How Urban Legends Work, by Tom Harris

Summary: How Urban Legends Work, By Tom Harris

In the article, How Urban Legends Work, By Tom Harris, the author tells us about urban legends and where they come from, why we believe them, what they mean and the effect the internet has had on them.

Urban legends are usually myths. While sometimes they DO have an element of some truth to them, they are stories that are created for various reasons and then retold as the truth. Why? Well for several reasons. It could be a horrific tale told to children in order to prevent them from doing something considered dangerous, i.e. going out in the woods alone. It could be a funny story told simply for the amusement of others. An urban legend could also be told to warn people of the danger in doing certain things, i.e. picking up hitchhikers, or even talking to people you don’t know in an unfamiliar place as is the point of the story about the man who wakes up in a tub full of ice, missing a kidney. There is usually a moral message of some sort attatched to urban legends. Whatever the reason is, we as a society believe these stories to be 100% true. Why? Well as Tom Harris says “In most cases, it has to do with how the story is told”. (McWhorter 517) If it is your friend who is telling you one of these stories, which usually it is, you are more likely to believe them. And if THEY believe it to be true, then they tell it in such a way that makes YOU believe it as well. This in turn makes you want to spread the word to other friends.

Most urban legends are spread by word of mouth. One person tells another, who in turn tells another and so on and so forth. However, with the Internet being as popular as it is, that is where everyone goes now in order to spread the word. This is done via email and now not so much of the original story is being contorted by each person retelling it. All you have to do when you receive one of these “forward urban legends” is hit the Forward button in your email and...