Susan, Good job and a very practical application of our work together. I’ve added notes, sometimes
corrective, but often just dialogic, in red. Thanks for your wonderful insights and understanding! Good
luck and have a nice holiday. MJ and CV-- A
From Myth Motifs to Contemporary Texts
Susan Swords Steffen
December 16, 2001
Myths and stories told with mythic motifs express fundamental truths about what it is to be human
and to live in the world. Good! These mythical stories are teaching tales that not only entertain but also
introduce children and adolescents to important truths that they must encounter on the path to intellectual,
emotional, spiritual, and moral maturity Truths that are saturated with the worldview of the
culture, and thus integrate children into the culture. Jane Yolen argues that in addition to
providing children with a “landscape of illusion”, and understanding of culture, and a framework for
therapy, myths and their motifs can be the key to understanding the “abstract truths of human existence.”
“Abstract” needs explanation. (Yolen, 18) According to Bruno Bettelheim, all folk tales [myths]
teach the same thing: one must leave home to find one’s kingdom, that kingdom cannot be found at once;
tests and trials must be undergone on the journey; helpers are needed along the journey; and these helpers
will require something in return. (DeVos, 16). Good!
As we have learned through our study of Cupid and Psyche, these same mythic motifs appear not
only in traditional literature, but also in contemporary children’s texts so that readers can also experience
these “true” stories through a variety of types of literature. Good! By reading contemporary texts
against mythic motifs from traditional tales, the lessons of the myths are reinforced Unclear. What are
the “lessons”? Haven’t we seen that myths [or truths] can be used to teach contradictory
lessons? and readers’ understandings of the contemporary texts are enhanced. Yes! I hope so.
Cupid and Psyche along with their other mythic brothers and sisters are in fact everywhere if we only
know how to look for them. Excellent!
To make effective use of mythic motifs, teachers must be familiar with the fundamental mythic
elements that appear in myths and folk tales. OK. I’d say a basic vocabulary and grammar of
myth relative to the culture being studied—though indeed many disparate cultures draw
upon the same myths. And, they should also have experience in identifying and analyzing these
elements in the contemporary children’s texts that are typically found in the elementary and secondary
curriculum. Unfortunately, pre-service teachers frequently have little experience with myths and folktales
and are so unfamiliar with mythic motifs that they cannot recognize them in traditional texts let alone
apply them to contemporary texts. Reading and closely analyzing a particular myth like Cupid and
Psyche, examining specific motifs as they function in other traditional tales, and exploring the use of
these in contemporary children’s texts can provide an introduction to this approach that will not only
teach them the concept of mythic motifs but will also prepare them to use this approach in their own
classrooms. Good!!
The following bibliography proposes a set of traditional and contemporary children’s texts to be
used in introducing, analyzing and practicing the application of mythic motifs with pre-service teachers
enrolled in a college level children’s literature course. Experience with these texts will provide students
with an introduction to traditional literature, an introduction to a theoretical approach to the analysis of
texts, and a bridge between traditional literature and contemporary fiction written for children.
Works Consulted
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. New York:
Vintage, 1976.
De Vos, Gail and Anna E. Altmann. New Tales for Old: Folktales as literary Fictions for Young Adults.
Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 1999.
Yolen, Jane. “How Basic Is Shazam?” In Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie, and Folklore in the Literature of
Childhood. Little Rock, Arkansas: August House Publishers, 2000.
This bibliography represents a selection of texts to be used to explore three of the mythic motifs
used in the myth Apuleius story of Cupid and Psyche: the monster husband, the violated taboo, and
the impossible tasks. Each section includes picture book versions of traditional tales, which use the motif
and a selection of contemporary children’s texts, which can be profitably ugh! Think, disinterested
love of learning! read against an understanding of the motif. Each section is necessarily selective, and
most texts could be placed in any of three sections. I have tried to select texts where the particular motif
is obvious, but is also used to reflect contemporary interests and values as we have discussed in this
course. Very Good!
