Jan Brunvand’s Works on Urban Legends, “The Vanishing Hitchhiker” and “The Baby Train”: Development of Changes in Format and Presentation
[ send me this paper ]
This is a 5 page paper discussing the differences found in Brunvand’s “The Vanishing Hitchhiker” and “The Baby Train”. Jan Brunvand’s text “The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings” (1981) introduced a generation to contemporary American urban legends, their origins, their development, and contained detailed accounts as to the depth of research in understanding the legends. Twelve years later, Brunvand released his fifth volume of urban legends entitled “The Baby Train and Other Lusty Urban Legends” (1993). The format of his presentation in this volume changed somewhat to include shorter narratives and less accompanying explanatory statements about each legend. Instead, Brunvand focused much more on the typing and cross-referencing of the legends contained and on the international contexts many have reached. The reason for this change in format was mostly due to the fact that the field and the interest in urban legends had grown a great deal since his original text and because of this Brunvand was able to contain less explanatory text in regards to the research involved and thus avoid repeating himself and offering instead his readers a chance to see the extent of the field and the extent to which the knowledge of urban legends has reached on an international basis as well as an American one. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: TJBrunv1.rtf
Essay Title: Jan Brunvand’s Works on Urban Legends, “The Vanishing Hitchhiker” and “The Baby Train”: Development of Changes in Format and Presentation

Joseph Campbell & Michael J. Harner / Ritual Compared
[ send me this paper ]
A 5 page paper comparing and contrasting the ideas of these two theorists about the function and importance of ritual. Joseph Campbell was a well-known writer in the areas of mythology and ritual, and frequently drew analogies between established religious practices and long-forerunning mythological beliefs. He maintained that ritual was an important part of any religious practice as a way of setting the practice apart from daily routine, working to keep it within the realm of something outside, yet part of, the individual. Michael Harner teaches shamanism to Westerners for incorporation into holistic healing practices. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: Ritual.wps
Essay Title: Joseph Campbell & Michael J. Harner / Ritual Compared

Joseph Campbell & The Mythic Image
[ send me this paper ]
A 5 page paper discussing 'The Mythic Image' by Joseph Campbell. The author uses many types of art to illustrate many differences, but mostly similarities, in the ways of myth. He addresses issues of religion, enlightenment, and dreaming among others. His work is highly detailed and intriguing.
Filename: Mythima.wps
Essay Title: Joseph Campbell & The Mythic Image

Joseph Campbell And The Functions Of Mythology
[ send me this paper ]
A 5 page research paper that examines mythology as interpreted by historian Joseph Campbell. According to Campbell, mythology represents ancient intuitive understanding of certain archetypal or "elementary ideas" that still speak to the human condition even in modern times. The writer demonstrates how this fits in with the ideas of Carl Jung and Adolf Bastian. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: Campyth.wps
Essay Title: Joseph Campbell And The Functions Of Mythology

Jung's Theory of the Attempt to Find Personal & Spiritual Wholeness
[ send me this paper ]
This 3 page essay discusses the validity of Jung's belief that mental or emotional disturbances are attempts to find wholeness. The writer notes that such a theory can be applied beyond the individual and to American society in general. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: Jungtheo.wps
Essay Title: Jung's Theory of the Attempt to Find Personal & Spiritual Wholeness

Male Myth of Power in Literature
[ send me this paper ]
(5 pp) A part of the nature of myth is that it continues to stay alive and active as long as there are people to believe it. Men have perceived themselves to be in power and they have acted from that belief. The second part of a power myth is that it is a one up and a one down relationship, in other words someone is superior to another. We can see examples of this is two literary works: in the character of Torvald Helmer in Ibesen's A Doll's House, and in Edward Rochester in Bronte's Jane Eyre.
Filename: BBmlmyth.doc
Essay Title: Male Myth of Power in Literature

Mythbusting
[ send me this paper ]
This 3 page paper investigates the modern myth that police investigate all crimes and proves it to be false. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: HVMyths.rtf
Essay Title: Mythbusting