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CENTRE FOR NEWFOUNDLAND STUDIES TOTAL OF 10 PAGES ONLY MAY BE XEROXED (Without Author's Pem1ission) The Incorporation of Popular Culture into Newfoundland School Children's Narratives by © Elizabeth Anne Coviello A thesis submitted to the School ofGraduate Studies in partial fulfilment ofthe requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Folklore Memorial University ofNewfoundland March 2005 SEP 1 7 2007 St. John's Newfoundland Abstract The concept of children taking characters and ideas from popular culture and the mass media and incorporating them into new narratives is not new. On the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland I collected a corpus of narratives from two groups of children aged between seven and nine. It is commonly assumed that Newfoundland was isolated from mainland influences, but research has found it has a strong relationship to mainland popular culture and mass media Despite Newfoundland's rich history of oral tradition, four categories emerged from the data showing evidence of influence from the mass media and popular culture. A gender division emerged in the data, with girls producing passive texts and boys creating action-adventure stories. I found my informants were all exposed to similar mass media and popular culture texts from which they took and incorporated characters and images into their own narratives. II Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people for their help and guidance: Keith Coles for introducing me to his mother Mrs. Coles. Jean Marie Myrick for introducing me to her aunt, Mrs. Finlay and her mother Regina Myrick. Mrs. Coles tor welcoming me into her classroom, making time tor me to conduct my research and for all the rides into town on cold, snowy winter afternoons. All the children in Mrs. Coles Grade 3 class of 1992-1993 and Tommy in Grade I tor his Star Trek story, who enthusiastically shared their fantastic stories with me and made my research time with them so special. Mr. Hiscock, Principal of St. Mary's Elementary School, St. John's for allowing me to conduct my research in his school. All the staff at St. Mary's Elementary School, St. John's for welcoming me into the school and their support. Mrs. Finlay Principal ofOur Lady of Fatima SchooL St. Shotts, for enthusiastically welcoming me into her school, introducing me to Mrs. Martin. Mrs. I kvv at aiiJ all Uu;; dtilJn:u widtUUL wltUIII ll wuuiJ havt: bt:t:n Impussiblt:: lU undt::rrake my fieldwork. For some quiet lunchtimes, the evening walks and inclusion into school activities. iii Mrs. Martin of Our Lady of Fatima School, for helping me settle into St. Shotts, from welcoming into her classroom and finding time for my research, befriending me. sharing her family's lunchtime snacks, encouraging me to walk in the evenings and for the odd shopping trip into Trepassey. Mrs. Martin's class of 1992-1993, Our Lady of Fatima School who enthusiastically welcomed me into their classroom. plied me with amazing stories, for all the lunchtime invitations and making my fieldwork with them so special. The Avalon and Roman Catholic School Boards for giving me permission to conduct tield work in the two schools. Regina Myrick for kindly providing board and lodging and letting me stay with her for all the periods of fieldwork I undertook at St. Shotts and introducing me to Jig's Dinner. Peter Myrick and his family tor their friendliness and all the morning school runs. Mr. Myrick, Pete's tather, one ofthe Cape Pine Lighthouse Keepers who let me and a couple of friends climb up to the top ofthe lighthouse. The view was great, but I don't want to do it again. Everyone in St. Shotts who befriended me, showed me their wonderful hooked rugs, and knitting, told me stories about St. Shotts, and made me feel welcome in their homes and for giving me so many happy memories. Professor Paul Smith for being my thesis supervisor and his help with my grant applications. Professor Peter Narvaez for taking over as thesis supervisor and his guidance. IV Sharon Cochrane, Folklore Department Secretary, for her support since I've been away from Newfoundland. Professor Thomas Nemec for his advice and sharing some of his anthropological data about St. Shotts with me. Mary Griffith Bursary for providing monies to aid my research at St. Mary"s Elementary School. Institute of Social and Economic Research Bursary for providing monies to aid my fieldwork in St. Shotts. Dr. Robert Paine of ISER for his advice and support. Breakwater Press, St. John's, Newfoundland, for their generous donation ofbooks which I was able to give to Our Lady of Fatima. Dr. Melissa Ladenheim and her husband Dr. Jamie Moreira tor their insight into the realities of fieldwork, continued support and encouragement and for providing a much needed hanky. My friends here in Redlands, California, Heather Maguire, Tina Booth for their proof reading and encouragement. Lesley Downie who kindly offered to spend her precious free time proof reading chapters for me and encouraged me to reach the end of the path. Amy Schutte who bravely offered to undertake a final oroof read in!! of the whole thesis, found all the little mistakes I missed and encouraged me to finish. Friends in Redlands who encouraged me to finish the document by babysitting my sons, William and Matthew, so I could work. v Dr. Rachel Gholson for her continual encouragement, patience, support and for her tireless reading of chapter drafts. Dr. Teri Brewer, friend and colleague, for her never ending encouragement and beliefthat I could do it. Stella and Clive Bundy. who as doting grandparents babysat William and Matthew so I could start the writing up process. My husband, Dr. Geraint Bundy, for encouraging me to go to Memorial, not knowing that the degree programme would encompass the completion of his PhD, two lovely children, a total lifestyle change when we moved from Wales to Southern California and require his amazing computer skills. My adorable sons. William and Matthew Bundy for all their patience while I have completed my thesis and for their wealth of knowledge and expertise about video games. William for all the cups of tea he made me so I could continue working. Fay and Ray Cori. dear friends who sitting in their lovely garden in Wales, encouraged me to follow my dreams and go back to school and get my degree. I"m so sorry Ray couldn't make it to the end ofthe road. VI Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................ vii List of Tables ................................................................................................................ ix List of Appendices ......................................................................................................... x Introduction ................................................................................................................... ! Focus ofStudy ......................................................................................................... 3 Taxonomy of the Narrative Corpus .......................................................................... 7 Analysis of Narratives ............................................................................................. 9 Chapter 1 Media Influence in Newfoundland and its Effects on Children's Folklore •·•·••···•••••••••·••·••·•·•··••·••••••·•••·•·•·•••••••••••••••··••••••••·•••••••••••••••••••••·•••••••••·•····••••·····•·•··••·•••··• 12 History of Popular Culture in Newfoundland ............................................................. l2 Radio ..................................................................................................................... 16 The Postal Service ................................................................................................. 17 Newfoundlanders Working Away from Newfoundland .......................................... 18 Popular Culture ......................................................................................................... 19 Popular Culture and Folklore ................................................................................. 20 Mass Media ........................................................................................................... 23 Children's General Television Viewing ................................................................. 24 Media Applied to Classroom Instruction ................................................................ 27 Mass Media and Folklore ....................................................................................... 29 Children's Storytelling .............................................................................................. 31 Media Narraforms ..................................................................................................... 33 Summary ................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 2 Fieldwork ..................................................................................... ~ ............. 36 Preparation for Fieldwork ...................................................................................... 36 Meeting my informants and their teachers .........................................................