An Oral Tradition

Oral tradition, oral culture and oral lore are messages or testimony transmitted orally from one generation to another. These messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants. In this way, it is possible for a society to transmit oral history, oral literature, oral law and other knowledge across generations without a writing system.

At the end of Fahrenheit 451, Granger and his academic companions have embraced the medium of an oral tradition or oral culture. Oral tradition is an ancient way to preserve stories and histories. Granger suggests that this is where they will start, by remembering.

We still have an oral tradition. Does your mother tell you stories about when she was little? When your extended family gets together do they laugh and tell stories about each other and growing up? This is an oral tradition. Most cultures are built on oral tradition and some use it solely as they have no written language.