{"id":3144,"date":"2018-12-22T19:01:02","date_gmt":"2018-12-23T02:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/?p=3144"},"modified":"2024-07-21T00:04:26","modified_gmt":"2024-07-21T07:04:26","slug":"checklist-cheat-sheet-narrative-tales-folklore-myths-legends-fables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/checklist-cheat-sheet-narrative-tales-folklore-myths-legends-fables\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete Narrative Tales and Folklore Cheat Sheet for Writers"},"content":{"rendered":"

What genre of story are you reading or writing? To answer this question, you must understand the characteristics and qualities of genre. In other words, what kinds of ideas, subject matter, characters, techniques, and strategies are used in the story?<\/p>\n

Below you will find seven checklists or cheat sheets that cover the characteristics and qualities of NARRATIVE FOLKLORE STORIES. What are folklore stories? For the most part, they are the types of stories that people have told through the oral tradition for centuries or even thousands of years.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0General Folktales and Folklore<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span> Fairy Tale<\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span> Tall Tale<\/span><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Basic Folktale<\/span><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span> Fable<\/span><\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Myth<\/span><\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span> Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Legend<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As you can see, I\u2019ve included a breadcrumb trail of arrows to illustrate the genre path. However, I must say that there is no perfect genre classification system. Writers and storytellers don\u2019t follow rigid guidelines of classification when creating. Their goal is to tell a story.<\/p>\n\"pencilDo you teach elementary school writing or struggling middle school writers? If so, be sure to check out Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay on the homepage!<\/span><\/a>\n

As you study the checklists on this page, compare the lists, but also think about them as a whole. Whatever kind of story you are writing or analyzing, you can probably use ideas off of all of these lists. Be sure to think about the kinds of ideas, concepts, strategies, and techniques that writers use to create their stories. Writing is an art of making choices.<\/p>\n

By the way, if you are interested in folklore and the oral tradition, be sure to check out these Giant Lists of Myths, Legends, Tales, and Folklore for Scholars and Kids<\/a><\/strong>. Also, if you are interested in story, be sure to check out this collection of checklists and cheat sheets: Narrative Story, Narrative Essay, and Narrative Non-Fiction Checklist and Cheat Sheet<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get started!
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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1.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0General Folktale and Folklore Concepts<\/h2>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 The writer created characters that are exaggerated human beings, talking animals, or magical beings. Whatever they are\u2014they have human qualities, and they deal with problems that any human would view as challenging. As the problem is solved, a lesson is learned. That is the point of the tale.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 The writer shows how things came to be and why things in the world are the way they are. The writer provides a magical or interesting explanation for what we find in the world and in life.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0 Characters in a Traditional Folktale:<\/strong> The writer created fun and interesting characters in the spirit of a traditional folktale. The characters are mostly one-dimensional\u2014each character represents a specific quality of humanness: One is foolish, one is wise, one is selfish, one is good, one is bad, and one is pure evil. Good qualities are rewarded, and bad qualities are punished.<\/p>\n

4.<\/span>\u00a0 Characters in an Ironic Modern Folktale:<\/strong> The writer creates fun and interesting one-dimensional characters. However, the characters become self-aware, then question, and then challenge their one-dimensionality or their lot in life. (Movie Example: Enchanted)<\/p>\n

5.<\/span>\u00a0 Clear, Concrete, and Extreme without Shade of Gray:<\/strong> The writer placed all of the problems, the conflicts, the heroes, the villains, the settings, and the descriptions at an extreme. One is either royalty or a beggar, beautiful or hideous, young or old, generous or selfish, powerful or weak. They live in a hole in the ground or a castle. The setting is either beautiful or untenable, on a mountaintop or in a quaint valley.<\/p>\n

The writer knows that the extremes communicate what words cannot, and the writer is brief in his or her descriptions. This lets the writer focus on moving the plot forward. There is no philosophical debate. As a rule, good wins over evil and everyone who lives does so happily ever after.<\/p>\n

6.<\/span>\u00a0 Plot:<\/strong> The writer skillfully uses at least one of the traditional folktale plot elements: promises, quests, tests, amazing feats, journeys, tricks, deception, etc.<\/p>\n

7.<\/span>\u00a0 Plot: Decisive Endings:<\/strong> The writer skillfully constructs the ending so that every problem and every important character is dealt with decisively. The rewards and consequences are forever after: e.g., happily ever after, for all eternity, never seen again, etc.<\/p>\n

8.<\/span>\u00a0 The Rule of Three:<\/strong> The writer uses at least one example of the famous Rule of Three<\/em> in folktales. The writer may have three characters that represent three different qualities. Or the writer may have had the central character attempt a feat three times or journey to three different places. Or the writer may have constructed the story around three objects. In general, things happened in threes.<\/p>\n

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2.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span> Fairy Tale<\/h2>\n

