1. Native American Literature
Oral Tradition, Archetypes, Mythology, Folklore, and Exemplum

2. Native American Literature
Sacred narratives
Oral Tradition
Important themes:
Creation, Nature, Morals
Common elements:
Great Spirit
Ancestry
Seasons
Weather
Plants
Animals
Earth, water, fire, sky

3. Oral Tradition
Cultural material and tradition transmitted orally from one generation to the next
Early Native American literature is almost entirely oral in nature due to a lack of written language
Examples: Folktales, myths, ballads, songs, chants

4. Oral Tradition
May employ one of several devices used to aid in memorization:
Which devices might a speaker use to make his/her story successful?

5. The Answer… Repetition Refrain Onomatopoeia Rhyme
Easy-to-memorize characters and elements
Use of common archetypes

6. Archetypes
A universally understood symbol, term, or pattern of behavior
A prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated

7. Some Universal Archetypes
The Hero
The Martyr
The Damsel in Distress
The Wise Old Man
The Devil
The Trickster

8. Shakespearean Archetypes
Falstaff – Fat, comic knight
Romeo and Juliet – Star-crossed lovers
Richard II – Hero who dies with honor

9. Archetypes – What’s the pattern?

10. Archetypes – What’s the pattern?

11. Archetypes – What’s the pattern?

12. Archetypes – What’s the pattern?

13. Archetypes – What’s the pattern?

14. Mythology A story about why something is the way it is
Usually embrace gods, the supernatural, heroes, and humans
Usually regarded as a true account of the past
May be about customs, institutions, geography, natural landmarks, etc.

15. Creation Myth Myths that detail the beginnings of earth or life
Usually take place in a world that has not yet achieved its modern form
Usually feature gods and heroes
Usually considered sacred or religious
Almost always begin through the transmission of oral literature

16. Folklore
Legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, fairy tales, stories, tall tales that express the traditions of a culture
May include artifacts, oral traditions, culture, and rituals
Do not confuse folklore with creation myths:
Creation myths are associated with fact, truth, and religion
Folklore is accepted as false, but fun

17. Exemplum A moral anecdote used to prove a point or teach a lesson
Aesop’s Fables
The Pardoner’s Tale in Canterbury Tales
"The Two City Dwellers and the Country Man,“
Three traveling companions of the tale's title are on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Near their destination, their provisions are nearly depleted, and the two city dwellers attempt to cheat the country man by telling him that whoever of them dreams the most extraordinary dream shall get the last of their bread. As the city dwellers sleep, the country man, alert to their intended deception, eats the half-baked bread before retiring. The city dwellers relate their made-up dreams. One says he was taken to heaven and led before God by angels. The other says that angels escorted him to hell. The country man says he dreamed the same things that his companions dreamed and, believing them to be forever lost, one to heaven and the other to hell, ate the bread.
"As it says in the proverb, ‘He who wanted all, lost all.’"

18. Example Look for examples of: Oral Tradition Archetypes Mythology
Folklore
Exemplum
In the following…