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fandomhigh2006-11-06 08:37 am
a-phale.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-11-06 08:37 am
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Good Omens...And Bad: Prophecy in Theory and Practice, Class Nine
Monday, November 6, First Period
In addition to the usual arrangement of tea and pastries, there is also a stack of handouts on the table, which Aziraphale draws attention to once the class is in session.
"Before we begin, I want to first give you some information regarding our upcoming field trip. These handouts include important details about our flights and hotel arrangements, so please be sure to read them, and let me know after class if you have any questions. I'll also need to know if any of you will not be able to join us for the trip."
LECTURE: "Prophecies cover a wide range of subjects, from weather to victory or defeat in battle to births and deaths. The central character of The Scottish Play receives numerous prophecies regarding his future and his death. The Greek mythological figure Cassandra made pronouncements regarding the Trojan War. The Judeo-Christian bible is filled with prophetic statements covering everything from wars to the births of future leaders.
Although divination can give us information regarding such mundane issues as what sort of harvest can be expected this year, the most notable predictions center on people, usually individuals. These individuals are often of particular interest to the social group that the prophecy is created for.
Nearly every culture has a story about a "Chosen One", a person who will perform a specific task which is held in high importance by that culture. Sometimes this "Chosen One" is prophecied to be a leader, to accomplish some heroic task that will result in an improvement in the lives of his or her people. Sometimes, the "Chosen One" is seen as a villain, who will bring about the ruin of a leader or a social group through his or her actions. Or both even, depending on your point of view."
DISCUSSION: Can the "Chosen One" of a prophecy choose not to be Chosen? In other words, does being the object of a prophecy take away one's Free Will, one's ability to make one's own destiny? Does a prophecy force a destiny on you, or can you choose to take a different path?
HOMEWORK: Write a brief essay on the pros and cons of being the object of a prophecy. How could it benefit the person Chosen, how could that person's being Chosen benefit others? Inversely, how could being the Chosen of a prophecy turn out to be more of a curse than a blessing?
Syllabus
Class Roster
Classes Linkdrop
[ooc:Please wait for OCD threads are up.]
In addition to the usual arrangement of tea and pastries, there is also a stack of handouts on the table, which Aziraphale draws attention to once the class is in session.
"Before we begin, I want to first give you some information regarding our upcoming field trip. These handouts include important details about our flights and hotel arrangements, so please be sure to read them, and let me know after class if you have any questions. I'll also need to know if any of you will not be able to join us for the trip."
LECTURE: "Prophecies cover a wide range of subjects, from weather to victory or defeat in battle to births and deaths. The central character of The Scottish Play receives numerous prophecies regarding his future and his death. The Greek mythological figure Cassandra made pronouncements regarding the Trojan War. The Judeo-Christian bible is filled with prophetic statements covering everything from wars to the births of future leaders.
Although divination can give us information regarding such mundane issues as what sort of harvest can be expected this year, the most notable predictions center on people, usually individuals. These individuals are often of particular interest to the social group that the prophecy is created for.
Nearly every culture has a story about a "Chosen One", a person who will perform a specific task which is held in high importance by that culture. Sometimes this "Chosen One" is prophecied to be a leader, to accomplish some heroic task that will result in an improvement in the lives of his or her people. Sometimes, the "Chosen One" is seen as a villain, who will bring about the ruin of a leader or a social group through his or her actions. Or both even, depending on your point of view."
DISCUSSION: Can the "Chosen One" of a prophecy choose not to be Chosen? In other words, does being the object of a prophecy take away one's Free Will, one's ability to make one's own destiny? Does a prophecy force a destiny on you, or can you choose to take a different path?
HOMEWORK: Write a brief essay on the pros and cons of being the object of a prophecy. How could it benefit the person Chosen, how could that person's being Chosen benefit others? Inversely, how could being the Chosen of a prophecy turn out to be more of a curse than a blessing?
Syllabus
Class Roster
Classes Linkdrop
[ooc:
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