McNeill, Lynne. Folklore Rules: A Fun, Quick, and Useful Introduction to the Field of Academic Folklore Studies. Logan: Utah State University Press, 2013. (FR)
1) Examine the history of folklore by considering the following:
A, Why the concept of folklore became important in relation to the industrial revolution, Romanticism, and nationalism?
B, How terms for folklore (popular antiquities; folk-lore; survivals; oral tradition; verbal art; artistic communication in small group; expressive culture) betray assumptions about folklore and folk groups;
C, The importance of William John Thoms; Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm; William Wells Newell to the study of folklore;
D, The development of the study of folklore in the United States, and how/why it diverged from the study of folklore in Europe.
2) Define “folklore” by considering the following:
A, definitions of “folk” and “lore” and “folk group”
B, what folklore is and is not;
C, McNeil’s basic rules of folklore;
D, the defining characteristics of folklore (Powerpoint)
3) Be familiar with folklore examples discussed by McNeill: Anya; Craig; Swedish jatte story; Newfoundlanders getting “screeched in”; “post-Mormon” stories; college folklore examples; children’s folklore examples; digital folklore examples.
4) Be able to analyze specific examples of Western Apache joking performances of the whiteman and historical tale. Consider what these say about Western Apache culture and what they say about the clash of ideologies between the Western Apache and the “Whiteman”. Also, consider the following:
a) The historical context of Western Apache folklore;
b) How joking performances are a model of whitemen and a model for whitemen
c) Why joking performances are danger
d) Why joking performances demonstrate the relationship between the Western Apache and the “Whiteman” and the relationship between the joker and the butt of his jokes
e) Formulaic endings in Western Apache joking performances (“Butt” responses);
f) The use of place names and hunting metaphors in historical tales
g) The function of joking performance and historical tales
5) Examine the relationship between folklore and consumer objects. Include a discussion of how a mass-produced object can become a folk object. Discuss also the patterns of use, creation and passing on.