(Students will not be required to read for this unit. It is hoped that students will be motivated to read
Grimm’s Fairy Tales and
Abrahams’
African Folktales
listed in the bibliography.)
Abrahams, Roger D.
African Folktales
. New York: Pantheon Books, 1983.
A collection of nearly one hundred African stories. The tales were collected while they were performed and are rich with African traditions.
Applebee, Arthur N.
The Child’s Concept of Story—Ages Two to Seventeen
. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press, 1978.
Particularly appropriate for this unit is chapter seven. “The Response of the Adolescent” (pp.108-125). Applebee explains that adolescents are not only able to but also extremely interested in analyzing a story to find different levels of meaning.
Baker, Augusta and Greene, Ellen.
Storytelling
:
Art and Technique
. New York: R. R. Bouker Co., 1977.
A comprehensive, well-organized and simply written text that provides sound techniques to begin the art of storytelling.
Bettelheim, Bruno.
Symbolic Wounds
,
Puberty Rites and the Envious Male
. New York: Collier Books, 1971.
Psychology and anthropology combine to study initiation ceremonies of many tribes as attempts of males to solve their problem of envy of women.
Bettelheim, Bruno.
Uses of Enchantment—The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1976.
A “must read” for anyone interested in the values of telling or reading folk-fairy tales. Bettelheim explains how fairy tales instruct, provide outlets for emotions and present archetypal patterns of behavior to nourish growing consciousness.
Campbell, Joseph.
The Hero With A Thousand Faces
. Princeton, N.J. Princeton University Press, 1973.
A brilliant study of the “life-cycle” of the archetypal hero in myth, Campbell relies on the readers ability to decipher symbolic language in order to connect with the hero’s struggle for identity.
Cirlot, J.E.
A Dictionary of Symbols
. New York: Philosophical Library, Inc., 1962.
An invaluable reference book for finding the possible meanings of symbols appearing in literature (or dreams, T.V.-M.T.V. in particular, and “unusual” occurrences in daily life). Includes a detailed introduction of the history and definition of symbology.
Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales, The
. New York: Pantheon Books, 1982.
The Two hundred and ten tales of enchantment in this one collection—many that I’m sure you have not heard or read. There is an interesting “Folkloristic Commentary” by Joseph Campbell at the end of the book.
Dooling, D. M., ed.
Parabola
. New York: The Society for the Study of Myth and Tradition, Vol. IV, Number 4, Nov. 1979.
Published quarterly at five dollars and fifty cents a copy, it is beautifully produced and rich in content. A magazine devoted to the study of myth and tradition, each issue is dedicated to a particular theme. This particular issue focuses on “Storytelling and Education” and discusses storytelling
as
initiation on page 67.
Eliade, Mircea.
Rites and Symbols of Initiation
,
The Mysteries of Birth and Rebirth
. New York: Harper and Row, 1965.
A valuable source of information for this unit—Eliade presents structures of initiatory patterns from many primitive cultures. Whereas Bettelheim in his book
Symbolic Wounds
, mentioned previously, approaches initiation from a sexual point of view (Freudian), Eliade approaches initiation from a spiritual (i.e., gaining personal and or group
meaning
) point of view (Jungian).
Jung, Carl, ed.
Man and His Symbols.
London: Aldus Books Ltd., 1964.
Conceived, edited and produced with four of his colleagues, Carl Jung died before the completion of this book. He had a dream that he should present his work in psychology on a level that the average person could understand. This work is the answer to that dream. Particularly relevant to this unit is section 2 “Ancient Myths and Modern Man” which includes a lengthy discourse on the archetype of initiation.
McCaslin, Nellie.
Creative Drama in
the Classroom
. New York: Longman, Inc. 1984.
Excellent text for understanding the values of creative drama and learning a variety of drama techniques. This book would be a valuable resource for a teacher unfamiliar with creative drama.
Opie, Iona and Peter.
The Classic Fairy Tales
. London: Oxford University Press, 1975.
This book defines fairy tales and gives a history of their development. Well known collectors of and authors of fairy tales are discussed biographically and in terms of their impacts in the field of literature, known as fairy tales. (Charles Perrault, The Grimm Brothers, and Hans Christian Anderson are included.) Twenty-four tales, each with historical background, are presented in a form the authors believe best retains the original, most meaningful, and most powerful story. Profusely illustrated.
Raglan, Fitsroy Richard Somerset, Baron.
The Hero
,
A Study in Tradition
,
Myth and Drama.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, Inc., 1975.
The premise of this book is that dramatic rites and ritual drama are the basis of almost all traditional narratives. Raglan makes use of the traditions and literary works of many cultures and observes common patterns of behavior found in the lives of their heroes (both historical and fictional).
Sawyer, Ruth.
The
Way
of the Storyteller
. New York: Viking Press, Inc. 1966.
An excellent description of the background, experience and skills necessary for a master storyteller.
Siks, Geraldine Brian.
Drama With Children
. New York: Harper and Row, 1983.
A Drama text which provides lesson plans designed to meet specific educational objectives. Siks uses Piaget’s theories of personality development in children to provide a rationale for using various drama techniques with children of different ages.
Turner, Victor, ed.
Celebration—Studies in Pestivity and Ritual
. Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1982.
The meaning and importance of ritual is the theme of this book. Acts of celebration are viewed as rituals, designed, in part, to minimize or release conflict in a community.
Turner, Victor.
From Ritual to Theatre—The Human Seriousness of
Play
. New York: Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1982.
Turner has applied his insight as an anthropologist to theater and the roles taken on by individuals in a culture. He stresses the transformative powers of ritual and their relationship to play, social dramas and theatre.
Wagner, Betty Jane.
Dorothy Heathcote: Drama as a Learning Medium
. Washington, D. C.: National Education Association, 1976.
This book is for those readers interested in using Drama as a tool in education. Wagner describes Heathcote’s techniques of distilling theater elements for the purpose of creating dynamic, dramatic situations in which learning, through experience, can take place.
Ward, Winifred.
Playmaking With Children
. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1957.
This book has material to use with children from kindergarten to high school. Chapter five, “Presenting the Story”, Chapter Six, “Story Dramatization” and Chapter Seven, “The Written Dramatization” are particularly appropriate for this unit.
Way, Brian.
Development Through Drama
. New York: Humanities, 1972.
A useful text providing rationales and specific activities for using drama to assist in the creation of a “whole human being”.