Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby

One of the elements of African culture that slaves retained was storytelling.

The Trickster is a featured character in many African folktales.

The Trickster is usually an insect or small animal who uses their superior intelligence to outwit a physically stronger foe.

For example, Anazi, is a spider that is featured in many Ghanian folktales.

Other folktales featured a character called Brer Rabbit.

This character existed in Ghana, as well as, countries in Central and Southern Africa.

The stories of Brer Rabbit were collected and published by Joel Chandler Harris and later made into a Disney movie called "Song of the South."

Questions to Consider as we read:

• What is Brer Fox a symbol of?
• What is Brer Rabbit a symbol of?
• Why would stories like this be important to enslaved African-Americans?
• Challenge: What is the Tar Baby a symbol of?

Based on our definition, how does this woman fit the of archetype of a trickster?