Study and Creation of Myths

From my experiences, creating a myth was much more difficult than actually studying it.  However, much to the same effect as my arguments in my poetry blog, the study of myths and the creation of it are, in many ways, entwined.  

Studying myths, as we had done in class for our myth unit, was engaging and very much fun!  I had always loved reading folklore and mythology as a child and as a young student, but researching more about its structure, origins, and even its relevance to our societies and histories have undoubtedly enhanced by appreciation and interest in myths.  However, when it was actually time to create my own myth, I felt assuredly lost.  Reflecting on my difficulties, I realized that it was partly my fears and insecurities in writing that gave me writer's block.  I somehow felt that because I admired myths and folklore so much, the high standards I placed upon them now seemed way above my capacities.  Another reason for why I found myth creating so hard was my stubborn belief that all the great ones have already been thought of and written.  There are a plethora of myths already in existence that have explained the whys and hows of the earth, humans, and the universe.  Fatalistically, I felt my myth would simply be unoriginal.  How WRONG I was!  In class, the Trickster myth group asked us to create our own trickster myths.  In about 20 minutes, my group collaborated on a trickster myth that although seemed completely inane, was actually very clever and unique.  That activity reinvigorated my creativity and hopes that there are still more myths yet to be told.  

Ultimately, I learned that studying myths and creating one influence each other respectively.  One cannot simply create a myth without understanding the mechanisms and characteristics of myths.  In addition, I think creating a myth is, in a way, a reflection of our comprehension of mythology.  By studying the various genres of myths as well as the different needs and requirements each genre demands, creating one's own myth become much more involved and substantial as a result.  This understanding and our expression of it via our myths elevate our stories from the genre of fiction to mythology.  Thus, the study of myths and the creation of it impact each other in a significant way in terms of understanding and appreciation.