Monday, October 22
Copy the notes into your relay section
Oral Tradition is literature passed down by
word of mouth from one generation to the next.
Themes in Oral Tradition:
• Courage and bravery
• Power over nature
• Quick thinking to solve a problem
• Superhuman strength and achievements
• Exaggerated accomplishments
Wednesday, October 24
Characteristics of Oral Tradition:
didactic – meant to instruct or inform; teach
lessons
cultural – same story can vary from one culture to
the next
short – easy to remember and share
mnemonic – have a rhythm, pattern, or
predictability that makes them easy to remember
Thursday, October 25
Copy the notes into your relay section
• Folklore is the beliefs, customs, stories, songs,
and dances of a culture; an oral tradition based
on the lives of common people.
• Folktales are anonymous, traditional stories
passed down orally before they are written
down. Folktales are based on folklore.
Monday, October 29
Types of Oral Tradition:
Myth – traditional story of anonymous origin that explains
the beliefs and practices of people
Legends – traditional story believed to be based on
history.
Tall Tales – imaginative tales of the adventures and
amazing feats of North American folk heroes
October 30, Tuesday
Urban Legends – a modern story whose author
is unknown that involves incidents of the
recent past, is told as true, is plausible enough
to be believed, that is framed as a cautionary
tale
Elements of urban legends are:
Narrative (story) that varies in the telling
Alleged to be true and seems believable
Unproven
Unknown origin attributed to trustworthy
secondhand sources
Thursday, November 1st
Folk Ballad – short narrative song or poem that tells of an
exciting or dramatic episode.
Trickster Tales – folktale that features a character who
outsmarts everyone else in the story. The trickster is
usually the “underdog” who uses skill and cunning to
outwit a superior. Tricksters are usually animals.
Fairy Tales – a magical tale of legendary deeds and
creatures.
Cumulative Tales – stories that are “added upon” as the
telling unfolds.
Friday, November 2
Think about your favorite fairy tale character.
How old is it? What makes fairy tales universal
and ageless (timeless)? Write your answer in
essay form.
Monday, November 5
Use your relay notes to answer:
What is a traditional story that is believed to be
based on history called?
What does hyperbole mean?
What are 3 characteristics of oral traditions?
The Giver (page 157)
“A year ago,” Jonas reminded him,” when I had just
become a Twelve, when I began to see the first color, you
told me that the beginning had been different for you. But
that I wouldn’t understand.”
The Giver brightened. “That’s true. And do you
know, Jonas, that with all your knowledge now, with all
your memories, with all you’ve learned—still you won’t
understand? Because I’ve been a little selfish. I haven’t
given any of it to you. I wanted to keep if or myself to the
last.”
“Keep what?”
“When I was just a boy, younger than you, it began
to come to me. But it wasn’t the seeing-beyond for me. It
was different. Fro me, it was hearing-beyond.”
Jonas frowned, trying to figure that out. “What did
you hear?” he asked.
“Music,” The Giver said, smiling.