1. Oral Traditions - Myths, Legends and Tall Tales Homework: None
December 8, 2014
Oral Traditions - Myths, Legends and Tall Tales
Homework:
None
Objective
I can evaluate the significance of oral histories and traditions in cultures around the world.
Warm Up:
Put your papers in the following order (from top to bottom):
ON TOP: Rubric checklist sheet on top with your name on it
UNDER THAT: final draft with your name, date, block in corner
UNDER FINAL DRAFT: rough draft
UNDER ROUGH DRAFT: outline
UNDER OUTLINE: Venn Diagram below that
Copy of articles on the very bottom
Look up the definition for ORAL LITERATURE in the red section glossary section of your Literature book. Copy the definition into your notes.

2. Oral Literature
Also known as oral tradition, consists of stories that have been passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation.
It includes:
tall tales
folk tales
fairy tales
legends
myths
fables
In more recent times, some examples of oral literature have been written down or recorded so that the stories can be preserved.

3. Why do we tell stories?
Think about the last time you read, heard or viewed a great story. Did you tell that story to someone else? What made you want to share the story with someone?

4. What purpose do stories passed down from one generation to the next serve?

5. Turn to pg. 676 in your Lit book
Read pg. 676 and fill in the Guided Notes sheet

6. 1. Traditional stories
were handed down by ______________________________ and later ______________________________
entertain, but also help us appreciate _______________________________

7. explains ________________________
2. Myth
explains ________________________
also explains how things connected with ______________________ came to be
usually features __________________ that have supernatural powers as well as _______________________________

8. is believed to be based on _______________________________
3. Legend
is believed to be based on _______________________________
tells about a hero or heroine with _______________________________
hero or heroine struggles against _______________________________

9. 4. Tall tale
a _____________________ story with ______________ events and characters
main character is _______________________________
events in story seem _______________________________

10. 1. Describe the plan the chipmunk devises to divide day and night.
Model 1: Myth
How Day and
Night Came
1. Describe the plan the chipmunk devises to divide day and night.
2. One stylistic element that most traditional stories share is repetition. Events occur in threes, for example, or specific words and phrases are repeated. What examples of repetition do you see here?
3. In addition to the origin of day and night, what other mystery of the natural world does this mystery explain?

11. 1. What qualities make Sal Fink "larger than life"?
Model 2: Tall Tale
from Sal Fink
1. What qualities make Sal Fink "larger than life"?
2. The boxed detail describes one unbelievable feat that Sal has accomplished. What else has Sal done that seems unbelievable or exaggerated?

12. What can stories teach us?

13. This suggests that Creek people value _______________________________.
1. The chipmunk in the Creek myth "How Day and Night Came" showed the quality of _________________________________. Most of the other animals in the story ___________________________ him.
This suggests that Creek people value _______________________________.

14. 2. The Creek myth illustrates how traditional stories can teach us about cultural values. Another way to state this term is ________________________.

15. What other cultural values might be honored by a culture or group of people?

16. Model 1: Cultural values in a myth from baucus and philemon
1. Consider how the gods respond to Philemon's actions. What can you infer about the kinds of behavior that were rewarded in ancient Greek culture?
2. Reread the boxed text. What does it tell you about how the Greeks felt about their gods?

17. Model 2: Cultural values in a legend
from robin hood of sherwood forest
1. Which details suggest that the people who first told this legend were fed up with the unfair laws of the rich?
2. Reread the boxed details, noting how the characters are described. What qualities do you think were valued in medieval times?

18. Orion
pg. 680

19. 1. Reread the boxed details
1. Reread the boxed details. What qualities and powers make Orion special?

20. 2. Here is a common stylistic element in the traditional tales of many cultures: A king or other powerful man sets, difficult, even impossible tasks for a young man who wants to marry his daughter. Why do you think the kings in this myth gives Orion such a challenge?

21. 3. Whom does Orion turn to for help with his problem
3. Whom does Orion turn to for help with his problem? Explain what his actions in lines suggest about ancient Greek beliefs?

22. 4. Review lines 16-18 and 25-28. What role do the gods play in Orion's life?

23. 5. Reread lines 34-44. What human qualities do Apollo and Artemis display?

24. 6. How does Apollo trick Artemis into "destroying" Orion?

25. 7. What mystery of the universe does this myth explain?