Literature and National Consciousness:The Relevance of Joke as a Genre of Folklore in National Development and Social Reformation

Abstract

Literature is a mirror through which writers and artists mirror and recreate their societies. It is reflects the hard-realities of human lives and unfolds in real terms, the socio-political, cultural, economic and religious realities of a people. Folklore on the other hand is the traditional art, literature, knowledge and practice that are disseminated largely through oral communication. It refers to the traditional beliefs, legends and customs current among the common people. It consists of the things that a given set of people traditionally believe, do, know and say; their worldview and outlook to life, handed over to them from generation to generation orally, that is through a mouth-to-mouth contact. Folklore comprised of proverbs, idioms, folktales, riddles, myths, customs, legends, beliefs, magic, folk-songs, charms, spells, incantations among other things found among a homogeneous group of people. Joke is one of the elements of folklore and qualifies as a folklore genre with a critical look on its characteristics, aesthetics and the significant functions which it fulfills in society. This paper studied some of the jokes found in our society. The aim is to establish the joke as a genre of folklore and to highlight on its neglected properties, characteristics, importance and significance in society. How joke as a genre of folklore fulfills the significant and importance of folklore and its relevance in our quest for national development and social reformation in our society is the crux of this study.