Randy works as a freelance web developer in Dallas, Texas. He spends his free time reading and writing about myth. Find out more about Randy at his personal site randyhoyt.com.
Randy looks at a sculpture of Orpheus and different versions of his story from antiquity, considering the connection between a work of art and its narrative when viewers might know a different version of the story then the artist. Article »
Not all products of mythical thinking are narratives. Randy explores one such example from the first century CE, a teaching from the Sermon on the Mount about the lilies of the field, worrying, and trusting in God. Article »
Authors often describe their fictional worlds and characters as something they discover rather than something they invent. Randy looks at a number of quotations, connecting this phenomenon with mythical thinking. Article »
Amy H. Sturgis is an author, speaker, and professor at Belmont University. Randy spoke with her about science fiction and its relationship to mythology. Article »
Randy examines Doris Lessing's use of material from Genesis in her science-fiction novel Shikasta, arguing that Lessing is a strong advocate for the potential for the products of mythical thinking to address problems in the modern world. Article »
We humans beings have used both mythical thinking and logical thinking to explain the world around us. Distinguishing between these can help us understand mythic narratives, both ancient and modern. Article »
Ted Nasmith is an artist best known for his illustrations depicting scenes from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Randy spoke with him about his artwork and some of the challenges of illustrating fantasy literature. Article »
Randy explores the connection between the magnificent vertical columns carved in cedar by the Native Americans of the northwest Pacific coast and the mythical narratives they depict. Article »
Randy shows how a wide variety of works, from ancient pottery and stained-glass windows to comic books and movie soundtracks, use more than just words to communicate myths or to recall them to mind. Article »
Verlyn Flieger is an author, editor, and English professor at the University of Maryland. Randy spoke with her about J.R.R. Tolkien's impact on mythological studies and fantasy literature. Article »