In this journal (Oral Storytelling / Literature / Dance), consider how myth influences the lives of people in modern times.
Keep in mind that myth began with oral storytelling and then evolved into other forms of literature such as poetry and drama.
As children, the first stories we heard were told to us, and most of those stories were fairy tales, which are closely related to myth. These tales had many repetitive aspects—think of “Goldilocks and the Three
Bears.” You also learned songs (which are poetry set to music) with repetitive lyrics. Authors such as Dr.
Seuss use repetition extensively. Myths were originally told with such repetitive aspects because this
made them easy to remember.
For this journal assignment, choose a tale that you heard as child and, after giving a brief
summary of the story, reflect on the following questions:
How has the “moral of the story” in these tales affected society as a whole? (Think of the princess wwho needs to be saved and the qualities of the prince who saves her.)
How does hearing a story differ from reading it? (Consider voice inflection and, in the case of totally oral traditions, how the tale might change according to the teller.)
Does seeing a performance (movie or play) differ from both reading or hearing a story? How does
visualization change how we perceive a tale?
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