Chapter 5

A Long Time Ago ...

 What’s on this chapter?
Myth

Types
Folktale

Legend
Narrative
Text

Generic
Structure
 Narrative Text
• A narrative text should answer some questions:
 Who, where, when?
 What happened with the characters?
 How did the characters overcome the
problems?
 What are good values of the
story?
• Types of Narrative Text:
Myth, Folktale and Legend
 Myth
• defined as a sacred narrative explaining
how the world and humankind came to
be in their present form.

• As sacred stories, myths are often

endorsed by rulers and priests and
closely linked to religion or spirituality.

• The main characters in myths are usually

Gods, supernatural heroes and humans.
 Myth
• In fact, many societies have two
categories of traditional narrative,
"true stories" or myths, and "false
stories" or fables.

• Example:
Zeus, Athena, Poseidon,
Aphrodite, Mahabharata,
Ramayana
 Folktale
• Folktale is a story passed on by word of mouth
rather than by writing and thus partly modified
by successive retellings before being written
down or recorded.

• Folktale includes fables, jokes,

tall stories and fairy tales.
Many folktales involve mythical
creatures and magical transformations.
(taken from oxfordindex.oup.com)
 Folktale
• Folktales can be set in any time and
any place, and they are not considered
true or sacred by the societies that tell
them.

• People often use folktale to explain

how the world was created, or how a
lake or mountain came to be.

• Example:
Cinderella, Beauty and the beast,
Snow white
 Legend
• Legends are concerned with the
retelling of imaginary and real events.
• They tell stories about famous incidents that
happened in the distant past. Often, it is not clear
whether the characters really existed.
• Legends often have bits added to them over the
years as they are told and retold. The original
author may not be known because the story has
been shaped by many people over time.
(Adapted from Texts In Action)
 Legend
• Legends are stories that are traditionally
considered true, but are set in a more recent
time, when the world was much as it is today.
• Legends generally feature humans as their main
characters, whereas myths generally focus on
superhuman characters.
• Legends are tales that, because of the tie to a
historical event or location, are believable,
although not necessarily believed.
• Example:
Robin Hood, Tangkuban Parahu, Roro Jonggrang
 Generic Structure
• Orientation
(who were involved in the story, when, and
where)
• Complication
(a problem arises followed by other problems)
• Resolution
(solution to the problem)
• Re-orientation
(consist of moral values)