This document categorizes and describes urban legends. It defines urban legends as stories that are told seriously and vary in their details, with meaningful messages, that reflect the culture's hopes, fears, and anxieties. Urban legends are shared for entertainment, to provide social interaction, and to attempt to explain supernatural events or promote stereotypes. The document then lists and describes several categories of urban legends, including animals/insects, celebrities, crime, scary stories, health/medical topics, and sex/scandal stories. Students are assigned homework to bring in an urban legend to share.

1. Urban Legends
CLASS 18

2. URBAN LEGENDS

3. URBAN LEGEND CHARACTERISTICS
are told seriously (believed by the originating
culture)
 are circulated by word of mouth
 vary constantly by particular details
 have a meaningful message or moral
 preserve a central core of traditional motifs or
elements
 could not have possibly happened in so
many localities to so many different people


4. WHY DO WE SHARE URBAN LEGENDS?
1. They are entertaining – often about the bizarre,
fascinating, or frightening aspects of our culture.
2. They reflect the hopes, fears and anxieties of
our time. They can assuage or exacerbate our
fears. They can leave positive messages.
(They explain what happens when boys and
girls go out and make out in cars or when
babysitters don’t check often enough on the
kids.)
3. They are social and provide social interaction.

5. WHY ELSE?
4. They attempt to explain supernatural or
unusual happenings in the natural world.
5. They promote stereotypes. (The woman is
often rescued by the policeman or the man; the
escaped lunatic is always out to murder the
poor unfortunate unknown female. The gang
members will stop at nothing to become
initiated. All hunters are stupid.)
6. They are about symbols of our culture and our
reactions to them.

6. URBAN LEGENDS - BY CATEGORY
Animals and Insects
Urban legends and Netlore about animals and insects: Alligators
in the Sewers; Maggots in the Brain; Spiders in the Hairdo; The
Mexican Pet; The Choking Doberman.
Celebrities
Urban legends, rumors and gossip about celebrities: Bill Gates,
the Antichrist; Celebrity Stomach Pump; The Elevator Story;
Richard Gere and the Gerbil; 'Hanoi Jane' Fonda; Jennifer Lopez'
Billion Dollar Booty.
Ads
Christmas
Christmas History: Facts, myths, folklore and trivia pertaining to
the celebration of Christmas and the origins of seasonal holiday
traditions.

7. MORE CATEGORIES
Classics
"Alligators in the Sewers," "The Hook," "The Microwaved Pet," and
"Aren't You Glad You Didn't Turn on the Light?"
Crime
Urban legends and Netlore about crime and criminals: ATM Envelope
Poisonings; The 'Blue Star' LSD Tattoo; The Body in the Bed; The
Nigerian Scam; Double Whammy; Aren't You Glad You Didn't Turn on
the Light?
Dubious Quotes
Amazing, isn't it, how often we find that famous people never really said
some of the clever, funny, shocking, and horrid things attributed to them!
Facebook Rumors & Hoaxes
A comprehensive listing of rumors and hoaxes on and/or about the
social networking service Facebook.
Fake News
A continuously updated roster of fake news stories misrepresented as
real ones -- hoaxes, parodies, spoofs, political satires, jokes, and
outright disinformation -- presented as "the news."

8. MORE CATEGORIES
Funny Urban Legends
Urban legends can be as funny as the most hilarious jokes -indeed, sometimes the distinction between the two types of
folklore is blurry. Some of the funniest urban legends are, in fact,
old or new jokes told convincingly enough to seem true. Does the
distinction really matter? Maybe not. The important thing is, they
make us laugh.
Gross & Disgusting Urban Legends
The most revolting, gross, disgusting urban legends and Netlore
to be found -- horrible infestations, repugnant medical conditions,
and repulsive human behavior.
Scary Urban Legends
Horror Stories!!! This is your directory of scary stories, even
scarier rumors, the absolute scariest urban legends, with myths
and hoaxes guaranteed to make you very afraid.

9. MORE CATEGORIES
Health / Medical
Rumors, hoaxes, urban legends and old wives' tales related to
health and medicine.
Photo Fakery: Hoax Photos and Viral Images
Photo Hoaxes: Okay, a few of the credulity-stretching images and
videos featured in this category aren't fakes -- some are authentic
-- but most, you'll find, are demonstrably bogus, altered, or at the
very least misrepresented.
Politics / Law / Government
Urban legends, rumors and Internet hoaxes pertaining to
government, politics and politicians.
Sex and Scandal
Ribald rumors, salacious gossip and scandalous myths from
around the globe.

10. HOMEWORK:
Bring in an urban legend to share with the
class.