English 11th

English 11th

Reading 1 "The World on the Turtle's back"

Creation Myth

• Is a traditional folk story with supernatural elements that describes how the Universe, Earth, and life began, or explains the workings of the natural world. 

• "The world on the turtle's back"is an Iroquois creation myth filled with conflict and compelling characters. 

• In 1828, Iroquois author David Cusick was the first to write the story down. 

• The term Iroquois refers to Native American groups that share a culture. 

• It is passed down from generation to generation. These stories remind people of who and what they are, why they are in a particular place, and how they should continue to live here. 

In the first four paragraphs, mark words and phrases that indicate that this is a creation myth.

• In the beginning there was no world, no land, no creatures...

• Far above this unpeopled world, there was a Sky-World...

• Here lived gods...

• In the middle of the Sky-World there grew a Great-Tree...

• empty space underneath the world

Explain whether the man and his wife are archetypal characters. Cite the text. 

• Archetypes are characters, situations, or actions that represent universal examples of human nature. Common archetypal characters include hero, villain, mentor, innocent, and everyman/everywoman. 

Multiple Choice

INFER: How are animals depicted in this myth?

• Dumb and useless

• There are no animals in the selection

• Wise and resourceful

Multiple Choice

How does the turtle help the woman who fell from the sky?

• He brings soil from the ocean floor

• He carries the woman on his back.

• He breaks the woman's fall

What do these passages suggest about the Iroquois' attitude toward animals? 

They suggest that the Iroquois had a respectful, even reverential attitude toward animals. 

Multiple Choice

Which animal risked it all to help the woman?

• Muskrat

• Birds

• Turtle

Muskrat

Open Ended

Write one word that describes the twin's relationship.

What do the twins represent?

• Right-handed twin: is characterized as admirable, truthful and direct. 

• The left-handed twin is untruthful and devious. 

• The characterization suggests the Iroquois valued honesty and straightforwardness. 

Multiple Choice

What happened when the twin's mother was buried?

• The plants that people still use grew

• A sacred tree grew from her head

• She became the light in the sky

Multiple Choice

What happened to the left-handed twin?

• He became the Master of Life

• He becomes ruler of the underworld

• He kills his brother and mother

Multiple Choice

What happened to the left-handed twin and the grandmother?

• They were separated

• They were "reunited"

• They were controlled by the right-handed twin.

How does this myth explain the fact that the moon is visible mainly at night?

• It is a common element of mythology and is often used to explain natural phenomena.

• The right-handed son made the grandmother the moon when he killed her so she could still watch over her favorite grandson, which was the left-handed twin. 

Based on paragraphs 36-38, what can you infer about Iroquois customs and values?

• The Iroquois performed rituals, danced and sang in honor of both the right-handed twin and the left-handed twin. 

• The Iroquois also sometimes engaged in warfare.