The Pied Piper as an example of the
sociological function of myth:
Storyboard
Robert Sweeney
EDCI 56600
Context
•
This video is an instructional support for use in the Historical Archetypes and Mythology (HAM)
course taken by Video Game Production and Computer Animation students at the Los Angeles Film
School.
•
The HAM course’s main purpose is to educate students in the symbolic and archetypal elements in
stories that give them their emotional power. Myths are the focus of the course, and the theories of
Joseph Campbell are used as the theoretical grounding of the course.
•
Students are typically ages 18-24 and enrolled in a career-oriented, community-college level
program.
•
The four functions of myth are covered in the classroom lecture, but students often have a hard
time understanding some of the functions, and distinguishing them from each other while they are
completing written homework assignments. A separate video explaining each function, available
online in the LMS, is intended to help students who are struggling.
•
Consistent with the multimedia principles discussed in EDCI 56600, the presentation is simple, with
an avoidance of extraneous visual or audio input so as to not distract the learner. At most, only two
of the three stimuli (text/voice/image) are used at any one time.
•
A background musical piece is used during the storytelling section to distinguish it from the more
lecture-ish portions, and to lend a sense of whimsy. The goal is to create a clear demarcation
between the lecture and the story, to help the student in changing their mental mode when
receiving the story.
General Instructions
• Presentation will be voiceover while
proceeding through slides
• All text will be Calibri 30pt or 48 pt, black
• Background color is light blue for the content
slides, and light orange/tan for the Pied Piper
story slides.
• Slide transitions will be “uncover,” which
alludes to pages in a book (a reference flipping
through a picture book)
Scene 1
• Title slide with title of video, credits, and
voiceover reading the text.
Voiceover script for next slide
As described by Joseph Campbell, there are four
primary functions of myths: The mystical
function, the cosmological function, the
sociological function, and the psychological
function. This video will demonstrate the
sociological function of myths.
The Four Functions of Myth
• Mystical
• Cosmological
• Sociological
• Psychological
Scene 2
Voiceover script for next slide
According to Joseph Campbell, The sociological function
of a myth is to “validate and maintain a certain
sociological system: a shared set of rights and wrongs,
proprieties or improprieties, on which your particular
social unit depends for its existence.”
In other words, myths can tell or remind a listener how
they are expected to behave within the society that
shares the myth.
One possible sociological function is teaching listeners
that they need to demonstrate gratitude. We will look in
detail at the Pied Piper story, which teaches the
importance of gratitude.
The Four Functions of Myth
• Mystical
• Cosmological
• Sociological
• Psychological
Scene 3
Voiceover script for next slide
“The Pied Piper of Hamelin”
A folktale myth demonstrating the importance
of appropriate gratitude.
Narrated by the voice of the Piper himself.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
As told by the Piper
himself
Scene 6
Notes for Piper story slides
• During the Piper story, soft music in the
background, ideally a minimalist instrumental,
• The text on the story slides will be voicedover, not shown on the slides themselves. Just
the images will be shown. A full transcript will
be provided as a separate resource for
learners.
Scene 7
A town named Hamelin
was having a terrible
problem. The residents
discovered that their
food stores were being
invaded by vermin.
Scene 9
Rats were in homes, in
stores, in the church,
all over the town
square. All attempts at
reducing the rat
population had failed.
Scene 10
Citizens of Hamelin
gathered one Friday to
demand from the Mayor
that something was done
to address the rat
problem before the
residents were forced to
move away.
The story of Hamelin’s
woes spread widely, and
this is when I first heard
of the town.
I appeared before the city
council. I told them of how I
had rid other towns of
pestilences of toads, ant
infestations, and mobs of
crows.
Scene 11
Scene 12
The Mayor spoke for the council. He doubted my
ability to solve their crisis, but given the fact that
they had no other option, he hired me.
Scene 13
I assured the Mayor that I would indeed remove
their infestation. In return for my services, I would
receive 1000 gold coins as my payment.
The Mayor and I shook hands on the deal and I
left the town hall.
The next morning,
children in the town
began to scream as the
rats from their homes
ran out of their hiding
places.
From every storefront
and yard, rats stormed
out and scurried toward
the town square.
Scene 14
I had lifted my magical
flute to my lips, and begun
playing a tune that only
the rats could hear.
Every rat ran toward me
trying to find the source of
the music.
I strode out of town, with
a parade of rats at my
heels.
Scene 15
Once I reached the river
outside Hamelin, I boarded a
rowboat and pushed off from
the dock.
As I was still playing the flute,
the rats were compelled to
follow me. Even as strong
swimmers, the rats quickly
grew tired and sank into the
cold water.
Once the last rat had drowned,
I put down the flute and rowed
toward shore.
Scene 16
I returned triumphantly to
the town hall where there
was joyous celebration.
I approached the mayor and
requested my payment.
Scene 17
“One thousand gold coins is
a steep price,” said the
mayor.”
“I held my part of the
bargain,” I countered, “You
must be a man of your word
and pay me for what I have
done for you and your
town.”
Scene 18
“Or what?” replied the mayor, “The rats are drowned; they
cannot return. Even your magnificent flute cannot bring rats
back from the dead.” He laughed and returned to his council.
In the end, he would not relent and I left Hamelin emptyhanded.
The next day I returned to
Hamelin, and began playing
my flute again. This was a
different tune I was playing.
The children nearby pricked
their ears at the sound.
Scene 19
Throughout Hamelin,
children wondered at
the amazing music,
which their parents
could apparently not
even hear.
Scene 20
Scene 22
In little time, there was a stampede of children
entering the town square, every child over four
years and younger than sixteen.
Scene 24
At the head of the
parade I walked out
through the gates of the
town.
The city council stood
outside the town hall,
wondering at my magic.
But they were not worried.
“The foolish piper,” said the
mayor to the others, “does
not know that we have
blocked the road to the
river. If he plans to drown
our children as he did the
rats, he will find his plans
foiled!”
Scene 25
A short while later, one boy hobbled
back through the gate, balancing on
crutches.
“Where are the other children?” he
was asked. He did not know. He had
been too slow to keep up with the
crowd, and from a distance could
only see his friends disappear into
the hillside. It was as if a cave
opened up and swallowed them
whole, he said.
Weeks of searching produced no
results. I and 130 of their children
had vanished forever.
Scene 26
The grief that consumed
Hamelin knew no end.
The town paid in sorrow
that which they would
not pay in gratitude.
Scene 27
Voiceover script for next slide
As you read or remember other myths, fairy
tales, and folklore, try to find the sociological
function of the story. Sometimes it’s as simple as
the moral of an Aesop’s fable, but other times it
can be less obvious.
Thanks for listening!
Scene 29
Credits
• Includes list of sources of images and
references of relevant Campbell works
Scene 30