--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Myths, as compared with folk tales, are…" description: "\"Myths, as compared with folk tales, are usually in a special category of seriousness: they are believed to have \"really happened,\"or to have some excep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/northrop-frye-3483_bigger_myths-as-compared-with-folk-tales-are-us_2669332.png" --- # Myths, as compared with folk tales, are usually in a… ![“Myths, as compared with folk tales, are usually in a special category of seriousness: they are believed to have "really happened,"or to have some exceptional significance in explaining certain features of life, such as ritual. Again, whereas folk tales simply interchange motifs and develop…” quote by Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/northrop-frye-3483_bigger_myths-as-compared-with-folk-tales-are-us_2669332.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/northrop-frye-3483_bigger_myths-as-compared-with-folk-tales-are-us_2669332.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/northrop-frye-3483_bigger_myths-as-compared-with-folk-tales-are-us_2669332.png) > “Myths, as compared with folk tales, are usually in a special category of seriousness: they are believed to have "really happened,"or to have some exceptional significance in explaining certain features of life, such as ritual. Again, whereas folk tales simply interchange motifs and develop variants, myths show an odd tendency to stick together and build up bigger structures. We have creation myths, fall and flood myths, metamorphose and dying-god myths.” [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Myths differ from folk tales by claiming historical truth and deeper meaning, forming complex structures. **In simple terms:** Myths claim truth and build big stories. Key Takeaway Recognize mythic depth in cultural narratives. Themes mythology culture storytelling Mood analytical inquisitive Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - anthropology classes - creative writing - cultural analysis Key Concepts narrative structure symbolic meaning Questions to Reflect On - What makes a story a myth? - How do myths shape our worldview? A Different Perspective Myths can be misused to justify harmful ideologies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Categories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categories/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creation myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation-myths/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Exceptional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exceptional/) [Explaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explaining/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Features](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/features/) [Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flood/) [Flood Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flood-myths-2490413/) [Folk Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk-tales-882072/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Interchange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interchange/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motifs/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths/) [Myths Compared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths-compared-2490411/) [Myths Odd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths-odd-2490412/) [Odd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odd/) [Ritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ritual/) [Seriousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriousness/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Stick together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stick-together/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Tendencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendencies/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [The tricky or boastful gods of ancient myths and primitive folk tales are characters of the same kind that turn up in Faulkner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-tricky-or-boastful-gods-of-ancient-myths-and-primitive-folk-tales/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [“Fairy tales and folk tales are for children and childlike people, not because they are little and inconsequential, but because they are as enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-esolen/fairy-tales-and-folk-tales-are-for-children-and-childlike-people-not/) [Anthony Esolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-esolen/) > [For most of human history, 'literature,' both fiction and poetry, has been narrated, not written — heard, not read. 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