Final Quiz On Wednesday!

The following are the questions that will be on Quiz #4 this Wednesday.

There will be TWO GROUPS of writing prompts. Choose ONE from each GROUP to answer.

GROUP 1

Chapter 6 and 7: Secret Sects and Cults

A. Write about one secret sect from the reading and describe how it has affected heroes and popular culture.

Examples:

Rosicrucians
Theosophy
Scientology
The Golden Dawn
Christian Science
Secular Humanism
Freemasons
Mormonism
Buddhism
Agnosticism
Kabbalah



B. In many ways, certain popular culture characters have a “cult” following. Write about a popular culture “cult” and explain why so many people are devoted to that character or story.

Examples:

Star Wars
Marvel Comics
Star Trek
DC Comics
Smallville
Harry Potter
Dungeons & Dragons
Evil Dead
Lord of the Rings
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The Big Lebowski


Chapter 8: Occult and ‘Cult’ Super Stars

C. Our textbook explained how there has been several “larger than life” individuals who inspired people (much like today’s super heroes.) The individuals in question were associated with the supernatural—an occult or secret mystical group. However, in today’s popular culture, there are famous individuals who also have a “cult” following, and who are seen as messiahs, mystics, or seers (even if they are not associated with any formal spiritual movement.)

Identify one of these characters and explain how they have influenced history, society, or culture. You can choose a person from the chapter or refer to a contemporary “cult-like” figure.

Examples:

Friedrich Nietzche
L. Ron Hubbard
Martha Stewart
Aleister Crowley
Joseph Smith
Hillary Clinton
Harry Houdini
Dalai Lama
Sun Myung Moon
Edgar Cayce
Oprah
Michael Jordan




GROUP 2

Chapter 20: The Visionaries

A. Choose a visionary and explain how their work has inspired, shaped, or re-defined heroes in popular culture.

Examples:

Jack Kirby
Neil Gaiman
Madeleine L'Engle
Stan Lee
Grant Morrison
George Lucas
Bob Kane
J.K. Rowling
Homer
Alan Moore
J.R.R. Tolkien
Ovid


Chapters 21 and 22:

B. Heroes in popular culture are part of our collective unconsciousness. These characters teach us about the world—about good and evil, right and wrong. Describe an iconic popular culture hero that communicates an important life lesson to the audience.

C. Heroes and superheroes are changing the expectations of the human machine. How have these narratives inspired the “transhumanism” movement?