Seeking the chameleon: the influence of native rhetoric and the oral tradition on Native American literature

<p>This project seeks to explore the impact of rhetoric and the oral tradition on Native American literature by demonstrating that unique features are evident as a direct result of this influence. Characteristics which have functioned to preserve their culture (e.g.; the morphogenetic nature of Native mythology, the reverence for the Storyteller, and the "Chinese box" structure of organization in storytelling itself, etc.) are illustrated by the works of such Native authors as Leslie Marmon Silko and Paula Allen Gunn. The manner in which Native authors have utilized modem technology and the "rhetorical or dialogic style" of writing is emphasized to illustrate how they attempt to restore the element of "phaedic language" to written text and encourage the atmosphere of a "listening" audience as was actually present within the oral tradition. Finally, the impact on the Canon with the inclusion of Native works as primary artifacts for study, and how that has affected our methods of literary criticism in the discipline, is discussed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA) in English

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year

1996

Author dc:creator

• Brown, Christine S.

• American Literature
• Rhetoric

Statement dc:rights

• Access is available to all users

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/988

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.ewu.edu:theses-1988