Comments on: Star Trek Trinity http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10 Mythic motifs at work in storytelling (Contents copyright by Sarah Beach unless otherwise noted.) Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:55:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Sarah http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-9 Sarah Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:21:05 +0000 http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10#comment-9 Back when I was in early phases of studying mythology and archetypes, I too was repulsed by Tricksters. In spite of the fact that one of my favorite literary figures was Odysseus. Somehow the two did not connect in my mind: the type in action and the type as described objectively. It was a long time before I realized why Trickster figures are so often Culture Heroes. The persistence to "do the whatever" in the face of all opposition usually requires the ability to divert the attention of the Bigger Power -- to trick them. But such characters can be annoying, because... well, they do carry a bit of chaos with them. Which may be why I never quite found the dichotomy of Order versus Chaos in Michael Moorcock's Elric stories and Zelazny's Amber books to be quite as emotionally compelling. I realize they did not want to get into the "religious" territory of posing Good versus Evil, so they opted for the next strongest dichotomy, which is indeed Order versus Chaos. The problem is that chaos in and of itself is not necessarily evil -- and as the past decades of study in chaos theory have show, even chaos has its own degree of order and structure. No love for Bugs, eh? :D Well, he's not to everyone's taste. Back when I was in early phases of studying mythology and archetypes, I too was repulsed by Tricksters. In spite of the fact that one of my favorite literary figures was Odysseus. Somehow the two did not connect in my mind: the type in action and the type as described objectively. It was a long time before I realized why Trickster figures are so often Culture Heroes. The persistence to “do the whatever” in the face of all opposition usually requires the ability to divert the attention of the Bigger Power — to trick them.

But such characters can be annoying, because… well, they do carry a bit of chaos with them.

Which may be why I never quite found the dichotomy of Order versus Chaos in Michael Moorcock’s Elric stories and Zelazny’s Amber books to be quite as emotionally compelling. I realize they did not want to get into the “religious” territory of posing Good versus Evil, so they opted for the next strongest dichotomy, which is indeed Order versus Chaos. The problem is that chaos in and of itself is not necessarily evil — and as the past decades of study in chaos theory have show, even chaos has its own degree of order and structure.

No love for Bugs, eh? :D Well, he’s not to everyone’s taste.

]]> By: Pat http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-7 Pat Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:58:44 +0000 http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10#comment-7 I'm repulsed-attracted by Tricksters, I am attracted by their cleverness, but repulsed by their deciet. I don't like hidden agendas. Or rather, I'm content with people who have open-and-transparent deep agendas (e.g. get X into power, stop Y becoming law, ensure Z happens), and do things which they say or imply are for one reason, but really serve the deep agenda. Which is why, I guess, I like Kirk, but not Bugs Bunny. I’m repulsed-attracted by Tricksters, I am attracted by their cleverness, but repulsed by their deciet. I don’t like hidden agendas. Or rather, I’m content with people who have open-and-transparent deep agendas (e.g. get X into power, stop Y becoming law, ensure Z happens), and do things which they say or imply are for one reason, but really serve the deep agenda. Which is why, I guess, I like Kirk, but not Bugs Bunny.

]]> By: Sarah http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-3 Sarah Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:48:26 +0000 http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10#comment-3 Trickster figures are frequently unsettling, so I quite understand why you'd be repulsed by them. Does that include Bugs Bunny? ;) Trickster figures are frequently unsettling, so I quite understand why you’d be repulsed by them. Does that include Bugs Bunny? ;)

]]> By: Berni http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-2 Berni Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:41:47 +0000 http://scribblersguidetomyth.com/blog/?p=10#comment-2 I agree with your analysis. Of the classic three, McCoy was the one I most identified with. Trickster figures repulse me, so I never liked Kirk. I did like and sort of identify with Spock, but McCoy was just so human that I thought he was fabulous. I agree with your analysis. Of the classic three, McCoy was the one I most identified with. Trickster figures repulse me, so I never liked Kirk. I did like and sort of identify with Spock, but McCoy was just so human that I thought he was fabulous.

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