Folktales Essay

Folktales Essay

For your second essay you will choose a cultural group other than your own and research that culture and its folklore. You will use your research to show how the culture shaped the folklore and how the folklore in turn shaped the people. What do the culture’s stories tell us about the people themselves? You will compose an argument about what you learn, and use the research to prove this argument. You must use three sources, including at least one folktale/fable/myth and sources about the culture. All sources must be cited correctly according to MLA guidelines. This is not an opinion or persuasive paper, but a research paper that makes an academic argument that shows the connections between culture and stories. Your purpose is to explain the culture and that culture’s folklore to the reader, and demonstrate how the two impacted each other.

Paper Requirements:

• 3-5 pages in length
• MLA formatting
• Use the following structure:

Introduction:

Entice the reader in to your topic and give them background. Introduce the culture, including any background or facts to ground the reader. You can begin with descriptions and details about location, history, and language, for example. Hook the reader and then get them invested in the paper. Then introduce the main folktale(s) you will be discussing. You will want to end your introduction with your specific thesis.

Body:

Lay out your argument and explanation. Make sure the reader knows what you are saying about the chosen culture and its folklore, and give support with evidence from the research. You should have several examples of connections between the specific culture you researched and the folklore. You will be using multiple strategies as you prove your thesis: describing, comparing, analyzing, and illustrating cause and effect.  

You may have a few paragraphs for each connection you make. Do not think of this as a five paragraph essay, but rather an essay that sets up a strong, supported thesis to explain your point and make your readers feel like they learned something.

This is the meat of your paper, where most of your research will be used and where you prove your points.

Conclusion:

Wrap up what you are saying and make sure the audience knows your argument. Remind the audience of the significance of the topic, without just repeating what you said in the introduction or summarizing your paper. Relate the thesis back to the topic and place it in a larger world context: why is this important to/for everyone? What can we learn in general from looking at other cultures? What does the connection between stories and people say about people in general? Try and end by looking forward. How will this impact the reader, you, or the world? Think about what you want your reader to walk away with.