The Art of Storytelling

"The Art of Storytelling"

    The art of storytelling has existed since the first forms of communication. Human beings can record history, teach moral lessons, and entertain through this art form. Ancient civilizations relied on lectures and storytelling to preserve their own history before the development of written language. In today's society the art of storytelling can be seen in music, movies, and performances. There are numerous examples of history being captured in movies and many young students find it easy to learn from these detailed productions. It is very easy to recognize that musicians are constantly telling stories through songs and whole albums. But the majority of the people do not see the value in developing these storytelling skills that movie writers and musicians develop. It is the very skills that these artists must develop to succeed in their field.

    The ability to connect with other people surrounding you is a very important trait, and the only way to make a connection is through communication. The art of storytelling is a very helpful medium for connections.    When someone has a story and also has the ability to deliver that story in a comprehensible, suspenseful, and vivid way, they have the ability to connect with people. Just look at how a movie or a song may connect and  influence a population. Now imagine scaling that influence or connection, more importantly, down to conversation among a small amount of people. Couldn't this ability be utilized to pitch a business idea, teach a young child a valuable lesson, or simply entertain some friends? YES!! Storytelling is a very powerful and important tool. 

   Native Americans used storytelling to preserve their history and culture. Every generation of Native Americans would have to memorize long intricate stories in order to teach the younger generation the  lessons and history of their ancestors. They developed these skills because they felt it was important to learn about their ancestors and appreciate them. They felt that the guidelines of their everyday life could be found in the stories of their community and ancestors. In a way all people in today's society follow the same path. Children learn from their parents or guardian that raises them. But we have far less appreciation for these lessons and we do not live by them all the time. In many cases children follow the same destructive paths of their parents or guardians. For example, my father has a very addictive personality and my brother had a lot of difficulty with an addiction. It is arguable that people can only learn from making their own mistakes.But I feel that if people showed the kind of appreciation for lessons that Native Americans showed, we wouldn't need to make the mistakes to learn.

 (Grandfather from The Princess Bride)  

   My experience with great storytelling comes from my grandfather. He has told my brother and I an endless amount of stories about his life and the life of others in his time. I personally have learned so much about myself, and the way I would like to be when I mature into an adult. I heard about his bravery, his hurt, his achievement, and his love. From the stories I decided what kind of a life I wanted to lead, or how I wanted to treat the people and world around me. I hope that I can develop my storytelling ability enough to connect with coworkers, friends, and eventually a family of my own. I understand how important it is to be able to communicate with people and I think that storytelling is the best way to learn how to communicate. If someone is good at telling stories, then they are good at paying attention to detail. This attention to detail will only have a snowball effect on your ability to develop a new memory or tell another story. Having the ability to tell a story will definitely improve your life and the lives of the people around you, whether you are preserving history, teaching a lesson, or simply entertaining.