Anthropomorphism In How Stories Came To Earth
One technique commonly used in trickster tales is the use of anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is giving non-human characters human qualities. In How Stories Came to Earth, the trickster, Anansi, is a spider but possesses human qualities. For example, after asking the sky god for his stories, it says “bowing, the spider quietly turned and crept back down through the clouds” (40). This shows the spider is given human qualities because spiders can not bow or talk for that matter. In Coyote Steals Fire, use of anthropomorphism is present in the trickster, Coyote. An example from the story is “They played with dice made from the gnawing teeth of beavers and woodchucks” (45). This shows anthropomorphism because animals can not play games. Finally
in the story Master Cat, the cat has human characteristics. Evidence from the story is “While he was in the water, the king drove by, and the cat began to yowl at the top of his lung: ‘Help! Help! My lord, the Marquis de Carabas, is drowning!’”(48). A cat would not be able to grab the attention of a human and verbally communicate with one, this is a human characteristic. Anthropomorphism is used in most trickster tales because the tricksters are animals, therefore the author gives them human characteristics.
in the story Master Cat, the cat has human characteristics. Evidence from the story is “While he was in the water, the king drove by, and the cat began to yowl at the top of his lung: ‘Help! Help! My lord, the Marquis de Carabas, is drowning!’”(48). A cat would not be able to grab the attention of a human and verbally communicate with one, this is a human characteristic. Anthropomorphism is used in most trickster tales because the tricksters are animals, therefore the author gives them human characteristics.