Discovering Folktales Through Exaggerations
The Art of Exaggeration in Folktales
Exaggeration plays a crucial role in the creation and retelling of folktales. Folktales are a form of traditional storytelling that have been passed down through generations orally. One of the distinctive characteristics of folktales is the use of exaggerations to enhance the narrative and captivate the audience. By stretching the truth and embellishing details, storytellers bring the characters and events to life in a larger-than-life manner.
In the excerpt from The People Could Fly, John's exaggerated account of the raccoon's escape adds depth and color to the story. The image of the raccoon running for a long time before being caught creates a sense of suspense and drama, drawing the listeners into the narrative. This element of exaggeration is a hallmark of folktales, where reality is often heightened to entertain and inspire imagination.
Exaggeration serves as a tool for storytelling in folk traditions, allowing the storyteller to convey moral lessons, cultural values, and historical events in a memorable and engaging way. By amplifying the characters' actions and emotions, exaggeration transforms ordinary experiences into extraordinary adventures, making folktales an enduring and cherished part of storytelling traditions worldwide.