What exactly is an Urban Legend?
Urban Legends are derived from the age-old tradition offolklore, or, the passing on of stories from groups and individuals. We havebeen told stories of Legends all our lives we know of the Legend of KingArthur and the Knights of the Roundtable, or the Legend of Robin Hood. We evenuse the word "Legend" to often describe a visionary or very uniqueindividual. Through the ages, Legends have carried along incredible events andmystical times.
The more modern take on Legend is the Urban Legend. The"Urban" part of "Urban Legend" is a misnomer, as thesestories don't have to take place in a city or urban environment."Urban" just means modern or current. These tales are often describedas apocryphal, of questionable authority, or, fictitious. Many Urban Legendschange over time as the teller will often inject their own details, sometimeswithout even realizing it. Urban Legends are usually spread through word ofmouth, however, since the explosion of the popularity of the Internet, e-mailhas vastly propelled the dissemination of some Urban Legends (have you receivedthe Neiman Marcus cookie recipe lately?).
Urban Legends can often be ridiculous, outrageous, andfrightening but several do have root in truth, and can take another shapethroughout the years, and throughout many telling. Often, the teller will haveheard the story from a friend, or a friend of a friend, but will not haveexperienced the event themselves. Urban Legends usually have a lot of detailinjected throughout, and the teller will give particulars about the events. Asalready mentioned, Urban Legends don't necessarily have to be false, and oftenhave scatterings of truth throughout.
Why evaluate Urban Legends?
Like all stories, there is meaning behind Urban Legends.They may seem like frivolous and silly stories sometimes, but they usually havea lesson, moral, or piece of history ingrained in them that we can learn fromif we look closely. Consider the Urban Legend of the danger of consuming PopRocks and Coke at the same time. Many have tried it, but none have perished(that we know of.) What could we possibly learn from this story? Well, it tellsus we that we ought to be careful about what we put into our bodies. Often timewe eat on the run, speed through fast food restaurants, zooming off to our nextdestination. Perhaps this anecdote is telling us to slow down, pay attention towhat we consume, and maybe try putting some more nutrients and less sugar intoour mouths. This story, like many other tales is a cautionary tale, warning thelistener to beware.
Urban Legends also speak loudly of society's concerns andpriorities. During the time of September 11th, 2001, many stories floatedaround about possible future attacks. Malls, stadiums, and campuses were nexton the list to be destroyed by terrorists. Our fear of being unsafe and theunknown manifested in Urban Legends because Americans were scared, confused,and unsure about what the future would bring. Urban Legends can tell us a lotabout what is on our minds, what we consider important, and what shakes us upas a society.
Should We Continue to Tell Urban Legends Even if We Don'tKnow If They're True?
Absolutely! Urban Legends can be really great stories andgive us a lot to think about! It is probably best not to purposely deceive thelistener of your story, so you may want to finish your story by telling themthat it is an Urban Legend, and may not be steeped in fact. Sharing UrbanLegends for enjoyment and enlightenment is a fun way of storytelling, however.
Storytelling is an oral tradition since the dawn of spokenlanguage and helps us make sense out of our lives and the world around us.Putting events and situations into a narrative helps us as human beingscomprehend and cope with things beyond our realm of understanding. Storytellingis a survival mechanism, but also a source of information sharing andentertainment. Before there was radio, television, and the Internet,storytelling was the only way to pass along advice, traditions, and wisdom.Urban Legends is certainly less serious than perhaps passing along our familyhistory, but it is important no less. We should continue to celebrate and sharethe tales of our existence, including Urban Legends.
Source: http://ccb.lis.illinois.edu/Projects/storytelling/alesak/aboutUL.htm
Image: http://www.mysticfiles.com/img/mistery/the-5-scariest-urban-legends/02.jpg
VOCABULARY:
1. Folklore - the traditional beliefs, customs, andstories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.
2. Mystic - inspiringa sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination.
3. Realm - a field or domain of activity orinterest.
4. Moral - a lesson, especially one concerning whatis right or prudent, that can be derived from a story, a piece of information,or an experience.
5. Dissemination - the act of spreading something,especially information, widely circulation.
DISCUSSION:
1. According to the article, urban legends are fictitious,why do some people still take them seriously?
2. The article also mentioned the reflection of the societyand its beliefs through urban legends, do you agree? If so, how are thesebeliefs manifested?
3. As adults, sometimes we become skeptical about a lot ofthings. How much mysticism do we need in our lives? Do you think we need any?
4. Urban legends are circulated through storytelling. Howmuch of our culture do you think are promoted this way?
5. Share an urban legend you know.
