Folk Literature

The passing along of stories by word of mouth from one generation to the next

Oral Tradition

Universal Theme Fantasy Personification Irony Hyperbole Dialect Local customs

Characteristics of Folk Literature

A message about life that can be understood by people of most cultures

Universal Theme

A type of writing that is highly imaginative and contains elements that are not found in real life

Examples- Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit

Fantasy

A type of figurative language in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics

Personification

Involves surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions

Irony

An exaggeration or an overstatement

Hyperbole

Form of language spoken by people of a particular region or group

Dialect

Unique traditions or ways of life of a particular group

Example- In the United States, it is customary to shake hands when first meeting someone.

Local Customs

Genres within oral tradition: Folk Tales Fables Myths Legends

The Oral Tradition in Print

Were told to entertain and communicate the shared ideas of a culture

Often deal with heroes, adventure, magic, or romance

Examples- Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Johnny Appleseed, The Headless Horseman

Folk Tales

Brief stories or poems Usually contain animal characters that teach

a lesson, or contain a moral that is stated directly

Examples- The Ant and the Grasshopper,The Goose with the Golden Egg,The Mouse and the Lion, The Tortoise and the Hare

Fables

Fictional tales that explain the actions of gods and heroes, or explain natural phenomena

Examples- The stories of Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Athena, etc.

Myths

A culture’s familiar and traditional stories Can sometimes refer to a well-known person,

place, event, or literary work

Examples- Legend of the Bluebonnet, Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, Davey Crockett, Robin Hood

Legends