Traditional literature powerpoint

Traditional LiteratureFolktales, Fables, Fairytales, Myths

Why learn about Traditional Literature? Serves as the building blocks for

contemporary literature/framework for literature

Provides a window on diverse cultures

Provides moral models for children as the struggle between good and evil is applied to events in their own lives

FolktaleA story told by word of mouth to teach a lesson

Passed down from generation to generation

Folk tale Folktales feature common people, such as

peasants, and commonplace events.

Characters representing human frailty (being fragile).

Characters represent human qualities

Good

Evil

Wisdom

Foolishness

Laziness

Etc.

Folktales

The conflict of the story is clear. The resolution usually has happy

endingsGood is rewarded and evil is punishedElements of magic or magical

characters may be incorporated, but logic rules so the supernatural must make sense in the story.

Fables

Short stories that teach a moral (lesson)

Plot is very brief, with one event.

Animal characters with human characteristics

Characters are flat, and stand for one human trait.

Themes: cooperation, understanding, acceptance, etc.

Morals sometimes are inferred.

May be expressed in a proverb.

Aesop's Fables This famous Book of Fables, which are

always referred to as Aesop's Fables, date back to the 5th Century BC.

Lion and the Mouse

The Fox and the Crow

Goose with the Golden Eggs

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Ant and the Grasshopper

Fairytale

Elements of a Fairytale

Contains magic/enchantments

Likely character types:

Talking animals

Witches

Fairies

Nobles (Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses)

Godparents

Fairy Tale- setting

Setting does not have a definite location or time

Familiar fairytales look like Germany

The best know tale in the World Cinderella

The oldest known version was found in China in the 9th century. 

It is basically a story of sibling rivalry.

There are over 700 different versions. 

Hans Christian Anderson

Click on Anderson’s picture to see his stories

• Danish author and poet• Wrote more than 160 Fairy Tales• Many of Andersen's fairy tales depict

characters who gain happiness in life after suffering and conflicts

• Ugly Duckling theme of self-discovery, which matched his own life

• Optimistic belief in the triumph of the good• Known as the father of the modern

fairytale

Brothers Grimm Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm and

Wilhelm Carl Grimm

Wrote children’s tales and folklore to preserve German culture/heritage

Wrote 211 stories together

Click picture for Grimm stories

More stories

Fractured Fairy tale

When authors modernize or change one or more of the elements of the story, the story is called a fractured fairy tale.

Plot (conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)

Setting (time and/or place)

Character (name, character traits)

Point of View

Theme

Fractured Fairy tales

Fracture Fairy Tales on the screen

Myths

A mythology is a related body of stories which make up the official beliefs or explanations of a religious system.

Myths attempt to explain the beginning of the world, natural phenomena, the relationships between the gods and humans, and the origins of civilization.

Myths, like legends, are stories told as though they were true.

Myths

Ancient Civilizations stories and beliefs