The Effects of Native American Folklore on Contemporary Nonfiction Literature
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Room 135
Start Date
15-5-2014
End Date
15-5-2014
Keywords
traditions literature nonfiction analysis cultural stories folklore identity narrative
Abstract
There are a number of contemporary Native American writers, such as Leslie Marmon Silko, Winona LaDuke, and N. Scott Momaday, who draw upon their own traditional culture, incorporating tribal stories and oral traditions into the structure and content of their work. This integration of traditional folklore into modern fiction has become a recognized form in the postcolonial literary tradition. However, the use of Native American traditional stories within the genre of nonfiction, particularly in the construction of the autobiographical narrative merits further analysis. How are contemporary Native American authors informed by their cultural heritage and associated tribal stories and texts? What are the responsibilities and critiques of dominant society that emerge from these orally transmitted values? Using narrative analysis, this paper proposes that tribal stories and cultural heritage have an impact on contemporary Native American nonfiction. Specifically, I will address the development of autobiographical identity and writings.
Recommended Citation
Epperson, Megan, "The Effects of Native American Folklore on Contemporary Nonfiction Literature" (2014). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 48.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2014/oralpresentations/48
Additional Mentoring Department
Anthropology and Museum Studies
The Effects of Native American Folklore on Contemporary Nonfiction Literature
SURC Room 135
There are a number of contemporary Native American writers, such as Leslie Marmon Silko, Winona LaDuke, and N. Scott Momaday, who draw upon their own traditional culture, incorporating tribal stories and oral traditions into the structure and content of their work. This integration of traditional folklore into modern fiction has become a recognized form in the postcolonial literary tradition. However, the use of Native American traditional stories within the genre of nonfiction, particularly in the construction of the autobiographical narrative merits further analysis. How are contemporary Native American authors informed by their cultural heritage and associated tribal stories and texts? What are the responsibilities and critiques of dominant society that emerge from these orally transmitted values? Using narrative analysis, this paper proposes that tribal stories and cultural heritage have an impact on contemporary Native American nonfiction. Specifically, I will address the development of autobiographical identity and writings.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Hall, Raymond; Culjak, Toni