The writer uses a variety of these common fairy tale techniques:<\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale begins with \u201conce upon a time\u201d or a \u201conce upon a time\u201d feeling.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale has good characters and evil characters<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale teaches a hidden message: e.g., Good wins over evil. Beauty is on the inside.<\/p>\n

4.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale has magical elements: e.g., spells, potions, fairies, objects with special powers, etc.<\/p>\n

5.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale uses the numbers three and seven.<\/p>\n

6.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale uses opposites: young and old, good and bad, beautiful and ugly, rich and poor, etc.<\/p>\n

7.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale uses magical or unusual helpers and allies: e.g., forest animals, etc.<\/p>\n

8.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale uses talking animals and talking physical objects.<\/p>\n

9.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale uses trickery, travelers, a quest, sleep, spells, royalty, castles, fairies, etc.<\/p>\n

10.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale takes place \u201clong, long ago,\u201d or perhaps, it is a \u201cmodern day fairy tale.\u201d<\/p>\n

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3.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span> Tall Tale<\/h2>\n

Five Famous American Tall-Tale Characters and Their Jobs: <\/span>1) Paul Bunyan – lumberjack, 2) John Henry – railroad worker, 3) Pecos Bill – cowboy, 4) Annie Christmas – keelboat captain, 5) Mike Fink – keelboat captain.<\/p>\n

The writer uses a variety of these common tall tale techniques:<\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale contains exaggeration and humor. The main character, the hero, achieves great feats. The hero\u2019s powers come from his or her superhuman strength, cunning, wit, and skill. The hero usually solves the problem in an amusing way.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 The main character, the hero, is larger than life, but also has realistic qualities. The hero is a human being, just exaggerated.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0 The hero uses or is accompanied by an equally amazing object or animal: e.g., blue ox.<\/p>\n

4.<\/span>\u00a0 The hero possesses the qualities that a community of people identifies with. The hero is a magnified and exaggerated mirror image of them. The hero is a working person, and the hero\u2019s job is an important part of the community. The hero is one of them! The tale tells the story of the community and of how things came to be and why they are all so special. The tale is a humorous celebration of the community and of the community\u2019s way of life.<\/p>\n

5.<\/span>\u00a0 The tone is highly informal, even colloquial. The dialogue may use a heavy regional dialectic or accent.<\/p>\n

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4.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Basic Folktale<\/h2>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 This is a watered down version of a tall tale. The tale is quirky, amusing, or idiosyncratic but not outrageous. Although the tale may use exaggeration, everything that happens in the story could have happened. The story is presented as though it did happen, but the entire story is certainly suspect. Please Note<\/em><\/strong>: If the tale uses extreme exaggeration about things that certainly did not happen, it\u2019s better classified as a tall tale.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 The main character is presented as a \u201ccommon person\u201d that is an interesting representative of the people: e.g., a young Abraham Lincoln or George Washington, a man with three cows, or a spirited, cantankerous, frontier woman.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0 The main character is a well-known folk hero or folk-hero type character doing quirky or amusing activities, but not extraordinary activities: e.g., Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, etc.<\/p>\n

4.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale teaches a lesson or instills a cultural value.<\/p>\n

5.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale has a folksy appeal to it.<\/p>\n

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5.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Folktale\u00a0Q<\/span> Fable<\/h2>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 The fable has animal characters with human characteristics.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 The fable teaches a moral or lesson. This moral or lesson may be clearly stated (e.g., The moral of the story is\u2026) or implied.<\/p>\n

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6.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Myth<\/h2>\n

Please Note:<\/strong><\/em> Myth is common term for a story that is presented as true or that people believe is true, but it\u2019s not. This is not the kind of mythological story we discuss here.<\/p>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 Character: The Hero:<\/strong> The hero is an extraordinary human being in extraordinary circumstances. The hero is a hero in the traditional sense of the word\u2014the heroic ideal<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 Character: The Hero:<\/strong> The hero is a flawed but extraordinary human being in extraordinary circumstances. The hero is a work in progress whose destiny unfolds throughout the myth.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0 Character:<\/strong> The heroes and important characters are: 1) gods\/goddesses, 2) humans who interact with gods, 3) humans with superhuman or mystical qualities, 4) supernatural beings that may resemble monsters, or 5) monsters with human qualities.<\/p>\n

4.<\/span>\u00a0 Character:<\/strong> The characters in the myth may move between the human world and the supernatural world.<\/p>\n

5.<\/span>\u00a0 The myth has a religious, spiritual, or supernatural component. This component is not simply magical\u2014it\u2019s more than magical. It\u2019s an overarching exploration of human existence or the meaning of life. The myth is presented as a true explanation for the questions that human beings have pondered since time began.<\/p>\n

6.<\/span>\u00a0 The myth contributes to creating an identity for a group of people. The myth may be an idealized, romanticized, or heroic version of history. The myth may explain and validate society\u2019s structure and institutions or its beliefs and values.<\/p>\n

7.<\/span>\u00a0 The myth explains things that exist in nature, in the night sky, or in the universe at large.<\/p>\n

