Baba Yaga Thesis - 1787 Words

Recently, religion has become very controversial as many people think that their religion is the only true religion, and that if one does not follow that religion, bad things will come. This has even gone so far as to make people commit violent, murderous acts in the name of their god. While reading fairytales are definitely a welcome escape from this crazy world, the principles displayed in such stories also teach valuable lessons about what really matters and how we, as humans, should conduct ourselves. In the Slavic fairytale Baba Yaga, the inclusion of both Pagan and Christian values helps to develop the message that regardless of religion, basic kindness and compassion dictate one’s fortune. By including an inanimate object in the†¦show more content†¦Because Baba Yaga’s fate seems to be determined by her not respecting the natural world, reading up to this point in the fairytale makes it seem like people’s fate is dictated by religion. However, the author then decides to include Baba Yaga’s negligence towards her inanimate metal gate as another influencer in her fate. The gate explains to Baba Yaga, â€Å"‘I have served you so long, and you have not even poured water on my hinges; but she poured oil!’† (Afanas’ev 365) While most of the early parts of the fairytale hinge on Baba Yaga’s actions in relation to very pagan beliefs, the inclusion of an inanimate object proves that the author is trying to show that one’s fate is not simply determined by how well one follows their religion, but is a result of the amalgam of their actions. By including Baba Yaga’s mistreatment of an inanimate object al so leading to her demise, the author is driving home the point that one’s compassion and kindness towards everything in their life is what determines their fortune, not simply whether one follows religious values or not. In addition to demonstrating the importance of treating everything with respect, the author’s uses those inanimate objects to demonstrate the force of nature, further highlighting the good fortune that comes when one respects others. When the girl is fleeing Baba Yaga, she, â€Å"put her ear to the ground and heard Baba Yaga coming quite close. She threw her towel-and there was a wide, wideShow MoreRelatedTraditional Herbal Remedies : Culture And Society Of Russia1315 Words   |  6 Pages HERBALISM IN RUSSIA Heather Riley RUSC 101: Culture and Society of Russia 4 October 2015 Thesis: Efficacy of traditional herbal remedies combined with a cultural faith in those traditions, combats modern medicine s inherent distrust of traditional healing. Change is when existing practices are heavily integrated. This is a reflection of belief in the practices a population is to using, and the faith in the herbalists as well as their remedies. This faith is grown through knowledge about