Duvall/Conley

6th Grade ELA

Storytelling is common to every culture. Most people enjoy listening to stories. Storytellers have provided people with entertaining stories since the beginning of civilization.

Most people have their own favorite story from childhood and, often, these tales are both fascinating and frightening. These stories include legends, myths and folktales.

A legend is a semi-true story, which has been passed on from person-to-person and has important meaning or symbolism for the culture that started it. A legend usually includes an element of truth, or is based on historic facts, but with 'mythical qualities'.

Legends usually involve heroic characters or fantastic places and often include the spiritual or religious beliefs of the culture in which they originate (start).

A myth is a story which has a deep symbolic meaning. A myth ‘shares a truth' to those who tell it and hear it, rather than necessarily repeating a story of a true event.

Myths are often used to explain things that occurred naturally, but the people had no scientific explanation or knowledge of (eclipse).

A folktale is a popular story that was passed on in spoken form, from one generation to the next. Usually the author is unknown and there are often many versions of the tale. Folktales comprise fables, fairy tales, and old legends. Again, some tales may have been based on a partial truth that has been lost or hidden over time. It is difficult to categorize folktales precisely because they fit into many categories. Folk tales are often referred to as Tall Tales. You can compare folktales to what happens when people play the “telephone” game.

A tall tale is a story that provides enjoyment to a wide variety of audiences. Tall tales stretch the imagination through colorful figurative language and exaggerations.

Tall tales are also known as lying tales; they are humorous exaggerations.

Tall tales may come from other countries but we are most familiar with American ones.

Tall tales are often about the frontier days in the United States. They are an exaggeration of the hardships of frontier life.

Tall tales may be about animals, weather,

everyday events, and ordinary people; but the more famous tales are about heroes.

Tall tales often feature over-sized people

and exaggerated deeds.

As well as being interesting, these stories also tell us a great deal about how people in the past saw, and understood, the world around them.There are many reasons why stories are told and passed down through generations. Here are just a few of them:

To strengthen a community and provide a common understanding. Stories often reflect the beliefs of the people who tell them. The popularity of any story depends on whether those listening approve of the values it represents. By telling and listening to stories, people confirmed their ideas about the world around them. Things that people found scary, infuriating, or desirable all found their way into the stories and they were passed on, because people wanted to be assured (guaranteed) that other people around them were thinking along the same lines.

As a way of providing moral guidance and showing people how they should behave, including the consequences of not making good decisions. Myths and legends, like any good stories, often include a moral (lesson). Within the myth, the hurt or embarrassment experienced by people is often due to their own stupidity, greed, dishonesty, or negligence.

To explain how the world works, for example why the seasons change, and to explain strange happenings or phenomena such as eclipses - the reasons for which were unknown in early times.

For entertainment purposes. Stories were told to amuse an audience in the days before TV and other forms of entertainment.

To pass on history and knowledge, such as the outcome of battles and tales of courage, in ages when many people could not read or write. Many myths have an element of truth that has been built upon over the years.

Regardless of why they were told, many of the stories still remain popular today and, although we no longer swap stories around the campfire, the tradition of storytelling still continues.

A re-telling The time setting is typically timeless e.g.

‘Long, long ago’ ‘ Before animals walked the earth’

A single animal is representative of all animals of that kind

Natural forces like wind and fire are represented by gods or god-like form

The resolution of myths and legends explain why things are the way we are

A classic opening and\or closing (e.g. Once upon a time…., And they all lived happily after)

Stereotypes e.g. Animals e.g. wolves are bad; rescuers are male

The representative of certain values, wealth= happiness, beauty = happiness

The involvement of supernatural forces, e.g. fairy godmothers, creatures that can talk

Tales are based around themes like trickery and foolishness

‘But still to this day…’ ‘So every time you see…’ These comments sum up how things

came to be .

A hero is someone who is distinguished for his or her courage or ability. They are admired for brave deeds and noble qualities. They may have performed heroic acts. They may also be someone who is a model or an ideal that other people can copy. They are often someone who has sacrificed for the good of others.

Make a list of all the heroes you can think of – both real and fictional.

Think about a person in your life you might consider a hero. Write a short explanation or story about why you consider him/her to be a hero.