Event Title
How has Creepypasta transformed folklore?
Start Date
28-2-2015 2:10 PM
Description
Writing is a way for people to connect with one another and express themselves. There are many different mediums to write and it has changed over time. The internet has allowed people to write to express themselves, connect with others, and to share emotions with one another. We still share folklore stories but in different ways. Instead of passing on the stories orally people now use images, videos, blogs, and memes on the internet to make the stories very effective in provoking shared emotions that cultures hold. By researching the way that stories get spread over the internet we can see how people use folklore in a modern way to express our shared emotions.
In this paper, I argue that creepypasta is a modern form of folklore. Creepypastas are essentially stories with horror elements to share on forums with likeminded writers. They use videos, blogs, images, and memes to make the story effective in provoking shared emotions with others. Creepypastas are much like folklore stories because they are easy to read and get to a central point that allows others to relate to it. Famous creepypasta stories usually have a core “story” and then is retold over and over which causes it to have variants in the original story much like old folklore used to spread. Old folk tales have variants where the ending is changed and sometimes heroes are killed rather than surviving. Creepypasta is now digital version of folklore that is used to share and express commonly shared emotions and to make certain points effective by using a certain writing style.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Christi (2015). "How has Creepypasta transformed folklore?," Digital Humanities Symposium.
How has Creepypasta transformed folklore?
Writing is a way for people to connect with one another and express themselves. There are many different mediums to write and it has changed over time. The internet has allowed people to write to express themselves, connect with others, and to share emotions with one another. We still share folklore stories but in different ways. Instead of passing on the stories orally people now use images, videos, blogs, and memes on the internet to make the stories very effective in provoking shared emotions that cultures hold. By researching the way that stories get spread over the internet we can see how people use folklore in a modern way to express our shared emotions.
In this paper, I argue that creepypasta is a modern form of folklore. Creepypastas are essentially stories with horror elements to share on forums with likeminded writers. They use videos, blogs, images, and memes to make the story effective in provoking shared emotions with others. Creepypastas are much like folklore stories because they are easy to read and get to a central point that allows others to relate to it. Famous creepypasta stories usually have a core “story” and then is retold over and over which causes it to have variants in the original story much like old folklore used to spread. Old folk tales have variants where the ending is changed and sometimes heroes are killed rather than surviving. Creepypasta is now digital version of folklore that is used to share and express commonly shared emotions and to make certain points effective by using a certain writing style.
