"American Gods"

In American Gods, Neil Gaiman gets the opportunity to fill his story with as many fictional/ mythological characters as he wants.  The story to only uses characters form mythology, but also borrows stories from various myths. From religion to folklore. Characters such as goddess Eatser, Bilquis, and others myth based characters. There are many characters that Gaiman fills his story with.

Gaiman takes look at mythology and how it can relate to people and their cultural significance. It also goes into what it means to be an American, with certain fictional characters used to show how mortal characters identify themselves as. I feel that these mythological characters, mainly rooted in their own cultures, helps in showing how their cultures and how and how American culture is, to Gaiman uses these fictional characters to introduce several different and important themes and topics. I feel that the myths portrayed in the story are made relevant by the myth characters’ representation. Characters such as religious figures are used to show religion beliefs for mortal characters. I feel that this is used to ground the characters and make them believable in a world of fiction.

This is what’s so great about Gaiman’s story American Gods, how he’s able to blend the  realism and fantasy, and have the viewers strongly relate and can find interesting. They are all used to show the deferent facets of the human experience. From religious identity, to sexual identity, the fictional characters in the story show how they are not only powerful, but relatable, showing that even the most otherworldly personalities aren't that different from ourselves.