Richard Wells : a Newfoundland storyteller and aspects of his storytelling

Butt, William Clouston (1986) Richard Wells : a Newfoundland storyteller and aspects of his storytelling. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (23MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

This work is a biographical, contextual, performance and aesthetic-oriented examination of a Newfoundland storyteller’s art. As such, the focus of the work is on the narrator and the contexts, and to a lesser degree on the narratives themselves. It is the contention that the narrator who is the focus of this research, Mr. Richard Wells of Exploits Islands, Notre Dame Bay, has become known as a storyteller much more so because of his narrative style than the kinds of stories he tells. -- The formal research began in the summer of 1979 and has been largely ethnographic in nature. It has involved field recordings and field notes taken over many hours and different situations up until and including the summer of 1985. -- Several significant conclusions have resulted from this work. The narrator's style has adapted and continued to thrive in a community which has undergone massive change and upheaval indicating that traditional narrative styles may have widespread and universal appeal. Also implicit in this finding is the possibility that audience aesthetics are somewhat universal. The narrative style itself is indicative of the power which folkloric performance may have. The results indicate the value that research which focuses on individuals can have.

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