Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales Flashcards
Myth
Classical story created to explain the mysteries of the universe
Usually has gods/goddesses
Often describes the creation of something natural
Characters often have super powers (can fly, etc.)
Ex. Greek mythology
Legend
Traditional story believed to be based on real people and events
Hero/heroine faces a powerful force
Character(s) often have special powers/abilities (great at running, sword fighting, etc.)
Ex. Legend of King Arthur, Babe Ruth baseball legend, Michael Jordan basketball legend, etc.
Tall Tale
Humorous story about events and characters that are exaggerated
Often humorous
Often use hyperbole
Hero/heroine is usually “larger than life”
Ex. Uncle Septimus’ Beard
Hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration.
Ex. “My backpack weighs a ton!”, “I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse!”, “It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!”, “That’s the fattest dog in the world!”
Cultural Values
Beliefs that are shared by a group of people. Things that are held as important by those people.
Ex. Honesty, integrity, family bonds, loyalty, courage, etc.
Do myths ALWAYS have to have gods/goddesses in them?
No.
They can explain the creation of something without the mention of gods/goddesses.
Do myths ALWAYS have to have the creation of something in them?
No.
They can contain gods/goddesses in them without explaining the creation of anything.
Origin
Where something came from. Example: What is the origin of that word? = Where did that word come from?; What is the origin of the world? = Where did the world come from?; Where is it’s origin? = Where did it come from?
Stylistic Elements
The techniques used by a writer to tell a story (the way they write it). Example: rhyming, repetition, etc.
(Think back to plot–the author’s STYLE is the way they write their text. They use STYLISTIC ELEMENTS to write their story with a certain form)
