Edith Hamilton’s Mythology

Literary Response Journal Prompts

Each response should be thoughtful and well-developed. 2-3 pages in your LRJ per response is the proper range. Do not forget to include a heading (prompt title + date). Remember your entries must be legible and neat.

1. Your New Superpower

Did you know that the Greek gods, demi-gods, and other creatures of Classical mythology were the world’s first fictional characters endowed with superpowers? Many forms of fiction since then feature characters attributed with superhuman, supernatural, or paranormal abilities, often referred to as "superpowers." This tradition is especially rich in the fictional universes of various comic book stories. Think of Superman.

Apollo has granted you one wish: He will endow you with any one superpower of your choice. Only one. And it’s up to you to choose. Have a look through the extensive list of superhuman features and abilities from fiction at Wikipedia or the one at the Online Superpower List A-Z . Choose one of them or come up with one on your own – again, only one. And remember: Be careful what you ask for, because Apollo will require you to keep this superpower for the rest of your life. In your LRJ, explain the following:

  • What exactly is your superpower: what can you do with it – be specific and detailed.
  • Why did you choose this particular superpower?
  • How will having this superpower affect your daily life?
  • Would you need any new gadgets or clothes – like a cape or a mask or a steel glove?
  • How will you use this superpower throughout your lifetime? (e.g., will you help fight crime, feed starving people, make money with it – beware!, etc.)
  • What might some of the drawbacks or disadvantages be to having this superpower for life? (e.g., if you have the power to read minds, you may often hear things you really would rather not have heard.)
  • What temptations might you have with this superpower? (e.g., if you can make yourself invisible, you might be tempted to invade a person’s privacy, steal, etc.)

Below are just a few superpowers listed in the Wikipedia entry. This is just to get you started thinking. Be sure to check the full list at Wikipedia or the Online Superpower List A-Z. I bet there’s plenty there you’ve never even considered. You are also free to invent a superpower of your own.

technopathyanimal mimicrybody part substitutionecholocation

self-detonationnight visionwall crawlingwater-breathing

omni-linguismmind controlimmortalityreality warping

super-strengthforce field generationomnipresenceteleportation

time travelshape shiftingliquefactionsublimation

2. Mythological Allusions Aplenty

You may be surprised to see how often books and movies allude to classical mythology. You will write a paragraph discussing your findings in each of the following searches.

  1. Go to amazon.com and search for books for “Achilles.” Take notes on the references you find. Explore not only the number, but also the books themselves and how they use the myth.
  2. Perform the same search now for “Sisyphus.”
  3. Then go to the Internet Movie Database and search for “titanic.” Take notes on the references you find. Explore not only the number, but also the movies themselves and how they use the myth.

3. Mythology in Modern English

The planets are not the only things that owe their names to mythology. Hundreds of words that we use every day are allusions to the ancient gods and goddesses. Think of the words atlas, cosmos, fate, muses, eros, flora, and fauna just to name a few. We also find many expressions in the English language that directly refer to Classical mythology. Your job is to research and explain the meaning of the following expressions – and explain what mythological story is being referenced in each one. Do not copy an explanation from some website. Write these in your own words, or you will receive a 0% on this assignment.

Achilles heelplaying CupidArgus-eyedGordian knot

Herculean taskPandora’s boxPromethean scientistsProtean policies

Midas touch

4. Mythology Pageant Character Data Sheet

You have now been assigned a character from Classical mythology to portray in the upcoming Mythology Pageant. For this LRJ assignment you will be doing a little research into your assigned character and providing the following information in your LRJ entry:

Name of character:

Physical description: (what does he/she/it look like, sound like, smell like, etc.)

Function in mythology: (e.g., monster, messenger of the gods, god of thunder, etc.)

Birth and/or death story:

Synopsis of one myth or conflict involving your character

Consult and use the Mythology Resources on the Mythology unit web page.

1 Mythology -- LRJMr. Rose