15 Students
What is folklore? Who are the folk? What various forms of folklore surround us daily? What does folklore do for us? For
our families? For our communities? What kinds of folklore do we personally employ, often on a daily basis? What
folklore do we practice that we do not usually consider as being folklore? Why is folklore important?
From Halloween, urban legends, and Mardi Gras, to quilting, lullabies, and birthday parties, folklore as traditional
expressive behavior permeates our lives. This course will examine how folklore constitutes what Kenneth Burke has
called our “equipment for living.” Folklore helps us to make sense of an often confusing world while also enabling us to
live productively. Students will explore the ubiquitous influence of folklore in their everyday lives, how folklore is
transmitted from one person or generation to another, and will also try their hand at ethnography as they collect folklore
from their peers. We will explore how and why people perform folklore on a daily basis (often unknowingly), and why
they believe the things that they believe. In addition to the folklore of the South, students will also be introduced to
folkloric behavior practiced throughout America and internationally. We will discuss how rumspringa,
the rite of passage observed among the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish, is seen by
the Amish as a kind of vaccination against the lures of the outside world;
why it is that Navajo parents feel it to be so important that their children
hear the trickster tales of Coyote; and how Tibetan folktales teach the
Buddhist doctrine of mindfulness. The course will also examine how authors
have employed folklore to enrich literature, and why directors incorporate
folklore into their films. Students will leave the course with an increased
awareness of the customs, beliefs, and traditions that we so often take for
granted, as well as with a greater appreciation for the genius and
creativity of the “folk” in their own communities and throughout the world.
Note: This course may be eligible for articulated college credit at
Northwestern State University. See page 5 for details.
Requirements:
See English, Reading or Verbal scores on page 9
|
