Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

What Are Urban Legends? Great story often retold “urban folklore” Funny, sad or horrifying Usually instructive Sounds too good to be true! Often happened.

Published byRachel Gray Modified over 9 years ago

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "What Are Urban Legends? Great story often retold “urban folklore” Funny, sad or horrifying Usually instructive Sounds too good to be true! Often happened."— Presentation transcript:

1 What Are Urban Legends? Great story often retold “urban folklore” Funny, sad or horrifying Usually instructive Sounds too good to be true! Often happened to a friend of a friend You are told that “this really happened”

2 Are Urban Legends True? Some true – some false Distorted truth If you hear same story retold with new variations – these usually never happened Some legends traced historically Tell-tale warning signs can occur (hoax) Spread by word-of-mouth, e-mail, internet (tall-tale) (cyberlore) Often retold via newspapers, radio, TV

3 Why do Legends spread? Great stories you want to share Sounds believable Most people assume true Most people want to help We have lots of people we can send e-mail to very quickly

4 Favorite Legends Man found dead (5 days) in office Cults hid AIDS-infected needles in vending machines Cell phones cause explosions at gas stations Hospital cleaner polishes off patients Microwave radiation “cooks” worker Alligators in sewer system in NYC

5 George Turklebaum, R.I.P. http://urbanlegends.about.com/science/urbanlegends/

6 Cell Phones Phone manufacturers and gasoline companies have issued warnings BUT no verifiable incident can be traced (beyond 2 newspaper reports which turned out to be false) … it hasn’t happened yet but …

7 Hospital Orderly Newspaper Title: Cleaner Polishes Off Patient Series of dead patients in ICU – same bed every Friday morning Search for cause – but no clues Finally – find out that every Friday morning cleaner/orderly would remove plug used for life support system, use socket to polish floor “Cape Times, 6/13/96” http://www.urbanlegends.com/medical/hospital_cleaning_lady.html

8 Cape Times did report story – but not completely – 2 key points missed –Hospital official didn’t know story –Gov’t Representative said story was unconfirmed and were “investigating” Phrase “investigating” was sufficient to give story credibility-story was printed – though embellished from one death to several via e-mail re-tellings I’m Alive!!!

9 Websites on Urban Legends Alt.folklore.urban & Urban Legends Archives www.urbanlegends.com www.urbanlegends.com Urban Legends and Folklore urbanlegends.about.com urbanlegends.about.com Hoaxbusters hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBUrbanMyths.shtml hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBUrbanMyths.shtml Urban Legends Reference Pages www.snopes2.com/ www.snopes2.com/  Darwin Awards – Fictional or worse www.darwinawards.comwww.darwinawards.com

Download ppt "What Are Urban Legends? Great story often retold “urban folklore” Funny, sad or horrifying Usually instructive Sounds too good to be true! Often happened."

Similar presentations

Genre A category of literature. The main literary genres are fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

Genre A category of literature. The main literary genres are fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
Jesus raises a widow’s son in Nain. What kind of powers does Jesus have? What miracles can Jesus do? Can you name any? What miracles can Jesus do? Can.

Jesus raises a widow’s son in Nain. What kind of powers does Jesus have? What miracles can Jesus do? Can you name any? What miracles can Jesus do? Can.
iMAGINE what happened, then be grateful we aren’t in the situation ! When will this cruel war be over? The Civil War diary of Emma Thompson By Barry Denenburg.

iMAGINE what happened, then be grateful we aren’t in the situation ! When will this cruel war be over? The Civil War diary of Emma Thompson By Barry Denenburg.
The cure for aids.

The cure for aids.
After Jesus’ death.. It was the start of the Sabbath – no work could be done once it began. His body was quickly taken down from the cross and placed.

After Jesus’ death.. It was the start of the Sabbath – no work could be done once it began. His body was quickly taken down from the cross and placed.
URBAN LEGENDS. DEFINE URBAN LEGENDS -A myth that has been passed on from past generations.

URBAN LEGENDS. DEFINE URBAN LEGENDS -A myth that has been passed on from past generations.
First Thing First –Place your topic choices in the bin In three sentences, write what you learned about the 1930s (or topics) or about using the library.

First Thing First –Place your topic choices in the bin In three sentences, write what you learned about the 1930s (or topics) or about using the library.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck Parable and Oral Tradition.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck Parable and Oral Tradition.
Making Inferences An inference is the ability to connect what is in the text with what is in the mind to create an educated guess. (Beers, 2003) So, an.

Making Inferences An inference is the ability to connect what is in the text with what is in the mind to create an educated guess. (Beers, 2003) So, an.
The Fault in our Stars By: John Green By : Liam Sweeney.

The Fault in our Stars By: John Green By : Liam Sweeney.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Urban Legends and Myths Health and Safety / Fact or Fiction? Lorraine Davison, CCOHS March/April 2001.

Urban Legends and Myths Health and Safety / Fact or Fiction? Lorraine Davison, CCOHS March/April 2001.
Israeli - Palestinian Conflict English Project Due Friday, 13 th Joonyon Park 6F.

Israeli - Palestinian Conflict English Project Due Friday, 13 th Joonyon Park 6F.
The Great Depression SS 10 Ms. Rebecca. Before we start, let’s write about The Grapes of Wrath Take out a piece of paper. Write one full page about how.

The Great Depression SS 10 Ms. Rebecca. Before we start, let’s write about The Grapes of Wrath Take out a piece of paper. Write one full page about how.
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
GROUP 6.

GROUP 6.
People, the great communicators Reading.

People, the great communicators Reading.
Basic reading skills. What is reading? Reading is the process of getting back and understanding some form of stored information or ideas.

Basic reading skills. What is reading? Reading is the process of getting back and understanding some form of stored information or ideas.
Open Court Reading Grade 3 Unit 3 presented by Linda Brady

Open Court Reading Grade 3 Unit 3 presented by Linda Brady
Dangers of the Internet CEL : C O M P U T E R S I N E V E R Y D A Y L I F E CEL 1 Dangers of the Internet Name: ____________________ Class: ________________.

Dangers of the Internet CEL : C O M P U T E R S I N E V E R Y D A Y L I F E CEL 1 Dangers of the Internet Name: ____________________ Class: ________________.

Similar presentations

Ads by Google