The myth of Icarus and his father, Daedalus, teaches by its tragedy. Myths reflect subconscious truth power can be a dangerous and potentially fatal commodity for a boy as he transitions from boyhood to manhood. It teaches us about power in our relationship with our fathers. The myth of Icarus is especially relevant to boys of the baby boom (children born after World War II and up until the Vietnam era). Icarus had soared towards the sun, his wax melted and he fell to his death. He peered down at the ocean and saw a small cluster of feathers floating on the water. Daedalus looked around in flight and could not find his son. Drunk with his newfound power, he soared higher in the sky, ignoring his father's warning. Also, like many adolescents, Icarus moved rapidly from ungainliness to false prowess. He found flight awkward at first, but learned quickly and soon flew with the attributes of adolescence-his physical strength made up for his lack of coordination and balance. Like any adolescent boy, Icarus struggled with parental advice. Icarus took off with all intentions of following his father's sage advice. If he flew too low, his wings would get wet in the ocean if he flew too high, the sun would melt the wax and the wings would disintegrate. Just before their flight, Daedalus warned his son to be careful. In theory, the wings would allow Daedalus and Icarus to fly above the labyrinth and off the island to freedom. Ever the inventor, Daedalus built wings of feathers and wax to escape. Because he was his father's son, Icarus faced the same fate. Sometime after building it, Daedalus fell into disfavor with the king of Crete and was condemned to live the rest of his life inside the labyrinth. Even Daedalus could not find a way out of his maze. He was the son of Daedalus, an accomplished inventor, who produced an ingenious labyrinth on the island of Cnossus for Minos, the king of Crete. Building things seems to be a family trait.Icarus was a minor character in Greek Mythology, famous for not surviving the transition from boyhood to manhood. We would sail over Crete Island and over the maze that Grandpa built. This very airship was the last thing he built before he died. It gives me time to think, to remember conversations with my father. I like lying on the deck of my airship looking up at the clouds just a few feet above. He rests his journal on his bent knee, writing as he watches the clouds coast along beside the ship. Icarus, a young, lithe but muscular boy, lies on his back on the deck, his left leg folded over his right in a figure four. Icarus’ airship, an old wooden yacht with a large canvass balloon attached, hangs amongst the clouds, quietly drifting along the open sky. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at, where they can also discover other works by this author. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Thank you for downloading this free e-book. Airship image courtesy of Shaddam89 Copyright 2012-2014
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