exam oral traditions Flashcards
American Folklore
The traditional knowledge, collection of stories, and cultural practices that have evolved in the United States, influenced by various groups, including Native Americans and European settlers passed down from generations in the United States
What does American Folklore include
It includes folktales, legends, myths, and oral traditions that reflect the diverse experiences and values of the American people.
American Folklore shapes
the cultural identity across the nation.
folklore includes:
- Legends and myths
- Tall tales and folk tales
- Fables
- Ghost Stories
- Trickster Stories
oral tradition
is the passing of a work, idea, or custom by word of mouth from generation to generation.
oral tradition plots serve
as a vehicle of moral and themes
oral tradition stories were intented to
be spoken or sung
Common works found in the oral traditions
folk tales
fables
fairy tales
tall tales
nursery rhymes
spells
legends
myths
parables
riddles
charms
ballads
narrative
is a story or told in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama, usually told in chronological order
myth
traditional story, rooted in a particular culture, that deals with gods, goddesses, and other supernatural beings, as well as human heroes.
myths often embody
religious beliefs and values and explain natural
phenomena.
Every early culture has produced its own myths.
creation myth
explain how the world came about according to a group of
people or culture
folktale
a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated orally among a group of people.
folktales are used to
preserve cultural traditions.
What do folktales often involve
supernatural elements, mythical creatures, or exaggerated characters, rooted in a specific culture or region.
fable
brief story, often with animal characters, told to express a moral.
fairy tale
a story, usually for children, involving fantastic forces and magical creatures, enchanted lands, and heroic protagonists (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins)
tall tale
a story that is difficult to believe; a greatly exaggerated story.
It features larger-than-life characters and fantastical events.
nursery rhyme
a short, simple poems or songs for children that often tells a story, teach children language, counting, and other basic skills.
parable
a usually short fictitious story that illustrated a moral attitude or a religious principle
legend
story passed down over the generations that is often based on real events of characters from the past.
legends are considered to be
historical; however, they may contain elements that are fantastic or unverifiable.
what do legends often reflect
the values, beliefs, and experiences of the culture from which they originate.
trickster tale
is a familiar character in Native American storytelling that
challenges the established order of things, bending others to his will.
describe the trickster tale protagonist
The character is mischievous and often outwits his opponents or breaks social norms.
The protagonist is a prankster.
what does the trickster tale offer
a moral lesson about the importance of wisdom, humility, and perseverance.
song (tribal song)
song that is associated with a specific tribe or indigenous
group.
They were used for ceremonies, social gatherings, expression of identity.
riddle
a mystifying, misleading, or puzzling question posed as a problem to be solved or guessed.
chronological order
the arrangement of details in order of their occurrence.
the chronological order is the primary method of organization used in
narrative writing and also is common in nonfiction writing that describes processes, events, and cause-and-effect
relationships
voice
comprises the writer’s use of language to reflect his or her unique personality and attitude toward the topic, form, and audience.
A writer expresses his or her voice through
tone, word choice, and sentence structure
theme
central message or perception about life revealed through a literary work.
types of theme
stated theme
implied theme
universal theme
stated theme
presented directly
implied theme
must be inferred
universal theme
message about life that can be understood by people of
most cultures
Most works of fiction do not have
a stated theme but rather several implied themes.
examples of folktales
Br’er Rabbit Stories, Coyote Stories, Cherokee Creation Stories, Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan
examples of fables
The Fox and the Crow, The Turtle and the Rabbit, The Eagle and the Mole, The Boy who Cried Wolf, The Tortoise and the Hare.
examples tall tales
The Thunderbird, The Great Flood, Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Pecos Bill, John Henry
examples of fairy tales
The Talking Animals, The Sky Woman, The Star Child, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Girl Who Owned a Bear, The Magic Bon Bons.
examples of nursery rhymes
Ten Little Indians, Yankee Doodle, Old Macdonald Had a Farm, Five Little Monkeys, Hush Little Baby, Row Row Row Your Boat, Star Light Star Bright
examples of legends
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, John Henry, The Legend of the Sleeping Giant, The Legend of Johnny Appleseed, The Legend of Bigfoot, The Legend of Davy Crockett, The Legend of Jesse James
examples of myths
The Creation Myth
The American Myth
The Wild West
The Melting Pot
The Self-Made Man
The American Exceptionalism
cultural relativism
the elements that hold meaning for one culture may hold little to no meaning for another.
first Native American woman novelist
Leslie Marmon Silko
in north america, the task of collecting oral stories has been complicated by
language and cultural barriers
Leslie Marmon Silko Quote
The oral tradition stays in the human brain and then it is a collective effort in the recollection…
It is a collective memory and depends upon the whole community