Just a note: it was much easier to find useful examples of monster husbands and impossible tasks in
children’s literature than of violated taboos. There were also many fewer children’s version of violated
taboo folktales and fairytales. This seems to be reflective of the values of independence and intellectual
curiosity that are prevalent in children’s literature today. We do not want to punish our children for much
of anything, especially if they are gaining self knowledge and self esteem along the way, and we certainly
do not want to punish them for being curious and independent. [And we like to think of ourselves
as liberal-minded and tolerant, which wouldn’t be easy to reconcile with a literature that
revealed its coercive rhetoric too openly?]
I. The Basic Myth of Cupid and Psyche
Craft, M. Charlotte Cupid and Psyche. William Morrow and Company: 1996.
Orgel, Doris. Princess and the God. Orchard Books, 1996
II. Monster Husband
Traditional Tales
Beauty and the Beast. Retold by Marianne Mayer. Seastar, 2000.
Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale. Retold by Laurence Yep. HarperCollins,1999.
Beauty and the Beast. Retold by Jan Brett. Clarion Books, 1989.
Beauty and the Beast. Retold by Nancy Willard.
A Frog Prince. Retold by Alix Berenzy. Henry Holt, 1991,
Hearne, Betsy, ed. Beauties and Beasts. Oryx, 1993.
Contemporary Texts to Read Against the Motif of the Monster Husband
Avi. Tom, Babette and Simon: Three Tales of Transformation. Macmillan, 1995.
Three stories about characters who experience both outward and inward transformations.
Block, Francesca Lia. The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold. Harper Collins, 2000.
Rewritten fairytales including Beauty and the Beast and Bluebeard focus on all that is dark, ironic,
and weird in American adolescent life at the beginning of the 21st century.
McKinley, Robin. Beauty: A Retelling. Scott Forseman, 1985.
A contemporary retelling of the classic story which emphasizes Beauty’s intelligence, love of
learning and equestrian skill.
McKinley, Robin. Stone Fey. Harcourt, 1998.
Maddy, a young girl whose job is to mind sheep in the mountains of Damar, is seduced by a fey
she encounters while searching for a lost sheep.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Beast. Dutton, 2000.
An interesting retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story from the point of view of the Beast, who
in this story is a Persian prince enchanted by a fairy.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Jimmy the Pickpocket of the Pond. Dutton, 1995.
This sequel to Prince of the Pond tells the story of one of the frog children who is turned into a
boy in yet another take on beast transformation.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Prince of the Pond: Otherwise Known as the Fawg Pin. Dutton, 1992.
The prince who is transformed into a frog in this version of the story adjusts to his new life in the
pond, marries, starts a family, and lives happily ever after.
Paterson, Katherine. The King’s Equal. Harper Trophy, 1999.
Prince Raphael, who behaves like a beast most of the time, must learn to be the equal of the
beautiful and intelligent princess he needs to marry to be able to ascend the throne.
Scieska, Jon. Frog Prince, Continued. Puffin, 1994.
A parody of the traditional story that comments on the ironies of happily ever after in real
relationships.
Steig, William. Shrek! Sunburst, 1993.
Shrek, the ugliest ogre, sets out on a journey to win the hand of a princess even uglier than him.
Watts, Leslie Elizabeth. Princess Stinky-Toes and the Brave Frog Robert. HarperCollins, 1997.
This parody of the frog prince includes all the classic fairytale motifs but gives a contemporary
and humorous twist to each one.
Willey, Margaret. Clever Beatrice. Atheneum, 2001.
A poor young girl who must save her family from starving, Beatrice goes off to live with the local
giant and gambles with him to win a bag of gold for her mother.
III. Violated Taboo
Traditional Tales
Daughter of Earth: A Roman Myth. Retold by Gerald McDermott. Delacorte Press, 1984.
Pandora’s Box. Retold by Lisl Weill. Atheneum, 1986.
Persephone: Bringer of Spring. Retold by Sarah Tomaino. Thomas Crowell, 1971.
