The Cross-Cultural Symbolism of Insects-An Approach to Stimulating Student Interest in Learning English

于惠之(Hui-Chih Yu)

《應用英語期刊》 4期 (2011/12) Pp. 75-89

https://doi.org/10.29691/JAE.201112.0006

並列摘要

English is a useful international language. The problem is how to arouse the interest of English language learners is of importance. The main purpose of this study is not only to try to raise their interest in learning English but also to stimulate their imagination in understanding the relevant cultural content. The Mother Nature provides us with abundant phenomena, and insects are a good example, since many people are still left with feelings of bewilderment at the intriguing sights and strange sounds of the insect world. It is likely that both the behavior and life cycles of insects would have been poorly understood by people in ancient times, which would explain why the characters of insects went on to develop rich symbolic associations. The origin of all insect mythology probably stemmed from the belief that insects were creatures that were the embodiment of spirits. Prior studies have been to deal only with the mythology of insects, per se, with no attempt having been made to undertake any comparison between Western and Oriental mythology. This study goes further, by examining the theoretical considerations and building a framework which will enable us to explore the symbolic meanings of insects. This analysis includes comparisons among cultures, religions and literature. Finally, suggestions are also made for effective approaches to teaching students about insects within a mythical context.

並列關鍵字

Insects ； Mythology ； Symbolism ； Legends ； Literature