The Impact of Urban Legends Throughout History and Around the World

Urban Legends: a story, usually horrific, which uses pieces of history and information to create a story which is circulated through several generations and cultures. The person telling an urban legend more likely than not has heard the story from someone else. Urban legends are passed down from parents, grandparents, friends, siblings etc... The story has been morphed so many times over the years that the true story behind the legend has been lost in the web of its new versions. Although terrifying and good stories to tell, urban legends, such as Head on a Stick, have many loose ends to them and if picked apart, the aspects of ethos, pathos and logos can be used to show the truth behind them.

In “How Urban Myths Reveal Society's Fears” Neal Gabler discusses the cause and effects of urban myths on society and how they can cause fear in people. In the first myth, a groom publicly embarrasses his bride by putting a picture of her having a affair with the best man under each of his reception guests plates. But is it true? There have been numerous accounts of the same story from different locations. Several news papers have tried to get to the bottom of this tall tale, but to only come up empty handed.

Finally, I’ll finish the final step: developing the conclusion base on the data I have to support or redefine the

is also based on fiction. For example, if one of your friends told you that they saw a UFO it would be

I like this one a lot because it has all the elements of any good urban myth: It's both outlandish and believable at the same time.

First let’s look at what an urban legend is. Urban legends are fictitious stories, but sometimes based on true events, that teach a moral lesson or offer an explanation for mysterious events. Urban legends are told throughout the world and are distorted a little based on who tells them and where they are told. These stories can never be traced back to the original source because they are always heard from a “friend of a friend.” Urban legends are stories told around a campfire or are spread by email and the internet. Because

Now you must be wondering what exactly is a myth? By definition “myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions” (Leonard & McClure, 2004). We often hear people say “that’s a myth” when referring to information they don’t deem completely true. To me myths can have various meanings for example

In the examination of the multitudes of American myths and values, a common use and theme can be found uniting all of them. These myths and values, to one degree or another, are designed to make old white men feel better about themselves and as a cudgel used against the changing culture that challenges their privileged position. The myths I will be exploring today involve sanitizing their past, glorifying their actions, and answering challenges to their thrones.

For this essay I wanted to first look into the political aspects of early Rome and explore whether myth was primarily a political tool for power and wealth, starting with the foundation myths of Augustus, I came across a quote “Emperors exploited myths and mythical characters to promote their images and values” (Block 2 pg. 153) and wanted to see weather myth had any involvement in how politician’s first ruled early Rome. I will also look in to Emperor Nero and see how he used myth as a tool to gain public support from his people, and explore how myth had an impact on both men to gain political power and respect. I will then look into

Myths affect our society today, we continue to tell stories about Hercules, also The Big Three fighting with the Titans in World War II. (www.academia.edu)

Nowadays, the development of technology affects the way we search for the information. For instance, stories that have been told only within families or small groups of people can now be exposed to the internet, where these stories are shared amongst hundreds of people. Urban legend, by definition, is a humorous or horrific story that people usually believe, even when there is no proof of where it started from, or of the trustworthiness of that story. Urban legends have appealed to many ranges of audiences since this genre tends to attract many individuals. For instance, college students have taken an interest towards these legends, whether they like the strange stories or the actual messages behind it. Urban legends have taught college students the themes, which are based on the reflection of their conflicts or problems that they have dealt with. The two common themes of urban legends that represent the problem that college students are dealing with are the conflicts between college students and their professors and the paranormal and horror events that occur in their life.

The Inuit people believe that there is the land under the world, and a land in the sky. Including the world itself they believed in three realms. On death the person’s soul would go to the underworld or the land above, but they would pass on certain qualities to a recently born child.

There once was a god named Perculus, he was one of the three lost gods that were destroyed by Zeus. He was the god of education; he was responsible for teaching all the citizens of Greece the basic ways of living. Once Zeus got into power he was jealous that someone other than himself was teaching the citizens so he sent him to Hades, along with two other gods for other personal reasons, Diminutive the original god of Truth and, Gargantuan the god of punishment.

A rumor can be classified as a special case of informal social communications that include myth, legend, and current humor. Rumors have three basic characteristics to them. The first is mode transmission which is usually done through word of mouth. The second characteristic is that they provide information, ranging from a particular person, an event, or condition. Lastly, the third characteristic is that a rumor satisfies mythology, folklore, and humor. Rumors have the

The cash register in "Money" is heard just as the color of Oz is seen.