Question 3: What are the major differences or similarities between the ethos of the creation story or stories you are familiar with and the story King tells in The Truth About Stories?
“The Earth Diver” is a native creation story about the formation of Earth as we know it. Thomas King’s version is a simple tale about a woman who fell through a hole and gave birth to a set of twins who then formed Earth with the help of some sea creatures. The Greek creation story is a little more complicated than that. The story begins with Chaos, the beginning of all things, and from Chaos came Gaia (Earth) and her siblings like Eros (love). From here, Gaia gave birth to Ouranos (the Sky), and through their relationship, created the Titans. Gaia then gave the Titans some siblings like the Cyclops and the Hecatoncheires (Hundred Armed Monsters). The eldest Titan Kronos and his wife (and sister), Rhea gave birth to the pantheon of gods and Goddess worshipped by the Ancient Greeks. The pantheon of Gods and Goddesses created humans. Long story short, the creation of Earth predated humanity and predated the gods they worshipped by a long shot.
The main difference between the two stories is that The Greek creation story is not a single story like The Earth Diver. It is a long, convoluted myth that builds the creation of humanity through different layers and different stories. The creation of humanity is often told as a whole separate myth with an entirely different set of characters. Gaia, in this case, is her own entity and modifies herself to accommodate her children as she sees fit – building mountainous ranges and deep caverns. The Greek myths are also much more violent, and while the stories have different versions for different ages, the tales are always a tad gruesome. The Earth Diver story, on the other hand, is very different from the Greeks. As noted, King presents it as a singular myth that explains all of creation, from Earth to humans, in one sitting. It is a story of harmony and community. All of the sea creatures extend a helping hand with no judgement and no insincerity. Moreover, the Greek creation myth has a pantheon of powerful gods with divine power as opposed to the community effort between nature, the earth diver, her twins, and human beings. The differences between the creation myths are more technical due to the cultural differences between the Greeks and the natives.
The similarities are more thematic and symbolic. Both creation stories involve the notion that creation began from a woman. In “The Earth Diver,” the creation of Earth as we know it comes from the birth of twins who then mould and shape the land. In the Greek myth, Chaos, a female deity, gives birth to Gaia, also female, who gives birth to the gods and moulds the Earth. In both cases, women are the primary source of creation and the beginning of life. Moreover, this is a reflection of the culture or society that created these stories. The Greek myths are violent, which suggests a likeness to the violence of Greek warriors. “The Earth Diver” focuses on creation being a communal effort in which all members must help, which is a trait noted in many native tribes – an emphasis on community and family. The creation story is a foundation of beliefs and teachings about cultural histories about each culture. Although there are some differences between the two creation stories, the essence is still the same because all creation myths serve the same purpose and thus, vitally important to society.
Works Cited:
“Greek Creation Myth,” Wikisource. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Greek_Creation_Mythhttps://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Greek_Creation_Myth.
Briggs, Roger. “As Myth Marries Science, the Origin Story Matter (Op-Ed),” Live Science. 05, Nov. 2013, https://www.livescience.com/40946-the-origin-story-matters.html.
Morris, Daniel. “Body of Water,” Unsplash. 15, Apr. 2019, https://unsplash.com/photos/gzyDLFcBypk