1. Tall Tales
LRA 3.1
Describe the structural differences of various imaginative forms of literature, including fantasies, fables, myths, legends, and fairy tales.

2. Definition
Stories that present larger-than-life characters that always solve the problem in a fantastical way.

3. Elements to Remember Superhuman Characters Exaggeration or Hyperbole
Characters use everyday language and have everyday jobs
Humor is used to solve problems

4. Famous Characters in Tall Tales
Paul Bunyan
John Henry
Pecos Bill
Johnny Appleseed
Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind

5. Some were real people Johnny Appleseed Davy Crocket
These were real people, but tales of their life were greatly exaggerated and eventually they turned into tall tales.

6. Some were make believe people
Paul Bunyan
John Henry
Swamp Angel

7. Author’s Purpose
The whole purpose of a tall tale is to entertain the reader or audience.
Many tall tales were told orally.
Inform
Entertain
Persuade
Describe
Author’s Purpose

8. Hyperbole Hyperbole is great exaggeration. I caught a big fish.
I caught a fish so big that I had to use an aircraft carrier to get it home.

9. You try it!
I had to walk home.
Hyperbole:
I had to walk home in a blizzard that stretched from California to Maine.
It was raining so hard when I had to walk home that a cruise ship picked me up along the way.

10. You try it!
I was hungry
Hyperbole:
I was so hungry that I ate everything in the salad bar at Sizzler.
I was so hungry that I ate all of the food in the cafeteria.

11. A Big Baby
In the evening when people tell stories the best, the name of Paul Bunyan comes up more than the rest. Folks say he was slightly smaller than a stadium but a lot taller than an ordinary house. When he was a baby it took five storks to deliver him to Mr. and Mrs. Bunyan! Paul grew up big and strong. He invented what we call logging, and he was the best lumberjack the country has ever seen.

12. Let’s read a tall tale about Paul Bunyan and some pancakes!

13. Elements Character: Paul Bunyan Superhuman Characteristic: Strength
Occupation: Lumberjack

14. Problem Paul needed to be able to feed his team of lumberjacks.
Solution….

15. Examples of Hyperbole
“As he wondered and pondered, he wandered. He wandered across all the States in the Midwest!”
Usually, when we wander, it might be around our house or neighborhood, but not across an entire section of the United States!

16. Examples of Hyperbole
“In order to get enough iron for the griddle, Paul claimed an iron mine and called it Bunyan Mine.”
Most griddles are about 12” across. His was so big, they needed 100 mining cars just to get the iron out of the mine.

17. Examples of Hyperbole
“Then Sourdough Sam corralled every chicken, duck, and loon in the state for eggs. The Canada geese from up north also flew down to help.”
Pancakes usually take 2 eggs. Here, he is using thousands of eggs to make his pancakes!

18. Examples of Hyperbole
“Ole Olafson rigged up the giant eggbeater with pedals and a chain, and Biscuit Slim rode that eggbeater all around the lake, frothing up the batter for flapjacks.”
Usually you use a whisk to mix the pancakes, but to ride a bike through the batter…. Amazing!

19. Examples of Hyperbole
“Paul raced over the mountains, furiously felling forests until he had an armful of the tallest tree trunks he could carry .”
The fire from a stove or small campfire will work for normal pancakes, but not for Paul’s pancakes.

20. Resources http://42explore.com/talltale.htm

21. Library Resources