Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part A

- Be clear in where the story is taking place, as sometimes if not enough context clues are provided it gets confusing where and what is going on in the writing. A story called The Jealous Uncle told a long adventure without describing where everything was occurring so it was hard to imagine the scenery.

- When introducing characters, make their roles clear. In the previous story I was reading, I didn't know the main antagonist was the chief of the village until the very end, so it was confusing why everyone was bending to his authority for no reason.

- Adding adjectives at the right time makes phrases more impactful. For example, in one part of The Jealous Uncle, the animosity coming from him is shown in his actions, written as "he savagely replied". Describing his reply as savage really drives home the anger he is releasing.

Yupik mother and child

Web source: Tales of the North American Indians, by Stith Thompson (1929).