Explains why people still read ancient myths.

explains why modern authors allude to them in their writing.

discusses how to compare and contrast a theme or character type from a myth or traditional story with current literature. what would you look for?

expresses one question you have about the use of allusions in modern myths.

Explain why people still read ancient myths.

There are two main reasons why people still read ancient myths. The first one is the fact that ancient myths allow us to learn a lot about other ancient civilizations. Ancient myths generally reflect their way of thinking, culture and traditional knowledge. The second reason is that myths ask questions that are still relevant today.

Explain why modern authors allude to them in their writing.

Modern authors allude to them because the topics they touch on are still of interest in our modern times. They also allude to them because they tend to be well-known, and therefore, the audience is more likely to be able to connect with the theme.

Discuss how to compare and contrast a theme or character type from a myth or traditional story with current literature. What would you look for?

You should look for similarities in the topics that the two stories address, and in the characteristics of the characters. For example, some topics are well-known and discussed in almost all civilizations. These include the importance of family, unrequited love, honour and duty and concerns about the afterlife.

Express one question you have about the use of allusions in modern myths.

One question I would have about the use of allusions in modern myths would be the question of how an author decides what allusion to employ in order to make the connection more relevant for the audience.

1. read the following excerpt from franklin d. roosevelt's "fireside chat 19":

on the other side of the picture, we must learn also to know that guerilla warfare against the germans in, let us say serbia or norway, us; that a successful russian offensive against the germans us; and that british successes on land or sea in any part of the world strengthen our hands.

remember always that germany and italy, regardless of any formal declaration of war, consider themselves at war with the united states at this moment just as much as they consider themselves at war with britain or russia. and germany puts all the other republics of the americas into the same category of enemies. the people of our sister republics of this hemisphere can be honored by that fact.  

the true goal we seek is far above and beyond the ugly field of battle. when we resort to force, as now we must, we are determined that this force shall be directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. we americans are not destroyers — we are builders.

analyze the effectiveness of this excerpt. how does it function within the speech as a whole? how does the structure of the excerpt to convey the speech's purpose and key points? support your argument with evidence from the speech. (10 points)