Summative Assessment

A British author once said, “We build our understanding of the emotional world through
the myths and legends of our culture. We are all, in part, made of fairy tales”. So, what is
mythology? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, mythology is “an allegorical
narrative. The Origins of the Chinese Zodiac is an etymological aetiology myth that tells the origin
of the Chinese zodiac that ancient people use as a guidance of life, this Chinese zodiac has a
fascinating influence on Chinese culture and community. The Origins of the Chinese Zodiac was
written on an internet blog in 2015 by Ryan Landes Gilman. The intended audience for this
myth ranges a wide age range. It is especially suitable for young students because it teaches a
valuable lesson about the importance of helping others and teamwork, as children are usually
self-centered when not yet introduced to teamwork, while it can also be for scholars studying
traditional Chinese culture because this myth plays a significant role in traditional Chinese
culture. The key objective of this myth is to entertain people while also teaching and informing
readers about the importance of collaboration and helping others. The mythology of a culture
describes a culture or belief, explains why things happen the way they do, and reflects shared moral
ideals by the means of theme. It also has an impact on traditional beliefs since it employs stylistic
devices to affect people's emotions and unconsciously construct a mindset.

Readers may take away a variety of moral messages, but the most specific ones that can be
the main theme are destiny, tragedy, and sacrifice. The narrative centers on a race organized by the
Jade Emperor, one of the most important gods in ancient Chinese religion, who invited all of the
world's animals to compete. Twelve animals showed up and competed. “But, as the Cat and the Rat
rode atop the Ox, the Rat jolted abruptly forward. The sudden force sent the Cat flying off the Ox and
into the river. The Cat let out a piercing hiss directed at the Rat, but by then, it was too late, and the
Ox, with the Rat atop, was already too far ahead of the Cat. Even to this day, Cat still holds a grudge
against Rat. This is why Cat hates water and hunts Rat every time he sees him!”(paragraph 2), this
statement from the passage depicts a tragic event in which cats and rats have never gotten along since.
"Exalted Jade Emperor ~ on my way I saw several villagers that were in trouble. A fire had ignited
amidst their crops and they had been surrounded in a circle of blaze. I knew that my spot in the Zodiac
was on the line, but I could not stand by and watch. “(paragraph 8), this paragraph showed the
willingness of the dragon to sacrifice his place in the zodiac line, and how, rather than achieving first
place in the competition, the dragon decided to serve those in need as his destiny. This teaches the
audience that competitions are about more than just winning; they are also about making sacrifices,
learning lessons, and gaining experiences. The readers may also learn that they have the ability to
accomplish good or evil things in life and that they have control over their own destiny.

Stylistic devices are used to influence the reader’s emotions by different techniques to engage
the readers through imagination and clarity. When it comes to writing stories, imagery is frequently
used since it provides a mental image for the readers to construct and imagination for the story, “the
Dragon soared swiftly, moving in a majestic aerial stride as it shimmied through the clouds, his long
tail streaming and lashing about the placid sky, wind racing past him. As the Dragon made his rapid
descent, the clouds seemed to part. “(paragraph 7), this part of the excerpt tells how the dragon arrived
at the finish line and crossed it, as well as creating a majestic impression on the readers, as the writers
describe it. Personification is also utilized in the story as it is used by the writer to help the readers
sympathize with non-human characters by making descriptions of it more lifelike “a tinge of shame
lingering in her dark beady eye”(paragraph 10), shame cannot linger, but the feeling of the shame
staying inside the horse. The entire story revolves around the use of anthropomorphism, as the story is
about animals and their ability to speak vocally. Because they are more human, anthropomorphism
also aids in the creation of vivid, imaginative characters that readers can relate to.

In mythology, both themes and stylistic devices are essential as they bring the story to life and
make it more meaningful. There can several themes found in mythology and it is usually what gives
mythology its meaning and appeal. And the stylistic devices on the other hand are utilized to impact
people’s subconscious emotions. Myths are just as significant today as they were in ancient times.
Myths provide everlasting answers and act as a guide for each generation since they are a subjective
reality about how cultures imagine life.

Citation:

“Anthropomorphism.” LitCharts,
https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/anthropomorphism.

“Chinese Zodiac: Cultural Significance.” Chinese Zodiac | Cultural Significance,

https://depts.washington.edu/triolive/quest/2007/TTQ07030/culture.html#:~:text=In
%20general%2C%20the%20zodiac%20provides,culture%20and%20community%20of
%20China.

“How the Creatures in the Chinese Zodiac Found Their Place.” BBC Bitesize, BBC, 9
Feb. 2021, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zd9nd6f#:~:text=The%20story
%20goes%20that%20a,%2C%20tiger%2C%20ox%20and%20rat.

“In Search of Myths &Amp Heroes . What Is a Myth?” PBS, Public Broadcasting
Service, https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html.