A Mythical Analysis of A Yaqui Way of Knowledge
4-11-95
In the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled to
the southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he
met an extraordinary man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him
as don Juan. Don Juan, a Yaqui "brujo" or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the
"Yaqui way of knowledge." It is not known if these stories are fiction or non-
fiction and many critics still debate over his writings. I interpret his books
as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The "Heroic Journey
Archetype" and shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative,
and philosophical content of his writings indicate that these stories can be
viewed as "modern myth".
Throughout Casteneda's stories you can see the "Heroic Journey Archetype".
Carlos goes through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and
professors at school. He moves forward with the help......
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Approximate Word Count: 558
Approximate Pages: 3 (260 words per double-spaced page) |