Contextualization

Traditional stories are cultural artifacts, a mirror reflecting a society's values, concerns, and aspirations. They include myths, legends, folktales, and fables passed down orally from generation to generation before being written down. Key theoretical concepts that govern traditional stories include themes, patterns of events, character types, and symbolism.

Themes in traditional stories often revolve around core human experiences, such as love, bravery, friendship, and the quest for identity. Through repeated patterns of events such as quests, ordeals, and triumphs, these stories create narratives that resonate on a deep psychological level. Character types, such as the hero, villain, mentor, and trickster, are recognizable across different cultures, implying universal human archetypes. Symbolism is used to convey deeper meanings, with objects, characters, or events representing abstract ideas.

Understanding traditional stories can give us a fresh perspective on modern works of fiction that draw on these elements. These can be seen in many of today's books, films, and even videogames, that use these ancient story-telling techniques to engage audiences and deliver impactful messages.

The relevance of traditional stories lies in their ability to provide a window into the collective psyche of different cultures. They give us insight into societal norms and values, helping us understand others and ourselves better. For example, Greco-Roman myths speak to societal power dynamics and human morality, while Native American folktales focus more on man's relationship with nature. They help us bridge gaps between cultures, fostering a better understanding and appreciation of the human experience across time and space.

In our modern, connected world, traditional stories can serve as a powerful tool for cross-cultural understanding and empathy. By teaching us about others, they also teach us about ourselves. Even within our own culture, reflecting on these old stories can remind us of shared values and ideals.

Resources

1. "Folk and Fairy Tales – A Guide to Printed Resources". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Link
2. "Folktales and Fairy Tales: Traditions and Texts from around the World". Greenwood Press. Link
3. "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell. Link
4. BBC’s collection of myths and legends. Link
5. The Library of Congress’s list of folk tales from around the world. Link
6. "The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales" by Bruno Bettelheim. Link
7. "Greek Mythology" by Hourly History. Link

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Traditional Tales in Modern Fiction"

Objective of the Project:

The goal of this engaging project is for students to identify the influence of traditional stories in modern works of fiction, understand its significance and develop an appreciation for the depth and richness these traditional stories add. This will be done through extensive research, critical analysis, and collaborative storytelling.

Detailed Description of the Project:

Each group of students (3 to 5 in each) will choose a modern work of fiction such as a novel, movie, or videogame. The selected work should be heavily influenced by traditional stories. This could be through its themes, patterns of events, character types, or symbolism drawn from myths, legends, folktales, fables, or religious works.

Students will conduct in-depth research on the traditional stories that influenced their chosen modern work of fiction, focusing on the key theoretical concepts. Drawing on their research, they will create an engaging multimedia presentation that will explore the connections between the traditional stories and their modern counterpart, analyzing the purpose and effect of these influences.

Finally, the groups will create their own short story that incorporates these same traditional elements into a modern setting.

Necessary Materials:

• Selected modern work of fiction (book, movie, videogame, etc.)
• Research materials (Internet access, library access, etc.)
• Multimedia presentation tools (PowerPoint, Canva, etc.)
• Creative writing tools (Pen and paper, word processing software, etc.)

Detailed step-by-step for carrying out the activity:

1. Selection: Each group will choose a modern work of fiction that is known to be influenced by traditional stories.
2. Research: Team members will carry out extensive research on the traditional stories influencing their chosen work. They'll focus on themes, patterns of events, character types, and symbolism.
3. Analysis: The group will collectively analyze the modern work, identifying and discussing where influences from traditional stories are evident.
4. Presentation: Using multimedia tools, the group will create an engaging presentation outlining their research and analysis. The presentation should highlight the connections between the traditional stories and the modern work, explaining how and why these influences are used.
5. Story Creation: The team will collaboratively write their own short story, incorporating themes, patterns of events, character types, or symbolism from traditional stories.
6. Reflection: Each group will reflect on what they learned from the project, and how it has influenced their understanding and appreciation of modern fiction.

Project Duration: This project is expected to take more than twelve hours per student to complete.

Project Deliverables:

The main deliverable of this project is the multimedia presentation, which should detail the theoretical concepts, the process followed, and the analysis of the chosen work. This presentation will be given to the class, encouraging discussion and further understanding.

Additionally, the short story created by the students will be shared and read in class. It should demonstrate a creative and accurate use of traditional story elements in a modern context.

Lastly, a detailed written report should be submitted, structured in the following manner:

1. Introduction: It should contextualize the chosen modern work of fiction, the traditional stories influencing it, and the objective of this project. It should also reflect on the real-world application and relevance of traditional stories in modern fiction.
2. Development: This section should detail how traditional stories were identified in the modern work. It should explain the methodology used for the research and analysis, and discuss the results and findings.
3. Conclusion: Revisiting the main points, this section should articulate what was learned from the project and the conclusions drawn about the influences of traditional stories on modern fiction.
4. Bibliography: This last section should list the sources utilized for the research and completion of the project.

This project encourages both the acquisition of technical skills, like critical analysis and creative thinking, and the development of socio-emotional skills, such as time management, collaboration, and communication.