Monday, February 6, 2017
Stories in Winter
The myths presented in the Left Hand of Darkness pertain to the cultures in Gethen. A common feature I found in Gethen myths were people in kemmer. Most stories involved an initial tragedy between a couple and subjects of suicide and murder were present. The legends told to us were used to explain the beliefs and customs held by gethenians those in particular in karhide. Suicide was considered to be a capital crime that would shame a family for future generations yet incest isn't regarded as taboo as we would in our culture. Though there is a sense of difference in belief they way they were presented is very similar to the way we express our culture, through stories and parables.
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Hey Mark! I understand what you are saying in the way that you are trying to connect the Gethenian ways to our ways and I agree with you because both worlds have folktales and myths to teach us life lessons. I mean, remember the folktales we were raised with from the novel Aesop's Fables? The myths always taught us a lesson as it did for the Gethenians. For example, there were the suicidal stories, the incest, the " be careful what you ask for" myths, which all are significant in their culture because they provide a moral at the end of the story. So, by telling the myths, the Gethenians learned from the tales as we do in our society as well.
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