American Gods By Neil Gaiman - Essay Example

AMERICAN GODS BY NEIL GAIMAN INTRODUCTION American Gods is an Award –winning novels written by Neil Gaiman. The novel is centered on the mysterious protagonist Shadow. The novel is a fantasy drawn from the American way of life and beliefs and also drawn from various beliefs of both modern and ancient mythology. A myth refers to a traditional story accepted as history: it is designed to explain how people observe the world .Mythology therefore refers to the study of these stories and myth which explains the beliefs and practices of a people. American gods by Neil Gaiman is classified as a novel based on myths which formulates a number of concerns of the modern day society in a place whereby the world opinion is that the connection with the gods has been lost and most of what used to be strong spiritual beliefs that guided the society to most individuals has lost their hold on people and meaning. Gaiman gives the readers a combination of present day mythologies whereby the technology, a major characteristic of the modern day society is an important element in the deduction and analysis between the ancient and the modern (Gaiman). STATEMENT OF THESIS The research paper looks at Neil Gaiman novel American Gods and analyses Gaiman’s purpose in American Gods. The main focus of the essay is for the interpretation of Neil Gaiman’s purpose in American gods.The essay invites readers into the center of the book inorder for them to experience it from an insider’s perspective.The essay analyses two characters Shadow and Mr. Wednesday whom we later came to learn is Shadow’s father.Shadow represents an ordinary man with the common dreams and aspirations of any other normal American and illustrates his relations with Mr. Wednesday, the American Incarnation of Norse god, also known as Odin who represents the ancient gods of the American mythology.The essay also analyses the journey through which Shadow takes and also the interactions he has with the other characters in the novel.The essay looks at the beliefs and practices involved in the novel and their connection to Shamanism. SHADOW Shadow is an ex-convict who gets mixed up with the war between the legends,the ancient gods and the modern gods affiliated with new technology and the consumerism. The modern gods want to wipe out the ancient gods whom they are of the view that they have lost touch with what the modern society holds true.They do not relate with the modern day individuals and as such cannot help them since they do not have the understanding of what the modern day individuals faces and what he requires.In the novel Shadow is described as strong,large and well built.Shadow was released a few days before his actual release day after the death of his wife,Laura who dies in a car accident.At the funeral he finds that the car crashed because his wife Laura was involved with his friend Robbie who was on the wheel and at the moment of the incident was performing oral sex on him.He accepts the job given to him by Mr. Wednesday who have been offering him a job way before his wife died in an accident. Shadow after the funeral and the realization of his wife’s death circumstances is very frustrated and accepts Mr. Wednesday job offer. While travelling with Mr. Wednesday,Shadow was in his dreams seduced by the Egyptian goddess who is associated with fertility.At the beginning of the novel,Shadow is very much in love with his wife: Shadow kept he fits and learnt how to use tricks on coins and kept reminiscing of his love to his lovely wife Laura. (p.3). Another proof of the love hehad for his wife was the sacrifice to go to prison to protect Laura through this sacrifice as for now is not complete as it does not have his full passivity. Laura displays her husband as a man lacking life and characters,her reason for falling out of love with him; 'I love you,' she said without much passion. She also continues to say that when you are dead you see things in a wider perspective. Shesays that when you go home it’s like she is on her own and he is not with her. She turns on the lights on and off and there is no reaction from him and he is just there doing nothing. (p. 396). He is displayed as a man who have a lot of concern for others but one who have none for his own.This is illustrated by his willingness to gamble with his life at Czernobog. MR.WEDNESDAY Mr. Wednesday, the American In carnation of Norse god, also known as Odin is the individual in control of the event in the Neil’s American gods.A grifter and a conman,Wednesday is the one responsible for the recruitment of Shadow, the main character of the novel, into the war between the ancient and modern gods.The ancient gods in the beginning are reluctant to join Mr. Wednesday in his war against the modern gods and Mr. Wednesday once complained to Shadow of their reluctance.The old gods however later united and fully agreed to participate to the war against the modern gods