George Athanasopoulos Period 1 12/1/21

• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.

The documentary and introduction we had on the Book of the Dead has been very insightful as I have always been really fascinated with ancient Egyptian mythology. What really struck me about the ancient Egyptians is how much time and effort they put into the afterlife. Death was a central part of their religion/culture and they treated the afterlife as something they had so figured out. Whether this was something orchestrated through generations of priests and rulers trying to justify their power, or simply a need for some sort of explanation to a question, the promise of life after death was a prime motivator for them that could not be escaped. Death was not feared because it was unknown, it was feared because it was very well described and illustrated. So well thought out that priests were able to sell these stories of trials and needs for spells for protection against the gods trying to kill them. I found it quite noteworthy how big of a role morality played into the religion but how overpowering money seemed to be as well and I wonder which one was held in more regard. Could a very rich person but immoral have a higher possibility to paradise than a poor yet moral person? And if so why?

• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

One major new takeaway I had from the documentary was the connection it seems to have to early forms of Christianity. It makes a ton of sense but it’s something I guess I never would’ve pieced together by myself and the moment of realization as the gears inside my head were turning was mind-blowing. Seeing the ways different religions inspire each other and form almost like collages of different cultures is so cool to see and I’m finally starting to see more of these connections as I’m expanding my knowledge of different global cultures in this class and it is just so exciting. Genuinely this is making me happy and I feel like I am forming a more well-rounded version of myself which is just great. But I’m getting sidetracked. I feel like this learning of ancient myths is making me keener on picking up symbols in literature and the world around me and I find myself looking for explanations to different things more. It has taught me how to be attentive and listen to different perspectives and see the value in them. I’ve also come to appreciate multiple explanations of specific themes. For example, on a topic like death, every culture has a varying interpretation of it despite being a universal thing that happens to everyone. Being able to learn about these varying interpretations and looking for the different themes they each highlight I find to be a very useful tool. 

• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

One big lesson I take away from this perspective on the afterlife that can be translated in any scenario in life is that your actions today impact your tomorrow. In order to ensure the brightest future for yourself, it is important to take the right steps and be the best version of yourself TODAY. Just like in Egyptian mythology your heart was weighed to balance the goodness of the feather, it is important to find that same balance in your heart so that you can lead the best future in the next step of your life whatever that may be, big or small. Having a good character today always pays off in the future and that is something we should all strive to accomplish every day.