Who are we? Why are we here? What happens when we die? Long before recorded history, people all over the earth told each other stories to answer these existential questions. Indeed, the word “myth” comes from the Greek word for story, and mythology is, at its root, the study of stories. In this class, we will learn about the universal human practice of storytelling to provide meaning and purpose for our lives. We will read and analyze a variety of texts from many cultures using Michael Bazzett’s translation of the Mayan Popul Vuh, a creation myth of the Americas, as our guide. We will explore the hero’s journey (monomyth) as it occurs across cultures, and we will learn how ancient stories and texts continue to shape our understanding of the modern world and influence modern creative forms including literature and film. Finally, we will explore your personal relationship to myths. What stories matter to you? What is your hero’s journey?