How do different writers understand the mortal relationship with the gods?

Humanity’s relationship to the divine is a recurring theme and subject in myths the world over. But different cultures, and even different sources within a single culture, characterize that relationship differently. Using the material we have studied in this class compare and contrast the relationship of mortals to immortals in at least two of our assigned texts. Things to consider:

How do different writers understand the mortal relationship with the gods? Why is this relationship represented this way?
Do you find that specific genres attend to this issue in different ways? Why might, say, a heroic epic show a different understanding of the gods from tragedy?
Don’t forget to craft a careful and specific thesis statement around which you build your argument. This essay is not a place simply to list similarities and differences between books. Examine the issue and provide analysis to prove your central argument.
Reading Response Paper Topic 1
One way to think about justice is to raise the question of rights and where they come from. Following elements of John Locke’s political
philosophy, modern libertarians such as Robert Nozick maintain that we are born with certain basic entitlements. Principal among these so
called natural rights are liberty and property. Questions of a just society for Nozick, then, become questions of how to best safe guard our right to
liberty generally and, in particular, our right to private property and free exchange. Others, such as John Rawls, reject the idea that we have
rights independent from societal inclusion. One way of putting it is that from the communitarian perspective all rights are civil, not natural, in
origin. For many of this viewpoint justice then becomes a question of protecting the principals agreed upon for social living. Write a 4-6 page
essay for a general reader that: 1) Lays out what a Lockean right or natural right is supposed to be; 2) Explains how such rights are supposed
to relate to Nozick’s entitlement theory of just distribution; 3) Demonstrates how Nozick uses the Wilt Chamberlin example to argue for his
preferred view; 4) Raises the question of society and natural rights by considering Rawls’ focus on the original position and fairness; 5) Shows
how the veil of ignorance is supposed to work and why ignorance might be required in thinking about justice; 6) Says what two principles
allegedly fall out of the veil of ignorance and why Rawls thinks free exchange must be conditioned by equality of opportunity; and, 7) Explores in
some detail the possible implications of these two different approaches to justice and economic distribution for the poverty case study outlined in
section 3.3 of chapter 3. You may advance a thesis if you choose but be sure to offer reasons for the view you wish to defend. In writing for a
general reader you should assume very little by way of background knowledge. In particular, make sure you do not address your remarks
directly to me or anyone familar with the essay prompt or our other course materials (including our text). In this regard it is very useful to
include an introductory paragraph that both presents your overall ethical concern in a way that would capture a general readers attention and
provides a sketch of what you plan to say about it. Avoid bullet points and make sure your paragraphs bear some relation to one another and to
carrying out the agenda presented in the introduction. You may use other sources and direct quotation but as always you must cite your sources
and use largely your own words and ideas.