Theron by Ellen Perry (p. 75)

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1 Theron by Ellen Perry (p. 75) Teacher s Page Plot Summary Deciding that mankind has grown wicked beyond hope, an angry and disappointed Zeus plans to destroy the world in a flood. Moon goddess Artemis intervenes, convincing him to instead introduce one flawless man, a supreme mortal who will inspire, elevate, and reform mankind. Each divinity offers something to the formation of this man a share of his or her own special talent. Hermes, for example, gives his craftiness and wit; Aphrodite shares her love and compassion. As Zeus brings Theron to life with a thunderbolt, all the gods rejoice all but the envious war god Ares and the goddess of discord, Eris. Together, they plot his downfall. Meanwhile, under King Theron s radiant reign, people become kind and harmonious. Ares finally manages to sneak in to a royal banquet and slip sleeping potion into Theron s wine. As he sleeps, Theron s blood is contaminated when Ares makes a small incision and introduces some of his own, vile blood. The new Ares-donated blood renders Theron powerless over his temper and, following a minor incident, Theron kills twenty men. Overcome with remorse, he stabs himself. Dying, he asks the gods to let him spend eternity with his love, Artemis. His wish is granted, and they now shine eternally together as moon (Artemis) and stars (Theron). Exploring the Premises People generally live in accordance with the dictates of certain truths and beliefs that they hold to be self-evident. Stories, too, are built around these many basic assumptions about life. That each person holds a different set of beliefs is what makes life and fiction so lively! Myths like Theron are especially strong vehicles for expressing these commonlyheld views about how life works. Your students may be interested in exploring some of these underpinnings to see how this myth hangs on them, like clothes. Orally or in writing, give your students this True/False test a test which has no right or wrong answers and ask them to explain their responses as much as they can. TRUE or FALSE 1. The proverb: One rotten apple spoils the barrel. (One small drop of Ares s blood destroys Theron completely.) 2. It is possible for a human being to be perfect. (Theron was at first perfect.) 3. The perfect human would possess and demonstrate all kind and loving qualities (as did Theron). 4. Anger is anti-life and serves no useful purpose. (Zeus was angry; Ares was jealously angry; Theron was transformed by anger.) 5. The followers of a strong leader tend to copy that leader and take on similar characteristics (just as did Theron s subjects during and after his reign). 6. Write your own premise, preferably one that relates to the story, and decide true or false? Responding Creatively to the Story Invite your students to use the lists they generated on the to construct either The Perfect Human or The Totally Evil Human. Using Theron, or a figure from the students religious tradition or imagination, a visual image of perfection may emerge. Conversely, thinking about the polluted Theron, or a known villain like Adolf Hitler or Freddy Krueger, could suggest the composite for an Evil One. Students may elect to draw their faces or to create them via descriptive detail in an original writing. Guide to Writing Tall 18 Theron

2 Teacher s Page Connecting with Cultural Values and Students Lives Consider: The Fatal Flaw! Little things can mean a lot. Just one small drop of blood, be it Ares-tainted or AIDS-tainted, and it could be all over... Just one microscopic cancer cell with an urge to wander... The one invisible drop of pheromone that attracts every moth in the neighborhood... The tiniest particle, even the slightest feeling or impulse, can mushroom, for better or for worse, to atomic proportions! In a classroom discussion, challenge your students to identify some of these tiny, invisible, or nonmaterial influences that shape their lives. Guide to Writing Tall 19 Theron

3 Name Before You Read Your own personal genie has asked you to develop a Wish List of things you would like to be. No, not be as in rock star, nurse, or millionaire. We re talking qualities and attributes, like dependability, sense of humor, and intelligence aspects that may complement your ideal of human perfection. In the left-hand column, list twelve of these qualities, your Divine Dozen, in descending order of importance to you. Then, in the right-hand column, list those qualities, your Dirty Dozen, that are as directly opposite to the good ones as you can make them. (Example: Handsome Hideous). Avoid blanket terms like loving or evil. Try to be more precise. Divine Dozen Dirty Dozen Now select one outstanding quality from either of your lists and, in a sublist, use phrases that help describe that quality. Example: Kind being sincerely friendly and generous, knowing how people feel and caring about them, etc. If you are having trouble describing the quality, you may use a dictionary. Guide to Writing Tall 20 Theron

