How do you write a critical analysis paper?

What are the requirements, topic, thesis, etc? You're not giving us anything to go on.

 

gonna have to be a lot more specific to expect help.... what subject? what grade? hs/college? what 's the exact assignment??

 

That doesn't sound bad at all, given you have the text book. Hell, that's not even a "paper" like you implied. How long does it have to be and does it have to be MLA? Read the text, analyze it and answer the question to the best of your ability. It really isn't that critical.

 

haha agreed, just answer the questions that were asked.. I think by 'critical analysis' it just means give some actual thought into why these stories were written, and what they intended to give to the reader (back when they were written). As opposed to just reading the text and reciting facts from it. I think greek myth, idk what the Popol Vuh is though, but I think that a lot of greek mythology teaches morals etc. I mean back in the day, that was pretty much their religion.

 

I would probably go with a thesis something along the line of the knowledge/wisdom gained from learning these stories as a child growing up and the effects it would have on morality, culture, and the society at the time.

Some ideas of where to go with it would be installing the belief that this life is a test and that you must be good and obey laws to go to heaven, etc and stories with heroic figures are used to create role models to inspire people to overcome challenges and realize their potential. And also to give them a sense of national pride, stories of the great, although usually exaggerated things their ancestors did.

As far as morals and values they teach I would say honesty, courage, intelligence, generosity, perseverence, the golden rule and mainly obediance to authority that was necessary in those times for society to function and be civil without people killing each other. And also for the masses of people in lower social classes that lived an absolutely shitty life to have something to look forward to (heaven) that justified the brutal life they lived, that there was a purpose to it all. The creation story answered the all important question of the meaning of life, how we got here, etc and people naturally believed it because they didnt know any better.

Holy fuck I got carried away with that, hopefully it helps you out. Honestly essays like this that you dont need to research and cite sources are a breeze, its not like theres peer revieved ancient journals that you gotta quote lol. Just pick a reasonable point or idea to develop and go with it.

 

I would suggest narrowing the list down if you could, and focus on particular deities/mythological works and their individual realms of influence. Human mythology goes back a loooong way, and encompasses a lot of different values and value systems. It'd be kind disingenuous to take a whack at them all in the same paper.

You can do a lot of generalizing and maybe keep it succinct, but I don't think you'll be able to flesh it out adequately doing that.

I think Popul Vuh originates from central America, so maybe try comparing it with other works from that general area? You'd still have a lot of meat on the bone dealing with just Mesoamerican mythology.

 

with all the questions in mind, read the text. then think about what struck you the most about the text. answer the question that pertains most to the thing that caught your attention. then, instead of trying to find an answer to a question, you'll be finding a question for an answer. like jepordy.