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Instructions
Read: 1.) Reuss, Richard A.  “Woody Guthrie and His Folk Tradition.” The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 83, No. 329 (Jul. – Sep., 1970), pp. 273-303. (PDF) 2.) Ronald D. Cohen, Folk Music: The Basics: The Fifties (pp 89-128)View (In-Class): Woody Guthrie: Ain’t Got No Home  (PBS/American Masters).  Please note: This film is currently out of print, so it will only be available as a DVD screening during class.  If you are unable to attend that meeting, I encourage you to view the following documentary film on your own:Optional Viewing: BBC Arena – Woody Guthrie (1988) Prompt: In “Woody Guthrie and His Folk Tradition,” Richard Reuss states:”Guthrie’s importance to the folklorist lies not in his negligible contribution to oral tradition but in his role as spokesman for various folk or folklife groups.  His ability to communicate the life, feelings, attitudes, and culture of his people from inside–using their terms, concepts, and modes of expression rather than those of elite American society–renders him worthy of the attention of the folklorist.  In other words, Guthrie was a unique distillation of the cultural experiences of several groups possessing folk elements, at once a mirror in which they saw themselves and their most articulate and able chronicler”(275). Provide examples from Reuss’s essay that support this statement and/or explain why some folklorists might consider his contribution to oral tradition “negligible.”   On the flipside, explain why some folklorists might consider his contribution to American Folk Music “significant.”  Provide examples from Reuss and from the Woody Guthrie: Ain’t Got No Home or BBC Arena – Woody Guthrie documentary films.
Due Date
Feb 24, 2022 10:00 AM