Gathering human data
Explorer's log, Earth date 11th of May 2011
Fourth entry
Subject: Non-history
While my host studied for her finals, I attempted to learn a bit about the way the human race approaches the written word. Is language only used to record and relay information? Or do humans also write down tales of things that have not happened as my race does? It is wonderful how amusing, and often enlightening, non-history can be. Do human beings have a similar tradition?
The answer is: yes. Human beings share this trait with us. They call it 'fiction,' which primarily uses books as its medium. My host doesn't seem able to fully appreciate the advantages of 'fiction,' though. She is exceedingly literal minded.
For illustrative purposes only, I have collected some of my host's thoughts about one particular human non-history event that is supposed to function as a warning against hubris.
Kate has informed me that the Icarus myth is not about flying too close to the sun. She claims that it's not even about getting close to something bright or beautiful or hot. I doubt that she ever read it. She said something about 'symbolism' and 'metaphors' – whatever the hell those are. It's clearly about a boy flying too close to the sun. It's right there in the text! What else could it be about? Am I supposed to go deeper than that or something? Am I supposed to analyse the text to find underlying meanings? What am I? An English Literature Major? Well, yeah, almost… Never mind. I'm sure those meanings are hidden for a reason. It would be rude to go look for them.
It would appear that my host is far less intelligent than I originally assumed.