The Controversial Trickster Figure - Research Paper Example

It started as stories passed on by word of mouth since the start of the development of human civilization did not have the knowledge of writing yet. As the story was passed on, alterations happened as environment changed and interpretations also changed. When writing was invented, changes still occurred but not as frequent as without it. People became aware of having basis by putting down the stories and their culture into writing. Figures had been incorporated in the writings of the stories and cultures that have significant values to show to the readers.

One of those figures is the Trickster. The Trickster is known as a prominent figure in folktales that go against the traditional beliefs of a society and even defies the law of the gods. He exhibits his rebellion through lust, lies and foolery. He comes out of the stories as one of the gods but it also appears in the form of an animal. Despite not being bound by the laws, he still gained the attention of people by being skillful. The people in the academe and in the popular culture have known that figure as the representation of evasion (Pelton 1).

He has appeared in various forms to show how trickery is done. As its name implies, Trickster makes use of a trick to get what he wants. Despite of the notion, trickster is not always self-centered. Sometimes the trickery is not done for his benefit but to help others as well. Helping others has been the common theme of the stories that involves Trickster. It shows the lessons that the audience might learn out of those legends. On the other side, the stories regarding the Trickster have been called as Trickster Tale.

It provides human qualities and actions to animals and inanimate objects. It is somehow similar to fables but it focuses on a central character that uses smart traps to apply foolery to other characters in the story. Most of the time, the size of the Trickster is a lot smaller than the characters he victimize. Sometimes he tricks for other people but he may also do it for himself (Swain and Harris 2). Sometimes the Trickster is greedy, but he prefers to help also. He may show diversion from the norms, but he gains the sympathy of the people.

In reading the Trickster tale, the readers must check out the title as it may point out the Trickster among the characters of the tale. Each of the characters must be analyzed for their behavior and the readers must check out the characteristics that they possess that resemble humans. Afterwards, the outcome of the tale and its effects to the characters must be studied in connection with the lessons that the story tries to share to the readers (Swain and Harris 2). It truly resembles the fable in terms of providing human qualities to the inanimate objects or animals that become the characters of the story.

In addition, Trickster Tale also contains lessons that are valuable to the everyday living of people. The Trickster may be considered as a hero who brings about a new opportunity to humans in the form of change. He has shown it through the use of symbols like fire. For others, the Trickster may have a life filled with contradictions. It has been used as a funny and light way of tackling the issues of the societal boundaries by challenging them. It has been a key in softening the ethnocentric issues as seen in the works of Poe and Twain.