Religion and Film. Alice’s caterpillar and transformative imagery. NOTE: I originally submitted this essay last week for a free online course I’m taking through Coursera — Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World. 8 more essays to follow . . .
Though the Alice tales are known as “children’s literature”, this ostensible children’s fare also contains messages for adults. One of the clearest grown-up themes is that of personal transformation, and a character that powerfully embodies this theme is the caterpillar. Itself a symbol of future metamorphosis, the butterfly larva is accompanied in the story by a hookah pipe and a mushroom. These three symbols represent the possibilities for transformation and transcendence. The caterpillar embodies the potential for dramatic change and can be a symbol of hope to those who find themselves stuck in the same rut day after day. Like this: Like Loading... Blackthorn. Into the Woods: On British Forests, Myth and Now by Ruth Padel: Farewell Issue 2008, Journal of Mythic Arts, Endicott Studio. What would Robin Hood have made of Country Life's recent excavation into the fantasies of British 7– to 14–year–olds concerning the wild life and wild places of their native land?
Two thirds had no idea where acorns come from, most had never heard of gamekeepers (do they mug people or protect the Pokemons?) , and most believed there were elephants and lions running round the English countryside. A third did not know why you had to keep gates shut — was it to keep the elephants in (or was some joker taking the piss just then?) , or stop cows "sitting on cars," upsetting the countryside's most vital beast — the traffic? In a closed, traditional society there is something special about animals born in the land where you, too, were born. But that's the way it used to be. American animals are larger, more glamorous and violent. The Fairy Tale Forest Wild animals depend on the landscape that produced them, that got chosen by them. Forests dominate mediaeval romances too. The 10 best woods and forests for myths and legends.
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire The undisputed superstar of English woods, Sherwood Forest has dined out for centuries on its role as the sanctuary of everyone's favourite wealth-redistributor.
Most of us have fantasised about being Robin Hood (or perhaps Maid Marian) at one time or another, and in Sherwood, with its 1,000-odd veteran oak trees, it's just that little bit easier to imagine oneself in green (or velvet). This is especially so on visiting the 800-year-old Major oak, whose hollow trunk could easily have sheltered the lofty Little John.
Now a national nature reserve on account of its unique blend of old wood and heathland, Sherwood plays host to some of Europe's rarest invertebrates, providing a nourishing meal for tree pipits, woodlarks and the like. Would-be outlaws, meanwhile, are sure to go all a-quiver at the Robin Hood festival (10-14 August).01623 823202 Slieve Gullion Forest Park, County Armagh Shervage Wood, Somerset. Jung Society of Atlanta - Animals and the Psyche. Elemental Alchemy Symbols. Alchemy Symbol Meanings At the most basic level, elemental alchemy symbols represent the raw self; having the capacity of being transmuted into a higher, incorruptible self.
This page investigates alchemy element symbols and their philosophical meanings. The realm of alchemy is filled with hidden and double meanings. Just as each element has a physical representation, so too does it have a philosophical meaning in the alchemical school of thought. It should be noted that the ancient founders of alchemy were avidly loyal to their craft. That said, below are just a few elemental alchemy symbols with a brief summary of their philosophical (symbolic) meanings. Common Alchemy Symbols and Their Meanings.
Is Mythology Like Facebook? How can you tell if an ancient story is completely fictional or based on reality?
One method, says a team of physicists, is to map out the social network of the characters and test whether it looks like a real social network. When they used that method for three ancient myths, they found that the characters have surprisingly realistic relationships. Ancient stories are called myths for a reason. No one believes that Beowulf, the hero of the Anglo-Saxon epic, slew a talking monster named Grendel. Or that the Greek gods described in The Iliad actually appeared on Earth to intervene in the Trojan War. Ralph Kenna and Pádraig Mac Carron, physicists at Coventry University in the United Kingdom, wondered if reality leaves its mark on mythological narratives through the relationships between characters.
Once the social webs were mapped, Kenna and Mac Carron applied the standard statistical toolkit used to study real social networks such as Facebook. They did.