This document discusses the key elements and origins of American folk tales and tall tales. Folk tales are oral stories that aim to teach lessons through archetypal characters and consequences, originate as attempts to understand the world, and may be based on real people. Tall tales are uniquely American stories that feature exaggerated, larger-than-life characters solving problems in outrageous ways through everyday language. While folk tales usually don't include magic, fairy tales often do contain magical elements.

1. Foundations of a Nation
AMERICAN FOLK AND TALL TALES

2. WHAT IS A FOLK TALE?
• “Folk” are people
• “Tales” are stories

3. KEY ELEMENTS:
• 1) Oral Tradition
• 2) Teach a lesson
• XYZ behaviors/attitudes result in ABC
consequences
• 3) Archetypal characters
• The liar, the thief, the clever child, the
stepmother, etc.
• 4) Dialect or slang (oral tradition)
• 5) Repetitive structure (oral tradition)

4. THE BEGINNING
• Many folk tales begin as a group’s attempt to
explain and understand the world around
them, both natural and spiritual.
• All cultures have folk tales.

5. FOLK TALES VS. FAIRY TALES
• Fairy tales usually contain an element of
magic, whereas folk tales usually don’t.
• Some folk tales are based on real people.
• Some real people become folk heroes.

6. FOLK TALES VS. TALL TALES
Tall tales are uniquely American and have:
1) a larger-than-life main character (superhuman) who has
a specific task
2) the problem is solved in a funny or outrageous way
3) details are exaggerated (larger than life)
4) characters who use everyday language (like folk tales)
**Many tall tales are based on actual people or on a
composite of actual people. Exaggeration is the major
difference between folk tales and tall tales.