The World on Turtle's Back

The woman’s body is a symbol of creation—both a vessel for giving birth and the building blocks for life-giving elements like the sun, the moon, and the stars. Like the earth itself, she appears passive while bringing forth life. However, where other earth mother figures are powerful deities, the woman in “The World on Turtle’s Back” is a creator by default. Her body torments her when she is alive even as it enables the “birth” of the human world, highlighting the theme of Passive Versus Active Creation.

The turtle, who remains unnamed, works within the theme of creation. Like the woman, he is silent and passive, though the turtle chooses this role, which is a very important one. No other creature in the lower world seems to have the proper physical shape to hold the woman with stability. As the story progresses, the size of the turtle expands until its back forms an island—in fact, the continent of North America. Things begin to grow on the turtle’s back like grasses, shrubs, and trees. Later, the twins add animals and humans.