What are tricksters in folklore?

  What cultural purpose do they serve and how are they

perceived by the audience?  Please pick two tricksters, explain their exploits, and explain how
these exploits are a reflection of the culture that tells them.
Tricksters in Folklore
Trickster stories are substantial elements in many cultural settings, with these folktale
characters universally found in stories throughout the world. Tricksters usually represent
carefree, impulsive (usually male) individuals who have little regard to consequences and use
their wits to survive the trouble they find themselves in.
The survivalist nature of these characters usually come with moral ambiguity and
disharmonious tales. A trickster often acts on its basic needs, such as getting food or sexual
desires, reminding the audience of the fact that humans are still animalistic beings ruled by
these simple wants, regardless of how developed humankind is in a moral sense. Listeners
often find trickster stories humorous and entertaining as these discuss moral or cultural taboos
in a more relaxed tone, serving as a way of letting off steam.
The first trickster I would like to mention is the coyote which is often found in Native
American tales. The coyote is a survivalists animal fulfilling its immediate impulses whether
it is trapping wolves in the sky or entering a less decent competition over the body of a
buffalo. His motives are usually simple, such as boredom, the need for excitement or the
desire to have something it laid his eyes on. The coyote deceives others for certain gains, but
sometimes ends up being deceived or tricked himself. His stories sometimes explain certain
aspects of the world (for example, the placement of stars), but mostly they are funny, simple
tales helping the audience unwind. In Native American folklore, coyotes put an emphasis on
survival in nature and against differing moral standards. Them outsmarting others can mean a
humorous yet hopeful example for those who cannot escape consequences in their realities
like coyotes can.
Another trickster worth mentioning is Brer Rabbit, appearing in the Southern
plantations. Brer Rabbit is an allegory to slaves who keep outsmarting their masters (the latter
are represented by Brer Fox or Bear) in an attempt to fight the institution of slavery and to
survive the hardships slaves faced day by day. Brer Rabbit lied to the other animals when
caught to escape being eaten, misleading and ridiculing them. Brer Rabbit’s stories reflect on
the hopeless, dreadful reality slaves had to endure; they shed light on the disparity and
inequality between whites and African Americans. Here, the tricksters lead much less light-
hearted lives: at the end of the day, they need their wits to survive violent situations when
getting in trouble with slave masters. These stories had to be child-friendly, so black children
could learn survival tactics at a very young age. Slaves used these tales as a hidden allegory in
order not to openly attack and upset the masters and white people. In this sense, folklore
became a tool for them to somehow fight against oppression and ensure their survival.
In summary, trickster stories generally involve someone or something outsmarting
opponents in order to escape from trouble, but the goal can be different based on the cultural
or regional setting: for some, it is to gain something or to end boredom, for others, it is to
survive. Trickster stories can serve the purpose of making the audience laugh, but also to
teach the audience valuable life lessons to endure hardships and to prepare for saving
themselves when trouble seems to come.