self-perpetuating narratives

[Thompson, Katrina Daly]

Dear colleagues,

I am working on an analysis of Popobawa stories (an urban legend about a supernatural rapist) from Tanzania.  One of the interesting features of the story is its self-perpetuating nature: the rapist tells his victims that they must tell the story to others to prevent repeat attacks.  I’m looking for literature that examines this self-perpetuating aspect of stories, along the lines of chain letters, perhaps.  Any suggestions?  If folks want to reply off-list, I’d be happy to compile the suggestions and then send the whole thing back to the list.

Thanks in advance!

Best,
Katrina
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Katrina Daly Thompson
Associate Professor, Applied Linguistics
University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
3320 Rolfe Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095