Publisher's Synopsis
This book draws upon extensive fieldwork carried out in schools, libraries and youth clubs and presents an in-depth analysis of the oral narratives of teenagers. A sample of the fieldwork is included as an appendix. In the book, teenage storytelling is examined as a performative and social art form. The storytelling processes are also closely analysed, showing that teenagers are, largely, conversational storytellers, but nevertheless display a high level of verbal artistry and an awareness of the performance context. Additionally, the book 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. Furthermore, the teenage repertoire is full of stories, fragments and motifs that echo other narrative folklore. Above all, teenagers are very active and vibrant storytellers and bearers of a strong and significant oral tradition. - -
