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 ?
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“So here are our choices: a world in which creation is a solitary, individual act or a world in which creation is a shared activity; a world marked by competition or a world marked by co-operation” – Thomas King
When comparing the ethos in the Earth Diver creation story that King tells us to the ethos in the Story of Adam and Eve, I do notice some prominent similarities and differences. I think one of the first major differences I noticed between the two creation stories is that in the Earth Diver story there is an emphasis on the collective; a united effort in creating the world. There is a sort of shared humanity, and a shared sense of helping one another to achieve something that is greater than them. In the Story of Adam and Eve, however, a collective effort does not seem to be put forth. While all of the animals and Charm treat each other as equals, the reader immediately becomes aware of the fact that God is the controlling entity; God is the sole creator.
While the Earth Diver story focuses on the positives of creation and working together, the Story of Adam of Eve seems to root itself in teaching individuals how not to act; it serves as more of parable than an idealized, upbeat story of how the world came about. There isn’t a cheerful or hopeful vibe throughout this story, and it is rather somber in comparison. Of course, at its core it aims to get across the same message as the Earth Diver story, but it isn’t conveyed in a way that celebrates commonality or balance. In my opinion, the Story of Adam and Eve acts as more of a parable than the Earth Diver story because Adam and Eve are made examples of; they are reprimanded for their failure to listen to authority and their betrayal of God.
Moreover, the progression of these two stories is also a distinguishing factor in my opinion; we see the Earth Diver story progress from disorder to harmony, while the Story of Adam and Eve progresses from harmony to disorder. Another interesting difference I came across is the varying degree of credit the animals in the Aboriginal story are given in comparison to Adam and Eve in the Christian story. It seems as though the animals are given credit for their knowledge and capabilities – i.e. the Ducks with great eye sight and the beavers that exceled in physics and math – whereas Adam and Eve were warned against acquiring knowledge from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Of course this point is merely a suggestion, however I think it’s quite fascinating to point out the difference in the degree of agency that these characters are given, and within what parameters they are allowed to exercise it.
Having gone to a Catholic elementary and high school for all 12 years of education prior to university, my religion has played quite a prominent role in my upbringing. I think that my religion conditions me to believe that Eve had to take the apple and betray God’s trust in order to establish good and evil in the world. While a perfect story of how our world came to be is preferred and arguably more pleasing to hear, I do think that learning about the first sin is quite imperative as well. Perhaps it is because of my Catholic upbringing, or perhaps it is because I am a realist, but I do think that in comparison to the Earth Diver creation story, the Story of Adam and Eve shines more light on the consequences of one’s actions and the inevitable emergence of dualities – of good and evil, compassion and malignance, right and wrong.
In comparison, I think that the most significant similarity between these creation stories is how they both end with some sort of resolution. While the Earth Diver story ends on a more happily ever after kind of note, and the Story of Adam an Eve ends on a less lighthearted note, we aren’t left wondering how either story ends — we aren’t left on some anxiety-inducing cliffhanger; loose ends are tied and both stories are brought to a close. I also think the way in which King positions them against each other is brilliant. I initially failed to notice how, when positioning them side by side, there is a lot that can be learned from both of them. Respectively, they tell the story of creation in both diverse and similar ways.
Works Cited
Busby, Brian John. “Thomas King.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada, 4 July 2008. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
Kennedy, Paul. “The 2003 CBC Massey Lectures, “The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative.” Cbc. CBC, 7 November 2003. Web. 20 March 2016.
King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. Peterbough: Anansi Press. 2003. Print.
Hi Neia,
It was interesting reading your blog post as I chose the same topic. I agree with all of your points! While reading King’s analysis of the two creation stories, I began to realize the differences between the two versions. I liked how you came to the conclusion of how in Adam and Eve’s version it was focused on what we should not do as humans, like not to eat the fruit of knowledge. While in Charm’s version, they seem to be rewarded for their curiosity and knowledge that they acquired. This contrast is very big, and I think it is like this because Adam and Eve is a biblical story. It was written with the intention to guide you and teach you while the story of Charm seems more fictional and has a plot line of what you would usually see in a novel. I really liked how you pointed this difference out, as I have come to realize this may be the most important contrast between the two stories; the intention of it.
Like you, I was also brought up in a school that centred around a religion, but in my case it is christianity. While reading the comparisons between the two stories, I couldn’t help but read the story of Charm only as a storybook. To me, it was like a bedtime story or a story I would tell kids to enlighten them. It was interesting to see how Charm develop throughout the story and how the world became more and more knowledgable. However, since I knew the story of Adam and Eve since birth, like you I thought it was more realistic and it reflects more on people’s moral about right and wrong.
Thank you for the interesting read! I really enjoyed it
Althea
Hi Althea!
Yes! I definitely do think that our religious affiliations seem to have impacted the way we understood each of the stories. In a sense it seems as though we are kind of biased in our interpretations then; like you, I automatically had a preconceived notion of how I would feel about Charm’s story as opposed to the Story of Adam and Eve. The fact that we have been better acquainted and familiarized with one over the other, and the fact that our degree of familiarity with the Story of Adam and Eve has been so consistent (i.e. religious studies, being told about it from the Bible, analyzing it in school), it’s hard not to view it as more realistic! While it by no means takes away from how beautiful, creative, and refreshing the story of Charm is, it is really interesting to consider how we are conditioned by our differing circumstances (identifying as Catholic and Christian).
Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
– Neia