Both Gilgamesh and Genesis contain a very similar flood story. What does this tell us about how the ancient Mesopotamians and the ancient Hebrews understood their past? What does the flood story tell us about how these ancient peoples thought about their god(s)? Give a comparative reading of the flood stories in Gilgamesh, Atrahasis, and Genesis, and the wider context in which those stories are told. Draw a conclusion about the relationship between human beings and their god(s). What socio-political function do you think the flood story played for its original audience? How might the flood story shape the formation of a cultural identity?