Myths, Narratives, and Grand Narratives

I think the reason why myths and more specifically narratives are created is to explain the unexplainable. It is human nature to always want to have a right answer, but when one cannot be found, an answer, any answer, is made up. Powell explains Lyotard's theories on why myths work by saying, "Myths legitimize themselves-make themselves believable-just in the telling.” He means that just by telling the story and getting everyone to believe it, the story actually becomes a reality. It is no longer a myth if all of a society agrees on it. In a way, this is how all things work. Like Mr. D’s example with stoplights, green does not actually mean, “go” nor does red mean, “stop.” It is merely the fact that society agrees on a certain color to represent a command that makes those colors have an affect on us.

He continues by saying, “The myth requires no authorization other than itself.” In some ways, the culture becomes based off the myth. “[It] defines what has the right to be said and done in the culture.” Based on what is said in the myth, the standards of society will follow. The myth sets the “rules” in which society lives by.

Grand narratives or metanarratives are similar to narratives only they are, “big stories of mythic proportions, that claim to be able to account for, explain and subordinate all lesser, little local narratives.” Unlike narratives, metanarratives don’t focus on one topic, but instead a more general idea. In my opinion, most religions are metanarratives, composed of many narratives. Most religions have a central idea that is supported by many smaller ideas that support the larger one. These kinds of narratives are created for the same reason, that is to account for something that cannot be proven, only it is on a much larger scale. That’s about all I’ve got to say.