Myth. A myth is a story that explains the beginnings of things in the natural world. These natural objects or events are explained as the result of the action of some supernatural force or being. As you read “The Creation of Music,” notice the actions of supernatural forces or beings that contribute to the beginning of music on Earth.
Setting. The setting of a literary work is the time and place in which it happens. Writers create settings in many different ways. In drama, the setting is usually made plain by the stage set and the costumes. In fiction, setting is most often revealed by means of descriptions of landscape, scenery, buildings, furniture, clothing, the weather, and the season. It can also be revealed by how characters talk and behave.
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• History Connection. A Native American people known as the Aztecs ruled Mexico before Spaniards conquered the region in the 1500s. The Aztecs, who had built up an advanced civilization and empire, worshiped many gods. Each god was connected with some aspect of the universe and helped explain the natural world. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl were two of the most powerful gods worshiped by the Aztecs.
• The Aztecs depicted music and dance as well as battles and ceremonies in their detailed artworks. Four common instruments in these scenes are the drum, flute, rattle, and conch-shell trumpet.
As you read “The Creation of Music,” use a cluster chart like the one below to show how one of its settings—Earth—is created. A few of the descriptions are already in place.
If suddenly all song and music in the world were eliminated, what might you begin noticing and how might you feel after a month or two?
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