Ms. Miller's English Class - Ms. Miller ~ English



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COYOTE AND THE BUFFALO

Literary Analysis

TRICKSTER TALES

Trickster tales are a type of folk tale that feature an animal or person who typically engages in deceit, violence, and magic. Tricksters are archetypal characters—character types that can be found in literary works from different cultures throughout the ages. A trickster is full of contradictions and may appear to be heroic and greedy, devious and kind, or foolish and clever.

Directions: In the first column of the chart are elements of a trickster tale. In the second column, record examples of these elements from “Coyote and the Buffalo.”

|Elements of a Trickster Tale |Find examples and direct quotes. (textual evidence) |

|Involves Deceit | |

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|Includes Violence | |

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|Uses Magic | |

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|Explains an Aspect of Nature | |

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|Main Character Displays | |

|Contradictory Qualities | |

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Answer Key

Coyote and the Buffalo

Literary Analysis, pages 47, 48

Responses will vary. Possible answers are provided.

|Elements of a Trickster Tale |Examples |

|Involves Deceit |Coyote has fun with Buffalo Bull’s skull. |

|Includes Violence |Buffalo Bull chops down the trees to get at Coyote; Buffalo Bull kills Young Buffalo; |

| |Coyote kills the cow; magpies devour the meat |

|Uses Magic |trees appear for Coyote to climb; a pipe appears when Coyote asks for it; a spirit gives |

| |Coyote materials to carve new horns for Buffalo Bull |

|Explains an Aspect of Nature |Tells why there are no buffalo in Swah-netk’-qhu country |

|Main Character Displays |Coyote is heroic because he uses his magic powers to fashion horns for the buffalo. He is |

|Contradictory Qualities |foolish because he ignores the advice of Buffalo Bull and kills the cow, which results in |

| |his having no buffalo to bring to his own country. |

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