Name __________________________________________________________
Cultural Myth Project: Due Friday, December 18, 2015
Now that we have read several excerpts from The Odyssey, it is your turn to create a myth that you believe highlights the
structure of a myth that will endure time in a culture Create a hero who embodies at three of the traits listed below.
750-1,000 words!
Task 1: Select at least three traits of the Archetypal Hero. Circle the 3 traits that you would like to incorporate into
your myth.
•
Unusual Circumstances of Birth
•
Leaves Family and Lives With Others
•
Traumatic Event Leads to Quest
•
Special Weapon
•
Supernatural Help
•
Proves self on Quest
•
Journey and Suffers a wound that cannot be healed
•
Is not recognized upon return because of disguise, deception, or change in form or manner
•
Atonement With Father
•
Loves and admires a beautiful lady
•
Prepared to fight or die at any moment
Task 2:
Create your hero’s name:
What type of ordeals does your hero encounter?
How does he or she survive? What happens when the hero returns home?
What cultural values or morals does the myth teach? (What is the moral of the story?)
Task 3: Complete graphic organizer before writing!
Use the graphic organizer as a guide for typing your myth. Challenge yourself to integrate dialogue correctly. This
assignment should be read like a narrative!
Hero’s Name
Purpose:
What is the purpose of your
myth?
Theme: What is the moral of
your story?
Character: Who is your main
character in the story? Character
explained:
- physical characteristics (at
least 3)
- strengths and weaknesses
(at least 1 strength and 1
weakness)
- emotions and feelings,
fears, motivation
Setting:
Where and when will this story
take place?
Describe what the environment
looks like.
Secondary Characters: Think
about your main character’s
friends and enemies. Some types
of secondary characters are
Villains and mentors.
Describe one villain and one
mentor.
What does the villain do in the
story?
What does the mentor do in the
story?
Conflict:
What is the character’s conflict
or problem in the story?
Event / Action #1
Event / Action #2
Event / Action #3
Event / Action #4
Climax (battle with the
antagonist)
Falling Action
(how does the hero prevail)
Resolution
Resolution: how will your story
end?
How will the character solve
his/her problem?
Cultural Myth Rubric
Category
Characteristics
of Myth
Organization
My myth shows some
originality and creativity.
I include many
unexpected situations,
unpredictable events,
and unusual characters,
which are realistically
integrated into the myth
and contribute effectively
to its overall meaning.
I include some
unexpected situations,
unpredictable events,
or unusual characters,
which are
integrated into the
myth and contribute
to its overall meaning.
My myth interprets a
contemporary hero
and the hero’s heroic act,
which reflects his/her
cultural values.
.
My myth follows at least
three traits of the
structure of the hero’s
journey correctly and
accurately.
My myth interprets a
contemporary hero
and the hero’s heroic act,
which reflects his/her
cultural values.
.
My myth follows at least
three traits of the
structure of the hero’s
journey correctly.
.
My writing is clear and
lively; the reader is
engaged throughout.
My writing is relatively
clear and interesting to
the reader.
My writing is somewhat
unclear or not interesting
to the reader.
My myth is clearly
organized in a way
that contributes to the
meaning.
My myth is organized in
a way that contributes to
the meaning.
My myth is not
organized, and the
disorganization takes
away from the meaning.
My myth contains a
well-developed
setting, and
characters are
described in detail.
I used consistent
formatting throughout
my presentation.
Conventions
Totals
Comments:
12 – Proficient
15 - Highly
Proficient
My myth shows
originality and creativity.
Author makes no errors
in capitalization,
punctuation, and
subject/verb agreement.
My myth contains a
developed setting, and
characters are described.
I used inconsistent
formatting, but this does
not interfere with the
meaning of my
presentation.
Author makes 1-2 errors
in capitalization,
punctuation, and
subject/verb agreement.
10 - Approaching
Proficiency
My myth lacks
originality and
creativity.
My myth is predictable
and/or includes
unexpected situations
that do not fit into
society.
My myth attempts to
interpret a
contemporary hero
and the hero’s heroic act,
which attempts to reflect
his/her cultural values.
.
My myth follows at least
two traits of the structure
of the hero’s journey
correctly and accurately.
My myth’s setting and
characters are not fully
developed and lack
description.
8 - Not evident
My myth shows no
originality and uses
other’s ideas.
My myth does not
interpret a contemporary
hero or the hero’s heroic
act, which reflects his
/her cultural values.
.
My myth follows at least
one trait of the
structure of the hero’s
journey correctly and
accurately.
My writing is unclear
and hard to follow.
My myth is disorganized
and incomprehensible.
My myth’s setting and
characters need to be
developed more fully.
I used inconsistent
formatting that interferes
with my presentation.
I used inconsistent
formatting that detracts
from my presentation.
Author makes 3-4 errors
in capitalization
punctuation, and
subject/verb agreement.
Author makes 5 or more
errors in capitalization,
punctuation, and
subject/verb agreement.