Performance & Practice: Oral Narrative Traditions Amongst Teenagers in Britain & Ireland

by Michael Wilson

This work draws upon extensive fieldwork carried out in schools, libraries, and youth clubs and presents an in-depth analysis of the oral narratives of teenagers. In the book, teenage storytelling is examined as a performative and social artform. The storytelling processes are closely analyzed, showing that teenagers are, largely conversational storytellers, but nevertheless display a high level of verbal artistry and an awareness of the performance context. Additionally, it identifies the dominant issues at play in teenage narrative tradition and shows how this tradition nourishes, and is nourished by, a variety of other media in a highly constructive relationship. Further-more, that the teenage repertoire is full of stories, fragments and motifs that echo other narrative folklore, demonstrating that teenagers are very active and vibrant storytellers, and bearers of a strong and significant oral tradition.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1997