Ian Clarke, Period 5, 12/14/2020, Day B

 

Ian Clarke

12/14/2020

Period 5

Modern Mythology 2021

Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

Rather than reading, our most current assignment consisted of 2 videos concerning the ancient Egyptian’s secrets of the afterlife as well as their book of the dead. These videos educated me about the ancient Egyptian’s views on death as well as how life should be spent, and how all of this leads up to the final decision of whether or not you can achieve a blissful afterlife in the field of reeds. As I watched, I couldn’t help but draw similarities to how I felt about my college application process. Being in the midst of applying to all of my top colleges, I feel like I can relate, if only slightly, to the nervousness the Egyptians felt when having their heart weighed against the feather of truth and having that be the sole determiner for whether or not they are allowed into the underworld. By putting my best foot forward for college applications, I also feel like my very person is being judged on if I am worthy to be allowed into college. However, I am aware and grateful that my time spent in college will be small compared to eternity. 

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering 

how that learning influences your critical perception.

Learning about the ancient Egyptian’s perception of death and what comes after has contributed to my growing insight into how different people from different time periods perceive existence. The ancient Greek’s seemed to believe that simply doing the right things and being a hero would grant you favor with the gods and reward you with a blissful afterlife. The ancient Egyptians, for comparison, seem a lot more strict. It stood out to me that the Egyptians seemed to require a lot more from their living to prepare for the afterlife than the Greeks. For example, the Egyptians stressed that citizens should have an undying loyalty to their Pharaoh, as they were seen as descendants from Ra- the sun god. Additionally, the Egyptians stressed proper burials and spells for the afterlife. This has all made influenced my critical perception by making me more in tune with what people’s motives in life could be. For some, it is living a full life and doing whatever they please. For others, they follow a stricter and more disciplined life, for a desire for a blissful afterlife, or perhaps out of fear for an afterlife of torment. By understanding one’s motives for how they live their life, I can better understand their decisions. For example, if I were to analyze an ancient Egyptian society ruled by an evil Pharaoh who mistreated his citizens, I would wonder why there would be no uprising. From a structuralist perspective, It would only make sense. However, when taking into account that the people believed their Pharaoh to be descended from the gods and that disobeying him would result in eternal damnation, it beings a whole new perspective into account as to why there is no revolution.

How is what you’re learning applied to any other 

classes/the world around you?

    It’s always interesting to ponder the unknown, and death has been an unknown since the beginning of humanity. Seeing the Egyptian’s views on death and the extreme lengths they’d go to in order to ensure a place in the afterlife and a chance at reincarnation showed me their powerful desire to simply exist. For an ancient Egyptian, true death was when one’s soul was devoured by Ammit, and it was likely the least desirable thing for a person at the time. It showed me that even back then, people had a burning desire to exist whether it be in life or death. This can apply to me, as I want to live a long and prosperous life. Admittedly I don’t know what I need to do to have an amazing afterlife, as it seems as if the criteria changes with every religion. I don’t particularly agree with everything the ancient Egyptians believed, but I will agree with their belief that life should be enjoyed as we experience it.