Trickster Essays

the Trickster “Trickster is at one and the same time creator and destroyer, giver and negator, he who dupes others and who is always duped himself… and is at the mercy of his passions and appetites” (Moffett). The trickster archetype can be found in many cultures from all around the world; such as, in the Native American culture a common trickster is the fox and in the Chinese culture a common trickster is the character known as the Monkey King. The purpose of these tricksters, and tricksters all

Reader Response Journal – Quiz 4 Trickster Myths Comparison Tricksters play a key role in many cultures beliefs. These tricksters have tattooed their folktales and stories inside of their region and families. A Tricksters behavior and decisions fall into a group of fundamental aspects that define who and what they are. These tricksters from different background and ethnicities can be compared to one another. There are Tricksters whom have the same fundamental aspects. The Ghana and West Africa

characters of all kinds, one of these being the trickster archetype. The way that the trickster is portrayed, as well as how we have perceived the character through our development, has changed. As a child, we read about people who are liars and learn that they are “the bad guys.” As an adult, that same character may be a comedic relief for the story, as opposed to a bad person. I believe that due to children’s development and understanding of concepts, the trickster archetype is

Trickster myths have been present in our society since the first stories were written down. Trickster gods serve an important function in every pantheon; they break through conventional methodology in order to solve problems using wit, craftiness, and cleverness. In some myths, Trickster gods serve a destructive force, getting humanity in trouble and prompting punishment from greater powers, such as that which occurs in the Prometheus myth. The ultimate purpose of the trickster character in mythology

Trickster tales, in oral traditions worldwide, features a story of a protagonist, often an anthropomorphized animal, who has magical powers and is characterized as a compendium of opposites. Simultaneously an omniscient creator and an innocent fool, a malicious destroyer and a childlike prankster, the trickster-hero serves as a sort of folkloric scapegoat onto which are projected the fears, failures, and unattained ideals of the source culture (Encyclopedia Britannica). The trickster figure predominantly

A trickster is defined as a character that shows a degree of intellect and knowledge, and uses it to play tricks or go against normal rules and conventional behavior. To be a trickster one has to be deceptive, manipulative and cunning. Both Prometheus and Hermes are excellent examples of tricksters, but while they have similarities there are also differences between the two gods. The Titan Prometheus, born from Titans Iapetus and Clymene, was a cunning trickster and famously gave the humans fire

Trickster Tales “From now and forever my sky-god stories belong to you Kose! Kose! Kose! my blessing, my blessing, my blessing. We will now call these “Spider Stories.”” This is a quote from the trickster story “How Stories Came to Earth.” In this story a spider works to capture 4 animals to pay the price for the sky-god stories. In the two trickster stories “How Stories Came to Earth” and “Master Cat” there are many similarities and differences. In the two trickster tales of “How Stories Came

intertwining folklore and ancient wisdom to shed light on the mysteries of existence. Within these narratives, a fascinating archetype emerges: the trickster. As William J. Hynes and William G. Doty asserts, “For centuries, perhaps millennia, and in the widest variety of cultural and religious belief systems, humans have told and retold tales of tricksters, figures who are usually comical, yet serve to highlight important social values. They cause laughter, to be sure, as they profane nearly every central

Hero and Trickster Importance Hero and Trickster characters play prominent roles in numerous stories from diverse cultures. They are archetypes which may be analyzed to provide insight into and compare modern and ancient cultures. They mutually serve as a means to teach something. When looking at these characters and their journey’s evidence of a culture’s values and ethics can be seen. The characteristics and actions of both heroes and tricksters are significant to a culture. The trickster is a source

The Trickster character has existed since the origin of comedy. This role is still an important part of many comedies today. In this paper, I will compare and contrast the trickster characters of Tranio in The Haunted House with Ferris Bueller from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Tranio and Ferris have different social and economic backgrounds and different motives for their foolery. However, both characters rebel against the system and push for social change, influence others and create wild plots and

