ENGLISH 4770 / 5770 ~ Studies in Folklore

Folklore reveals the best of humans, whose expressions flourish when tradition connects communal wisdom with innovative inspiration. As its name indicates, folklore involves both "folk" (a group of people) and "lore" (creative expressions). Hence folklorists study "artistic communication in small groups" (Dan Ben-Amos 1972) or "creativity in its own context" (Glassie 1999). As an academic discipline folklore shares concerns, methods, and insights with literature, anthropology, art, music, history, linguistics, philosophy, and mythology. The unique contribution of folklore is to strive to focus on systems of interrelationships between people and their artistic productions (the folk and the lore and how they influence each other). Most contemporary folklore study involves fieldwork, often in local communities.

Required TEXTS (may be purchased at the bookstore)

Belanus, Betty. Seasonal [novel about folklore fieldwork]. Round Barn Press, 2002.

Oring, Elliott, ed. Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: An Introduction. Logan: Utah State University Press, 1986.

Sproul, Barbara. Primal Myths: Creation Myths Around the World. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1979.

Additional Required Readings

On reserve at the library (you may read them there or photocopy them into a packet)

ABOUT FOLKLORE

Brunvand, Jan Harold. The Study of American Folklore: An Introduction (4^th ed). New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1998, excerpts including “Ballads”, pp. 303-326, “Folk Music,” pp. 345-353, “Folk Gestures,” pp. 460-476

Dorson, Richard M (ed.) Handbook of American Folklore. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983, excerpts including:

Bauman, Richard. “The Field Study of Folklore in Context” pp. 362-368

William M. Clements. “The Folk Church: Institution, Event, Performance” pp. 137-144

Elaine Jahner. “Finding the Way Home: The Interpretation of American Indian Folklore” pp. 11-17

Ronald R. Smith, “Afro-American Folk Music” pp. 24-31

Stoeltje, Beverly J. “Festival in America” pp. 239-246

William H. Wiggins, Jr., “The Black Folk Church” pp. 146-154

Finnegan, Ruth. Oral Poetry: Its Nature, Significance and Social Context. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1992 (originally published Cambridge Univ. Press 1977, pp. 1-29, 170-188.

Glassie, Henry. “Folk Art” in Folklore and Folklife: An Introduction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1972, 253-279.

___ excerpts (“Georgia” & “Acoma”) from The Potter’s Art. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999, pp. 36-55.

Oring, Elliott. “Jokes and the Discourse on Disaster” in Jokes and Their Relations. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1992, pp. 29-40.

Roberts, Warren. “Folk Crafts” in Folklore and Folklife: An Introduction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1972, 240-251.

Zipes, Jack “Cross-Cultural Connections and the Contamination of the Classical Fairy Tale” in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the The Brothers Grimm. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2001, 843-868.

FOLKLORE TEXTS

African American Folktales in Henry Louis Gates Jr & Nellie Y. McKay (eds) The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1997, pp. 102-136.

Fairy Tales, selections from Jack Zipes “Cross-Cultural Connections and the Contamination of the Classical Fairy Tale” in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2001, 843-868, pp. 1-25, 100-112, 159-173, 302-305, 415-420, 421-435, 444-473 & selections from Stith Thompson (ed.) One Hundred Favorite Folktales. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1968, pp. 113-122, 177-187

Legend selections from Jan Harold Brunvand, Too Good to Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999.

Trickster Tales selections from William Bright. A Coyote Reader. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993, pp. 1-57

Short Stories:

Susan Glaspell, “A Jury of Her Peers”

Alice Walker, “Everyday Use”

Description

We will survey major branches, genres, concepts, methodology, and theories within folklore study. We will read examples of myths, tales, legends, and literature connected to folklore, as well discussions of folklore by leading scholars in the field. Students should come prepared to discuss the readings for a particular day. Weekly meetings might involve lectures (on concepts, genres, methodology for example), examination of examples (of music, folk art, movies, etc.), and seminar style group discussions. Students may find study guides on the web to help facilitate discussions. Students will be evaluated based on completion of assignments outlined below, but will be expected to carry out original field research on some topic connected to the issues and genres studied in class. Students doing such fieldwork will either interview people to collect stories, songs, or information about folk art they make, foodways traditions they participate in, customs they practice, festivals they attend, other performances or lore, or significant information about folk groups. Students will transcribe and analyze interviews for a final presentation and paper. There is an option of carrying out archival or library research instead of a fieldwork project, but students must discuss such projects (which might for instance analyze the significance of folklore within a work of literature, or influences between folklore and literature) with the professor.

