Hot Chocolate and Storytelling

When Brad Pitt tells Eric Bana in the 2004 film Troy that "there are no pacts between lions and men," he is not reciting a clever line from the pen of a Hollywood screenwriter.  He is speaking Achilles' words in English as Homer wrote them in Greek more than 2,000 years ago in the IIiad. The tale of the Trojan War has captivated generations of audiences while emerging from its origins as an oral epic to written versions and ,finally, to several film productions. The power of this story to transcend time, language and culture is clearly evident.  The power of a story written or told has a lasting impact and forges our beliefs and history forward while remembering our past.  Hear any good stories lately?

Storytelling is one of the few human traits that are truly universal across culture and through all of history. Anthropologists find evidence of folk-tales everywhere in ancient cultures, written in Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, Chinese, Egyptian and Sumerian (it can even be found in "Rap Music").  People in societies of all types weave narratives, from oral storytelling in primitive tribes to the millions of writers churning out books, television shows and movies.  Storytelling is a human universal, and common theme in tales throughout history and all over the world.  We have a natural affinity towards storytelling and these are clues that reveal our history and the roots of our emotions and empathy.  A stories narrative has power to influence beliefs and how we analyze these stories reveals how we learn to accept new ideas.  The spoken word is more powerful than the written as it can take on personality and character. While the pen is still mightier than the sword, the written word or recorded word leaves much to the interpretation of the reader.  Ask any biblical scholar. 

As our ancestors were learning to live in groups or tribes they developed the ability to accept complex social relationships through story speaking.  Living in community requires keeping tabs on who the group members are and what they are doing. Thought this development storytelling became the method of keeping and spreading this information.  To this day most people spend most of their day conversing through personal storytelling and gossip.  Storytelling encourages social cohesion and serves as a valuable method of passing knowledge to future generations.  The imaginary world of stories may serve as a proving ground for vital social skills.  Spoken stories tend to draw a person out, unlike written stories that can tend to isolate us from the group and weaken our ability to socialize amongst real people.  When I have a good book I tend to hibernate in the recluenjss of my private world and fantasies.  

Can you imagine the impact that computer games and software are going to have on society in the next one hundred years?  The isolation work ethic they bring to society, for good or bad.  What type of impact will this have on how the next generation fits into the scheme of life lived socially, out amongst the group.  

A couple of years ago a good friend of mine (Mike Meeking) who has since went home to be with the Lord. Invited me to attend the children's festival.  Amongst all the skits, plays and street performers was a story teller.  He was in a jesters costume and had captivated a group of about twenty-five children between the ages of five and ten.  They were absolutely held spellbound by this story teller.  They were hanging on to every word and and the story he was telling them.  He had entered their world and held them captive or was it the other way around?  I'm afraid that storytelling is now on the endangered talents list.  What a loss it will be.  This blog is somewhat of a oxymoron as I'm writing about the lost art of storytelling.  Maybe we should meet for Hot Chocolate and I can tell you a story or two.  Just let me know when.  One last thing, when was the last time you had a really good deep dark hot chocolate.  The thick rich kind that needs a drill motor to keep it stirred?  I'm off to fix me one right now.  Come tell me a story and I'll fix the chocolate.  PS - My editor (Linda) is in California visiting her mom and sisters so cut me some slack on any mistakes.