The second part of the Popol Vuh gets even more elaborate, and at times more violent, than the first part of it was. The different stories are full of details that describe many of the elements that are happening in the story so it is not hard to imagine the characters and the settings. There were several times where the stories take a violent turn, like when Hunahpu’s head was cut off and then used as a ball for the ballgame, or when the twins are burned alive. But it never gets gory. The violence is stated as part of the story, but not graphically, and then the narrative simply moves on. In other words the violence has a purpose which was usually to be part of the story telling but is not necessary in graphic detail.

I also noticed how there was a lot of explanations for why the natural world is the way it is woven into the narrative. It seems that the stories of the Popol Vuh have many purposes. They are histories, cultural lessons, social values, and explanations for why the natural world exists that way it does. To say that they are simply fun entertaining stories were be a gross simplification of them that dismisses their cultural significance. Even if you were to look at the Popol Vuh from a non-believing outsider’s perspective I think it should be plain to see that these are not only stories but teachings of many lessons. They provide another way to see and understand the world.

There was also a big focus on names that I noticed. Everyone is often referred to by name, even when it is not necessary. Names are very important, even holding power. Often people do not think much about names but they are more than just labels. They are identity, the verbal representation of people, places, and things. If something or someone does not have a name they do not have a full identity. A name sums up all the different parts in one word. I wonder if this is why names are so often repeated in the Popol Vuh as a way to identify and in some ways to make the characters real.  By speaking names those who are named are kept alive. If words are no longer used they get forgotten and if those words are names then a lot is lost.