The Tall Tale

1. The Tall Tale Background Knowledge and Vocabulary exaggerate amazing tradition

2. What is a Tall Tale? • Tall tales are stories written from someone’s imagination. The story can be funny or silly. They are filled with exaggerations, similes, metaphors, and lots of descriptive language. It is always told as if it were true, even though the listeners know that the story could never really happen.

3. A tall tale is a uniquely American story form that features… (1) a larger-than-life, or superhuman, main character with a specific task (2) a problem that is solved in a humorous or outrageous way (3) exaggerated details that describe things larger than they really are (4) characters who use everyday language and tone

4. Tall Tales • Many tall tales are based on actual people or on a composite of actual people. Exaggeration is the major element in tall tales. • The settlers loved to exaggerate when they told tales about the huge animals, the incredible weather extremes and the monstrous fish that got away. We can thank the pioneers for making tall tales a tradition.

5. Vocabulary: Exaggerate To make something look or sound better, worse, larger, more common, or more important than is true or usual

6. Vocabulary: Pioneers People who go into previously uncharted or unclaimed territory with the purpose of exploring,colonizing or settling it.

7. Vocabulary: Tradition A long-established custom that has been handed down from generation to generation

8. Why Tall Tales? • Many settlers originally came west because someone made optimistic claims. They were told the climate was perfect and that there was plenty of water. They were convinced that crops would spring up overnight. It was said that the soil was so fertile that even footprints would grow! • In real life, living on the plains was a lot tougher that the settlers had been told. After they found out what life on the plains was really like, they had to face many hard times. It was easier to handle if that person used humor.

9. Paul Bunyan The Mightiest Logger of Them AllVocabulary:announcedchowcornmealgiganticpickaxepioneerspotbelliedterriblethawed

10. The Real “Paul Bunyan” • Historians believe the legend of Paul Bunyan is based on the exploits of Fabian "Joe" Fournier, a French-Canadian logger born in Quebec around 1845. • The big, strong Fournier moved to Michigan following the Civil War in search of higher wages and was eventually hired by the H. M. Loud Company. • Sitting around the campfire, future newspaperman James MacGillivray would listen to stories about Fournier, which were embellished with every telling. • MacGillivray wrote "Round River," a tale about the fictitious lumberjack Paul Bunyan which was published Aug. 10, 1906.

11. What’s real • Potbellied Stove • Chow • Cornmeal mush • Pickaxe

12. What’s real • Potbellied Stove • Chow • Cornmeal mush • Pickaxe

13. What’s real • Potbellied Stove • Chow • Cornmeal mush • Pickaxe

14. John Henrythe Steel Driving ManVocabulary:bulgedcascadedflickeringmaulmuscularnitroglycerineprotrudedshakertowered

15. The Real John Henry • John Henry is the most researched folk hero in history. • Most think the story is based on the Big Bend Tunnel in WV, but evidence points to the Lewis Tunnel in VA. • Listen to the ballad of John Henry • From Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend by Scott Nelson, Professor of History, Willam & Mary University

16. What’s real • maul • shaker • nitroglycerin

17. What’s real • maul • shaker • nitroglycerin

18. Finding the Real John Henry • The clue came from the song, “The Ballad of John Henry” • Song: “They took John Henry to the White House, and they buried him in the sand, and every locomotive comes roarin’ by says there lies a steel drivin’ man.”

19. Tall Tale Vocabulary Activities Word Exaggeration

20. How to Exaggerate Vocabulary • If you’re going to tell tall tales, you better exaggerate your vocabulary as well as your story… • Don’t say Pecos Bill rode a mad tornado, you’d say he rode a ________ tornado.

21. angry upset cross livid fuming irritated furious irate annoyed outraged incensed Synonyms Word: Mad

22. Word Scales Word: Mad angry furious livid annoyed irritated upset Really mad A little bit mad

23. Word Scales Word: Mad angry furious livid annoyed upset Really mad irritated A little bit mad

24. Word Scales Word: Mad angry furious livid upset Really mad annoyed irritated A little bit mad

25. Word Scales Word: Mad angry furious livid Really mad upset annoyed irritated A little bit mad

26. Word Scales Word: Mad furious livid Really mad angry upset annoyed irritated A little bit mad

27. Word Scales Word: Mad livid Really mad furious angry upset annoyed irritated A little bit mad

28. Word Scales Word: Mad livid Really mad furious angry upset annoyed irritated A little bit mad

29. Massive Immense Large Gigantic Vast Enormous Substantial Synonyms Word: Big

30. Word Scales Word: Big massive substantial vast large immense gigantic enormous Really big A little bit big

31. Word Scales Word: Said murmured thundered remarked reported announced wailed exclaimed Said boldly Said mildly

32. Word Scales Word: Bad displeasing terrible appalling dreadful awful wretched atrocious Really bad A little bit bad

33. Word Scales Word: Stuck Out protruded bulged swelled projected expanded distended pouched Stuck out a lot Stuck out a little

34. Paul Bunyan The Mightiest Logger of Them All• announced• chow• cornmeal• gigantic• pickaxe• pioneers• potbellied• terriblethawed

35. John Henrythe Steel Driving Man• bulgedcascadedflickeringmaulmuscularnitroglycerine• protrudedshakertowered

36. Thank You

37. Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Davy Crockett

38. No real Sally Ann • David Crockett (1786-1836) was renowned as an adventurer, Indian fighter, bear hunter, and congressman. • He was born in a small cabin in Tennessee, not on a mountaintop. He did not kill a bear when he was only three. He was called David, not Davy. • Married Mary “Polly” Finley in 1806 and had 3 children.