Themes in the Oral TraditionLanguage Arts 7

Characteristics

Oral tradition – the sharing of stories, cultures, and ideas by word of mouth.

The oldest form of storytelling, handed down from generation to generation

Found in all cultures from America to Zimbabwe!

Common types are myths, legends, folk tales, tall tales, fables, and epics.

Heroes & Heroines

•Heroes/Heroines – larger than life figures

whose deeds are told in the oral tradition.

•A hero doesn’t have to be a superhero, often they are ordinary people like

you and me.•Epic stories are

dedicated to a hero’s journey

Types of Oral Traditions

MYTHS LEGENDS FOLK TALES

TALL TALES FABLES EPICS

Myths• Myths – tales that explain actions of gods, goddesses, and heroes.•Mythology – the collection of myths from a culture.•Some famous examples of myths:

•Noah & the Flood•The stories of Hercules

Legends•Legends – traditional stories about the past.•Some legends have a basis in fact, but are exaggerated over retellings•Ex: George Washington & The Cherry Tree

Folk Tales•Folk Tales – tell stories about ordinary people. •These stories reveal traditions and values of a culture.•Examples: Fairy tales, the Brothers Grimm, Johnny Appleseed

Tall Tales• Tall Tales – folk tales that use hyperbole for comic effect.•Hyperbole – exaggeration or overstatement for effect.•Examples: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, etc.

Fables•Fables – stories featuring animals that speak and act like humans.•Often end with a moral lesson that is directly stated.•Examples: Chicken Little, Fox and Crow, the Grasshopper and the Ant

Epics•Epic – long narrative poems about a hero who engages in a quest, a dangerous journey, that is important to the history of a nation.•Quest – a dangerous journey with a goal, often used to “prove” a hero’s worth.

Any Questions?