The following is a passage about a boy, Phaëthon, who is being teased by his friends. They do not believe that Apollo is Phaëtho
n’s father or that Apollo makes the sun rise and set. In order to prove Phaëthon ‘s friends wrong, Apollo hesitantly gives Phaëthon his chariot and horses. Apollo hurried to give directions. “You have never driven my chariot before. You must make the horsesstay on the path. If you are too low, you will scorch the earth.”
“I know, Father. Now watch me take off!” shouted Phaëthon.
Dawn stepped back and released her grip on the horses’ bridles. The horses pawed the ground and snorted with excitement. The sky begged for Dawn’s light, so she ran toward the horizon in her glowing gown to make the darkness fade. As Phaëthon was about to ascend, Apollo grabbed his arm and said, “Please listen to me! If you go too high, you will warm the cold depths of the heavens, and the Bear or Snake or Scorpion will come alive!”
Phaëthon just laughed. “My friends are waiting. I’ve got to go!” he shouted.
With that, the chariot was off. It was a wild ride. Hour and Day were unruly and difficult to control. Phaëthon did not have his father’s strong arms or years of experience. The horses wove from side to side and bobbed up and down through the heavens, hitting everything in their way. The sun bounced along behind the chariot like a basketball. It grazed the stars and skidded along mountaintops, leaving charred remains behind. Phaëthon’s friends ran for cover as they watched the spectacle. Just as his father had warned him, the figures in the sky began to move. Suddenly the Scorpion lunged toward him, but Phaëthon ducked out of the way in time. The Snake lashed out and bit a wheel off the chariot.
Apollo, witnessing the destruction, dashed up toward the heavens, but he was too late! The Bear had stirred from his icy hibernation and grabbed Phaëthon before his father could reach him. Apollo grabbed the reins and finally regained control of Hour and Day, but it was years before the earth’s mountaintops were white with snow again. The scorched areas became deserts where very little would grow. Phaëthon became a part of the constellations alongside the Bear, where his father could regretfully keep an eye on him.
The conflict in this story most contributes to which thematic topic?
Select one:
