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