Elements of Native American Stories

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Elements of Native American Stories
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Elements

• Mans attitude and relationship with nature
• Balance/coexistence of good and evil
• Animals relationships with humans
• The manner in which humans view animals

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Elements

• Polytheistic
• Matriarchal
• Imperfection
• Oral tradition tribe authorship

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Trickster Tales

• Type of folk tale
• Main character (animal or human) typically
  engages in deceit, violence, and magic.
• Often mythic in nature

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Trickster Tales

• Tricksters are ARCHTYPAL they are found in
  literary works from different cultures throughout
  the ages. In Africa the trickster is a hare or
  spider. In Japan it may be a fox.

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Trickster Tales

• The trickster demonstrates contradictory
  qualities he is foolish yet clever, greedy yet
  helpful, immoral yet moral.

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Trickster Tales

• These tales are usually grouped in cycles, and
  consist of a series of stories focusing on the
  adventures of the trickster character.

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Trickster Tales

• Each story involves an incident to which the
  trickster responds, often leading to a violent or
  absurd conclusion.