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November 08, 2005
Uncle Remus
Harris, Uncle Remus stories (selections) (1881) -- American Literature, 1800-1915 (EL 266)
Okay, so after reading these three articles, I don't exactly have a positive outlook on folklore. My main concern is the language. This is not the deeper meaning of these stories, this I do know. However, it is difficult!
"Co'se, honey," the old man unhesitatingly responded, "dem w'at git ter de pon'time nuff fer ter git der head in de water, de water hit onkink der ha'r. Hit bleedzd ter be dat away."
If your brain doesn't hurt after reading that, I commend you. I tried to think about how the language was more like when we read Shakespeare. It helps to read it aloud and pretend to be in their world. As for content in these stories, I may have missed the bigger picture, but I see minimal value in them.
Posted by MeredithHarber at November 8, 2005 12:35 AM
Comments
Haha. I agree that this was absolutely mind boggling to understand. The language though has an essence that makes this story very realistic to the views of the society. How they were acting and how they were portrayed becomes more understandable because of the language (which I know is an oxymoron because the language is so hard to understand in the first place lol). I just hope that we do exit this folklore, because this is just a section that angers me. Why? Check out my blog and you'll see.
Posted by: Jason Pugh at November 8, 2005 01:29 AM
I couldn't get past the language either yet, that's all I seem to blog about. I wonder how people, when originally reading these stories, found the language to be. Was it equally as tough for them, even though there were people around talking in that way? With a story that follows such a dialect, it almost has to remain almost completely verbal to get the point across. Me, stumbling over the inncorrect English, does not convey the story as well as if I would hear it.
Posted by: Vanessa at November 9, 2005 04:16 PM
Vanessa--
I know I said that the language caused me to stumble, but I think the people in this type may have spoke like this with little thought as to its difficulty (like we do with our own language) or this is a dramatized version. Consider how we imitate others. You pick a few key details and make them really noticeable. This might be the case with the language. Thank you for posting faithfully!
Posted by: Meredith Harber at November 12, 2005 06:18 PM