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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.
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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.