Only very few people are used to storytelling for even fairy tales are written down and read out loud to children the same way over and over again without alteration.
Changing perspective to first nation tribes one can easily discover the importance that oral tradition and storytelling has to these people. It existed long before literature was introduced by the settlers in the post-colonial era. While contemporary Canadian fiction and short story writing developed in the middle of the nineteen-hundredth century, Native Canadian Writing was forced to create their own distinctive style of writing. By combining storytelling with literature the new genre of storywriting was created.
In this paper I will analyze the key features of storywriting and will exemplify them with quotes from the book Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson (2000). First I will present a short overview over the author and the book in general. Then I will give a brief overview about the main motifs, symbols and topics that the book deals with. In the main part of this paper I will present different quotes and show typical aspects for oral tradition that can be found within them.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 About the Author and the Book
2.1 Eden Robinson
2.2 Monkey Beach
2.3 Main Topics and Motifs covered in the Book
3 Storywriting – Oral Tradition as a Written Style
3.1 Explicit and Implicit Stories of the Past (Legends/Lore)
3.2 The Meaning of Names
3.3 Wisdom, Teachings and Traditions passed on to the Younger Generation
4 Conclusion
5 Works Cited and Additional Resources
Objectives and Themes
This term paper explores how Eden Robinson’s novel Monkey Beach bridges the gap between oral tradition and contemporary written literature. The analysis examines how the author adopts the genre of "storywriting" to preserve indigenous Haisla identity, cultural history, and traditional teachings within a modern narrative framework.
- The integration of Haisla lore and oral storytelling structures into a novel.
- The significance of naming, spirits, and mythological figures in indigenous culture.
- The impact of the colonial era and the trauma of residential schools on Haisla families.
- The educational function of storytelling in passing down survival skills and cultural wisdom.
- The transformation of the reader into a "reader-listener" through hybrid literary forms.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Explicit and Implicit Stories of the Past (Legends/Lore)
“One explicit form of transmitting cultural knowledge is that of sharing oral traditions in the form of stories” (Juchnowicz 2008:273). In Monkey Beach this form of storytelling is often done by the elder generation like Lisa's parents or grandmother Ma-ma-oo, who are telling the children about old Haisla lore and traditions. There are many different folk tales covered in the book which will be exemplified by the following two excerpts. In the first part of chapter one it is made clear that these traditions are passed on from one generation to the next:
„When we were kids, Dad would tell us about b'gwus, the wild man of the woods. They were stories that Ba-ba-oo [Grandfather] told him. Jimmy's favourite was the one where these two trappers go up into the mountains near Monkey Beach. At one point, they had to seperate because the trail split. …“ (7f)
One important thing about storytelling is, that stories are not just learned by heart and repeated in the same way over and over again. They are remembered and therefore given more flexibility for interpretation and restructuring. “Remembering encourages spontaneity and thus greater immediacy with the listener” (Frey 1995:153 in Juchnowicz 2008). One story exists in various ways always depending on the storyteller. This is also visible at the aforementioned part of the story, when the book continues:
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the shift from oral tradition to modern Native Canadian literature, establishing the core framework of "storywriting" to be analyzed in the novel.
2 About the Author and the Book: This section provides biographical details on Eden Robinson and an overview of the novel's plot, themes, and its critical reception.
3 Storywriting – Oral Tradition as a Written Style: This central chapter investigates the hybridization of oral and written styles, focusing on how legends, names, and intergenerational teachings are embedded in the novel.
3.1 Explicit and Implicit Stories of the Past (Legends/Lore): This section discusses the transmission of cultural knowledge through folk tales and the role of storytelling as a living, evolving process.
3.2 The Meaning of Names: This part explores the power and significance of names in Haisla culture, highlighting how they serve as repositories for stories, personality traits, and history.
3.3 Wisdom, Teachings and Traditions passed on to the Younger Generation: This section analyzes the instructional nature of storytelling, focusing on direct and indirect lessons passed from elders to the youth.
4 Conclusion: The author summarizes the findings, reflecting on the value of Monkey Beach as a medium for understanding Haisla culture and the enduring impact of oral tradition.
Keywords
Monkey Beach, Eden Robinson, Oral Tradition, Storywriting, Haisla, Indigenous Literature, Native Canadian Writing, Legends, Storytelling, Cultural Identity, Residential Schools, Folklore, Literature, Narrative Structure, Post-colonialism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper examines how contemporary indigenous author Eden Robinson utilizes the literary style of "storywriting" to integrate Haisla oral traditions into the written narrative of her novel Monkey Beach.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The main themes include Haisla lore, the spiritual connection to the dead, the historical impact of the residential school system, the significance of names, and the transfer of survival and cultural knowledge from elders to the younger generation.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to identify and analyze key features of "storywriting"—a hybrid genre that combines traditional oral storytelling with the conventions of a modern novel—to demonstrate how it preserves indigenous history and identity.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper employs a qualitative literary analysis, utilizing academic sources on oral traditions (such as Juchnowicz and Frey) and conducting a close reading of specific textual excerpts from Monkey Beach to support its findings.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body is divided into three sections: it analyzes explicit and implicit stories of the past, explores the power and meaning behind character and place names, and examines how wisdom and traditions are taught through the novel's structure.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Oral Tradition, Storywriting, Haisla, Indigenous Literature, Native Canadian Writing, and Cultural Identity.
How does the author interpret the title "Monkey Beach"?
The paper identifies Monkey Beach as both a physical location significant to the Haisla people and a metaphorical framework that connects the protagonist's journey to her brother's disappearance with deep-rooted ancestral prophecies.
What is the significance of the "reader-listener" concept?
The concept refers to the reader's role being transformed; by engaging with a text that relies on "stories within stories," the reader is no longer a passive consumer but actively participates in the oral-tradition experience of receiving wisdom.
- Arbeit zitieren
- B.A. Sina Laura Rautmann (Autor:in), 2016, Key elements of storywriting in "Monkey Beach". Oral tradition turned into literature, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/370038
