A critical analysis of style and social significance in Luo children's oral poetry

Abstract

Children's oral poetry is an important area of study, because it employs verse to social values and condition the children's to their norms. It is pertinent to the child to memorize the social lessons learnt from these poems. Presentation of these poems to the child is very important because it is through style that a child develops interest in the poetry. It is observed that oral poetry is a method of informal teaching of children of the social norms of the society. This will also give room to critical minds of the children as they socialize one another into the health\, social norms. Looking, at the stylistic devices and the social backuround. the study has critically analysed the importance of style and social significance in children's oral poetry. Style and social significance in children's oral poetry has not been given serious critical analysis. Most studies of children's literature have considered children as passive beings who entirely depend on literature for their upright growth. This study, has established in scholarship that style and social significance enhance critical thinking in the Luo children, thereby preparing them for adult world view It also investigate the complementary roles of style and meaning in children's oral poetry. Using field work and library research the study creates an avenue for a better understanding of the Luo community oral poetry. The study is hinged on sociological and stylistic theories to examine the harmony between styles meaning and social significance of the Luo children's oral poetry. The main aim of the study is to critically analyze how style facilitates understanding of the meaning in Luo children's oral poetry. We make assumption that LUO children's oral poetry uses stylistics patterns and performative patterns and contributes to the mental growth of the Luo children.