Tuesday, April 23, 2013

John Stoppler: Mythic Detective


Last weekend was my high school’s district music festival, and my brother had a lot of performances during the weekend, so I decided to go to Deer Lodge, where it was being held, and watch him perform. Now of course I can go ahead and say that this reminded me off all the stories in Ovid’s Metamorphoses like Orpheus or just how every story is basically in a song/poem form. But I’ll save that for later in my paper.
            During the weekend my brother was in a whole array of different ensembles ranging from; jazz band, jazz choir, to the all-male choir. But the two he really cared about and the ones I really wanted to watch were his two solos, for the drum and his vocal solo. On his snare drum solo he got a superior rating, which means he is going to state to perform there, and oh man was did he nail that solo. I was very impressed with him, and so proud. For his vocal solo he got an excellent rating but the thing that I was really surprised with was that when I was a senior in high school I did a vocal solo and did a song called The Black Dress and got an excellent rating. And the solo that my brother happened to do was called The Black Dress and got an excellent rating, just like me. To me it is such a coincidence that on my brother’s first vocal solo, he did the same exact song as my first vocal solo. And he had no idea either. But this call has taught me that there are no such things as coincidences.
This is probably the biggest connection I have had between what I’ve learned and discovered in this class and my life. I mean do see a lot of little things now, when I actually pay attention, because of this class, but some things I have trouble, like seeing trees everywhere, I don’t really because I have really bad eyesight. Another big connection that I see is the connection between all of the religions and what they believe. The big one I see between them is the god or gods that they believe in. they all believe in one leader or king god then smaller one sunder him. Like the Greek and Roman’s belief with Juno and Zeus or Catholic belief of God then the lower ones like Jesus, Virgin Mary, and all of the saints.
            Now back to my brother’s vocal solo. Not only was I kind of freaking out about how he chose the same song I did, I was also reminded of two stories from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the one about Orpheus and the one about Narcissist and Echo.
            The reason I was reminded about the story of Orpheus was not really for the about how he lost his love or how she turned to stone but more of how good a singer he was. It’s told that Orpheus was the first one to make the Fates shed a tear, but let me tell you, my brother Justin, would be the second if given the chance.
            Now the reason I thought of the story about Narcissist and Echo is because of the story that the song “The Black Dress” tells. It tells the story of how a girl falls madly in love with a boy, who makes it seem like he is also madly in love with her. But then, out of nowhere, he tells her that he never wants to see her again and when she asks why he just laughs at her. Then runs home crying but then decides that he is not worth it. This is very similar to the story of Echo, which is why it reminded me of it, just how Echo falls in love with this guy, Narcissist, but he is basically like get away from me then she gets really sad.
            In conclusion, I want to say just how similar everything in life really is, and just how even the smallest of coincidences are not really coincidences at all. Also that everything has something to do with mythology. After taking this class it makes me realize just how many different aspects of my life are affected by mythology, and remember, nothing is a coincidence.  

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