Objectives

The course is designed to encourage and enable students to achieve the following goals:

% To understand the major concepts, theories, genres, and methodology within the field of folklore today

% To read and discuss examples of major narrative folk genres, such as myth, legend & fairy tale

% To examine, consider and discuss examples of material culture, folk music, & other major branches within folkloristics

% To realize and discuss connections between examples of folklore and major theoretical insights of folklorists

% To carry out original fieldwork in order to identify, observe, collect, participate, discuss and analyze examples of folklore in our world today

% To become familiar and comfortable with the methods and details of doing fieldwork (recording, transcription, etc.)

% To become familiar with major journals and archival resources within folkloristics

% To enter into the dialogue of the appreciation, study, and debate of folklore scholarship today

% To recognize and ponder the key issues and rewards of the broader academic field of the humanities

% To sharpen critical reading, writing, and thinking skills

Requirements: Active, punctual attendance and participation. Excessive (more than 3) absences will result in a lower overall grade for the course.

Creative Writing (12% of final grade):

hMYTHS (50 points): Based on class exercises (paring myths down to their root motifs), students will write an original myth. This will be judged based on creativity, using all the motifs, and keeping to the spirit of both the myths and our own culture’s worldview.

hPOETRY (10 points): Based on class discussion and examples of poetry, students will write / compose an original oral poem appropriate to your own life and experiences but keeping to the form and nature of oral poetry from class

Short participatory assignments (3% of final grade):

hLEGEND (10 points): You should find (on the web or by talking to friends) and bring to class to share an example of an urban legend not already discussed in class.

hMATERIAL CULTURE (5 points): Find and bring to class an example of folk art, craft, or other material folklore that you can bring to class and display / discuss (in terms of its nature and use within a given society)

Examination (20 % of final grade):

hThe EXAM will include short answer (one paragraph) and essay (2 pages minimum) questions asking you to compare and analyze major concepts, issues, and examples of folklore as discussed in class and seen in readings. Graduate students will not take the exam, but will be required to attend bi-weekly discussions sections instead.

Final Projects (65 % of final grade):

hPROPOSALS (5%): You should write a clear and thorough outline of what you plan to do for your final project. Your proposal should indicate your folk group and folklore genre, your plan to identify and collect examples of that folklore, your assumptions about why this will be a significant project, and what you expect to learn from it.

hPRESENTATIONS (10%): You will present what you collected while doing fieldwork during the semester. You should play selections from your taped interview(s), show examples of material folklore you discuss (perhaps in photographs or on video), and discuss your major findings and results. Presentations will be evaluated based on both the success of your fieldwork project and how well you communicate your work to the rest of the class.

hFIELDWORK PROJECTS (50%): You should pick a folk group and a folklore genre and plan and conduct a fieldwork project surrounding it. As you conduct original field research, you should plan to identify likely places to find folklore and the folk behind it, examine appropriate material (for folk art for instance), observe performances (in the case of folk music, dance, and similar performance art), identify likely people to interview (storytellers, cooks, musicians, artists, etc), carry out interviews, listen to tapes, transcribe interviews carefully and accurately, and analyze the information you have collected according to insights, concepts and theories learned in class.

N Final essays presenting your analysis should be 10 pages. You should turn in an ADDITIONAL 8 or more pages of transcription based on your original interviews that you refer to (perhaps quote from) in your final essay

Grades

Myth (write own) 50 points Poetry (write own) 25 points

Original Legend (found) 10 points Material Culture (displayed) 5 points

Presentation 50 points Project Proposals 25 points

Exam (on concepts/genres) 100 points (undergrad students only)

Fieldwork Project (or analysis essay) 250 points (10 pages)

Of 500 possible points: 450-500 = A, 400-449 = B, 350-399 = C, 300-349 = D, below 300 = F

Notes

< This syllabus is a guide and as such is subject to revision. It is your responsibility to attend class faithfully, note any changes in the syllabus, and to complete all work on time. If you miss a class, contact me for any changes in readings or assignments. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day indicated on the schedule.

< I encourage you to communicate with me about any concerns, problems, or questions you may have during the semester. All students are advised to consult with me regarding final projects.

< Active, respectful participation is required of all students. Respectful participation means listening to others’ opinions, presentations, and ideas even if your initial reaction is to disagree. Active participation involves listening attentively and respectfully as much as it involves speaking. Aggressive and rude behavior will not be tolerated.

