Magic Lantern

Magic Lantern

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Cat Pagano - Philosophy of Storytelling

Everyone loves a good story. Bundled by the fire listening to spooky tales of haunted barns and of ghosts. Curled up across from grandparents as they share memories from their younger years, how they fell in love, where they were when the war broke out. Even just a casual catch up with your best friend at a coffee shop to discuss the events of last weekend. Stories are for telling. Stories are for listening. Stories can serve many purposes: to entertain, to learn, to express. While picture books encapsulate the eyes of children with caricatures of lions and vibrant forestry, Star Wars novels amuse the world-wide science fiction enthusiasts.  People may laugh, people may cry but regardless, they are brought together by the power of a story. A narrative from Albert Einstein’s biography is referenced in a college-level mathematics lecture in order to further explain the complex course material. From the experiences – past or present – of others, our own lives can be influenced. Through storytelling as well, we are given the opportunity to express ourselves. Whether it be the expression of ideas, feelings, or political standpoints, we are allowed to be free and open with each other. By communicating our thoughts, we improve the wide-spread knowledge and progress towards the future. In a very ordinary and simple way, stories have the ability to connect people: they entertain us, they teach us, and they allow us to express ourselves and our opinions. I guess you could say that storytelling has been and still is a pretty significant part of humanity.


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