Elements of a Folktale
Folk Tales –
A Middle School Unit
Computech Middle School
What is a Folktale?
• Folktales were the oral tradition of adults
• They were passed down from generation to
generation by word of mouth
• They are stories about peoples’ lives and
imaginations as they struggled with their
fears and anxieties about the world around
them
• Folktales were made up to explain the
wonders of the world
Different Types of Folktales
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Trickster Tales
Fables
Pourquoi (por-qwa’) stories
Fairytales
Trickster Tales
• One character, usually the protagonist,
is clever and devious
• The protagonist causes problem for
other characters
• He or she usually goes unpunished
• Example Trickster Characters:
Anansi the Spider (Africa), Hare (North
America), Wolf (Europe), Badger (Japan)
Fables
• Usually considered short stories that
teach a lesson or have a moral
• The main characters in Fables are usually
animals with human characteristics
• Themes are evident, such as cooperation or
a different perspective of the same
problem
• The moral is never stated, but needs to be
inferred by the reader
• Examples of Fables: Tortoise and the
Hare; Town Mouse and Country Mouse
Pourquoi Stories
• Explains WHY something is as it is
• Explains HOW something is as it is
Examples of Pourquoi stories:
Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears;
The Story of Lightning and Thunder
Fairytales
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Include good and bad characters
Usually has a hero or heroine
Has magic
Often begins with “Once upon a time….”
Conflicts are resolved through kindness, courage, or
intelligence
Common Elements of a Folktale
Characterization
• Characters are usually flat, meaning
that they are uncomplicated and
only change in their mindset (from
the lesson learned) throughout the
course of the story
• The hero is usually young, fair, kind,
charitable, honorable, courageous,
unselfish, and my possess some sort
of magical power
Common Elements of a Folktale
Setting
• Place is usually described easily and
briefly, leaving the imagination to fill in
the gaps. For example, folktales take place
in a cottage in the woods or in a magical
kingdom that fits the typical geography of
the culture
• Time is a fantasy time, such as Once upon
a time, or A long time ago and may be
imbedded within the history of the
culture.
Common Elements of a Folktale
Plot
• Folktales are full of action, and typically
follow a basic plotline of events that
usually starts quickly to grab the readers’
attention
• Thought-provoking and possibly meant to
teach a lesson
• Conflicts are usually resolved with great
deeds or acts of human kindness related
to good and evil
Common Elements of a Folktale
Style and Tone
• Descriptions are quick and to the point,
creating strong images without a lot of language
• Often there are promises made or promises
broken
• The number three is used in a lot of folklore
• Magic is commonly used to explain the
unexplainable
• Sometimes folktales have repeated phrases
• Folktales explain a natural phenomenon that
would otherwise have no explanation
Common Elements of a Folktale
Theme
• Fear of not being loved
• Fear of leaving home
• Good and Evil
• Right and Wrong
• Happiness, Kindness, Friendship,
Loyalty….
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Common Elements of a Folktale
Theme…continued
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Problems of young adults
Security
Fear of not having children
Justice and injustice
Discuss basic values of people
Reflect basic values and concerns of
different cultures
Student Task
• With a partner or in a group of
three, go back over at least three
of the folktales you have read.
Read them together, and locate
the elements of the folktales that
are evident in your selections.
• Be ready to share your work with
the class.
Folktales
• A Story Inside a Story Inside a Story
• Kinto and the Law of Love
• Anansi: How the Spider Got a Skinny
Waist
• Arap Sang and the Cranes
• Kelfala’s Secret Something
• Sundiata the Lion King of Mali