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Delve into the captivating world of oral traditions passed down through generations, from myths of gods to legends of heroes, and insightful proverbs. Explore the rich tapestry of human stories and cultural wisdom.
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Things Fall Apart Myths. Legends, and Proverbs
Oral Tradition • Literature passed down through generations by word of mouth; found often in cultures with no written language • Myths, legends, folk tales, fables, epics • Audience participation – call and response; refrain
Myths • The main characters are usually gods, supernatural heroes and humans • Closely linked to religion or spirituality • A myth is usually regarded as a true account of the remote past • Generally take place in a primordial age when the world had not yet achieved current form. • Explain how the world gained its current form and how customs, institutions and taboos were established.
Myth Examples • Gods and goddesses • Trickster myth – a smaller animal gets the better of a larger one (tortoise and hare) • Etiological myth – explains how & why things came to be( peacock feather’s “eyes” • Biblical myths – Adam & Eve; Noah & the ark
Legends • A narrative of human actions that seem to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude (truth) • No happenings that are outside the realm of "possibility", defined by a highly flexible set of parameters • May include miracles that are perceived as actually having happened
Legend Examples • Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox • Johnny Appleseed • King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table • Sleepy Hollow and Ichabod Crane
Proverbs • Concise saying that expresses a common human truth • Intended to convey wisdom and experience about greed, stupidity, procrastination, gullibility • Incorporate metaphor, alliteration, parallelism, and rhyme
African Proverbs • Tools for debate and argument • Use of few words to settle disputes or resolve ethical problems • Teach children cultural philosophies • Provide entertainment b/c of cleverness
Common American Proverbs • “A stitch in time saves nine.” • “Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched.” • “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” • ‘Never say never…” • “You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken poop” – a personal favorite of Mrs. Wiley’s
African Proverbs • “Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it dopes not wash out the spots.” • “The friends of our friends are our friends.” • “One camel does not make fun of another camel’s hump.” • “You cannot build a house for last year’s summer.”
Assignment • Record and interpret examples of myths, legends, and proverbs on your charts – one per space. • Hand in charts with reading journals.