The True Purpose of Stories

            

Since the beginning of time, when God first spoke, the ability to create stories has existed. It is something completely unique to the human race, something nothing else in the universe can copy. They connect us in a way that spans time, distance, culture; embroidering a tapestry that spans across millennia.  

What is a story? And the power behind them.  

But what exactly is a story?  The definition, as provided by Oxford Languages, is “an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment”. On the surface, this appears to be an apt description, but a clarification is needed to uncover the deeper meaning. While storytelling has existed since the beginning, its focus has only relatively recently switched to entertainment. In fact, stories were originally more functional; created to pass along cultural beliefs, mythology, and history. I don’t mean to say that stories were never used for entertainment; I believe they were. But their primary purpose was for teaching.  In the modern age, people expect stories to divert them from the real world and give them a chance at a different reality. Take one look at the shelves in your local library and you will see my point; rows and rows of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance.  In a devastating way, we are still learning from what we read, only not on a conscious level. Most of our processing of information is done on a subconscious level; which means our brains are making important decisions and sorting information without our knowledge. This is why it remains so vital for us to guard what we choose to read and let loose in our minds.  Such is the impact of a story. If one was to read only romance novels for a year, the person would soon start to fancy they were a heroine for their own rom-com. They would see the world in a certain light, expecting everyone to act as characters in their favorite stories. 

 

The Importance of Stories 

Stories can serve many purposes; for warnings, for lessons, for cultural identity, or for entertainment. They are noticeably more than simple memories and emotions; every tale is told from a different perspective, every teller, in their minds, a hero of their own story. In a video published by Stanford University, it is mentioned that studies show people are more willing to donate to a charitable cause after hearing a story about the impact of that organization on someone’s life, than when they heard the statistics (Aaker). Stories help us connect pieces of new knowledge with what we have already learned in the past.  Stories, either true or fictionalized, have the power to change our perspective of the world and shape our beliefs. They can make us cry, laugh, angry, or shock all in one narrative. They can be a powerful tool for good or evil. You can see this illustrated in commercials. In a mere twenty seconds, you are introduced to someone with a problem of some kind, usually something the computer algorithm has suggested, but, by the end, the person’s worries are solved by this miracle item and it makes you think: it worked for them, maybe this is what I have been looking for? But you are influenced not by the packaging or the video quality as much as the story of success.  

 

Why Do We Absorb Information Effectively Through the Medium of Story? 

 People remember easier if they are given something besides facts. Facts are dull and sound rather similar after a while, but if you add a touch of emotion and some conflict, you are rewarded with interest. People remember easier if they have an emotional or physical connection to material, which can be proved through storytelling. Our brains are also wired to recognize patterns and stories follow a similar pattern. The protagonist has a goal they want to achieve, but something is blocking them from reaching their prize. The character must fight to overcome the obstacle, usually with help, and in the end the goal is obtained. (Alviani)  

When we can tie mundane facts into this familiar design, our brains are more likely to maintain information.  

 

Conclusion  

We must be careful about what we read, because we are teaching ourselves something even if we don’t realize it. I am not here to persuade you to give up your favorite dark fantasy or thriller novel. All literature has its place. But it is time people start to think of entertainment books like food, too many plums, and you may regret your choices. The question must be addressed that if we learn the best stories, it makes sense we should be careful about what we read. Stories have value based on what they can teach you, not on what they can provide in sensation.  

Now, there are many books and articles written on this topic, so I will not bore you with my take on the matter. But I would like to share one guiding principle that I myself use.  

Limit your intake of entertainment books. Expand your horizons beyond the shelves of fiction and dive deep into learning. We should be reading with the mindset focused more on learning then entertainment. God gave us this special ability for a reason. How you use this gift is entirely up to you. You can bury it like the man for the Parable of the Talents, (see what I did there?) or you can let it flourish. We all know the saying: Everyone has a story to tell, but it is also true that everyone has a story they need to hear.  

 

Work Cited 

Stanford University. “Harnessing the Power of Stories.” Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab, https://womensleadership.stanford.edu/node/796/harnessing-power-stories. 

Alviani, Carl. “The Science Behind Storytelling. Our brains are hardwired for narrative… | by Carl Alviani | Protagonist Studio.” Medium, 11 October 2018, https://medium.com/the-protagonist/the-science-behind-storytelling-51169758b22c.