dark world.

Read More
517 Words | 3 Pages

In the World on the Turtle´s Back the Iroquois wanted to emphasize how there was a Sky World, with people that had extravagant beliefs that explained how good and evil balanced everything in their life. This peculiar place had different gods, like Iroquois. They believed in weird thing for example they believed that a Great tree was the center of their universe. The Great Tree wasn’t a habitual tree, it was huge and had been in that place forever. In this Sky World, there was this woman that seemed to break the rules and desire things that are off limit.

Read More
1801 Words | 8 Pages

The Sky Gods vs the Iroquois The stories “The World on the Turtles Back” by the Iroquois, and The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday discuss two different creation myths. “The World on The Turtles Back” is an Iroquois legend that has been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, making it an oral tradition. A creation myth is a traditional story that involves supernatural beings or events that explain how the some aspect of human nature or the natural world came to be. These myths have comparable aspects that are specifically the roles of men, women, animals, and nature.

Read More
355 Words | 2 Pages

Native Americans have a very rich and interesting past. The story “The World on the Turtle’s Back” told by the Iroquois Indians is a story of how the world came to be and the good and evils in the world. The story “The Way to Rainy Mountain“ by Scott Momaday, is a story of about the Kiowa traditions and the way that they lived. Both of these stories show how important it is to respect the gods. “The World on the Turtle’s Back” is a myth about a man and a woman that lived in the sky world.

Read More
805 Words | 4 Pages

World on Turtle 's Back fulfill the aspects of a traditional Native American creation story. The Iroquois people still consider the story the guide for how to live and thrive in the natural world. The deep rooted connections to nature and animals that has been held by many native tribes relates back to the initial actions taken by the first woman. The twins who symbolized the balance in nature and in humans have parallels all over the world. They are the representation of the constant battle for dominance that wages in the minds of all people.

Read More
694 Words | 3 Pages

Have you ever wondered how Native Americans believe the world came to be? Both stories include the elements that make the world balanced. The stories “World on the Turtle's Back” and “The Menominee” both include the importance of nature and animals. Also, their beliefs on what makes things good and evil. Finally, they include how the gods created man, woman, and earth.

Read More
676 Words | 3 Pages

“How the World Was Made” presents few examples of these ways of life in an unusual setting. In the story, when the animals were finally able to live on the new earth, the absence of the sun left them in the dark. The animals set the sun on a track to go around the earth; this track however held the sun too close. “It was too hot this way, and… the Red Crawfish, had his shell scorched a bright red, so that his meat was spoiled; and the Cherokee do not eat it.” (“How the World”).

Read More

More about The World On The Turtle's Back Myths

Related Topics

Open Document