< Any student requiring modifications due to a documented disability should make an appointment to meet with the instructor as soon as possible. An official letter from GC&SU documenting the disability will be required in order to receive accommodation.

< Plagiarism and cheating are unethical and unacceptable. If you have any doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism and/or cheating, see me or consult your student handbook.

Schedule ENGL 4770 / IDST 4999 Spring 2004~ Folklore ~ Magoulick

NOTE: Readings are to be completed before the beginning of class on the day on which they are assigned.

Week 1 Jan 8 Introduction Basic Concepts in Folklore: Culture, Worldview, Tradition, Identity, Authenticity, Genre, Folk&Lore

Week 2 Jan 13 Concepts Read: Oring, Chps 1 & 2 (text), Bauman, “The Field Study of Folklore in Context” (library)

Jan 15 Begin Myth Read: Myths in Sproul (African 34-37, 45-49, Near Eastern 77-90 & 134-142 & 151-155, European 156-176, Indian 188-198)

Week 3 Jan 20 Myth Read: Sproul (Siberian & Eskimo 217-229, North American 232-286,

Jan 22 Myth Read: Central America 287-305, Australia & the Pacific,” pp. 315-321 & 337-352 & 358-368)

Week 4 Jan 27 Fairy Tale Read: Thompson Tales (“East of the Sun and West of the Moon” & “Katie Woodencloak” – library); Oring Chp. 6 (text)

Assignment: myth motifs (for original creative writing)

Jan 29 Fairy Tale Read: Tales from Zipes – library: “Introduction,” “Clever Thieves,” “Swindled Swindlers,” “Disguised Heroes,” & “Cinderella Stories” = “The Revenge & Reward of Neglected Daughters” – library)

Week 5 Feb 3 Trickster Tales Read: Bright (Coyote Reader, all – library)

Feb 5 Myths Due DUE: creative writing (myths) to share in class and turn in

Week 6 Feb 10 Material Culture Read: Glassie (The Potter’s Art, pp. 17-56 – library)

Feb 12 Women’s Traditional Art Rd: Walker, “Everyday Use,” Glaspell, “A Jury of Her Peers” (library)

Guest Lecturer (on folk art): Ursula McCarty

Week 7 Feb 17 Material Culture II Read: Oring, Chp. 9, Roberts, “Folk Craft” – lbr

“The Old Traditional Way of Life”

Feb 19 Legends Read: Brunvand, selections from Too Good to Be True

Week 8 Feb 24 Legends Read: Internet Legends (find own)

DUE: Legends (collected) – shared in class

Feb 26 MIDTERM EXAM In class; no make-ups

Week 9 Mar 2 Jokes Read: Excerpt from Oring’s Jokes & Their Relations (library)

Mar 4 Oral Poetry Read: Finnegan (“Introductory,” pp. 1-29) & poems (“Hymn to the Sun,” “Poems to the Sun,” “Song for the Sun that Disappeared Behind the Rainclouds,” “Five Ghost Songs,” “O Beauteous One,” “There are No People Song,” “Song of the Flood,” “The Approach of the Storm,” “House Song of the East”) – all in library

Assignment: Oral poetry/song writing explained

SPRING BREAK March 8-12

Week 10 Mar 16-18 Ethnomusicology DUE: poetry / songs turned in (March 16)

Film: O Brother Where Art Thou?

Week 11 Mar 22 Ballads & Folksongs Read: Oring Chp. 7 & “Ballads” & “Folk Music” – library

Guest: Richard Green

Mar 24 Folk Music (cont.) Guest: Richard Green

Week 12 Mar 30 Fieldwork Read: Belanus, Seasonal (1^st half) & Oring Chp 10

Apr 1 Fieldwork (cont.) Read: Belanus, Seasonal (2^nd half)

Week 13 Apr 6 Performance Theory Read: Bauman, Hymes + excerpts (library)

DUE: Project Proposals

Apr 8 Folk Custom Read: Stoeltje & Brunvand (library)

& Folk Belief Read: Oring Chp 3 (text) & Wiggins, Brady (library)

Week 14 Apr 13 Ethnology FILM: Song Catcher

Apr 15 Song Catcher (cont)

Week 15 Apr 20 Final Issues/Discussion

Apr 22 Students Present Sign up for day/time in class

Week 16 Apr 27 Students Present

FINAL EXAM DAY AND TIME (April 29, 2-4:45 pm)

Apr 29 Students Present DUE: Fieldwork project final essays