Paul Bunyan of the North Woods
Carl Sandburg
Tall Tale: Fiction
Characters: Paul Bunyan: Representation of
Secondary characters: Seven Axmen, the mosquitoes and bumblebees, the little Blue Ox.
Settings: The story happened in the North Woods close to the American frontier, where there was snow and lakes. There’s a constant mention of hot stoves, tobacco, socks, etc. Also, the stories happen close to Louisiana, in Oregon, Close to the Pacific Ocean and the Big Onion River
Tall Tale elements:
The story happens or is set in an American Border, somewhere in Minnesota.
Paul Bunyan is larger than normal human beings, even having the physical strength to produce earthquakes.
The problems presented are solved through brute force, or it solved without involving the characters. Usually, being surrealistic or not real.
The hyperbole is used to physically describe Paul Bunyon or his actions, portraying him as a human with supernatural being traits. It exaggerates the size and strength, which affects the stories' plots.
The story doesn’t present dialogue, yet normal human activities are portrayed throughout the story.
Plot summary:
The story is introduced by questioning Paul Bunyan’s birth, other people’s ignorance about him and explains characteristics about Paul’s physique, activities and living habits.
Starts with the first story of a story compilation (stories), about Paul Bunyan stories in the north woods:
Story 1: When the Pacific Ocean froze during the winter, Paul gave a party, in which the dancing commotion moved the Big onion river three countries to the east.
Story 2: One year, when it rained on St. Patrick Day till Fourth of July, Paul divided the Lake Superior and swam to where a solid pillar of water was coming down, came back after an hour, the rain stopped, and he explained “I turned the darn thing off”.
Story 3: Two mosquitoes (That had killed and eaten Paul’s oxen) intermarried two bumblebees (that Paul had sent to kill the mosquitoes), and the things got worse. Until, Paul drowned them while they ate sorghum.
Story 4: Paul went to a camp in Gimlet, Oregon. There, cakes were dropped on a path of a center of a three miles long table, by boys on bicycles and men on skates.
Story 5:
Benny the Little Blue Ox of Paul Bunyan was finished because of eating a hot stove. After, he ate all the pancakes and destroyed the cook shanty.
Conflict analyses
Man vs Nature: Paul vs Split of superior lake, stopping rain. In the 2nd story, Paul was disgusted because rain ruined the celebration of St. Patrick's Day till the fourth of July. So, he stopped the rain and divided the Superior Lake.
Man vs Man: Bumblebees, Mosquitoes vs Paul. In the 3rd story, Paul decided to drown the bee-mosquitoes that weren’t doing any good to him or any of his animals. Even though, animals may be considered as part of the nature. They are given human characteristics to a certain extent.
Man vs Society: Affected by the creation of the Earthquake. The earthquake didn’t only move three countries to the east, but also affected the people that lived there.
Paul had supernatural abilities. He was larger, taller and could control specific natural conditions, which modified the plot’s flow.
Theme: Fighting against nature and its elements; Exaggeration of the daily experiences and hardships of pioneers in America.
Narrator: Third person limited.
Mood: Humorous, mythical and unique.
Tone: Lighthearted, exaggerated, tactful and informal.
Voice: Narrators, compilation of stories.
