The Greatest Art in the World is Storytelling

“The Greatest Art in the World is Art of Storytelling”–Cecil B. DeMille

Why tell stories?  Most of the time when we tell stories we have reasons for telling the story in a particular way. Some of the reasons are: to sort out things in our lives, give explanations, impress others, teach lessons, record history, mark successes, make someone laugh, and/or cheer someone up. Sometimes our reason is that we just want to connect with someone else so we tell them a story.

Storytelling is a huge part of how and why we communicate. It affirms who we are. It connects us with others. Stories can transcend time and space; they can be real, imaginary, or both. According to Andrew Stanton, a writer and director for Disney/Pixar, “A good story can evoke wonder.” When we read a great story we “surrender to wonder” and are compelled to pass it on.

“We have a profound need to tell and hear stories. It is how we share experiences, understand each other, and create community. Every conversation is full of personal anecdotes; every effort to explain shared customs and values needs a tale; every bit of wisdom is best expressed by a story. The very way our minds think is the essence of story. So to master powerful and effective communication, to engage people and ensure they remember facts, or to break down barriers of isolation within or between groups, telling stories in some form is essential.”–Anonymous

There are many forms of storytelling. My favorite kind is in picture books.

In a book called, Voices in the Park by Anthony Brown, storytelling is the subject of the story. Brown tells a story about one moment in time at a city park, narrated by four voices with four different perspectives. Each character narrates the interaction at the park from their individual perspective. This is an interesting story that illustrates the ways in which our own points-of-view shape the way we see the world. Also, it shows how we can be at the same place at the same time and yet we interpret things in unique and individual ways. The illustrations in the book are excellent and contribute to telling the story by showing how the interactions overlap. Through stories, like Voices in the Park, we can learn a lot about our identities.

We can ask ourselves:

“Why do I feel compelled to tell certain stories?”

“Why do I connect with certain stories?”

“Why do I share certain stories?”

“What does this teach me about myself?”

Storytelling contributes to making us who we are. And as one of my ultimate favorite storyteller reminds us: