ENGL 2423 Chapter : Folk Narrative
Document Summary
It may be told, written, acted out, sung, or danced. Oral prose narratives differ from written texts in important ways. The form and content are not fixed. An oral storyteller must always take into account the context in which she or he is telling a story: they may shorten or fill out a story depending on audience; use different language;leave out some details. So a folk narrative can be any oral prose narrative that has been repeated at least twice and therefore exists in at least two versions. Four major genres of oral prose narratives: myth, legend, folktale, personal. Serve as blueprints for society: legend. Serve as blueprints for society: folktale. Distinctions between myth, legends, and folktales rely on the perceptions and attitudes of the people who tell them. Must understand the place of a folk narrative within a larger context of belief and behavior e. g. native american animal tales.
