Stories Matter: They Pass Along Learning.
By Nathan Sablan.
Have you ever actually wondered why stories are made? Why they’re passed along? Why they’re retold over and over again, be it through word of mouth or through publishing in books? Because they do something that is important in many ways, they pass along learning.
Stories contain myriads of lessons that can be interpreted and conveyed differently by everybody, but they all lead to the same conclusion, of making you learn or understand something you may have never did before. People tell stories to others about past mistakes they have made when doing something, usually to make them laugh or to relate, and when you actually end up in that situation you stop and remember, this happened to them so I shouldn’t do it like them. That is the kind of power stories hold, they can influence decisions, change opinions, give newfound values to uphold. They display things you might never think of by yourself, teach you what you never taught. People learn through experience and sharing that experience will help others learn too.
Now why do people actually read stories? Think of it like this, what is the point of watching movies? Listening to music? Going to a fireworks show? People want entertainment and they like to be entertained. Stories offer that while also being able to convey a message the author wants to tell. Fiction is a powerful tool in writing and opens up new ideas with which themes and messages can be told.
In these ways, stories are great for making learning interesting, they can convey emotions or themes, provide insight into other peoples’ struggles, say things that need to be said, and give inspiration when you have none. Stories are easy to tell, easy to retain, and easy to invest yourself in, the possibilities with stories are endless.