Ch.+4+Oral+tradition

=**Oral Traditions and Folktales** of the Igbo= The Igbo tradition to storytelling is very important to their culture. Storytelling is like a social event to them such as watching TV or going to school or work is to us. Stories are told with plots and mainly a dramatic standing. If a Raconteur (name of storytellers) cannot bring drama to his story then he is considered "weak" and unable to tell good stories. In order to gain respect as a storyteller in a community, one must complete four things in his way of talk. First one must be able to use speech markers, how to remove an opponents speech, how to encourage a quiet person to talk, and how to keep listeners into the story.

=Audience of Folktales=

The audience of the storytelling is also very important. Everything about the audience, age, sex, even attitude, is important to the storyteller. things such as whether the audience is male or female could stop the storyteller from sharing his stories.

=Structure of Stories=

The act of story telling has three stages. First is introducing the problem or the conflict of the story. Next they confuse the listener into things that don't seem to make sense. Finally they enlightens the listener, ending his/her story. In a sense it starts out with characters having a problem. First the problem seems impossible to solve. finally the story ends with the problem being solved. There is no story without a problem to solve. The story will always consist of characters, a set time and/or place, a problem to solve, a climax, and then the problem being solved.



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**For more information go to...**
[] Book about all of Igbo including Folktales and storytelling.

**Work Cited**
"Words are sweet: Igbo stories and ... -." //Google Books//. Web. 04 Nov. 2009. .