Hu300 - Unit 2 Assignment

Many stories that tell about human morality and character have existed since humankind was able to communicate. Fables, stories, and myths serve to invoke thought and to compare the consequences of right or wrong behaviors or attitudes. A myth isn’t something that must be proven or disproven, but a myth is part of a culture’s history and how they have evolved. A culture’s mythology is the collection of all of these stories. Mythology is also defined as the study of myths. (Dictionary.com, 2013)

Everyone at some point has heard the story about the tortoise and the hare. While poking fun at how slow the turtle was, the rabbit proceeded to challenge the tortoise to a race that he knew he couldn’t possibly lose. While the tortoise enjoyed the joke, he happily accepted the challenge. The hare, who knew he could never be defeated, zipped away from the start line. The hare’s attitude would prove to be his undoing as he decided there was no reason not to stop for a nap during the race. Ultimately, he showed up at the finish line behind the tortoise. At least he was well rested. (Anonymous, n.d.)

Many believe that the lesson to be learned is to take your time and you will undoubtedly do well in whatever you do. “Slow and steady wins the race” is a common quote about this story. In the case of the turtle, he wasn’t concerned about winning and he wasn’t concerned about losing. He was simply enjoying being part of the “joke” that he could ever beat the hare in a race. The turtle didn’t care about who was faster, or who was going to win. His attitude of acceptance of his own capabilities showed in his consistent pace to the finish line. The turtle simply worked toward the goal and didn’t worry about what the hare was doing.

The hare provides multiple lessons such as not judging a book by its cover, and to not be overconfident or arrogant.

With the first example, judging a book by its cover, the hare is choosing the tortoise as an...