after Odin was betrayed and killed by the new gods.He manipulates Shadow in to ensuring he returns to power by ensuring and making sure that the people believes in him as they did before. This he does by making Shadow to perform various schemes and tricks that leads people into believing him once again. Mr. Wednesday is lad’s man and he does not hesitate to use his charms to get what he wants.He also has an authority and presence within him which he uses when the need arises. Mr. Wednesday is later revealed as the incarnation of Odin whose current job and aim is to recruit American representatives of the gods of the ancient mythology.The powers of these ancient gods have been reduced almost to extinction with the numbers of its members declining each day and have set a war with the new American gods who are controlling modern day society through the use of a secret service organization,who according to goddess Eostre exist because everyone is of the opinion and believes that they must exist. Mr. Wednesday is eventually killed by the new gods which turns the Old gods to react. Mr. Wednesday is represented in the novel as a man who loves sex and who uses his magical powers and orientations to seduce a number of young virgins on his quest through America. Mr. Wednesdaysaysthat he needs the virgins even though not for their own needs but to fulfill his needs. Andhe would have sexual relations with the young virgins. COMPARISON OF MR.WEDNESDAY AND SHADOW Mr. Wednesday is displayed a man with a purpose and direction.He beliefs in himself and has a lot of charm which he uses to controls others particularly Shadow.Shadow on the other hand is seen as man with no beliefs or concerns towards himself. This is after the betrayal of his wife and his friend Robbie who was supposed to be keeping tabs on his former job not having an affair with his wife. He is a bitter man and it’s during these low points of his life that he accepts the job that Mr. Wednesday gave to him, whom he later came to learn, was his father with a mortal woman. Unlike Mr. Wednesday he has no cares of women though this does not mean that he did not have romantic relations with women. Mr. Wednesday on the other hand moves freely with women who he manipulates using his magical powers.Shadow in this case represents an ordinary man while Mr. Wednesday represents the creation of the ancient American gods. CLASSIFICATION: MYTHOLOGY AND FANTASY IN AMERICAN GODS The essay classifies the novel as a mythological fantasy. In the novel Gaiman interrelates many characters and introduces modern day gods i.e. gods of plastics, gods of hospitals It identifies shamanic elements and properties which guides Shadow in his journey.Shadow has been used as a Shaman,a prophet who is used to connect the modern world with the ancient beliefs which we have long forgotten.Shadow has multiple interactions with gods and demons and his role as a Shaman is greatly displayed as he acts as the go between in several occurrences. Traditionally, one is appointed Shaman trough election by the super naturals, and also trough inheritance from his or her parents and forefathers, which is how Shadow is appointed.First,Shadow’s father,Odin is associated with the Shamanic traditions and practices thereby supporting his Shamanic inheritance by his father.His election to being a shaman is also illustrated by the flight to Eagle Point which is redirected due to the storm.Shamanic traditions state that one can get elected by the super natural’s beings by use of storms which hereby supports his election. We read in the novel that there was an occurrence of lighting during the flight and Shadow whether he was to die as he stared out of the widow. (p. 19-20). Elements of Shamanism is also apparent during Shadows initiation which starts in Crocodile Bar owned by Jack where he is given Mead or honey wine. (p. 39).He is taught of the Shamanic ways and teachings in trances,dreams and also his interactions with the legends and spirits.Apart from Odin,Shadows also has other interactions with divine beings in his dreams and also in other places. For instance,among many is his interaction with the buffalo man introduced during the flight to Eagle Point,he presses Shadow to believe in order for his survival. (p. 264).Myths is a system of beliefs which nourishes and guides the life of a spirit.At first in the dream is described as a creature looking at him through him from the buffalo head. (p. 19).Their way and means of communication is also mythical,he says that the communication between them was without words though he still understood. (p. 264).Shadow also hasinteractions with three norms of a Scandinavian mythology whereby their communication method is also telepathic.We read that he was not able to remember whether he really even heard their voices but maybe he got their message through their eyes. (p. 486). Shadow also has in his possession magical mental abilities and this is shown by Mr. Wednesday asking him to mentally create a snowstorm, he was instructed to think snow and view it in his head.