Katelyn Joyce- Plato and Understanding Myth as Truth

 When researching Plato and his use of myth, it stood out to me how great of a teaching tool it can be. Myth was used by Plato as a means to help whoever he was talking to fully understand his concept. This is similar to the use of other literary devices. I found this really interesting because I did not see myths as literary devices. I saw them as pieces of literature that contained literary devices, which could still be true. Through learning about Plato and his teachings, I’m now able to understand how it can be used to elucidate a point in a manner similar to that of analogies.  This article goes on to explain how through the myth given in The Phaedrus, it is not improbable that individuals could have heard the story and took it for truth. I find that concept very interesting as we can apply it to other areas of myths and our understanding of them. We are taught to interact with stories and separate the truth from the fiction as we apply it to our own lives. With the fear of being swayed by false information, I feel that many people are more hesitant to believe the truth found in fantastical stories. This is especially prominent in the understanding of myths. C. S. Lewis discussed how myth can become fact. These mythical stories are able to have truth to them. From interacting with Plato and the reminder of the words of Lewis, I began to wonder if it is difficult for people who initially understood Christianity to be myth to begin to understand it as fact. From my perspective, I approached it believing that it was fact and then grew to understand the mythical nature of it. I can imagine that it could be a difficult transition, especially when we grow up under the understanding that myth is not truth.