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Comparing how different cultures tell stories with similar themes and lessons.
Have you ever noticed that a story from a country thousands of miles away can feel exactly like a story your grandmother told you?
Every great story has a theme. A theme is the 'big idea' or the lesson the author wants you to learn. Some themes are so important that they appear in stories all over the world! We call these universal themes. Examples include 'good vs. evil,' 'the importance of honesty,' or 'hard work leads to success.' Even if the characters are different, the heart of the story is often the same. For example, a story about a brave knight in Europe might have the same theme as a story about a brave samurai in Japan: courage in the face of fear.
Many cultures have a story about a kind person who is treated poorly but eventually finds happiness. 1. In the French version, Cinderella wears a glass slipper. 2. In the Chinese version, Yeh-Shen has a magical fish and wears a golden shoe. 3. Both stories share the same theme: Kindness and goodness will be rewarded.
Quick Check
What is the term for a 'big idea' or lesson that appears in stories from many different cultures?
Answer
A universal theme.
While the theme stays the same, the culture of the storyteller changes the details. Culture includes the food, clothing, beliefs, and environment of a group of people. This influences the setting (where the story happens) and the characters. If a story is told in a desert culture, the hero might find a magical cactus. If the same story is told in a forest culture, the hero might find a magical tree. The lesson is the same, but the scenery matches the world the storyteller knows.
Trickster stories teach us about being clever. 1. In West Africa, the trickster is often Anansi, a clever spider. 2. In many Native American traditions, the trickster is Coyote. 3. Both characters use their wits to solve problems, but their shapes and the places they live reflect the animals and landscapes of their specific cultures.
Quick Check
If two stories have the same theme but different animals as characters, what is likely causing that difference?
Answer
The culture or environment of the storyteller.
When we compare stories from different cultures, we learn two things. First, we see that humans everywhere care about the same things, like family, bravery, and fairness. Second, we learn to appreciate the unique 'flavor' each culture brings to a tale. By looking at the differences in clothing, food, and landscape, we can travel the world through books without ever leaving our desks!
Compare a story about a man who wants too much gold in ancient Greece to a story about a woman who wants too many fish in the Arctic. 1. Identify the theme: Greed leads to loss. 2. Identify the cultural differences: The Greek story features gold and warm weather; the Arctic story features fishing and ice. 3. Explain the connection: Both cultures use what is valuable to them to teach the same moral lesson.
Which of these is an example of a 'universal theme'?
Why might a story from Norway feature a snowy forest while a story from Brazil features a rainforest?
Two stories can have the exact same theme even if they come from different sides of the world.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain to a friend what the difference is between a 'theme' and a 'setting.'
Practice Activity
Find two versions of the same fairy tale (like The Three Little Pigs) from different countries and list three things that are the same and three things that are different.