Trickster Tales “ Fool i'm taking you to pay for the Sky God's stories.” This folktale came from the story How Stories Came to Earth. Every time Anasi captured the animals he would call them fools and took them to the Sky God. How Stories Came to Earth, and Coyote Steals Fire are folktales that have several similarities and differences. In the two stories How stories Came to Earth and Coyote Steals Fire there are many similarities between them. One of the first similarities of the two stories

like the Iroquois and Navajo creation stories. Other forms of literature, such as the Winnebago Trickster Tales, might intend to

Avoid the Stupid Behaviors of the Tricksters from Native American Stories Many tricksters appeared in the early American stories. In those stories, the tricksters’ behaviors are often ridiculous or stupid which make people laugh. However, if you think about those stories deeply, you will find that the appearance of those stories meets the social needs in that period. People wanted to tell later generations some principles through the stories which were funny and easy to memory. For example, two stories

Comparing Deities The trickster archetype is a frequently represented deity that is memorable in many different culture’s pantheons and is exemplified through their mythologies. This clever deity figure is often an instigator that acts to propel the wheels of change, he is often mischievous in his methods and his motivations may be questioned by higher-ranking deities. Often times it is the trickster deity that is made an example of in many of the mythological tales. The Norse trickster deity Loki and the

Imagine a spider having to acquire stories from a sky god. It almost seems impossible right? Well this is exactly what happened in the trickster tale “How stories came to Earth” that originated in Africa. In this particular story the main character, A spider named Anansi suddenly became curious about how things came to be. Through his curiosity, he pays a visit to the sky god in hopes of gaining access to his stories. Once Anansi had asked the sky god for the stories, the higher being tells him that

Trickster Tales “Whats remains still remains.” This quote came from the trickster tale “How Stories Came to Earth”. This is what the Sky-God said to Anansi, the spider, when Anansi took an animal to the Sky-God but, he still had more animals to capture. “How Stories Came to Earth” and “Master Cat, or Puss in Boots” are two trickster tales that had many similarities and differences throughout. The trickster tales “How Stories Came to Earth’ and “Master Cat, or Puss in Boots” have multiple similarities

Relationships in Native American Trickster Tales, Franchot Ballinger discusses the evolving definition of a trickster in Native American tales. This essay will examine the character Det. Alonzo Harris, and his relationship with his student Jake Hoyt using the social themes and social relationships identified by Franchot Ballinger in his article, Living Sideways: Social Themes and Social Relationships in Native American Trickster Tale. Ballinger believes that tricksters may be ‘bad’ or ‘good’, and the

A spider that can capture a leopard, python, and other beasts, and a Coyote that can defeat the powerful Thunder? These come from two trickster tales called, “How Stories Came to Earth” and, “Coyote Steals Fire.” A trickster tale is a story featuring a protagonist, who is often an anthropomorphized animal that has magical powers and is characterized as a compendium of opposites. In the story, “How Stories Came to Earth,” there is a spider who must capture four creatures so he can get the sky god

Trickster Tales “Fool, I am taking you to pay for the sky-god’s stories.” Anansi the spider said this quote in the trickster tale “How Stories Came to Earth”. Trickster Tales are stories about a trickster who tries to outwit people, gods, or animals into getting something they want. In “How Stories Came to Earth” a spider named Anansi wants the stories to learn and share, but sky-god has a challenge for Anansi. He must capture a python, leopard a hornet and a fairy. After reading “How Stories Came

you know any tricksters? In fact, I know several trickster tales, and I read some recently called "The Bear Who Stole the Chinook" and "Coyote and the Pebbles." A trickster is someone who betrays and disrupts others. For example, Bear steals the Chinook, and Coyote messes up people's portraits by tripping over pebbles. Also, Bear is the better trickster because he's more aggressive and selfish than Coyote. Bear is more aggressive than Coyote, which makes him the better trickster. Having a better