Telling stories is an important part of every culture,
whether it is scary stories around a camp fire, a nice fairy tale bed time
story or just an old tall tale that your grandfather tells every chance he gets.
I am sure everyone has at least a couple of these fond memories that they hold
dearly.
Penelope Starr writes a blog
on the benefits of storytelling. She states that it creates an emotional connection
to the minds of the listeners. It gives a greater understanding by teaching a
lesson in an exaggerated story or a parable that can be easily related to.
Everyone has their favorite nursery rhyme that they loved
having read to as a kid. These nursery rhymes have become an important part of
our culture. Not only is it entertainment for the child but perhaps more importantly
it is boding time for the parent and child. This priceless bonding is essential
for the development of kids today. In
past cultures story telling may have taken different forms, such as stories around
a campfire, spiritual dances, or even writings in a cave, but they all tell the
story that brings members of a society closer together.
What do you think? Do you think that these stories are an important part of today's culture as well as past?
I agree, stories are a great way for caregivers to bond with children and to teach a lesson in the process. I think now the only difference between storytelling now and in the past is that much of it is now impersonal. Now lots of kids get most of their stories from television or the internet.
ReplyDeleteI have also noticed a trend aimed at adults that returns to darker versions of the original fairy tales (i.e. Grimm, Snow White and the Huntsman). I wonder if this is a reaction to previous attempts to "sanitize" the stories for kids? For example, in the Disney versions of the 20th century everyone lives "happily ever after."
ReplyDelete