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The World On The Turtle's Back Analysis

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The Sky Gods vs the Iroquois
The stories “The World on the Turtles Back” by the Iroquois, and The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday discuss two different creation myths. “The World on The Turtles Back” is an Iroquois legend that has been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, making it an oral tradition. A creation myth is a traditional story that involves supernatural beings or events that explain how the some aspect of human nature or the natural world came to be. These myths have comparable aspects that are specifically the roles of men, women, animals, and nature. The men in “The World on the Turtles Back” have different roles for each character. For example, the husband plays a more submissive role in the story. Although the husband did …show more content…

The right-handed twin chose to be born the normal way, showing that he is smart and has respect for his mother. He always told the truth, and tried to “accomplish what seemed to be right and reasonable”(38). He made the weak animals of the world, and the sweet berries and fruits for them to eat. He also made man, which makes him the “Master of Life”. The right-handed twin is a symbol of the sun and daylight. When the sun rises, the people realm of the right-handed twin. Unlike the right-handed twin, the left-handed twin is stubborn, untruthful, devious, and crooked minded. Instead of being born the normal way, he chose to be born through his mother’s armpit, showing no respect for his mother. The left-handed twin always lied. He also contended with his brother, and made the dominant creatures who would feed on the right-handed twin’s creations and the poisonous plants of the world. He is a symbol of night and darkness. The boy in The Way to Rainy Mountain has similarities and differences to the men in “The world on the Turtles Back”. While the boy was at play with his seven sisters, the boy turned into a strong, aggressive, and violent bear, which symbolized the turning

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