4 Name Vocabulary from Theron Directions: Based on the way each word in bold below is used in the sentence, write what you think the word means. Then look up the same word in your dictionary and copy the definition that comes closest to the way the word is used in the sentence. Finally, write a sentence of your own using the word. Make sure the sentence shows what the word means. Use a separate sheet of paper. Example: I don t mind it a bit, said Katy resolutely, as she clasped his hands in hers. (p. 26) Definition based on context: with determination, firmness Dictionary definition: firm or determined; unwavering (American Heritage Dictionary, 1992) Original sentence: Mrs. Peabody moved resolutely to the witness stand, determined to tell the truth. 1., 2. There was once a time, before the great heroes were alive, years before the Argonauts went on the perilous Quest for the Golden Fleece... (p. 75) 3. Though some were a bit skeptical, the majority of the gods decided that trying it would be better than simply bringing disaster to the land all at once. (p. 75) 4. Many of the divinities agreed that blessing the man with their own individual best traits and talents would give him many admirable characteristics. (p. 76) 5. He worked painstakingly for days. (p. 76) 6. Touching the statue s forehead, Athena began the ritual by instilling in Theron her gifts of wisdom, reason, and understanding. (p. 76) 7. This impeccable being now had a merciless, violent temper, and though it was only a fraction of his composition, still it was there, coursing through his veins, and would always be part of him. (p. 78) 8. The land became chaotic, and immediately returned to its wicked ways. (p. 79) 9. The heartless, vicious god was severely punished for the heinous deed he had committed. (p ) Guide to Writing Tall 21 Theron

5 Name Reading Check for Theron Circle the letters of all correct answers. Some questions may have more than one correct answer. 1. Theron was a a. human being d. king b. god e. murderer c. divinely blessed human 2. Theron was known for his a. leadership d. practical jokes b. gluttony e. drunkenness c. lavish feasts 3. Ares hurt Theron by a. spreading rumors b. contaminating his blood c. seizing his throne d. wooing the Graces e. putting arsenic in his wine 4. Twenty men died by Theron s sword after a. the Trojan Horse split open b. their crusade was lost c. the men had conspired to kill him d. Theron decided to show courage e. a minor dispute 5. Apollo taught Theron to a. play a musical instrument b. become an Argonaut c. be more aggressive d. travel in outer space e. hunt and fish Language Study in Context: Using Commas It is not unusual for myths like Theron to take on a lyrical tone, their long, flowing sentences transporting us to magical realms, beings, and deeds. To make sense of what otherwise might be a verbal waterfall, judiciously-placed commas are essential to show which thoughts and words belong together and which must stand alone. Example: Read the following sentence with and without its greatly needed comma and notice how the meaning is altered: A. They and the other gods believed he had nothing worth granting Theron which was true... B. They and the other gods believed he had nothing worth granting Theron, which was true. Without the comma in A, the sentence says that none of his (Ares s) offerings are true. With a comma in B, we learn that he has nothing worth giving, which is the intended meaning. Directions: Try to restore commas, as needed, to this comma-cleansed passage. When you are finished, compare your work to the original paragraph on page 76, and discuss the function of each comma. Theron as the man was named by Hestia was brought to Mt. Olympus at once. He lay before Zeus motionless and very handsome on a slab of bronze. Once again the divinities were brought together with the exception of two. Apollo God of Light Music and Poetry was envious of the stately mortal and had no desire to contribute any of his own gifts to him. Ares however the murderous cruel god of war had been commanded by Zeus and Hera to keep away during the fashioning of the king. They and the other gods believed he had nothing to contribute which was true; he was violent and full of hatred. Guide to Writing Tall 22 Theron