Pomegranate Seeds: A Classic Greek Myth . Retold by Laura Geringer. Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
Talking Eggs. Retold by Robert San Souci. Dutton, 1989.
Contemporary Texts to Read Against the Motif of the Violated Taboo
Babbit, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. Sunburst, 1988.
Winnie happens upon the fountain of youth which is protected by the Tuck Family, She struggles
throughout the book with whether or not to drink from the fountain and accept the gift of eternal
life.
Barron, T.A. Seven Songs of Merlin. Ace Books, 2000.
Merlin misuses his magical powers, which he is supposed to employ to heal the lands of Fincayra,
to bring his mother to the island. She is immediately cursed with a death shadow, and Merlin
must journey to the Underworld to save her.
Lester, Julius. When the Beginning Began: Stories about God, the Creatures and Us. Harcourt Brace,
1997.
Lester’s retelling of the Genesis stories based his own readings of the Hebrew tests. Of particular
interest is his interpretation of the violation of the taboo of eating the apple as a failure to take
responsibility.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic, 1998.
While most motifs from most myths appear somewhere in the Harry Potter series, the motif of the
violated taboo can be found in the first book in several places. Harry and company violate
Hogwarts’ rules by being out of bed and then must serve detention in the Forbidden Forest. Also,
the use of the Sorcerer’s Stone to brew the elixir of eternal life is a taboo with major consequences
for all.
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. Harper, 1968.
Max’s bad behavior sends him to his room, which in turn takes him off to the land of the wild
things where he learns to be civilized (if only be getting his wiggles out).
IV. Impossible Tasks
Traditional Tales
Rumplestiltskin. Retold by Paul Zelinsky. Dutton Books, 1986.
Molly Whupple. Retold by Walter de La Mare. Farrar Strauss and Giroux, 1983.
One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes. Retold by Eric Kimmel. Holiday House, 1990.
Contemporary Texts to Read Against the Motif of the Violated Taboo
Alexander, Lloyd. The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen. Yearling Books, 1993.
Prince Jen journeys to a neighboring kingdom to learn the secrets of governing. He and his
faithful servant start out bearing six gifts but lose them all in a series of adventures along the way.
Barron, T.A. Ancient One. Tor Books, 1994.
Kate travels back five hundred years to search for a stolen power crystal in order to save an
ancient redwood tree from evil loggers.
Barron, T.A. Lost Years of Merlin. Berklely, 1999.
To learn who he is, the young boy Emrys must find all the lost treasures on the island of Fincarya.
Jacques, Brian. Pearls of Lutra. Putnam, 1997.
The inhabitants of Redwall, led by Tansy the hedgehog are on a mission to solve six very difficult
riddles so that six stolen rose colored pearls of unrivaled beauty can be retrieved. Allof the
Redwall novels include series of impossible tasks that the inhabitants of Redwall must complete to
hold the forces of evil at bay.
L’Engle, Madeleine. Wrinkle in Time. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1990.
Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin must journey through the universe behind the shadow of an evil
power to find Meg and Charles’ missing father, Mr. Murry. In fact, almost all the Cupid and
Psyche motifs appear in this book and would make an interesting analysis for future students in
this course.
Levine, Gail. Two Princesses of Bamarre. Harpercollins, 2001.
Addie, the younger and less accomplished princess, must journey to find the cure for the Grey
Death and save the life of her older sister.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Spinners. Dutton, 1999.
A retelling of the story of Rumplestiltskin from the point of view of Rumplestiltskin.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Scholastic, 2000.
As usual, Harry and company are faced with a series of impossible tasks, this time in competition
for the Goblet of Fire. Any of the Harry Potter books can be examined through the motif of
impossible tasks, and once the series is completed this will probably make an interesting way to
read the entire work.
Steig, William. Brave Irene. Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1986.
“Plucky” Irene overcomes many obstacles to get a new ball gown in the palace on time during a
blizzard.
Vande Velde, Vivian. Rumpeltiltskin Problem. Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
Retells the Rumpelstiltskin story six different ways by slightly changing a different motif in each
version.