What are some characteristics of Greek mythology?
Altruism, courage and strength: mostly mental strength, intelligence, but sometimes physical too. Main similarity in my opinion is this: A hero before he can start struggling for others, he needs to battle his own demons first; Take Achilles for example: he has to face the dilemma: fight and die according to the oracle? Or stay out of the fight but live a life without glory? Remember how his rage on Agamemnon and his strong ego takes him away from battle, leaving his fellow comrades to fight a hard fight alone. Then his most beloved friend dies. He must bury his personal feelings for Agamemnon and fight the war, despite that this will activate his tragic fate fortold by the gods! In most movies the hero faces a dilemma: stay in the comfort of the everyday life or exit the secure environment (literally sometimes) and fight for a higher cause? This personal dilemma that is common in today’s heros in movies was developed in ancient Greek drama, but its message is eternal. Simple characters of every day life, or heros with superior skills than others, have a tragic fate; From the most complex characters to the most simplified ones (even cartoons), the hero has something of a personal loss, an inside battle, or both. It doesn’t matter if they are common humans or if they are superheroes; in every occasion the life of the hero is dramatized with this important element: the situations he will encounter demand from him to overcome his self. One more example could be Batman. Batman had the fear of bats, the loss of his parents and the guilt that it was his fault for that loss. So we have: 1.Altruism 2.Courage 3.Intelligence 4.Inside battle 5.The Redemption of the agony that the hero suffers. This redemption is only possible if the hero successes in his inside battle and activates his courage and his intelligence to serve an altruistic purpose (saving his family/fellow citizens/nation/mankind) Note that the inside battle may be longterm and may include a difficult path that the hero must follow alone. This only will remind you tens, even hundreds of ancient or contemporary heroes. Ulysses, Jason, Theseus, Perseus... And from cinema Rocky Balboa, Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones, Superman, Michael Knight (KITT 2000), Maximus (Gladiator), Spartacus, just to name a few.
What character in literature or mythology...?
dora. sanders is crazy for giving us this
Why might characters in creation myths have generic names?
They represent the archetypical animal, the idea or concept of the animal. It isn't any specific duck, it is The Duck, i.e. the idea that is common for all ducks; the archetype of the animal. Same goes for Beaver.
Is outward perception or substance or character more important in Philippines?
Its a fact we always rely on fake facade for sense of identity. There is so little positive to present. The morality is an example. Wanna be good catholics who engage in rampant sex and work as bargirls. They go to Japan and claim to be a singer. The neighbors know this isn't true, but pretend to believe. Because its rude not to accept a lie, no matter how stupid and unbelieveable it is. The false front is accepted as part of culture by locals. This is what expats have a problem understanding.
In what ways is the filipino like the bamboo tree? Is the comparison Logical?
The bamboo for the Filipino is more than a plant. Its very nature is entwined with his culture, lifestyle, and character. In Philippine mythology, the origin of the first Filipinos came about after a small bird pecked on a large bamboo trunk until it cracked wide open in the middle where a man called Malakas (Strong) and a woman called Maganda (Beautiful) emerged. Unlike the story of Adam and Eve where the latter was formed out of Adam's rib, the Filipino creation myth highlights the importance of both man and woman being born out of one source, different from yet equal to each other. In the face of typhoon winds or crisis, the Filipino, like the bamboo bends back without breaking, exhibiting a resiliency as a race. The bamboo can also thrive on different types of soil. Similarly, Filipinos have the flexibility to transplant themselves in various countries without losing their identity.