(p.115). afterwhich he enters a strange state where a scenario of snow falling was created in his head.(p. 115).Shadow’s trance works because he feels snowflakes falling on him and he felt very proud for this achievement. (p. 117). Shamans also have often been needed to live in isolation, are often alienated and have a symbolic death, and at times resurrection, all of which have been are experienced by Shadow.He has these experiences as he moves through American and get into godly gathering such as the encounter in Czernobog with his sisters and also the encounter at the House on top of the House on the Rock with other divine creatures. Shadow’s death and ordeal on the tree illustrate Shamanic rituals and initiations.He is thoroughly tormented by several creatures and beings that are there for him to learn a piece of wisdom from. Shadow communicates with realms as suggested by Carstens during his ordeal and pain.We read that in his mental state he becomes a tree. The novel explains how the roots of the tree go down into the depth of the earth.Shadow encounters a woman named Urd, she is extremelyhuge and she guarded the waters known as the waters of time.The other roots of the tree went to other different places some of which were secret.When he thirsty he would get water from his roots and pull them up all the way to his body.His arms were many in numbers and very long some of them reaching the sky.He describes the feeling he felt as holding the all the weight of the whole sky on his shoulders. (p. 496).His tortures and pain is continued ever when he goes to the underworld where his heart is taken by the Bast who acts as the mythological character who partakes in the process.His pain is continued with the embalmer god,Anubis who examines him.We read that his trials did not end here.All the lies he had told when he was still alive and every pain that someone felt because of him and all the bad things he had done during his life time were put to the light and exposed. It was very painful to Shadow and he wept and at the moment he was being held on the palm of the god.(p. 515-516). The mythical bird is also a proof of Shadow’s shamanic practices as he encounters it twice. At first in a dream whereby he climbs the mountain with skulls and is attacked by what seems to be the thunderbirds.When Easter revives him he again meets with the thunder birds for the second time and it even gives him a ride.We read that he nodded,and seemed to be remembering an event or a situation. He opened his mouth and he was very happy.The huge thunderbird opened its wide bleak and gave him a welcoming screech.The bird’s feathers are black with a sheen that looked purplish and its neck was whitish in color.The thunderbirds beak was black and looked cruel,which seemed like it was made for tearing. When it was resting its wings were on the ground,folded nicely away.It was as big as the bear and very tall with its hand reaching Shadows.Horus was very proud and said that he was the one responsible for bringing him and that he now he lives in the mountains. Shadow confirms that he had dreamt about the thunderbirds. (p. 558-559).At the end of the novel Shadowemerges as an anti-epic and very ordinary human being not as some kind of powerful god. Shamanism has therefore continuously been used in the novel of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.This is a proof that Gaiman’s has sustained the imaginative life as he has represented his novel on the basis of mythology and fantasy.The Shamanic properties and elements are illustrated as the ones that guides and aids Shadow in his journey and the novels shows the reaching out of the modern superficialities with the old and mysterious beliefs of the old. CONCLUSION Despite Shadows exciting adventures, none of these can actually happen in our daily life,we can still identify with him and as he still remains extremely likeable.He is used in the novel as a link between the ancient and the modern worlds and realities.Despite his shamanic encounters and journey Shadow still end up choosing to be an ordinary man and says that he found his family.His choice to be ordinary still reinforces his role as a shaman when he decides that he has had enough experiences with the gods and their behaviors. He says that all these experiences are enough to last him a lifetime and wanted nothing else to do with them. He is planning to book a bus which will take him to the airport and there he would change his ticket.He would then go to a place where he had never been and move on with his life.” (p. 627).And it’s with his decision that we an ordinary American with contemporary American mores and beliefs can be able to identify with (Armstrong). Works Cited Armstrong, K. A Short History of Myth. Edinburgh: Canon Gate Publishers, 2005. Gaiman, N. American Gods. London: Headline Publishers, 2001. Read More