Tall TalesA Literary

Genre

ByMs. Mansfield

What is a literary genre?

Put your definition of a literary genre on the slide. I did not put one down because I want you to come up with your own as opposed to copying my definition down.

Tall Tales

• 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.

Pecos Bill

Why is this a tall tale?• raised by a pack of coyotes• uses 2 rattlesnakes as lassos• favorite food is dynamite• shoots all the stars out of the skyexcept for one and calls it the LoneStar

Daniel Boone

Why is this a tall tale?• fought hand-to-hand with a bear• escaped captivity by swinging on vines

John Henry

Why is this a tall tale?• raced against a steam powered

hammer and won

Paul Bunyan

Why is this a tall tale?• created Mount Hood by piling rocks

on top of his campfire to put it out• had a huge blue Ox, Babe, as a pet• was nearly 100 feet tall

Davy Crockett

Why is this a tall tale?• killed himself a bear when he was

only three• single-handedly fought against his

enemies