How Anthropomorphism in Folktales Shapes Children's Connection with Nature and Their Values (With a Focus on the Tale „The Golden Girl“ – 5th Grade)
DOI: 10.15547/PF.2026.003
This study analyzes the role of anthropomorphism in Bulgarian folktales, with the main focus placed on the folktale The Golden Girl by Angel Karaliychev. The aim is to evaluate its pedagogical potential for forming moral, social, and ecological value attitudes in 5th-grade students. Anthropomorphism is considered a key mechanism for building emotional connections, developing empathy, and increasing ecological sensitivity through the attribution of human qualities to natural elements (talking animals, river-judge, rooster-revealer).
The applied mixed methodology includes three main steps: 1) Qualitative textual analysis of the tale, which reveals the anthropomorphic images and the directly related moral messages and dichotomies (good/evil, иndustriousness/laziness, compassion/indifference). 2) Analysis of pedagogical integration, tracing the place of the work in the curriculum and opportunities for interdisciplinary connections. 3) Empirical survey study conducted among 24 students (11–12 years old), to assess their perception of anthropomorphic images and the impact of the tale.
The results show that the anthropomorphic elements effectively function as carriers of basic values and virtues such as kindness, diligence, and justice. The plot clearly contrasts the rewarded good (harmony with nature) and the punished evil (rupture with it). The empirical data from the survey categorically confirm this impact on the student audience: 83% of the students perceive the river in the tale as „alive“, and agreement with the statement that animals are friends reaches a high average score of 4,54 on a scale up to 5.
Through anthropomorphism, discussions on current topics such as sustainability, ecological responsibility, and social justice are facilitated, offering deeper emotional engagement compared to abstract teachings. Based on these findings, the article formulates specific practical methodological recommendations. These include conceptual lesson scenarios (e.g., Conversation with the River, role-playing game The Voice of Nature) and a set of worksheets aimed at developing critical thinking, ecological awareness, and personal reflection within the learning process.
The applied mixed methodology includes three main steps: 1) Qualitative textual analysis of the tale, which reveals the anthropomorphic images and the directly related moral messages and dichotomies (good/evil, иndustriousness/laziness, compassion/indifference). 2) Analysis of pedagogical integration, tracing the place of the work in the curriculum and opportunities for interdisciplinary connections. 3) Empirical survey study conducted among 24 students (11–12 years old), to assess their perception of anthropomorphic images and the impact of the tale.
The results show that the anthropomorphic elements effectively function as carriers of basic values and virtues such as kindness, diligence, and justice. The plot clearly contrasts the rewarded good (harmony with nature) and the punished evil (rupture with it). The empirical data from the survey categorically confirm this impact on the student audience: 83% of the students perceive the river in the tale as „alive“, and agreement with the statement that animals are friends reaches a high average score of 4,54 on a scale up to 5.
Through anthropomorphism, discussions on current topics such as sustainability, ecological responsibility, and social justice are facilitated, offering deeper emotional engagement compared to abstract teachings. Based on these findings, the article formulates specific practical methodological recommendations. These include conceptual lesson scenarios (e.g., Conversation with the River, role-playing game The Voice of Nature) and a set of worksheets aimed at developing critical thinking, ecological awareness, and personal reflection within the learning process.