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Storytelling

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Storytelling is a social and cultural activity used to share narratives.

Story Teller by Gaganendranath Tagore
Story Teller by Gaganendranath Tagore

People use it to entertain, educate, or preserve their unique cultures. It also helps instill specific moral values within a community. Every story relies on several crucial elements to function effectively. These include the plot, the characters, and the narrative point of view. While often associated with spoken words, storytelling also refers to techniques used in various media to disclose a narrative.

Orunamamu
Orunamamu

Before the invention of writing, storytelling was almost entirely an oral tradition. Early storytellers relied on their voices, gestures, and facial expressions to convey meaning. Some ancient cultures used physical objects to assist their memory. For example, Aboriginal Australian people painted symbols on cave walls. They would then combine these rock art images with music, dance, and oral narratives. This helped them enact and remember stories that gave meaning to human existence.

The Battle of Passchendaele, July-November 1917 - IWM E(AUS) 1223
The Battle of Passchendaele, July-November 1917 - IWM E(AUS) 1223

As human technology advanced, the media used to record stories became much more diverse. People began carving or scratching tales into wood, bamboo, ivory, and bone. Others used clay tablets, stone, or palm-leaf books to preserve their histories. Stories were also painted on silk, canvas, textiles, or bark cloth. Some used animal skins, known as parchment, for writing. Even complex tattooing has been used to represent stories about genealogy or social status. Today, stories are recorded on film and stored in digital electronic formats.

Researchers have studied the specific mechanics of how oral traditions function. In the 1930s, Milman Parry and Albert Bates Lord studied oral bards. They discovered that oral epics are often built using "formulas." A formula is a set phrase, such as "the wine-dark sea," that is used repeatedly. Lord found that as much as 90% of an oral epic is assembled from these repeated lines or word substitutions.

WLANL - MicheleLovesArt - Tropenmuseum - Pabuji-Verteldoek (4669-1)
WLANL - MicheleLovesArt - Tropenmuseum - Pabuji-Verteldoek (4669-1)

Storytellers also use "themes," which are set sequences of story actions. A common theme might involve a hero traveling to a dangerous place and using a disguise.

Folklorists often categorize oral tales into two distinct groups: Märchen and Sagen. Märchen are loosely translated as fairy tales. These stories take place in a "once-upon-a-time" world that is not a specific place or time. They are not intended to be understood as true, and they often feature supernatural events that characters accept without surprise.

Schlesisches Märchen
Schlesisches Märchen

Sagen are translated as legends. These are stories that are supposed to have actually happened at a specific time and place. When supernatural elements appear in a Sagen, they often create an emotionally intense reaction in the characters.

Modern storytelling has expanded to include many new digital and interactive forms. It now encompasses history, personal narratives, and political commentary. Digital platforms allow for interactive storytelling, where a user might act as a character within a large world. Some people use storytelling for therapeutic purposes, such as in psychodrama or drama therapy. This is known as self-revelatory storytelling, which can provide a cathartic effect.

Summer school Berlin School of Economics 2013-01
Summer school Berlin School of Economics 2013-01

Traditional role-playing games are another significant form of contemporary storytelling. In these games, one person acts as the storyteller by controlling the environment and non-player characters. The other players interact with the storyteller using verbal communication. Often, players use dice rolls to determine random events within the fictional universe. While many people now play computer-based MMORPGs, dice-and-paper role-playing games still maintain a dedicated following. These games allow people to explore genres like science fiction, fantasy, or even worlds involving aliens and hidden societies.

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🖼️ Images & Media (8)
File:John Everett Millais (1829-1896) - The Boyhood of Raleigh - N01691 - National Gallery.jpg
John Everett Millais (1829-1896) - The...
File:WLANL - MicheleLovesArt - Tropenmuseum - Pabuji-Verteldoek (4669-1).jpg
WLANL - MicheleLovesArt - Tropenmuseum -...
File:The Battle of Passchendaele, July-November 1917 - IWM E(AUS) 1223.jpg
The Battle of Passchendaele,...
File:Story Teller by Gaganendranath Tagore.jpg
Story Teller by Gaganendranath Tagore.jpg
File:Schlesisches Märchen.png
Schlesisches Märchen.png
File:Orunamamu.jpg
Orunamamu.jpg
File:The Historian (The How and Why Library).jpg
The Historian (The How and Why Library).jpg
File:Summer school Berlin School of Economics 2013-01.jpg
Summer school Berlin School of Economics...
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