8.<\/span>\u00a0 The myth explains the beginning of the world (creation myth) or the ending of the world.<\/p>\n

9.<\/span>\u00a0 Setting:<\/strong> The myth takes place in a world before recorded time. The myth may explain non-human or human-made physical objects that history cannot account for (e.g., Roman buildings and ruins in the dark ages, Stonehenge, or dinosaur bones before archaeology). In short, the myth takes place in a strange young world where gods, superhumans, and strange beings existed.<\/p>\n

10.<\/span>\u00a0 Character:<\/strong> The myth uses archetypal characters:<\/p>\n

a) Hero\u2019s Journey Archetypes:<\/strong> 1) The Hero, 2) The Mentor\/Teacher, 3) The Guardian, 4) The Herald, 5) The Shapeshifter, 6) The Trickster, 7) The Ally, 8) The Shadow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

b) Jung\u2019s 12 Primary Archetypes:<\/strong> 1) The Innocent, 2) The Orphan\/Everyman, 3) The Hero\/Warrior, 4) The Caregiver, 5) The Explorer, 6) The Rebel\/Outlaw\/ Destroyer, 7) The Lover, 8) The Creator, 9) The Ruler, 10) The Magician, 11) The Sage, 12) The Jester\/Wise Fool.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

c) Other Story Archetypes:<\/strong> 1) The Scapegoat, 2) The Outcast, 3) The Child, 4) The Mother, 5) The Father, 6) The Evil Character, 7) The Opponent, 8) The Monster, 9) The Detective, 10) The Cowboy, etc.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

11.<\/span>\u00a0 Plot:<\/strong> The myth contains elements of The Hero\u2019s Journey Plot (Vogler\u2019s Simplification of Campbell<\/em>) :<\/p>\n

Act 1:<\/strong> 1) Ordinary World, 2) Call to Adventure, 3) Refusal of the Call, 4) Meeting with the Mentor, 5) Crossing the First Threshold<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Act 2:<\/strong> 6) Tests, Allies, Enemies, 7) Approach to Inmost Cave, 8) Ordeal, 9) Reward \u2013 Seizing the Sword<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Act 3:<\/strong> 10) The Road Back, 11) Resurrection, 12) Return with the Elixir<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/h3>\n\"pencilPattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay! Put simply, it works.<\/span><\/a>\n

========================================================<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 Narrative\u00a0Q<\/span>\u00a0Story\u00a0Q<\/span> Folklore\u00a0Q<\/span> Legend<\/h2>\n

1.<\/span>\u00a0 The legend is set in a known time and place in history. Certain parts of the legend could be true, but little if any historical or archaeological proof exists: e.g., Kind Arthur\/Round Table.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0 The legend contains people, places, things, and events that are heroic, imaginative, bizarre, extraordinary, or improbable. Although the legend is probably not true as told, certain parts or aspects of the legend may be true. There are probably logical, real-life explanations for what is unbelievable: e.g., A person stumbled across a dinosaur bone, and a monster legend was born.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0 The legend does not contain exaggeration beyond all sense of reality, but the characters and events are certainly extraordinary or unusual. Although the legend may imply mystical reasons and events, a rational person could assume that there is probably a logical explanation for the unbelievable parts. In short, even the unbelievable parts of the legend may be steeped in truth:<\/p>\n

e.g.,<\/span> King Arthur may have pulled free an ancient sword that was stuck between two rocks, and subsequently, he became king. But it did not involve magic. The sword simply came loose. Furthermore, he was one of two rightful heirs to the throne.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

e.g.,<\/span> The so-called monster in the bog may have been a bear that wandered in and got stuck. It was something<\/em>, but not a monster.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Truthfully, sometimes the categories are confusing because there is so much overlap. As an example, many myths and legends are hero tales, and tall tales and fairy tales are types of folktale. There is no one perfect categorization system. Genres overlap. Furthermore, a writer\u2019s goal is to tell an effective story, not follow a checklist based on categories. Our goal on this page is to understand so that we can analyze, discuss, and write stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What genre of story are you reading or writing? To answer this question, you must understand the characteristics and qualities of genre. In other words, what kinds of ideas, subject matter, characters, techniques, and strategies are used in the story? Below you will find seven checklists or cheat sheets that cover the characteristics and qualities […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[457,570,456],"tags":[487,480,485,490,366,489,488,482,341],"class_list":["post-3144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-genres","category-narrative-writing","category-rubrics-and-checklists","tag-fairy-tales","tag-folklore","tag-legends","tag-myths","tag-narrative","tag-oral-tradition","tag-storytelling","tag-tales","tag-writing-checklists"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3144"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3144\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5216,"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3144\/revisions\/5216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

11.<\/span>\u00a0 The tale ends with \u201chappily ever after.\u201d<\/p>\n\"pencilIt\u2019s a foundation, a framework, and a methodology for teaching writing! Please check out Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay on the homepage to learn more!<\/span>\u00a0<\/a>\n