1. What conclusions can you draw from the many themes shared by sacred myths? 2. What evidence is there that the myths of a world flood may be based on a historic event?

3. Why is comparative mythology important to the study of myths?

4. The cultural anthropologist Dr. Jamie Tehrani traced the story of Little Red Riding Hood back to a common ancestor over 2,600 years old. Why do you think the structure stayed the same even though he found so many variations and differences in story elements?

5. Evil is often described in myths as entering the world after creation rather than being a part of it. Why do you think evil is not portrayed as an original part of creation?

Which excerpt from the war of the worldseffectively reveals how the author relates the climax of the narrative through the narrator's thoughts? the war of the worldsall this had happened with such swiftness that i had stood motionless, dumbfounded and dazzled by the flashes of light. had that death swept through a full circle, it must inevitably have slain me in my surprise. but it passed and spared me, and left the night about me suddenly dark and unfamiliar.and then, with a renewed horror, i saw a round, black object bobbing up and down on the edge of the pit. it was the head of the shopman who had fallen in, but showing as a little black object against the hot western sun.at that time it was quite clear in my own mind that the thing had come from the planet mars, but i judged it improbable that it contained any living creature. i thought the unscrewing might be automatic.my mind ran fancifully on the possibilities of its containing manuscript, on the difficulties in translation that might arise, whether we should find coins and models in it, and so forth. yet it was a little too large for assurance on this idea. i felt an impatience to see it opened.